the green gal

V-Day

(recycled paper gift wrap, decorative sticky tape, plantable wildflower seed paper tags, Moulin Rouge quote framed print)

Enough hearts for you? Well, now, it is that time of year! And as it's a leap year you might be feeling extra romantic this month… (In case you're not sure what I'm alluding to, legend has it that 29th February is the one day every four years that women can ask men to marry them. I didn't say it makes sense in 2012, that's why it's a legend!)

If you fancy marking Valentine's Day with any of the smoochy stuff shown above (or want more ideas), just pootle on over to the green gables and take your pick. 

Gift wrap is not just for wrapping

As you probably already know I sell eco-friendly wrapping paper, tags and decorative tapes featuring my star and heart bunting designs. Their main purpose in life is to wrap up your presents and make them look gorgeous. But, that's not all gift wrap is good for, here are a few ideas of what else you can do with a humble sheet of wrapping paper…

Paper chains – this a great way to use up leftover scraps of paper, you can make the links as thin or fat as you like and the chains as long as your home can take!

Envelopes – this can make a great alternative to the plain envelopes you get with gift cards and they're super easy to make.

Gift bags – a fab solution to wrapping an awkward shaped gift, or lots of little presents, is to put it in a gift bag. Making your own is a doddle and it means your bags and boxes can co-ordinate for perfect presentation!

And if you want to keep your gift wrapping super simple this year try covering presents in tissue paper or brown paper and finish off with decorative tape and baker's twine or ribbon. Happy wrapping!

Getting sticky with it

So, remember I said in this blog post I'd tell you when my new finishing touches products would be available on my website? Well they are! You can now find the marvellous twig colouring pencils, mini wooden pegs and colured twine at the green gables.

But that's not all! I am very excited to reveal a brand new product I have designed – decorative bunting sticky tape!

red heart bunting sticky tape

Available in red heart or blue star bunting designs this tape will perk up any present, package or envelope.

blue star bunting sticky tape

The tape is 25mm wide and comes in 30m rolls so you can glam up a lot of gifts. (And a lot of order packages if you're me!)

As well as the pretty tape I've also added a few more things to my web shop, including sets of doily-edged brown paper gift tags…

set of five tags

twig pencils (similar to the colouring pencils but a bit more grown-up)…

twig pencil

and sets of occasion postcards with envelopes…

occasions postcards

So, I hope you like my new additions, I'd love to know what you think. And don't forget you can still get £5 off when you spend £20 at thegreengables.co.uk before the end of November with code NX5!

Early Christmas bird offer at the green gables

Why wait till December and have a mad rush to get all your Christmas present shopping done when you can take advantage of this special offer and be finished before the end of November?! 

I'm giving you £5 off when you spend £20 or more at the green gables for the whole of November. Plus, as always, you don't have to pay for postage and packaging on orders over £30. Just use the code NX5 at the checkout before 30 November to receive your £5 off.

You're a lovely bunch and have been so supportive of my new business, especially since I made the giant leap to work full-time on the green gables, so I hope you can take advantage of this offer. And, if I can spread out the Christmas order rush a bit more evenly over November as well as December my life will be a smidgen less crazy stressful – this way we all win! 

So, pootle on over to www.thegreengables.co.uk and have a wander around. And if you're still at the gift and wish list writing stage, this free printable might be useful…!

Free printable Christmas wish lists

There's no denying it. It's on its way and it can't be stopped. Two months today is Christmas Day. Now, before you scream and run off, I've made you something to help you cope with the impending festivities – Christmas wish lists to download and print for free.

The two different blank lists are A5 size so both fit on one sheet of paper for ease of printing. One list is for you to fill in and leave in an obvious place as an unsubtle hint, the other can be used to jot down ideas for the gorgeous gifts you'll give to your loved ones, whether they be bought or made.

It doesn't matter how long your lists need to be, you can print out as many sheets as you like (on recycled paper if possible, and don't forget to recycle your lists post-Christmas excitement).

Download Christmas wish lists pdf

To download and print the lists simply click on the link above and away you go. You can print as many sheets as you like but as always with my free printables, if you want to tell other people about them please link to the post, not just the download, and all my free downloads are for personal, not commercial, use.

Happy list-writing!

 

A few finishing touches

So, I have a few new lovely things from the green gables to show you. I was going to wait until they're listed on my own website but my web designer (talented hubbie) is so busy that there's going to be a little delay (not only is my husband a full-time app designer, a freelance Apple IT expert, and the website brains behind my business, he's also studying a physics degree – for fun – and it's all converged to swamp his every waking hour at the mo).

However, as I also sell all my products at notonthehighstreet.com you can find them there. Anyway, what are these products, I hear you ask? 

Well, I decided that in the lead-up to Christmas I would like to offer you a few items that I don't make myself but which fit in with my ethos and style and complement my product range – the finishing touches. And so I give you:

plain recycled paper gift tags in three different shades for addressing your gifts…

8m coloured baker's twine or jute string on a vintage-style dolly peg for wrapping up presents…

20 mini wooden pegs – perfect for hanging up Christmas cards with baker's twine…

and because I just love them – 10 coloured pencils made from actual twigs! Stocking filler anyone?

You can click on the pictures to be taken to the products.

So, do you like? I'd be really intererested to know what you think of the new additions to the green gables' range so do let me know. And I'll be sure to let you know when they're available on the green gables website.

Christmas is coming

I know it's only September but before you know it Christmas will be upon us! And it's far less stressful to spread out Christmas planning over a few months rather than having a manic panic in December. Or at least that's what I tell myself every year.

So, I can now declare the green gables Christmas store open! Well, it's a Christmas section on my website but you know what I mean! Here's what I'm bringing you this festive season…

Paper star bunting in my Christmas colours – raspberry red and ice blue…

Set of four square Christmas cards, each card has a different hand drawn star or flag bunting design…

And, very excitingly – my first range of gift wrap! This is something I've wanted to create for a long time and I am super pleased with how well it's turned out. The designs are printed on gorgeously thick, top quality, recycled paper and, as they aren't specifically Christmassy, will make a present for any occasion look just gorgeous. 

The strings of white heart bunting ping off the raspberry red background…

And the multicoloured star bunting pattern is so vibrant I'm sure anyone would be cheered by receiving a gift wrapped in this, before they even open their present!

The gift wrap comes with matching tags and you can purchase complete gift wrap sets with sheer satin-edged ribbon to make your present wrapping super easy.

As you would expect with the green gables all of these items are eco-friendly – the cards and gift wrap are printed on recycled card and paper, and the bunting is made from FSC paper. So you can easily make your Christmas as green as your tree!

As my range of framed prints make popular presents I could have put them all in the Christmas department but I thought that might be a bit much! Do check them out though…

I do hope you like my new Christmas range, I'd love to know what you think!

PS I will be sending out the newsletter this week, including a special offer, so if you'd like to receive a copy in your Inbox make sure you give me your email address. Ta ta for now!

Palette pingpong no29

I hope you're all very well out there in cyber space. Make a cup of tea, get comfy and have a read of today's palette pingpong post. 

So, you can find the photo that Kirsty challenged me with over at her blog, ginger and george, and here is the palette I took from it: 

It looks quite pretty as it is but I decided to make a couple of cards for you to download and print instead. I took the You're a Star card I made a while ago (because it was a bit of a hit with you all) and reworked it with this colour palette. There is a bluesy card and a reddish card:

Because I'm a girl who doesn't like waste the two cards fit on one sheet of A4. Simply download the pdf from the link below, print it out on recycled card and cut along the dotted line. When folded each card is A6 size. Not surprisingly I chose to round off the corners because I like rounded corners!

 

Download bestest card

I've kept the message simple so that you can use the card for all kinds of occasions, perhaps for Father's Day on 19 June? If you don't want to bother with an envelope you can cut the cards in half so just the front remains and write your message and the recipient's address on the back.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here, and when you receive the green gables newsletter you'll also get 20% off your order at the green gables when you buy a framed print, perfect for Father's Day! And you even get top tips on how to help bees and butterflies into your garden :)

A DIY on Daisy Green

The lovely ladies at daisygreenmagazine.co.uk have let me and my meddlesome making loose on their website. Each month I will post a little tutorial, to start off I show you how to make personalised present from an old map.

Go to daisygreenmagzine.co.uk to find out how plus loads more on living a fabulously ethical life.

Crochet at its best

As you may know I recently celebrated turning a year older. One of my lovely friends, Kirsty, gave me this handmade gift – one of the most beautiful creations I've ever seen, let alone been given.

I mean, really, have you seen anything prettier? The combination of vintage fabric, natural linen and intricate crochetwork is sublime. I am a lucky, lucky lady.

Kirsty's in the middle of updating her blog, ginger and george, at the mo but her makerie section is up and running and ready for your viewing pleasure already. Here you can find just a few of her fabulous tutorials, I urge you to sprint on over there now to take a look! (Don't forget to pop back and let me know how you got on…)