Hands Gallery News - Shop Local This Christmas

A few days ago, I have seen a plea on FB to shop local this Christmas. This poster tried to support small businesses and local crafters. I am a very much in favour of this movement. I am a member of the Hands Gallery - artistic co-operative, and our shop is full of handmade, unique items produced right here in Munich.
As I was looking after the shop today, I have taken a few pictures to inspire your Christmas shopping.

Shopping for a party diva? How about these sparkly grey/silver fingerless gloves from Looby knittinx.

If you are searching for the right present for a Retro-mama, check the products from Kiwis and Krauts.

Funky presies for the little ones are also available, come to explore the selection of embroidered goods by 40stitches.

And if you are looking for some Christmas decoration, come to pick the right one. What is your theme: traditional or quirky?

Paris is more than just the Eiffel tower - Parisian pre-Christmas Menagerie

I have visited Paris before, so I knew that I do not want to see the Louvre or other highlights this time. Instead, we played our parisian weekend by the ear and we had fabulous time...

So here is a very random guide to what you can see, if you just keep your eyes open. Somehow it rurned out to be a lots of animals... ;-)

The first finds are from the fantastic department store Le Bon Marché. I love to visit before Christmas as they never fail to offer unusual decorations and here we go this year: Safari Christmas tree or would you prefer nautical theme... ;-)
http://www.lebonmarche.com/en.html

This little ZOO is entirely made of chocolate, yes CHOCOLATE! And it is one of the best in Paris! (Blog post on food experiences will follow when time allows). The master chocolatier is Jean Charles Rochoux. Click on the link, just the site is amazing, let alone the chocolate!

Another sight we could not miss was this pink elephant! Don't you just love pink plastic? (just kidding) He is made by Stéphane Gautier and you can find out more about him on the parisial gallery website: Galerie Barrou Planquart.

The next experience was a real treat for anyone who originally studied veterinary science (me). The National Museum of Natural Science feels like an old museum at the beginning of the 20th century (at least the old part). There are no funky video instalation or interactive devices, just bones, a loooot of them! But I loved it. If you've ever wondered how a skeleton of a turtle looks like, here is your answer:

For anyone, who is frantically looking for small funky Advents Calendar fillers, we found a great option, cute small horses that should bring luck! Just don't be afraid to enter this shop,it is a harmless enterprise supplying the nearby studying medical students with anything they might possibly need. ;-)

And last but not least this beatiful catch! The Italians also sell a lots of sea creatures but do they display it so well? Feeling like a crab for dinner? Then head to Rue Mouffetard, great spot for eating out or just wondering what is out there.... More about food next time!

The Advent Calendar School - The mini Calendars

As well as creating normal size Advent Calendars, I have recently made 2 mini ones. They are cute but I struggled a bit finding a suitable packaging. First I created the "Instant Advent Calendar"by stuffing all the houses, pegs, string and sealing stickers in a jar. It was fun but not so good for shiping and you coudn't realy see clearly inside. Yesterday, I was just playing around with some old DVD boxes when the idea strucked me! The calendar actually fits perfectly in a DVD box. It also looks a little bit like a suitcase. A perfect gift for a guy! Ladies in lingerie with a retro twist. ;-) It is easy to ship too! Visit my shop if you are interested:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/168862342/mini-advent-calendar-in-a-dvd-box-25?ref=listing-shop-header-0

The Advent Calendar School - What is inside #6

It would not be an Advent Calendar without a cute goofy surprise!

Today I found just that. The JuliaWine shop on Etsy has these cute bears in pyjamas to decorate your Christmas tree and variety of other wonderful creatures too! You will also find fabulous sleep masks in the kitty shape! Make sure you check it out. ;-)

The Advent Calendar Auction - OOAK

Your one and only opportunity to buy one-of-the-kind Advent Calendar! 

Two years ago, I made an Advent Calendar inspired by the beautiful houses in Prague. It was not meant for sale but it generated a huge interest online. As each house is hand-drawn, it was a real undertaking to complete 25 different houses and I did not have time again to produce one for sale. This year however, my talented niece (who just started a Graphic Design school in the Czech Republic) took on the challenge and created one Calendar of her own.

She is happy to sell it to the highest bidder. All the profit will go towards art materials for her studies and even though the asking price doesn't seem very high, it certainly helps her when converted into the Czech currency.

You will receive 25 houses made of newspaper and decorated with drawings made by permanent marker. EACH HOUSE IS AN ORIGINAL DRAWING. You can fill the houses from the top and then attach them to a string with  mini pegs or a ribbon as shown on the last picture.

Please note that the last picture if for illustration only, it is the calendar I made 2 years ago and shows you how it looks all connected together.

HOW TO PLACE YOUR BID:
Please follow the link to my FB page and send a private message to Cut & Tear with your bid, your name and your e-mail address. The starting price is 20£.
The Auction will close on Monday 18th November and the winning bidder will be announced on FB and notified by e-mail.
https://www.facebook.com/cutandtear

The Advent Calendar School - What is inside #5

I have bought one of these already for Valentine's day but I think that a coffee spoon from the ForSuchATimeDesigns shop,  with the right message, can make a great advent calendar filler too. At the moment, I would really do with this one...

The Advent Calendar School - What is inside #4

Last year I ordered  24 samples of tea from the wonderful Karen from the ArtfulTea shop on Etsy. My boyfriend loved it. The packaging was gorgeous, the tea tasted fantastic and the variety of flavours never got boring. I looked today to offer you a link to Karen's shop and found this brilliant, ready made Tea Advent Calendar!!! So, now it is up to you, you can order the whole calendar or you can order just some tea from this lovely shop, but in any case, you should try Karen's tea! ;-)

The Advent Calendar School - What is inside #3

OK, I know that swearing is not good but these pencils just made me laugh! I think it would be another perfect filler for a bloke's Advents Calendar. ;-) And I am loving the colour too, such a cool mint!!!

To see more fun stuff, visit the JulieAnnArt shop on Etsy.

Brand new Mini Angels and Jewellery Garland...

As I am in the middle of preparations for 3 Christmas markets and I also have my teaching day-job, I do not have many opportunities to come up with anything new. These schrink-plastic angels and the beautiful garland stringed from paper snowflakes (punched from recycling paper) and leftover beads are exceptions...

The Advent Calendar School - What is inside #2

Although I love little gifts, words of love and appreciations from my loved ones are perhaps even better. The Advents Calendar is a great opportunity to say things, you perhaps don't say enough during the year.

TheSimpleWord shop on Etsy offers an instant help and inspiration...

The Advent Calendar School - What is inside #1

Here is idea number 1.
I don't know how about you but I do struggle finding great advent calendar fillers for my boyfriend. Presents for men are just difficult, don't you agree? Well, I think that this idea is quite a good one...

Tiny little notebooks from the Ordinaryartists shop on Etsy.

Hands Gallery News

Since recently, I am a member of the Hands Gallery - an artist co-operative with a shop in Munich. Today was my day to look after the store, so I decided to take a looooots of pictures and show you what we have in stock...

If you live outside Munich but like what you see and would like to buy, just let me know, it can be arranged. ;-)

Of course, there is much more, so I will be posting as regularly as my life allowes... ;-)

Reports from the Winter Market Season in Munich - Markt der Sinne

I am not sure if it officially the truth but for me the Markt-der-Sinne (Market of Senses) started the  Winter market season in Munich. The Munich crafting community has been discussing and preparing for this time pretty much since the Summer. As I make only small things and have a day-job, I have been very selective about the markets I will be attending as a vendor but it does not stop me visiting some of the others and showing you some fantastic handmades...

My friends and fellow members of the Creative Lab Munich team on Etsy are selling their unique stuff at the Markt der Sinne and here are some examples:

The girls behind the L'EnfantTerrible brand are real children accessories queens. These little clips would make fantastic Advent Calendar or stocking fillers and will make every little princess look stunning.

They also offer luxurious handmade childern clothing, check out the couture coats. The bibs are reversible and have unique design with a stylish butterfly collar.

Another member of the Creative Lab Munich, Su-pyo makes wonderful prints, cards and the cutest mini approns for ambitious young artists.

And here are the ladies behind the stall! If you missed the Markt der Sinne, then you can find them again selling at the Japandult market on 1st December 2013. I will be there as a seller too!