Secrets of a Butterfly

A butterfly surprise

The other week a surprise came in the post from my friend Moa in Sweden. She had knitted these beautiful gloves for me, with butterflies upon them, aren't they gorgeous.
The inside of the glove has a butterfly - to be as if you're holding it, which I think is so sweet.
The knitting is so exquisite, and I love how they look on.
Thanks again for your kindness Moa, they are going to be treasured
Love & butterflies
Kat xo

Gems from Minnesota

Sweet Shanon sent me some beautiful gemstones, the colours are beautiful & they remind me of the floral borders in her garden too, xx kat

Hugs from a swan - a little parcel of goodness

 

Jen (mayfith) likes to make things from vintage ephemera, as do i. she sweetly asked to send me some of her crafts, and these little goodies arrived in the post for me.

they are full of charm and whimsy arent they lovely, i am going to gift the alice brooch to someone who mentioned the book to me just lately (smile)
i will also share what i send jen in return when i have been able to put that together for her in a bit of time.

love kathryn x

A gift i hold deer

My lovely friend, Helen, sent me one of her plates with a deer she handpainted upon it. Isnt it beautiful! it brought so much sunshine into my day, these photos are of it nestled on my bed... i need to think of a special place to hang it

Post like this seems like a treat, and it is, but at the minute it's also a life line for me, I'm holding on to the love and care in each parcel or letter SO much, I can't tell you!

Please if you can make a difference in someone's life by giving them something small or a notecard of thoughtfulness, then do. Don't stop to worry how it might be received, just reach out. Too many people are out of sight and sadly can be left out of mind also

Speaking as someone on the recieving end of such mail I can guarantee that it's a tonic they need, that its a blessing, and so much appreciated.

I have over the years even when I was most ill, given more than I received, I tended to be the friend that others drew on, relied on and turned to for support. I never looked for it to be this way it just kinda turned out that way somehow, I embraced this role of older friend who had advice to give and practical thoughts of what to do and became familiar with it as part of who I was, it taught me much about unconditional love in the form of giving

This time though,i have been learning about unconditional love in the form of worthiness to recieve. As during some of the harder times I've been having the past 3 years, things have been very different, I haven't been in the role of supporter but if supported. I've been looking at why that is and learning from my reflections there.

I just wanted to say that it's been strange and taken some getting used to, to be the receiver of much kindness. Especially whilst too unwell to make things and give things back in exchange - which I know isn't expected but is natural enough to want to do.

I'm embracing the gifts, the mail and the loving care. And I'm also learning from its prescence in my life. I'm soaking up the strength from being cared about in this way. I'm also working through letting go old patterns of not having that same care towards myself.

What I give to others I'm recognising I'm in need of myself. What I'm recieving from friends I'm recognising is a reflection of this new view of myself and new self love.

I hope my reflections resonate with something in you also, I share them for that, but I also share them because I just had to write it down.

Helen's shop shelves at Icklebabe are currently brimming with plates of equal charm, some say home sweet home, some say happy day and some have whimsical animals, with balloons and teacups, nestled amongst flowers. you'd love them too.

love kathryn x

Cushions to love

Hi lovely butterflies,
Thank you for your comments and for continuing to visit, even when i havent been around as much as i would wish to be.

we are into january, i want to try and post a bit more, i am not feeling much better in that physically i'm very weak & the past few months have had to remain in bed, but certain things have altered. i also miss my blog, so i am going to see if i can do a little post here, as and when i can. These are photos by friends, they show the cushions i sent them for Christmas. Each is made with a different vintage hankerchief or fabric, and has Love embroidered in the centre. I got them from lovely Luca, her shop is Sesame and Lilly.

must go, but hopefully more time spent here soon,
love Kathryn

Pretty floral masking tapes!

I was browsing on etsy the other evening and discovered these new designs of masking tape.
I am so pleased that there are some pretty pastel designs coming through. It hasnt always been easy to find floral or ditsy prints. But now we are spoilt for choice...

Definately some to add to the christmas shopping list, for me, for wrapping with or for pressies!

ALL tapes from CraftyJapan with the pink purple set left at Pretty Tape

love Kat xxx

A fairy garland for Maddy

I have lately been making these little fairy garlands for friends.This one was specially for the lovely Maddy in California.

The fabric is a gauze and has a floaty feel to it. I like it's lightness and placing it with the lace trim gave it enough weight to drape but still catch the breeze. Which was important to me.

I like the little squirrels and raspberries on the large flags, and the tiny flags are in a liberty fabric.
I added charms to the end, and it can be tied with the Bakers twine, onto a mirror, moodboard, across a window, or between pictures upon a wall.

 

 

I placed it inside this little box to post, adding a mother of pearl white bunny and stitched Mon Amie (my friend) ribbon to a scrap of vintage fabric.

 

 

 

 

I would wish to make more of these for an etsy shop, when i'm feeling stronger, i hand sew them, but maybe i can use the machine when the time comes

love kat xxxxx

Orla Kiely postcards as gifts

One of the things i like to do, is create pretty post to mail to friends.
It's often about the buying of items and wrapping supplies on a budget
while still making gifts that are special.

One of the best ways to do this i have found, is to purchase items in sets that can be split up.
i thought i'd share what went into creating these postcard and pencil sets above.

I purchased the set of 28 postcards (which gave me 4 sets of the 7 different designs) and the set of 6 pencils from a shop online called Got to have it . - ( they arrived quickly and well packaged.)

I then gathered the above supplies from my craft items, Orla Kiely wrapping paper on a roll is avaliable at John Lewis online, the other items are things i have had for quite some time, but similar can be found at online scrapbooking shops.
From left to right : Prima paper flowers, Anna Griffin ribbons, Making memories brads, Pearl stickers, sellotape, Vintage mother of pearl buttons, ribbon with wording.

I cut ribbon to hold a set of 7 postcard designs together, i then stitched a paper flower and button onto the ribbon with a strip of verse.

The sets each had the same 7 cards, and i just placed a different image on the top of each one.

I then used the Orla Kiely wrapping paper to make little envelopes for the pencils. ( i didnt take a photo of the pencil designs as i hadnt planned on this blog post at the time of wrapping) Again placing a flower on each, with a ribbon beneath and securing with a brad, atop of the brad i placed a small pearl

I am pleased with the way they turned out especially as it has given me Orla Kiely items to send friends who i know love her designs alot, and they are things that are easy and light to pop in the mail too.

Love Kat xxx

Butterfly birthday gifts

 

 

A few instagram editied pictures, that show the gifts i got on my birthday

A Kirks folly butterfly hair slide and  Alex Monroe bracelet,
with its butterfly, dragonfly, four leaf clovers and horse shoe,
its so full of magicalness
The little purse is from Retreat Home and Gift, they have such pretty things!

If you like Alex Monroe jewellery, Little15jewellery have everything half price

Above,some of my lovely cards.
This was the first brthday i have had while using the iphone application Instagram, and i was SO touched by the picture messages that friends did for me there. They felt like birthday cards too. It really is such a heart warming community, that i am so glad to be a part of (thank you IG girls...you know who you are!) you can follow my pictures there at Secretsofabutterfly

Also BIG thanks to friends who left me messages on my wall at facebook, i love how it allows us to be in touch so easily and on the day, as it makes it feel like you've been a part of it with me wherever you may be in our little world.

Below the lovely vintage fabrics Keri-anne sent me....i just love the woodland feel to it and the little butterflies

 Flowers in my room, in front of a new mood board... more of which another time.
Till then take care,

xx

Gifts for my brother

 

This year, I chose Paris themed gifts for my brother, his birthday is the day after mine on the 24th January.
 He is going to Paris in the Spring. The cushion I got from John Lewis, it has a stylised street map of the city on one side and an Eiffel tower, striped top and bike on the reverse.Then the magnets were from Papernation.

 And this is what they looked like all wrapped up. I made up the little tags with an elephant picture from the wrap and bakers twine, then added them to the parcels with some red masking tape. i hope he likes them
Love