::CONSTRUCTION AREA::

Hi folks, if things look a bit weird to you, thats because we are going through a huge overhaul which could take days, if you are a sponsor, don't worry, we still have your ads, if your on our link list, don't worry, we still have your links.....we have EVERYTHING from the old site, we just need to test things live so we know whats going on...just don't freak out, i'll do that for you!
~nicole

a very merry holiday season

Hi all, no regular blog posting today, only a warm wish that you and your families have a wonderful holiday season. we will be taking a short break to spend time with our family. We are very excited for Zoe's first christmas and hope she doesn't cry when santa comes to see her christmas morning!

we hope to share some new things with you when we return, a site redesign is in the works and new features are being planned, lets just hope we can get everything up and running for 2010! this has been the best year thus far with freshlyblended, we have gained so many new fans and supporters of the indie design and craft world and we hope to grown even more in the new year. Thank you to all who have followed us and to those new faces that have found us, we wouldn't be freshlyblended without you! see you in 2010!

2009 holiday ornament swap

LOVEly stars by susan of artstream studios


felt birdie by aprilini


cute little cozy mouse by sissym



a different twist on the ornament, paper garland made by shiny suitcase


very lovely snow flake by missgg

soul birds :: sanna annukka

OMG, did my heart skip a beat when i saw these stunning wooden "soul birds" by finnish designer, sanna annukka. I am such a big fan of her prints but this is just above and beyond for me. she has a great love for nature and nordic folklore which beautifully translates into her modern illustrations.
The "soul birds" are based on a an ancient belief that the soul bird (or Sielulintu) was thought to deliver the soul to newborn babies and also to transport the soul to the afterlife at the moment of death. It was believed the Sielulintu protected a persons soul at it's most vulnerable; when dreaming, and it was tradition to keep a carved wooden bird by the bedside to keep the soul safe during sleep.

Greeting Cards by Nikki McClure

Happy friday everyone! I'd like to start my weekend by sharing these great new greeting cards by the very talented, Nikki McClure delicately printed by pinball publishing, you can buy them here and here.

Laura Macchia

Designer, Laura Macchia recently launched her etsy shop, where you can find some really beautiful nature inspired and new holiday paper goods. Her site includes some really elegant pattern design as well as custom and wedding stationery designs. Laura is also good to our environment by using 100% post-consumer paper! yeahy! we love that!

Holiday Ornament Swap '09

Only one more week kids! The chaos has already began in the Lecht household but at least I can take a minute to enjoy some lovely handmade ornaments that randomly show up at my door. Here are some more great holiday creations from the swap.



sock doves by g_sh0k



cute cardboard reindeer by sjiraff


Trees constructed from vintage wallpaper by janet guertin


mini wreaths by bumbles & lu

Gifts under $30.00 :: for the kids

little red fox softie by sleepy king
price: $24.00


6 kitty egg crayons by kitty baby love
price: $18.00


The Barnyard Farm Animal Teething and Pretend Wood Play Block Set by little alouette
price: $28.00


children's moose bag by adatine
price: $27.00


organic bird rattle by born with it
price: $25.00


paint your own dolls kit by goose grease
price: $10.00

hilary cosgrove :: alphabet pillows

lovely pillows made from recycled suit-jackets by ontario artist, hilary cosgrove, she can do custom letters so you can have a ball outfitting your living room with words! love it!

three sheets to the wind :: holiday sale

lovely original prints and home accessories on sale over at three sheets to the wind

holiday ornament swap....

mistletoe by disco smurf


hand stictched felt ornaments by corrie sullivan


adorable pink deer by tamara designs


representing her home town in Seattle with Christmas salmon by camelama

great gifts under $30.00...

yes, it is unusual for fb to do gift guides but this year i've set myself and my husband on a very tight budget for holiday spending, therefore i've been seeking out some top notch items for gift giving under $30.00 the best part is that each one is unique in it's own way, allowing for a more exciting giving experience. So as we all know times are tuff and most of us get swallowed up by all the materialistic advantages of the holidays and in the end find us broke or worse, in debt come january. so i wanted to share a more thoughtful approach to gift giving, and show that things don't have to cost a fortune to give a great impression!  emphasize the things that mean more like, being handmade, limited edition, or sustainable...things like this are priceless qualities and don't necessarily cost a boat load! here are my picks for this week...



the cozy cuff by megan auman. laser cut from thick sustainable wool felt, fits most coffee cups and most wrists! the best part is that it's reusable so you don't have to feel bad throwing away those cardboard sleeves everytime you get a cup to go! price is $25.00


limited edition wallets designed by lisa congdon and tim biskup at the poketo shop. Made of durable vinyl (Double layer for extra strength). Contains 3 slots for credit cards, a bill slot, and a change purse. The wallet is 8.5" x 3.75" open, but folds perfectly to fit in your pocket (4.25" x 3.75"). All wallets come with a matching pin and bio card of the artist. price $20.00


Rare device is having it's own under $30.00 gift guide where you can find these lovely ceramic salt boxes imported from japan. Great for storing things like tea bags, stamps or even dog treats! price $22.00


ipod/iphone sleeves from joy by mel lim. handmade from bright and durable Ultrasuede material each sleeve is in a no repeat color assortment and super easy to clean and stain resistant.  you know it's of high quality coming from mel! price $18.00

book review :: repro depot pattern books

oh boy, am I excited to tell you how fantastic these two books are. Just launched by chronicle books, Djerba Goldfinger, founder of repro depot has given us a first class pass into some of repro depots folk and flora patterny goodness!!! With a lovely foreword by Grace Bonney of design sponge, these books each have over 200 pages of full color pattern eye candy including a CD and some fabulous how to projects for your own crafty fun. If i could i would take  pics of every page but you'll have to see it for yourself!

print and pattern

i just love these photos from a recent show by Aussie pattern designer deirdre kelaher. such lovely and simple organic shapes (my favorite kind). I hope we can see some of these items up in a shop soon!!!