Taiji Cove

I've been horrified by the events in Taiji Cove the last few weeks. The cruelty witnessed by the Cove Guardians is shocking and many zoos and aquariums around the world (and thereby their visitors) are financing the slaughter by buying the best looking dolphins caught by the 'fishermen'. This week around 50 have been captured for sale, many just infants and juveniles taken from their mothers, destined for a boring, shortened life of imprisonment. Many, many others have been killed in a slow and painful way for their meat. If you could spare a couple of minutes to sign a petition for WAZA (World Association for Zoos and Aquariums) to enforce their code of ethics and expel the offending aquariums, it could make a difference!

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION HERE. Their goal is 200,000 signatures and right now they're at 124,610.

Here are some other good links to find out more:

Read here about captive cetaceans

Read the list of aquariums known to buy wild dolphins from these dolphin drives

Debunking the romanticized myth of becoming a dolphin trainer

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If you are one of the growing number of Japanese citizens who are against whaling or dolphin hunting and would like to find out more about how you can help, Japan's first open opposition group, 'Action for Marine Mammals' is an excellent place to start - go for it!

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hand drawn nature on fabric, accessories & homeware

  

Silver Pool

I had a birthday recently and I was very lucky and got what I asked for: a sterling silver pool necklace by Elizabeth Scott. I really love it! You can find her nature inspired handmade jewelry both on Etsy and on her own website and she also has a blog.

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Forest & Sea ▪ www.etsy.com/shop/ForestAndSea

hand drawn nature on fabric, accessories & homeware

  

Insta-pin

Hello, are you all having a good start to 2014? I hope so.

Are any of you on Instagram? I've just started over there and I love it, so come and say hello if you are. You can click on the tab in the margin over there ➵ to see my profile. I've added one for Pinterest too if you're pinterested :D

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Forest & Sea ▪ www.etsy.com/shop/ForestAndSea

hand drawn nature on fabric, accessories & homeware

  

Augghh-i-wuaah unh!

I thought that the Piepster's Chewbacca impression would be a good way to end the year on the blog.. uncanny isn't it? Augghh-i-wuaah unh! actually means Happy New Year! in the Wookiee language, so have a great New Year's Eve and a wonderful 2014 from us!

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Forest & Sea ▪ www.etsy.com/shop/ForestAndSea

hand drawn nature on fabric, accessories & homeware

  

Pines & Cranes - Night

I made a new pouch with some of the Pines & Cranes Night linen. Of course the Piepster wanted to know what exactly was going on on her mantelpiece :)

Have a brilliant weekend and a lovely Christmas, whatever you're up to!

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Forest & Sea ▪ www.etsy.com/shop/ForestAndSea

hand drawn nature on fabric, accessories & homeware

  

✶☽ Night and Day ☼☁

Pines & Cranes - Night

Pines & Cranes - Day

Details of Pines & Cranes Night...

...and Pines and Cranes Day. Click for a better view!

New in the shop: Pines & Cranes in the new nighttime version and a daytime version to match. They're based on a previous design which I had printed in a new colour with added texture for some pouches.

I can't decide which I like best; do you have a favourite?

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Forest & Sea ▪ www.etsy.com/shop/ForestAndSea

hand drawn nature on fabric, accessories & homeware

  

Nighttime

Pines & Cranes Desktop

A nighttime version of the Pines & Cranes design. Hopefully I can sort this out for the shop next week but for now I've set it as my wallpaper for the holiday season. As you can see, I'm not the tidiest desktop keeper (and this is the sorted out version)!

I hope you had a great thanksgiving if you celebrate it and have a great rest-of-weekend :)

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Forest & Sea ▪ www.etsy.com/shop/ForestAndSea

hand drawn nature on fabric, accessories & homeware

  

Ugh

Do not buy an old house that needs renovating! Unless you have enough money to pay someone else to do it. Or unless you want to teach yourself to be a jack of all trades and love dust. We did and didn't have the former option so had to settle for the second.

Our bedroom. That floor had FOUR layers of carpet, lino and glued-on paper(?) to
remove and then a nice, thick layer of paint for good measure. That was fun..

We're nearing completion now though and so I hope to be spending more time on doing the things I love and posting about them here (in a warm and comfortable house!) Have a good week - I hope it doesn't include DIY :)

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Forest & Sea ▪ www.etsy.com/shop/ForestAndSea

hand drawn nature on fabric, accessories & homeware

  

Twenty Fourteen

I had a chance to finish the new calendar at the weekend and it's now available to order in the spoonflower shop. I added some new bits and changed around some bits and it's definitely my favourite so far. As before, I've used quite a few symbols which signify prosperity, longevity, happiness, harmony and good luck in many eastern cultures:

Love, Luck & Happiness 2014

LLH Details - click for a larger view.

I liked the idea on the spoonflower blog recently to use the gift wrap option as posters so I've made it available on that as well as fabric and wall decal this year. According to the help desk, the satin is heavier than the matte (131 and 98 gsm) but both are sturdy enough for it. 

I hope you like the calendar and that you have a great week whatever you're up to :)

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Update 2014: The new 2015 calendar is available to order here!

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Forest & Sea ▪ www.etsy.com/shop/ForestAndSea

hand drawn nature on fabric, accessories & homeware

  

Mechanical Bull

My new calendar will be out on Monday - it's a revision of last year's but with some good added extras from this commission. While working on it I've been loving the new Kings of Leon album, especially these two tracks here:

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Forest & Sea ▪ www.etsy.com/shop/ForestAndSea

hand drawn nature on fabric, accessories & homeware