The winter solstice is now behind us and days are getting longer. Not that you would notice it yet, but it's happening nonetheless. Over a week of no photos at all, and my camera felt neglected, so yesterday when we had at least ten minutes of half decent lighting in our living room I took a photo of our picture shelf and some treasures, from London and elsewhere. And some London treasures are waiting for a better days to be photographed.

from left: 1. Fibonacci rabbit (daskaninchen), 2. Les voix interieures -print still waiting to be framed (Paulette Edition), 3. tape measure, 4. Hill's Swedish-English and English-Swedish Vest Pocket Dictionary (the most beautiful little book, thrifted for 1€), 5. type case with lots of little things to be introduced to you later (Portobello Road, London), 6. Inkeri Molla Doll, every girl should have a molla doll and Inkeri happens to be also my third name so I knew she was meant for me (savilintu), 7. a framed herbarium sheet from 1916 featuring dill (Anethum graveolens) and a little Lorca citation (a wedding present from friends), 8. DH's Beuys Bunny (which I bought for him not so surprisingly from daskaninchen), 9. a photo of a wooden doll (both the doll and the photo are made by a friend)

In the type case, from left, top row: blue and white pebbles from Brighton (went to a language course in 2000), an ancient piping tool tip (found?); second row: a small piece of wood with a horse's head carved by my maternal grandfather, another piece of wood carved and burned by DH; third row: wooden leaf stamp (V&A shop), found piece of metal (probably from a bicycle, but it looks like sunrise to me), fish printing block (from London); bottom row: little booklet (got it from the friendly people at Franklin Alvarez on Columbia Rd), a small glass jar containing long ago dried gold ink and a tiny blue dip pen (both from my mother, they used to be in her thread cubbyhole, I remember these from my childhood).

And of course then there's the type case. I know it's not a big surprise that someone like me loves old type cases, and yes, they're all over the blogosphere, but I couldn't think of any souvenir that would suit me better than this. Found it from Portobello Road Market so I probably paid more that I should've but it was a bargain anyway (compared to the Finnish prices of type cases). If you click the photo to enlarge it, you can see 'London' written on the top part of the case. I'm glad there's still plenty of space for new treasures.

I promise this blog will be a bookbinding blog in the future too. I've been quite busy this autumn and not very many books have been made. I do have some new ideas and at least one book in the making, so it won't be too long before I can show you some paper treasures. I just need to get well first. The flu finally changed from a sore throat to really being sick. Just in time for Christmas. But I prefer being sick on Christmas to being sick abroad, so I'm not going to complain (much). Most of the cooking is already done and I'm our Christmas will be christmassy enough. Just one traditional dish, carrot casserole made with carrots and rice and probably something else too (didn't make it myself), the rest are yummy root vegetables in various forms. The best thing about spending Christmas home alone with DH is that I get to decide what we eat, and for once there's nothing I don't want to eat. No ham, turkey, fish or bland casseroles here, just good food and more than enough desserts.

Oh well, I must dash out to the city one last time before a snugly home Christmas. I still need to get some flowers and something I already forgot.

In case I don't see you before the celebrations start; Merry Christmas to all of you! If you don't celebrate Christmas, have a splendid week enjoying the lack of Christmas stress! Thank you so much for reading my blog and being a part of this amazing crafty (or not so crafty) community!