There comes a moment in early January when you realize you're in for the long haul. Grey skies, rain/snow/sleet/slush and long, dark nights lie ahead for the foreseeable future. It's time to hiberknit. Or make and consume large quantities of stew. Or nap whenever the chance is offered up. (At least when you're not at work.) I prefer to fight the darkness with a little colour. That's why I treated myself to one of the New Year's Lucky Bags at Omiyage.ca. It's a handmade Japanese paper envelope containing a surprise assortment of pretty things offered in the shop. [caption id="attachment_7455" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Exciting! What could there be inside?"] [/caption] [caption id="attachment_7456" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Lots of pretty little things!"] [/caption] It was so worth it. There were rolls of thick and thin washi tape, a calendar and a lovely roll of pink gingham fabric tape (delish!). There were handmade sewing-themed stickers, washi tape stickers and manila tags to decorate. I found nine adorable foam stamps, ready for inking and card making. And, of course, a pack of beautiful foil origami paper that's perfect for glitzy folding projects. [caption id="attachment_7457" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Washi tape, stickers and paper, oh my!"] [/caption] It turns out my origami chops aren't exactly what they used to be. But I made a quick four-pointed star and sealed the centre with a yellow sticker dot. I think I'll need to spend time with some tutorials before I try anything bigger. [caption id="attachment_7458" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="A simple 4-pointed star plus sticker"] [/caption] So now what do I make with this bounty? I'm open to any and all suggestions. Post a comment and help me decide!