Christmas Wrap Up- The Gifts, The Food.

I set myself a challenge each year, wrap purely in recycled or very very cheap ways, but still make the present look priceless. This year i revisited my childhood and made paper snowflakes by folding and trimming paper. Very addictive. I also used some of the afore mentioned decorations i made by using an inked stamp and stamping it into a rolled out piece of "air dry" white clay. Paired with super cheap kraft paper, string and paper doilies from the $2 shop, i think the combination worked well.

Oh and fruit mince tarts aplenty, yum. I shared mine with Spence, my adorable oddson.

Christmas Wrap Up- The Tree

The hunt for the perfect tree. Symmetrical, full and delightfully lush. My american friends laugh at our Australian version of the christmas tree. It remains probably my favourite (and most time consuming) christmas tradition. The divine smell of christmas fills the house. It usually takes me a day or two to complete and after months of decorating fake trees for work, I enjoy the decorating challenge a real tree presents.

Every year a few more are added and the theme differs slightly year to year. This year after trawling stores only to be disappointed with variety as well as price, I decided to have a go at making some of my own.

Ply Decorations; snowflakes from David Jones $2.99

Big Baubles from $2 Shop, Small Laser baubles from Prague.

Glass Decorations; Acorn $3.99 from The Works, Antique

Silver Bauble from The Works.

Ceramic and Lace Decorations; snowflakes from The Works,

Ceramic Bauble from Adairs, Glass Text Bauble- handmade by me,

Stamped and cutout circles- handmade by me, doily bauble-handmade by me.

Crocheted Bell Decoration- $1.00 ADRA Op-Shop, Mitcham.

The finished product.....

Christmas Wrap Up- The Lights

Its about this time each year that i get a little sad, its all over for another year. People who know me, know that I am a christmas nerd. Apart from the usual good food, friends, family and gifts, for me its a holiday all about styling; Styling the tree, styling the house (inside and out), styling the food, styling the gift wrap, styling myself. Christmas for me starts in October with the styling of many a christmas tree for upcoming catalogues.

Christmas for me is a time for tradition; the first of which is putting up the lights on the first weekend of December. I used to do this with Dad every year since I was very little. We started with a humble set of party lightbulbs and added a new set every year... I used to walk the boulevard on a balmy evening with the family; dreaming that I lived in a street lit up like that. Fast-forward 20 years and I am. If only he could see my house now.

Inspirations

Papier Mache

Open House

Ok, I have two new online "time waster" addictions that i thought i would share with you.

1.Papier Mache- a online childrens mag with cute articals, great links and loads of inspiration- photographic, crafty and otherwise.

2.Open House- and it literally is. Like your favourite homewares mag but in blog form. Love.

Enjoy xx