Christmas Eve

 

  

This year the Christmas prep was a bit (as in, a lot) last minute for me.  But thanks to Felt Foxes (garland), the husbo (tree) and Graham & Brown (the wallpaper used for the gift wrapping and taped in a strip on the wall to hold xmas cards within its gilded frames) - I got there in the end. Oh and I used a Kikki K stamp set to add names to gifts which hopefully saves the-gift tag-fell-of-confusion on the day.

Christmas Wishlist Blog Hop

Clockwise from top left :Rosie  pillowcase from One in a Melon; Hubble + Duke gold ballet moccs; Babette surprise box from The Gathered Store; gold lamp from This Little Love;  linen toddler duvet from hello milky; cards from The Adventures of;  Bonjour Camille from My Messy Room; Little Pea Interiors apple house; Boramiri Deer from SoFoFo;

The beautiful Steph from Bondville dreamed up a Christmas wishlist blog hop featuring products designed in Australia or products available in locally owned online stores for a few of us bloggers to share.  Above is my wishlist for Piper.  Make sure you jump onto all the blogs below to view their Christmas lists. Happy idea gathering and shopping.

the red thread

Bondville

Honey and Fizz

PottyMouthMama

Checks and Spots

Sunday Collector

eat read love

It's Christmas Time

If you follow me on Instagram, you will be familiar (i.e. sick to death) with my Christmas colours for 2013, but I though I might give you a few more details.  

The plywood tree:: Mr made the tree from a sheet of ply from the hardware store. We cut a triangle from the centre of the sheet and screwed a metal channel at the joins to secure the two remaining pieces. If we (he) made it again we would buy 2 pieces of ply and cut a strip through the centre of one and the base of the other and sit one leaf between the other.

The Christmas decorations:: The origami decorations were from Papaya last year. I stitched a dots garland for the tree and the angel made from felt with newspaper wings was a gift from my mum, I think she bought it at Donna Hay. 

The sacks:: A pillowcase, (a gift to myself from the Design Files Open House, along with the lemon cushion) and one I made from an old fabric shower curtain with lots of ribbons (from my wedding bouquet) strung through it.

The wrapping::  Much of it is sourced from the local newsagent..all the sticker dots and the lovely 3D glitter bauble card. The porcelain bell is by Marley & Lockyer. The ribbons and gold elastic were from Lincraft and my ribbon box. I cut the feathers out from coloured card stock.  I don't like bows (or hearts for that matter) so I either used knots or wrapped in reverse so only the twist was showing, then tucked under a feather and a Murobond paint chip (the circle) but you could easily punch one out in a coordinating colour.

The cake:: This is a tiny ginger and roasted macadamia cake I baked and topped with chocolate icing, a little deer figurine and sprinkled in desiccated coconut to look like snow. I added a little bit of icing to the deer's back, nose and ears so the coconut would stick and the deer would looked snowed upon.

The card::  The black Christmas card with a photo of our baby girl is from Minted and the words "joy" are foiled in gold. Minted even prints the envelope addresses for free. We'll be using them next year, their designs are gorgeous.

Merry

Have a lovely one.

The Tree of 2012

Isn't this just perfection. I love Christmas by Kara.

Streamers

La la love the look of the Society Inc Christmas pic.

Poor Effort

Work has been so hectic leading up to xmas that the festive spirit and tree shopping seems to have passed me by...a bunch of hydrangeas and some handmade pom poms will have to do this season. The hand painted tags were a failed art project which looks much better cut into small pieces. I did manage to pick up some lovely jars of vintage xmas tree decorations from Chapel St Bazaar when we were in Melbs a few weeks back which are plonked on the display.

Bulb Bouquet

Love this idea from Etsy Weddings

Le Table

Goodness me, I downloaded Google Chrome and the updated Blogger and have confused myself silly! Anywho, here are more pics of Xmas Eve, who knew mauve carnations could be so sweet?A large outdoor garland was hung and a menu taped to the wall. We dined on olives, wine and bread / then a butterflied leg of lamb with salsa verde / zucchini, feta and avocado salad / fresh tomatoes with olive oil and thyme / roasted pumpkin with sage. Then for dessert some Christmas pudding ice cream with poached summer cherries. Tea, Brie's white Xmas and our home made trio of cookies to finish.

Happy Holidays

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and is ready to ring in the New Year. What a busy year it's been, I hope the next is a little less hectic but I don't know how that could be so.

I mentioned a few posts ago that Mr & I bought a 50's house and are busy making it a home. For Christmas, Mr bought me a Kitchen Aid mix master and yesterday while he was mowing the lawns (yes we have lawn - mostly weeds & dirt), I was baking a cake and we met on the couch for tea (creme brulee tea from T2, you HAVE to try it) and citrus butter cake I said to him "now that I have Stitchy and a Kitchen Aid and you have your garage/workshop, all I need now is to start sewing myself some 50's house dresses and I'm a regular Betty Crocker". So now of course, I am on the hunt for some 50's dress patterns.

I look forward to taking you on a photographic tour of our house very soon.

p.s. made this white, silver & lemon garland for the centre of my sister's dinner party table - her post here.

Wrapped

Gifts of Neon

A baby tree wrapped in my 'on sale' garlands. Bright wrapping paper tied with builders line from the hardware store.

Pre & Post

Mr and I tried our hands at a gingerbread house, we wanted to make a modern 2 storey but stopped at one to be on the safe side. Although its cute and was entirely demolished on Christmas Eve, I think it looks more like Fred Flintstones house. I also made gingerbread clouds and gingerbread women in bikinis. Christmas Day was all very white and silver at mum's house, with cookie placecards and hydrangeas from her garden. Now to 2011...

Wishing You A Merry, Happy, Joyous Day

To all the bees in Concrete & Honey's nest, whether you've flown in but once or followed loyally throughout the year, thank your for being part of a fabulous, beautiful, inspitring year and I wish you all a truly lovely festive season.

Cardboard Christmas Tree

Mr and I bought a cardboard tree in Noosa recently and it was just too...brown. So I painted it white and found these amazing porcelain Seletti decorations and used porcelain feathers I already had. Topped it off with a laser cut light et voila. Small but effective, non?