Getting my Christmas skates on

I am so far behind with anything Christmassy this year, I think all my energy and attention went into having a student with me over the past couple of weeks and playing catch up with my actual work and then of course all the time and energy I put into the interview for my new job. This week also saw the beginnings of the 3 Christmas dinner's I'm going to this year before the end of next week, secret Santa buying and wrapping....it's all too much!

I am a simple girl with plain principles, Christmas is about my joy in the birth of Jesus Christ my Saviour rather than all the extra commercial fluff. I'm not a bah humbug girl though and do indulge in getting festive and decking the halls with holly... I live with a very enthusiastic 11 year old what more can I say :0)


Do you like my first 2 photo's? I mentioned in my last post that I was going with a couple of friends to a festive florist feast last Tuesday night. I have never considered floral decorations and it was fun to see what he made, all these amazing funky decorations, wreaths and bouquets. It was fascinating for some-one like me who doesn't own an oasis! I liked the idea of digging out a space in a lemon for a tea-light candle, popping a kebab stick in the other end and then sticking it into the oasis. 

   
More than anything it gave me great pleasure to see that the nursery where he got all his flowers / greenery from (Lime Cross Nursery) provided fair trade Protea's the National Flower of my beautiful home country South Africa. I was especially pleased when my raffle ticket at the end was pulled out and I won the arrangement in the 2nd photo with 2 Protea's in it and shrubbery, holly and lovely berries I had plans for...

Back in the Summer a friend made me something from one of her Wisteria's she was chopping back and I have waited patiently for the festive season to arrive to use it.

Yes you have probably guessed it, I decided for the first time ever to make a Christmas Wreath for our front door. Andy wasn't too sure about this idea, I think he associates a wreath with funerals... Having grown up in sunny SA we never had a wreath and 9 times out of 10 we would be in a tent camping at Christmas doing this...

So, with this being my 15th Christmas in the UK I decided it was high time to be inspired by the wreath's around the neighbourhood and make one of my own. Alice and I got busy making this morning and this is what it turned out like.

I'm thinking it looks quite sweet especially with the fact that this has cost me the princely sum of £2.75 to make. 

 Do you like my little ric-rac soldier boy? I found him for 10p in a Charity Shop and the ric rac my lovely mum sent to me from SA. The ivy leaves and berries here are pretend ones that I picked up at a craft fair for 50p. I've never bought pretend leaves and berries before and used to be such a snob about these but age has chilled me out somewhat, thank goodness!

Three sparkly baubles 10p in a Charity shop were sewn onto the red ribbon which was the most expensive being £1.70 from a local haberdashery shop.

As you can see I used bits and bobs from the floral arrangement I won and hope these stay healthy/green until Christmas day. I think if we have crazy windy rainy weather like we did on Thursday I will have to bring it in. 

Andy seems to have changed his mind which I'm pleased with and hopefully this can say Merry Christmas to all passer's by from us in our wee house. 

I must also say a sweet thank you to Helen from Handbags by Helen for her lovely Christmas Charity Swap I received in the post at the end of the week. The idea came from Lakota and her great blog 

Faith Hope and Charity Shopping. Thanks so much Lakota for organising this, good fun having a little gifts come through the pos before Christmas. Poor Helen is having to put up with my inefficiency and is only going to receive my parcel on Monday. Thanks for being so patient Helen! We have had great fun making the paper chains and squeezing the cheeky monkey's tummy xox


Other than that our beautiful Alice has been eager beaver in putting up her pink Woolworths tree we bought for her about 5 years ago. Poor child is desperate for us to get our home tree up... hopefully this week or next weekend.

I did however make some more festive decorating attempts last night with my twiggy tree I use for Christmas and Easter and it felt good and cosy to put together.

I hope you are having fun making / putting up your decorations this festive season. Sending you warm wishes this chilly weekend and cool breezes if you are having beautiful hot sunnyshine weather xox