. hAppy nEw yeArs eVe .

. 1 . it's nEw yeArs eVe . are you hanging out the garlands for your pArty ?

. 2 . have you got your new pArty frock all ready ?

. 3 . confetti pOppers at the ready . . . 

. 4 . and . bAlloons bedecked with tassles & ribbons . 

. 5 . party hats topped with a little more gold .

       { is there such a thing as too much glitter . or . too much gold ? } 

. 6 . champagne for toasting the nEw yeAr .

. 7 . and . { sparkly } fortune cookies . to bring good lUck .

. 8 . cOunting down the final hours of 2015 .

. 9 . until that first midnight kiss

       { even one of the chocolate variety }

. & . finally . wishing you the happiest of new years . & . lots of hAppy days to come in 2016 .

. have a very hAppy dAy .

. hAppy christmAs .

{ happy . merry . bright }

. hAppy christmAs eve .

. 1 . 'Twas the night before christmAs .

. 2 . the decorations were strewn all over the house . 

. 3 . the { little } christmAs tree is decorated with baubles & lights .

. 4 . the gifts are bought . & . wrapped .

. 5 . reindeers are ready to take to the sky .

. 6 . to deliver those gifts far . & . wide .

. 7 . the stockings are hung .

. 8 . littleOnes are wishing this one last night away .

. 9 . { cUte } cookies are baked . & . ready waiting for sAnta .

. & . finally . it just leaves me to wish you a wonderful nOel .

. have a very hAppy christmAs eVe .

. dreAming . of a white christmAs .

three short days to go . & . my tree is finally up & decorated . paper snowflakes at the windows . there are still a few gifts to wrap & cards to write . mince pies to bake & treats to make . 

but for now i'm enjoying a moment of quiet . & . some lovely simple christmas inspiration courtesy of pinterest . 

. 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 .

. have a peaceful day .

. hAppy fridAy .

. 1 . these angel baubles are sO adOrable . a great holiday dIy for you & your littleOnes .

       { wonderfully created by Heidi from den kreative sky via Enfant Terrible Magazine } 

. 2 . a gOrgeous snOwflake patterned cardi to knit designed by docksjo .

. 3 . or if you prefer your knits already knitted take a look at Turnip & Doe .

       { & thankyOu to Paul & Paula for sharing on their blog } 

. 4 . beautiful seasonal colours from Leoca .

. 5 . oh . look who's giving their outfit an airing !

       { only seven more sleeps to go }

. 6 . and doesn't this bear bag make the best sack for all those presents ?

. 7 . spOtted on Instagram . @merimeriparty . pom pom's & reindeers .

. 8 . one of my favourite christmas quotes . from one of my favourite christmas films .

       { so beautifully illustrated by Peter Strain } 

. 9 . and a Christmas tale by P.L.Travers . the Mary Poppins lady .

. & . finally . this weekend will see a little more christmas baking .

        { including some of these lOvely lemon frosted gingerbread cOokies } 

. have a hAppy dAy .

. ten { not so ugly } christmAs jUmpers .

this fridAy is the day when the christmAs jUmpers will be given their annual airing . { if you haven't succumbed to wearing yours already that is ? } . for it's Christmas Jumper Day . a lOvely festive way to raise money for a great cause . whilst looking as festively ridiculous . or . as festively stylish as you choose to be !

i love the fact that this seems to have become as traditional a part of Christmas as putting up the tree & eating mince pies . what once was a much maligned gift from a well meaning mum / granny / aunt { as wonderfully captured in Bridget Jones Diary } has now become a thing to be celebrated & worn with a certain amount of pride .

i have so far resisted { possibly because i always leave it until the very last minute only to find they are all sold out } . athough . i'm tempted to make my own this year in the form of some cute christmas jumper cookies . i think they may be my favourite type of christmas jumper .

. 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 .

. for a little more Christmas Jumper inspiration take a look at my pInterest board .

. have a hAppy dAy .

. hAppy fridAy .

. 1 . sUch a beautiful polka dot party dress from How To Kiss A Frog .

. 2 . the cUtest pair of angel wing bootees knitted by Attic .

       { beautifully handmade by their small team of knitters }

. 3 . the swEetest little Lola doll from These Little Treasures .

       { photographed so beautifully by BeeBees }

. 4 . spOtted on Instagram . O Christmas Tree . by @zuzu365 .

. 5 . these bOozy bourbon balls will made brilliant xmAs gifts .

       { lust over more gorgeous recipes on White on Rice Couple }

. 6 . delightful advent doodles from the ladies at Dotty Wren .

. 7 . and a delightful doodled christmas tree for Smallable .

       { * skips off to buy black paint & a large roll of paper * }

. 8 . this time of year is definitely all about these things .

. 9 . speaking of which . 

       { Amaretto spiked Hot Chocolate via The Future Kept }

. & . finally . what better way to top your Hot Chocolate than with homemade Marshmallows ?

. have a cOsy dAy .

. lOcal lOve . lOve by jAne .

i have known jane for a good few years . once upon a time . in what feels like many moons ago . we worked together . we went on shopping trips & work trips . there were smiles & laughs { not to mention a few tears } along the way . & . whilst we now don't see each other very often i lOve catching up with her to chat about crafting . sewing . a mutual love for all things liberty .

just over a year ago jane combined her lOve of liberty prints & sewing to open a lOvely Etsy shop . Love by Jane . mixing her own handmade pieces alongside repurposed vintage finds .  

so i couldn't resist the chance to pop over & have another catch up & photograph her gorgeous studio & feature her on the blOg .  

. a studio full of wonderful inspiration .

. buttons . fabric . ribbons . twine . trims . tape .

. a shelf full of vintage sewing patterns .

each wall is a visual moodboard of colour & pattern . 

{ a liberty print deckchair would be so perfect for the garden for the sUmmer }

. Love by Jane .

head on over to Love by Jane to order some lOvely things for Xmas . 

{ or just for you ! } .

or you can pop along to the Nottingham Independent Christmas Market which is on this Saturday 12th December in Nottingham's Trinity Fair . perfect opportunity for some Christmas gift shopping .

thankyOu to jane for her time & having such a beautiful studio { the lOveliest shed at the bottom of the garden . wandering past chickens & rose gardens to reach } to photograph { and swoon over . yes, it's true i have serious shed envy } .

. have a lOvely dAy .

. hAppy fridAy .

. 1 . adOrable mum & daughter dressing from OffOn clothing .  

. 2 . beautifUl christmAs shoot by Melanie Rodriguez for Papier-Mache Magazine . 

       { as they say . a very cUte children's magazine . they're not wrong  }

. 3 . spOtted on instagram . these lOvely wooden toys . from Plumeti .

. 4 . spOtted on pinterest . 

       { saves having to worry about those pine needles ! }

. 5 . perfEct pencils for the weekend from Miss Poppy Designs .

. 6.  alsO spOtted on instagram . pInk isn't just a colour . it's an attitude .

. 7 . sOmething to make this weekend . a sUper striped stOcking .

       { from the lovely pEeps at Mollie Makes }

. 8 . may your weekend be very mErry & brIght .

. 9 . failing that . may it be filled with a bauble full of chocolate !

       { and hOping to take a little trip to the People Shop this weekend }

. & . finally . will be making a batch of peanut butter fudge . courtesy of Delicious Magazine .

      . which will then be parcelled up in my gift for the Perfect Stranger Project .

. have a very hAppy dAy .

. jUst a cArd . { well . actually . 10 lOvely xmAs cards } .

one of the things i lOve about the internet is how it has seemed to support & aid the rise of independents . & . crafts people . & . artists . people that you would have needed to have known about before are given a relatively cost effective platform in which to sell their beautiful goods . that said, there is something to be said for being able to browse around shops & fairs . & . also something so lovely about being able to speak to the makers & designers & artists themselves . 

this sAturday sees a whole host of xmAs fairs & markets; i'm lOoking forward to the Winter Market & Digmas in my home town of birminghAm . whilst not far away nOttingham the Etsy Nottingham Team will be playing host to a Etsy Made Local market . both helping to support shopping small & shopping local this xmAs . it's easy to visit these markets . & . to look . & . admire the beautiful hand crafted products . & . then to walk away without purchasing anything . we have become so used to prices being driven down that quite often, as beautiful as these pieces are, they seem expensive when compared to the High Street . but . we forget the time that goes into creating & making these pieces . we have forgotten the value of individuality & creativity & our own personal time . 

which is why markets like the Winter Market . & . Etsy Made Local . & . campaigns like Just a Card . are so important . not just to visit . but to put our purses where it matters . maybe you don't buy as much this year . but maybe you buy mindfully & with a little thought to supporting local people ?

so here are a few cards . just to give you a little inspiration of what lOveliness shopping local can bring you .

. 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 .

{ Just a Card }

. have a hAppy dAy .

. hEllo dEcember .

well here it is . the very last month of the year . & . also One whole year since i started this blOg . with a little pOst on my favourite advent calendars . { a step in the right direction that i was a little bit earlier with this post this year ! } . 

so hAppy blOg anniversary to mE { yAy } ! and . happy dEcember to all of yOu .

. dEcember .

will unashamedly be all about xmAs

bring on the bAubles

the glitter . the silver & gold . the sparkle

lOts & lOts of fairy lights

the cookies . the candy . the mince pies

the gifts & presents & cards

&

gift wrapping galore

. have a hAppy dAy .

. christmAs is cOming .

did anyone put their xmAs decorations up this weekend ? i will confess that as much as i lOve all the fairy lights & trees i do think it's only right to wait until it's dEcember . i lOve bringing things out gradually & adding to them through the month . a few paper snowflakes at the windows to start with . dotting around some bowls of baubles . adding a few new homemade garlands here & there . & . then a hUge xmas clean & tidy before finally putting up the tree . { oh . & . by the way . all of this takes a good three weeks ! } .

then there's the xmAs card making . deciding on this year's gift wrapping . christmas cOokies to bake . candy to make . { yes . i'm a little excited } .

so with one last day of nOvember to enjoy { all be it a very rainy one } . here is your lOvely calendar for dEcember . one for your desktop . & . one for your phone . 

 . dEcember 2015 .

. dEcember 2015 .

. have a hAppy dAy .

. hAppy fridAy .

. 1 . such lOvely dIy clothing kits from Craft & Mama via Etsy .

. 2 . gOrgeous spanish kidswear from La Coqueta .

       { and beautiful lOokbOok photography }

. 3 . star light . star bright . from xo - in my room .

. 4 . spOtted on pinterest . stunningly stylish girlswear .

       { the wonderfully titled April Showers from Polder } 

. 5 . spOtted on instagram . pastel & gold inspired Xmas from Oui Oui Oui Studio .

. 6 . lOving this gold edged stag plate by Yvonne Ellen .

       { would make a perfect Xmas Day table setting }

. 7 . and for your Xmas cocktails these gold & silver swizzle sticks .

. 8 . being inspired to shop small . & . shop local this year .

       { lovely image from Yellowstone Heart Boutique via Handmade Nottingham }

. 9 . thinking about Xmas gift wrapping . & . crUshing on this cute glittery reindeer .

. & . finally .

       as we head into December on Tuesday I think it might be time for the first mince pie of the year .

       { or this alternative apple & cranberry pie from RedMagazine }

. have a hAppy dAy .

. a little advEnt dIy .

i have a confession . this pOst was meant to be pOsted on wEdnesday . but . it is entirely possible that i got a little too caught up in all the advent calendar lOveliness that i found & found i couldn't decide what sort of calendar to make for this pOst . 

at first i thought something along the lines of a garland of pretty printed bags . then . the neon ribbon boxes on Oh Happy Day caught my eye . but . then i spotted these cUte little parcels on Creema . & . thought they would make the perfect hanging advent calendar . 

& . so after all that prOcrastinating . here it is . 

{ advent envelopes }

. you can download the file for the envelopes here .

. print out pages 1 . 2 . & . 3 twice . & . page 4 just the once .

. cut out each envelope . 

. score along the tabs . fold . & . stick to make a small pouch .

. fill the pouch with treats of your choice .

. small shortbread biscuits . marshmallow chocolate bark . gold chocolate coins .

. glitter . & . confetti .

{ advent happiness } . & . { advent numbers }

. you can download some hAppy advent messages here .

. print out . cut out . & . pOp one into each day .

. you can download numbered tags here .

. print out . cut out . & . score 2.0cm from the top edge .

. fill your enveloped with it's goodies .

. pinch the top together in the opposite direction to the fold at the bottom .

. fold your number tag over the top . & . punch a hole through all layers .

. thread through a length of ribbon about 15.0cm long to secure .

. repeat until you have twEnty fivE filled envelopes .

they look sO lovely piled into a pretty bowl . or . using the ribbons to hang on your tree . { or like me, some random twigs ! } . all ready in anticipation of the 1st dEcember .

{ keep calm . CHRISTMAS . is coming }

. have a hAppy dAy .