. 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 .

. the wOnder hOur .

{ tutu dU monde . tim wAlker . edgar dEgas }

. the mAgical dress of tutu dU monde .

. the whimsical phOtography of tim wAlker .

. the bEautiful art of edgar dEgas .

if you would like to see more of the art of dEgas take a look on Artsy . & . their Degas page . which tells of his life . & . shows over 180 of his beautiful artwork .

. have a wOnderful dAy .

. hAppy fridAy .

. 1 . lOving this gorgeous gOld hat from Wolf&Rita . 

. 2 . spOtted on instagram @christinerohde_ .

       { the loveliest xmAs outfit . in . silver . & . fur }

. 3 . a little mOre advent calendar inspiration from Zu .

. 4 . crUshing on this beautiful Orla Kiely watch . 

. 5 . a little mOre prettiness for your little Ones . 

       { from the magical Tutu du Monde } 

. 6 . lOoking forward to the dEcember issue of The Simple Things . 

. 7 . already have gifts to wrap ? take a look at Dear Lizzy for lots of inspiration .

       { almost too pretty to unwrap ! } 

. 8 . a thought for today . just a simple saying hello to the weekend .

. 9 . the prEttiest measuring cUps from Anthropologie . 

       { perfect for some weekend baking }

. & . finally . this weekend it's StirUpSunday .

      . the day for making & baking your Christmas cakes & puddings .

. have a hAppy dAy .

. a cOuntdown to christmAs . { with twElve of the lOveliest dIy advEnt calendArs } .

with nOvember already halfway over we seem to be rushing headlong into all things fEstive & christmAssy . the shOps are full of fEstive goodies . gifts. & . glitter . and with the 1st of dEcember a very short two weeks away the important question is . have you got your advEnt calendAr yet ?

no ? then take a look at this little lot . super cute . & . lOvely dIy advent calendArs to make yourself .

{ and the best bit is you can choose your own gOodies to put inside ! } .

. 1 . 2 . 3 .

{ kraft . black & white / lovely . stylish & simple } 

. 4 . 5 . 6 .

{ fern . red & white / trees . cute & fun } 

 . 7 . 8 . 9 .

{ kraft . red & white / boxes . cookies & twine }

. 10 . 11 . 12 .

{ rainbow . black & white / pattern . takeaway boxes & advent houses }

so much wonderful inspiration . & . so many different ideas to choose from . { and lOts more here on my pInterest board } . i have this weekend pencilled in for creating one of my own . & . hope to be pOsting it on the blOg next week .

until then . 

. have a very creAtive & hAppy dAy .

. Once upOn a timE .

Once upOn a timE .
there was a girl . a girl who took a little trip . way . way north . to the lOvely lAkes .

where she happened upon the most beautiful b&b . the rather wOnderfully named Rum Doodle .

settling into her cOsy room . { with a mug of hot chocolate & freshly baked cake } . she wOndered what the next day would bring .  

though tired from her journey she didn't wonder for long . { a little light reading } . then out like a light .

until morning .

and though the day was rainy & grey . her spirits were lifted by the yUmmy blueberry pancakes on her plate . & . off she went . { a little more travelling . by road . & . by lake } .

until she arrived at a garden . so pretty & quaint . 

she followed the path . { which seemed so familiar } . until she came to the prettiest house . Hill Top was it's name . 

the home of Miss Potter . { who imagined a certain Peter Rabbit . the Flopsy Bunnies . & . a Miss Jemima Puddle-Duck } . 

she peered through the window . & . looked a while more .

then back down the garden path . { in search of some warmth } .

travelling back along roads . { across lakes . & . more roads } . she found a little haven in Windermere town .

and . with a mug of hot chocolate in hand she started to read . 

The Tale of Peter Rabbit . & . those four little rabbits . whose names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter . { of course } . 

.  The End .

. have a hAppy dAy .

. hAppy fridAy .

. 1 . lOoking forward to seeing the lAuren chIld exhibition Doll'sHouse .

       { which opened today at the lovely hOuse of Illustration }

. 2 . lOving the gOrgeous jewellery by Modern Queen Kids . 

. 3 . bEautiful girlswear from Morley . 

       { perfect Xmas dresses } .

. 4 . i'm enchAnted by this enchAnted xmAs table at Carnets Parisiens . 

. 5 . lUsting after these antique glass baubles . 

       { along with most other things found on RE ! } .

. 6 . a lOvely idea for a handcrafted stocking over on The Liberty Craft Blog . 

. 7 . stArting to think about a few new ornaments for the tree . 

       { and . lOving these mOnOgram decs from Anthropologie } .

. 8 . a thought for today . on World Kindness Day .

. 9 . inspIred by this sUper lOvely advent calendar by Andrea Dozier . 

       { just one of many many ideas pinned to my pInterest board } .

. & . finally . planning a little xmAs bAking with these cUte mini gingerbread houses .

. have a hAppy dAy .

. inspired . #6 .

today is Remembrance Day . a poignant day for many . but a chance for us all to stop a while . & . remember how lucky most of us are to live our lives relatively unaffected by the destruction that war causes . 

the pOppy is now the iconic symbol of Remembrance Day . due in part to the poem " In Flanders Fields " with the brilliant red symbolising the blood shed across those battlefields . the pOppy is also synonymous with the Finnish brand Marimekko . established in 1949 it was a company that commissioned promising new artists to develop bold new fabric prints . quickly gathering momentum as not only a print company, but a fashion house, by the 60's they were an internationally recognised brand, worn by Jacqueline Kennedy . in 1964 the iconic Unikko poppy print was designed by Maija Isola . a print designed in protest after Armi Ratia declared that Marimekko would never be a flower print company . it is with some irony that it is now this print which is most recognisable as a Marimekko design . & . is now known as " the rebel flower " .

. inspired#6 .

. marimekko . unikko . poppy . red . black . remembrance .

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

. see much more on my pInterest board .

. have an inspired . & . reflective day .

. hAppy fridAy .

. 1 . lOving the simple stylish collection from Soor Ploom for your littleOnes . 

. 2 . spOtted via Instagram . the gOrgeous cloth toys from Luckyjuju .

       { & . sadly all sold out on Etsy at the moment } . 

. 3 . spOtted via Pinterest . aUtumn . so beautifully illustrated by Gemma Luxton .

. 4 . soft colours . fabrics . & . wool . in the beautifully styled story Wool & The Gang . 

       { gorgeous knitted inspiration to keep your littleOnes cosy this winter } . 

. 5 . this year's xmAs advert from John Lewis . #OnTheMoon . #ManOnTheMoon .

       { and . yes . i will admit to it bringing a tear to my eye . & . an ah moment ! } .

. 6 . a little bAking inspiration for bOnfire night from M&S . sticky toffee apple cake . 

        yUm .

. 7 . sUper cute golden money boxes from Graham & Green's xmAs collection . 

       { perfect for your littleOnes to save their pennies in to buy you something special for xmAs ? } .

. 8 . a thought for today . sparkle with your sparklers at your bonfire parties this weekend .

. 9 . start being inspired for xmAs at Object . 

       { lOving the grey / kraft / gold / silver colour scheme } .

. & . finally . another little treat perfect for bOnfire nIght . 

                      a classic toffee apple made a little bit healthier at Honestly Healthy .

. have a spArkly dAy .

. the cOsy { knitting } clUb .

if octOber was all about things spOoky . then nOvember is all about getting cOsy . it's the month for turning all those pUmpkins into warming soups . & . into comforting cake . it's the month for wrapping up warm to stand around bonfires to watch the first fireworks of the year . or . for just staying in . cosy on the couch . & . knitting yourself that warm something to wear when you do feel brave enough to venture out ?

nOvember is definitely the month for searching out those knitting needles . crochet hooks . pom pom makers . & . buying the cosiest fluffiest yarn you can find . & . making something to wear . or to play with . or to cosy up under whilst you make even more woolly loveliness .

or . if you're not a knitter . thEbOnnieMob . zAra . & . scOtch&sOda . have some gorgeous knits to buy .  

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

. have a cOsy dAy .