Christmas colour crush...

Well, I didn't think it would be right to not do a colour crush post with a Christmas theme... 

After all, there are so many gorgeous colour schemes out there to choose from.

For this one I've gone a little nostalgic and opted for a crush on colours we used to decorate our tree/ home with many years ago when I was a little girl, and I still love them now. 

Hope you do too...

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7

(image credits - clockwise from top left)

So, Merry Christmas to all my lovely followers and I hope you have a wonderful time over the festive period, eat, drink and eat some more!
See you back here very soon...

x x x

Christmas bake off...

Next up... a spot of good old Christmas baking.

Christmas Eve will be the day for me and the boy (the glamorous assistant) to bake bake bake, mmmm and then eat eat eat, more mmmmm's over the festive few days with the folks. 

And up on the menu this year, Buche de Noel (also known as yule log, but it looks very fancy so felt I should use the proper name, ha ha!), some lovely deep filled mince pies Paul Hollywood style, and finally a lemon drizzle cake (I know, I know, its not christmassy but its been requested and it always goes down well)

Is that too much? 

I also want to try the white chocolate rocky road... 

ooh and the gingerbread letters...

and maybe the chocolate salami recipe...

Anyway, here are a few favourites...

typo gingerbread

lemon rosemary shortbread cookies

molten orange chocolate lava cake in a jar

chocolate 'salami'

buche de noel

paul hollywood's mince pies

white chocolate rocky road

portuguese custard tarts

x x x

Christmas craftiness...

A few Christmas related posts coming up...
A little bit of crafting, a little bit of baking and a little bit of colour crushing, ooooooooh lovely!

So, first up...as I mentioned in a previous post, I've spotted quite a few interesting crafty bits and bobby projects floating around recently, so as it got me in the mood for a bit of make and do, I thought I'd do a little round up of a few favourites...

creative gift tags

mini garlands for gift wrapping 

paper heart garland

 

decorated tea lights casing

diy crayons

edible ornaments

felt ornaments

cinnamon ornaments

5 minute gift tag diy

x x x

Inspired by...Petra Boase

Its been a while since I did a little 'Love Print... Love... ?' post, so here goes, a special one for you now.

Petra Boase...

A top British talent with a passion for collage.

I've long been an admirer of Petra's work, loving the mix and match approach and eclectic style.

Amongst her creations being stocked in some of the most reputable boutiques and big name stores are collaged canvases, hand made greeting cards, home and babywear.

Here are some of her beautiful designs and to check out more, visit here.

And theres also a blog to follow here.

(all images from Petra Boase's website)

x x x

Christmas crafting...

How beautiful are these painted ornaments that were featured over on the oh happy day blog recently...

Couldn't resist sharing them with you, I adore the colours too, yum!

(and a perfect colour dress to pick to go beautifully with the decs!)

(all photography credits to Paul Ferney for oh happy day)

Ooh feeling a bit crafty now, might do a little round up of a few favourites soon...

x x x

Come and get your art prints...

If you haven't popped on over yet, go and have a little peek at the lovely art prints just launched by Paper and Cloth Design Studio.

Ooh and just in time for Christmas...

Oh Little Owl

Whale 

Happy Owl

Marge

Suitcase girl

All prints are 30cm x 40cm and printed on 310gsm textured art stock, bright white art paper

Wouldn't they look super lovely on your wall...

(all images copyright of Paper and Cloth Design Studio)

Happy (belated) December!

Well, I'm a bit late saying it... but Happy December everyone!

Our decorations went up last weekend so we're fully into the christmas swing of things so to say.

Now... anyone who knows me, pretty much knows I have a strong aversion to red.

Any kind of red. 

I cannot for the life of me wear anything even close to red. 

Its safe to say, I look awful in red.

So, thats said...I love (yes, love! well, around the house anyway) red at Christmas and feel the need to fill our house with it and go a little white and red scandinavic meets traditional cottage style.

After our first christmas in the new house a couple of years ago, we had a bit of a make do approach  regarding decorations and had donations from my lovely folks to make our house feel even remotely like a home for the festive season.

As grateful as we were of them, I do now love buying a few new bits every year now and adding to our box of tricks, well, decorations.

One of my all time favourite decorations has been in our family for years though, and I remember being obsessed with it when I was younger and so my Uncle gave it to me some years ago. 

Its the most battered little wisp of a tree but I absolutely love it and each and every year, up it goes, sitting there, feeling a bit sad but I'll never get rid of it.

Here it is in all its glory...

(photos by me)

x x x

Blueberry doughnut muffins...

I found this yummy recipe on 'my baking addiction' recently for blueberry doughnut muffins, and gave it a go last week.

They are ridiculously nice and went down very well with everyone.

The recipe gives details for a glaze on top but I opted for more of a thicker frosting and made them extra lemony, mmmm, enjoy!

Heres a little link to the recipe on my baking addiction.com

(photo by me and credits for recipe www.mybakingaddiction.com)

x x x