O Christmas Tree!

We got our tree this weekend from a farm nearby. So, yesterday we got out all the boxes of squirreled away decorations and fancies and dressed our tree. We listened to A Charlie Brown Christmas whilst doing so and drank hot chocolate. It was lovely.

I have amassed a nice little collection of ornaments now, picked up here and there. We have a few homemade ones too. It has become increasingly reassuring to dress the tree in more or less the same style over these past three Christmases. It feels like establishing tradition, I always tie lengths of red lace to the branches in bows. I can't help it.

Here are a few of my favourite ornaments -

Woven corn angel



Perhaps my most favourite is this little mouse dressed up as Santa. He has been lovingly handmade with the tiniest stitches. He's a delight.



Tarnished gold. Lovely.



Touches of fairy tale.



This year's fairy on top of the tree. She has the sweetest face.



I have quite a lot of these Scandinavian wooden decorations. They're naive and folky.







This is a beautiful handmade (not by me sadly) corn star.



Do you have a favourite Christmas decoration or bauble? Have you got your own little traditions in your family? Tell all!

*UPDATE* you can see all of the tree - here!

Epic Weekend Finds - Part One

So, to recap this weekend, I went to the flea market, my favourite vintage clothes shop, a carboot sale and two fetes. A lot of opportunity for thrifting. Which, of course, I took full advantage of. And on reflection, I think we might have to do this in two parts...

Lovely buttons - aren't these two colors great together?



A majestic golden stag.



And a wooden moose.



Jigsaws for the shop - which I will be updating this week. There, I've said it so now I have to do it.





A sweet sad-faced doll, her neck is a bit floppy so she clearly needs a lot of tlc. Iris named her Radley this morning.



An earthenware bowl, I imagine myself making mayonnaise or some such in it.



Pot holders..



Clip-on tiny candle holders for a Christmas tree. Aren't they darling?



And still to come - books (a huge pile), the dress and other spoils from the vintage dress shop.

And, if you haven't already, do click here to add your name to my 100th Post Giveaway!

All is Calm

Oh! I wish it would snow! It never does here really because we're too close to the sea, I took this photograph last week, when it was perfectly frosty, it really was quite beautiful. I love waking up on a frosty morning.



We're all cosy and ready, more or less for tomorrow. Just a few last gifts to wrap, a fish pie to get in the oven for supper, and then off for a sip of something warming at a friend's house this evening.

Here are a few shots of our house today