It's beginning to look a lot like......

I have thrown myself into Christmas decorating this year. Far more than last! A combination of excitement about being in our own house, a renewed enthusiasm for crafting after a long absence and a surge of creativity has all contributed I think. Things are looking pretty festive round ours!

First up, I dug out the chalk pen and got to work on the windows in the kitchen. We haven’t got round to putting up curtains yet, so we just have two big black panes of glass that can be a bit gloomy. But they are also perfect for drawing on! Having little Christmas messages greet you as you come into the kitchen makes me feel very jolly indeed!

I made a wreath and I may make another if I have time. They’re so simple and much prettier and more interesting than the ones you can buy. Also a lot cheaper! 

I used a copper wreath ring from ebay.  I bent some twigs loosely and messily as a base to cover the metal ring, and then bulked it out using holly and fir sprigs. I kept it quite loose and natural looking as that’s how I like my wreaths – not too “done”! I also like them assymetrical with holly on just one side or heavier in places. 

I made some pom poms using grey, oatmeal and red wool and hung them from a fairy-light bedecked twig in a bottle. The kitties are big fans of pom poms so this particular decoration might not last all that long! 

I also threaded some fairy lights around a lovely leaf-scattered twig and stood it in an old gin bottle on the mantle-piece. 

I love these sparkly silver acorns. I think they came from John Lewis....

We got our tree from Phoebes again. I love the tradition of going out to get our tree. We tend to get it early because we always go to my parents’ for the actual Christmas break and we want to enjoy our tree for as long as possible! 

It always takes us aagees to choose because I’m quite a fussy tree-hunter and I always want to look at them all. And then I feel sad for the ones we don’t buy. If only we could have six!

Anyway, after some deliberation we found the tree for us (Nordmann the 5^th) and took him home with us. 

We put him in a log basket in the corner of our sitting room. Bobby and Bruce seemed a bit 'fused. Why have our humans brought a big ol’ tree in the house? Whatever next? Anyway, after some hesitation, and a great deal of sniffing, they seem to have accepted his presence and now enjoy racing round it and throwing themselves at the baubles.

This year we decided to keep the tree quite simple and rustic-looking with lots of tree visible so I used white lights and hung some old Hungarian playing cards from the branches, along with some pine cones that I daubed with gold paint, and my card bunting from last year. 

I got these beautiful hand-blown glass drops from Baileys. Wish I'd got some more!

I also hung some vintage baubles that we got from a car boot ages ago for a couple of squids. 

And our m&r star from last year survived the move:) 

And I managed to find the Christmas bunting I made last year and strung it from the mantlepiece. It's still such a novelty having a mantlepiece to hand things from!

I bought this old swan stamp from Family Tree on Exmouth market. I think it was part of the Jo Waterhouse pop up shop. I've got plans for some Christmassy swan wrapping paper...! Swans can be Christmassy, right? 

We spent a lovely Sunday night a’decorating – mulled cider, a roaring fire, telly on, mince pies and chocolate coins within arm’s reach.

 Oooh I’m getting excited now!