Some decorating and easy mince-pies.

Some outside decorating.

Using fresh greenery and berries I've collected

and things I've dried over the year.

The first wreath I made,

 now hangs on the door at my daughters house.

Some outdoor decorating with lanterns.

Peeping in the window.

Every year at Christmas time I make mince-pies.

 For those of you who are not familiar with these spicy little tart-lets

 this is what they look like.

I don't make my own mince-meat I cheat a little and use a bought jar of good quality mince meat and add a slug of brandy, along with a few other extras

like grated orange peel a few cranberries & some chopped nuts. 

 .... but if you do want to make your own, take a look here

 Daphne always makes her own.

But this way is quick & easy.

This year I'm going to try something totally different.

It's a Jamie Oliver recipe, he used bought mince meat in a jar
along with ready made puff pastry and filo pastry sheets, 

so even chefs cheat,

Jamie's Mince-pies  they look so different.

Just to finish off

 I wanted to show you this lovely vintage enamel plaque

 I found it at a Christmas market.

It's been made into a coat hook-hanger.

I think I'm all organised now, 

what needs to be ordered has been ordered.

Cards and gifts to be sent have been posted.

Always some last minute presents to wrap.

So now I can do all the extra little touches to make

my home extra special for family and friends.

I plan to make Winter Spiced Pot-Pourri

It's an easy gift, smells wonderful
When all the spices and dried fruit are mixed together
 put the pourri in a pretty jar or a see through bag & tie with ribbon.  

Last year it was a great success, so I'll definitely make some more this week

I followed Stone Gable blog recipe, if you want to know how

to make it why don't you pop over to her  blog.

How is all your preparation coming along ?

Hope you are enjoying the build up to the festive season.

I'll try and get another post done, 

so that I can show you all the house decorating I've done

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian

Arranging a few things before Christmas decorating.

Looking at lots of the blogs I follow,

I see many of you are already decorating your homes for Christmas.

I feel it's still a little too soon, so I've just been re-arranging 

a few items here & there around the house.

In the entrance hall I have a vintage laundry basket

 where I keep the vintage bed linen ( I've never used on my bed )

I had been rooting in the basket & piled some of the linen on top

and liked it there, so much nicer to be seen and not hidden in the basket

 It's a perfect place to show off one of my bouquets of dried roses.

Last week I went to a local charity Christmas market,

there's always what I call a rummage table, to Mr France it's junk,

and found a dirty metal framed mirror desperately in need of some TLC.

I forgot to take a photo before,  you will have to imagine 

how grubby it looked.

 I gave it a wash and then a coat of chalk paint finished off with

a rub of wax polish and liked the way it turned out.

  

I'm loving how the roses have dried. 



I always have dried  lavender and poppy heads,
I'm thinking I could use some in bunches for an indoor wreath.

I often use these porcelain baubles somewhere in the house

 so they will certainly be part of my Christmas décor.

They were a present from my sons wife .

Our weather forecast is good for the next week so I'll be out and about with my secateurs

gathering all sorts of berries and fir cones, along with lots of greenery for making wreaths.

I hope you'll come back soon,
as I'll be showing you what I've been making.

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian



1st. December - time for a little decorating.

Nothing fancy, one or two  candles slipped in here & there

amongst  some of your favourite things and add a few pine cones

Candles are always my favourite ways to decorate.

Candles and a little touch of the forest.

Now for some country style ways to decorate, 

taken from this French magazine I sometimes treat myself to.

I'm sure it will give you a few ideas with a different twist .

A window and steps leading to the entrance, decorated with

just a few branches of pine, with pine cones and a splash of colour from some apples.

For those who find it daunting to make their own wreath, 

this is an easy way to make the front door welcoming

Use some of the  branches from the bottom of the tree, some twigs covered in lichen,

 tie it with some thick red cord and attach a  few pine cones.

 If you live in the country these are all easy to find.

Bring a little of the outside into your home

 to spruce up a shelf or window ledge.

This is my country style decoration for my window ledge during the week-end .

A wreath using a straw base and then  covered with pieces of pine

 from your Christmas tree, small stems wired to the inside 

and the the larger stems on the outer edge.

I love this angel made from red stems of wood 

and bits of spruce pine.

A basket of cones and presents  wrapped in brown paper 

tied with simple cord with a sprig of dried berries.

This candle is wrapped in bark from a silver birch  tree.

On my next walk, I'll be looking for fallen branches to peel off some bark.

Some pretty ways to wrap those special homemade gifts for friends.

I hope I've given you a few ideas from France for you to try.

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian

Advent Calendar idea.

I've often mentioned my love of Danish decorating
These photos of my grandchildren were taken a good few years ago
when they were little toddlers, during one of our Christmas holiday visits.
and the wreath I previously showed you here

Are you looking for a new and original idea for an advent calendar ?

 I've just had this idea shared on my face-book page from Monica a Danish friend

 so if you're stuck for ideas how about trying this.

A little parcel for everyday wrapped and numbered,
then hung on the wall, simple but original.

She has a lovely boutique in Copenhagen
and also sells on line here
there is a special 20 % offer on during the advent period.
Take a look for gifts a little bit different and all Danish products.

I'm looking forward to the Christmas fair....
I wonder if we'll have a white Christmas this year ?

This is where I get to taste warm Glogg and
æbleskiver ( warm doughnut balls, served with icing sugar and a strawberry sauce.

As I will be spending Christmas in Denmark this year

my decorations will be just a little something here and there.

Similar to this.

Recently I was doing some re-arranging and brought this cup & saucer set out from a cupboard
where it's been hidden for years, I put it on display in the entrance hall. I know it's delicate
but it's so pretty I've decided I should use it.
If I was at home this would be  the cup I'd choose for Christmas morning breakfast.

Some gifts to share.

An advent wreath, picture from
Isabellas Christmas magazine

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian

Some Ideas for the Vine wreaths.

The wreaths I made a few weeks ago waiting to be decorated.

I always decorate the front door of our own home

 and  La Petite Maison  for the festive season,

This is a reminder of what I did a few years ago

La Petite Maison 2012

For the greenery of the base I usually give a few shrubs a trim
just before I start, then it's easy to fill in with whatever you have.
I used small pine cones which are in abundance where I live.
I also dried some apple rings
( but a word of warning, the birds will come and eat most of them )
Also with the very wet winter we had that year, they became soft.
So next time I would keep dried apple or orange rings
 for an indoor wreath.They do give a pleasant spicy aroma
especially if you sprinkle them with a little cinnamon or allspice .

This one had dried orange rings and a few whole dried lemons & tangerines.
I just leave my fruit to dry and harden off a little by our wood burner.

My home  2012

I've been doing a bit of searching for some different ideas.

Guess where I did my search ? Of course, my favorite Danish  magazine

Isabellas

Here are a few I've picked out for you

Photos shown without Barbara Lilian in France typed on them
are taken from  Isabellas 2014 Christmas magazine.

They might give you some inspiration to try.

How about one of these for your front door ?

If you're like me, when out on a walk you arrive home
with pockets full of natures treasures,
 that could fill your wreath, Fallen nuts,
pine cones & twisted branches with lichen
Or maybe a selection of berries from the trees,
but be prepared for the birds, they think it's a take away.



Any of these I would love to hang on my door and all could be made.
Give it a try,  don't say 'I could never make that'
Your first attempt might not have a professional finish to it
but it will be your own design and so much nicer than one bought from a store.



This would look very nice on a hall entrance table;
with a few of your special baubles and a little statue
all piled up in a shallow dish with a wreath just placed around it.

One of these would look very pretty in doors.

This one could be hung on the kitchen door.
It looks like the tiny cones I collect
and then spray painted white.
Now what could be easier than that ?
all you need is a reel of fine wire and some paint.

I love this dried flower one using lavender. maybe not true Christmas style,
 but could look  pretty and smell very nice in a guest bedroom.

This frothy one on a side table.
with candles in lanterns placed around it looks lovely.

 

If you have been successful drying some Hydrangea  heads
this is a very show off way for them to be seen
along with a few other dried flowers and thistles.
I  like the way it's hung with a leather belt,
a very original smart country idea .

I hope I've chosen something to suite every ones taste.


If you do decide to make a winter season wreath
I hope you enjoy making it.
I would love to see the style you choose to make yours.

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian