The Twelve Days of Christmas ...

It's the final countdown, ta da da da, ta da da da da ...ok I know it's early but thought I should give you a chance to get planning.
My lovely friends at Rose & Grey asked if I would like to choose some products from their Christmas range to play with, I of course, jumped at the chance to get some new decorations and here's what I've done with them, I hope it gives you some ideas.

Every year I say, ok I've got enough Christmas decorations, I've bought new ones every year for the last couple of decades!! Sadly when I moved in with the Other Half the fragile thin glass ones disappeared one by one due to the world's most clumsy Taurus. 

Truth is, I just can't help myself, I love trying out new and different looks every year and adding to my vintage bauble collection or going with the latest trend. I'm going to try a pastel pinky theme I think this year but it's a work in progress.

I've created a few different looks, one for the dining area and one for the lounge, and in this post I'm showing a few ideas for the table on the days leading up to the holidays, more a 'start of party  season' feeling, which looks light and whimsical but not too obviously Christmasy.

darker evenings equals candles and fairy lights

Pretty cake stands with mince pies and biscuits for an afternoon snack or just to pick on if you are feeling naughty. 

Several years ago I fixed a hook above my table and it has come in useful on so many occasions.  I've hung planters full of hyacinths for spring, candleabras with real candles, hoops with decorations and small jars hanging from it (similar to the one in Reclaim magazine this month), and different lanterns depending on my theme. 

I've fixed it so that it takes a reasonable weight but if you do this and think it won't handle anything heavy, then these light paper decorations are perfect.  I particularly fell in love with the strings of moons and stars on this 'mini garland on a spool'. I think this would look so pretty winding it's way all across the room.

Rose & Grey also sell the wire lights that I've put in a glass vase and they are super adaptable. The lights are battery powered so they can go in places where you don't have a plug socket and great if you don't want wires trailing everywhere.  

I've been making my own candles so that I could re-purpose some glass containers that I had in the cupboard. I bought some soy wax on e-bay and also some fragrance to drop into it. It's super easy to do, you melt the wax the same way you would melt chocolate, in a pan within a pan. You boil water in the larger pan and then place the smaller bowl, jug or pan inside that making sure the water doesn't spill over. Then melt the wax and when it's clear, take it off the heat, let it cool very slightly and then add the fragrance drops. Glue your wicks to the bottom of the vessel and support them in an upright position while you pour the wax in.

I'm making a few as gifts as well for friends who like a hand made present.

And finally, I made the effort to actually arrange some flowers rather than just plonking them in the nearest vase, actually it only took a short while to do, we picked some autumn branches from the road side and mixed with these lilac roses and cabbages. The florist sold me some 'oasis' which you should soak for a good long while before using. I left my metal urn in the garden by accident and it has the most wonderful rust on it now, so I'm pleased, as it tones so well with the autumn leaves.

Watch this space for next week so see what I've done with my fireplace.  Don't forget to hop over to Rose & Grey for some great alternative decorations their Christmas section is https://www.roseandgrey.co.uk/christmas