A truly beautiful Minxy mix of charm, inspiration, practical advice, and pretty projects to simplify and beautify your life and home. - Jane Brocket, The Gentle Art of Domesticity
Christmas made simple
Easy ivy wreath
With work keeping us busy up until the very last moment on xmas eve, we’ve gone decidedly low-fi this year. A simple wreath made from ivy cuttings and stripy ribbon for the door, ham on order, a house full of flowers picked up from the fabulous CarriageWorks Markets on Saturday, and handmade stockings cobbled together from No Chintz remnants – need it be any more complicated?
As long as we keep the pancakes coming on xmas morning, Olive will be content. My biggest indulgences this year? A pantry full of cold-pressed olive oils, dukkah, pickles, exquisite condiments and the traditional drunken pud, plus a fridge full of champers and French cheese.
Hapiness is.
A handmade stocking
Gorgeous summer hydrangeas
Blow!
Pompom wreath
A cheery christmas wreath
Now it’s November I’ve officially started decorating the house for christmas (any excuse to re-decorate). This wreath has been waiting patiently in the hallway for the past few days, for Halloween to be done & dusted…
Here’s my first half-handmade project: a rainbow-coloured pompom wreath for the front door, inspired by a very similar one spied in last year’s Marie Claire Idees December issue. What do you think? James thinks it needs more pompoms but I quite like its spare charm.
I bought the el-cheapo wreath from Spotlight and made the pompoms from various balls of brightly coloured wool while watching the latest episode of True Blood on telly (made much easier with my new pompom makers – love these – purchased over the phone from Berry’s Sew & Tell: 02 4464 2428).
Christmas lunch is at ours this year – I’m already devising ways to lay the table.
Ho ho ho