Christmas in Berlin....

Christmas is fast approaching.... 

you just cant miss it here in Berlin.

The City is filled with the smell of the season from 

all the Christmas Markets.

Twinkling lights sparkling wherever

and there are pretty reminders of the 

most wonderful time of the year.

Some bigger....

others smaller....

I loved this sweet little display 

outside a equally cute little shop 

in the Holländisches Viertel (Dutch quarters) 

in Potsdam.

 I have noticed a real shift in Berlin & Potsdam 

away from bright multi coloured lights

 to much more traditional lighting

"back to the roots" so to speak.

And as I have never been a fan of the big flashing lights,

 I'm thrilled to see 

the return to a more traditional German Christmas lighting!!! 

  

Without all these decorations though

you could be forgiven for claiming blissful

ignorance to the fact that Christmas is only hours away,

as the weather is anything but traditional.

 Frosty the Snowman....

has to be in chocolate this year, 

as snow is nowhere in sight.

  The weather really not even giving a tiny hint of this season. 

So unseasonable mild.... 

we can only enjoy frost crystals in glass for now.

Have a lovely day

XXXX

Indulging....

December seams to move at lighting speed,
so many things to do....  places to go....
yet oh soOoOo little time left before the big day.
In times like these I can sometimes find myself
struggling to decide what needs my attention most urgently,
 I feel pulled in all directions.
There never is enough time
 for many the beautiful treats this season has to offer....
  really indulge & cherish the whole gift wrapping fun for one.
I sooooo LOVE wrapping presents.
Yet I feel a little guilty at this time of year spending time faffing
when there is so much else needing my attention
and so I have found myself many are past Christmas Eves
wrapping gift late into the night making it less that fun,

more a chore I have come to dread if I'm totally honest.  

Same procedure as last year Mrs Anna....

same procedure as ever year!!! 

 No not this year,
I am happy to say yesterday afternoon I left 
 the guilt behind and indulged....
with candles flickering,  my favorite mix of 

 of vintage & 80's Christmas songs playing and
under the jolly gaze of Mr.Claus
I started wrapping and embellishing my first few pressies.

For me half the present has always been it's wrapping.

I adore beautiful gift wrapping, 

it just make the excitement for the gift inside 

that little more special.

And when I wrap a gift for family & friends 

 I always try to keep the recipient in mind 

choosing a style of wrapping I know they love.

My all-time favorite wrapping papers has to be

plain old brown parcel paper.

I LoVe it's simplicity.... 

When it comes to ribbons on the other hand
luxury all the way is my motto....
I indulge my LoVe for patterns, textures & sparkle   

....together in my book they make the perfect wrapping.   

 I like to add 

a little personal touches....

Baby Paperdoll has been busy cutting
amazingly detailed paper-snowflakes over the past few days.
I LOVE LoVe LOVE them....
they make a beautiful window decoration not just for Christmas
 especially when snow is longed-for but non is in sight.
I couldn't resist though using a few of them for my wrapping.

 

I know the people who will receive them 

will love & cherish them just as much as I do.

 

A few hearts left over

 from my crochet Valentines garland 

have been waiting for the perfect use....

   

A personalized note card

plus a sweet little tags with the receptions initial
finishes the gift parcel off perfectly.

I had a wonderful afternoon....

 Truth be told I LOVED every minute of 

faffing around trying this & that.
Now I better HOP TO IT....
 there still a few urgent thing on my TO DO list....
before the big day.


Have a wonderful week!

XXXX

My seasonal Mantel....

Oh my.... 

the weather has fast changed around here

....frosty nights with very chilly mornings,

not that I'm complaining 

I
LoVe
crisp air mornings with stunning sky's.

We had our first snow here.

It was literally just a sprinkling though

and it had gone just as fast as it came.

 

My scarf is coming along rather nicely....
hopefully ready to wear within days.

It will be very little like the one I set out to make

....not anything new there
I'm just no good at rigidly following instructions.
Maybe that is why I tend to make my own designs
rather then use someone else's. 
When I use a set pattern I always feel the need
to put my own spin onto it.

With the cold weather my yearning for Christmas started. 

So the first decorations snuck into my living-room
a couple of days ago ....just a few. 

I have to confess I'm rather thrilled
that this year I'm feeling the Christmas spirit again,
I was worried it had left me for good

after my lack of seasonal get-go last year!

My mantelpiece was given it's little Christmas spin.
I'm not a great planner
when it comes to my mantel decorations they just happen.
I take a little from here & a little for there
and somehow I'm always in LoVe with the finished look.
Every year I think that that years decorations are the best ever 
....only to find the following year
I think the same of that years decorations.    

2015 Christmas mantel was made with....
a old Christmas favoured
my little white tea light house & bottle brush trees
mixed with a World-map canvases bought this summer
 for a another home decor idea I had....

adding my trusty little red beetle....

 

 skis made from ice-lolly sticks....

two old jewellery boxes....

I especially love the frayed soft blue silk one,
it was handed-down to me by my favoured great aunt
she in-turn had it from her mother my great grandmother,
both were very stylish Lady's in there day.
The Lady's are no longer with us,
I love the idea though
 they are still very much part of our festive season
 trough the box.

 

 ....oh
and I better not forget the chocolate snowman
 ....just hoping he survives the season,
not end up melting in someone's mouth
(not mentioning anyone's name)
 before the month is over.

My favoured Christmas mantel....

until next year that is!

"NO PLACE LIKE HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS" 

XXXX