Saturday 6 December 2008

Musical Christmas Trees!! ;-)


After ten years of putting up the same old artificial Christmas Tree (which actually isn't bad as far as fake ones go), I kind of mentioned, last week, that I rather fancied a change:
' Darling , do you think we could buy a real one this year? '


Naturally, my words were greeted with....well, words that cannot be repeated here (as I have a certain standard to uphold !) ..anyway, you can guess!!



Mr Snippets and Christmas don't really have much of a place in the same sentence..or even the same house. He is not a great lover of the festive season. Nuff said!

Nevertheless, he drove me up to the Forestry Commission, Haldon Forest, this morning, where we mingled with thousands of Christmas trees and I chose one (in what I thought was record time!) - a fine six footer with good shape (that's the tree, not the husband!).


And then, back at home, I did a dumb thing! I decorated it...and having decorated it, I decided that it had to be moved!! LOL! Have you ever done that?


It had to be moved as it was so large, that when we sat down on our usual chairs (or I should say sofas, as we recently bought two lovely leather sofas), we could not see each other!!
Imagine that..talking through a tree for a month...;-) LOL!


So there he was, dragging a newly decorated, six foot tree, from one side of the lounge to the other.

Do you know, dear Mr Snippets did a wonderful job! Only two baubles fell off in the process and now it stands, stately, tall and proud, in one corner of the lounge.
Tis lovely!

Finally, before I forget, my little purchase from the craft barn at Fermoys..this beautiful little Jim Shore carving, from the 'Heartwood Creek' range caught my eye...

Maybe this is Mr Snippets showing me,in one hand, just the size of tree I should buy next year!!
(And showing me what a little angel I really am, in the other!)
And now I am off to admire my Christmas tree..and I'm wondering , would it look better over there..or maybe there..or !! ;-)
What Fun! ;-)

Thursday 4 December 2008

Your 'alternative' morning!

Come with me, to a street called Ticklemore Street! Hurry up ! ;-)
Where else but ..TOTNES!! ;-)
But before you have a good wander with me, you'll need coffee...enter here... Fat Lemons Cafe...

You'll find it's a cafe with a difference..lots of yellow!!

You'll have a good choice of inside and outside seating.

You'll sit inside with me today... as it's a bit nippy outside although we seem to have escaped the worst weather..we usually do, here in South Devon.


And you'll love this little place (cos I'm telling you, you will!!)


And then when you've had your fill and taken your photos, naturally, you can come with me up the hill and savour the delights of Totnes..you'll already know a little about this quirky town because I've blogged it too many times to mention!
Oh yes! Totnes is different!
Bohemian in spirit...many people call it Boho Chic!
This is no clone town as you will see. In Totnes you get real shops!
You also get fossils and fairies....
crystals and kaftans....
vintage...
individual...
and a trip into almost another world.
It is such a fabulously artistic place!
And that is why, along with me (and so many others) you will love Totnes!
A little way up the hill you'll stop awhile and notice that, in St Mary's church ,there's a Christmas Tree Festival!
You ask to look inside.


So many Christmas trees ! A most pleasant surprise!

Totnes is twinned with Vire in France , which this particular tree depicts .

You wonder what the people of Vire think of Totnes!! ;-)

You've enjoyed your morning in Totnes so much that you ask to come with me again, for late night shopping! A treat not to be missed!

On the way home, you ask if we can just nip into Fermoys, a garden centre just near Ipplepen...where you discover this gorgeous craft cabin with the nicest owner!!

You arrive home tired but happy...you really do know how to have a good time, don't you?

See you, for Totnes by night, on Tuesday 16th...and don't be late!! ;-)

Wednesday 3 December 2008

Vintage Christmas remnants, from my childhood!

All that remains! My mum passed these to me yesterday. The rest have simply shattered, over the years.





And don't you just love these?!
They are a little newer, 70s/80s, but nevertheless I was delighted when they came my way.


Tuesday 2 December 2008

The only thing I own from Fortnum and Mason!!

There are some things in life that I treasure!
For instance this....
Used regularly for the past 20 years, it's a bit worn, has a burn hole in it and much evidence of one very busy kitchen cook! ;-)


Yes, it's an apron!
A present from my mum and dad, one Christmas...from good old Fortnum and Mason!


I wear it constantly and I love it, particularly at Christmas
And before I forget, the Winner of the York slogan comp is ...Shirl .

Sunday 30 November 2008

This year I am mostly decorating my tree with...

It's always a pleasure to delve into the cupboard and reach for the things that you carefully put away just under a year ago!
I have to admit that I have not bought any Christmas tree decorations for a while, until two weeks ago, when I treated myself to 6 new ones ;-)
But not these...
... which are probably 20 years old!! I made loads for a School Christmas bazaar and kept just 4, for our tree.

These metal tree decorations were spotted by me, in a little shop in Wells, a few years ago now.

These are 'see through' and I have no idea from whence they came but I've had them in my collection for a good many years.

I think this jolly little chap came from Totnes,many moons ago.

Vintage tree decs which I love...I can't get enough of these!

Some oldies from Woollies.. as are these..


And my newly acquired 'Nutcracker' tree decs, Nich brought them all the way home to Devon, from Max Krug, Munich.


And, finally, as I was saying, my newest decorations...amongst my other purchases from Cath Kidston,York...my goodness, I have just realised how restrained I was!!



Now all that I need is a tree! Although I hasten to add that I will not be decorating it quite yet!
Meanwhile, here they all are, mixed up and put into Paint Shop Pro kaleidoscope!! Pretty eh? ;-)

Do you have any favourite tree decorations?