have a peaceful christmas

Isn't this adorable? From Brenda Leann's Flickr

Well guys, I'd planned to blog about so much before the break - gift guides, round up of 2008 trends and predictions for next year - but I am only one person with many hats and work, motherhood, chores and life in general seemed to get in the way. So, I'm taking my break now (not really, I'm working up until Dec 29 when the next upload goes live) and will be back early Jan for a new year. Unless of course I get bored or have something to share! I'm determined to find my way around Flickr this holidays, so check me out here - I'll attempt to get that sorted with pics of my place and what I've been up to on my break.

Yay! Blog awards for me!

Before I go... I was awarded two "Love your blog" awards recently - one by Jo Girl and the other from Ish & Chi, so big thanks for those! I'm meant to pass it on to six bloggers I happen to love, but I'm going to do it a little differently. Instead, I thought I'd hand out some virtual Chrissy gifts to my most regular haunts. I've come across a gazillion brilliant blogs this year and check out dozens every week, but there are a handful in my daily rotation - most of which I'm sure you also regularly check out. So here are the women who've inspired me, entertained me, made me laugh, taught me things, become my blogging friends or just kept me in touch with what's happening outside of the design world- and a few things I thought each blogger would like to receive. Of course, it'd be much nicer to receive them for real, but... it's the thought that counts, right?!

Merry Christmas... Holly Becker of Decor8 and Haus Maus
Holly's Decor8 inspired me to blog regularly. She packs it with so many inspiring images, thoughts and information every single day and is so nice and sweet on top of it! Then she went and started up a second blog documenting the decoration of her German apartment and she's put me to shame. In just a few months she's achieved more than I have in five years! But I love her eclectic style and eye from what I've seen in both her homes. It's been fun following her journey, during which I've discovered she has a thing for owls. So here is a lovely Letterpressed owl print from Bespoke Press (whose store has just opened and who has a great blog too, check it out!)

Merry Christmas.... Danielle de Lange of The Style Files

I know I'm going to see something beautiful when I log on to Danielle's blog. She has exquisite taste that I wish would rub off on to me via the internet! She's a stylist, a web store owner, a blogger, a corporate girl and has just added removator to her list of talents - I hope she invites us into her new world of dust and dramas as she makes her gorgeous little farmhouse just outside of Amsterdam a home. I thought she might love this beaded storage box by Attia. White, handmade, glam beads. Perfect! Maybe even something for her to stock in Le Souk!?

Merry Christmas.... Trina McNeilly of La La Lovely Things

I'm a newish reader of Trina's blog but have found myself returning daily. It's warm and friendly and filled with all things pretty. And I love finding out interesting things about people, like that her father is a newspaper man - just like my hubby and me in a previous life (well, I was a newspaperwoman! We met in shorthand class. Everyone say ahhh). Trina represents my all things girlie side - think chandeliers, flowers and pink. I think she'd love this chandelier stationery set from Pink Paris Design.

Merry Christmas... Jennifer Ramos of Made By Girl

I live my bright, bold and colourful side through Jen! I'm not brave enough to do it in my own home so enjoy the oodles of colour she features on her blog and in her work. I now have two of her artworks - the ABC and LOVE poster - and I'm sure there is room for more! I thought I'd found a unique store in Cox & Cox and had copied this cushion into my folder a while back for this very blog post and then Holly goes and blogs about it yesterday and ruins it for me - hmph! Hehe. But here it is anyway, I know how much Jen loves her Union Jacks!

Merry Christmas... Amanda of Swish and Swanky

I found Amanda via my own blog! And she quickly became a regular for me too. Her posts are a mix of personal and inspirational and she had a genius idea these past few weeks to feature a range of different bloggers and how they celebrate Chrissy. I was honoured to be a part and thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's responses. For Amanda I think this adorable little put-it-together-yourself felt birdhouse from Lola et Moi would be perfect - for her or her daughter's room.

Merry Christmas... Danielle of Danimezza
Danielle was my very first commenter and huge supporter of this blog from the beginning. From her incredibly interesting career choices to her love for her hubby to her battle with that horrid "I" word mums-wanting-to-be shudder at the thought of (and of which I can relate) to her dinner party table settings, she writes about everything and anything in her life - a true blogger I'd say! I know she collects turquoise glass and you just can't beat a Dinosaur Designs turquoise vase, so this one is for her!

Merry Christmas... Viv of Ish & Chi

I haven't known Viv all that long either but her nursery decroration sold me - this girl has style! She's just given birth to adorable baby Robbie but still finds time to blog about all things pretty, her eBay and market scores and her painting. Her red and white nursery is adorable and I thought this beautiful so-soft Luna Ninos blanket might make a lovely addition to it!

Merry Christmas... Mia Freedman of Mamamia

Not design related at all (in fact she's rather anti-homewares and renovations!) but my daily read for celebrity snippets and fashion eye candy which saves me from the painful Perez Hilton-type blogs I can't handle any more. Her life musings and family-life stories are always amusing and relatable and of all the blogs I read, she's the only one I've actually met in person (aside from Deb and Nat of course, but current colleagues don't count) - she was my former boss. Seeing as she's been wondering lately if Nicole Kidman's plastic-like face is really due to sunscreen as the actress claims, I thought this Nic doll by Noel Cruz would be the perfect tongue-in-cheek gift for her to spot the differences. One could argue the doll is more lifelike! Ha! (Oh and you must check out the other celebrity dolls he's created. Spooky how much they resemble the actors.)

And finally, Merry Christmas... every single one of you who's visited me here or at mini meez, commented on a post, emailed me personally, helped me, promoted me and inspired me.

It's been a joy being part of such a nice blogging community (unlike some others I've visited at times) and to thank you all, here are some little gifts for you too, beautifully wrapped by Rebecca Thuss. The gifts inside are whatever you wish them to be! So go on, treat yourself to something nice, you so deserve it! And I invite you all to give virtual gifts this year to your current faves - it's rather fun picking invisible gifts (within a realistic budget!) you think they'd like even when you don't know them that well. And if you do do, come back here and tell me so I can peek at what you've come up with.

Until 2009, have a fab, fun, safe and happy silly season.
Belinda x

dream chrissy decor

I'm ba-ack! Turns out my mini break ended up being a sick-children-and-therefore-no-sleep-break so I didn't get too much work done. But it was good fun spending some time with my parents and being spoilt as only parents can do!

Lovely Amanda at Swish and Swanky invited me to be a part of her "My Christmas" segment of blog posts this week where she gets other bloggers to share how they spend their Christmas, their shopping spots and decor ideas. One of her questions was "your decorating wish". My answer was to live in the Northern Hempisphere for a year so I'd get to decorate to in that earthy, white and wintery way that the Scandinavian's do so well. I sent off some pics I loved of how my dream decoration would be - here is the rest of one of the sets. In reality? Nothing like it! Maybe next year... You can read all about my Chrissy here and see an incredibly dodgy pic of my tree as it was last night, complete with bare patch where a paper dove must have flown away without my knowing!

Aren't they sweet? All images are from Inside Photo. Thanks Amanda for the invite - it's a great idea and so nice to see how others spend their chrissy.

So what do you have planned this year??

paula's "made it myself" advent calendar

Paula's version of Lisa Tilse's advent calendar

After posting about Lisa Tilse's clever advent calendar tutorial, I was all set to do it myself. Until a thing called time was robbed from me by work, renovations, babies and life in general. But I was happy to see someone had given it a go - a reader, Paula, emailed me a pic of her completed calendar and she's done such a great job, I had to share. And guess what? It even fits with my Ikea theme - she used Ikea paper! She says the cones are filled with little packets of sultanas which are a hit with her son. Snaps for Paula - it looks great!

Maybe I'll have more time to try it next year. This year, though, we used a rather large Santa Claus face my mother bought for Zak's first Christmas with little pockets in his beard. Considering he was a month old for his first one, and just one at his second, it hadn't got much real use. This year, though, Zak searches for the right number and is delighted with his "yummy yummy snaaake". So not quite as stylish as Lisa and Paula's, but super-excitment for him (and us, of course!). Except I've had to pop all the treats in the fridge and place in the appropriate numbered pocket minutes before he does it because ALL day he pulls on the beard and repeatedly yells out the next number, hoping I'll let him do it because he knows what to expect now. Little bugger!

The latest crafty project from The Red Thread's Lisa Tilse

Oh, and on the subject of Lisa: she's also created this beautiful Chrissy wreath too! You can check out the tutorial right here

happy tree putting up day!

Today is December 1 and usually the day to get decorating, twinkling and counting down the sleeps until the big jolly fat man eats all your cookies (oh, and leaves a few pressies under said decorated tree). I thought this little video by Little Brown Pen was a cute way to get you into the Christmas spirit - cheery song, flying objects and great inspiration for gifts and wrapping for a bunch of people for just $10. Can't beat that! That said, I still have a few more days before I put my tree up. My dad is German so we've always done it on the 6th (St Nick's birthday) so will continue the tradition with my own kids. And if you're like me and haven't popped it up yet, here are a few pretty things you might want to grab to decorate it with...

Set of six bone china finials, $120, Have You Met Miss Jones

Plywood snowflakes, $11 set for two, Venucci

Set of three laser-cut felt deers, $11.95, Mozi

Handmade ceramic Christmas baubles, $12.95 each, Paper Boat Press at Biome

have a very etsy christmas!

I wanted everything from this store - Maka Le Wakan - but alas, most of it is unable to be shipped to Australia thanks to our strict quarantine laws. Grr. I especially love the little wooden gift tags or ornaments with berries.

Christmas at Etsy is shaping up to be a bit lovely! Here are a few goodies I spotted in recent days to decorate your tree, your door, your home for the silly season.

1. By The Sea pendant by Kim Westad 2. Ceramic peace doves (set of three) from Mud Puppy 3. Whirl Ornament by Kim Westad 4. Crocheted bell ornaments by Tiny Little Stitches

1. Dried flower wreath by Dancing Circle 2. Fabric bird ornament by Textile Style 3. Stocking made from recycled man's suit coat by Mandinka Designs 4. Rustic snowflake ornaments by Flying V Designs

1. Rusty Cowgirl Ornaments by Nesta USA 2. Tiny ceramic mushrooms by Mud Puppy 3. Moravian paper stars by Once Upon A Star 4. Paper butterfly wreath by Royal Buffet

1. Ceramic angel ornament by Designerlicious 2. Porcelain snowflake ornament by Shoshona Snow (best name ever!) 3. Chipboard dove set by Designerlicious 4. Cream felt flower stocking by Rik Rak

Now don't go too crazy shopping! I have a few more non-Etsy Christmas decor goodies in coming days to show you.