Christmas is here!

Wheeeey! Christmas arrived all of a sudden today! Mum, dad and me spent the day putting up the tree and decorations, hanging candle lanterns outside, arranging lights in the window and generally making things comfy and cosy. PLUS - massive bonus - it snowed!

It's absolutely freezing here and inside is definitely the best place to be, but if I did have to venture out in the snow showers, I think these cuties would keep me toasty warm...

...cream cable knit Winter bomber, brown military boots and Alaska hooded shirt from All Saints, turquoise knitted cowl from Felissimo, and faux fur trappers hat from Topshop.

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I think I'm in love...

...with these headphones from Urban Outfitters...

Seriously - these are the cutest pair of cans I have ever seen!

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Christmas is still missing....

Hey guys!

Christmas is still not 'up' in our house yet - everyone has been super busy and can't seem to find a day when we're all in to get around to it. Instead I've been consoling myself with Flickr eye candy, and thought I'd share some of my favourites with you - the links are underneath if you want to 'fave' them yourself...

Baking cookies by Simply Photo

Yellow by the snail and the cyclops













Pretty little robin by Sam-Plant

I also saw this little quiz on Miss Jodie's blog and thought I'd join in...

1. What 5 items are on your Christmas wish list this year?

Some new perfume, a couple of Keri Smith books to give me some much needed inspiration, a couple of Oliver Jeffers books for the cuteness, Starbucks vouchers and a portfolio for my college work...nothing big or fancy!

2. What is your favourite handmade gift you have ever received?

When I turned 21 I asked everyone to make me a gift instead of buying something, and people were pretty creative - it meant a lot that they put the thought, time and effort in. My ultimate favourite though, was the scrapbook my Nannan made - it's especially nice to have something to look back over now and know that she put her soul into it.

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?

I meant to make a lot of things this year, but just ran out of time! I will start early next year - promise!

I guess there are lots of things, but a mix CD for my bestie is pretty near the top. I love making mixes - taking time to choose just the right tracks that they will like or will remind the person of something specific, designing and making the packaging - I'm a sucker for a mix CD!

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?

I don't really remember one specific gift, but I always liked getting art supplies like paints, charcoals, pastels and sketchbooks. I think sketchbooks and journals are my obsession. I have a pretty good collection now - not all of them are filled though [that's on my 'to do list'!]

5. What items are on your kid's wish lists this year?

Well, I don't have any choodie pops and I think my niece is a little too young to have a wish list just yet...

6. What is your favourite holiday food?

The little sausages wrapped in bacon - seriously - I could just eat a whole plate of those for Christmas dinner!

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?

Shamefully, the only handcrafted gift I will be giving this holiday is the knitted golf club covers for the boy's grandad - he personally requested them, so I dutifully obliged. I wasn't sure how they'd turn out, but as golf club covers go, I think they're pretty rad!

8. What is your favourite holiday movie?

I've never really had a favourite as such, but 'The Polar Express' is rapidly becoming a little tradition. Watching 'Miracle on 34th Street' on a dark, wintry Saturday afternoon with the boy's mum is also becoming a regular Christmas event.

9. Favourite holiday song?

Y'know what? I actually really love all the old, cheesy, British classics for getting me in the Christmas spirit - Wizzard, Slade, Wham - you can't beat 'em, especially at a party!

10. Favourite holiday pastime?

Baking - I make Rocky Road bars as a treat at this time of year. I also love being holed up in our tiny kitchen with some music, making mince pies, chocolate truffles and gingerbread cookies. I also love getting bundled up against the cold and going for long walks and picnics on Boxing Day with the family.

So how about you guys? I'm curious...

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Christmas is coming...

Hey guys!

A couple of days ago I had bought no Christmas presents, had no cards and felt decidedly un-Christmassy. Over the course of the week so far, I have been on a great Christmas tree caper, covered the study and myself in glitter making cards, bought and wrapped all my presents AND found a small amount of Christmas cheer!

I say small amount because I'm still not sure how I feel about Christmas this year. It will be very different to last in some good, and some not so good ways. I had an unshakable feeling last year that Christmas 2008 would be my Nannan's last, and unfortunately my instincts were good. I think the absence of grandparents will really be marked. Events at the boy's house will mean that Christmas there might be difficult too, but we will make the best of that situation as well as we can.

BUT...things aren't all bad - we have a brand new face around this Christmas who was just a twinkle this time last year! It is so strange writing 'from Auntie Amy' on cards and presents, but lovely too! Being a fan of costumes for little ones, I have already dispatched a Christmas Pudding suit for Erin so that she can get some good wear out of it before the 25th! It would be really easy to go nuts on gifts as there is so much cute baby stuff out there, but I think I've been pretty restrained...

Next week I'm planning some festive baking, another Red Cup from the 'bucks, paper snowflake making and a tour around the village to see the Christmas lights!

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Take a look...

Check this little video out from the BBC News website you guys - it's so beautiful!

Indonesia has broken the world record for launching the most number of paper fire balloons at once - over 10,000 were thought to have been released into the night sky in Jakarta...

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1. Untitled, 2. jonibear, 3. our house, 4. my clock, 5. Untitled, 6. Untitled, 7. Fawn!, 8. Polaroids., 9. new*studio!

I'm at work, but here, enjoy some Flickr faves...

Floating my boat...

* banana and custard
* lockets on bakery twine
* thick wool tights
* All Saints [the shop not the band!]
* cheesy poofs
* black and grey
* play money
* parties
* red nail polish
* Johnsons baby oil [it's 10 times better than any body lotion for dry skin!]

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More new things...

How's your week going guys?

I've been busy posting parcels these past few days - seemed the paper fortune tellers were a massive hit with peeps, but I didn't realise how expensive they were going to be to post! Turns out sending flat pieces of paper in a hard backed envelope is more expensive than a little parcel! Ouch!

Anywhoo...yesterday wasn't up to much weather-wise and as I couldn't take photos I asked the boy out on an afternoon date. We went for sushi and then treated ourselves to a Christmas 'bucks courtesy of my niece Erin's birthday present (she gave me a Starbucks gift card - cute!).

I was all psyched up to get my first Red Cup of the year, but as it turns out I was sorely disappointed in the cup stakes! They gave us last years cups!!! I don't know if they had excess and were using them up before getting the new ones out, but I felt cheated! lol The gingerbread latte was good at least, but it definitely doesn't count as a Red Cup...

I've added a couple new Moleskines to the shop this morning as well as 3 embroideries, if you'd like to take a look. There are lots more Moleskines to come but I'm having trouble deciding on how to style the photos, so you might have to wait a little while longer for them. I think it makes a big difference if you put a little effort into the photography for Etsy items - there are lots of good guides on The Storque that give great tips!

Right...it's the boy's grandpop's birthday today so I'm off out for lunch with 'our Brain'! See you laters guys! x