Christmas Counters

A countdown to Christmas (tree). A scandinavian take on the advent calendar? Love. From Annaleena Karlsson via Bodie and Fou.

Inspriation: Holiday Decor - Foraging Your Backyard

The other day I drove by a neighbors who had left a cut small evergreen in their front driveway for pickup and I had the urge to stop and forage through it to see what could be used for decorating for the holidays. Then I came across this article in Sunset Magazine offering up ideas to do just that, decorating your house for the holidays by foraging in your own backyard. The projects were done by Studio Choo, produced by Miranda Jones and photographed by Thomas J. Story. I love their use of adding succulents (like we saw from Flora Grubb recently), and other items suggested bamboo, berries, cactus, chestnuts, dried chilli peppers, eucalyptus, heather, pinecones, etc. Now I'm kicking myself for not stopping when I saw those. I love these! (See more of their ideas online here).

Tiny Birch Bark Canoe Tutorial

The folks at Whip Up have a link to a tutorial today on how to make these adorable Birch Bark Canoes by Lil Fish Studios! (Great tree ornaments). Via PaperCakes.

A Bright Christmas

The talented, Will Taylor of Bright Bazaar showed us his latest styling shoot for the December issue of Rue Magazine, styling the same room three different ways for the holidays. The technicolor one stole my heart. Congrats Will!

Weekend Project: Post-it Note Christmas Tree

From Livingetc Christmas archives

Saw this cute little idea over at Bright Bazaar this morning and thought it would be a perfect weekend project for this time of year. Well, it's more like an afternoon project, but fun nonetheless. A post-it note tree, maybe filled with good thoughts for the season? I think I might just go do this right now...in neon!

DIY: Snowflake Panels from Free People

The folks over at Free people posted a DIY on their blog yesterday on how to make some snowflake panels. A perfect little project for this time of year. Especially if you are drape-less like us. I may try this. I like how they all link together. Sort of like the Snowflake Curtain we posted about last year, just more linked together. (Update: Idea was adapted from dsponge; Image via dsponge ).

DIY: Natural Wood Tree Stand

We love this DIY Tree Stand idea that Stephen and Shauna of Something's Hiding in Here did for Urban Outfitters' blog recently. While hiding in the woods at their favourite spot, they brought their fake Christmas tree, drill, paddle bit and scrap paper and created a unique rustic holiday setting. See the how-to here.

Chalk it up to the holidays!

Canadian House & Home, Design Editor, Joel Bray, Photo Credit: Angus Fergusson

Canadian House and Home featured this fuss-free take on the traditional Christmas Tree in their December issue. A fun and crafty approach to something we saw back in 2008 by All the Luck in the World which we're thinking inspired the one over at Free People this year (below). What are your tree traditions? Real, not so real?

New Sweet Paul Issue: Thanksgiving

The new Sweet Paul Magazine is out and I couldn't be more filled with glee! These holiday decorating ideas using vintage photo's are making me so excited about starting to decorate! Are those tags and wrapping paper not the cutest? Check out all the goodness here! And don't miss my "painless holiday tip" (page 28)!  These images:  Styling by Paul Lowe, Photography by Hector Sanchez.

Please check out kickstarter.com/projects/sweetpaul for an even better Sweet Paul Magazine!

Festive Nest

If you happen to live in the lower mainland, there looks to be a happy handmade Christmas sale happening this weekend called "Festive Nest", Christmas in the Barn. Hosted by Angela of angela-lalasland.blogspot.com, there will be a mixture of festive decorations, homemade gifts, bags, furniture and Heather of Missing Goat will be there with jam, chutney and their yummy new blueberry syrup! Word has it hot cider will be served aside a possible crackling bonfire out front! (Photo credit: Heather Cameron).

Festive Nest
November 13th and 14th
10am - 5pm
632 192nd Street (off 8th Ave), South Surrey

Ornaments We Love

Each year we post the newest ornaments we love. Here's our latest finds.

1. Rae Dunn
2. Mudpuppy
3. Suite One Studio
4. Paloma's Nest
5. Paloma's Nest
6. Paloma's Nest
7. Suite One Studio
8. Hodgepodge Arts
9. mbartstudio
10. Pigeon Toe Ceramics
11. House of Harriet

Disc String Lights by Pigeon Toe Ceramics

Speaking of Pigeon Toe Ceramics, these sweet Disc String Lights caught my attention today while I was passing by her shop. How cool would these be for some outside patio holiday fare? Available in her etsy shop here.

Craft Day with Pinecone Camp

Last week Poppytalk contributor and photographer, Janis Nicolay and I got together for a super fun craft day! We had both been longing to do something together and driftwood was the chosen theme. So after spending another day (a few weeks back) beach combing a local shore (not too far from where I live - and a bonus day by the way) we found some beautiful pieces to work with.


As we collected, ideas were thrown back and forth, God's Eyes became a focus (so we started looking for longer thinner pieces), Janis had an idea to make a square wreath and I was thinking of possibilities such as coat hangers. In the end after taking stock of all that we found, other ideas also evolved, and initial ones dropped. But all in all, we decided to make it a holiday-themed decor idea, but really, these could be translated into any theme of course. One could also use tree branches in place of driftwood if you live inland, maybe even removing the bark to get the smooth effect like driftwood. Or as Megan says, however you roll. (All photo's by Janis Nicolay).

selected pieces
God's Eyes

As it had been years since I made God's Eyes (an old summer camp craft), Janis gave me a mini lesson. And really, it's pretty easy, but definitely a little tricky at first if you're a novice like me. So we made this mini video to help explain the process. (Excuse the quality, it was taken quickly using my iPhone).



Basically we tied two twigs together with the yarn, and then went from there; first creating a cross effect and then starting the weaving process (over and around on one twig and then under and around on the next and continuing through to the end). We used two colours, tying the yarn when it was time to and then to end it by weaving through and knotting it.


Driftwood Wreath

Janis' wreath craft started out with some festive craft fare such as pinecones and glitter dust.




First she wired together the driftwood pieces creating a square. She then applied some glitter to the pinecone and wired it (using floral wire and a glue gun) to one corner. A found piece of curly bark was added for interest.


Afterwards Janis tied some grey yarn around the top to hang it with. A simple and clean modern take on a traditional holiday accessory!


Yarn Wrapped Driftwood

As Janis was making her wreath, and as I looked at my driftwood, a thought had come to mind to perhaps wrap some different coloured yarns around the edges of a few pieces. What ended up were these pieces below; which I rather liked and may stick around even longer than the holidays.


We hope you enjoyed our craft day as much as we did. There's nothing more refreshing than removing oneself from the computer and getting together with a sweet friend (who makes delicious coffee and a good lunch). She served her olive + rosemary mini bread (a must try recipe)! Plus the craft wasn't too overwhelming, and rather rewarding in the end. We were able to make quite a few God's Eyes, the wreath and some wrapped sticks all in an afternoon!