Australian inspired Christmas...setting the table

Love this series of photos showing how the table setting progresses.  
See the detail of how to create the plate settings here, and construct and decorate the canopy here.

And all together now...The finished product just for fun, see the full post here.

Now that wasn't too hard...

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australian inspired christmas 2014...diy christmas eucalyptus canopy

This is absolutely my favourite table setting ever!  It is so pretty to sit beneath, the light shimmering on the ornaments, the leaves smell fresh and eucalyptus minty, the hints of gold and humour with the Aussie animal decor (spot the pythons in the leaves).  
You can create your own Christmas canopy at home very easily.  Building and decorating the canopy took me about an hour and a half to do, not long for the gorgeous end effect.  This is worth giving a try!!!

You will need:

• 4 bamboo poles (from local garden centre) cut to table size
• string to tie canopy to ceiling hooks
• 4 removable ceiling hooks (from local hardware store)
• scissors
• florist wire, I used silver because it disappears into the final arrangement
• 3 bunches of eucalyptus leaves
• 30 - 36 Christmas ornaments (mine are Vintermys from Ikea)

Step 1 - hang the bamboo structure

Cut the poles to roughly match the table dimensions.

Stick removable ceiling hook above each corner of the table.

Suspend bamboo from ceiling hook with string.  I positioned mine about 30cm above head height of a person seated so that the canopy decor won't hang into guests faces.

Step 2 - Attach the eucalyptus branches
Take individual eucalyptus branches and tie them to the bamboo pole with silver wire.
Arrange the branches so that they are partially supported by the bamboo but still hang down creating a soft feather effect.
I found it easier to suspend the poles first so that I could see the arrangement developing.

Step 3 - Add Christmas ornaments
I added ornaments as I was going along to get a sense of how I wanted it to look (see above)
Make sure to add ornaments in groups of 3 or 5 and hang them at different lengths so that the overall effect is loose and not over organised.

Colour choices
I wanted to create an Australian style Christmas, inspired by our Aussie animals, eucalyptus and the golden sunshine.  So I have chosen soft gold colours that are beautifully set off by the grey-green eucalyptus leaves.  It really feels like the sunshine dappling through bushland on a sunny day.  Its a lovely change from more traditional Christmas colours, much more suited to the summer celebrations of the southern hemisphere.

I picked up the gold again in the polka dot ribbons and sequins on the place settings, and of course my gold Aussie animals.  See the full diy for the place setting here.

Hope this inspires you to do something special and unexpected at your home this year.
See the full table setting post here.

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Australian inspired Christmas...eucalyptus and golden sunshine

This Christmas I have been inspired by all things Aussie: eucalyptus, the golden sunshine of our summer Christmas season, and the native animals.  Don't get me wrong, I love a traditional Christmas too but in reality an Australian Christmas just isn't about a snowy woodland.  Its all about swimming, backyard cricket, sunshine, and prawns on the barbie.  
So this year my decor is all gold and eucalyptus, like the sunlight in the bush, with a few of our cute and feisty native animals thrown in.  

Just love how our black walls show off this display!
I spray painted a pack of Australian animals gold to decorate the plates.  They are so cute and have already been carried off by Miss J!

I suspended eucalyptus branches and Christmas decorations from an over head canopy, it creates a wonderful bushland like feel.  The eucalytus scent is heavenly, and the gold decorations catch the light and shimmer prettily.  The canopy was easy to do, I will show you how in a diy in a few days.

Across the center of the table I laid smaller branches of eucalyptus, adding a few candles and votives for extra light, and a few hidden animals.  I wrapped the left over ribbon and sequins loosely around the candles for extra shimmer.

I am just loving how this table looks and feels and I can't wait to share it with friends and family on Christmas day.  I have done lots of tutorials so that you can get this look to: how to do the plates, building the canopy, and decorating the table.  Pop back soon to see them all and have a fabulous festive season at your home.
  

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Australian inspired Christmas setting...plate tutorial

This year I wanted to bring a little bit of Australia into our Christmas decor.  It seems to me that Christmas decor is all about Northern Hemisphere flora and fauna: deer, holly, snow, pine trees.  Its pretty, but I live in Australia, in the Southern Hemisphere where its sunny and warm at Christmas time.  So I decided to take inspiration from our animals and weather: golden sunshine, koala's and wombats, eucalyptus.  

The photos of the place setting show just how easy the plate setting is to put together.

• Start with a gold charger and a white plate.
• Fold a white napkin and tuck the ends under the plate.
• Cute a length of polka dot ribbon and tie loosely around the plate and napkin.
• Repeat with a length of gold sequins.
• Add golden animal figurine.
• Finally add leaves, here I have used an olive spring but for my final setting I plan to use eucalyptus.

Spraying the Aussie animals was easy to do.  I made a spraying cube out of an old box and applied several light gold sprays.  Turn the animals between the sprays to make sure the gold covers everywhere.

Watch this space to see the entire Australian Christmas concept, and I hope you are inspired to try something a little different at your house this year too.

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Past Christmas post round up

I am very excited to share my Australian inspired Christmas setting with you this year.  I will be sharing the setting and all the how to tips so you can get the look too.  
Last years Christmas posts were fun too though so thought I would share them with you all again.  I was delighted when my gold polka dot and pomegranate Christmas setting was picked up by House Beautiful last year.  

Clockwise from top right:
Pomegranates and polka dot Christmas table
Home made Christmas Ice cream - you don't need an ice cream machine for this one
Pink and lime Christmas flowers
Button and butcher twine Christmas wrapping

This year will be a bit different, can't wait to share it, watch this space!

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deck the halls with boughs of holly...inspiration

A taste of Scandinavian inspired Christmas style.  Very pared back, very natural, very pretty.

I will be taking a break to spend some time with my family, but check back in January as we kick off a lovely new year together.

Ho ho ho everyone...

Images via: Once Wed | Wreath | Sacramento Street | Dwell | Anthropologie Gift wrap |

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Simple, fast & pretty christmas wrapping

Wrap your gifts with button and butchers twine this Christmas.  Simple, fast and pretty - perfect! 

You will need: oversize buttons (Lincraft), butchers twine (Koch), white paper.  
Choose any colours you like, I chose pink and red buttons and twine and then mixed up the combinations a bit.

How to wrap your own gifts:

1. Cut a length of twine, thread through button and wrap around the present (below left)
2. Cross twine at back so that it wraps up instead of down 
3. Thread through button again (below right)
4. Secure under button or at back of parcel.

Am thinking gold stamped white paper would have been pretty too.
This lot are being posted overseas but Miss E has made me promise that I will wrap our gifts the same way too.

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10 ways to entertain effortlessly during the festive season

Be the hostess with the mostest this festive season.  I am no Nigella, I can't cook like Jamie, and I never manage to style my food like Donna Hay, but I do love to entertain.  Here are my tips for ensuring that both you and your guests will have a good time, and that's really what its all about.

Hostess with the mostest tips:

• Plan a menu where at least half of the dishes can be prepared the day before or on the morning of your event.  Cuts down the cooking and clearing up you need to do just before your guests arrive.
• Create a drinks station.  I always make sure I get my guest their first drink, but after that its hard to make sure everybody has their glass filled all the time.  A drinks station with fresh glasses, iced water, and ice bucket allows guests to get their own drinks during the evening.
• Decorate with fresh flowers.  Even the simplest bunch of flowers makes your home look loved.
• Set the table the previous evening or in the morning.  After we have done the first round of food prep I spend a few hours setting the table and doing the flowers (can you tell I like this bit?).  This way you aren't rushed before you need to get into the final food prep, and you get to enjoy a pretty house while you are getting ready.
• Load this dishwasher in the afternoon and empty it before your guests arrive.  Not only will the kitchen be nice and tidy but you can pack things straight into the dishwasher during the evening and keep it tidy as you go.
• Team work makes prep easier to do and more fun. 
• Freshen up your guest bathroom with a few flowers in a small vase or bottle, several fresh hand towels rolled and stacked as a smart restaurant does, and a lovely hand soap.
• Tidy the house the evening before your event.  It always takes longer than you think and its one less thing to worry about the next day.
• Create a party play list to set the mood.  Then it's a simple as plugging in your smart phone and enjoying your evening.

Your guests will be more relaxed and enjoy themselves more if you are relaxed too.  So plan ahead, do your prep work early, and remember to enjoy yourself.

Photograph taken by Graeme Myburgh at the Festive Fiesta pop up party I threw here.

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Christmas table...pomegranates and polka dots

This year we are having a non traditional table that I hope will still feel like Christmas.  Lots of white linen with a gold polka dot twist, and pomegranates instead of holly.  
See how we made our centrepiece here, I hope it inspires you to make your own.

I am delighted with how it is looking!  I would love to make a feature to hang over the table, perhaps a piece of driftwood dropping with gold baubles, but we will have to see if time allows.

The oranges, pinks and gold look so zesty against the black wall and I am loving the gold polka dot tablecloth, so festive!!  

I used thin slices of reclaimed timber to hide the base of the flower arrangement.  We had these as leftovers from another project but you could buy thin strips of wood at your local hardware and paint them any colour you want.  Simply cut to wood to size and hot glue together at the ends.  

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Flowers by Build House Home

Gold polka dot tablecloth

Gold chargers

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What ever you are doing this Christmas I hope its full of love and peace, laughter, friends, family and fun.  Have a wonderful festive season.

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