More Christmas Decorations!

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS - Little Sock Advent Calendar

I saw this page and thought how sweet and easy is this for an advent calendar and what a fab way to use up all those little odd socks you have in the drawer.  Fill them with little gifts.

Tools and Materials
24 socks
Ribbon
Number stickers
Round stickers
Pushpins
Mini clothespins

Calendar How-To1. Gather 24 socks -- singles or 12 pairs -- in colors that go well together (vary the sizes, if you like). Lay them out in the order you want to hang them, leaving spaces in between.

2. Cut the ribbon to the desired length; to find how long it should be, measure across the row of socks and add 12 inches (ours was 72 inches).
3. Use number stickers to label each sock. If one has a busy pattern, place the number on top of a solid round sticker so that it's easier to read.
4. Tack the ends of the ribbon to a railing or mantle; if you like, you can fasten the ribbon in several places to make a few swags.
5. Use mini clothespins to clip the socks to the ribbon; overlap them if you need to save space.
6. Tuck a gift inside each. If the item is heavy, use a larger clothespin to secure the sock.
Note: Gifts must be small enough to fit in tiny socks but safe for your child's age. Choose bath toys, pacifiers, or blocks for a baby; pencils, notebooks, and toys for an older kid.



Thank you Martha S!

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS - How to make a Ribbon Rose.

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

With weeks to go until I can adorn our home with Christmas decorations, my hubby Mr C has requested for the first time ever, a Traditional Christmas.  He fancies holly and ivy and the colours of red's gold and green.  I am not sure why this has come about, as for years we had had silvers, purples and clear lights but who am I to argue with him!  So I am now on a mission to make as many decorations as I can.  I shall be spending many a winter evening (work permitting) looking through the internet for ideas that are cheap and cheerful (and free).  Mr C has also agreed that he will help me make some and started to this evening by making a ribbon rose of tartan that will go on the tree.  I had purchased three reels of the wired ribbon earlier in the year, put it in a bottom draw and had forgotten all about it but an hour after finding it, he said he was just testing some other ideas I have my first tartan rose.  (These are so easy it takes seconds to make one).  Pictures will follow but these instructions may help in the mean time.

I will post more and more Christmas decorations as and when I find or make them.

Can't tell you how excited I feel!




HOW TO MAKE A RIBBON ROSE

HALLOWEEN - THE STORY OF SPRING HEELED JACK

http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/myths_legends/england/black_country/article_1.shtml

My mother use to tell me the story of Spring Heeled Jack.  I remember hiding under the cover and keeping the red little light on as not to have nightmares.  It didn't work.  Jack was going to come and find me.......

HALLOWEEN - THE WITCHING HOUR

HALLOWEEN - THE WITCHING HOUR

Looking through the big web for ideas for Halloween I have chanced upon the following fellow bloggers.  Please have a look at their pages as their ideas are very witching.

 

Spooky Hollow Lane



And for those little simple ideas that will make those adult ghouls go 'ahhhhhh' Nana and Me Creations has a few scary ideas but I love these baby shoes.

http://nanaandmecreations.blogspot.com/2011/10/baby-shoes-for-halloween.html

THE EDMUND BOUTIQUE HOTEL BED AND BREAKFAST HASTINGS PART 2

THE EDMUND BOUTIQUE HOTEL BED AND BREAKFAST HASTINGS EAST SUSSEX

Again we are still awaiting news of the progress of the Change of Use.  Still in the meantime I have found some inspiration of the look we are after for the hotel.  We are after something classic but with an added something that people wouldn't have at home. 

PART 2


Just to keep you all up to date.

We are still awaiting on a decision from the local council to find out whether we can change the 'use' of our building from a C2 to a C1. (care home to hotel).  It's taking forever and in a way I kind of feel cheated that the local council are charging for this piece of info even though they can change their mind at a later date.

On a positive I have had some great ideas for the design.  I want to keep it posh but on trend.  I have seen some ideas for the bedrooms and wondered what you think.

Idea number 1 is rather like my room at home - Black and cream with hints of dark pink. Thinking Licorice Allsorts!

Idea number 2 - Hasting Rock...Lots of bright colours with a hint of fresh mint to stir the pallett!

Idea number 3:  Is Ice Ice Cool, for those lazy hot Hastings Days (or for our winter snow days).

Let me know what you think.  What would you really like to see in a hotel room?

HOW TO MAKE A PAPER BIRD

HOW TO MAKE A PAPER BIRD

With thanks to Kirstie Allsop on Chanel 4.

My Granddaughter has been at home with my daughter making these this morning.  I missed these on Kirstie's show but GD says hers are going to look fab.  They're going to send photos later, so I'll add them when I get them.  In the mean time - enjoy!



Want to make these cute paper birds as seen in Kirstie’s Handmade Britain? Here’s how.

By Kirstie Allsopp

• Scrunched up newspaper
• Sellotape on a dispenser
• Wire for the legs
• Wire cutter
• Card for the beak
• White acrylic paint
• Coloured paint
• Paint brush
• Glue gun
• PVA/decoupage glue
• Decoupage paper
• Hairdryer
• Cardboard
• Paper Varnish

• Print friendly version

Skill

Easy, but children should not be allowed to use the glue gun, as the glue gets very hot. Even adults should be careful.

Budget

Most keen gardeners or craftspeople will have the majority of these items already, so it will just cost you a couple of pounds for the wire. Otherwise, a basic glue gun costs under £10 from craft suppliers.

Time

Up to two hours

Step One: Making The Form

Take a piece of scrunched up newspaper and begin to make the shape of the bird. Add other pieces of scrunched/ folded up newspaper and tape this to the initial piece. Add balls/wads of scrunched up paper over and over and over again until you are happy with the rough form of the bird. Tape it very tightly, to make the bird form very compact. You can play with the form quite a bit; making a big belly or a big bottom, and playing with different tails. With every piece of tape added, you smooth the paper down and make it more sculpted

Step Two: Shape The Legs

Make the bird's legs and feet out of wire. Prick a small hole into the base of the bird, where the legs will go. Use a glue gun to stick the legs onto/ into the bird.

Step Three: Cut Out The Beak

Cut out a cardboard beak and stick it on to the bird with glue

Step Four: Paint The Bird

It is very difficult to glue onto tape, so paint the bird first with acrylic white. Allow to dry.

Step Five: Add The Decoupage Decoration

Add layers of paper to decoupage the bird, using glue and selected cut out pieces of paper. See our decoupage how to for more tips. Allow to dry, then varnish.

THE SHINY SHINY DESIGN COMPANY: THE EDMUND BOUTIQUE HOTEL BED AND BREAKFAST HASTINGS EAST SUSSEX

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THE SHINY SHINY DESIGN COMPANY: THE EDMUND

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THE EDMUND

A few years back Mr C and myself stayed in a nice boutique hotel by the sea, five minutes from where we live.  Everyday on the way to work I drive past the place and look in it's windows to see a huge shinyshiny mirror.  Well for a treat I booked two days and enjoyed every second of it.  However it really got me thinking.  I took all the mental notes I could on the place, from bedrooms to food to service to decoration to how much money the place was making and came up with the conclusion Mr C and I could do this.  So ever since I have been keeping an eye on all the booking of the local hotels and B&B's, the property market and keeping a word document full of ideas and picture of I wants.

Well to cut a long story short I have found a nice commercial building, and ex care home that would be ideal.  The price is high, but in today's climate I am hoping I can work on that one.  There is work to be done. The building has been empty for some years and it is weather proof, with en-suits fitted to all of the five bedrooms which just need jazzing up to boutique standards.  I will add photos soon so you can get a picture.

We are thinking of a four bedroom Boutique B&B with a living room, dining hall and reception area.  There are a number of little rooms suitable for an office, laundry room and storage etc away from the main rooms of the house. 

So far we have just been reading all the rule and regulations, taxes and the change of use should we decide we need to sell as a normal house if it goes wrong (this is is the real off putting bit a the local council are not into changing back a commerical property to residential).  Mr C and I have an appointment to talk to the bank next week.

I'd appreciate any help you can give in this area.  Are we dreaming of roses when we should be running in the opposite direction?

Photos to follow:
Much love.
Mrs C

A country walk!

It seems in England we had our summer early this year.  April and the Easter holidays were glorious.  Its a shame that we can count the days of sunshine we have had since then on one hand and a few toes.

Mr C decided that a country walk was in order.  To be honest it takes five minutes to drive out of town and into my happy place.  I yearn to live in a shed in the middle of a field in the middle of nowhere. However in England there are many that dream but like me cannot afford, so I am happy to walk and take it all in.

Here's our afternoon in a few photos.