Unique Christmas Trees

To start this post I am showing you my fav – the tinker toy tree! Some other one-of-a-kind trees are……

The Origami Tree

Although there is no widespread Christmas tradition in Japan, people have learned a lesson of peace and goodwill from Sadako, a little girl who developed leukemia after the 1945 Hiroshima bombing. She learned of a legend that said if a person folded 1,000 paper cranes, the gods might grant his or her wish to become well. Although Sadako never reached her goal, after her death her classmates folded enough cranes to make up the difference. Since then, people all over the world have sent folded cranes to Hiroshima.

The Yarn Tree

Pom-poms, tassels, and snowflakes made of vibrant yarn create a cozy, crafty theme for a tree. A sewing basket is a fitting container (the tree sits in a separate pot surrounded by gravel); the gifts are wound with yarn.

The Cotton Ball Tree

With a few bags of cotton balls, you can blanket a tree with the softest snow. This would be great for kids – no breakables!

The Rainbow Bright Give your tree a rainbow effect by organizing bulbs in monochromatic sections along the tree. Here shades of yellow, pink, and blue create the desired effect. Connect the colors by adding a tree topper and skirt that uses all the colors on the tree.

Asian-Inspired Tree Combine homemade ribbon ornaments with purchased Chinese lanterns, umbrellas, and even silk slippers for this tree full of fun.

Things I like.....

Making a Scented Entrance:
Fruits and Passion has launched their Scented De-Icing Salt $16.00 which I think is a lovely touch and a warm welcome for guests arriving to your home…This set contains Holiday scented de-icing salt, a wooden scoop and re-useable bucket

Limited Edition Couture H2O:
First up is the "Haute Couture" bottle, an iconic version of the Prêt-à-Porter, personifying Evian’s natural mineral water as “a majestic and immensely feminine Ice Queen. Evian says this design is being produced in a very limited edition and will only be available in a “few special places”. I believe it. So far it has been spotted in early October at the Colette Water Bar in Paris. The second version has been adorned with an intricate lace pattern, which provides the bottle with a classic frosted feel intended to not only evoke the "essence of chic sophistication", but also to remind drinkers of the flora that can be found at the French Alps.

Jean Paul Gaultier is also jumping on the H2O bandwagon, he is temporarily stepping away from his couture atelier to design a limited-edition water bottle for the ever-pretentious Evian company.

The design of the bottle was revealed at the Parisian bath house Pontoise, where mannequins donned the designer's ubiquitous mermaid costumes as chic little boys and girls "ohhhed" and "awwwed" over the special Evian container adorned with giant crystals and over-sized lettering.

Blinging with Booze? Absolut Disco is a brand new packaging for the Absolut bottles and is a follow-up to the Bling-Bling and Second Skin. Absolut Disco is just pre-released at Selfridges at Oxford street in London this week and will soon be available all over the world, inclusive the US. The price will not exceed the price of a normal Absolut bottle. It’s a limited edition piece but when we are talking about Absolut it will still be a couple of million piece.Also look for Absolute Masquerade, a bottle covered with tons of shiny red sequins...love it!

Old School Recycled:
Artech Studios (http://www.artechstudios.ca/) has come up with a brilliant idea for recycling bottles…I wish I could afford all of them. They take old glass bottles (beer or ol’fashion pop bottles), heat them to 2000 degrees using traditional glassblowing techniques and make the most stylish drinking glasses I’ve seen in a long time. Nothing has been added or removed to these bottles and all of them have the original labels, either enameled or embossed, or stampings! Create Your Own Cookbook
We’ve created cover table books filled with personal photos now you can create your own personal cookbook. This is a wonderful gift idea especially if you are looking for something inexpensive and thoughtful. Check out http://www.tastebook.com/home/product_info they have an easy to use template and the quality of the book is great! You can add your own recipes (along with pictures) or pick recipes from tons of cooking websites. I would love to do this for my own collection of recipes – I have 2 boxes one for Spring/Summer and one for Fall/Winter – the boxes have recipes from all different sources – this would be a wonderful way of storing all my loose clippings and I can add to it regularly.

Just a few ideas to add your shopping list!

Decking the Halls - or Hall?

Modern, minimalists..whatever you call it, it can work during the holidays when people traditionally are hanging everything they own from holidays past. Give your home a sophisticated lift with a chic palette and a modern mix of plush textiles, frosty touches, and nature-inspired notions.

Here are a few clean and modern décor ideas for the holiday.

I love this eco tree – very unique and modern! Australian graphic designers Buro North claim their plywood Christmas tree is “80% more environmentally friendly” than a traditional fir or spruce. And it ships and stores flat – what a great space saver!

CB2 has a great selection of modern sleek decorative items that I am sure you will fall in love with whether your space is modern or not…here are a few I adore – epically the elf taper candle holders. They are almost too special to put away after the holidays. Also check out EQ3, they have some wonderful modern holiday items like this Claus figurine made from blown glass.
So if your space is minimalist and the thought of pine needles everywhere is not your thing – there are a lot of options out there to add a simple and small touch of the holiday season to your space!

Ways to add impact to your Holiday tree

Tip #1: Think Over Scale
Use over scaled ornaments. Large silver balls and stars have a huge impact. Though over sized decorations may cost a bit more, you won't need many (about a dozen for an average size tree), and the effect will be stunning.

Tip #2: Stick with a Theme
A large white butterfly could be the key to a leafy garden theme for your tree. Green dragonflies and a selection of artificial leaf sprays may add to the theme that's further enhanced with green ornaments and glittered netting. Even the tree skirt was embellished with floral sprays. Or how about these black and white ornaments I found once when travelling - this would be a lovely elegant theme as well. When thinking head of a theme you can never go wrong with your tree décor.

Tip #3: Do Something Different
Looking for something unique? How about these cute vintage kitchen icons from William Sonoma – think outside the norm on this one for a real show stopper! I am working on another post coming soon - Unique Holiday Trees - you'll find some additional inspiration there too!

Tip #4: Glam It Up
Add crystals, sparkle and shine to your tree. This is definitely the one time a year no one can fault you for too much “bling”. The large tree here is done by swarovski and is full of crystals (Eaton Centre, Toronto) – now that’s “bling”!

Tip #5: Remember to Repeat
Repeat one type of ornament so it creates a color, shape, or theme through a tree. I would recommend buying two to four dozen of a main theme element (like the same red balls), in various sizes, and finishes to add even more flair.

Tip #6: Color Your World
Designers create trees using colors and themes that relate to the room where the tree is displayed. Repeat your room's hues and motifs using ribbons, wrapping paper, garlands, and ornaments to harmonize with or complement what you already have.

Tip #7: Design with Line
Ornaments in one color and style get a designer look by varying the sizes between small, medium, and large. Slim ribbon garland criss-crossed horizontally throughout the tree adds to the lines as does dozens of vertical ornaments such as icicles.

Tip #8: Designer Monochromatic
Do you love one color? Go for it with a monochromatic tree. One-color trees work their magic with shape and texture. Vary the size of the decorations and mix up shiny and matte finishes as well.
Tip #9: Fill in the Gaps
Fill gaps between branches with floral filler such as silk flower sprays or leaf bunches. I sometimes even use faux flowers and plants – they add a pleasant surprise when found filling a hole.

Now I am off to the crawl space to pull out my tree - dust off my ornaments and get down to the task of decorating. I love the holiday look in my home - I find I rush home each evening turn on all the lights inside and out and enjoy!!

I hope you find inspiration in the above tips and create a beautiful centerpiece in your own home.

A little light for those dark days of winter

Smith and Hawken is a great source for neat and wonderful outdoor, garden type ideas and items. I found a few for the holiday which I wanted to share!

Multicolored Teardrop Light String

Dollops of light in four festive colors are ideal for decorating your home this holiday season. String lights around a holiday tree, under eaves or brighten up a topiary after dark. For indoor and outdoor use

Prelit Natural Swag

Bring garden-inspired holiday cheer to your home with our all-natural vine swag, accented with soft, white lights.
Pre-lit Natural Vine Spiral Trees

Add an artistic holiday element to your backyard, garden or front lawn. Illuminated by white holiday lights, this nature-inspired treasure can by hung from an outdoor tree or perched on a porch.
Oversized Ball Ornaments

Create a wonder-sized statement and add festive bursts of color indoors or out with these gleaming, weather-resistant ornaments. We have a huge pine in our front yard – these would be perfect hanging on it just like your indoor tree!

Light Garland, Cream Berry

This realistic, berry-dotted garland is flexible so you can shape it as you like to decorate a mantel, banister or tabletop. Indoor use only.
Silver Ribbon Light Strings

Light strings make any nighttime gathering festive. Our unique lighted ribbon can be used to decorate a wreath, garland or holiday tree. These flexible, lighted ribbon adds a unique glow to holiday greenery.

Take a surf on their website for other great ideas. Give guests a welcoming glow when coming to your home this holiday season!

Adding some magic to your holidays....

Ok, I am not entirely sure how this works, but...this Magic Snowflake/Christmas Tree kit (from Urban Outfitters) looks like super fun and comes with a paper frame and some incredible (and totally non-toxic) liquid that when combined together forms magical crystals from some kind of other holiday dimension.

Seriously - I gotta get one just to see if it works!

A little something from Frankfort....literally

Last year at the big holiday show in Frankfort Germany, you could not pass a single booth without seeing a Pixie.

In Scandinavia, a Pixie or Nisse is a household spirit that is responsible for the care and prosperity of a farm or family. A Nisse is usually described as a short man or woman (under four feet tall) traditionally wearing a red cap.

While belief in guardian spirits is a very old tradition in Scandinavia, belief in Nisser was prominent in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in Denmark, southern Norway and southern Sweden. Many farms claimed to have their own Nisse.

The Nisse took an active interest in the farm by performing chores such as grooming horses, carrying bales of hay, and other farm-related tasks. These chores were usually done much more efficiently and effectively than by their human counterparts. However, Nisser could be temperamental, to say the least. If the household was not careful to keep its Nisse satisfied -- usually in the form of a single bowl of porridge with butter in it left out on Christmas Eve -- the spirit could turn against its masters.

In the 1840s the farm's Nisse became the bearer of Christmas presents in Scandinavia, and was then called "Julenisse" and has been associated with Christmas ever since.

So now that you know who they are and what they look like - be sure to stop and pick up one of these cute decorative pixie's for the holiday season - I think I may get one and keep him (or her) out all year long!

Little treasures...

As I continue my love for all things Japanese…..I think you will agree these are the cutest little dolls!

You are bound to fall in love with these funky, cool and cute Japanese friendship dolls. Momiji Dolls (http://momijishop.com/) are a series of collectible friendship dolls. They may be small but they're big on style!
Each doll comes in a see-through bag with its own collector’s card. Inside the base of each doll there's a tiny card to write a teeny message.
Each doll is approx 8-9cm tall and made from heavyweight resin.

A combination of eclectic Tokyo style and fortune fun, each doll has a unique personality and represents a virtue or positive trait.

Give one of these pint-sized resin dolls to a friend this holiday and slip a secret message in its base for safekeeping.

Here are a few of my favs!

Kitty:
Kitty so pretty. it's always sushi time. I like: James Bond and chocolate milk.
Luca:
Her feet and the beats take Luca merrily through the streets. I like my headphones, bubble cars and stripes
Mabel:
Deep in the forest of memories Mabel makes magic fantastic
Also there is Momiji "Zakka" meaning 'bits and bobs' in Japanese brings you a collection of everyday essentials to make life that little bit lovelier, all with Momiji inspired designs. There is a huge range of accessories to choose from including: badges, bags, hankies, mugs, stickers, and much more.

And just in time for the holiday’s …

Twinkle:
Your heart has a happy twinkle that keeps me always cozy. I like bed socks and getting lost in a book.

Angel:
The teeny Christmas angel from a midnight sky brings you news of happy times. I like inspector clouseau and sherry trifle.

Next time you are looking for a special way to tell someone you're thinking about them - think Momiji.....