Calendars for 2014 - Print & Make...& Plan!

The 'My Owl Barn' free customisable calendar is back for 2014.  A wonderful set of illustrations of that big wide-eyed wise feathered creature - a favourite of mine! Choose your owl for each month here

And Mr Printables never lets us down when we are seeking stylish and simple ways to play, to decorate, to learn and count through the months to come.  Take a look here

Wishing you warmth & wonder for 2014...

In the meantime, enjoy the December hols.

xx

Advents 24th Door - Chocolate Bark

Today we make the final preparations for tomorrows big day. With a few simple ingredients we're making this yummy chocolate bark. Bejewelled shards of deliciousness with different flavours for all.

We'll be filling cookie tins and gift boxes with these yummy edibles as well as coming up with our own version for own stash with dried fruit and pistachios. They're endlessly adaptable and so fun to make especially when needing to keep the kids occupied with the immense excitement of the day. 

Pop along to Rue Rococo  for the how to as well as three recipes to inspire the first bites.

Happy Making

xx

Advents 23rd Door - Printable Festive Gift Boxes

With the final gifts still to wrap and a few edible treats ready to be made as gifts for friends and family I stumbled across these fun and pretty printable gift boxes which are perfect for wrapping gift tokens, a sprinkle of yummies and a whole lot of love inside.

Head over to we love to illustrate  and choose your favourite festive house to print and create.

Happy Printing

xx

Advents 22nd Door - Angels at The Table

Create pretty paper angels to sit at the table with these beautiful free printables here. Each comes with her own welcome ribbon to print or write each guests name onto. What a beautiful way to add the final touches to the Christmas table.

Thank you Jenny

Head over to allsorts for your free printable place setting here

Advents 21st Door - Thank you Thank you Thank you Envelopes

Already feeling full of thanks for people around me who help make Christmas so very special I know there's a long list of notes to be written saying just this. With a stash printed off ready for the kids to send their thank you's for the flurry of gifts and more for those who live far and near for adding their own touch of magic into the seasons festivities, these free printables are perfect for making the joyous feeling last long past Christmas.  These happy and fun envelopes with either a jolly reindeer, snowman or Father Christmas can be filled with notes of thanks, photos taken together at Christmas or whatever messages you like to give. I know these playful sets will make the idea of writing thanks so much more fun for the kids and so maybe this year we'll manage to get every name on our list ticked before February! Thank you Amy

Send festive fun and joyous thanks with these brilliant printables here

Advents 20th Door - A Wonderful Wintry Herd of Cup Cozies

With only a few days before Christmas we're beginning to think about the dinners and lunches and parties that will soon bring all our friends and families together. We quite often set up a kids area for nibbles and drinks where all the children can help themselves throughout the afternoon like their very own private tea party. Having discovered these paper cup handles ready to print and attach to paper cups I'm already imaging the winter scene of deliciousness that will be their feast of fancies. Though I'll certainly be putting these out for the grown ups too. Mulled wine with a polar bear ... yes please!

Who knew paper cups could be so fun. And far less washing up for me too! Thank you A Subtle Revelry.

Get your free printable here 

Advents 19th Door - Be A Famous Artist!

Become a famous painter for the day and colour a masterpiece. With lots of free printable colouring pages to choose from will you Jan Vermeer and paint the girl with  a pearl earring? Vincent van Gogh and the most famous sunflowers in the world? Claude Monet and his study of a figure outdoors: woman with a parasol. Will you search for the original artwork and and find inspiration through the original colours or just let your own imagination lead the way. 

Discover 16 of the worlds most famous paintings to recolour and finish for yourself here

Happy Painting

xx

Mama, Sister, Soulmate, Friend not seen for an age.....

For a sister who brings so much wonder to the world...

For the mama in the kitchen mixing some magic...

For the one always creating something, who knows what it will be?

For a friend you moved away from, someone far overseas, a first home-maker, a well-travelled wise soul-mate who you'd love to see...

And for YOU to remember to find a little something for yourself, as you catch your reflection and put on a necklace, a song, a smile, and slink onto the sofa for a daydream....

For giving...to a Mama, Sister, Soulmate, a friend you don't see enough.

We've gathered all sorts of loveliness here

Make it magic, and don't forget YOU

xx

Advents 18th Door - Free Printable Joy To The World Garland

With almost every part of the house decorated with festive joy there's not much room for more. But I love this festive garland so much we've printed a few of our own to hang along the hallway. With the entire alphabet available to print you can create your own festive messages or even use them to personalise presents and use them as gift tags. Print off a stash of letters and  keep them in a basket ready to let the kids change the message each day, Glue along the outline of the letter and sprinkle with glitter or sequins and spread joyful words around the home.

Pop along here to get your free printable 'anything garland'

Happy printing

xx

Advents 17th Door - Printable Flamingo Thank You Cards

I love these cards found here on the brilliant creature comforts blog. There are two designs ready to download, one blank; perfect for adding your very own festive greeting, and one with the words 'thank you' ready to print off and send. The jolly colours are a wonderful contrast from the deep greens and reds we see filling our window sills and mantles at this time of year and with a few sprinkles of glitter there's room to personalise each and create your very own unique and individual cards. Besides don't they just bring a smile.

Happy Printing

A Winter's Tale

images courtesy of takeapicturelady.com

This beautiful photoshoot in a winter woodland is by photographer Emma the 'take a picture lady,' a title coined by her young daughter.  The fabric and detail of the Hucklebones AW13 collection is captured beautifully in the fading light under the trees. A perfect place to weave a winter's tale.

Here we discover...
The Butterfly Jacquard Dress a double tiered bodice dress with inverted box pleating at waist and bodice and sweet cap sleeves. Fully lined and featuring a tulle underskirt to add further fullness.

The Liberty Lawn Dress in a pretty Liberty fabric of blue flowers. A Bow Tie Blouse is also part of the Liberty print collection.
In the pink Liberty print there is a Gathered Sleeve Bodice Dress and Ruffle Skirt in a berry hued floral to bring a warm glow to a winter outfit.

The Coat, oh the coat, is a Double Breasted Aubergine Brocade with a sumptuous contrast velvet collar, fully lined in a contrast slate blue.

Once you feel the fabrics and behold the colours and detail of Hucklebones you will know it is the beginning of a little affair of the heart, with a collection that has the right degree of innocence and tradition with a hint of vintage couture.

Begin your Winters Tale with Hucklebones here

AND...the sale has started in time for choosing some outfits for the Christmas celebrations

Gifts for Domestic Gods, Goddesses and the Culinarily Challenged!

Whether a domestic goddess or culinarily challenged we have lots of practical and pretty pieces that'll inspire the creation of big beautiful stupendously scrumptious dishes. Perfect for giving this Christmas.

left to right: beech wood spoons, acacia chopping board, beech wood soup spoon, stoneware oven dish in mint,  ceramic dipping bowls,  ceramic spaghetti dish, beech wood skimmer,  stainless steel colander,  beech wood spatula, yellow ceramic oval dish, large copper plated storage jar,  copper jug,  ceramic egg cups,  beech wood whisk,  Melamine bowls with lids, beech wood pasta spoons, stoneware oven dish in yellow,  melamine round side-plates with floral borders,  set of four ceramic mixing bowls, beech wood salad servers,  

Paris Kitchens by Paumes 

London Kitchens by Paumes

Find food lover gift inspiration here

"I spend a lot of time in my kitchen; morning, noon and night and all the snack-grabbing, at-the-table-doing-homework and catching-up-with-friends-over-a-cuppa times in between. When I think of my kitchen its full of colour, full of flavour, full of inspiration to cook big beautiful stupendously scrumptious dishes. Its about fun, the noise of banter with friends and family whilst whipping up platters of that oh so splendid homemade food. I think colour. I think large plates passed around a noisy table of chatter with friends.  I see cups filled with daisies the children freshly picked  from a morning in the park placed next to mismatched napkins that sit together at the table unique and treasured as each of its guests." 

- My Heart, My Home, My Style

Advents 16th Door - 20% Off Everything!

Today we open the 16th door of our advent giving you 20% OFF everything in the boutique excluding furniture and sale items. 

Use code LUSTROUS at checkout to receive your 20% discount.

Offer ends midnight Thursday 19th December 

Show me Everything!

Oh and one last thing..... you might want to check out the Seasonal Sale too with up to 50% OFF hucklebones, ilovegorgeous, dandy star, bobo choses, little duckling, tutu du monde and waddler there's a whole lot of seriously scrummy sale prices be it for winter layers, festive outfits or magical sparkles. 

Shop the sale here

Advents 15th Door - Printable Gift Boxes

I love these colourful gift boxes from paper glitter with candy canes, hearts and holly, perfect for a gift voucher to be slipped inside or a few edible treats, for a teachers gift with yummies or even for friends at school each with each of their names written on the pretty tags on the roof . I'm thinking about using them as thank you gifts after Christmas with confetti and a little note of thanks inside and as an extra touch a few wrapped sweets. Beautiful to give and wonderful to receive. 

Head over to paper glitter to download yours for free here

Happy Printing

xx

Advents 14th Door - Fortune Teller Printable

Children love these origami fortune tellers and they're simple to fold and make yourself. Print onto card and let the kids decide what ideas go inside or fill with ideas for Christmas games and festive things to do; an evening drive dressed in pyjamas to see the Christmas lights, a night of hot chocolate and a classic festive film, an invitation to bake gingerbread men, a trip to see Father Christmas, an invitation to go ice skating or a 'you're a charge' or perhaps better phrased 'you decide' what we do to today.

head over here to print yours

Welcome Home Christmas

via here & here

The Christmas tree has been chosen, carried home and decorated from top to toe. Hyacinths have blossomed on our kitchen window sill and a Christmas magic is filling our home. Secret deliveries arrive almost every day to be scurried away in high cupboards ready to be wrapped and given and each morning the kids wake up excited to discover what is inside the days advent. Mornings are now beginning to slow as the school term ends and the rush of being ready is at an end. Phew!

Christmas carollers fill the air with festive joy and early morning frost covers the ground with a layer of jewels.  Vases and jugs are being filled with berried branches, festive paper garlands are ready to be hung and every corner of the home is slowly being transformed in celebration of the festivities. The evenings are spent warm and cosy with the twinkling glow of the Christmas lights and candles and its beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The most magical time of the year. 

Here we put together some of our favourite inspiration for decorating your home this Christmas.

traditional red and white colours give a cosy Scandinavian feel image 

hoping this will be the view from the window Christmas morning via here

simple berried branches in vases and jugs add just enough colour to a small space image

glitter sprinkled toys make a wonderful centre piece here & twinkling christmas lights  here

garlands and paper decorations and simple green plants make a welcoming impact to a hallway image

 Christmas tree branches in jugs and pots via here

inspiring images taped to the wall : image

the sparkle and shine of glass and cubic ornaments with subtle colours and tones image and cubic decorations here

twinkling lights image 

quirky collections take on a festive feel image Lucky Bubble by LuckyBoySunday here

a wonderful alternative to a Christmas tree and perfect for small places or as an additional focus in another room : image discovered here featuring Jurianne Matter paper circles here

A wreath hung above a the table gives a Christmas twist on the glamour of a chandelier:  image

paper angels hung together add a magical touch in a pure and simple way: image found here with Jurianne Matter paper Angels here 

give a small Christmas tree some height and make a bigger impact image

keep it simple and let each natural element be its own glorious self: image

mixing colour makes it fun image

create a winter village scene with gingerbread houses and flour image

a christmas tree perfect for the childrens room : Belle & boo 'decorate me' wall stickers here

colourful paper craft means you can create your very own decorations, grab the card and scissors nad get creative : image

The magic of transforming the home into a winter wonderland has begun.