Tuesday, December 9, 2008

X is for Xmas

This year I decided on a simple colour scheme of white, black and silver. I made some garlands from recycled paper and left-over gift wrap:
And concertina garlands of an old roll of cash register tape, and the same left-over gift wrap.
The circles of paper I had cut out of the first garlands (to show the gift-wrap inner) were just the right size to make little discs for this branch I found blowing across the street near our beach. I spray painted it white. I decorated the discs with the same gift wrap.
I stuck silver snowflakes bought in Buenos Aires on the windows ...
and finally displayed my collection of silver and glass baubles everywhere - amongst shells ...
in bowls of all shapes and sizes ...
on bottles on my window sills ...
I've even made my manikin carry some ...
added a few in between the nectarines, apples and pecan nuts on this cake stand ...
and between pinecones spraypainted white ...

Are you having fun decorating for the holidays too? Tomorrow I'll show you the two Christmas wreaths I made - all from recycled and thrifted stuff ...

20 comments:

Linda Sue said...

You are absolutely breath takingly brilliant! LOVE what you have done, So ...together and well thought through. Hang editing- you are an such a sensitive artist, designer, talent that should not go wanting!Awesome indeed!
Your shots are Vogue worthy!Truly, I am just blown away with your eye for design. The garlands are wonderful, very clever, you. Well done, you.

Linda Sue said...

Also I hope that Mirabella comes out for the holidays! I just posted a video you may like...It's a sort of "whew" in the midst of trying so hard to get everything in order...

please sir said...

OH so pretty - love all your holiday decorations!

evencleveland said...

I love these - so light and glimmery!

aimee said...

you do such amazing things with paper!

Mrs.French said...

this looks so beautiful..I need to get to it...so sad I am.. xo t

Anonymous said...

The xmas branch is gorgeous. And all those shiny happy balls. Not to mention the happy salads. Wish I were there...

Anonymous said...

Oh how wonderful it must be to have the chrismast. My granny do not want us to put the decoratings because she is still very good communist. So I will only put the apples and the nuts on my table in my flat in Moskva. But I have the surprise for you Anairam and that is I did finish the stuffy bear! Can you believe! He will also sit on my table for chrismast.

My Castle in Spain said...

Hi! I understand why you laughed....yes, you elected black but it looks much happier mixed with white and silver !!
:-)
happy decorating...!

Unknown said...

Ohhh that is the most quaint set up ever. I love its' subtle touch with the calming greys and funky disco balls. Girl, you have yourself quite the Xmas set up.
:)

Denise Kiggan said...

Wow, wow, wow! You have been busy! It's looking so good. Love the reel of cash register paper!!!

kendalee said...

Oh so pretty and festively sophisticated!!! Love it! And those mirrored baubles remind me a little of disco nights too... Love a little glitter ball action on the dance floor ;o) I haven't even thought about my holiday decorations yet - better get on with it or the season'll have been and gone before I do! You've inspired me... again!

Anairam said...

Linda Sue - Oh, you are too kind! And yes, I'll take Mirabelle out of her box for Xmas. She desperately wanted to be the angel at the top of our tree, and I could only dissuade her by explaining that it was a 24-hour job! No clambering down to try on new outfits, sip eggnog or munch on mince pies ... she has now decided that she will rather entertain us with Christmas carols, but of course, I have to make her a new outfit!

please sir - They were fun to make!

stephanie - Yes, light and glimmery works a bit better with our summer weather, I find!

aimee - Oh, they are super simple to make!

Mrs French - I hope you get time soon to do it - it is one of my favourite parts of Xmas - to decorate!

anonymous - Yes, it is a lovely branch, isn't it? It is the second year I'm using it.

svetlana - Oh, I hope you will still have a lovely time, even if your granny does not approve. Maybe you can give her eggnog made with vodka & take out the decorations when she's asleep? I am so happy about the bear and thanks for the photos. I am posting them later today!

m.c.i.s. - I am in LOVE with your advent calendar that you posted about! - every year I want to make one - but I am not organised enough! And I am worried that I won't be able to come up with 25 ideas. (But I'm getting some inpsiration & ideas from your one for next year!)

munted kowhai - The only problem about starting what for me is quite early, is that I'm all decorated out now! Pooped. Do not want to see another decoration. (But I still have to do my tree - hopefully by then I will have recovered...)

freshly found - I've been looking for something to do with that reel for ever! I've had it for at least 20 years, and it kept moving with me because I kept thinking, gee, there must be something I can do with this ...

Anairam said...

kendalee - So that is why I was so drawn to the mirror-balls! They take me back to my days as disco-queen! (Eeeeek! Hope nobody recognises me ...)

●• Thereza said...

lovely!!!!:)

Anonymous said...

you must have a lot of storage space for all those balls, etc. when it's off season.
i canNOT believe you made a random branch look that great by painting it white. it looks beautiful. how long will you keep it for?
i love the color scheme. such semi-modest supplies made a sophisticated impact.
i thought of you today when i learned to make wax paper (and tissue paper) stars.

Anairam said...

tiny red - glad you like it!

up and down town - I store them in our garage in an old cupboard - but they do not take up that much space - one shelf only! I hope you will show us your wax stars - I updated my wax heart the other day and am thinking of making more to give away on Valentine's day!

Anonymous said...

what beautiful decorating!!! I'm not doing much this year-but I have decided to decorate my bookcase, there's lots of space to sit all my snowmen on
thanks for stopping by my blog and for the comment-look forward to chatting with you again
Trish

Unknown said...

Oh my days! These are such gorgeous gorgeous photos! i love the baubles and shells. Stunning.

Esti said...

What a great job you've done! I love especially the garlands... well, all of it... :9