Quick DIY: Toy Christmas Tree

This one is a no-brainer: get the Christmas toys out of the box and hang them directly on the wall using poster tack. Just make sure the toys form a Xmas tree shape! I was done in less than 3 minutes :)

Just like I told you, I was going through the Christmas box, which sits on the balcony all year long. I was debating whether the toys were tiny enough to fit into my tiny white Christmas tree, when I got struck by nostalgia. All of these toys come from my parents' house - I've had these toys for 30 years! They don't make toys like this anymore... So I made a quick toy tree above the bed, an homage to my family and the good times we had <3

PS: I just realized that at the base of the tree you can see the most unique pumpkin, a hand painted gift from the talented Anna, the creative smile behind Tulimami. Grazie, Anna!

Linking up to these lovely parties.

And some of them require a backlink in the actual post, so here they are:

http://adiamondinthestuff.blogspot.ro/   http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/   http://www.blackberryvine.blogspot.ro/   http://www.cedarhill-ranch.com/   http://diycraftyprojects.com

http://www.sew-much-ado.com/   http://www.elizabethandco.blogspot.ro/   http://thelifeofjenniferdawn.blogspot.ro/

http://www.houseofhepworths.com/  http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com   http://www.the36thavenue.com/

http://www.frommyfrontporchtoyours.com/  http://www.theartsygirlconnection.com/   http://www.somewhatsimple.com   http://www.commonground-do.com/   http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.ro/   http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/

http://www.redouxinteriors.com  http://www.myrepurposedlife.com/  http://www.alittleknickknack.com

http://itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.ro/   http://www.504main.com/   http://www.atthepicketfence.com

http://www.shabbynest.blogspot.ro/   http://romantichome.blogspot.ro/   http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.ro

 http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.ro/   http://thefrugalgirls.com/  http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.ro  http://www.blissfulanddomestic.com  http://www.craft-o-maniac.com/  http://www.bystephanielynn.com/   http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/   http://makingtheworldcuter.com/  http://betweennapsontheporch.net/  http://www.delineateyourdwelling.com

Winter Creatures

The winter creatures came from the cold forest to live on my kitchen wall. In here it is warm and cozy, they might even find food, salt and water to survive the winter. Some of these creatures might miss the winter birds from the forest, but there is a nest of pigeons right next to the kitchen window, so they are in good company. 

The brown bear has an old sweater with geometrical patterns - perfect for the cold weather. We kept expecting him to fall asleep, because the bears hibernate in winter time, don't they? Only this one is too busy, guarding the sleep of a tiny girl in its paws. I found the prints at a fair then googled them: kissing foxes - Belly Rubs & Fox Cubs by Inaluxe; Pink circles by Elisabeth Hellman; Mister Fox by Native Vermont; Alphabet E by Paul Thurlby; Mr. Bear by Christine Pym. 

A little word about that rugged wall you keep seeing in my kitchen photos: it isn't a wallpaper! Nor a backsplash! Nor tiles! It is pure archaeology, so here is the story. When I first moved into the apartment, this is where the heating system used to be. It broke at some point and I had to buy another one (and moved the new one on another wall, for a better layout of the counters). When I removed the old heating system, this is what we found behind it: the original paint job of the house from 1983. Yes, ladies, that is paint and the dotted pattern was made with a brush and white paint :))

This is the larger picture, where you can see the kitchen counter, the archaeological spot on the wall, the burner, the new heating system on the right and the spice jars above. Also my cat Anais, whom you already know a little too well, would not move from the window and I didn't have the time to take other photos (we have very little sunshine, because it's been snowing every day for the past two weeks).

The Small White Christmas Tree

My Christmas tree is white and small, about 40 cm tall. I never decorate with big ornaments, because it would look too heavy for its delicate branches. Instead, I always choose little ornaments and I put the tree somewhere safe, so that the cats won't choke on the little toys. I love tiny Christmas toys, they are so much better than the usual shiny stuff you can buy in the supermarket!

This year I went with all natural ornaments. Some of them are simply made of straw and bound with a festive red thread. I got them in Germany ages ago, but I still love them. So there you have it: straw angels, snowflakes, little wreaths and even straw hearts for my humble tree. Last year I think I saw something similar on the Ikea website, but never got there to complete my collection.

The straw ornaments were not enough, so I also chose a collection of tiny figurines made of wood and painted red. This is a Spanish collection, entirely handmade! It's got everything, from angels playing the little drum or the clarinet, to Santa riding on ski, an angel riding on a red sledge, another one riding on the tiny toy horse and also a little guy hiding in a red wooden star!

Little Wooden Sailor

I found my new  wooden friend in a thrift shop. I was on the hunt for a beautiful granny lamp (which I found, eventually) when I thought of browsing through the kitchenware section. I mean, you never know when you're gonna find the most beautiful retro vase or a magnificent tea pot in whimsical colors! And so, hidden between a salt & pepper set and a brass candle holder, I saw this little sailor and took him home with me.

He's got a fierce look in his eyes and a wire pipe which never leaves his mouth. Also, his nose is alarmingly red, but what can you expect from a sailor, hey?! On the shirt there are beautiful embroideries of red and white flowers and a whole where his heart should be. I wonder if he lost his love for another wooden maiden (or if simply he was part of a bigger grinder of some sort and the whole was were the two elements combined). Anyway, he lives happily on my kitchen table, making friends with the brown bottles and the two-toned heather in the flower pot :)

Neon Christmas Inspiration

First of all, I would like to thank all my friends for the wonderful support on my new Etsy adventure. You guys rock! And now back to the winter holidays: I am still getting the finishing touches on my plan for Christmas decorations. I find myself torn between the longing for a traditional red and white Christmas (which says that good old Christmas will be like a fairy tale, with singing carols and happy thinking from everyone in my big family) and the urge to do something else (just because I can imagine a different kind of Holiday). 

So after going along with the lucky red and white combo, I felt bound to try a new color palette. Neon! A worldwide contemporary obsession in design and a personal challenge for me. The process was quite similar to the first mood board: I just gathered stuff from the drawers in pink neon and white... and a little dusty pink, of course. I love what I see and I think I'll have a red and white Christmas in the living room and a neon one in the study ;)

Hedgehog In The Fog

The house is so dark that I need to use a lamp in the morning when I'm having coffee. The whole town is hidden under heavy clouds of led. No rain, no snow, just a grey roof obstructing the sun light. Not really my thing, but this is the perfect climate for the little hedgehog. He prefers to remain in a dark corner and he only comes out if there is cheese or cream involved.

My beautiful heather is glowing in soft lavender. I'm afraid it won't last for much longer. Never mind, it's about time to make room for the lovely winter berries and all the charm that comes with it! And I can't end this post without an invitation to watch the original "Hedgehog In The Fog" - a Soviet Russian animation from my childhood (made in 1975). You may have not heard of it, but in 2003 it was voted "No. 1 Animated Film Of All Time" in Tokyo's All Time Animation Best 150 Worldwide. Enjoy!

Toy Horse

Autumn means to me a green light to play with toy animals. Perhaps you've already seen the dark bear, the hedgehog and the okapi who gathered under the autumn flower ball. Well, this time I'm having a little girl crush on this brown horse, running wild on my cupboards. The wind makes waves in its pretty hair and the Fall flowers have climbed up on a mini-mug tower, in order to get a better look at its beauty. Run free, little horse toy!

Happy Weekend!

Happy Weekend, everyone, I hope you are having a wonderful time, wherever you are! I am preparing for a birthday party and I haven't even wrapped the present, so I must hurry now. Perhaps any of you lovely friends could tell me what is that painted wooden item on the right - because it's so beautiful (I got it from a garage sale) but I have no idea what it is supposed to be (?!)

Autumn Flower Ball

The unusually warm and summery September weather is pouring honey on my heart! But it's too bad for my blogging, because I'm not feeling the Fall vibe at all. The Internet is filled with Halloween decorations and autumn colors, yet here I am sunbathing on Sundays and walking around in my sandals. So I thought I should do something in between seasons, for now. A quick and easy flower arrangement :)

To make this flower ball, you need an Autumn flower bouquet (mine is from a friend's backyard), a bit of floral foam and 5 minutes of your time. The floral foam can come in cylinders, but mine was a brick shape and I had to cut it by hand.

So here comes the Autumn Flower Ball tutorial:

1. Immerse the floral foam in water for a few of minutes, otherwise the flowers will die the same day;

2. Cut each flower short and remove all the leaves. Your flowers should look like blooms on a stick;

3. Make a round shape from the floral foam. Use a knife to cut the wet foam and don't be afraid to do it;

4. Adjust the length of the flower according to your foam dimensions and insert them into the wet foam, one at a time. For a balanced design, use the biggest blooms first and try to spread them evenly on all angles.

5. Fill in all the visible spots using the smaller flowers. Turn over to check if you missed any bare areas.

6. Use an "invisible" rod wrapping thread to hang the flower ball and enjoy!

I just wanna thank Betsy from Romance On A Dime for featuring this little project :)

Peekaboo!

Who's that hiding under the yellow tulips? A Russian doll?

Peekaboo! I see you!

Friday at work. I've got the weekend on my mind. Cannot concentrate on anything. I'm looking around the office in search of a downer. Something to bring me back to earth, you know... It is Friday, it's so true. But that doesn't mean I'm free to procrastinate. Not yet! I've got a long To Do list before this Friday is over.

Concentrate, Meeha! Do your job! Look around you, everything is in it's place. All the objects surrounding you are serious and really commited do their jobs. And so should you. I look around and I see funny stuff everywhere. Play is in the air.

So the Russian doll is playing hide and seek. Peekaboo - I see you!

No, wait! What's that?! A mustache?!

Oh Lord, my Russian doll is so old, it grew a mustache.

I must solve this mystery and rescue the poor doll!

Oh wait, that's not a lady. It's a man with a mustache, trapped into a Russian doll frame. Hey there old guy, where are you from? I think he is from Kazakhstan, the land of never-ending longing steppe songs.

He is very sad, because he is lonesome. I discovered him in a thrift shop, last March. He had a wooden wife is an equally enchanting national costume. But I only took him and left his wife there, on the shelf. Someone else took her and played with her. Now the Kazakhstan man and her wife are separated forever. They will never see each other again. Please forgive me, little man! I had no soul. I'm sorry :(

The eco Christmas tree

I hate the shiny plastic Christmas ornaments. I chose felt reindeer, straw figurines and hand painted wooden toys for my little Christmas tree. So little, that the gifts are almost bigger (kidding!). You can also spot the name tags from my previous post, hand drawn by yours truly.