To mark this special winter solstice, a collage of nature's beautiful wintery decoration.
here are the links to the images on flickr
1. Ice blue, 2. Drops on a straw, 3. Créme, 4. Untitled, 5. sweet slumber, 6. silver sliver in sunshine, 7. Untitled, 8. frosty bokeh!, 9. Untitled, 10. frail~
Light, hope, freedom and gentle peacefulness today and onward. kat xx
Browsing online at this time of year, you often come across many of the same decorations, so it can be quite special to find some that you havent seen elsewhere.
That happened when i returned to Decorative Country Living. They have expanded their ranges in all departments since my last visit. I have blogged about them before and they are listed on my sidebar.
Based in a converted 19th Century chapel in the picturesque village of Caythorpe, in Lincolnshire. They sell a harmonious mix of antique, vintage and new items for the home and garden.
Their website has gorgeous photos similar to the style you find in Country Living magazine. Now they have some gorgeous baby and toddler things and still stock their beautiful collection of heart related gifts in fabric and metal.
The Christmas range really impressed me. The photos here are from their site. The indiviual decorations are pricey. But if you continually use your decorations year upon year and want to add just one or two new then this site is worth a look. The gorgeous glass tealights in pink and silver colors are my favourite.
Part 2 on Decorative country living coming up soon! kisses n wishes Kat xx
1. Model material , 2. My 1st 10 years, 3. By the pond, 4. brrrrrm brmmmm This post is for 2 birthdays today. the first is to wish a special little boy a very happy 4th birthday today. Luigi is growing up so fast. Here he is with his mummy my dear friend Anna. The top right photo shows Anna at the same age Luigi is now. You can see where he gets those gorgeous eyes from. Have fun at your Ben10 party treasure we are thinking of you and wish you every happy fun thing a birthday brings, especially at such a very good age as 4! love 'aunty' kathryn xox
Also today... Gustav is 7!! Special happy birthday to you sweetie i'm glad you like your aeroplane and choccie. Gustav is the eldest boy of my dear friend Frida who is Swedish. We have been writing to each other since we were 1, thats over 20 years now! we have not met yet because circumstance has prevented it,and they live in Sweden, but we will do one day. here are a few pics of G and his little brother Wiggo. lotsa love Kathryn
Happy easter wishes everyone
i just thought i would share some of the blessings,gifts and cards i recieved lately from some very dear friends. Here(middle right) is a special collection of gifts my friend Anna in Wales sent me in the post,wasnt that so thoughtful of her,we do this every year but she never fails to suprise me with her beautiful finds! the cath kidston egg cosy is so cute in the shape of a little cottage!
The candle with the cards above, is what was wrapped in the centre photo!its from Mary, from her precious trip out to a garden nursery. I too enjoyed a trip out last week,the first for a while. We went across town to Wooly Blue and saw Julie there,she had some lovely easter eggs and cute Jellycat toys to choose from for gifts for my friends. I really LOVE her shop its so welcoming. I got a cushion for myself, which i'll show you when i share how my little craft room has been coming along-there was alot to sort out but i have made it alot tidier and am now able to sit in here and type in the sun!
Spring is definately here and despite a few 'off' days,or lets call them healing days,when i had to rest, my health is generally picking up and i have had some precious energy to do a bit again. So i have had to spend less time in bed which is a great blessing and i feel positive about the next few months. I am not planning anything, just taking each day and doing the best i can within that moment, its the best way isnt it. Have a wonderful holiday wherever you are,and enjoy your own blessings big and small,love kat x PS good luck to Kye and Luigi on there easter egg hunts!
Its my birthday today! 33. it feels a nice number to be. if youre reading this join with me in having a cupcake (find the pattern for those knitted lovelies through this link)and a cup of tea. luv kat x
here's a little peak at my present...a little silver bird necklace by Alex Monroe
Happy new year my friends...i hope 2009 brings you every happy thing and much love and light. Days of health, happiness, peace, healing, fun and special moments wherever you are in the world.
i look forward to what we will share in the year ahead and to spending time with you. you all inspire me, and help me, and it makes my heart happier that i can read about how you feel,where you go,who you love and what you find - and i am thankful that i have a place to share the same with you, love and starlight tonight kat xox
I Hope you had a nice christmas with your loved ones. Here the christmas parcels were full of goodies and shared with love. Can you see the snowflake biscuits above, they were sent in the post by my lovely friend Mary, and arrived intact thanks to alot of bubble wrap! they are as yummy as they look-wish i could pass you one through the screen to have with your tea/coffee. The snowman is a softy and comes out to sit on my chair this time of year. take care,stay warm, its been v frosty the past few nights, i am glad of my cosy brushed cotton duvet cover! kxx
Holly over at Decor8 shared her mood board last week and invited everyone to enter their own inspirations. This is mine its called Blossom on Snow (more pics are on my flickr, or you can click on this one and it should come up larger so you can see the detail if you'd like) for some reason the song below came to me when it was completed...
Edelweiss The sound of music 1965
Edelweiss edelweiss every morning you greet me
small and white, clean and bright, you look happy to meet me
blossom on snow may you bloom and grow,bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss, Edelweiss, bless my home land forever
link to see the film clip
I hadnt realised at first that i would call my board after a Sound of Music song lyric. In a similar way to Holly using the song My favourite things,to go with hers.
I find lately i have been drawn to delicate white flowers like snow drops and paperwhites and snowberries, and then combined with green, such as the soft pale lime of hydrangea heads i find that so fresh and beautiful.
It seems to capture the essence of winter white with the promise of spring time green. Over christmas i have never liked to use red and green, so i think this mood board shows what my ideal dinning space would be like. It would also work for my birthday with it being in January.
I feel this is like a winter version of a mid summer night's dream.a romantic woodland feel.
Edelweiss is not a flower that we have in Britian,but blossom with snow certainly is.
I dedicate this collage to Jes who's collages,and mood boards on herblog and flickr always inspire me, and who i got a box of vintage goodies from in November on her Etsy. and have used some of those on the board today.
Credits:
The centre image is from a Living Etc supplement that featured photos from Tricia Guild's books.
The dinning area photograph is from a recent edition of Red magazine.
The hellibore with snow upon it, is from a Country Living magazine.
The 2 candle arrangement photos are from Red, one features a candle from www.Designersguild.com
The couple is from the movie Stardust.
The star in the bottom left is a brooch from www.Plumo.com
The butterflies are magnets and are from www.Rocketstgeorge.co.uk online.
The bloom on the top right is made of hemp and is a magnet also, avaliable from www.Bloom.uk.com
I surrounded it with green velvet leaves that were part of an estate lot box called Nature walk, that i got from Lobster and swan on Etsy.
The green paper flowers that reminded me so much of the green hydrangeas that are within one of the magazine shots, were also in the box, as was the gold sequin trim which i hope to add to a headband eventually, and the vintage flowers on the left which are a burgundy color
The tag underneath Sienna Miller is one i made,it features a picture in paper of a vintage brooch, i love the green of the stones upon it
The joy letters were a gift from a friend one christmas-i always like to add wording on a mood board if i can fit it in
The magnetic fabric covered board i got from www.lulus.co.uk
the deer magnet is by www.belleandboo.com
I hope you have enjoyed our 'virtual' walk together through nature and as the song says 'may you bloom and grow' through winter into spring, see you soon, kathryn x
