Christmas display and letterpress gift vouchers now in store!!!

 

We have been so very busy at both the Drill Hall Emporium and Flywheel with preparations for Christmas.  This is a result of our missing out on a proper Christmas trading period with Flywheel last year, we opened just a week before!  So we have went a little crazy with baubles, gift wrap and letterpress goodies at Flywheel.  At the Drill Hall we have created a subtle Christmas themed entrance. 

 

We have opened up our Cherrywood buffet de corps which now plays host to Christmas gifts wrapped with paper from Flywheel.

 

Displayed on the Spanish trestle table in front we have a small fawn and a very large elk antler with mercurised glass acorns. 

 

 

You may see that we have used vintage buckles for embellishment on the gifts.  These are made from bakelite, gilded metal, wood and mother-of-pearl.  Rhinestone buckles would also look nice but we have stuck to a more natural and neutral look. 

 

On the carved Indian table we have a brass tray set with a Christmas inspired candle, now available in store, and these gorgeous 19th century etched and gilded glasses.  Eggnog anyone?

On the French walnut armchair we have a super soft Scandinavian reindeer hide, so very cosy. 

Maybe we took things a little far by having our own resident "angel"?  But we really couldn't help ourselves. 

But that is not all we have been doing in preparation for Christmas.  At Flywheel we have printed Christmas gift certificates for the Drill Hall on our Chandler and Price platen press. 

 

These are letterpressed with hand mixed red ink on white cotton card and feature little snowflake details.  I want one myself!

 We as a family are proud to admit that we adore Christmas and the anticipation that grows as the countdown begins.  And now that it is officially less than a month away, we are already counting down!

 Until next time,

my family Christmas spirit with bonsai and baking

 

My family has spent the last few days getting into the Christmas spirit.  Not only did we decorate a life sized tree last night, we also decorated one of mum's (aka bonsai queen's) bonsai trees! 

 



Look at the handmade little stockings hanging from the pot, are they not the sweetest? 

 

I am not sure if Santa can fit many goodies into this little stocking!

 

Under the tree are these miniature deer, grazing in the moss!

Santa's lost reindeer, perhaps?

 

We also did a little Christmas cooking for friends including these little miniature plum puddings.  These are inspired by a recipe of Nigella Lawson.  The custard is actually white chocolate and the berries and leaves are snake lollies cut up. 

 Ttraditional bite sized shortbread in the shape of stars cooling on a rack.

 

 

We don't normally make fruit mince tarts but thought they would be a nice addition to our cooking day this year.  We also made orange and macadamia nut biscotti, rum chocolate truffles and coconut ice.  We spent the whole day baking!  But what better way to talk and bond as a family?

 



We packaged our sweets into little clear bags and noodle boxes...

 

using stitched ribbon from our new store Flywheel, of course!  It is very useful having a stationery store to raid at Christmas, I must admit!

And our own letterpress gift tags, I love the message of this tag.  This is exactly what Christmas is all about (plus "eat, drink and be merry", also a good message).

Rachel hand stamped decorations onto the recycled boxes, which had been covered in brown paper.  Now the boxes are to be delivered just in time for Christmas! 

Until next time,

books, antique and French gifts

I was absolutely spoiled at Christmas! I was given many beautiful gifts by friends and family, such as these gorgeous little succulent shaped candles in tin pots and a set of slate garden markers.

I have admired this Spode cream ware bowl for a while now in our store. And I may have put out a little hint or two that I would very much like it for my kitchen. It is just so simple and lovely, do you agree?

And you may all know now my fetish for French glass jars. I received two such jars for Christmas. One can never have enough jars. The jar on the left is going to live in the kitchen and store flour and the jar on the right has a new home in the bathroom.

My cookbook collection grew with the addition of these books, above. I am about to start making my own bread, but first I must start a yeast in order to make nice sourdough bread. Wish me luck!

I could happily live on pasta and was excited to receive a book dedicated to the topic!

Time to catch up on some gardening, with none other than Mr Paul Bangay himself. This is his latest book and can't wait to read and learn.

And the perfect coffee table book for the self-confessed Francophile...Vintage French Interiors. Someone knows me very well indeed.

The book is filled with images of collections composed with that casual French flair. My feet are getting itchy just thinking about returning to Paris flea markets and little tucked away antiquaires.

And lastly, I received this exquisite Indian silver bangle which dates from the late 1800s. It is very intricately made and has mythological bird like creatures at the clasp.

I don't think I was exaggerating when I said I was spoiled at Christmas, what do you think?

merry, merry Christmas to all

Image via the Paper Mulberry

As always, I can't resist a picture with antiques. And nothing suits Christmas warmth like pewter. I would like to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas with loads of joy, I hope that many dreams come true today.

antique gifts for Christmas (that you may not have considered!)

A friend suggested that I post some unique Christmas gift ideas, so here it is! A very small and inexpensive gift could be these gorgeous ceramic pudding dolls which date to around 1900. These miniature dolls were traditionally placed within the Christmas pudding. They are referred to as "feves" in France (Feve is french for Fava Bean, which originally represented the baby in French). Here are other gift ideas from our store that may just suit your hard to buy for friends and family...

For the homemaker...embroidered silk susani cushions from Turkey, handmade scented soy candles and silk ikat cushions, also from Turkey. These cushions have only just arrived in our store, just in time for Christmas!

For the linguist...tiny, tiny printer's stamps (you could send a message, or spell their name), leather bound Shakespeare volumes and a collection of printer's ampersands.

For the gardener...French herb pots, English watering cans and hand tools.

For the entertainer...French cheeseboards (these are a very popular gift at the moment, great for serving cheese or pizzas), French ebony handled knives, French linen harvest tablecloths, and French (of course!) chopping boards and bone handled knives.

For the cook...English cooking utensils, Mrs Beeton's home cookery book (opened at the pudding page, perhaps a recipe for next Christmas?), French linen tea towels, and big and small mortars and pestles.

For the decorator...lamps made from boot tree forms (arrived in store today), reindeer hide rugs, finger coral and sea fan coral, vintage glass fishing floats.

For the collector...chemist bottles, egg timer (this is so cute!), decoy duck, baby shoe lasts, boxed dominoes and sea urchins.

And for the very, very hard to buy for loved one, there is always our hand-stamped gift vouchers (on authentic elephant dung paper). Perfect.

a white (and silver) christmas countdown

Image: The Laurel Hedge

I am very in love with this gorgeous knitted stocking with little crystal embellishments. It (almost) makes me want to start knitting! But I think I will leave that to the experts and try and source a ready-made version...if anyone knows of where to find, please let me know. Doesn't the colour of the wool look lovely against the white boards? It makes me feel excited about Christmas and the chance to decorate.

Image: The Laurel Hedge

I adore silvered glass baubles such as these. I can't get enough! I have seen them for sale in a store in Hobart, Store and co. I think I will have to go shopping... I am picturing them hanging from white painted branches in a galvanised tin tub. With a bit of linen thrown into the mix. Somewhere.

Image: Château de Moissac

And candles. Of course.

As my countdown to Christmas begins I contemplate how fortunate I am. I have wonderful family and friends to share the time with and can't wait to cook together, laugh together, and to give more of myself. Well, that is the plan, anyway...

one week to Christmas

Image from Australian Country Style, December 2010 page 130

I fell in love with these apothecary bottles...how great do they look together like this? At this time of year one week from Christmas I found this image from one of my favourite magazines, Country Style most appropriate. Each vintage bottle is labelled with the instructions to revive, unwind and relax. And sometimes when we are so busy we have to remind ourselves to do just that, even if it is just for a few minutes (longer is better of course). For some it could be to get out in the garden to water some plants or sit in that seagrass chair under the veranda. And most importantly to treasure the time we have with family and friends. I hope that everyone has a lovely lead up to Christmas!