Happy Christmas and New Year!

In my usual tradition, here is the round up of featured posts for 2011.  It’s been a pretty tubulent year personally for me and I haven’t blogged as much as I usually do – but my New Year resolution is to do so, so get ready for more eclectic mixes of art, design and quirkyness! 

Christmas Greetings!

The first Christmas card was commissioned by Henry Cole in 1843, London.  The image  can be found on this video – see if you can spot it.  Early Christmas cards were rarely religious, the focus was fairies, flowers and the approach of Spring.  Cards could be sentimental featuring humour and children. I  have started the video with some religious paintings

‘Christmas has the last word (the first is ‘happy’)’

Still in the swing of Christmas Eve at the moment, wrapping presents and making chestnut stuffing, except I couldn’t get any chestnuts so I thought I would be a little innovative and use hazenuts and a few chopped pecans.  Other ingredients includes sausage meat, apple, garlic….. So, just finished wrapping presents and I must say

‘Forget hanging your stocking up – wear em on your feet!’

Just had to venture out to do some more shopping.  After being more or less snowed in yesterday, there was a lot to do.  Lots of people are in hospital with broken limbs, due to the hazardous weather conditions.  It’s quite frightening really, walking on sheets of ice. When we were young we never worried

Christmas is Coming, Ready or Not

Christmas is very nearly here and I’ve still not contributed anything towards it.  I must like the last-minute panicking or something, or perhaps its just inertia.  When I think of some of the great exciting (to me) Christmas’s I’ve put on (like a pantomime), now it seems just a farce.  I can’t seem to get

Out on the Town with a Hundred Sewing Machines!

I had to go to town today.  Raining of course.  There’s a few Christmas decorations up, but it doesn’t feel anything like Christmas.  Some nice window dsiplays though.  My favorite is always Selfridges , they always have something flamboyant! Not great pics but you get the idea, lots of drama, silver women hanging from chandeliers

Boxing Day – lucky for some: unlucky for wrens

  I never knew there were so many traditions associated with Boxing day.  From giving gifts to the lower classes of people to the stoning of wrens!   Apparently this to relates to the stoning of St Stephen (whose birthday it also is).  There are some interesting facts about Boxing Day on these sites: –http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/boxingday.asp http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/boxingday.shtml Tom Smith  http://www.thekingofcrackers.co.uk/reproduction-prints.htm

All done and dusted! Up with the feet and out with the booze!

At last, all is done for Christmas day tomorrow!  Yippee! all presents wrapped and delivered (thanks Santa mate!) , all food prep underway: nothing to do but lie back and enjoy!  Cheers!