XMAS TABLE 2016

My Christmas table for this year. I was craving the warmth of gold so I got golden cutlery on eBay and various golden trimmings - the card Xmas trees are from my beloved Sostrene Grene, as is the blue wooden crate. The gold chargers (leaf embossed) are from Dunnes Stores. I've been collecting gold tealight holders for months in the charity shops and they look lovely lined up on the window sill.

NATIVITY - NEW

My latest nativity, bought in Oxfam in Belfast for £9.99. Fairly traded felted figures. Love it! (So does our new cat Nora Barnacle who insists on knocking the sheep around the floor...sigh.)

INGLENOOK SHELF

I got my husband to fit a shelf over the inglenook lately. It's the perfect spot to drape fairylights and have a moveable feast of a display. I am already thinking, Oooh, Christmas :)

Pangur Bán had to get in on the action

I keep adding to and subtracting from the shelf and will have to think deeply about what I want to put on it for Xmas. Hallowe'en comes first, of course. Fun!

The dome for my taxidermy mouse came from Sostrene Grene
- this year's shop-crush.

XMAS TABLE 2015

We have a new dining space - a sunroom extension built onto our kitchen. It's light and bright and we loved eating our dinner there today, it gave a new dimension to the festivities. I couldn't resist blue, white and silver again this year, but with a touch of yellow and brass.

My blue is a chinoiserie tablecloth I bought in Boston in April as well as some Carrigaline striped plates and saucers bought in the local charity shops here in Ballinasloe. The brass napkin rings were six for €3 in the VdeP this week, the napkins are from Aldi (or Lidl?) and the cocktail peacocks are from Penneys. The glass candle holders on the saucers were €1 each in Angie's Attic.

Placeholders were a Christmas pressie today from my big sis, Maeve - perfect!

CRIBS 2014

I like cribs but only have room for so many. Here are the ones I put up each year.

The main crib - Poundshop purchase from years and years ago

Paper crib by Paperdollz

Ringbox crib bought at Chartes Cathedral, France

Guatemalan (?) mini crib bought in Paris

Baby Jesus bought in Lisbon

Some figures from charity shop-purchased crib

Jesus under the tree - a  tradition started in our family by my Da