Artful table Ideas: For a beautifully thankful Christmas.

1. “Glad you’re here” by Making Lemonade. Image theirs.

As I have mentioned before on this blog, I am very sad that we don’t celebrate thanksgiving in Australia. This however gives me the opportunity to think thankfully at Christmas time.

Here are some simple ideas from around the blog world, that can be incorporated in your Christmas celebrations particularly in regards to the table.

Some are beautifully quirky, some ingenious, some worthy of a yearly repeat, some child friendly and some all of the above. Let me know if you get inspired and use some, it’s great to hear from you.

“The Giving Plate” by Adventures of an Orthodox Mom. Image from there.

“Conversation Plates” by Together Counts Blog. Idea and image sourced there.

DIY minimalistic cultery holder. Image and instructions from A Birds Leap.

A sock for your cutlery. Image from Pinterest.

Single place cards. Image from Pinterest.

Gold Spray painted animals (or possibly nativity characters) with paper luggage tags attached. Image from Style Me Pretty.

Another beautifully simple idea from Style Me Pretty. Image theirs.

Carnival Straws on Bottled drinks with tags. Source: Ruffled.

Would work just as well on green leaves. Image from Once wed.

Gratitude Rolls by Beauty and Bedlam. Image theirs.

SImple sensorial details. Image from Vintage House.

What I want for Christmas is thanksfulness! Source: The cottage at 341 south.

Kraft Paper table of thanks. Image from Art Bar Blog

Fruity Place markers. Image from Style Me Pretty.

THe Thankful Tree. Idea and image from Kids Activities Blog.

Or if you prefer pears….. This idea and image from The Knot.

Fairy Lights in jars. Image from Making Lemonade.

…. and if you just don’t know where to start because Finishing School wasn’t part of yours (or my) education…. Layouts. Source: daniellemj-workspace

Alternatively….. Image from Antiquaria Vintage.

What’s so Pinteresting about…… Advent?

DIY Advent Calendar by Design Sponge. Image sourced from there.

Meredith’s got a fabulous idea for fantasticly simple bible content here. Love it especially this close to Dec 1.

Cathy gives insightful day by day content here. 

Nicole….shares some great ideas here.

If you know what you want each day to hold, but need a little visual inspiration, have a look at my pinterest board here. 

This year I have an unusual plan which focus’s on letters….. we will see how that goes.

To see what we have done in previous years look here and here and here.

I just realised that our advent events for 2012 are not collated….. so I will get onto that.

Enjoy, and let me know if you come across anything inspiring.

For all the knitters out there who like big needles!

Saw this and just thought I should share.

I’m inspired by: Belinda Von Mengersen.

Belinda giving an artists talk in Tamworth.

One a  week for the past two years I have had the delightful pleasure of working for the lovely  Belinda Von Mengersen….. she is also my lovely friend. Lucky me!

Well, now it’s lucky you too because Belinda’s work is part of the collection of textile art currently showing at Manly Art Gallery and Museum until the 21st of July.

Every three years the Tamworth Textile Triennale collects together textile artists under a simgle theme. This time it is Sensorial Loop. The shows aim is to  showcase to a public the changing ideas and professional craftsmanship associated with contemporary textile practice in Australia.

The Dusting Cloth by Bel Von Mengersen. Image from abc local.

Belinda’s work as you can see is beautiful….. and according to her ‘photographs badly’, so I can’t wait to see it for real….finished.

Facebook Friday

Great stories of recent days!

Our friends Pete and Leila with Abram.

First our lovely friends Pete and Leila are blessed by the adoption of Abram, and then my cousin Stuart and his wife Annie welcome two Kenyan boys Johnny and Wisdom into their fantastic family!

My cousin Stuart, his wife Annie, and 3 of their children. Grace, Johnny and Wisdom.

I can’t work out who is more blessed, the boys or the families that have welcomed them. What a great privilege it is to know both these fabulous Christian families and to rejoice with them in their new members.

Some of you might be familiar with Pete and Leila’s long road to adoption story. They were part of a story on Sunday Night on Channel 7,  a few months back and again just after they welcomed Abram.

My cousin’s story is a much more private one. The family moved to Kenya almost two years ago with the hope of training farmers. You can see what this looks like here on their blog  They have an orphanage as neighbours. It was only a matter of time…..

Facebook Friday

In case you missed this ‘do good’ story during the week.

Thanks Rory and Duncan.

How Pinteresting is………… letter writing?

Click on the image to see a collection of inspirational pictures with a letter writing theme.

Well here it is…… How Pinteresting!

Meredith suggested a collection of images to satisfy here letter writing phase. I took the theme where-ever it choose to go in my mind….. so I hope I have fulfilled the brief 🙂

She also wrote a great post a little while back about using 20 minute time lots to put pen to paper, that might interest you here.

I just love this image of vintage packages.

So what’s next? You choose. Remember it’s interactive, and if no-one chooses I will have to bore you with my collections.

School Art Show.

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Our schools annual art show happened again this last week.

I am always astonished and delighted by what primary school children can create.

I find it extremely inspiring……I hope you do too.

Inspiration….keep thinking even when it makes you unhappy.

Einstein with his therapist. Image from Crush Culd e sac.

“Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.” -Hemingway.

Upcycle : a book for your notebook

Fabulous upcycled books for your laptop. Image from Twelve south