The Neat Treat.

If you liked the idea of Advent boxes filled with little treats in an earlier post,

here is a clever idea from
How About Orange

Little boxes made from paint swatches! So cool.

But not, in my opinion, quite as cool and clever as this 

AWESOME paper ball ornament!

See here for the how-to

I think these fantastic balls in white would fit right into a simple-but-sophisticated Christmas theme, don't you?

Stephanie.x

The Just-In-Case Gift.

If you are still searching for small-but-perfect gifts, look no further than

boygirlparty on Etsy.

This gorgeous shop features items drawn and hand-painted by artist Susie Ghahremani. Susie has been a "proud indie artist" since 2001 and was the winner of a
2010 poll for Best DIY Designer. 
See here for more about Susie, her work and blog.

2012 planner

pocket mirror

recipe cards

magnet 

Check out Susie's Etsy Shop 

for these and hundreds more great gift ideas. These are affordable enough to have one or two extra gifts wrapped in your home/handbag/desk for that AWKWARD moment when you are given a gift by someone you hadn't planned to buy for!

What do you mean that doesn't happen to you? It's just me??

Stephanie.x

The Teatime Treat.

Thanks to Michael Penney at House and Home

Grandma Austin’s Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup icing sugar

Beat butter until light. Sift flour, cornstarch and icing sugar into butter and mix well. Flour hands and roll into small balls. Place balls on ungreased baking sheet and flatten with fork. Bake 20-25 minutes at 300°F.

Who is Grandma Austin? Click here to find out!

Stephanie.x

The Perfect Wrap.

Today I found this simple idea for DIY gift wrap. Who doesn't love cheap and easy?

This would keep the  kids busy for an evening or two as well!

from  A Pair of Pears via Poppytalk

Stephanie.x

The Tea Plate.

I came across Melody Rose  on Etsy recently and was really taken by her designs on pieces of vintage china. Afternoon Tea just got a whole lot more elegant. See more here

And these designs by James Ward of Jimbo Art are just (dare I say it?) deer!

 

 This little lovely is from Venucci .

You really wouldn't want to put anything on this plate would you -

I can imagine it on a hallway table to collect keys and loose change, perhaps?

The fabulous Rob Ryan has a collection of plates called Four Seasons featuring his intricate drawings and poetry. See his shop here

Finally, find out what Lightly of Melbourne are doing with tea plates here!

Happy Homemaking!

The Last Word

These bookends from Barnes and Noble

are just too cute for words!

The written word

This set of 'quote' pencils from Paper Boat Press 

took my fancy this week, as I was beginning to check out 

their gorgeous ceramic Christmas decorations (darn, I said the C word already!)

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart" - Wordsworth

here 

 Team them with one of these fabulous journals from 

Live Inspired

"say things to the world that are true"

here 

For her

"She gave her deepest hopes much love, many kisses and simultaneous 'attagirls'"

here

For him

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air..."

here

Or go for vintage whimsy with one of these french notebooks or journals

from Laughing Elephant

By the way, the ceramic decorations I was originally looking at??

 here!

That's all for now - Happy Homemaking and Happy Halloween!