Cinnamon stick & berry jar candle...

You can never have too many candles...

so lets create a cinnamon stick jar candle.

 I can hear you say - this ones been done a million times...

But I think mines just a bit special 

with a cute plaited jute bow tie,

and accent berries.

 Plus the cinnamon sticks have been spaced 

so you can see the candle in the jar

All you need to create this is a small jar,

a small candle,

Cinnamon sticks

jute string

and some artificial berries.

 I used a dab of hot glue to hold the cinnamon sticks in place,

and plaited three strands of the jute string.

Twirl the jute string around the jar twice,

 and tied a bow.

Then I added the berries,

 which were already pre-wired.

Now it is ready to light!

Let me show you the book table while we wait 

for that delicious aroma to start as the jar warms up from the candles flame...

This year I'm using a lovely French style coffee table, 

 to display some very special Christmas books.

It sits beside the red Christmas tree...

Can you smell the cinnamon now?
The cinnamon stick and berry jar candle is gorgeously Christmas...

And pretty cute to look at too.

Buttery and sweet, white chocolate and lemon truffles...

Got a sweet tooth?

Then here is a sweet treat that will surely satisfy it!

Buttery...

Sweet...

White Chocolate...

AND

lemon!

All you do is pop into a double boiler and melt:

(For me that is a pot with a metal bowl sitting on the top.)

460g White chocolate melts

120g salted butter

and

6 Tablespoons thickened cream.

Once melted: stir in 2 teaspoons lemon juice

 and 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind.

Cool.

 Refrigerate for 2 hours stirring often as the butter will initially separate.

Once the mixture is firm enough to roll into balls, put 1/2 cup of icing sugar in another bowl.

 Drop teaspoons of mixture in it and roll into small balls.  

Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  

Makes approximately 30 balls.  

(depending on the size of the ball you roll.) 

Serve directly from the refrigerator.

And just in case you are wondering who this beautiful angel is...

 Meet Angelica.

She is a gorgeous Christmas Angel 

from the collectable Bear range - Bearington Bears. 

The printable recipe is HERE.

#christmas #christmastreats #chocolatetruffles #truffles

Hole punch paint dipped tin can lantern...

The white and silver Christmas tree display was glittering and sparkling,

but something was not quite right.

I needed just one more thing to balance the visual dynamics of it all...

so I whipped up this cute tin can lantern.

Remember making these as a child?

But instead of just doing the hole punching on the tin can, 

I decided to add a little paint.

This is where dip dye trend meets the tin can lantern trend.

The first thing you need to do is put water in the can,

or sand/water mix if the metal of the can is of a softer variety.
(Make sure you fill it to the top as once frozen, 
the can will then hold shape when you are punching the holes.)

Freeze it overnight.

Remove from freezer.

Punch two holes below the top rim of the can on each side

(this is where the wire hanger will attach).
Position your template...

and attach with tape to can.

Punch holes around the template outline on the tin can using a nail and hammer.
The bigger the nail- the bigger the hole size.

Then remove template and punch holes inside the outline.

When you are happy with the holiness,

let the ice melt and tip it out.

Dry the tin can.

In a container place acrylic paint in the colour you would like.

Dip the bottom/sides of the can in the paint.

Blot on paper and set aside to dry.

To make a hanger from wire, 

attach wire to can via one of the top rim holes.
This wire is available at Bunnings in New Zealand.

Twist and twirl the wire overhang 

by winding the wire around a pencil or dowel rod.

At the top of the hanger, make another twirl.

Poke wire through second hole on rim.

twist and twirl the overhang.

(Sounds musical doesn't it?)

Pop a candle inside.

Sit on a mantel, sideboard, table or make lots, 

and hang from the trees in your yard. 

I love the way the candlelight flickers through the holes in the tin can...

Now the white and silver Christmas tree vignette...

Is perfect!

DIY Quick Sew Christmas Table Runner Tutorial...

As you are all lovin' 

the DIY Table runner post with the beach theme so much, 

I thought I would do a step-by-step photo tutorial for you.

Let's make one in a fun red and white Christmas themed fabric 

First step:

WASH the fabric.

Now I'm telling you this because I previously made a gorgeous runner,

washed it AFTER making, 

and it shrunk two sizes!!!

So ALWAYS wash the fabric before sewing it.

Step two:

Iron the fabric.

Fold in half lengthways.

Measure table length.
Work out the length to fit your table.

Cut fabric to length allowing at least 5cm extra each end for hemming.

 With right sides together pin across top of fabric 
and down the length side.

Sew. 

Turn out to right side. 
At this stage it is like a huge pillowcase.
Use a chopstick or blunt end knitting needle to poke corners out. 
Iron again so seems are even.

At the bottom opening fold a seam inwards as shown. 

 Press with iron and then pin with seams perfectly matching.

Sew .
On the other end sew exactly the same,
 so each end looks top stitched.
Press again with your iron.

 Place on your table.
(Aren't those reindeer just the cutest?)

Add a centerpiece. 

 And there you have it...

 A super simple table runner

Custom-made the DIY way to fit your dining table.

#homesewn #diytablerunner

Christmas table centrepiece, and the berry dilemma...

You know how sometimes you throw together some decor pieces...

and it just works!

It looks perfect,

and it is exactly what you had in your mind's vision...

THEN

a disaster strikes...

Well that is exactly what happened with the Christmas table centrepiece!
So let's start the story from the beginning...

Take one gorgeous chippy French look handmade bowl.

Some beach-found wee pine cone like seedpods.

(Perfect for the bowl.)

A candle up in the cupboard,
 some red berries in the Christmas 'bits' box.
Put it all together,

and the vignette was lovely.

Simple, a little Frenchy, 
a whole lot wonky 

(a little like my tin can wreath on the front porch),

and rustic.

I loved it!

So it was placed on the table in readiness for the new table runner I had yet to sew.

But over the next few days,

berries were discovered in various places throughout the house.

And then one got chewed...

sigh.
And then another one...

The fur babies (alias the Christmas Grinches) 
had taken a particular liking to the red Christmas berries.

So I began to rethink my centerpiece design.
But the berry novelty quickly waned,
perhaps it was the polystyrene taste as only two got chewed, 
then
the new game became 'roll the little pinecones'!
I LOVE the wee bowl dressed in all it's merry glory.
And so it has remained the same...
Though I am not sure how many pine cones will actually survive to see Christmas Day.

The reindeer table runner was sewn
and with the bowl it looks
Christmas fabulous!

Stop by Tuesday for the step by step photo tutorial 
on how to make the  DIY Quick Sew Christmas Table Runner...