A Fanciful Twist

Of Halloween Magic and Fanciest Frocks

Hello and welcome to our Halloween soirée.

We are setting the table for our yearly festivities, with costumes and sparkles aplenty.

Owl wanted to have center stage and some of our old favorites came out for the mysterious festivities.

I made a few more sculptures for the night of tricks and treats.

We have made scrumptious delights, such as caramel apples and buttery witch fingers.

This evening we have given a nod to one of our favorite fairy tales, albeit the Halloween version.

With fancy gowns and pumpkin carriages.

As well as Cinderella's little mouse friends.

Don't forget to light the black flame candle...

As little pirates and friendly spiders begin to arrive.

Masks are always welcome, as well as sashes of sparkly stars.

Spooky offerings, owl candles and always candy corn, adorn the table.

Would you believe that the real pumpkin I made last year, with pearled golden insects, waited the whole year to attend the party again?

It's still in perfect condition.

Now that is some kind of real magic!

We are dancing about, as we toss sparkles into the air.

Overjoyed for one of our favorite times of the year.

Delectables and cute faces are waiting for you to jump in.

We hope you brought your fanciest frock!

Before the night poofs away.

And carriages turn into pumpkins once again.

What fun we have had celebrating a Cinderella Halloween.

There's so much magic brewing at this time of the year.

It fills our little hearts with a glee we can not begin to describe.

We intend to dance the night away, carve our Jack-o-Lanterns and make spiced punch.

I have caramel corn crackling in the oven and candy apples boiling on the stove.

I hope you enjoy the day and do a twirl or two in your living room.

I must run because my sister is here for our Halloween party.

We've been up to so much mischief, I can't even tell you.

It's wonderful to have a sister who loves Halloween as much as I do.

Cackle Cackle!

 

I bid you Happiest Halloween wishes and shall see you very soon!

 

Magic, Wishes, Stars and full moons forever!

Love, 

Vanessa

 

 

PS: Feel free to visit many of our previous magical Halloween parties right here.

 

Merry Christmas Wishes

Dear lovely friends...

I am wishing you a warm and delightful Christmas from my neck of the woods <3

I can hardly believe that the time is here.

I have baked and baked my heart out this season.

From gingerbread cookies to lemon bars, baklava, thumbprint cookies, and not to be forgotten,,,

The fruitiest Christmas cakes ever.

Six to be exact.

There are baubles here and there.

And my old 6.5 ft. Christmas tree, that I hand-flocked over a decade ago, is still enjoying the limelight.

The scent of endless gingerbread is what Christmas dreams are made of...

Especially when you get to nibble them with a big old book in front of the fire.

I stuffed a 40 ft. long antique gold garland through my tree this year, and it made it crazy gold.

Stanley Tucci is keeping everyone in line...

Whilst I deliver my confectionery to and fro.

I hope you are warm and cozy.

Possibly maybe, enjoying a huge mug of delectable hot chocolate with marshmallows.

Or whatever hot beverage you fancy really.

I look forward to the madness of this weekend, but also to the calm after Christmas.

During that beautiful quiet time of winter.

Where I intend to make many snowflake garlands and paint in my little fishbowl during golden hour.

There's always something wonderful to look forward to.

Especially when you have a lot of hobbies that you enjoy.

I have a long list of things I love and long to do.

Especially finishing a blanket that I have been working on for a few years.

Clink clink in teacups and take care of yourself.

Have a safe and lovely holiday.

 

All my love,

Your friend, 

Vanessa

 

 

I started this blog in the few days after Christmas in 2006.

I can't even believe how quickly the time has fluttered by.

I look forward to seeing what the next year shall bring <3 <3 <3

 

 

Free Printable Christmas Tags, From me to You!

Hello friends!

It's Christmas time, down to the wire.

I was frantically hunting for gifts tags just now, when I remembered...

I have oodles of printable tags that I have made for you throughout the years.

I thought, if I needed some, you might too.

Nothing better than sharing a few of my illustrations for you to print at home.

And so, here is a Christmas gift tag round-up.

Just make sure to click on the pdf link to get the printable version, below each image.

 

Let's begin with fox, deer, mouse and swan <3

CLICK HERE for the printable link for this one.

I love this one so much.

I just printed it and looks so good.

 

 

Next, we have Mushroom houses, creatures and elves!

CLICK HERE for the printable pdf of this one.

This one is so fun, festive and colorful!

It looks scrumptious printed.

 

And last, but not least, we have really fun elves and green polka dots!

CLICK HERE for pdf of this one.

The colors are so rich and fun of this one.

 

I printed a couple of all of them for myself.

I hope you enjoy these.

And don't forget, in my right-hand sidebar under "printable treats and ideas," you can always access the link with all of my tutorials and free printables I have shared with you throughout the years.

CLICK HERE for all tutorials and printables.

 

I am scurrying around, doing all of my own gift wrapping and last minute everything.

I will be back with another post, but I just wanted to pop in really quick to share those.

 

Lots of love,

Vanessa

 

 

 

 

Twinkling December Magic...

Every day we get a little bit closer.

With baubles and shimmering stars strewn everywhere.

 The magic of Christmas is definitely upon us.

Clowns and puffs of tulle...

Bobbing in cool and cloudy winter light.

It's been so chilly here, that the twinkle lights are more welcome than ever.

The fairy light sparkles in the house are so beautiful in person, quite difficult to convey in a photo.

With giant unicorn casting a wonderful illumination glimmer through the whole house.

Christmas corner stays up year-round.

Cloudy days make the Christmas trees all the more lovely.

Here are a few little close-ups if you fancy a peek.

All my favorites are happily dancing from tree branches.

A huge strand of antique gold tinsel garland has been stuffed in this year.

Teddy and I have had daily cozy cuddles in this spot, right in front of the fireplace.

The dining table is our favorite place to sit this season.

Some green and baubles are what decided to grace the table this year.

It has been a very busy December, but Teddy knows just how to relax from the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

Here are a couple more up-close tree peeks.

I will take a full photo this week, when it is not so cloudy.

I have been baking, making, painting and packaging all month.

The fairy of the secret rose garden decided to pay us a visit this month.

I sat down to paint something else entirely, but she insisted on emerging.

The two large roses look like they want to form a floral owl face.

What a whirlwind of a month, and to think it is already the week before Christmas.

I'm honestly not even recovered from Halloween being over, and time is just giving me whiplash.

I will never get over how fast time files by, especially when you are having fun.

I have had a lovely birthday party with my family that I made tons of food for.

Then I had another fun family visit, which was just delightful.

And there has been all the Christmas cake making, and shopping for gifts, and taking care of my boys.

Oh and, making sure gifts get to Ireland in time...

Well, with all of that, and making many gifts too, I have been deep in the spirit of the season.

It's been very chilly here, and it is citrus season, which I am wonderfully drowning in.

I send everyone home with buckets of citrus.

Matty is cuddled up in the coziest way right now, snoring at my feet as I type.

It is definitely time for orange spice tea right about now.

I hope are doing just lovely in your neck of the woods.

Staying warm and cozy yourself.

I will see you again in a couple of days.

I am off to steep tea.

Lots of love, 

Vanessa

 

ps:

Some pics of the Christmas cakes being made.

I made 6, and this is the recipe I used.

The cakes are all done and aging in the fridge.

I am using one of the cakes as our tester, and I just checked it whilst it's in the Triple Sec aging phase, and it is incredible.

It needs 1 - 6 weeks to age.

However, it's only been aging a couple of days in the Triple Sec cheesecloth, and it is already wonderful and could be happily served.

It is not a standard fruitcake, but more, a cake of many delectable fruits, if you will.

I hand chopped dried figs, tart cherries, peaches, apricots, golden raisins, dark raisins, prunes, candied ginger, and a ton of grated lemon and orange zest, just to name a few.

The dried fruits soaked in rum for 30 hours, and the cake batter itself was super easy to make.

I really recommend it.

I will share more pics soon :-)