Silver Bells

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks

Dressed in holiday style

In the air

There's a feeling of Christmas

Children laughing, people passing

Meeting smile after smile

And on every street corner you'll hear:

Silver bells, silver bells

It's Christmas time in the city

Ring-a-ling, hear them ring

Soon it will be Christmas Day

In which I stimulate the economy with a host of festive-induced purchases... 

*

*

Dress: Anthea Crawford textured jacquard

Sandals: Bare Traps 

Bag: Adorne vinyl

Cuff: Gian Paolo Maria

Hinged Bangle: Oxfam silver

Ring: Swarovski silver & crystal

*

Hitting up the shops for one last Christmas shopping "hurrah," enjoying the frenetic hustle & bustle of the crowds, purchasing some last minute extras & perusing the Myer Christmas Windows, somewhat of a tradition in our family...

2014 was a take on the story, Santa Claus & the 3 Bears by Maria Modugno - a festive twist on the classic Goldilocks & the 3 Bears written by Robert Southey in 1837 - with Santa stepping in as the cheerful intruder! Leaving their pudding to cool on the kitchen table, the unsuspecting bears head outdoors for a crisp evening walk & are shocked at what they find upon their return. Their pudding... eaten! Their chairs... broken! Their cozy beds... slept in! And it looks like the culprit is still there, fast asleep in Baby Bear's bed is someone awfully familiar... 

But I digress.

This gorgeous textured jacquard dress in a crisp shade of seafoam green is the ideal option for a day when the weather is (extremely!) warm but spirits are bright in the city. The stunning pleated v-neckline elongates the neck while showing a pleasing amount of decolletage while the waist gathers mould the body to give the illusion of a smaller waistline. Winning. 

Silver accessories were the order of the day with a pair of embellished, kitten-heeled sandals & a rectangular short-strap handbag with stud details. 

A special time of year requires distinctive jewellery & these 3 items fit the bill: a silver hinged bangle from Oxfam that I wore to my high school formal all those years ago, an exquisite Gian Paolo Maria handmade Swarovski crystal & semi-precious stone cuff from Paris & a Swarovski cocktail ring with many of the same crystals as the cuff... the latter pieces were birthday presents bought from different stores, yet meant to be worn together. I LOVE it when things come together like that... 

 Scroll down for a more detailed view.

*

On the twelfth day of Christmas

My true love sent to me:

Twelve drummer drumming

Eleven pipers piping

Ten lords-a-leaping

Nine ladies dancing

Eights maids-a-milking

Seven swans-a-swimming

Six geese-a-laying

Five gold rings

Four calling birds

Three French hens

Two turtledoves

And a partridge in a pear tree

There's only one way to finish this 12 Days of Christmas Decorations series & that's with the the tree topper that signifies that we are finished decorating the tree for another year... Many people have stars on their tree, but we have always had this beautiful ceramic angel, bought when I was just a little baby - the last & most beautiful decoration to be placed on our family tree. 

*

Merry Jeremy

"For it is good to be children sometimes and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself." 

-Charles Dickens

In which I am able to recapture the joy of Christmas through the eyes of an excitable, present-unwrapping-machine... otherwise known as an almost-6-year-old child...

*

*

Dress: Resort by Jendi silk

Sandals: Betts for Her patent

Bag: Novo patent

Cuff: Vintage, 1960s Moroccan silver & agate

Bangle: Tree of Life silver

*

Spent a wonderful morning exchanging Christmas gifts & sharing a delicious morning tea of festive "nibbles" with my dear friend Belinda & her little boy. For this casual yet festive affair, I decided to go with a vibrant, multi-patterned silk maxi dress from Resort by Jendi. 

Owing to my height, I had to have the dress altered - or "taken up" - by my seamstress & rather than waste it, used the left-over material to fashion a scarf with bow-tied ends. See the results below:

Relaxed accessories were then chosen - a pair of black patent gladiator flats & a casual, boxy handbag - as well as a couple of chunky pieces of statement jewellery in the form of a vintage 1960s cuff & a smooth silver bangle. 

All ready to play Santa Claus for the day!

Scroll down for a peek at the presents a certain small boy was about to receive...

...and the sweet little Christmas note he wrote - by himself!

*

On the eleventh day of Christmas

My true love sent to me:

Eleven pipers piping

Ten lords-a-leaping

Nine ladies dancing

Eight maids-a-milking

Seven swans-a-swimming

Six geese-a-laying

Five gold rings

Four calling birds

Three French hens

Two turtledoves

And a partridge in a pear tree

On a day filled with so many wonderful gifts from friends, it seemed only fitting to showcase a few of the gorgeous Christmas decorations that we've been given as gifts over the years...

A hand-carved wooden bell...

Glittered rose from a special student...

Indigenous art for a truly Australian Christmas...

A souvenir of Christmas in a colder climate.... Russia!

A little koala from a friend who lives on the other side of the world...

*

Polka Dot Playdate Playsuit

In which I come to grips with getting in & out of a "onesie"...

*

*

Playsuit: Target Collection poly-blend

Sandals: Betts for Her patent

Bag: Novo patent

Hinged Bangle: Wallace Bishop silver & elastic

Beaded Bracelets: Gift (from Creative Waves)

*

Rocking a playsuit for a pre-Christmas playdate with the sweet daughters of some dear family friends. Can't even remember if I wore a "onesie" like this when I was little, so it is certainly a new experience for me... Word to the wise, you'll need to plan in advance when you need to use the toilet, as it DOES take some maneuvering to get in & out. 

Regardless of the logistics, I was loving the black & white spotted print & the silky fabric, as well as the visually interesting folded v-neckline detail. Casual chic at its best, if you ask me. 

Accessories were simple - a pair of black patent gladiator flats & a matching handbag & jewellery was minimal - a silver hinged bangle & trio of mismatched beaded bracelets tied with a ribbon.

Scroll down for a little peek at some of the goodies that the girls received...

And have a gander at some of the gorgeous things I was given...

...including this gorgeous Snow White phone charm from Tokyo Disneyland that I am using as a modified "key ring" or tassel on the door of my new Art Deco cabinet. 

*

On the tenth day of Christmas

My true love sent to me:

Ten lords-a-leaping

Nine ladies dancing

Eight maids-a-milking

Seven swans-a-swimming

Six geese-a-laying

Five gold rings

Four calling birds

Three French hens

Two turtledoves

And a partridge in a pear tree

Talk of when I was young brought to mind these little beauties that have been part of our Christmas celebration since I was very small. It just wouldn't be Christmas at my house without the "red bow" & Holly Hobby baubles!

For those who don't know, Holly Hobbie is a fictional cat-loving, rag-dress-wearing little girl created by an American writer/illustration of the same name (born Denise Holly Ulinskas in 1944) who is featured on many wholesome greeting cards from the 1960s onwards. Her popularity has never waned: in 1974 Knickerbocker Toys produced a line of Holly Hobbie rag dolls; in 1980, author Richard Dubelman wrote a book entitled The Adventures of Holly Hobbie where she was recreated as a ghost from a 1803 painting who steps out the past to help her descendant search for her missing father; in 1984 American Greetings released limited edition Christmas decorations bearing Holly Hobbie pictures; in 2004 Nickelodeon produced a film entitled Holly Hobbie and Friends & in 2006, based on the popularity of that film, Mattel created a new line of dolls featuring characters from the movie...

*