G'day ladies and good wishes for the Christmas season. It's positively buzzing here at the Beach Cottage, with our holiday vacation approaching rapidly, house guests when we get back and obviously Christmas itself I have found myself with much to do. There has been much frenzied wrapping and cleaning and last week I attended a Christmas BBQ just about every day…
Christmas is a funny old thing really, isn't it, meaning so many things to so many people and often brimming with expectation and anticipation…do you feel it?…Every year about October I have all these oh-so-wonderful, oh-so-awfully-unrealistic plans for my Christmas, my Christmas decorating and of course for the Christmas meal…all the run-up-to-Christmas entertaining I will do and the home-baked gifts I will arrive at suitably Christmassy events with.
No-one else knows of this lavish idealistic scheming. I certainly have consciously avoided all over-the-top Christmas expectancy for the Beach Cottage kiddos but secretly underneath it all I still hanker after that tree with the perfectly placed baubles, just the right little dress for the day and a house full of guests and me the hostess wafting round in a cloud of Chanel…
It hasn't happened this year, like it never does, but for for sure when we hit the Whitsundays this weekend I will be resting on a sun lounger, cocktail in hand, thinking of my Christmas plans and chucking them swiftly out the window.
So, here anyway is the wrapping part of my cleaning and wrapping extravaganza. In the past I have been very traditional in my Christmas decor, never really swaying much from sparkly gold. Since being in Australia it just feels different and I've moved to a more, I dunno, 'light' feel.
Being on a serious budget this year, and not wanting raised eyebrows from Mr Beach Cottage on my design-turnaround, I used only what I had and added two packs of red, oh-so-Scandinavian decs from, yep you guessed it IKEA, some very reasonable gift wrap and accessories and heaps of ribbon and bows from my second to Vinnes favourite shop, the dollar store.
Beautiful as always!! I love your giftpaper so much, it fits perfectly to your home!
Have a wonderful day,
Sabine
Sarah, it looks SO cute!! And I love your cute heart wrapping paper! I’m getting excited.
XO,
Sheila
I am right with you in dreaming, scheming of the “perfect” Christmas. House perfectly inviting, outfits for all, yummy food to last from Christmas Eve to New Years day….. can I chuck mine out the window too? Still have 10 days to go… so maybe SOME of my dreams can still come together!!!
Love your wrapping… hearts are a great idea! And your light touch is of course “so lovely”, such a fan of your style!!!
fondly,
LuLu
Love your paper! Think I need to update my stash.
Oh, I love the wrapping paper you’ve chosen! We will be able to move into our new house tomorrow, but I have no idea how to get the time to make beautiful presents like you have…
I just love your blog. It is so beautiful. I so enjoyed visiting your beautiful beachy cottage.
Debbie
Really enjoyed todays blog…..your writing is so entertaining….it puts a smile on my face everyday. Your wrapping paper is delightful.
Have a happy day.
Vicki
simply adorable
Somehow when I see less frills and frou-frou I love it even more, knowing that there’s more time for people in that picture! Love the touch of raffia with all the crisp red & white wrap.
Well done Sarah, you have created a lovey vision of beachy Christmas with a tropical twist. Got to love that Ikea!
Thanks for sharing a touch of the Christmas spirit.
Looks perfect with those splashes of red and silver. Very light and beachy!
I too am much more relaxed…keepin’ it simple, white, and comfortable for everyone…silver for sparkle and sea-aqua for seaside calm and casual feel.
Love it all. You’ve done a lovely job.
Gosh, just scrolled down your main page- I’m LOVING all of your white, bright, sparkly with touches of red theme ! From the tablescape to your room, it all looks so bright and cheery!
Everything is simply beautiful! Hope you have a Merry Christmas!
love how you stuck with the same colours for all your wrapping. they look too pretty to unwrap!