In a Christmas mood

Tomorrow is the first of Advent. Wow, what on earth happened to this autumn? Where did November go so fast? I haven't even felt a touch of the usual November dreariness, although last week was very dark and dull. I spent most of that week at home with my sick little ones. To tell the truth, I haven't been feeling all that well either, we've had a rather bad cold which has surely taken its toll on oss. Anyway, tomorrow is the first of Advent, and I've got both my houses ready for it, with bright white stars in every window, wreaths on the doors and white hyacinths in cups and bowls here and there. It's the first year ever I have two houses to decorate, and even though it's tons of fun, I still wish there was only one house, and that we were settled in the farmhouse  instead of going back and forth between the houses, realising that the one thing you need when you're in one house is in the other one.

Still, tonight I'm sitting in front of a nicely sparkling fire in the farmhouse, listening to some wonderful Christmas music by Tommy Körberg (he has the most magnificent voice there is) and really getting in the mood. And while I'm in the mood, I thought I'd show you something a little bit Christmassy - a way to upcycle a dead plant to a decoration for Christmas.

I'm by no means a gardening wiz. Quite the contrary, I kill every plant I get in my hands, or onto my windowsill, that is. Like this olive tree. When the last leaf fell, and I realized that it probably hadn't got any water for at least a month, a little idea came to me. Why not make something funny out of it instead of throwing it away? So, I painted the whole tree white, put it in a wooden spool and sprayed it with Glimmer Mist Pearl to make it shimmer like a vampire in sunlight (yeah, I saw Breaking Dawn last night) Then I decorated it with snowflakes punched out of Graphic 45 papers and a chipboard sign, and now I can still keep it on my windowsill even though it's dead. Pretty nice, huh?

So, now I can keep killing plants without feeling bad about it... LOL. Everything I used (except for the tree itself) can be found at Scraplagret.

So, if you're in a Christmas mood too, and are working on your Christmas cards, why not checking out the ongoing Christmas card sketch challenge at the Riddersholm blog. This card is from this week's sketch.

 Just go here to find the sketch and to upload your card.

Have a very nice Saturday evening, and the very best first of Advent, everybody! Myself, I'll be spending tomorrow watching the kids taking swimming lessons, to start with. Then we will go out and have a Christmas meal with P's parents, and since it's also P's 40th birtday, there's all the more reason to celebrate.