The Alternative Christmas

I love a bit of tradition but sometimes I just want to do Christmas with a bit of a slant to it. So here are some ideas and little things I have done to make Christmas a bit alternative.

A leopard skin Christmas cake seems a good alternative to me. Courtesy of Eric Kayser in Paris.

I made a centrepiece of items I have collected this year for Ghost Furniture and not used as yet.

Why have a spruce when any tree will do the job. Found at Campagne Decoration

Hang your Fairy upside down and why not? Image via Pavlova and Fox at Etsy

Make use of those old cake tins. OK so I have shown these on a previous Christmas post but they still look amazing.

I bought all the girls in the family a quirky bag that rolled up brilliantly so I could make them into Christmas Crackers. Trimmed with those bits and pieces I never throw away.

Have the ultimate Christmas dinner - a Golden Goose. Edible gold spray from The Deli Garage

Make a wreath of nuts instead of throwing them in a bowl. Mind you no one would be allowed to eat them. Image via Pinterest

But you can't beat a good old traditional FESTIVE greeting. Have a ball each and everyone of you.

The Simplest and Tasiest Bread Ever

I actually made this bread the other day for the first time and it is FABULOUS. The recipe is from Lorraine Pascal and the best thing is - no yeast, no kneading and no proving. Just mix with one hand cut a cross on it, pop it on a baking tray and cook it. I mean how simple is that. The addition of black treacle gives it a crispy crust but a moist inside. If I can do it anyone can. I also had no wholemeal flour so used all white and it was still delicious.

• 370g/13oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• 130g/4½oz wholemeal flour

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 40g/1½oz butter, melted

• 1 tbsp black treacle

• 300–340ml/11–12fl oz buttermilk (or alternatively use warm milk plus 1 tbsp lemon juice)

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and ensure the top shelf in the oven is in position.

2. Place the flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and stir together. Make a large hole in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the melted butter and treacle, plus enough of the buttermilk to make a loose sticky dough.

3. Tip the dough onto a lightly dusted work surface. The dough will be quite sticky. Knead the dough for one minute, then shape it into a large ball with a taut, smooth top. Place the dough on a baking tray and flatten it a bit - I find the easiest way to do this is with a rolling pin.

4. Take a wooden spoon, put some flour over the whole handle, then hold it horizontally over the bread. Put the wooden spoon handle on top of the bread then push it down until you feel the baking tray at the bottom. This mark is the first half of the trademark soda bread cross. Repeat with a line at right angles to this.

5. Dust with some flour then bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the bread is brown, has risen nicely and the dough inside where the cross was made is not damp.

6. Serve fresh from the oven with butter and jam. This bread does not keep well, so is best eaten on the day that it is baked – but if you have any left, it does make good toast.

GoGo Gardens

I think one of the loveliest finishing touches to any kitchen is pots of salads and herbs so needless to say I LOVE this idea. GoGo Gardens are kitchen units with planters on top. How cool an idea is that. Available in any colour, 3 sizes and the company also provides the plants. An admirable idea beautifully executed.

WANTED!

a sink that looks like a cup of coffee. Found at Fresh Home

Just a Lovely Idea

Simple yet so effective. Hanging jugs full of flowers, love it. Found at VT Wonen

Blog Laura Ashley

When a company sets up a blog they invariably do nothing but blow their own trumpet. 'I CAN SEE ALL THIS STUFF ON YOUR WEBSITE' you will hear me cry but Laura Ashley have started a blog that is informative, interesting and diverse - Well Done Laura Ashley.

Leaving Well Alone

There are occasions when painting wood is just not an option. Images from Art Decoration

Sneak Peek at IKEA's Take On Christmas Flowers

I have access to IKEA's ideas for Christmas before they go public. Amaryllis, parrot tulips and a lone crowfoot. Love the look. Go and find more ideas here.

Kids Love Boxes

How many times have you bought a child what you thought was an ideal gift and they end up playing with the box? Well now there's stickers available to make them even better. From Box Play For Kids

The Cotton Potter Does Lace

Last Christmas I bought some pieces from The Cotton Potter and the recipients were thrilled. I love this new piece and what a lovely idea to put a candle inside.light inside.

WANTED!

some paper shoes just like these. By Julie VonDerVellen

Take Some Sandwich Bags and a Wire Coat Hanger

My daughter's sister-in-law, Rachel, posted this on Facebook the other day and it just blew me away. A fabulous Xmas Wreath made with just sandwich bags and a wire coat hanger. I asked how it was done and she kindly sent me the instructions:
"Di, the bags are sandwich bags, size 17cm x 20cm they cost anything from £1 for 500. I have no idea how many bags I used but must me roughly 200 to 300 max! I used the frosted bags, as in not clear/see through and it's a bit more effective. Yes it was a white wire coat hanger shaped into a rough circle and literally tie each individual bag on tight and push them on tightly. I have seen it done with strips of black bin bags for halloween or can use green garden bags too. Then you can decorate with baubles or bows, ribbons etc."
I'm off to the shop now for some opaque sandwich bags.

Charging Box

It doesn't matter where I place my mobile phone to be charged it looks a mess. Now if I had one of these it would be a different story. From Absolument Design in France

Brushes With Attitude

Brushes can be pretty boring but not so with these from Sweet Bella.

Toothbrush

Mr Brush

Mr Brush

Nail Brush

Brandenburg Gate Brush

& Made

There are a lot of quirky knitted items around but not many are as neatly made as these. From & Made love that curly Christmas pudding, I have an Armani coat just like that.

Sit On It

How weird is this but on reflection the possibilities for the material used, which by the way is the stuff used to make stress balls, are endless. By FAT

Wallflower Painting by Flora Roberts

The other day I received this beautiful card from Flora Roberts so I took a wander around her website and I am so pleased I did. Flora paints the most fabulous walls ever. What I love most about her work is that it is is no way distinctive, every wall and design is unique. If you want to see her work in the flesh then visit Chocolatier William Curley's flagship store in Pimlico, London and the Ellenborough Park Hotel in Cheltenham.