Santa Has Visited!

Just a quick post - to share with you the finished & full Santa Sack that I made for our little girl, Isabelle. She turned 8months this week and it's been fun & games with learning how to rip the wrapping paper from presents...

I finalised attaching a few of the rosettes this afternoon, and threading through the polka dot ribbon draw cord, all just in time for someone's very 1st Christmas! Well now the presents have been placed, the stockings are now full and the Santa Sack to the brim! [Like all parents around the world at this time on Christmas Eve/ Morn] I must put myself to bed before the excitement begins in a short while...

Here's to you & your very Happy Christmas... Take Care & Enjoy,

images by Sarah Verity - Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

Made with Love...A Santa Sack

I have a few pics of the work I have done on Isabelle's Santa Sack... so far!

We're getting there, today I have sewn the 'bodies' together & a little more free-machine embroidery in Scarlet red on the script name not shown in these pics]. Time's a ticking so I had better finish sewing a few more rosettes onto the front so Santa can pop some much deserved presents in the sack!

images by Sarah Verity - Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

Hand-made Love: A Bit of Festive Sewing...

I'm steadily getting through a mini-production line of making personalised Christmas Stockings & Santa Sacks for our little family... I have gone with a red, white, eggshell & oyster/ taupe colour. That way if I inject anther colour one year they will all still coordinate! I played with the idea of buying online - but then checked out my fabric & trim stash and forgot how much I really had tucked away!

So I'm at the 'embellishment' stage now, then final construction will happen & then all to do is hang! And being a little ahead of myself [this breaks my auspicious tendencies] I have made 1 extra stocking and 1 extra Santa sack for someone [another baby] we hope to have in the future - not yet though, and will hold off embellishing until we know his or her personality & of course name!

Will post more pics with the finished goods are up & hanging too - not too far away now! Enjoy,

Images by Sarah Verity - Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

24 Sleeps to Go!



Our Christmas Count-Down Chalk Board.



Well it's fast approaching... there's only 24 sleeps to go till Christmas! Don't let it creep up on you... so make sure you get your shopping done now; get all your wrapping paper & ideas together; and start preparing the table settings if you're hosting Christmas lunch or dinner, or if you're having family & friends stay over the festive season and need to get into the dreaded guest-room for clean outs. Best advice - Do It Now! From my experience the best Palatial homes are often the most prepared &well-organised homes, simply because it allows you time to define the style you want, with out rushing it!

I have some embellishments left to do on some Christmas stockings [and Santa sacks for Isabelle and whoever else might come along in the near future!] that I have made for each of us this year - now that we have an extra family member, our little miss Isabelle this year, whose first Christmas will be all the more special - I really wanted to ensure that I made a hand-crafted, concerted & stylish effort all round! I will have pics to share with you very soon of the finished goods!

image by Sarah Verity - Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

Ohhh Christmas is a Creeping!

Serene - Christmas Dove Garland from
3 Girls & A Goat, from Brisbane Australia via Etsy

Vintage Christmas Bunting from AS Boutique via Esty

Fabulous - Sweet Paper Garland X-Mas Dream from
3 Girls & A Goat, from Brisbane Australia via Etsy

Perfect Present Tag - Snow Flake Paper Gift Cards from
3 Girls And A Goat, Brisbane Australia via Etsy

I am sooo excited about Christmas this year - especially since we've our had first baby - little Miss Isabelle, it really seems to make all the difference with Christmas being all about the children... that sense of magic seems to have crept back again and I love it!
I have inspired by a wonderful client of mine, the lovely M.Helm, from her display of hanging ornaments that were artfully suspended from her ceiling over her dining table last year - so that with a few other things that I have also gathered up will begin to hang & arrange festive decor over the next few weeks. Am thinking of a silver-peppermint theme this year [maybe a smattering of navy/ pale blue too] with a lean to an almost Nordic inspiration. I think the lead up to Christmas can be sooo exciting - so hedges are to be trimmed this weekend for pretty twinkling plain fairy lights to be strung up!

Nordic Inspiration from John Lewis

We just placed our order for our fresh Christmas tree with Elf Help, we have had them delivered for the past few years - nothing beats the smell of a fresh tree - it's a real tradition of ours. And I am getting cracking with a few fun 'Palatial' projects - I'm making a special personalised Stocking & Santa sack [pillowcase] for Miss Isabelle; and actually making stockings for Matthew [my husband] & I. Even though we have had one each before this year I want to make family ones for all of us with more design & colour cohesion... I have also come up with a sweet idea for all the babies - Isabelle's friends - from my lovely mother's group too! So stay tuned  I will post pics once all finished! I don't want to give anything away just yet!

Here's a few images that have got me excited - especially with all my fabulous home & interior December issue mags arriving in the mail the past week or so... Enjoy!

Just received my 'JOY' Christmas Shopping invitaion from CR
I love their graphic packagind & instore VM design this year,
centred around core colours Ruby Red, Sunny Yellow,
Navy Blue & Kelly Green - with silver & white!



Rustic Handmade red mixed berry wreath from
Silk N Light Designs via Etsy