Advent Wreaths 2012

Some of my most popular posts have been my inspiration posts on Advent wreaths and so this year, I figured I would be a little ahead of time. The first Sunday in Advent will not be until December 2nd but it is nice to have a little time making the wreath and enjoying it before setting it on fire!

No secret, I love candle light and Christmas so even though I have the same wrougt iron candelabra which I use every year, I like to see tghe other beautiful solutions...

This year, I have seven different ones which stole my heart - from the traditional hanging version to the upcycled and reclaimed version.

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Nogle af mine allermest populære indlæg har været dem om adventskranse, så i år syntes jeg, at jeg ville være i god tid. Første søndag i Advent er ikke før end d. 2. december, men hvis man først skal ud og skaffe tingene og have den lavet er det rart at være i god tid. Så kan man jo også nyde den lidt inden man begynder at brænde den af.

Det er vel ingen hemmelighed, at jeg elsker stearinlys og jul, og selvom jeg har den samme smedet jernlysestage fremme hvert år, så kan jeg godt lide, at se hvad andre finder på.

I år har jeg fundet hele syv smukke kranse - lige fra den helt traditionelle til de kreative genbrugsløsninger.

 

 Even though this is more decor and not an Advent wreath, I really liked this simple idea of using your candle holders for the tree on large jugs and bottles. I like when you get ideas to use somethings in more ways / Selvom det ikke helt er advents-agtigt, så kan jeg virkelig godt lide denne enkle idé om, at bruge juletræslyseholderne på fine flasker. Så kan de jo faktisk bruges altid.

 Bidding Nature welcome inside / Byder Moder Jord og naturen indenfor

 If you are no fan of evergreen and the more Christmas-y feel then this more etheral version would be something. Looks like angel wings and halos which is somewhat also going with the season depending on your personal beliefs. / Hvis man ikke er til det grangrønne og meget julede, så kan denne nærmest overjordiske version være noget. Den ligner næsten englevinger og glorier, og det hører vel på sin vis også højtiden til alt efter hvad man personligt tror på.

 If you haven't got tea light holders - use small glasses and tie them safely into the wreath! / HVis man ingen fyrfadsholdere har, så brug mindre vinglas, eller måske er de endda snapseglas og bind dem godt fast til kransen.

 My favourite of them all - a log from a birch tree and drill holes into it to place the candles. Perhaps spray paint a bit with silver or 'snow' and add snowberries for a perfect Christmas centre piece./ Min favorit af dem alle - et godt stykke fra en birketræsstamme med huller boret ned til lysene. Så kan man eventualt spraye lidt sølv på og pynte med snebær.

 If you are not in the handmade mood every year, a good idea would be to find a candlabra with room for four candles and then you can 'dress it up' according to fashion and flair, and you can even keep it out all year round / Hvis man ikke er typen, som gider at lave en krans hvert år, ville det måske være en idé at prøve at finde en lysestage med plads til fire lys, som så kan pyntes på ny hvert år efter hvad moden diktere eller noget helt andet. Man kan eventuelt beholde den fremme hele året og skifte pynten med årstiderne?

A really fun and surpricing wreath was this upcycled lamp shade covered with moss and ornaments with just those clip-on candle holders on top/ En virkelig sjov adventskrans er denne pyntede lampeskærmsramme med mos og julepynt. Smart med de der clips-lyseholdere.

 

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Christmas Sneak-peaks 2.0

A couple of photos from my own Christmas decor.

You may be able to tell that I love love love ice crystals. I find them to be the prime natural wonder of this world.

I even get misty eyed if I think of it too much.. Well, my love for winter trumps my love for Christmas. And thus, I really miss snow.

The past two years we had heaps of snow in Denmark (last year, even more than in the south of Greenland!) and I miss the beauty that comes with it. That said, I don't miss the wet boots and red noses. But it is a fair exchange for snow in my opinion.

Anyways here goes...

All images are mine and edited by me.



{SlowFashion Christmas}

I discovered this webshop and brand through the Danish interior magazine RUM's website and fell in love instantly.

The crisp and the cool of the decor appeals to me, and as far as I have been able to read, I can completely follow their sustainability and quality project. Maybe it is the deep dull Nordic soul piercing me at the moment. But the more melancholic and sinister, the better.

The website is also in English, if you are so inclined as giving it a visit.

If you do, please look through their 'magazines'. They are so pretty.

All images found via the website or via RUM.



{Christmas inspired by Karen Blixen}

First of all, happy St. Lucia Day! One of my favourites days {I guess that is my Swedish heritage shining through} and if you are interested, I did a post on Lucia last year which you can see here.

Anyways, since I haven't had the chance to see a parade this year, I will show you a lookbook from Danish decor-brand Rosendahl Copenhagen. It is one of the great Danish brands of this sort, together with Georg Jensen, Holmegaard and Royal Copenhagen. At least in my opinion.

One of their greatest successes is the Christmas (and this year also Easter) line inspired by the great writer Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen).

I showed you one when I did a post on her, but now I will show you some more.

I hope you will like it as much as I do.

Rungstedlund covered in romantic snow.

 The text says, each purchase supports the running of the Karen Blixen Museum at Rungstedlund.

Her nephew tells that Karen Blixen always decorated her Christmas tree in white and silver with a single red ornament hidden somewhere, which would pay off a small cake for the child who found it.

How wonderful right? I can totally see the elegance and luxurious splendour of a white and silver decorated tree, and her little game with the children makes me have even more respect for her (if that's even possible!)

 Very pretty gift-wrapping! I wouldn't even dare to open the present if it looked like that...

 I really like the look of the silver ornaments together with the rough cloth and leather.

The candle holders inspired by her love for the nature. The garden at Rungstedlund is 'world-famous' in Denmark (yeah, we always try to be bigger than we are, ha!) for the flowers and one of the best florists in Denmark (he also does the royal flower arrangements - so he is that big!) arrange flowers from the garden around the rooms and suites during the year.

I love the simplicity and the romantic feel these ornaments have, and for once I think both the silver as well as the gilded versions are equally beautiful. Usually, I favour just one of them. But if I had to choose, I would go for the silver.. Can't help but dream of a white and silver decorated tree too.

Best,

The Dandelion Chronicles



Christmas Sneak-Peaks

Just a small collection of how I decorate for Christmas this year.

I favour the natural look so I have chosen oranges, pine cones, chesnuts, and spices to lay around the apartment. Love the smell when I enter my front door of star anise and cinnamon. Today, I bought the ingredients to make a chai-mix so I have some weekend projects as well.

Even though I prefer the nature and winter look, I have several colourful ornaments with glitter and gilded decor from my bohemian-gypsy-Indian phase. I usually cluster them all together in a big vase or bowl.

My new additions this year are the candy canes. And the good thing is off course that you can eat them or put them in your coffee or hot chocolate. nom nom nom!



All images are mine. 

Rustic Winter & Christmas Decor

First of all, a happy first of December. Are you in the spirits yet or does it usually wait to hit you on the 23rd.? I am not yet feeling the excitement but I do love the decor on the various blogs and in the magazines. Is it just me, or does people almost never decorate like this in real life?

I wish they did because Johanne Bildsøe's house is truly stunning when decorated for Christmas. That said, she is a professional decorater and has an interior shop on Østerbro in Copenhagen, Détails91. Nevertheless, I love her incorporation of the rustic nature and vintage pieces. Very basic and very timeless. I love when people decorate for the winter like they do for spring and summer, taking in flowers and leaves, in stead it is all specifically Christmas. I tire easily with Christmas but I always love the crisp feel and air around winter. And these photos by Kristian Septimus Krogh really do the decor and the theme justice.

My own Christmas decor is too emotional, so many memories but not very cohesive in terms or colour or style. One year, I favour bohemian-Indian gold tassles with pink and purple, the next it is all wrought iron.. I know I will never be like the great Karen Blixen who only decorated in white and silver (but think of the beauty of it!!! Just like snow..) but most of the pieces has a story to tell, and I guess that's the best thing.

 Eucalyptus branches with vintage iron roses.

I almost shrieked when I saw the door wreath. So stylish, and I absolutely adore the accent of the anemone. One of my favourite flowers..

And a nice way to use your candle holders for the Christmas tree before you get the tree.

 Again, a nice re-decorating of pieces you always have around. In stead of perhaps an exotic flower you showcase a branch with some ornaments. Oh, and what a great idea using an old flower box with oasis and put branches and flowers in it for a table centerpiece.

An old chair, a vintage lantern, antlers, and a small wreath. Simple greige decor at its best.

Actually, this is more of winter decor than Christmas decor. The only really Christmas-y is off course the tree, and yet this is also more rustic and simple than more traditional ones. Very sprase amount of ornaments, and very small too.

Once again, a flower box and branches. I really like this idea..

Decorate your chandelier with various sized ornaments making it look like a cloud with silver raindrops. Beautiful!

Antlers in a mason jar and a close-up on the table centerpiece.

So what do you think, too sparse, too chilly, or just right?

{from Danish interior magazine Bo Bedre}

Advent Wreaths 2011

Oh oh oh - Ho ho ho, Christmas is now upon us..

Today is the 1st Sunday in Advent, and I have gathered a little collage of inspiration in how to decorate your Advent wreaths anno 2011.

I am finding myself being drawn towards to minimalistic and nature-looking objects, however my own wreath is a black metal one with a little silver and gold and my tall ox-blood coloured candles. I will show you later, maybe next Sunday..

For now it is all about the inspirational talent around us.. Enjoy!

 The hanging version with dryed hydrengeas and silver gems.

An antique French church candle wreath. Gorgeous...

The wooden one with winter berries and shiny candles.

 This is my favourite! Stones with holes that fit the slim candles. So simple, so Scandinavian, so stylish!

Crochet covered jars and cones. If anyone out there is a DIY'er, this would be awesome! Not too Christmas-y either which I always am in favour of. I like everything with a little modest and easy-going thrown in.

The everlasting one: a Stelton Explore 4-lights candle holder with just a little winter nature and white candles. This can be used all year round, just change the decor.

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