One last thing about Christmas...

Yes, I know, I know, it's long gone, but embarrassingly it wasn't until today that I finally took down the stick and packed the decorations away. The stick hasn't gone into the rubbish though, as intended - the girls talked me into keeping it, so now it's stashed away with all the other junk, waiting to be thrown out when I'm not feeling so easily swayed :-)

Speaking of junk, I heard an interview with one of those clutter buster type people on my local ABC radio station the other day and felt really inspired to further cut back on my 'stuff'... until my lovely neighbour with lovely taste who manages a lovely homewares store offered me a lovely new lamp. Damn that non-existent will power! Hmm, the stick must go!

Anyway... when I took the stick down I realised I'd forgotten to finish off my Christmas posts by showing you a couple of beautiful contemporary paper ornaments that were given to us. They joined the others on the stick and have become some of my new favourites.



The first is this amazing Christmas card/ornament that my friend Stephanie posted to us. When I saw her note on the envelope about there being a 'handmade card enclosed' I got excited. Steph puts me to shame with her fantastic handmade cards each year. Considering I didn't even send many cards this year, it doesn't take much (in my defense though, your honour, I claim many late nights making presents as my excuse). This year Steph made beautiful star shaped ornaments out of hand cut stars from pages of thrifted books (in our case children's books). She sewed these together with a little message in the middle. Not to give all her secrets away, she added lovely personal touches that made them outstanding.



And the second is this one from Oxfam, made in Vietnam from coiled recycled paper, and presented on the neck of a bottle of wine. What more could we ask for :-)



So here's to creative friends with fantastic taste!