Remember Christmas cat?
After posting him on our Facebook page we asked our readers to send us pictures of their own pets in their holiday attire. The responses made us smile so we thought we’d share them with everyone!
Which festive pet is your favourite?
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It’s hard to believe that today is the first day of November and that the holidays are just around the corner!
Have you started planning your holiday festivities? If not, a little piece of fragrant peppermint bark always helps put me in the holiday spirit.
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We’re heading into the long Thanksgiving weekend, which means that many people have entertaining on the brain. (Not me – I’m crashing my sister’s in-laws’ turkey dinner this year, so I’m looking forward to being entertained!) But if you’re hosting a holiday ‘do, there are so many details to think about. Food and drinks of course, but what about seating? Are you sure you have enough? As you prepare to throw open the doors of your home for guests this weekend (and during the upcoming holiday season), be sure you have enough seats for everyone. I’ve just discovered these gorgeous chairs from InVu Drapery Co (they offer so much more than just drapery!) and I love them for their wonderful design – they’re the perfect marriage of form and function. Called the ‘O’ chair, they’re available in three colours; Cocoa, Bronze and Fog. Add a few to your dining table to accommodate extra guests or use them in the living room as everyone gathers ’round to toast the holidays. Pretty and practical, they’ll be perfect year-round but now’s the time to get yourself ready for the holiday season. Chairs $199 each, invudraperyco.com for more information.
Pint-sized (they run up to 48″ – perfect for apartments and other small spaces!) and oh-so-so pretty, Pottery Barn has revived its popular faux firs for another holiday season.
Amidst all the glimmer and glamour of the holidays, these petite pines exude a simple charm. They hit just the right rustic note in their burlap-wrapped pots, and look just as great on their own as they do decorated. I’m actually partial to the minimal dusting of pinecones throughout the trio above, which is how the trees come – totally in-keeping with the back-to-basics appeal of the trees themselves.
Here’s my snap of one of the pines in situ at the Bloor Street Pottery Barn in Toronto, sprinkled liberally with Pottery Barn’s ornament collection.
From finally clearing the clutter in your home office to getting a jumpstart on the holidays … what are you doing this month? Here are 10 things to do in November:
1 Check your gutters
Clean your gutters regularly during the fall to make sure they’re not blocked with fallen leaves and other debris. Also check that they’re solidly attached to the house and draining properly.
2 Try some new cheeses
A creative and delicious cheese plate anchors any selection of appetizers. Take the time now to visit your cheese store and test-taste the offerings so you can wow your guests when the party season arrives.
3 Get out your knitting basket
Nothing’s cosier than a hand-knitted gift, whether it be a simple scarf mittens or an item for the home. Get started on small handmade gifts for your loved ones now — you’ll have time to make something special for yourself, too. New to knitting? Pick up a beginners’ book such as Knitting Pretty by Kris Percival, or sign up for a knitting class at your local yarn store (LYS, in knitters’ lingo).
OK, that’s only three things … check out our full list of things to do in November!
There are just 20 days left til Christmas! Have you started your decorating? Holiday decor doesn’t have to be just about crystal ornaments, window wreaths and tinsel-trimmed trees. I love these linen pillows that express the simple message of the season in metallic embroidery. Clean and classic, they`ll suit most any decor.
Price: $34 each
Available at: Pottery Barn
A Christmas tree can be fully decked out in a cohesive colourway of ornaments, loaded with bells, balls and baubles, and radiant with twinkling lights, but unless there’s something personal in the mix, it can still feel empty. If you’re anything like me, your pets are your babies, and Bed Bath & Beyond offers a too-cute kit to allow your four-legged friend leave an impression (geddit? haha) on your holiday decorating. A DIY kit includes everything you need to make a pawprint ornament: lightweight clay, wooden rolling pin, shaping ruler, festive ribbons for hanging, and a plastic hole punch. What’s more, there’s no mixing because the clay is ready-to-use!Â
5.5-inch Pawprint pet ornament kit
Price: $14
Available at: Bed Bath & Beyond
I’m armed and ready for winter with this fantastic find that every kid — at heart, and otherwise — needs to have handy if a snowball fight is on the agenda for the holidays. The two scoops come together to form perfectly round snowballs for the winter warrior-slash-aesthete. This is also an invention with decorative applications, too, I suppose I should mention. Check out how our talented stylist Andrea McCrindle used a similar to device to create stylish snowy spheres for her outdoor decor story in our December 2008 issue, on stands now!
Â
Pair of instant snowball makers
Price: $10
Available at: Winners, 877-946-6877
Médias Transcontinental
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