Christmas wishes from an old farmhouse in England

(Update: this was our home until November 2012) With Christmas now just a few days away the preparations here have reached fever pitch! Having put the finishing touches on the decorations and stacked baskets with fragrant logs for the fire we are almost ready to welcome friends and family to join us in the celebrations. I adore this last minute flurry of activity and will be, as you read this, busy filling tiny white crackers with Italian truffles and arranging white roses and herbs from the garden into mercury vases for the table. With the ancient oak beams hung with snowflakes, this year our old farmhouse is decked in ice and snow! Here are a few photographs from our home (please excuse my awful photography and the length of this post!!!): 

Image: The Paper Mulberry - 

A small live blue spruce from Homebase on a dresser in the kitchen the oversized mat and shiny silver baubles are part of a 75 piece set from Tesco!  

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the kitchen

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the kitchen

The white ceramic pot that we have planted the Christmas tree in is from Cape Henley and the white ceramic flower tea light holders are from Bliss & Bloom

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the kitchen

tiny glass cloches filled with silver parcels

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the kitchen fireplace The silver plated charger plates 

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the kitchen mantelpiece swag 

A faux pine needle swag with mat and shiny baubles part of the 75 piece set from Tesco!

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the kitchen fireplace swag

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the kitchen

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the kitchen - Aga mantel shelf decorated for Christmas!

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the kitchen - Aga mantel shelf with a combination of faux pine needle foliage, berries and fresh pine cones

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the kitchen - Aga mantel shelf with mouth blown, recycled glass goblets

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the kitchen dresser

Icy faux pine branch garland with fresh pine cones 

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the kitchen dresser

Icy faux pine branch garland with fresh pine cones & the china is Asiatic Pheasants by Burleigh

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the sitting room

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the sitting room with the faux tree stands in a log basket, the tablecloth is burlap and the tree covered in faux snow and glass icicles! 

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the sitting room tree

the artificial snow is from Snowbusiness the special effects company who provided the snow scenes for the Harry Potter films! They now sell a range of artificial snow for domestic use, I used their spray snow topped with display snow coarse and finished with the amazing snow sparkle that glistens like the real thing!  

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the sitting room fireplace 

the swag is faux pine and covered in artificial snow and icicles

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the sitting room fireplace swag
the lantern is a vintage find, the icicles I have been collected for a few years now

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the sitting room 
I have placed an old lantern in a niche in the living room with a carved wax candle 

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the home
I have place a large wreath of faux pine and beaded fruit covered in simulated ice on the oak banister at the top of the first staircase

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the home

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the entrance hall
the console table is decked with a gilded leaf garland from Decorative Country Living and coach lantern from Culinary Concepts

Image: The Paper Mulberry - the entrance hall console table

So until the new year...

Warmest of Christmas Wishes from this old farmhouse in England 
- Glenda xxx