{Homemade Christmas decorations - Part 1}

It's defenitely time for ideas, crafts, homemade decorations and many more... In the last years I've started to create my own decorations for the tree, packages and for the table as candles, garlands...

So I've decided to share with you my own creations. I really love to make them and I hope you'll love it and you'll find some nice ideas too for your Christmas!

I'd love to publish your creations too... I'd love to alternate the "etsy fav store" project with both (mine and yours) home made decorations, bake and whatever Christmas is for you...

So , please, feel free to send me pics, descriptions and... to gaia.borzicchi@gmail.com


Today, I've made a candle holder ...

What do you need?

* Candles (I've chosen a cream one but you can use whatever colors)

unused/old cake mould ( or a glass, vase, little box)

Fresh moss and berries (or holly) You can add some "tears" of essence!

et voilà....

Isn't it nice? It could be a nice gift for a friend.... everytime she'll light the candle she will think to you!

What's next?...

{In the air... }

Can you feel it? don't you smell cinnamon and orange, or vanilla and amber everywhere?
Don't you hear that familiar music everytime you enter in a store?
And the lights?
Candles?
Decorations?
Gifts?
Lots of people around the city?
Confusion?

don't you know why? they remind you to something in particular but you don't understand what?

I'm here to help you...

IT'S DEFENITELY CHRISTMAS TIME!






(all the pics are from my home )

THE First weekend of christmas...Exciting!
We have to make the lists for gifts, people, think to menu for dinners ...
but NO PANIC , NO STRESS
we are still in time to do everything!

Have a great weekend!

See you on monday!

{Bakery ... open!}

Yesterday and today I've baked with my mom...

I've made macarons ( I still have to work on them! They aren't perfect!) ...



... then I've tried to make Panettone (the most famous Italian Christmas cake ) ....

I have to make some changes ...add more flavours! The more you try the more you get...

... and then a little glass ( I love to use little glasses for creams, mousse and mascarpone) of vanilla cream with chocolate cookies for this evening dinner...



I'm not really satisfied with Macarons and Panettone... I still have to work really hard to make them perfectly but , as my first time with Panettone, I'm happy with the result! i'd love to make it for friends as a Christmas gift...

I want to share with you one of my fav web site : King Arthur Flour... The "...Web site is a robust resource for home and professional bakers, offering everything from products to recipes to online baking tutorials..."

Cookie cutters, flours, ingredients... The shopping online is so "sweet"...Take a look...




lots of recipes , cinnamons Rolls, pancakes, NY cheesecakes (I'll try!!!) and tools for you!

I don't know when I'll be back... maybe tomorrow or Monday! On Sunday I will be to my friend's Bachelorette Party... We'll stay in a beauty center all day!!!

Have a great weekend! Maybe I'll say hello tomorrow but for the moment ... see ya!

LOVE YOU!

{Etsy favourite store of the week: Miss Ruby Sue}

Sorry... Last week I didn't show you my fav etsy store so I thought to find a remedy publishing Miss Ruby Sue and I'm sure you'll forgive me for my laziness...


She's Lori, from Idaho but with "the heart of a city girl"... She's 35 and mother of 4 and 1 dog..

She write on her Company profile...
Miss Ruby Sue, first launched in 2008 has quickly become a recognized National Label thru several Media Outlets such as Small Magazine; Good Morning America; The View;, and the Today Show, with many celebrity clients-- Tory Johnson, author of "Women For Hire", Courtney Love, (you know her); Joy Baher, co-host of 'The View'; Letitia, CEO of Dujior Magazine; Kevin Laur from Etsy Administration; Elizabeth Kartchner; Sarah Miller, editor from the well know "The Knot" Magazine. You can now find my "Angles Song' and 'Anthropology' necklaces in select Anthropologie stores in the United States.

So... she make necklaces for Anthropologie...my fav store ever! Lucky her!

Beautiful necklaces with flowers, ribbon, pearls and vintage accessories. Every piece is a unique piece!







Headbands for princesses...





You can find her here and here
go check the store... It's the perfect accessory for Christmas dinners and parties!!!

If you desire to be featured in my Etsy project feel free to send me an email at gaia.borzicchi@gmail.com

My next step... I'd like to be the Host for your giveaway... send me an email if you want!It would be an honour for me!

{Inspiring Sigrid}

Sigrid Verbert is the creator of "Il Cavoletto di Bruxelles" (Brussels sprout).



She's 31, 32...or something!
She's from belgium.
She now lives in Rome.
She's a photographer.
She's specialized in "foodphotography".
She's a journalist.
She' s a "chef".
She's THE blogger. Her blog "Il Cavoletto di Bruxelles", about food, writing and photo , is at the moment, the first one in Italy with thousand of followers, 100 and more comments per day...




Yesterday evening I went to her book's presentation with my mamma and Fede . She published a book that reflects her blog. Receipes, that she really makes and her amazing photos.
I was fascinated by her story, her past and her career.

Stefano Bonilli Food blogger and many other things... He has been the creator of
"Gambero Rosso"

I think she's a very shy person. She touched her hair and played with her hands all the time. I know it's really hard to talk about yourself and your success in front of an audience with a microphone! I had so many questions for her but the only idea to speak with all the eyes on me scared me to death!

At the end she signed the book and she talked for at least 10 minutes with everybody! She's a very nice person!




She writes in italian (and many of you do not speak italian... I know!) and I think she deserves a visit... She's great... If you find a receipe that inspires you I'll translate for you!

Love you!

{Dinner with friends}

Sorry ladies I know that I'm always late on Monday and fortunately is almost at the end here in Italy... It's not one of my fav days of the week... I remember when I was at school I really didn't like it. After the weekend that you could sleep till late, on Monday waking up at 7 it was one of the worst nightmare ever!

How was your weekend, (long long weekend for all the american Girls) what have you done?
I'll come to visit you to see how was your Thanksgiving weekend (did you know about the Black Friday? Isn't it great to have important sale before Christmas? Can you imagine how much could you save?)



I had a great weekend... Friday evening I worked to my headbands, pillows and decoration with the sewing machine (pics soon) and on Saturday I organized a dinner with my friends ... I love to have friends at home especially when is cold and it rains outside. I love to stay at home in a Christmas atmosphere with all the candles light on, the smell of orange and cinnamon in the air ( I've found a home fragrance that reminds me to a wood) and good food on table!

Dried beef Ravioli filled with cream cheese with a Rocket sauce ...

Baby artichoke in oil...

My Sweet-and-sour eggplant recipe:

1 big eggplant
1 garlic clove
Rosemary
Chilli pepper
4 tblsp of Olive Oil
2 tblsp of White Vinegar
1 tsp of Sugar
Salt

Wash the eggplant and cut it in small slices and put it in a strainer covered with cooking salt and leave it for a while (this is necessary 'cause it will help to take out the water in excess). After an hour, wash the eggplant from the salt and broil them on the grill.

In the meanwhile put in a nonstick pan the mix of minced garlic, rosemary and chilly pepper and the oil and leave it one minutes on the fire (be careful that the mix doesn't burn!). Take the grilled eggplant slices and cook them in the oil for few minutes. Add the sugar and the salt and at the end add the white vinegar (be careful...) and leave it until the vinegar it's all evaporated.

... cruditès

Piadina, (flat unleavened bread) with ham, salami and cheese! Easy and fast to prepare!

and at the end "White chocolate cheesecake", icecream, fruits, nuts and lots of laughs!

I love to bake, I love dinners and my friends...

Goodnight Ladies!

{Pure&Simple}

Skona Hem is always inspiring me and if you love nordic style ( and not only!) or simply you love stylish and unique homes, this is the right place for you...

Today I found this amazing home






In this period, I'm looking for my first apartment and I'm "visiting" and studying home decor magazines, your blogs and website to capture ideas!

I love this parquet...




I think it will be impossible to have a kitchen big like this but dreaming it doesn't cost anything!





I have already some ideas for my "perfect" home:

* Bright colors ... white in all of is variants but also bright grey, lavender...
* Particular attention to details; lots of pillows, candles, fresh flower some photos, books...
* Personalize... I see so many things I like, because they are objectively beautiful, but they doesn't reflect my and Mr B personalities. We know what we love and we won't be influenced by fashion... we don't love "à la mode". Fashion come and goes...I cannot change the furniture once every 6 months! I'd wish but I can't!
* Old and "recycle" furnitures;
*....

This is just the beginning... I'll tell you more once we've decided!

Any particular plans for this weekend? I have already decorated the Christmas trees and the rest of the house so I'm doing practice with my sewing machine, I'll make new headbands (if you are interested in write me at gaia.borzicchi@gmail.com), I'll cook for a dinner with friend this evening, maybe a tour to Ikea tomorrow...still don't know!

And what about you?

Have a great weekend. Love you!