{2010}

New year is just around the corner, I'm writing you now 'cause I know that tomorrow I won't be able to wish you Happy New Year and everything you wish for yourself!




Thanks for everything, you've been amazing and I hope to " see" you all next year!




I'm grateful for everything I had , beautiful, bad and sad things... Life is beautiful, anyway!
I have a lot of ideas and many projects for the 2010 and I'm so excited to do everything I'm dreaming to!



Tomorrow evening I'll spend the day to my friend's house eating terrific food and drinking good wine with a very nice company!. I'll celebrate the end of that "so and so" year with my Mr B., my love the one and only.

What about you? ANy plans for NYE? Project for the future? Answers you are waiting for? Hard decision to take?

I really wish you the best!

(p.s.: I took the pics of the snow one week ago, it was amazing, so poetic and it looked like to live in a fairy-tale. Now it's all clean but it's still freezing)

Love you all

{...and then?}

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh

(click here)

Merry Christmas!!!

I'm a bit sad, and you? It's already over... one more year and then Christmas will be back but now? I have so many things I'd love to make and to show you, more decorations, more gifts, packages, wrapping.... I think I'll show you everything I'll make in january too!



How was your Christmas? I feel like I'm ready to explode... I've ate too much and for almost 2 entire days! I need to stay away form sugar, cakes, chocolate and everything fat!!!


I had a fantastic Christmas day with my family, riding my bike after those fat lunches, walking at the beach (I've seen a death shark! Can you believe it?) and looking and studying al my gifts!
I had the chance to "take some photo lessons" from my youngest brother, the one and only photographer of my family!

We made cakes for Christmas and for our friends that come to visit us in the afternoon. I also took a nap on the sofa with my granny!





I visited some of my friends that unfortunately I don't see them as much as I'd like because of we live in 2 different cities. They have already kids and family! Unfortunately we see each other only in Summer and when I come to Tuscany!



SEE! I'm not a layer... This morning I saw a death little shark at the beach... It was so sad and scary ...


And what about you? Did you had what you expected? Not only as gifts but as atmosphere, feelings, love?

Any particular plans for New year's Eve?

Love you all and thanks for all your wishes!

{Merry Christmas&Lots of Love}

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.

Through the years
We all will be together,
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself A merry little Christmas now.

(click here)

Christmas is finally arrived... I'm so happy I cannot describe how much! I did my last gift today, called my friends, written some emails ...



After a months of run, gift, bake, cookies, panettone, packages, works, ribbons, homemade decors, dinner with friends, candles, snow Christmas eve is here!



I'm still on a hurry, I have just few minutes left and then I'll be closed in the kitchen helping my mom to prepare dinners and lunches...



This evening is "Eve" and for traditions we do not eat meat... I'm in Tuscany with my mom's family and then I'll visit my dad's relatives after Christmas. I'm a bit sad for many reasons but I won't bother you 'cause it's time for joy and laugh, smile and happiness!

Usually we exchange gifts the 25th... When I was little me and my brother prepared milk and cookies for Santa and my mom placed all the gifts under our tree and in the morning the milk and the cookies were gone. We do the same every year even if we are not kids anymore...but it's a tradition...



Now it's time to say THANK YOU... you made my year, you helped me when I was down, Ive met so many beautiful people and in the future I know I will meet so many nice blogger/friends that are out there... thanks for emails , comments, awards, gifts... This is a thank you to each one of you. I'd love to say it personally but distances doesn't give me that opportunity... Maybe I will meet some of you soon ...



I wish you a very nice Christmas, with your family, friends and all of your beloved...

{Homemade Christmas decorations - Part 3 & Amy}

Hello ....
Here I am... 3rd appointment with my Homemade Christmas decorations... I really love to create things and I wish I had more free time to do it... Christmas time is always crazy for me... So many things to think about, run from one side to one other. Preparate gift for doctors, dentist, lawyers... Bake 100 and 100 of sweetness... It happens to go to sleep not before 1.00/2.00 o'clock in the morning... Morning work and so on for days until the 24th!

This time I have done a gift box, pillows, wooden ribbon, moss decorations and chrismas card!

Gift box and Pillows

What do you need:
* Box (round or squarely or whatever)
* Linen
* Spray Glue
* White Paint
* Black Paint
* Stencil Mask
* Transparent Paint
* Liquid Bitumen

Paint the box with the color you've chosen. I've decided to make it white 'cause I love the black and white composition and the final effect but you can paint in black the box and then choose to use the white for the stencil. Let dry the paint and if necessary you can give another hand of color. Before to use the black , be sure that the paint is perfectly dry!
Then position the stencil mask, using the spray glue to be sure that the mask won't move and with a rounded brush pot on it. The brush dosn't have to be full of paint, it's enough just a bit. You can use a bit of white to create shadows.




Whit the technique of decoupage I've first attached an old style paper decoration and in the middle of it I've did the stencil...

When you have finished the stencil and the paint you need to cover the box with a protectiv transparent paints. That's really important 'cause your box will last for years. More hands of that paint you will give to your object better will be... Trust me!

You are almost at the end... You can embellish the box using a gold paint just for some particular.
Don't be worried about the imperfection... This is an homemade gift and all the details are important even the mistakes and the imperfection...

Voilà..... What do you think?


As you can see, my box is not perfectly white. I've used a liquid bitumen to give an antique touch to my box!


With the same technique, but using colors adapt for fabrics, you cand do, pillows, tablecloth, and even t-shirt (next project!!!)...


I've made a linen pillow with a garland and the initials, then 2 small linen pillows : one with a ribbon and the other with the Florentine lily. Before to decorate the fabrics I've washed it and ironed it.

and this is the result...

Moss decorations

* Foam Ball and other objects
* Hot Glue
* Fresh or artificial Moss

This kind of decorations are really easy to make and I think that they are a classic for christmas.
As I did for the garland (Part 2) I will do the same for my ball. The best is to have different size ball to mix all toghether and to add to pines and candles.

What do you have to do? Cover the object with hot glue, attach the fresh or the artificial moss and let her dry... that's it ....

Antique Ribbon
*Plastic Ribbon
* White Paint
* Transparent paint
* Liquid Bitumen
* Gold Paint
* Pink Ribbon

Paint in white the ribbon and let it dry very well. The ribbon should be totally white, so be carefull to paint the back too and all the particular. Using a small brush, paint with gold the ribbon, not entirely, but just some details. Cover with the transparent paint (more than one hand!) and let it dry. Using a cloth, dirty the ribbon with the liquid bitumen so the ribbon will look like an antique ribbon. Be carefull with the quantity. You choose how much dirty you want it!

let it dry, give anothe end of transparend paint and attach a ribbon on the back!

That's it!

Christmas Card
* Card
* Paint (the color you prefer)
* Brush for stencil
* Stencil Mask
* Tissue
*Sewing Machine

I've decided to make my own card. I made those using the stencil technique . It's easy...really easy! The only thing a bit difficult is to use the sewing machine. Try hard 'cause the result is fantastic and your friend will appreciate the card you made for them!For any suggestion, advise help just ask me!

Girls.... the winners of the giveaway are Kris and Amy. You already know Kris and her Christmas decorations....
Amy is my friend and a very talented woman. What do you think about her decorations? So elegant and classy...



Merry&Bright on the windows...FANTASTIC!



Dear Amy and Kris... you are my winner! I'll send you soon your gift... it's a surprise!

Love you all....

{Living with GUSTO}

Hi ladies , how are you?

I've been two days in Rome to visit my friend for her birthday. We had a great dinner with her fantastic family and than today she took me around that magic, noisy, fantastic city.
Like in "La Dolce Vita " she took me everywhere driving a vespa.

I asked her to take me to "GUSTO" that for me that I love to bake and cook it's like Disneyland for a kid. It was a while I didn't visit the store but it's always the same... Beautiful and unique. It's an emporium and a bookstore too, a restaurant and a wine bar, a pizzeria and an "osteria". I found beautiful little gift for christmas and interesting books. I was sure to find some gifts...and so I did!

The Emporium bookstore, open from 10.30 am till 1.00 am, sells kitchen utensils and many other things. Tablecloth, cutlery, saucepans, place setting, accessories.

I took some pics with my cell 'cause they didn't want, please forgive me for the bad quality!

The Kitchenaid my dream... I wrote it on the letter for Santa...

A window separate the emporium to the pizzeria...

Gusto - Emporio Libreria
Piazza Augusto Imperatore, 7 - 00186 Roma
tel. +39 06.32.36.363

Tomorrow I will post other pics about my visit...


Kris I think you are the winner...let me wait till the end but I'm defenitely thinking to send the gift to you!

Love you all