GLITTERY, GLITZY, GLAM....AND BUBBLY!

Tis the season for all things glittery, glitzy, glam....and of course, bubbly!  Here is some inspiration for your final days of 2013. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images via Pinterest and Tumblr 

HOLIDAY: BEACH TREE

Growing up, I always had a small Christmas tree in my bedroom.  When I was younger, this tree was often used for my American Girl Dolls.  As the years went on I continued decorate a small tree. One year I came up with a decorating idea that incorporated two of my favorite things; the ocean and glitter. 

In the summertime, I arrive at the beach and I am instantly at the waterfront in search of stones, seashells, and sea glass. Throughout my bedroom and my apartment, I have various jars and bags of items, that I have collected over the years.  Most of the jars are used as book ends or decorative elements, and there are often loose stones and seashells on my bedside table. With many of the objects in use, there are still bags of left overs, waiting for a creative application. 

I could go on and on about glitter, but let's just keep this simple; glitter is fabulous!  My mum purchased the Martha Stewart holiday ornament glitter set and it instantly sparked my creativity.  I selected various sea glass, shells, and creatures from my beach collections.  I then applied glue and various shades of metallic glitter on each object. After the glitter dried, I applied small white ribbon loops to the shells.  With the sea glass, I looped wire around the entire piece and created a ring for hanging.  I then paired these seaside ornaments with small blue and silver glass balls. I completed my seaside themed tree with beach stones at the trunk.

Images by AGA

HOLIDAY: ADVENT CALENDAR

Today marks the first of December, and the start of the Christmas advent calendar.  The advent calendar tradition began in Germany during the 19th century, with a chalk mark for each day leading up to Christmas. By 1900 the first printed calendar was produced in Germany, by Gerard Lang.  This calendar featured miniature colored pictures, that were attached to a piece of cardboard, each day.  As Lang's design progressed, the advent calendar included candy, a picture, or a religious verse.  Lang's calendars were produced until World War II, when the factory shut down due to shortages.   Later, President Eisenhower promoted the advent calendar as an American tradition.  

Growing up my brothers and I began our Christmas countdown on December 1st. Each morning we would sit at the breakfast table and search for the current date.  The paper door was then opened to expose the secret image.  The twenty-fourth door was always the most exciting, due to it's large size and celebratory image.  

Each year my mum purchases a few different advent calendars. My brothers and I select our favorite and the countdown begins.  I tend to favor the ones with glitter embellishments.  Here are a few of my favorites: