A Winter Welcome

The last few days here, have been quite cool. For the first time, yesterday I saw little specks of white frost flying through the air, and a dark, dense fog hovering over the city. As soon as I walked outside, I realized that the air had that unforgettable smell of snow. This could only mean one thing ...Winter is coming!
Although, the weather has been quite nice the last few months....summer was extended into October, and it seems like Autumn had just began a few weeks ago....it is now officially less than a month to Christmas, and very close to fluffy snow, boots, gloves and hats ..and little red noses everywhere.
The thought of winter, to me...is extremely comforting...being at home, with a warm, cozy blanket on top...a cup of warm tea, and a good book...or visiting the wonderful Christmas markets throughout Europe and North America, trying the delicious heated wine with raspberry juice...Winter to me is all about warmth, family, comfort and last but not least..wonderful food.

Here are a few photos, that I have been drawing inspiration from lately :) 

Fall and Winter attire, can become quite boring...this photo gives some nice, simple ideas of how to use old and new scarves, to add life and colour to different outfits...we cannot always afford the latest trends, fabrics and colours, but there is always something in our closet that we can make like new, we just need to look at it with a different eye! I have been going through my grandma's closet, looking at old pieces with exciting colours and patterns, and have chosen a few, which will make wonderful scarves..which are easy to sew and so fun to wear!

Another wonderful thing about the Fall and Winter, is the changes I see in my meals. I love the way warm, comforting spices fill the air in the kitchen, and put the entire house in a cozy and loving mood. This is a chart, of some wonderful things to start adding into your food, delicious and very very good for you...spices are really what makes a meal special. When it is cold outside, for me ..it is all about the curries! Ginger, red pepper, chilies, cinnamon..all of those different spices together in one colourful stew, can really brighten up the mood for me!

And lastly, a little bit of DIY inspiration. With the Holiday season coming up soon, it is definitely time to start thinking about Christmas gifts. I decided a little while ago, that this year I would give only homemade Christmas gifts. In my opinion, this keeps the holiday a lot more meaningful, saves money and gets us thinking about the real reason why we celebrate Christmas. I love giving DIY gifts, and will be making a special post about all of the things I have been working on for my loved ones this Christmas ...but here is my favorite idea of the year.... the Teacup Candle

..the simplest, and easiest of gifts, in my opinion. All you need is a candle wick, a beautiful, preferably vintage cup (you can find wonderful, inexpensive teacups at thrift stores), some essential oil for fragrance, and candle wax, or, recycled candles (i like to use colourless pieces of candles that i have, then add a few drops of colour and make it your own!) ...remember to use an old can, that way you can place it straight on top of the stove, to melt, and not worry about cleanup! 

That is all from me for today ... frosty kisses and warm hugs!

S