Gift wrapping

Every year I try and think of a different theme for wrapping presents.   Usually my ideas involved brown paper - brown paper with a pattern stamped on, brown paper with pretty ribbon etc, but this year I've gone for tissue paper and cellophane.  

I think they look like giant sweeties.  Not sure whether they are christmassy enough, I was going to stick to traditional Christmas colours but I saw a pack of multi-coloured tissue paper in one of my fave shops - Paperchase - couldn't you just spend hours in there?

 So I ended up with multi-coloured sweety-style presents - what do you think?

 I had some baubles too, and used them as an additional embellishment.  The coloured tags are also from Paperchase, and the fancy cellophane is from Hobbycraft.

 Maxie Moo Moo was underfoot for most of the time I was wrapping, and photobombed quite a number of the photos.

Do you have a wrapping theme?  What do you think of  the sweet-shop style wrappers?

Night night, Tor x x

Carols in two cities

Two Christmas concerts this week has made me feel sooo Christmassy.  One in my home city of Liverpool, one just down the road in Manchester.  

The first was here, Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral - a fantastic building.  Did you know Liverpool has two cathedrals, either end of a road called Hope Street?  I always love that about Liverpool, there's more to it than football and the Beatles you know!

I couldn't take many photos of the concert, we were quite far back and on the way out we kind of got swept along by what seemed like millions of people, and the rest of the family looked mildly embarrassed when I tried to take a picture of the amazing wreath on the massive front door. I'll take my camera back another time though, I think you'd find it interesting.

There was a sign next to where we sat which was telling us about the Organ Appeal.  Apparently the organ here is the biggest in the UK.  Which made me keep chuckling.  Very childish I know.

For the second of our concerts we travelled across to Manchester on the train - we had a break from the wind and rain and were able to browse around the Christmas market before lunch and the concert.

The market was fab, it's held in a big square outside the town hall and is full of gorgeous sights and smells.

We sampled the mulled wine...yum, and then had lunch at a nearby Italian restaurant - it felt very decadent to be sipping prosecco at 1pm on a Sunday!
The concert was at the Bridgewater Hall, I'd d never been before so it was an adventure for me.  Beautiful singing (not mine, the choir's), the orchestra was in fine form and...

...they even had a blue Christmas tree (have I mentioned we are from the blue side of Liverpool, football speaking?)

I'm not sure that these pictures came out too well, as they were just snaps on my phone, but outside the Bridgewater were these lights, they look like origami cranes, and they all lit up in turn, so it looked like they were flying - it was a fantastic effect.

Hope you are all feeling Christmassy and have had plenty of opportunity to practice your carolling skills in the run-up to Christmas?

Love Tor x x