Mosaic Monday # 20. Finally feeling festive.

It's hard to feel festive when the sun is shining and the skies are blue, a quiet walk on an empty beach yesterday felt a million miles away from Christmas card scenes of snow, robins, fir boughs and Santa.

yes, there are people wading through the water!

and yet.......

it is beginning to look like Christmas around the Presbytère.

The small tree in our cosy sitting room this year is dressed in red, green and gold and showcases an eclectic mix of treasured ornaments collected over the years starting with a bauble commemorating our "First Christmas Together" (1978). The multi coloured lantern lights also date back to that first Christmas and I'm always thrilled that they still light up after all this time!

a mosaic of some shelf vignettes scattered throughout our home,

with a little bit of snow for effect.

This year I decided to decorate the library tree in red and white with a touch silver.
It was late afternoon, Saturday, by the time I was ready to take my photographs and I was very pleased to be able to capture the elusive "blue light" in the sky outside just before it disappeared.

You may remember that in last weeks Mosaic Monday post I mentioned that I would be giving away a copy of the beautiful "Best Of Campagne Décoration" special Noel edition to one lucky person who left a comment on that post.
After the link up closed, with 19 comments left, I went to random.org to choose our winner who was # 7 - Snap @ Tales From Twisty Lane.

Snap, please send me your address so that I can pop the magazine in the mail to you and hopefully it will arrive before the holidays.

(Don't forget there will be no MM for the next two weeks.

MM # 21 will be bringing in the New Year 2017 January 2nd)

An InLinkz Link-up

Mosaic Monday # 19. A seasonal treat (or two?).

My favourite French lifestyle magazine is Campagne Décoration and you may recollect previous posts featuring styles and ideas from it's beautiful pages that have inspired me.
Click here and here  to see those posts.
Whist out shopping early last week I came across a special Christmas edition "Best of Campagne Décoration".

114 pages full of decorating and entertaining ideas for Christmas and New Year celebrations, creatively showcased in a collection of stunningly beautiful "maisons d'hiver" (winter homes), each and every one a work of art.
Decoration: Baroque, Ventoux.

Photos Eric de Herouville,

Best of Campagne Decoration 2016.

Terroir Charentais: filets de truite confits.

Photos Nathalie Baetens,

Best of Campagne Decoration 2016.

A luxurious Alpine chalet in Megève.

Photos Jo Pesendorfer,

Best of Campagne Decoration 2016

Now it wouldn't be fair to tease you with just a few images of some of the delights to be found in this issue of Campagne Décoration so to celebrate the season of goodwill I am giving away a copy to one lucky reader.
Just leave a comment on this post and after the link up closes I'll use random.org to pick a winner.
The result will appear in next week's Mosaic Monday post which by the way will be our final Mosaic Monday of 2016.

Mince pie, anyone?

I'm sure that like me you are all very busy preparing for the holidays and could do with a blogging break.

MM # 21 will kick off the New Year on Monday January 2nd 2017.

An InLinkz Link-up