… now we will enjoy the moments, come to rest, only have us and stop time … and that we wish you all..
A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS + HAPPY NEW YEAR
… we are back in January…
Monthly Archive for December, 2009
Tami Nguyen Rael by ismodern
It all began with the birth of her daughter Isabella (Is)… Tami -working as an architect- was looking for uncomplicated and fashionable clothing, which was not easy and so she began to design her own pieces for her daughter. After the birth of her second child, she founded her own small label ismodern.
This summer, Tami moved with her husband and her two children from Los Angeles to New York and she will enjoy us after a little creative break with a new winter collection 2010…
… come with us on our the last little Christmas trip…
Many loving thanks to the wonderful women Anna, Jenna, Kellie, Kathy, Rachelle, Susan, Felicity, Salloa, Peta, Emily, Rebekah, and Tami… I thank you from my heart for these beautiful moments with you.
(painting by my daughter age 7)
+++ What is so special for you at the Advent and Christmas time?
CHRISTMAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SPECIAL HOLIDAY, BUT IT DID NOT BECOME MAGICAL UNTIL WE HAD CHILDREN. CHRISTMAS IN OUR FAMILY IS A VERY HAPPY TIME. WE DO A LOT OF SINGING, DECORATING, MAKING AND BAKING.
+++ Do you have a Christmas tradition?
WE LOVED LIVING IN LOS ANGELES, BUT CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN CALIFORNIA WAS ALWAYS A LITTLE OFF. WE WOULD PLAY OUR CHRISTMAS MUSIC, DECORATE OUR LOVELY TREE, eggnog OUR DRINK AND WARM COCOA, BUT IT WAS HARD TO GET INTO THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS SO WARM. IT BECAME OUR CHRISTMAS TRADITION TO FLY TO NEW YORK CITY FOR A FEW DAYS TO SOAK UP THE HOLIDAY ATMOSPHERE. SOMETHING ABOUT CHRISTMAS IN NYC ALWAYS MADE THE HOLIDAY MORE INTENSE. WE WOULD ENJOY BUNDLING UP AND TAKING THE KIDS ICE SKATING AT ROCKEFFLER CENTER AND TO SEE THE BIG CHRISTMAS TREE. ENJOY BROWSING THE KIDS SAY THE HOLIDAY DISPLAYS IN THE DEPARTMENT STORES AND HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDES THROUGH THE PARK.SINCE OUR MOVE, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR FIRST SERIES OF HOLIDAYS HERE IN NEW YORK CITY. OH HOW IT WOULD BE PERFECT IF IT Snowed!
+++ Do you have a Christmas style?
I HOPE OUR HOLIDAY STYLE IS SIMPLE AND MODEST. WE PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT AND EFFORT AND TRY TO MAKE THE MANY GIFTS OF OURSELVES. THE KIDS TRULY ENJOY CREATING AND MAKING THINGS. THEY ARE SO PROUD OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENT.
+++ What is your favorite memory about Christmas in your childhood?
WE GREW UP WITH VERY LITTLE MONEY WHEN I WAS LITTLE. SO MY FAVORITE MEMORY AS A CHILD IS THE SIMPLE JOY OF SEEING A GIFT UNDER THE TREE.
+++ When do you set up your Christmas tree and how is it decorated?
OUR TREE IS FULL OF COLOR. WE HAVE A LOT OF LOVELY GLASS BLOWN ORNAMENTS IN JEWEL toned COLORS THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS. EACH YEAR WE ADD A NEW FRAMED PICTURE ORNAMENT OF EACH OF OUR KIDS. IT IS NICE TO SEE THEM CHANGE, GROW, AND YET STAY THE SAME.
+++ What do you do on Christmas Eve?
CHRISTMAS EVE IS ABOUT BAKING COOKIES FOR SANTA AND LETTING THE KIDS STAY UP AS LONG AS THEY CAN TO WAIT FOR HIM. THEY NEVER QUITE MAKE IT.
Dear Tami, thank you for your wonderful little moments. Merry Christmas and a lovely 2010.
mae from Australia
Behind the magic label mae from Ausstralien stands the three wonderful women Peta, Emily and Rebekah. They design and produce beautiful and cheerful wall stickers in many lovely designs. Mae comes from Stoker siding on the beautiful east coast of Australia…
…comes with us on a a little Christmas story from the summer in Australia…
+++ What is so special for you at the Advent and Christmas time?
This is Mae’s first Christmas, so it is a very exciting time for us! It is a great learning experience and gives us an excuse to do fun stuff, like make pretty wrapping paper to download FREE from our website!
+++ Do you have a Christmas tradition?
Spend the day with family of course. Give and get lots of presents, eat lots of food and get too much sun. Spend too much money!
+++ Do you have a Christmas style?
Not too traditional, very pretty and fun! As it is summer in Australia, we’re decorating this year with sky blue, cream, lime green, red, florals and polka dots. This suits our tastes much better than plastic pine leaves and oh, don’t get me started on tinsel!
+++ What is your favorite memory as a child about Christmas ?
Being allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve! And water fights at Christmas lunch. Of course it would be lovely to have a white Christmas, but nothing beats a big family barbeque by the water on Christmas day.
(mae Christmas tree)
+++ When you place on your Christmas tree and how it is (he) decorated?
The Christmas tree goes up on the 1st of December (although we are opening our shop very soon and may have to make it a little earlier). It has birds and candy canes, patterned leaves and lots of presents underneath!
+++ What do you do on Christmas Eve.?
Last minute shopping! A family dinner, then get to bed as early as possible to prepare for being woken up at sunrise by the little ones!
My dear Three , thanks for your little trip through your Christmas World … I send you all love and wintery wishes for Christmas and a happy New Year.
+ + + winter magic
+ + + because everything looks like cotton wool soaked in
+ + + because the world is silent for a short time
Salloa Lange Rönnau by the PR Agency Rönnau
A jet-black curly hair, happy, fresh and articulate… my dear friend Salloa has fulfilled several years ago a dream and founded a PR Agency… Salloa creates with a lot of humor, skill and talent to organize a balancing act between work and home. Salloa lives with her husband and 2 – also very happy – children in Flensburg/North Germany.
…comes with us on a wonderful little journey through Salloas Christmas season…
+++ What is so special for you at the Advent and Christmas time?
I like the fact that all our family members are at home between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day and we do not have to stick to any appointments. The atmosphere of Christmas arises, when we sit cozily at home, play games, eat cakes and toss up, who makes a new café au lait or who picks up the box with games from the wardrobe.
+++ Do you have a Christmas tradition?
On 24 December we go to the church and gaze the chorus. I like the nativity play best. The next best is the Bach-chorus of the kids. It is great when the leader of the chorus, Matthias Janz, supports the boy chorister with his “very dark voice” and the clear and sonorous “…gloo-rii-aa, gloo-rii-aa…”, because the boys’ voices are still as clear as a bell. Afterwards we go home with these sounds in our minds and we sing gigglingly “gloo-rii-aa”. Subsequently we have a festive dinner – often we eat goose, but we like duck too. Additionally, we hand over the gifts during the evening. That is a very exciting moment and often it is quite difficult to keep calm.
+++ Do you have a Christmas style?
I prefer the pure Scandinavian style. Therefore, our table is decorated rather unspectacularly but very festively: White table cloth, white plates, silverware, simple glasses, some fir branches and stars, made out of straw. That is all.
+++ What is your favorite memory about Christmas in your childhood?
Once, I looked into the living room of my grandparents through the keyhole. That was exactly the right moment. The Christmas tree shone, the presents lay under the tree and nobody was visible. And then, I saw the most beautiful dolls pram I could think of. I had the certainty that my wish came true. That was wonderful.
+++ When do you set up your Christmas tree and how is it decorated?
We decorate our Christmas tree in the evening before Christmas Eve. Traditionally, we choose and cut down this tree by ourselves. Afterwards, we hear Christmas music and decorate the tree with stars and bright crystal balls. Some silver angles were added, when our children were born. We only use real, dark, red candles with silver candlesticks, which have balls as counterweights. Therefore, our candles always stand up straight.
+++ What do you do on Christmas Eve?
When it is time to hand over the presents, the bell of an angle rings. This takes terribly long of course. Mostly we use this wait to read books. When the final time came, the Christmas tree shines glamorous and the children are speechless. After this short period of rest the atmosphere becomes spectacular, excited and loud. All gifts are unwrapped separately and one by one. However, the unwrapping ends with a great mess. But afterwards everything becomes quite again. Than it is time for playing games.
Dear Salloa, I thank you from my heart that you have shared your little Christmas world with us. I wish you and your loved ones a wonderful Christmas and a happy 2010 (I’m looking forward to Copenhagen).
Felicity Lynch by Let them eat cake
Today I will take you on a magical journey with Felicity Lynch from Let them eat cake, the wonderful new children’s label from England. Felicity lives with her husband and children in the beautiful Bath, near Bristol, England. There designs and manufactures the talented woman a unique mix of styles, made of the finest cuts, fabrics, vintage … a touch of wearable haute couture for kids…
…rejoice for a few shining moments…
+++ What is so special for you at the Advent and Christmas time?
Most people complain about the cold at Christmas time but I love it! I love how cosy it is at home and I am blessed enough to live in a beautiful city so I love to do Christmas shopping in the dark with all the pretty Christmas lights. Christmas for me is a time of reflection and a time to take stock of the year, it’s also a magical time for the children , especially when they do their Christmas plays…very cute!
+++ Do you have a Christmas tradition?
To cover the Christmas tree in chocolates and make sure they get eaten at least 2 weeks before Christmas! I also love the Christmas films that come out every year, it’s all part of the fun. I absolutely love the book “the snowman” listening to the soundtrack always gets me in the mood for Christmas
+++ Do you have a Christmas style?
I love to indulge in the colour white at Christmas time, to make the house look like it’s been covered in a blanket of snow, there are so many beautiful ways decorate the home without having to use colour, I love to have Lot’s of candles and soft lights everywhere. My house is always so full of people and children that it’s nice to keep the decorations simple.
+++ What is your favorite memory as a child about Christmas ?
I was a very imaginative child and I loved to spend hours outdoors playing and dressing up, I always loved to enter into the spirit of Christmas and I would be excited about the big day for the whole of December! I am the youngest of 5 and we would all have to take our pillow cases down on Christmas eve and in the morning they would be full of presents… Also my mum is a keen knitter, so we always had homemade stockings full of treats.
+++ When you place on your Christmas tree and how it is (he) decorated?
The tree is always in the dining room and this year I bought a little Bengal kitten for the children as an early Xmas present so we have to keep him out of there as he likes to try and destroy it!
+++ What do you do on Christmas Eve.?
I live opposite a lovely old church and I always go to midnight mass on Christmas eve and we always let the children open a present each before they go to bed!
Dear Felicity, I want to say thank you so so much for your wonderful Christmas tour. You’ve warmed my heart. I wish you and your family a lovely Christmas and a wondeful 2010.
From the beginning I was thrilled and excited about Let them eat cake, the very exciting young label from Bath in England. In the summer of this year the designer Felicity Lynch fulfilled her dream and founded the Children’s Label Let them eat cake.
Her unique designs are sewn by hand, which I think is quite wonderful and supportive. She combines in her collection beautiful and rare vintage fabrics with modern lines. Small fine pieces of silk, pure wool, such as a portable work of art, deliberately staged, lovable, with a hint of decadence – in a positive sense!
… we are very happy and very proud that the first package for Line + Liv was already packed and on its way to us… rejoice with!
… tomorrow Felicity takes us here by Line+Liv on a little Christmas journy “I would like to invite” … come back please and enjoy!
Su Rahtjen / Production and Styling
Su Rahtjen designs as a freelance stylist for magazines unusual ideas for productions of fashion and home shoots. She lives with her 2 children, Lina and Johan in a “not quite a classic” house in Hamburg/North Germany. Spacious rooms, free-standing walls with her own decor, just “different” and I like “different”.
… much joy in these wonderful little moments.
+++ What is so special for you at the Advent and Christmas time?
Johan (10 years) and Lina (12 years) singing in the largest school choir in Germany. The school choir has two concerts each year at a packed St. Michaelis church, where the children fill the church with beautiful music and there bell-like voices. We get tears in our eyes and a very warm Christmas spirit in our hearts.
…and of course baking cookies. Here you see Johan with homemade cinnamon stars:
+++ Do you have a Christmas tradition?
Each family member will receive an Advent calendar. Needless to say that I would like one too. The children have decorated a carton – which has previously kept securely 24 jars - and now he stands like a small seed box on the windowsill. The funny thing: The calendar is filled each day with a gift, because the two have the gift never previouslycompleted.
+++ Do you have a Christmas style?
Of course I’m a big fan of Christmas, because then I can decorate, so to speak officially, without which one it bothers. My style is more classical. The dominant colors are red and pink. The decorations are very striking.
For example, the Christmas wreath: He is tied with fir branches. With a diameter of 50 centimeters, he has been a real eye-catcher. We hang it on the table in the living room with a red ribbon from the ceiling, including a huge platter with big Christmas balls.
+++ What is your favorite memory as a child about Christmas ?
Ha … as our decorated tree fell down. Neither the tree or we were to blame. It was the cat that ran high in the tree. Everything broke. No Christmas ball remained entirely. Out of desperation, we have cut paper garlands of simple white paper. Since I know that white jewelry lokks wonderful in a dark fir.
+++ When you place on your Christmas tree and how it is (he) decorated?
One week before Christmas Eve the children and I go into the forest, armed with axes, saws and heavy gloves. We look at ourselves once all the trees, discussing what a crutch and what is really well-grown and can celebrate with us.
The evening before Christmas Eve we pull out all the boxes of Christmas decorations. Year after year is it a great joy. We have great homemade gingerbread deocrated with old wafers and frosting. The Gingerbread now hold for six years. Every year we add new gingerbread.
+++ What do you do on Christmas Eve.?
Christmas Eve begins when we sit in the church. There will be presented the classic nativity play. The special feature of this production is running a real donkey by the church. Of course, all kids want to touch and caress the donkey,
Last year, the donkey has made in our church and he makes a huge stink the last half hour:).
Once home, there we will punch and cake and then comes the big moment and the gifts are presented. We have a tradition that we enjoy each gift. So, it’s always the time to unpack only one turn. Why does it take two to three hours.
Our food is fish in salt crust. At the latest when Johan gets the hammer then everybody knows, now is the time for table.
PRODUKTION – STYLING
Dear Susanne, I thank you from my heart for this charming and cheerful trip through your holiday season. Much love and all best for you and your loved ones for 2010.
… the time is very hectic at the moment, even more I enjoy these short precious hours with 1,2 and 3
Rachelle Wilde from KenziePoo
Rachelle is the wonderful voice behind Kenzie Poo, a magical blog for mothers with young children, full of ideas, suggestions, tips and addresses. Inspired by her pregnancy and in search of wonderful things for her baby, she began the work withKenziePoo. Rachelle lives with her husband and her daughter Kenzie in Boise, Idaho in the United States.
… enjoy the cheerful Christmas tour with Rachelle and her family…
+++ What is so special for you at the Advent and Christmas time?
Christmas is so special to our family! Growing up my family was so big on Christmas, so I want to carry on the tradition and make it important in our Family! This is my husband and my fourth Christmas together and our daughter Kenzington (Or Kenzie), this is her second Christmas. Last year Kenzie was only 7 months old, and didn’t really get to enjoy her presents, although she loved the wrapping paper! Kenzie is 19 months now, and she is understanding more things. Looking forward to her opening her presents this year, and enjoying them!
+++ Do you have a Christmas tradition?
Yes, we have a Christmas tradition. We get new pajamas every year and wrap them up and then open them on Christmas Eve! We of course wear them that night!! I love this tradition, because we all go shopping for our pajamas together! It is such a fun family outing!
+++ Do you have a Christmas style?
Not sure what my Christmas Style would be, I feel like it changes every year!
+++ What is your favorite memory as a child about Christmas ?
I would have to say my Favorite memory as a child would have to be when my family would go to my Grandma’s old Farm house for Christmas. I remember waking up on Christmas morning being snowed in. Luckily, we weren’t snowed in for long!
+++ When you place on your Christmas tree and how it is (he) decorated?
This year instead of buying more ornaments I wanted to be a bit more crafty, so we dressed the tree’s with Pom pom’s, postcards and cut out fabric. Normally, we only have one tree for Christmas, but this year my husband surprised me and bought me a real tree for my office!
+++ What do you do on Christmas Eve.?
We have such a special Christmas Eve tradition. My family goes to our Church’s Candlelight Service. Then after the service we go home and eat our Enchilada soup in these amazing bread bowls! Following that we open up our Pajamas we bought eachother! This makes for lots of memories and so much as a Family!!
Dear Rachelle, thank you for your little magical journey through your Christmastime. As a child I got always -to my great delight- a pajamas for Christmas … maybe I’ll share next year your tradition with us. Warmest regards to you and your loved ones.