"O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree! True symbol of eternity!Your boughs are green through out the year, Resplendent in a life sincere.O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree! True symbol of eternity!"

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Choosing our Christmas tree is an annual family tradition. We have journeyed to the same farm each year to select a tree that will remind us that nature does not succumb to the frosts and flurries of winter entirely, and that despite the elements we can house some warmth of the earth over the festive period. The smell of the tree is evocative of winter evenings as a child spent standing tip-toed on chairs trying desperately to reach the upper branches to hang stars and baubles before joyfully shouting in my parents to show them the finished result. As I have got older, the urge to decorate and string garlands of lights has only intensified, and this year is no exception.

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Over the weekend we selected a 7ft Nordman and it now stands in pride of place in the corner of our living room. We though Bella might find it a strange addition to the home, but so far she's not really paid much attention to it! We try to decorate quite traditionally, with some wooden decorations and a star for the top. My favourite baubles are those we have received from family members; there are a number that twinkle in the soft sparkle of the lights that originally hung on my grandparents' tree, and I love to look up and be reminded of happy times together.

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I use some of the lower branches for my Christmas wreath, adding only a few pine cones and a bright ribbon to complete the effect. For an easy wreath tutorial head over and read my autumn wreath post here.

What does your home look like at Christmas time?

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Since passing the first of December at the start of the week the blogosphere seems to have gone into Christmas overload - not that I'm complaining; I've been humming festive tunes and munching on mince pies for a couple of weeks now, and this weekend we have finally begun the festive season in the CC household by putting up our tree (see tomorrow's post for the finished result!). I have also succumbed to my annual winter illness, so as a result I have been wrapping myself up in cosy scarves, drinking cinnamon tea with honey and actually taking time out to rest and do very little (something I hardly ever allow myself). I have also found solace in winter walks, and yesterday's was so magical that I stopped every few seconds to take another photograph - it was the first hard frost of the season and looked just beautiful.

If you're looking to eat seasonally this month (as I write about here!) try this frangipane mince pie recipe - they  look absolutely wonderful and make a change from the normal festive fare.

Spindly winter stems and a brilliant blue sky for a midweek miscellany - I love this series from from Sarah and look forward to catching up with it every week.

If you're struggling for inspiration, check out these beautiful festive wrapping ideas from Leah - I particularly like the doily. If you're still on the lookout to bring some seasonal cheer into the home head over here for a table centrepiece how-to.

These photos are so evocative of the cusp of the seasonal descent into winter; they have an ethereal, magical quality that somehow Laura manages to capture perfectly.

Regular readers here will know that I love to bring nature into the home and use the seasons to inspire everything I do, and it seems as though lots of other bloggers follow a similar ethos - head over here for #stylingtheseasons inspiration for December.

What other lovely posts should I be reading that I might have missed this week?

December is the month of indulgence. It's the only time of year we can eat three desserts, wash them down with a glass of some fizz and not feel guilty the next day. It's the month of Christmas, my birthday and New Year's Eve, not to mention all those festive get-togethers where mince pies are consumed within seconds, leaving only a flurry of icing sugar behind. Whether you devour duck, goose or turkey for your main meal of the year, it's all about the roast; even vegetarians stick to this with their nut roasts and pies.

Over the Christmas week, leftovers are king. We relish the opportunity for  bubble and squeak with lashings of ketchup and cold meats. Gone are the squashes and marrows of autumn, and in their place appears a whole host of brassicas, their leaves slightly unfurled, hinting at their dense flavours beneath. Boiling or steaming works well, but for something different add cabbages to a curry, and don't forget red cabbage with your dinner on the 25th.

Decadent desserts are the order of the day, with trifles and tortes taking centre stage, using frozen summer raspberries to add a zing of bright flavour to the darkest of months. Drinks are festive too, with cocktails, eggnog and hot chocolates to warm our frozen fingers after a blustery walk in the snow.

But if all this extravagance leaves you craving something a little more healthy, try some cranberries in this wild rice dish - perfect served as a side if you're hosting family or friends, or as a main meal on those quieter evenings between Christmas and New Year.

Do you have a space to call your own? Somewhere that is just for you, where no one else will intrude and you can craft and create or write and review to your heart's content? Despite allocating a corner of the spare bedroom for this very purpose, I've deliberated for a while over what my crafting and writing space should look like. I had too many items strewn in the shelves under the desk, too many materials with no home and far too much going on in terms of colour and ideas. Not only did I need something to draw everything together, I needed some inspiration, some motivation to get me through those dark evenings we're slowing falling into now. Enter the Typography mural from 1Wall.

The kind folks there sent me this product from their new Creative Collage series and I used the mural as a basis for adapting the space. You actually receive all letters of the alphabet, plus a few spares, and a whole host of punctuation marks (64 pieces in total) but in the end I only chose to use 8 pieces for my mural, depicting one of my favourite sayings - Love Life. This year hasn't been an easy one for a number of reasons, so now more than ever I feel it essential to remind myself that there are so many elements of my life that are wonderful, and that I should embrace each and every one.

The mural was fairly easy to install on the wall as it used wallpaper paste and was applied just as normal wallpaper would be. I then rearranged items on the desk underneath and removed most of the clutter. The addition of a candle and a few sprigs of dried lavender brought an element of softness to the desk, and gave me the opportunity to display and use my delightful candle snuffer. The result is perhaps more simple than I am used to creating, but I love that about it; it's somewhere completely different I can escape to when the rest of the house is upside down and take a moment to myself to breathe and recollect my thoughts.

Of course, I still have 56 pieces remaining, and I actually have a number of ideas for re-purposing them; I've earmarked at least 8 to be framed and gifted as Christmas presents, and will be using a few in frames on our wedding day to depict our initials. What do you think? Any other ideas to use the rest up? I'd hate for any to go to waste!

If you like the look of the mural, I've got a lovely 15% discount for you all - just enter 'nuffnang15' when you checkout from the 1Wall website until January 31st.

P.S. This is a sponsored post, but I wouldn't be writing about it unless I felt the product was a good fit for me and the blog. Views are always honest and my own.

December is all about… carolling by candlelight, spending time with loved ones, the evocative smell of a Norway spruce, turkey and roast potato sandwiches and a long Boxing Day walk.

Something to eat: Other than the quintessential Christmas dinner, December is the month to try out a clementine cake or add cranberries to mincemeat. If you're looking for different ways to serve sprouts, try them wok-fried with ginger, in a soup with chestnuts and chorizo, or creamed with bacon. Delicious.

Something to visit: Visiting a National Trust property is magical whatever time of year you go, but Christmas seems to hold something special. Head over here to find out what's going on in your area - you can even visit Father Christmas at some properties!

Something to make: Christmas cards. I've tried linocut snowflakes and black and white photos, but this year I'll be trying out something a bit different; I'll be using words to inspire my homemade Christmas cards.

Something to celebrate: Christmas! Time to laugh, smile and be thankful for the year gone by and those you love.

Something to take part in: Welcome back light into the world and celebrate the winter solstice on December 21st. The focus remains firmly focused on Christmas at this time of year, but noting and reflecting on the shortest day is also an opportunity to feast and revel in this turning point of the seasons, and the triumph of light over darkness once more.

Something a bit different: We've all heard of (and have probably sampled) something mulled at this time of the year, but have you ever tried wassail? Traditionally, the act of wassailing is to sing carols with neighbours and loved ones while sharing a drink, and there are many variants of the latter. My favourite is the spiced cider (recipe here), which wassailers would have prepared, then soaked pieces of bread or toast with it to bury by the roots of trees to assure a good harvest the following year.

Good afternoon! I hope you're ready for today's second post on preparations for Christmas. Next up on the preparation list is creating our advent calendar, and this year I'm using inspiration from Country Living magazine to create a bunting-style calendar to hang on the kitchen wall. I've been collecting offcuts of paper and card to use for this very purpose, and have written out twenty-four festive thoughts or tasks for each day. My sister and I used to make each other tiny gifts for each day of advent when we were younger, and I had good intentions of continuing this theme, but time - as always - has slipped away and this proved impossible. However, making the most of the festive season is what I want to focus on this year and I feel this style of calendar really helps me to achieve that.

Step One

Start by creating a template for each piece of bunting. I used the template from here to help, but it was really very simple.

Step Two

Cut out twenty four identical pieces of bunting and fold together two sides of each triangle to form a flattened cone. Fasten with sticky tape / glue.

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Step Three

Place your thoughts/tasks inside the pocket - they are wide enough for a small chocolate if you'd like an early morning treat too!

Step Four

You can buy numbered stickers to fasten the bunting pockets, but I used labels and cut out a shape I liked before adding a gold number to the front.

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Step Five

Thread some string or ribbon through the top of each pocket so they can be hung, and you're all done!

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If you'd like to include thoughts or tasks like me, here's my list:

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I'll be posting a picture for each day of advent over on instagram and I'd love it if you joined in! Simply post your image on instagram or twitter using #CreativeAdvent and if a few of you join in, I'll put the best on the blog.

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It's that time of year again when, unless I am fully organised and ready for the festive season ahead, I start to get a little bit frantic. I am usually fairly well-prepared but this year others are putting me to shame, having already bought and wrapped all their gifts, ordered their Christmas food and got the tree up and decorated (still a bit early for my tree!). So this weekend has been designated the 'get on top of Christmas' weekend, and if I'm honest I'm relishing the idea of preparing for one of my favourite times of the year complete with warming hot chocolates and perhaps a festive film or two.

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I began in earnest last night and attended the preview of the Lincolnshire Food & Gift Fair at the Showground. Complete with the smooth dulcet tones of Jazz singer Molly Amour and a complimentary glass of wine from Steep Hill wines, it was the perfect opportunity to survey the best of what the county has to offer, and I left with a number of bags and a feeling of over-indulgence after tasting one too many Lincolnshire cheeses. The show continues today and tomorrow and features demonstrations and workshops for those wanting a little crafting or baking inspiration for the weeks ahead, alongside numerous stalls bursting with local flavours and produce.

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I managed to purchase another few gifts and some tasty treats for the fridge, so I left feeling very content that the preparation weekend had started so well. Head over here for tickets for the show (£5), or alternatively buy on the door for a slightly higher price (£6). Do not miss the baklava in the second hall; I had another for breakfast this morning they were that good!

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How is your Christmas shopping going? Have you been to any festive fairs yet?

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P.S. Check back later for a second preparations post on creating a Christmas advent calendar!

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I was going to post something different today - a more thoughtful and indecisive piece on things I have been considering lately - but when I woke up this morning I felt like it didn't fit, and happily I remembered that tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and so I was inspired. Although I do not celebrate the American holiday, nevertheless it provides a wonderful opportunity to consider everything I am thankful for, to take a step back from the chaos of today and realise that actually, life is full of positive people and moments to cling to and embrace. So here goes...

1. My family. I have a very close family and we stick together through everything; we celebrate birthdays, mourn losses and go on holiday together, and I am so incredibly fortunate to have this constant support network surrounding everything I do.
2. My friends. Some have drifted down south, some abroad, others are new friends from the past few years, but what they all have in common is that I know if ever I needed them they would be there. And that's a heart-warming thought.
3. My home and life in the countryside. This blog is evidence itself of the joys that living in a rural location bring, and the opportunities I am able to experience because of where we have chosen to set up our life together. The changing in seasons in the countryside is a joy to watch and be thankful for.
4. My job, and Mr CC's job. No matter how many lows we experience, no matter how many days we return and think - is this really worth it? - it is. At the end of each working week, we can both truly say that we have made a difference, and how wonderful is that?
5. This blog. Not only has it given me the chance to meet some lovely new people, it has also provided me with a creative outlet to share my thoughts and ideas, and to write on a regular basis.

So what do you have to be thankful for?

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Good morning and welcome to another lovely list, written in the warmth of my living room while the rain pours heavily and lashes against the window panes. It's been another chaotic week, though the weekend so far has allowed me some respite, for which I am thankful. Today I have lots planned; firstly I want to get started on my homemade advent calendar as we only have a week left until the Christmas season truly begins, and secondly on a similar theme I'm aiming to get my Christmas pudding on the go, as mentioned in November's Something for the Diary post. So I think a bit of Christmas music alongside these activities is definitely in order! I also want to finish up the redesign and organisation of my crafting / writing space - check out the blog in just over a week's time for the results. Phew! So much to do, so I best get on with the lovely links that have been gracing my screen this week...

For a budget-friendly seasonal meal try this wholemeal pizza with kale pesto recipe (only 44p!). Or if you're after something a bit more indulgent, but still just as seasonal, try this chestnut and bacon focaccia.

I love Lou's Nature in the Home series, and this week's selections are simply beautiful; lots of inspiration for my own home.

A unique, interesting and inspiring interview that delves into the idea of 'intentional living'. You need to read this.

Trying to stay frugal over the Christmas period? Then these helpful posts - one and two - on how to survive Christmas on a budget are for you, and for us too, as 2015 is the year of our wedding, and we're trying to save as much as we can.

What have you been up to this weekend? Any posts I should be reading?

P.S. As mentioned in the last lovely list, I’ve been nominated for the UK Blog Awards 2015 (#UKBA15) – it’s the first blogging award I’ve ever been a part of, so if you like what you see on Creative Countryside, I’d be very grateful if you could spare a minute of your time to vote for me!

I'm the sort of girl who has a plethora of ideas, dreams and goals for the future. I have lists on paper, lists in my head and and wishes that whirl through my mind daily, but I'm guilty of leaving them as just that: wishes. But what if we were brave enough to turn all this wishing into doing? What if our actions began to reflect our desires? Scary though it may be, at least we would have tried; there would be no 'what-ifs' or nights spent drifting away into a world of invention and speculation.

What do you think? Shall we be brave?

Weekly blog posts are funny old things. They start with the best of intentions, yet few remain and they often peter out when time becomes an issue or there simply isn't enough to write about one week. I've had so many blog posts calling out to be included in my Lovely List series, but Sunday comes and goes and I only just find time to read the blogs I enjoy, perhaps commenting on a couple, but definitely not finding the time to write about them in a post. However, I'm determined to bring this one back, because sharing is caring after all, and there are some things just too good to miss.

In other news, we let Bella off her lead for the first time this weekend, and despite Mr CC and I being a bit apprehensive she was absolutely wonderful, even when we passed a field of sheep. We've got a good one there.

This past week I've loved reading everything on The Tea Drinking English Rose. Charlotte's photographs are soft and beautiful and her excitement about Christmas is almost on a par to my own. Get over there this instant if it's not one of your regular reads!

Kaite and Reuben over at House of Humble are back and I am so glad. These ten good things right now are helping me to appreciate the small, simple things as my days grow even more hectic.

These photos make me want to go out walking. Right now.

This post on crafting the seasons at Liberty is further feeding my obsession with Christmas. I just want to stay at home and make Christmas gifts and tags all day long with a hot chocolate in hand and Bella at my feet.

A lovely life lately post from Sarah. She's also chosen me for her Sunday Spotlight this week, so make sure you check that out too!

You might have also seen in my sidebar that I've been nominated for the UK Blog Awards 2015 (#UKBA15) - it's the first blogging award I've ever been a part of, so if you like what you see on Creative Countryside, I'd be very grateful if you could spare a minute of your time to vote for me!

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.

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Clockwise from top left: beautiful pale petals taken as a cutting from my grandma's garden; bare branches towering over the house and garden; accumulating leaves over every inch of the grass; a very healthy and happy rosemary plant; seed pods on the track leading to our house - Bella tries to eat every single one; wonderful orange berries; interesting tree bark designs; a sedum plant in its final phase of colour; the soft scented roses still going strong.

Autumn in the garden can be more vibrant and colourful than many of the summer months, and our garden has delighted us with soft pink hues, deep orange berries and the earthy colours of falling leaves and seed pods. If I'm honest, it's looking a little tired and neglected at the moment, and could do with the weeds being removed as well as even more raking of leaves, but in a way it's quite fitting that in the latter months of the year the garden gradually slows and evolves into a more natural, organic space.

The warmth of October has meant that flowers that normally would be long gone still remain to brighten the gloomy skies of early November, but I know that soon we will only be left with the opulent green of the holly bush and the creaking of the trees as they sway high above in the blustery gales as we approach winter.

My plans for the months ahead in the garden simply involve general tidying and upkeep, perhaps pulling out some of the plants that are past hope of resurrection, although seeing the bare frame of a plant or tree crusted in early morning frost is a sight to behold. What do you enjoy about gardens in autumn? Do you sadden as the plants fall to the ground, or embrace the new shapes that are slowly appearing?

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