Wee Birdy: Christmas in London

Christmas in London

November 16, 2009

Wee find: Lazy Oaf Christmas jumpers

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Secretly loving Lazy Oaf's slightly mad Christmas jumpers this season, the type your gran (or Ron Weasley's mum) might have lovingly laboured over for months. I think I need one because I've never actually been a lucky recipient of the classic reindeers-and-snowflakes version. It's limited edition and has been hand screen-printed in red and blue. £39, from Lazy Oaf.

16 Nov 2009 07:00:00 | Best of British, Christmas 2009, Christmas in London, London fashion, Shopping in Soho, Shopping in W1, Shopping in West London, Shopping online

November 12, 2009

Wee Birdy testdrives: Rebel Rebel flower school

I recently found myself on a particularly dark and dismal Monday afternoon in the warm environs of one of my favourite London florists, Rebel Rebel, surrounded by the most exquisite and vibrant blooms. I was test-driving their first-ever flower school, which will be popping up at East London restaurant Bistrotheque in a couple of weeks’ time.

The first lesson involved a quick tour around the shop’s seasonal flowers, followed by a tutorial in de-thorning roses (super-easy thanks to a rather nifty little tool) and lots of hands-on practice. Then it was time to put my floristry skills to the test, with a workshop on how to make a hand-tied bouquet. After practicing on roses it was time to pick my own mix of blooms, which was a very Rebel-Rebel assortment of ruby hydrangeas, Italian mint, pistachio foliage, purple anemones and yellow dill. Here are some pics of my tutor, Gus, going through the steps…

For the finishing touch, I was tutored in the fine art of tissue and cellophane wrapping – and how to make a little water bubble to keep the flowers fresh. Et voila, here’s the final product, which is now taking pride of place in my living room… what do you think?

The first afternoon flower school will be held on Friday 20 November from 2pm to 5pm. You will learn how to make your own hand-tied bunch of gorgeous, seasonal flowers and foliage, which you can take home at the end of the day. £80 per person.

There will also be an all day Christmas workshops on Saturday 21 November from 10am to 4.30pm, where you will learn expert techniques to create your own door wreath or table centrepiece. Lunch at Bistrotheque included in the £195 fee, and you get to take home your wreath and other goodies.

For more details, call Rebel Rebel on 020 7254 4487 or email [email protected], or visit the website.

12 Nov 2009 20:00:00 | Christmas 2009, Christmas decorations, Christmas in London, London classes and workshops, Shopping in E8, Shopping in East London, Shopping on Broadway Market

November 10, 2009

London's Christmas lights and windows

London was all a-glitter tonight with Carnaby revealing a super-retro Christmas lights display, but first up was Liberty and its brilliant Christmas windows.

It was a bit of a creature-feature with a giant birdy in one window (complete with a raft of bird boxes) and Mr and Mrs Foxy (and baby Foxy) sitting down to Christmas dinner in another, but I particularly love the Coronation/Rule Brittania set-up, which features the most incredible collection of royal memorabilia.

The next window transported us to a rather nostalgic suburban scene with the Quality Street scattered under the sofa, fruitcake piled up on the occasional table, and kitsch toys under the tree. Aaaah…so cosy.

The British heritage obsession combined with all the witty foxy-hunting-lodge references is of course a nod to Luella Bartley, who has stepped in to ‘guest-edit’ Liberty’s Christmas collection this year.

It’s celebrated in Luella’s Christmas Grotto (on the Carnaby Street side of the store), and it’s really difficult not to love all of her special picks, from the badger egg cups and goldfish hankies to the Shepherd’s diaries and Liberty-print hair bows. All of the Rubbish finger puppets are there, too. You can look at Luella's picks online here. Such a genius idea.