On the mantel: November

Phew, I’m posting this in time by the skin of my teeth.

But, yes, though my thoughts have been to that big event towards the end of December for a good few weeks now, my diary tells me that it is still (just!) November, and here I am with my November mantel…

What November’s like round my mantelpiece…

Of course, I’m far from the first blogger to tell you that there’s nothing like a bit of naychur on your mantelpiece to cheer up a gloomy and rainy day. I adore the good old ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba) – it’s amazing history, weird biology (the only tree in the world to have motile sperm, doncha know) and most of all the beautiful fan-shaped leaves, a stunning yellow at this time of year.

I collected a handful of leaves from a tree that I like to visit (and photograph) in my local park and – ever at the vanguard of blogging trends – decided to make a little garland with them.

I used some red thread and just stuck a needle through the very end of the leaf stalk. I have to say, it was really rather a fiddly and irritating way of making the garland; leading to lots of swearing and pricked fingers. But still, the end result is rather beautiful (if highly fragile)…

Lovely, lovely ginkgo leaves

Not content to stop there, but ever a fan of overkill, I’ve also got some rosehips from the front garden (the roses themselves only stopped blooming in the past few weeks) and some pine cones from the park that I made into firelighters for my Christmas hamper. The fire is yet to be lit, so they’re just cheerfully sitting there for the time being.

Sitting in one of my favourite Hong Kong Trappist milk bottles

It was the hubby’s birthday a few weeks back and the amazing rhino illustration was his present from the sproglets. (Bought from Mrs Robinson on Lordship Lane in East Dulwich, along with an elephant and hippo.) Haven’t they got good taste?!

It’s just resting here for now, waiting for the hallway to be painted so it can assume its final position.

Love this rhino…

The Letterpress card is really a beaut, sent by my cousin in thanks for some garden design advice I gave her last weekend. Tea and coffee mugs, what could be nicer?

Coffee or tea?

If you’ve seen my previous mantelpiece posts (September and October) then you may be relieved to note I have finally got round to painting it. Hurrah for small jobs completed.

So that’s November. Next month, ah, now that’s the biggie. I might actually try and get that sorted in good time for once…