It’s become a tradition that each year the Fir Lady visits us, and this weekend she rose up from the forest floor one night, a tangle of roots and vines becoming a magnificent woman by sunrise. A flurry of woodland animals gathered to help her, clambering onto the toadstools that grew around her skirts and bringing ladders and pulleys to adorn her with golden acorns;
For some (even a forest has introverts), it was easier just to clamber safely out of the fray and enjoy watching the festive preparations with a book.
Every forest has its leaders, and it seems the foxes were the self-appointed project-managers, cheerfully directing operations whilst everyone else cheerfully ignored them;
Teamwork is everything.
To make the Fir Lady this year…
I used the mannequin I prepared last year, and in a bid to spend less and think of the environment I sourced the greenery for her skirts from our garden (we’re lucky to have a legion of fir trees!)
- The mice and other woodland animals are all tree decorations; I bought mine in the post-Christmas sales last year, but you can find them in many UK stores and garden centres this year too. Online, OKA, White Stuff and Cox and Cox have a range in stock.
- The toadstools were inexpensive wooden craft shapes I painted. Mine were from a local garden centre (or try Hobbycraft in the UK, or Michaels in the US); I gave them a basic wash of off-white and then painted the hoods in a khaki shade before dry brushing the same colour over the stems. I rolled tiny balls of white clay for the polka dots on top.
- The gilded acorns the mice are carrying are from a wired wreath pick; I unravelled them and trimmed the wires so the mice could carry them easily (and they wrap well around a fir sprig!)
- The ladders were made by snipping up fallen twigs and hot glueing them together
- And because I’m often asked… my backdrop is the ‘chalkboard’ backdrop from here – and I’ve used a sheer length of cloth on the floor for these pics too.
Have a great week, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing!
Melle Blanche
It’s so poetic, timeless and magical!
Jen Collins
Wow, wow, wow, Kate!
Lindsey Back
You are magical….so beautiful….thank you.
Nicole
A hard choice but I think this fir lady is my favourite. Stunning as always.
Sue
I look forward to this each Christmas – I think this is my favourite Merry Christmas!!
Fülesgomb
Hilarious and beautiful! I love it to bits! Merry Christmas!
Kiki
Every year you post about the fir lady, I think it can’t get better than this. And then you manage to top it the next year! Gorgeous, I wish I was that creative.
Joan
Marvelous
sylvie
so, so, so beautiful ! Thanks for sharing such a pretty thing !
Hanneke
She is stunning!
Kelly
Your whimsy and amazing talents are just a joy to behold. Really, I enjoy your posts so much.
Dianne
I love the Fir Lady posts! This one is gorgeous, adorable and fabulous!
Karen
Beautiful! I look forward to the fir lady every year! I have a old sewing mannequin from my gramma who she named Martha! Lol. She is located in my NY house, I want to bring her to my house in NC so I can dress her for Christmas!! You are such a creative and inspiring person!
Karen
Michele Herdman
How do you do it Kate? Magical!
Heather
This has to be the best (and my favourite) Fir Lady to date. The hard working little woodland creatures are a lovely touch.
Brenda L
Magic! Pure magic!
belocchio
My heart skipped a beat. The enchanting Fir Lady a creation of folk-lore magic. She is a fairy tale you never want to stop reading. She is magnificent dreams. She captures the magic of the season dressed for a Christmas gala in some woodland glade. Bravo. Bravo!
sharon
magnificent1
Jackie
Amazing! I don’t how you manage to top your previous years’ creations, and yet somehow you do. It is stunning and so intricate.I saw that a local charity shop had done a similar thing this year. While not as chic as yours, I’m sure it must be inspired by your creations. https://www.instagram.com/p/B55viw6nYo_/?igshid=pdgeorg7l0iw