The Weekly Best ~ Dec 6, 2024

Hi everyone! I can’t believe the first week of December has come and gone and it’s already time for another edition of The Weekly Best!

This week I have been seized with a critical desire to decorate. However the conundrum in which I find myself is that I don’t have anything to decorate WITH.

If you follow me on FB or in the LTK app, you know I have a ridiculous amount of Christmas decorations that I’ve compiled over many years and they are all stowed away neatly back in the states. Utterly excessive but also completely glorious.

I really can’t see buying a bunch of new decorations for the villa. At least not yet. And even if I wanted to there’s no way I’d be able to get what I want. Aside from a few bobbles and trinkets, the offerings on the island are sad at best. I thought about going to the city and shopping for decorations but after thinking about several days of back and forth on the ferry, I quickly put it out of my mind.

So I’ve settled on a nature themed Christmas. Bringing the outdoors in to create a cozy abode that will positively radiate with holiday cheer and will beckon to passers by. (Too much?)

Thats the plan.

And I’m realizing I should have started sooner. Making ornaments is time consuming, so the mere fact that I’ve taken time away from dehydrating fruit, folding countless little paper ornaments and foraging the country side for the perfect tree has me questioning my decisions on time management.

But- Onward! Let’s get to “The Weekly Best!”

Olive Picking!

Without a doubt, one of the best things that happened this week was my first time to pick olives from the trees around the villas. What an incredibly satisfying and cathartic experience. Standing in the sunshine, on sloped earth terraces with my hands over my head and stripping all those shiny little black globes from their stems was blissful.

I have a hearty stash of olives currently brining, and this weekend, I’ll be preserving them in their jars. I’ve enjoyed everything about this entire process and I’m fairly obsessed now. Perhaps the title of Olivador awaits me in the future. (Don’t you dare dim my hopes with talks of my olive picking shortcomings- they are unshakable.)

Paper Bag Stars

Another ridiculously satisfying project. Beautiful stars out of paper bags. You can find the tutorial here. These are so fun and so easy to do, and they really add a lovely touch anywhere you decide to use them. You can find lots more DIY ornaments on my Pinterest board here.

Zokey

The village donkey, Zokey, decided that life in the village was far too confining for his big dreams. This week, he made an executive decision to break free and set his sights on the town. I was stepping onto the terrace with my first cup of coffee in hand when I spotted him—trotting down the road with his head held high and his little tail swishing, a picture of determination. The town was in his sights, and he was gleefully heading toward the bigger life he knew he deserved.

But his plans were dashed rather quickly. One of the more annoying aspects of living in a tiny village is that everyone knows everything. The very first villager on their way to work sent a text to the farmer, and before long, Zokey found himself beside a car with his halter and a few apples. He knew he’d been betrayed by a fellow villager.

As he made the slow walk of defeat back toward the village, his spirit wasn’t broken. In his little, undeterred donkey heart, he knew one thing: this wouldn’t be his last escape.

I love it here.

This Outfit

Click here to see these exact pieces.

I needed something for sashaying about at all the outdoor Christmas Markets here and as I’ve told you before, my current closet offerings on hand are minuscule. And as I’ve also complained stated here before, it takes FOREVER to get anything delivered, so I don’t have all of these pieces yet but every day that I check the tracking information, they assure me it’s on it’s way.

I know that burgundy is the color of the season this year, but for some reason, I find myself obsessed with brown. I love this entire combination and I think for warmth I’ll be adding these tights and some boots I need to quickly decide on! I have this faux fur coat from last year (Runs slightly large).

Which, by the way, If you’re needing something fabulous for parties this season- or for no reason at all- get yourself a faux fur coat if you don’t have one. You won’t regret it I promise. Slip it on, pour yourself a drink, and ponder the art of festooning your life with joy and sparkle. Cheers to being “extra” this year!

This View from the Kitchen Window

I finished decorating this window area last night and I had 2 thoughts as I enjoyed my finished product: 1. “I love it! It looks so warm and cozy and cheerful!” and 2. “Wow that took a long time to do.”

The branch simply would not obey and stay up a bit higher so, after countless attempts there she shall defiantly rest. It also could use a sweet little gingerbread house as well, but we’ll see if that materializes.

I got flameless candlesticks for the windows and I really like them. I placed them in simple colored glass holders. And the fairy lights have little stars on them and are so agreeable to just stay where I put them on a very disagreeable branch!

That’s all I have for this week- I hope you got a a few laughs and I hope you enjoy reading the weekly best as much as I enjoy writing them.

What was your best from this week?

You may also like:

“How to Set a Beautiful Holiday Table: Simple Ideas and Tips”

A Quiet Morning in the Village

Lashes over 50

You can pin any of these photos to Pinterest , by clicking on the Pinterest button and you can also find me there. I’d love to have you follow me in the LTK app. I’ve been sharing a lot of Christmas decoration ideas so do pop on over. You can also ask me any questions you have about products, right in the app! It makes shopping a snap. I’m also on Facebook, sharing more behind the scenes village life. Anywhere you like, share or comment on my content helps me out so much, so thank-you!