Ho ho ho

[bunn]

It's a holly tree - well, actually, it's three pieces of holly that we cut in the garden and tied together into the shape of one tree.
I don't know what this year's carving will be yet, but you can see a previous year's Neolithic Venus in the middle there :-D

Merry Christmas all!

Comments

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

Because _buying_ trees from some grubby little garden centre is so vulgar.

One just cuts one down from the grounds...

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

You mean, there are other ways of getting one's tree?

Quiz from the Times a few years back - "How posh are you?" Question 1 -

"You grew up on an estate. Did it have:
a) 4,000 acres
b) 4,000 houses
c) 4 wheels"

I was able to honestly answer, a). (Well, not that honestly; it actually had 14,000 acres. But who's counting.)

[bunn.livejournal.com]

More to the point, it was FREE!!!

And it needed chopping anyway...

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Great idea, hope you have a lovely Christmas.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you, we did! and a Happy Boxing day, etc!

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

That's fantastic! What a lovely idea, using holly and cutting it from your own garden.

Who does the carving?

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Oh, the carving is me. I was fortunate to have a father whose thought process went 'Hmm, what would be a good gift for an 8 year old girl? Ah, of course! A set of very sharp craft knives and a small pile of wood, what could be more delightful???'

And then a few years back I was lucky enough to do a carving course with one of the few remaining full time artisan wood carvers, which was excellent in many ways, not least because he helped me buy a set of proper grown up Swiss steel chisels. My icon is actually a carving that is hanging on our tree - although I post-processed it quite a lot after photographing.

[kargicq.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! Merry Christmas!

[bunn.livejournal.com]

And a very Merry Christmas (and Boxing Day) to you too!

[chainmailmaiden]

Looks lovely, what a great idea.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Excellent festive icon there!

We originally came up with the idea the year we were snowed in and couldn't get out to buy a tree, but as the holly *really* needed pruning, it seemed too good to waste!

[sally_maria]

What a brilliant idea - very impressive looking and practical as well.

I hope you both had a good day.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

We went for holly the year we were snowed in and couldn't get out to buy a tree. It doesn't have that pine smell, but on the other hand, every time I look at it I am reminded that the garden has been that little bit more subdued, so hurray!

Merry Boxing Day (can boxing day be merry? I intend it should be!)

[sibila-cantus.livejournal.com]

I love your tree and will merrily steal the idea next year in lieu of just not putting one up like this year. And your Venus is lovely!

Merry Christmas!

[bunn.livejournal.com]

It's enormously practical! Real tree, garden gets much-needed prune, no needles!

And a happy Boxing day to you!