12 Days Before Christmas: Day 12 with Lady Melbourne

Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 12.

Phoebe lives in Melbourne and has a keen eye for vintage style. She writes almost daily showcasing Melbourne fashion, tips on etiquette and documents various Australian fashion events. And her photography is beautiful.

I asked Phoebe:

12 Days Before Christmas: Day 11 with Making It Lovely

Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 11.

Nicole Balch has been working on making on her home lovely for her family and documenting the creative process and results on her website Making It Lovely. She has been an inspiration of mine for many years and I am so honoured to have her visiting ish and chi today.

Through the years Nicole's family has grown and her blog not only documents the changes to her home but also her family. It is such a delight following along her journey.

I asked Nicole:

12 Days Before Christmas: Day 10 with Esme and the Laneway

Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 10.

Marianne is originally from London and now lives in Melbourne. She is the author of a beautiful fashion and beauty blog called Esme and the Laneway. Have you read it? If not you must as it's full of gorgeous vintage style and fashion inspiration. And her photography is beautiful. I feel as though I am transported back in time whenever I read her blog.

I asked Marianne:

What are some of your most favourite party season hairstyles?

12 Days Before Christmas: Day 9 with Olive & Joy

Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 9.

Julie Palmer is the author of Olive & Joy and owner of the beautiful online homewares store by the same name. Julie's style is pure with a mid-century modern aesthetic that I was drawn to very early on in her writing.

Julie has recently given birth to her first child and wanted to congratulate her and also sincerely thank her for contributing to this 12 Days Before Christmas series when she was only weeks away from giving birth!

I asked Julie:

What are your top picks for homewares to give others (or ourselves!) this Christmas?

12 Days Before Christmas: Day 8 with Simply Grove

Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 8.

Kirsten is an Interior Decorator living in Boise, Idaho and author of design blog Simply Grove. Simply Grove is another one of the first blogs I started reading and Kirsten is an absolute gem.

It is impossible to not be inspired when visiting Simply Grove from Kirsten's home projects to the beautiful interiors and decorating projects that she writes about. There is lots there to spark off a creative idea or two.

I asked Kirsten:

How will you be decorating your home for the holiday season?

12 Days Before Christmas: Day 7 with A Creative Mint

Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 7.

Leslie Shewring lives in Canada and loves colour so much she has a website called A Creative Mint dedicated to her photography of colour schemes as well as her various creative projects.

I know by visiting Leslie's blog that I will be inspired to paint, craft, style, create and surround myself with colour. There are lots of ideas to take away from her projects. And have you seen her column on decor8 - Color Me Pretty?

I asked Leslie:

What colours do you see us being drawn to in 2012?

12 Days Before Christmas: Day 6 with MadeByGirl

Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 6.

Jennifer Ramos is a graphic designer, author of MadeByGirl and owner of an online store by the same name. She has bucket loads of style and her blog inspires me regularly, in particular for the home tours that she posts but more recently for the DIY statement necklace tutorial she shared. Tempted to give it a try.

Jen has a keen eye for art and creates her own as well for her store Cocoa & Hearts. I asked Jen:

12 Days Before Christmas: Day 5 with The Happy Home

Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 5.

She is a freelance writer, author of The Happy Home blog, contributor to Kidspot, queen crafter and mum of three. How she does it all, I have no idea! Her blog is full of beautiful craft ideas, creative projects to do with kids and all things related to creating a lovely happy home. Her blog is one of the first I read and loved (before The Happy Home she was the author of a blog called renovate+decorate) and I became hooked on all her decorating projects. It has been fun following Belinda's journey over the years and she is as inspiring as she is lovely.

I asked Belinda:

What are some simple craft / decoration projects you might suggest we try for this holiday season?

12 Days Before Christmas: Day 4 with Smaggle

Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 4.

She is the author of a lifestyle website called Smaggle which is a word her and her partner invented and is a cross between a smash and a snuggle. Carly Jacobs is Lady Smaggle and she writes about fashion, beauty, travel, food and her daily outfits. She throws in a good dose of humour too!

I asked Carly:

What are your tips for things to avoid this holiday season?

12 Days Before Christmas: Day 3 with fatmumslim

Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 3.

Chantelle is also a Sydney girl, social media editor for Kidspot and writer of fatmumslim. If you haven't visited fatmumslim as yet I encourage you to do so. Chantelle writes about the ups and downs of life, recipes, her family and her little girl. Her writing is like poetry. Her photography is beautiful.

I asked Chantelle:

What are some ways you stay {almost} stress-free and sane during the silly season:

12 Days Before Christmas: Day 2 with Table Tonic

Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 2.

She is a Sydney girl who launched Table Tonic - the online home wares store and blog. Prior to that she was the Creative Director for Cosmopolitan, Dolly and Cleo magazines. Louise Bell is one of those absolutely all round lovely people. Add her on Twitter and you'll see what I mean!

On the Table Tonic blog, Louise regularly reviews books and so I asked her:

What are your top picks for design / decorating books to give (or read ourselves) this holiday season?

12 Days Before Christmas: Day 1 with Mr Jason Grant

Over the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I have invited friends and people I am inspired by to share a few words. Today is Day 1.

He is a super stylist living the Bondi life whose work has been featured in Real Living, Inside Out, Living etc just to name a few publications. He documents his adventures on his blog, has collaborated with Murobond to create paint collections and Officeworks to create stationery and style their catalogues and he loves VW kombi vans as much as I do.

I first met Jason when he visited my home to style it for the Real Living shoot. I had no idea what to expect but it was magic watching him touch up my place and I have enjoyed following his journey through his blog ever since.

I asked Mr Jason Grant:

The tag line for your new Murobond paint collection is 'love to paint'. What did you last enjoy painting and what is your next planned paint project?

12 Days Before Christmas

It is that time of the year, where we are either madly preparing for Christmas or in complete denial that it is less than two weeks away. I am in denial. I still have gifts to buy, a trip to plan, some decorating to do around the home but I am happily enjoying all the events that are happening this time of year! Happy to put on my party shoes rather than hoist up the Christmas tree, that's for sure.

I have however planned something a little special to share with you here on ish and chi. I have invited some of my friends and people I have been inspired by for years to share a few words in the lead up to Christmas - the 12 days before Christmas.

I won't reveal who just yet (although you might guess by the image above) but over the next 12 days there will be guest spots from a stylist, a decorating guru, fashion and interior writers, owners of homewares stores, a DIY expert, photographer and designer. I hope you find their words as inspiring as I do and thank you to my guests for being a part of this.