Christmas kitchen bouquet

Pussy willow and Red Berry

Reminds me of when i was a child on my way to school. I love how soft it is. Like stroking a teeny tiny pussycat!

The Stylish Blog Award - goes to me!

I was awarded The Stylish Blog Award from the lovely Kate over at Deceivingly Domestic. Thank you!

What do I have to do? 

Basically I have to tell you 7 things about myself that you may or may not know about and the best part is to award any fellow bloggers whom I think that their blog is stylish and fabulous and most importantly an inspirational blog. Note: *To accept this award, there are 4 rules:*
1. Thank the person who gave you the award
2. Share seven things about yourself
3. Pass the award on to bloggers who you think are fantastic.
4. Contact the bloggers you picked and let them know about the award.

Here goes: 

 1.  I love short hair and have spent most of my adult life with a short style. At the moment i'm on a grower but you can be guaranteed it won't last forever! This photo is from last year when i was still a blondie too!

 2. Ew...this is hard...6 more to go!

I have recently started an interior design course part time, as i am currently a homemaker/housewifey but i have worked as a teacher, waitress, TV agent, sales assistant, personal shopper and for InStyle Magazine in the fashion department! 

3. I'd love to be able to speak fluent French. I'd love a second house in the South of France! One day...

4.  If there were the places to go, people to go with and babysitters a plenty, I'd dance the night away every weekend.  I missed being born at a time where people went dancing on a night out. Now we stand in bars or have to go to seedy clubs. Real dancing is not the norm. Oh for the Frank Sinatra big band bliss!

Image

5.  My second baby weighed 10lb 11.5 ounces. I had him at home, au naturel, as they say. Midwives were amazing. He got stuck and my midwife had to ahem...put her hand in and 'help' him out. I've learnt the ability of the human body to do amazing things and the power of your mind to get through any situation. It was an experience. I've learnt to never say 'never again'.

 Seriously porky!

6. I am unbelievably positive. Ask any of my friends. It may sound deep!... but I truly believe positivity is the key to all success. Through any crisis, drama or tragedy i'll always be the one standing back after the smoke has cleared saying 'but look at the silver lining.' It's probably the single most important thing i want to pass onto my children. I believe it makes you a happy person.

7. I find music very emotional. I can often begin to  feel my lip wobble at the most random of tunes. And don't even get me started on Christmas carols. It's just embarrassing. Once when i was little, i cried so much at 'Away in a manger' that the teacher had to take me out of assembly.

Ooh i'm done...

Now my Stylish Blogger Awards goes to... (too many, had to whittle mine down to a names out of a hat thang!) ANYWHOO...

Trina at La La Lovely

and Lizey at Shh it's Lizeylou

So I have have spread the award around to let another fellow blogger know that their blog is heard, seen and show them that they are appreciated! You never know what litte cheer could do to another fellow blogger!

Hey peeps!

I'm back and not quite fighting fit but back anyway! Looking forward to catching up.

Yesterday i was 32! Wowzer. Mr C and Kitty made me this -

His first ever cake...and it was delic. Am hoping eating the rest might make me feel better?!

And funnily enough as if by coincidence, on my birthday i also got awarded the Stylish Bloggers Award. over at Deceivingly Domestic..so I'm pondering the conditions and will be back tomorrow with a bit more on that!

What else have you missed? Not much only this...

Dodgy iphone pic but you get the jist...anyone else's husband forgot to put the guard on the clippers?
Mohichan anyone?

Sorry we've been away kids in the sick house!

    Back soon! x

Ikea Live

After getting my super fabulous free Ikea magazine for Winter 2010 in the post i am all excited and taking a little trip out there tomorrow to get some Christmas bits for our table of 15!

Shame they don't have my favourite picture from the magazine on their site. Think i'll have to scan it but they do have oodles of other inspiration.

Lots of lovely Scandinavian inspired White!

Make Shift Sledge

I have cabin fever from being stuck in the house for the past few days. I have been snowed in...kind of! England shuts down when any amount of snow hits the ground. It's insane, so i was elated when Mr.C didn't go into work today. Too many days housebound without speaking to another adult is tough! There are only so many paper snowflakes you can create and playdough snowmen to mold!

           So much snow you can't see the top of my wellies. It's fun for a short while but i'll be happy to see the snow gone soon!

Advent Calender...just in time

I finished this last night.

I couldn't even begin to tell you how i made it. Trial and error and lots of unpicking!
But just in time for today. Literally! I 've put the days in number order (except Christmas Eve) as mine are still little and learning their numbers and i thought it might help them remember their order visually seeing them like this.

Not sure what i am going to fill them with yet. I'm thinking I'll just add the treats a day at a time so they are not raided all at once by little fingers! Maybe some stickers, Christmas colouring pictures, biscuits and chocolate buttons or maybe a card with something we could do that day, like put up the Christmas tree. Great ideas other than just chocolate, after being inspired by the ideas over at Green is the New Black. They have the cutest Advent Calender.

Green is the new black

Dolls House Help!

Love the traditional (cheaper!) option but the second one actually has a pull out pool! Hello people. Who'd of thought! Well Lundby obviously. Love them both. She won't have much furniture in it for a while but she's only nearly 4, she can make believe. Still a little young for a dolls house of this beauty maybe? But it's something that can be added to over the next few years, and while she's still young enough not to care what she gets for Christmas i guess getting something you want in your house is a bonus! Both available at Amazon.

Which would you choose?

Perfect for me this Monday

from Modern Motive's etsy shop. Seen here.

FAVOURITE BLOG FRIDAY: Hooked on Houses

Ok if you are not interested in celebrity or TV homes, it might not be your ideal blog but it has the most amazing tours of beautiful houses owned by celebrity's amongst others. I spent a day here just being nosy and it was a lot of fun!

 Gwyenth's Hamptons Pad

Sarah Jessica Parker's Hamptons House

 Sheryl Crow's Kitchen

Martha's Vineyard Cottage

Sally Field's Malibu home

Need i show more?!.. see for yourself at Hooked on Houses.

I'm a winner!

Recently i won my FIRST EVER prize over at Little Lovely, not including the Easter egg i won from Hi! Magazine, aged 8. And i just had to show you how cute they are. I was so pleased to get them in the post, all the way from Byron Bay, Australia...which also happens to be one of my top 3 places in Australia that i've visited so far!

Meet Marvin the Mudcrab, Tony Treefrog and Pete Penguin all from O.B Designs

 They all have a note with their hobbies and personalities and have a beautiful handmade quality about them. I love toys that you are actually proud to have in your home or to give as a gift.

 I'm giving Marvin to my little boy for Christmas and originally i thought i had just won Pete the penguin which i was going to give my sister's twins when they arrive in the new year but the lovely Kate from O.B Designs sent me Tony the treefrog too as she didn't want the twins to have to fight!

So a massive thanks to Kate at O.B designs and the wonderful Little Lovely. I love them all!

I have no words Wednesday

Living etc.

Think i'm going to be needing one of these very soon!

Though i'd love some huskey's to pull us along even more!

google images

Show it how it is

This is my input into Bubby Makes Three's Challenge. Exactly how my house looked at points this weekend. It was a very busy one and when there's mess in my house, it seems to multiply like gremlins. I'm an all or nothing person. Really tidy or really messy. I never seem to have the ability to stop it anywhere inbetween! Here goes...

Leftovers from my Charity Fashion Sale!

See what i mean!

Corner of my home

Found this random picture when downloading my last images. I think it came from the total random shooting i did when my camera display went black for a few minutes and all the pictures came out black! I was worried! But it seemed to resolve itself.

I love seeing how tiny snippets of your home can look so different. This is a Harpers cover i have framed from 2002 with Camilla and Charles and now it's all about William and Kate. I think she would make a beautiful cover girl.

This weekend i am hosting a Charity Fashion Sale so am up to my ears in clothes, shoes and accessories. Heaven!  Have a great weekend! Oh and I'll be trying to take a good picture of how my house really looks for Bubby Makes Three's Challenge - Show it how it is. You should try it too!  I think it will be liberating! ha ha

hair love

VALERIA LAZAREVA

A Cup of Jo

 

A Glimpse of Glamour

I no longer a blondie but it doesn't stop me loving these. Maybe she'll return one day?