I Want That One!

Sophie never fails to make us laugh at the fact she knows exactly what she wants and how to communicate it to us.  On a visit to Cath Kidston to choose a new pillowcase for her bedroom she didn't hesitate to point at the one she liked, nodding when I asked her if that was the one she wanted.  

Just to make sure I showed her another (less pretty) one at which she pulled a face, shook her head and pointed again!

As usual she got what she wanted!

I think it looks great!

Good choice Sophie!!!

Lots of Love xxxx

Primark Chic

Loving Primarks range of cute homeware (check out that lovely bike cushion!) I was restrained and just bought a pink spotted fleece blanket for Sophie's room which goes perfectly with her pink spotty CK pillowcase!

What's your favourite?

Lots of Love xxxx

Pots of Ideas............

I'm loving these pretty storage tins from Ikea a snip at just £3.29 for the set of 3!  They look so pretty in Sophie's new bedroom. (pop over to Kelly's Clutter today to see my progress!)  Perfect for hiding the not so pretty, but essential, 'bits' that come with babies!

Also in Sophie's room is a thrifted find from our local CS.  I love these glass containers and have set it to work housing cotton wool pads (rather than just leaving the pack on the side!)

 

 The little Star decoration was a present from my friend's 3 year old.  Apparently she saw them at a craft fair and had placed her order before her mum caught up with her!  I love it and she was very proud to see her gift being shown off!

I saw this idea for storing cupcake cases over at Gem's Country Life Dream and threatened to steal it from her!

 I'm so pleased I followed through with my threat as the cases fit perfectly and  take up far less room in my (newly organised!) baking cupboard than the huge tin I stored them in before. 

(apologies for the rubbish photo, I always decide to take photos in poor light!)

What's your top storage tip?  I love getting new ideas!

Lots of Love xxxx

Around The House - Part One

Before Sophie was born I may have mentioned improvements we were doing around the house (so much so you were probably all thoroughly bored!)

I thought as you all suffered the dull posts (or just lack of them!) that I would finally get on and share some pictures of the finished results with you!

Back in November I promised to share some photos of our new bedroom with you so it would seem appropriate that I start there
I only have one 'before' photo (sorry) I still like the pink, cream and brown that inspired Victoria and I to refer to it as the 'Neapolitan' room, but was also happy to have a change (and let James have some input!)


James wanted purple and although Its a colour I would usually be a bit scared of we decided to just go for it!
So 3 days and a professional decorator later.........

Voila!

We chose new accessories to complement the bold colours. I just love the curtains and the fabby chair! (a total bargain at £60 from TK Maxx!)
We are really pleased with the result!

What do you think?

Next week, the bathroom and the nursery!
Have a great weekeknd

Lots of Love

xxxx

A Room Of Our Own!

James and I have spent a lot of time preparing for the arrival of our little girl, we have decorated, cleaned, ruthlessly cleared out (mainly me!), fixed and adorned the house!
We are happy with the results and are as ready as we will ever be for our arrival!
(I may even give you all a tour soon!)
We chose to live in my house but during the last few months have amalgamated and combined tastes (and compromised!) and made our family home.



The only room we hadn't changed at all was our bedroom.
The thought of completely decorating was far too much to contemplate for us but I couldn't help feeling that we should have a bedroom that we had chosen together!

Then a friend told me that she had just had her house decorated professionally and was really pleased with the results!
When I mentioned it to James he was just as enthusiastic as me!

I know paying a decorator may seem a bit extravagant but we couldn't take any more on, and having done it I have to admit I would do it again in a heartbeat!!!

So after 2 days (where we didn't have to lift a finger!) we had a beautiful, professionally finished bedroom! (seriously it was like magic!)

I'm going to be mean and make you wait till next week before I reveal all as we are waiting for delivery of a few finishing touches!
I'm not so mean as to not give you a sneak preview of one of the paint colours though!


James chose 'forest fruits', a far cry from my usual choice of pastels!
I love it!!!
What do you think?

Lots of Love

xxxx

Halloween...............

This is about the time of year when I just love to prepare the house for Halloween! (click here to see last year's effort!)

I am sad to tell you my usual decorations will be staying firmly packed this year

We have too much to do in the house to even consider 'Haunting' it like I usually do, and with our ever growing bump we are trying to tie up all the loose ends ASAP!

That said I just couldn't resist this gorgeous bunting from John Lewis

And it was a bargain too!

Lots of Love

xxxx

Home Sense

Recently Victoria and I treated ourselves to a girls' day, getting our nails done and then a spot of shopping!

We came across this fantastic shop! (I'm sure we are the last to catch on!)
Home Sense is a treasure trove of loveliness, part of the TK Maxx family it has all the fabulousness of the TK Maxx home department without looking like a jumble sale!
James and I were discussing getting some decent, new towels so imagine my excitement when I spotted these!!


DKNY towels for £8! Bargain!

Lots of Love

xxxx

Surprise Dibor!

2 big boxes arrived a few days ago....

I couldn't remember ordering anything (but that doesn't mean I hadn't!)

I checked and they were addressed to James who seemed very excited they had arrived!

He'd bought a few surprises from Dibor!

This fab coat stand.

And this gorgeous desk tidy (it drives James mad when I bung post on the Radiator in the hall!)

What a sweetheart!!!

Lots of Love

xxxx

That Friday Feeling........

Happy Friday!

I'm sooooo looking forward to the weekend, even though it's going to be spend pottering round, getting on with sorting out the house
(ooh the kitchen is 95% there just need to add the finishing touches!)
It's nice just for James and I to be home at the same time (shift work can sometimes be annoying!)

It off to John Lewis on Sunday to have a look at the cot I have fallen in love with and get a few bits and bobs needed for the house :)

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!
Don't forget there is still time to enter my giveaway! You only have to leave a comment to join in!!

Lots of Love

xxxx

The Kitchen - A good start!

Well before the wedding I had planned to re vamp the kitchen, I bought all of the necessaries (which are piled up behind the sofa!) and then it all went by the wayside.....until now!

We are really getting to grips with the house, doing all those jobs, and finishing touches that you just stop noticing after a while (or they will drive you nuts!)
This weekend we are going to try to get the kitchen done and I'm really excited!

I thought I'd share a the 'before' photos with you today, ready to reveal the finished article with you!

I put this kitchen in about 3 years ago now and am still happy with my choice of off white cabinet with butchers block surfaces, I'm so glad I picked something classic and adaptable!
With such a small kitchen I have always kept it really light and, despite the re vamp, I do actually still like everything about it! I just felt that it was a little 'flat' and wanted to inject a little more colour and interest!
(oh and have a proper light, not a bare bulb!)




Pop back next week to see the new, (hopefully) improved version!!!

Have a good weekend everyone! Wish me luck!!!

Lots of Love



xxxx

September Already?..........

I refuse to believe it's already September where has the time gone?

Once again I have been neglecting both my little blog and my blogging friends!
I've just found myself wrapped up in a whirlwind of work and trying to get things straight at home after the pre and post wedding chaos!

Apparently some of the most stressful events in a persons life is moving, getting married and having a baby, trust me to do them all at once!

My poor James moved his possessions into the garage in July and that is where they have remained.
We thought it was about time to get the house fully amalgamated to make a comfortable and organised home for our new arrival.

This, of course, means that it's time to part with the junk that seems to find its way into the house no matter how much I promise myself not to hoard!
It seemed sensible to clear out the clutter before we tried to bring anything else into the house so we started with the loft, a car full of rubbish and another car full to the charity shop and I'm pleased that we've made a good start!


I'm sure I'll be sharing our progress with you as we go along but for now I'll get on to something more interesting!
For some time now, the lovely Joe at Josie Mary has hosted a monthly event called 'Show and Tell Sunday'


This month I'm the guest host and have decided that I would love to hear all about your favourite films, what is your favourite film and why? (you can have more than one!)

To join in all you have to do is let me know you are intending to post (so I can link to you) and post about your favourite film on Sunday the 5th September!
Anyone who joins in will get an extra entry into my extra special 'Happy Monday' giveaway (being announced on the 6th)

So I'm back properly now (fingers crossed!), I'll be visiting you all in the next few days!!!!

Lots of Love

xxxx

A Busy Weekend.......

With the change in weather I have been thinking about making a few changes at home, I'm generally very happy with my house and how it looks but I couldn't help feeling that a few finishing touches and tweaks were long overdue. I'm sure we all learn to live with things that bug us or simply never get done for so long we don't notice anymore!
My first project will be the kitchen, I had been thinking about it for a while and suddenly it all dropped into place and I had my vision!
So on Saturday James took me shopping to get this little lot!


Can't wait to get it done and show you some before and after photos!

Not wanting to waste the gorgeous weather on Sunday we took a little trip to Windsor (only 25 minutes from James' house!).
We took a lovely stroll to see the Castle. I hadn't been there since I was little so it was quite exciting!


After exploring the high street we took a walk along the river to feed the swans and ducks :)


So pretty and just down the road!

(Sorry to those of you with google reader who have read this already! Published by mistake! Don't you just hate it when that happens!!!!)

Lots of Love



xxxx

Show and Tell!

Happy Sunday! Hope you have all had a lovely weekend!
This week is the start of an exciting new monthly event hosted by the lovely Josie-Mary!
The first Sunday of every month will now be known as 'Show and Tell Sunday'.

Do pop over and join in, Its going to be fun!

This month's topic is 'your favourite spot in your house'!
I found this a bit difficult as there are so many places in my house that I love! Having already done a post on my bed :), and due to the fact that I have spent a fair few hours organising my wardrobe lately, I thought I would let you all have a peek!


Sorry about the poor light!
I had this wardrobe built into an awkward alcove when I bought my house.
Victoria and I had long admired the closets we had seen in the houses we had stayed in on our Florida trips and wished we had them at home. When I realised that with a bit of expertise (and, of course, cash) that I could have one in my own bedroom I was a happy girl!
My friend Mark (a fab carpenter!) was shown pictures and told to create and here she is!

Wanna look inside?


I can only let you see half as I'm not quite finished in the other side :)
I have recently been to good old Ikea and with a few storage solutions from there and a bit of ruthless clearing out I have managed to condense and organise pretty well!


Shoes (just the heels!) in fantastic shoe storage boxes from Ikea! (there's even 2 empty ones waiting to be filled!)


Acessories in these pretty storage boxes

These bigger boxes are fab (and huge!) and store all my 'every day' shoes (sandals and flip flops in one and boots in the other!). The hanging 'thing' stores all my make up, hair stuff and hair appliances too, previiously these took up loads of room in baskets so I'm really pleased at how much 'smaller' this storage is!

Hope you have enjoyed having a look in my wardrobe! I have to say bye for today though as I'm going to have to go to work now BOO!

See you all tomorrow when I will be announcing the winner of this month's giveaway!

Lots of Love



xxxx