Busy Christmas

Well it's been a busy week for me with lot's going on but not a lot getting done!

At last I have some time that I can blog to you ladies and can report that some jobs have been checked off the list!


Tonight whilst watching High School Musical (confession, a Christmas gift for someone!) I have FINALLY got around to writing my Christmas cards. I started so well organised, brought the cards, wrote the list, collected the addresses but I take choosing the card design for the right person so difficult and then thinking of something to write.


Here's the designs I choose this year,



One gift that brought a smile to my face this week was this gorgeous glittered ice skating boot mum picked this up for me to put away in my bottom draw,



I also thought I'd share some photo's of mum's table decor for her Christmas dinner she is hosting tonight for girlfriends. A holiday tradition she excels in and thankfully I was lurking around so have had my first turkey and stuff today too.




I also took a few (not very good!) snaps of the start of our Christmas decorating to share,





the Christmas tree is being purchased tomorrow... we HAVE to have a real one so I will attempt to take some better photos for then

It's starting to feel like CHRISTMAS!!!

I feel like a Christmas Fairy after the weekend and I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to having my own home to decorate!

Let me talk about some fun and festive things that have happened this weekend.


I started Saturday by helping a friend get her Christmas tree, here is stage 1 - lights complete.
The Gingerbread goodies are not only in the kitchen but in the bathroom too,
Christmas PJs are now ready to be worn (and yes I'm wearing them now!)Also I've got some photos of my New York shopping goodies;

Vintage baubles for $5 from a flea market,


Some items from the Simply Shabby Chic range in Target; a shower curtain,



and a gorgeous pillow
And from the Shabby Chic store (please see store blog here) some gifts I brought myself although this group is a Christmas gift for a friend,


How cute are these Starbucks decorations which were a surprise gift from my sister in law Sunday, another treat for the bottom draw.Sunday evening was spent decorating the tree round another friends house, here's the finished work,


After coming home and complaining to my mum that everyone's Christmas decorations just weren't Christmassy enough she has got all the boxes out and started her decorating attack. When she's finished her masterpiece (no one must interfere!) I will take some photos to share with you.

Shabby Chic New York

It would appear my blog relating to the Shabby Chic New York store has appeared after my last post so please find it here if you don't find it by scrolling down or think I haven't posted it.

Is there a way to prepare a blog in draft and have it appear as your most recent post and not when you were drafting?

Out to play

Thankfully before bed last night I managed to bring things to some sort of order... and by order I mean have just one big pile in one corner!

Tonight I'm off to the cinema with my sister so the real work will have to wait till the weekend....

Before I go I'm putting the finishing touches to my blog on Rachel Ashwells Shabby Chic store in New York and hope to publish tomorrow for you all to see.

Shabby Chic New York

At last as promised here are my photos from Rachel Ashwells Shabby Chic store in New York

I just LOVE this armchair and cushion...

Vintage Christmas Tree

I really wanted to buy one of the silver bauble wreaths but without any boxes I don't think they would've arrived home with me in one piece so I'm going to try and make something similar.

My mum even got in the spirit of things and made me take this photo as she says we can make something similar

Wouldn't these dresses have been perfect for Natasha's prom last week

My favourite... pink of course!

I look kinda scared here as my items are been rung up!

And here's me all finished posing outside the store with all my purchases!

Unfortunately I packaged all my finds away and sent them away to be stored in a friends loft before I had the opportunity to photo them for you ladies but I did manage to get these cute matches

I hope you enjoyed the photos and the journey inside the store via blogland.

My Room My Mess

Why the sad face you may ask?

My bedroom is my sanctuary, my home within a home as I'm still living with my parents, unfortunately at this moment in time it is not the sanctuary I enjoy.

Following my return from NY this is the view as you look into my bedroom,
As a neat freak this doesn't go down well, I can't even sleep with a door or draw ajar... and it gets worse on the other side of my bedroom,

A corner of the room hiding my magazine and book purchases and a chair covered with Christmas party gift items,

And it would seem no surface is safe....My window sill piled with Christmas card and notelet purchases and some vintage decorations thrown in for good measure!

Whilst I sit and chat to you ladies the items have all been moved on to my bed which is going to cause some problems when I want to get in it later!

I just hate mess and need everything to be organised and I just know I will not get time to sort my room out before the weekend. And all these items don't include a large box of homewares I brought and have already been boxed off to a friends loft until my home is purchased. Nor the smaller box of bakeware that is sitting in the kitchen.

I shouldn't complain as a lot of these items have brought me great pleasure and many are Christmas gifts and I will tell you more about them this week (when I should be tidying them away!).

Well blogging about the mess has given me itchy fingers to go and sort out my mess so til tomorrow....

Home Sweet Home

As much as I love my holidays there's nothing better than returning home and I cannot wait to sleep in my own bed this evening.

I can tell you that I had a lovely time, spent lots of money on fabulous things and more importantly was able to visit Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic store and see her Vintage Prom Dress collection (see for yourself here).

I took many photos inside the store and will add them for you to browse at some stage this week. I also got to visit a flea market and brought some vintage christmas tree baubles which again I will photo and add for you in due course.

The gingerbread bubble bath is run and is calling me so I'll be off.