My Favourite Stores

I’ve decided to leave you with some great ideas for where to get some presents from.  I did a quick glance at the calendar last night and thought that everything was hunky-dorey, only to find that actually, I have a lot of stuff to get done.  Mum and I are off to Brussels on Friday for a long weekend, and there is so much to be done before then.  I’m also taking part in Karen’s Christmas Pledge, which means that I am trying to get everything pretty much finished b the end of November!  Arrgh!

I have already been shopping at a few of my favourite online shops, and I hope you will too, they offer a really good service.

Sweet Auburn

Leigh Ann works for Erika over at Urban Grace Interiors.  She sells such pretty jewellery on her site.  I bought a couple of pairs of earrings from her in the summer and I wear them all the time and continue to receive comments on them all the time too.

Currently I have this bracelet being shipped to me for a friend.

Bits and Pieces by Ashley Delaney

Last year the girls at week each received a calendar.  I printed them, cut them and put little bull-dog clips on the top and then wrapped them in cellophane bags with ribbon and a bauble.  They were cute and cheap.  Already I am thinking about doing this for friends again.  And the calendar has been lovely all year long.

jaC Jewellery

Yep, I love Etsy!  jaC Jewellery has such a great shops.  I’m always keen to find small and light presents to send abroad, and I am so pleased when friends are so happy with their gifts.  I sent these earrings to a friend last year, and she still talks about them now.

There is nothing better than supporting small businesses, and I highly recommend these sites.

See you next week, when I am sure turkey will be mentioned once or twice (wish me luck!)

~ Pru

Advertisement

Inviting More Happiness

Recently I have felt so tired and unhappy. 

I felt like crying on Thursday morning when I realised that it was in fact Thursday and not Friday. 

When unhappiness comes a’calling, and it happens a bit too often for my liking I turn to a new self-help book.  Byron Katie was my last ‘guru’ who had great ideas and I do try to live by the rule that you shouldn’t expect something more than what you have received (except service in restaurants – I still expect better service than I get).  But I am ready to try the Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  I have only heard about her recently but she wrote about a year of trying to live more happily and I could certainly do with that.

 

My aim is to feel and be more positive and happier.  Sometimes I am happy, and probably more than I realise.  I have nothing to be sad about.  But I want to reconnect and find the happiness which I am sure is lurking inside of me somewhere. 

Christmas Wishes

 

Wow the month went fast!  I can’t believe that all the things on my list have been ticked off, presents have been wrapped, tagged and ribboned and the house is all decorated for Christmas. 

If all goes to plan we will wake up on Christmas Eve and walk Violet in the park and then grab some last minute things from the supermarket.  I am thinking it would be good to do a decent breakfast so bacon and scrambled eggs is on the menu.  Then a trip up into London for a walk along the Embankment (coffee in hand of course).  I am wondering if I can sneak into The Savoy for a quick look at the tree at the same time.  We will bring the presents down in the afternoon and as always we open one present and our family cards in the evening with a tea of crumpets and cakes.  Midnight mass will end what will hopefully be a perfect day.

With just the three of us, I am hoping for a nice relaxed day.  I can’t wait for present opening time after walking Violet and  a breakfast of fruit and croissants.  Our dinner will be curries (chicken, vegetable and fish) with all the extras.  And then more opening of presents and then hopefully relaxing with a good film. 

As I typed this, I was looking out the window at the snow covered green opposite, hoping for a white Christmas.  But snow or not, I am sure that Christmas will be perfect this year.

Merry Christmas everyone.  Thank you for your wonderful support this year.  I hope you have a great holiday.

Pru xx

All Set For Christmas

It has been three weeks in the works and now the house is finally ready.  The tree is up, lights have been strung and baubles hang from most of the windows in the house. 

The front door looks even better at night time when the red star-shaped lights are turned on. 

The trees were purchased last year from a trip to Brighton.  They are solid wood with beautiful bark on the front.

Large baubles always hang in the living room window.  The new addition this year are the silver glittered acorns.  Whilst the other garlands are decorated with baubles we left the garland on the windowsil just with lights this year.

Before we bought the tree on Friday we had a Christmas tree branch in the living room with some of our special decorations on.  This is a new decoration which we purchased in Cologne earlier this month. 

The kitchen window (the snow was the addition this afternoon – three inches and counting!)

I need a lesson in photographing a Christmas tree as they always come out badly!  This shows the garland over the fire place which has pink and purple baubles and then the tree with pink, purple and gold lights.  The tree is a small one this year and sitting on top of the bookcase.  The purple silk tablecloth underneath was a purchase from Cologne just for this purpose.

And finally the hallway which I think remains elegant but festive.