Vintage Table Give-Away

How quickly Christmas goes, but what a lovely and enjoyable time I had with my family, always sad when they go home the house is so quite.   So we treated ourselves to a meal at this delightful village pub,

if you are ever in the area and want to splash out then this is the pub to go to The Masons Arms at Knowstone in Devon, we decided to come home for coffee, chocolates and liquers!!!!

The Christmas magazines have been awash with beautiful homes and the most stunning table settings, I would love to achieve these looks and maybe my christmas table although not worthy of a magazine shoot still doesn't look to bad!!!

So for my give-away I am giving away this lovely book The Vintage Table, with so many inspiring photos!

So to qualify for this give-away then I would like you to comment and tell me about how you decorated your christmas table, and if you feature the give-away on your blog, you will be entered twice into the draw. The winner will be drawn on the 15th January 2012.
I look forward to hearing from you all.  But for now I would love to thank you all for the lovely comments and posts that you have given and done throughout 2011 everyone is so inspiring and so talented and I love nothing better than reading all your posts.

Happy New Year to you all and enjoy!!!

Lists and more Lists!

Don't know about you but I am writing lists and more lists and now writing a list of things not to do!!!
But the house is now decorated and alot of the food prepared.  Will I ever sit down.  This is going to be a short post but I have taken a few photos of my house decorated and ready for the celebrations.

Tree decorated with all my favourite items especially the heart made from Murano glass and bought in Venice.

Painted some branches to make this tree for the sitting room

Love these lights I can see them staying put!

I love these large paper snowflakes I have quite a few scattered around the room

Decorations for the tables!

I think this will probably be my last post before Christmas so I would like to wish all you lovely bloggers a very Happy Christmas, and New Year, on my next blog I will reveal my give-away and all I can say it is it is very exciting!



Somewhere Over the Rainbow!!!!

What can you find at the end of a rainbow, gold I hope I did look but it kept moving!!!
Considering its the run up to Christmas it has been quite relaxed in our house, we had a lovely few days away visiting friends and relatives. We spent the first few days with friends in Hampshire (back to where we come from!!) and visiting the most lovely house called Hinton Ampner

it was decorated for Christmas and after permission I was able to take some photos,it was the sort of house that you could imagine spending a very special Christmas there, Champagne and Canapes followed by a lovely dinner in the beautiful dining room.

The next day I visited a house that has been on my list of places to visit for quite a long time, Jane Austen's house, it is charming and well worth a visit.

A lovely few more days spent with my parents and family but it is now back to the preparations of Christmas, the house needs decorating, presents wrapped and food to be prepared.
I really love this time of year its just very special.

I did promise a give-away for when I reached 200 followers and now I have, so in the next few weeks I hope to bring you another give-away I have a few ideas in my head but you will
just have to be patient.
I know it is busy and we can't always find the time to blog, or to visit blogs, but hopefully I will find a few spare minutes to do so and blog again before Christmas.

Beautiful Singing!!

Today quite a few years ago!!!! I had a lovely little boy. So Happy Birthday Alex and we will be celebrating with him having a meal at a new hotel in Exeter!!!
I know it is a little late but have started my christmas cooking including the pudding - they smell and look delicious.

Not only have I been cooking but after a lot of searching for the right lampshade shape I made some new lampshades for our bedroom they were so easy and look really pretty!! The room is getting quite girly now. 

Now the Advent calendar is out (I decided not to sell to be honest I couldn't bear to part with it) I have filled some pockets with chocolates and others with small handcreams, lovely fridge magnet that I bought in the Country Living Fair from Roxana I have given you a link to look at her lovely artwork! A handbag mirror and some tiny bath smellies. Quite difficult to fill for a grown-up calendar!
I have decided to have a give-away as soon as I reach 200 followers, perhaps it will be before Christmas I do hope so, maybe there will be something in it, which I have featured in my photos today.

Well better get ready to start the celebrations, and hopefully this weekend I will be visiting the Vintage Christmas Fair at Chipping Sodbury.
And just to finish I am going to add this You Tube clip I deny anyone to watch it and not cry!!

Who will win the Yule Log Competion!!!!

Last friday saw me on my way to one of my favourite places in Cornwall, (no not the beach) but the lovely Cowslip Workshop run by Jo Cowill.  Every year she runs a Christmas Fair, full of stalls with so many things to choose from, vintage, handmade, french fabrics, pottery and this sweet reindeer plate found its way home just right for my mince pie!

But this year unknown to me there seemed to be twice as many people there, maybe it is going to be bigger this year I thought, but no the place was a buzz around a marquee where ladies were bringing in their Yule Logs to be judged and one lady in particular was joining the competion our very own Kirstie Allsop, she was there filming her programme Kirstie's Handmade Britain. I can't tell you whether she won or not as we were all prevented from entering the tent!! If you read my blog from further afield then the UK - then this lady makes a television programme promoting Homemade Crafts in England.

I did manage to sneak a few photos but only on my phone so it looks like she has a flower growing from her head!!
I promised you on one of my last posts that I would show you what I bought in Anthropologie in London, well these cute measuring bowls shown on my shelf which I have just painted in Farrow and Ball light blue only yesterday, a job I have been meaning to do since we moved here,

(sorry I should have done some before photos but it was a grim yellow pine!!) just shows what a pot of paint can do. 

 As you can see I did buy my morrocan lights. I also treated myself to this top while in Anthropologie I haven't worn it yet but I am sure I will find somewhere to where it!!!

Busy weekend ahead going to my first Christmas event at Knightshayes Court to a 40s style Tea Dance, perhaps I will wear my top. Hope everyone is having a lovely week and enjoying the crisp days and sunshine.  I would also like to thank you all for your fabulous comments on my Advent Calendar I have decided not to sell it as I don't think I would get the price that it is worth, but that is another story!  A final picture of a visitor to my garden this morning!!

Finished at last!!

I seem to have had a busy week, visiting the Country Living Fair last Wednesday.

I have been going for quite a few years now and although I always enjoy the fair I do think there are too many exhibitors selling scarfs and jewellery, anyone else agree. After the fair thought I might take a look at Anthropologie in Regent Street and of course didn't leave empty handed so will let you know what I bought when I have taken photos.

Can you hear the drum roll yes at long last I have finished the advent calendar, I have used  old french linen for the backing and different vintage french fabrics for the remainder including crystals bought from a Paris Flea market

What do you think?
Off to read some blogs while sitting by the log fire - seems like winter is just around the corner.