Welcome 2012!

Hello I hope you all had a wonderful New Years!

My resolutions for this year:

Book at least one driving lesson
See more of my friends
Complete a sewing project each month

Hasnt 2011 gone quickly!

Here are some of the best things from last year:
Moved into a flat with my boyfriend :] <3
Ben and I welcomed Terrance and Shelby into our new home, terrapins are my new favourite animal :)


Visiting Amsterdam, mine and Ben's first holiday together!

I also got promoted from sales assistant to Supervisor at work :) go me!

So as you can see it was a year of firsts which I plan to keep coming next year! I want to keep visiting new places home and abroad. April 2012 will also be mine and Ben's 4year anniversary! I cannot wait to spend another year together, happy in Cardiff with our pet terrapins :D

Christmas

Hope you all had a great christmas!
I had a lovely day with my boyfriend and his family.


This is us 'kids' on christmas eve being merry.


Here is a few of the lovely things I was bought:

D&G L'Imperatrice is such a beautiful perfume you have to smell it next time your in a perfume shop.

I really cannot wait to get stuck into my craft books I think my new years resolution will be to pick one book and complete every craft in it...

I also cannot wait to watch Mr and Mrs Smith as you may know Carole Lombard is one of my all time favourite actresses and when I saw this in HMV I was cheeky and asked Ben to buy it for me!

Ben bought me the dvd and also the Lion King boxset! I havent actually seen the second and third movies but it will be interesting. He also suprised me by saying he is buying me a joint birthday (24th Jan) and christmas present but he needed to know my size first...

The ring I posted about! Ben saw the pictures and decided to get it for me! So as soon as it arrives I will have pictures to show! :D

Happy Holidays

I dont often post pictures of myself but this is a nice one and I have a fancy cocktail :D

Happy Holidays!

Wreck This Journal

You know when you buy a present for someone and you love it so much you want to keep it for yourself?

Well thats how I feel about this book

WRECK THIS JOURNAL by Keri Smith

I mentioned in my last post that I had bought it for my sister for her birthday... well I bought myself one too, I couldnt resist!

To give you an idea of what its all about here is a glimpse of what I have done so far. It took me a while but Im slowly letting go of my urge to keep this book perfect, I was even spontaneous yesterday!

The best page is the one which says 'LIST MORE WAYS TO WRECK THIS JOURNAL' so far I have put:

1. Bury the book and dig it up later.
2. Run over the book with a car, bike etc

any other suggestions?



I first heard about this book on Claire Payne's fantastic blog have a look here for some great tutorials and cutesy crafts:

http://clairesblog.paynedesign.co.uk/

Family Christmas

Its my sisters 20th birthday today, Both my sister and me will be working away this christmas so I went home for 2 days to celebrate and have the family feast I will miss on the 25th.

I had a great time with family,friends the chickens and the ducks. We enjoyed great food and company and a few early presents ;) I love living in Cardiff but I wish it was closer to home and the people I love. The ducks have grown so much they are bigger than the chickens! They do not stay still for one second so here is a blurred picture of them.


My sister bought me a charm for my Chamilia bracelet, the suitcase one I love it!

This is how my bracelet looks now, and I have asked for this bead for christmas:

it looks better in real life :]

I got my sister a 'Wreck this Journal' by Keri Smith


The book is soooo much fun!

My friend bought me these adorable mittens and the Kirstie Allsopp craft book!!


I will review the book soon as christmas is over and I have had chance to make something. I am thinking of the mittens now as I type with cold hands...mmmmm.

Because I have given my secret santa presents now I can give you my fail safe gift:


a digital photo keyring.
Its perfect for anyone! plus you can get a good one for £5 so its cheap too! I got mine from Play.com

Cushions

I love cushions, Im not one of those who will get carried away and pile up hundreds of throw pillows on the bed so they become an inconvenience when you need to get in but I am a believer in cushions brightening up a room and adding a bit of comfort and character.

Like this chair for instance its a neutral colour so it needs a bit of colour.

The Racoon (cover only) is from H&M home, the Stag cushion is from Primark

they are too big to both go on the chair but Ben was sitting on the sofa so I displayed them here for a quick photo.

I cannot wait for the January sales where I am hoping to pick up a sewing machine so I can start making my own cushion covers. They would make splendid gifts :]

'Oh Christmas Tree' at last!

Finally put up the tree and I am truly delighted by how it looks! I was suprised we had enough decorations but we had just the right amount.

Me and Ben have both said we want a tree full of personality with almost no ornament the same. We are already doing quite well, I showed you some of the other decorations in my previous posts we have one from our holiday some are homemade its something we will build on each year :)
I would love some vintage decorations but its not something you find in Uk so much unless you look online.

I also used the link off Heidi Kenneys blog

http://highhopes.com/snowflakes.html

To make some snowflakes for the windows, and I am brimming with more ideas since watching Kirsties Handmade Christmas.



My first christmas with my boyfriend of 3 years I cannot wait I love him so much :)

Personalised jewellery!!

Ernest Jones now do a gorgeous range of personalised jewllery on their website. You can get messages engraved on unique earrings, pendants, rings and bracelets. Choose from the range of settings add your birthstone or just your favourite colour and then your preferred precious metal.

here is an example:



this is a citrine and diamond ring in 9ct gold.


I would love this for christmas and the matching earring as well please Santa ;)

more lovely boots

I know I have just bought some heeled boots but....


I feel like I must have these velvet chelsea platform boots:


Asos £65

Ive seen Jameela Jamil wearing a red pair on T4 which were a really nice shade. I think they must be these from Urban Outfitters? I do prefer the asos ones for myself though.


gonna keep my eye on them and see how much money I have left after christmas shopping

Outfit Sorted.

I went with the boots from Boohoo and while I was there this dress caught my eye so I got that as well haha.

Should be buying for others....





the dress was £18 so thats a bargain in my eyes! so looking forward to christmas :)

Ive got my presents all mapped out so now I just have to go and shop for them.

Oh also HORROR of horrors! I went to put the tree up yesterday evening and guess what?! 2 of its feet are missing!! So unless you can buy spare feet for a tree Im going to have to buy a new one :/

still resisting putting up the tree! how good am I?

I can't wait for pay day so I can start getting my christmas presents for everyone, I have some great ideas this year I wont post them because I don't want to ruin any suprises.

My work christmas party is soon as well, what shall I wear?!

I will probably use a dress I already own but I have a lack of shoes, well at least ones that arent seriously scuffed!

New Look is always my first go-to for shoes theyre so cheap and good quality:
These look they are straight out of Disneys Hercules! Gold winged shoes like Hermes wears :D £22.50

and look another Gucci inspired purple and gold heel! I LOVE these they are a much closer match to the Gucci pair!

A bit more pricey at £42 from Dorothy Perkins


I also love these shoe boots from Boohoo
these are a resonable £35

I will do another post when I have decided! x

I have an unbelievable new love for all things terrapin and turtle like since getting the boys. So I thought I would get another one virtual style to save on costs :)

adopt your own virtual pet!

Christmas decs!

So everyone on facebook has been posting they have seen the Coca Cola advert and christmas is here. (I havent had the pleasure yet, Ben bought Skyrim for the xbox so I havent been able to get near the tv since friday night!)

Im actually literally bursting seriously cannot wait to put up my christmas tree this year. I think Im so excited because its our first christmas alone together in the flat! There will be no housemates pesky (but adorable) kitten to pull over the tree!
Ben said its too soon for the decorations so Ive started stocking up so I can put it all out together. Ive also been making a few festive bits handmade christmas is the best, you saw my last post about the decoupage photoframes...

I was going to buy these from Ikea but they had sold out and I thought to myself 'don't be so lazy Emily you can make those easily' so I sat down today and made my own mushroom :)
Mine reminds me of Disneys Fantasia hehe


Down the road there is a little boutique with the most delicious candyland christmas display it is ADORABLE sugar mice, gingerbread houses and lollipops I bought one because it was £3 and just too good to say no!

Im definitley not a matchy matchy person I want a mad eclectic tree in all colours, I like to get things that mean something to me or remind me of christmas at home. I bought a delft style bauble in Amsterdam so that will also be on my tree.

Im rambling now so I will end this post go listen to Bing Crosby, watch the tv waiting for the holidays to come and show you pictures of everything when its all out of the boxes!

Decoupage

Have you been watching Kirtsies Handmade Britain?

I have and I am inspired!

I started a decoupage project after watching the second episode look at my christmas themed photo frame!

I used christmas wrapping paper and last years Cath Kidston christmas catalogue and I have deocrated 2 frames but I have yet to get a picture for the second.



I think I will make a seaside themed one for my sailboat cross stitch when I eventually finish it.

Breaking out the Fondue

Ben and I bought a fondue set in Amsterdam and last night we tried it out!

It was so delicious I cant even describe to you!

I took the recipe for 'Dutch fondue' from the Hamlyns Fondue Cookbook (1p on amazon) which is the exact same book as my mum has from the seventies, but she didnt want to part with it so I bought the same one.

We used bake your own bread rolls and meatballs as our chosen dipping food.
The cheese was essentially white wine, gouda cheese and edam with seasoning and a bit of cornflour.


BEN even had a heinken for double the authenticity.

I am definitely going to invite my friends over and have a fondue party soon :)

House love

I love having a space of my own (with the bf of course).

We go a bit mental with buying things to fill it with, but personalising a space is what makes a rented flat a home right?

Ikea purchases:

VILMIE RUTA I love the geometric retro pattern and the colours go so well in our flat.


Cheeky thrift finds:

amazing french glass and jug set with cute sailboats which I found in a charity shop in Grove they cost me like £3.50 there are 5 glasses in total but they were in the sink ha.


Le Crueset pans absolute bargain at £4 from a second hand yard in Wantage.(they are my fave colour as well!!)

Ive tried to match the table cloth with the kitchen tiles, its not perfect but good enough for now!

Posters:
I put these posters in the living room because the colours in each matched the room the yellows match the walls and the blues in the star wars poster matched the sofa, it ties the room together.


Continuing that seventies theme with Star Wars the frames are from Ikea.

Fashion Swap

On sunday evening I went to a Fashion Swap at The Vulcan on Salisbury road.

Set up in a side room were vintage stalls and a cake stand and rails of clothes to swap!

I had a great time with a few friends picking out new outfits from the selection of clothes people had brought in. I myself got rid of 9 items that I just never wore anymore, so I cleared my wardrobe a bit and was quite pleased to come home with 3 lovely dresses.

I hope there is another one soon!

Next time I will take jewellery and shoes I no longer want as I didnt realise these could be swapped also. And I will try to get some boys to come along as there wasnt anything really for men.

The other nice thing is anything that doesnt get swapped goes to the Oxfam Boutique on St Marys street.

KATY PERRY 2011

HOLY MOLY!

Katy Perry last night was INCREDIBLE!

We drove down to Birmingham for the California dreams tour, (it took ages we got stuck between Newport and Cardiff for an hour!)

When we all eventually got to the NIA we had missed the support band, I actually have no idea who it was because we didnt ask and I couldnt see any merch except for Katys. Maybe you know?

Nevermind! The show was great it had everything! A cute back story of a Wizard of Oz/Alice in Wonderland/Cinderella style (which I hope comes out on dvd) It had dancers, flying clouds, mimes and sweets!!

We stood for the show and were towards the back in the hope we could see better and dnace more, but there wasnt the best view for most of the show until Katy came out on a cloud over the audience to sing 'Thinking of You' and look how close we were!

My favourite performances from the concert were Firework que pyrotechnics, Teenage Dream and E.T because it had a fantastic laser lights throughout.

but all of it was amazing.

Her costumes were great especially her peacock outfit there were more sequins on that stage than a sequin factory. During 'Hot and Cold' she even did a quick change routine like you see on Britains got talent which was pretty entertaining.

Me and my friends all decided to dress like katy for the show, you may have seen my post about the dice dress I was making

So here we are
No one else really dressed up which suprised me! There were a lot of blue wigs and I saw one Kathy Beth Terry but thats abou it!



All photos were taken by me except the one of me and my friends that was taken by my lovely boyfriend Ben.