LIGHT UP, LIGHT UP

This multiple pendant took my fancy a long time ago when I first saw it on Pinterest. I pinned it at the time and bought it today. I always get a little buzz when a pin becomes real.

Handmade Pendant Light Chandelier

Brightened up Day Five of Clean 9 if you'll pardon the pun. It's handmade by a company called Light Cookie  who are based in Greece and sell via Etsy. Go check them out, they have so many great products. 

Oh speaking of lights, very pleased with my B&Q glitzy bargain in our utility room. Who says laundry can't be glamorous! 

HOUSE HUNTING :: PIN DREAMING

We are house hunting. 

Although we are only just starting with viewings, we have been house hunting for quite a while via the powers of the three w's. Since before we left Switzerland, we've been trawling through estate agent websites, Zoopla, Prime Location et al. Rightmove and I? Oh yeah, best friends. The sort of 'best friend' that delights in reminding you how poor you are. 

Anyways, we've been getting an idea of the market prices, schools, areas with a reasonable journey time for Alex to get to... and more importantly, home from work! We've pinholed a few areas and have been out at viewings. Let me tell you this... house viewing with three small children is a challenge. Let me tell you this... 'you don't even have a garden to worry about' is a very creative way to tell the buyer 'this house would be perfect if only it had a garden.' Let me tell you this... you cannot and will not convince me that a second reception room on the ground floor magically turns your three bed house a four bed house. Let me tell you this... photographing a teeny tiny room from atop a step ladder doesn't fool anybody. Let me tell you this... taking my shoes off and tiptoeing around some of these houses has made my socks beg for mercy. Two words... vacuum cleaner! A few more... mop and bucket. 

In short... it hasn't taken long for the house hunting game to become totally and utterly and completely and wholly unfun*. Second guessing floor plans with not so clever photography tricks to get to the house and see the grim reality. I'm over it.

So what am I to do? I get pinning. If we can't find the house, I'll find the dreams until we get there. My pinterest page is rich with dreamy dreams. They may seem unrealistic for most of us but we can cleverly pick out ideas and apply them to the most modest of spaces. Here are a few kitcheny* images that I'm dreaming of applying to wherever we may find. 

Two tone kitchen via Decor Pad

Cream & Black Kitchen via Remodelista

Pantry Door via Decor Pad
to lead into something like...

Walk In Pantry via Decor Pad
Oh joy in my heart... I'm all over this pantry

ps. we do have an abode that may come to nothing but I have mentally applied my pins and have the dream.

*unfun; kitcheny - Don't worry, I know.

FRITHA'S TREE

Have you seen this cute Christmas tree on Pinterest? A great alternative if you have a small apartment, flat share or are going to be away during the festive season but don't want to miss out on the fun of decorating. I've tucked this idea away in my {tis the season} pinboard for the future 'kids trees' that I'm not so excited about adorning my living room! It would work great in all sorts of spaces. Love it.



Gorgeous!

Anyways... so great it is that our very lovely friends Simon and Fritha have used it as their Christmas tree {P}inspiration. Check out their handiwork!

The Beck's Tree

Decorations!

 

OH YE OF LITTLE FAITH

Well, he showed me. Tree success. He listened. He heard my words. He found us the very most utterly perfect tree. Cheers of delight bounced around the walls our apartment as we unleashed those branches from their netting. Cheers, I tell you. Cheers of surprise. Cheers of excitement. Cheers of Christmas Joy. Oh Christmas Joy!

Decorating the very most utterly perfect tree was a pleasure and a delight. It would have been a greater pleasure and a greater delight had I not had to string 110 gold baubles before I could get started but Mr 'Very Most Utterly Perfect Tree' finder man stepped forward and lent a hand on that task too.

 

So yes, 110 baubles {plus a load more we already in our 'bank of stuff'} and lots of lights {although I would like some more lights. Alex thinks not but I'll sneak them in} and a 'that'll do' gold star topper later and we have a festive delight in the corner of our living room.

Joseph and Carys love it. After the initial excitement, they seem to have got the idea that touching it is not an option. We've had a few test runs with toes reaching to touch a bauble ever so slowly with eyes looking every which way to see if they're in the clear. Even teddy had a go but he got a firm telling off 'No, teddy! You mustn't touch the Christmas Tree. You must be a good boy, just like Joseph. Joseph doesn't touch mummy's baubles.' At that, Joseph puffs his chest out with pride at being a 'good boy' and drops naughty teddy like a hot spud! Carys has lost interest after several 'don't touch mummy's bubbles Cawus' from her big brother. She just likes to see her reflection in the shiny 'bubbles'.

Here's the sideboard complete with our glittery gold reindeers Dasher and Dancer from Graham & Green a couple of years ago.

Aren't they handsome little fellows!?

 

Upon what shall I serve my afternoon tea now?

 

Sideboard complete with fairy lit garland.

 

 

Oh! Almost forgot about this little chap!

 

 

I got the idea on pinterest {of course!} and reworked it with what I had in my craft box. I used a canvas {painted cream} and gold pin fasteners. I just free hand copied the outline of the image on pinterest and got pinning{!} with the fasteners. Antlers are a little wonky but hey, who's perfect huh?!

 

Only afterwards did I check out the pinterest link which sent me to Just Daisy Dreaming blogspot where she has an excellent tutorial on this chap... meet 'Glitter Reindeer' my inspiration!

 

 

 

 

Well look at me, third post and counting...