Opportunities

Home made cinnamon latte, windows flung open, fresh air sweeping through the house. I have had the week off. Half spent in Ireland with my mum and littlest sister and half at home, a birthday in the middle, with a special dinner cooked by my dad and other sister and an inbox brimming with messages and exciting opportunities.

I am taking a step back from my day job, reducing my hours, with my husband helping me update and expand my blog so I can spend more time writing and introduce some new regular features. I love so much expressing my creativity and interests on this page, meeting and talking with you. Things are looking better than ever. Once the DIY and repairs are done to our apartment building we will hopefully be able to start looking for a cafe/shop space or even seek out the beginnings of that boutique B&B I dream of running.

Anyway must get back to stitching new garlands and making the flat all pretty again, there is talk of another photographer coming to take pictures for a magazine, will update you about that later. Have a wonderful weekend.

Have you already given up a ordinary day job? if not how do you dream of spending your days?

Thursday's looking up.

A dash of embellishment to brighten this dingy grey again Thursday. Courtesy of the Clements Ribeiro resort 2010 Look book. I just love all the decoration of the interior behind the models too. Such joyous colouring. Just right for a morning so dull. I think these amazing outfits could be easily adapted for smaller budgets too.

All images Clements Ribeiro.

Wishing and thinking

A freezing cold Sunday morning in Ireland. Today I have enjoyed visiting other people. Here are my favourites for today.

Wishing for sun, enough for swathes of sheer fabric and chunky knits dancing at the shoreline a pretty beach shack, like this shoot featured at Paranaiv.

Thinking about being small enough to perch on one of these tiny dolls house chairs created by Joel.

Thinking how nice it would be to share a pot of tea with the lovely Liivia

Wishing our snow was as serene as it looks over at Nadia's

Thinking about adding more to my tattoo like cutie bride Michonne.

and finally adoring this embellished cape and anything made by the fair hands of Emma Cassi

Enjoy your Sunday.
All images from the links above.

Cake and angel slices

A little bit of healthy goes a long way. I am slowly reducing the amount of refined sugar I eat. Can't even bring myself to start a food diary as I am so annoyed with myself. Sugar calls to me more than the evil memory of smoking cigarettes. Although I can proudly say that all the cake and angel slices from my previous post got taken to work and shared with my colleagues. I had a bite of one bakewell tart then threw the rest of it in the bin! I am going to try and stick to home baking on a Sunday and no other sweets . . . . . . at least then I know how much of what ingredients are going in.

Next stop the GYM.

High tea

Finally clawing my way out of the winter darkness. Making new garlands for my first spring shop listings. I picked up some vintage tea plates and classic tea time treats which brightened my day no end.

Spent a whole lovely Sunday with my husband after he returned from two weeks in Hawaii. So even though it's still dismal and grey outdoors, everything is pretty and pastel coloured indoors as we make our way in to a new week.

Wishing you some brightness and colour for this last week of January

Will I ever see the sky again

Snow, rain and now thick fog. I am forgetting what it is to see a blue sky, and so is my camera. An evening with my friends on Saturday saw the wine glasses emptying and topped up a little too quickly and I woke up yesterday with the feeling that someone had sunk an anchor into my head. I am not a big wine drinker and now I remember why. A good time was had so I am not complaining. I just feel a little resentful towards myself for not having my Sunday with a crisp clear mind. But there is always next week.

I spent a few hours spent peacefully stitching by beloved glass beads to some vintage lace yesterday so all was not lost, and now the sun has just appeared through the clearing fog. Happy Monday to you.

Sumptuous setting

A most sumptuous setting full of jewel bright colours and everything that can thaw a heart after such a frosty few weeks. Couldn't you just jump right in? Think I will invite some friends over for a pretty lunch on Sunday.

Anneka & Patrick's wedding seen at Green Wedding Shoes via 100 Layer cake.

All images Jessica Claire wedding photography.

Heavenly hedgerows

I love the patterns inspired by nature that Angie Lewin designs for fabrics sold from Norfolk based gallery St Judes. I first learnt about Angie's work a couple of years ago in UK country living magazine. I am sure I have posted about the designs before but had to share the new Hedgerow collection.

Hedgerow is her third fabric design and follows her previous Dandelion One & Two and Seedheads designs.

All images Angie Lewin for St Judes.

Two notebook covers top left designed by Mark Hearld

Fantasy shopping spree

Silently in the night it snowed again. I woke up to a chilly breeze and cancelled trains. My plans blown out of the water.
After a round of cheese burgers in a local bar the icy rain stopped and the slush started to melt away long enough for me and my friends to take a drive out of town for a few hours. I am feeling good about only spending a little money. So once home I went on an imaginary spree at the ever beautiful Anthropologie. Whenever I visit the store I am in awe of all the beauty under one roof but often leave with nothing. It's easier to pick out a selection online where you can't be overwhelmed. I like this outfit for meeting friends when the spring sun starts to appear and you feel its okay to chance going outdoors with no hat or coat.

Enjoy the rest of your week imaginary or real, ooh and thanks for all the admiring comments about my sisters photo in my last post, she is super happy.

Irish Winter

With winter scenes like this picture my sister took I am wishing I was over in southern Ireland with my mum and sister. It is just stunning on the rivers edge where we often walk the dogs when I am visiting. Hope to get there soon, maybe for my birthday, if the snow stops long enough for a plane trip.