2011 Favourites

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new years eve!! the kiddos and I are making some NYE decorations today.. we've having planning a little party just the five of us.. food, games, best dresses and lots of fun :)

this years been a great one, it's had some ups and downs, but I feel like I've grown a lot this year - and I'm ending it feeling on top of the world :)

Here are a few highlights of the year:

January

I blogged my to-do list for 2011, made a list of 25 ways to pick yourself up, took a walk in the church yard and made some cute birdies

February

I opened up my Etsy Shop and had my first sale!! I kicked the month of with a series of Valentines DIY's

March

Birthday month!!! Miss Baya turned 2 and I hit the big 3-0!!! I had a tonne of guest posts from other lovely bloggers on all things birthday related! Plus I opened up ze blog to sponsors :)

April

spring was in the air.... I blogged about being me and the importance of dreams. I enjoyed a morning to myself and realised some of the things I've learnt in the past year.

May

I started a Couch to 5k training plan, blogged about my list making obsession and how I plan for my blog. I also wrote about contentment.

June

I shared my recipe for Turkish Flat Bread Pizza, wrote a gratitude list, went swimming with ducks and completed my couch to 5k training plan!!

July

I blogged a DIY for a boho dream catcher, wrote a letter to my teenage self, took the kiddos to see my sister in Kent, and met Beth from Deer Little Fawn!!

August

this month I spent blogging in the local coffee shop due to broken Internet!!! I shared photos from our trip

to Kent, shared a printable creativity inspiration poster,  made a patchwork blanket, celebrated Miss Kiki's 5th Birthday and my 9th Wedding Anniversary!!

September

shared some photos of our home,  celebrated the Mr's birthday while we were on holiday and shared a kiddo friendly DIY

October

had fun with friends at the apple festival,  shared my luscious lemon cake recipe, blogged a free Alice in Wonderland Printable and celebrated Halloween

November

Lola blogged her Necklace DIY, I made peppermint creams, talked about Home-Schooling, thought about being who you want, made some Cherry Jam and got a new kitten!

December

made a bucket list for the month, made cute vintage book bunting, some hanging stars and a cute card hanger.  We had tea with Santa Claus and had the best Christmas ever!!!

here's to an even better 2012!! Hope you all have a fantastic evening, whatever your plans - thank you so much for being a part of my blog this year ♥♥♥♥♥♥

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This Month’s Favorite Post Link-Up

It's the second month of the favorite post link-up and it is SUPER exciting because November was a huge hit! There were tons of awesome posts submitted in November and our hope is that December will be even bigger!

This month there are a couple of guest hosts joining the mix that will have the link-up on their blogs as well to spread the love even further throughout the blogging community. Be sure to check out their blogs to find out their favorite posts!

This month's hosts include:

Ashley from After Nine To Five / Megan from And Here's To You, Mrs. Robinson

Rushelle from Digging Deeper / Polly from This Enchanted Pixie

My favorite post of the month is:

New Year Planning

JOIN US BELOW!

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pretty things

It's been a while since I've done a pretty things post - and with the new year just around the corner I've been searching for some fresh inspiration!

one / two / three / four / five / six

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Etsy Love: More Than A Ribbon

 

Hey there! Tell us a little about yourself and your shop

I love textiles and especially ribbons and I have created accessories for me and my friends since I was a university student (I have studied Greek Literature – my other passion). Now that I’m a mother of a little girl, I’m dreaming of creating lovely accessories for her someday.

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What is your inspiration?
Classy, elegant women, who don’t care about what’s in fashion but have their own style.

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Have you always wanted to have a creative career?
I always loved making accessories. Surely it’s not a career, but it’s something that I will always do.

Describe a typical day in your life
Reading – sewing – creating. These are the three words that describe a typical day in my life.

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What are you currently obsessed with?
My current obsession is creating accessories with pearls.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

I have stopped making plans…

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 ETSY

More Than A Ribbon are offering 10% off with coupon RIBBON10

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new year planning

I don't know about you but I LOVE making plans for the new year :) Dreaming up all of the things I want to do, all of the goals I want to make, all of the great things I want the year to bring. Nothing beats the promise of a fresh new year. I don't like to make resolutions - they're just asking to be broken!! But goals - that's a whole other matter. 

Also, I've found in the last couple of years that's its helpful to 'wrap up' the departing year, get some closure, see what you've learnt and what you were grateful for. 

I've created a couple of worksheets to help you do the same - one to celebrate 2011 and another to welcome 2012. Click on each image to download and print the PDF.

Don't be afraid to dream big and make great plans for a fantastic 2012 :)

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bits + pieces of christmas

hope you all had a merry christmas!!! we had the best christmas ever :) the kiddos had a blast opening presents and playing with their new toys. they scored great this year - miss lola recieved a new camera, kiki boo got a yellow bass {!!} and baya got the scooter she wanted - plus they got huge piles of other goodies too! it was a beautiul, cold, sunny day here - we spent christmas day just the 5 of us, lounging around - though we did have a little walk as baya was desperate to take here scooter out.

yesterday we had friends round, we ate too much, drank a little, played a tonne of games and had a blast. today is for recovering!!

 

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Happy Christmas!!

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'Twas The Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

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christmas wishes

Can you believe it's Christmas Eve tomorrow??! We're all set here, just wishing it was snow falling outside instead of rain! The shopping's all done and the gifts are all wrapped. I won't be around on line as much as usual, I'm looking forward to a few days of Christmas fun, relaxing, eating lots of food and having fun :) I'll be popping in here and there, and I'll be back after Christmas to share what we got up too :)

I'll leave you for now with a video of my kiddos!!!

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Solstice Blessings

SOLSTICE SUN CHANT 

Selena Fox

Solstice Sun, Shining Bright!
Shortest Day & Longest Night.
Solstice Wish of Hope & Cheer:
Peace on Earth, throughout the Year!

 Wishing you all a very happy Solstice

The Sostice is the begining of a new solar year, and the start of Winter. It is a traditional time to celebrate the truly important things in life: your family, your children, your home and looking forward to a wonderful year to come.

Today we celebrate the birth of the Sun God - and honor birth and new life.

The kiddos and I will be making some bird feeders today and taking a lovely winter walk to collect some holly to decorate the house with.

If you'd like to learn more about the solstice - here's a good site to start - Brighter Blessings

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Bits + Pieces

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 - A Charlie Brown Christmas
2 - christmas crafting
3 - mulled cider & sweet potato pie
4 - sleepy Baya
5 - Miss Lola
6 - watching Elf with daddy
7 - cat on my shoulder!
8 - art workshop
9 - my new pj's ♥
10 - late night partying

so much excitement here now! We're pretty much set for Christmas - just have to hit the supermarket for the christmas food shop this afternoon :O

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