Welcome 2017 ...

How soon time flies and another year is almost done.

2016 has been amazing - our wondering star daughter tied the knot,  & they had a ceremony in France too; Stacy sparkle is in to her Masters year at University,  I continue to have a job I really enjoy ...

I have had visits from friends & family not seen in years for lovely catch ups & learnt some new skills. I have visited new places & tried new things ....

As the year draws to a close,  I am always abundantly thankful for family & good friends who make life easier & more interesting & most of all, who are just there for me.  I am thankful too for those who stop by my blog & who send messages when they connect with something I have shared.

In 2017,  I want to continue to ...

~ Be the change I want to see - kindness, consideration, friendships, loyalty

~ Visit somewhere new & to enjoy a new culture

~ Do random acts of kindness - it makes a difference to people, a pebble in a pond that spreads

~ Make that call, write those letters, keep connected

~ Take time out to just be - I find peace & inspiration in quietness

~ Do something new, learn a new skill ...


2017 is still a new book,  a new year - make it a good one , filled with abundant blessings. This from charity sparrow

"Every day we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture, and, if possible, speak a few sensible words." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Dee ~♥~

Transitioning to New Year decor ...

Hi everyone,

Do you find the period between Christmas & New Year a bit of a challenge at home?

My decorations went up really early in December because I was going away to Riga, so this past week, I decided to start removing some of them. This also helps with my back to work plans.

However,  the challenge is what to put up and where?

The conservatory is always a good place to start - our Xmas sideboard has been pretty with favourite china from Spode's Christmas trees to the contemporary Emma Bridgewaters Mince pies & Christmas Rose

Everything came off except the ... candlesticks on the top. They stay because we always use them straight from the sideboard. It is lovely to have them ready to just use.

You will not be surprised to see my favourite Ralph Lauren Pocketwatch plates return - their TIME theme is perfect for a New Year setting.

I filled a glass cloche with clear, palest pink & silver baubles with battery LED string lights in with the baubles. The two pink glasses came from the drinks trolley tree ...

You might have spied this wooden deer lurking on top of the sideboard for sometime. He was a vintage find - a wooden panel that looked rather jaded so I painted it in Annie Sloans Graphite some time back but then was not sure where he was going but I think he suits the sideboard ...

Two little prototype deer placeholders ...

Wine glass markers bring colour & prettiness

This lovely glass wine holder was gifted earlier this year by Sue on a trip to the vintage markets in Bridport while we were planning our children's wedding. It is gorgeous ... 

My platter is just too big for the shelves so it marks time on the top - a reminder that time passes ...

I love the TIME plates because they symbolise that fleeting thing called TIME. They also remind me that we are all on different times - geographically & metaphorically.  

The different times on the clocks are a quirky reminder to me that people are at different times / stages of life ....

As night falls,  battery lights provide warmth to the sideboard ... 

I am a great fan of battery lights - the huge variety that are now available are really reasonably priced. 

 TIME is fleeting, use it well!  I hope you are prepared to welcome in the New Year

Thank you as always for stopping by & taking the time to read & comment
Dee ~♥~

Merry Christmas everyone

A little late but Christmas is a busy family time so I know many of you were also too busy to check online too.

Christmas can be so stressful so I did the non perishable shopping (crackers, cheese biscuits, chutneys, napkins, drinks, mixes, nuts etc) in the past 2 -3 weeks between a busy work load to make the planning more manageable.

I had visitors this past week so did a midweek roast dinner too ...

Our Christmas turkey crown, bacon & cheeses were ordered a few weeks ago from our local farm shop. They do veggie boxes too - all packed up & ready to collect with the organic turkey & a fabulous selection of local cheeses. I love supporting local businesses & truth be told, I like to know where my food comes from ...

I picked up my supplies at 7:45am & then went off to meet up with a friend for breakfast & to exchange gifts ... that is how Christmas should be, relaxed & lovely.

Beds changed at home & then we are ready ....

Santa's key is always a fun addition - no small children about but fun anyhow

Fresh parsley plant for our house bunny Vivaldi - she adores fresh herbs so this is her gift ...

 A vintage sleigh has pine branches & fairy lights - a twinkling addition to the garden ...

The drinks table tree ready with its themed decorations that come out every year ...

Christmas morning starts with prosecco & fresh orange juice to go with ....

... toasted prosecco panettone, fruit & filter coffee - relaxing times ...

The visiting vizslas - Apollo & Aura manage to sneak upstairs & take out Stacy's slippers to play with in the garden - they are such lovely dogs ...

Our turkey & gammon were put in the oven at noon for a mid afternoon lunch

Table set in the dining room with large Wedgwood charger plates & tea lights in silver goblets ...

Everyone helping out & we sat down around 3:30 for a relaxed meal of turkey, gammon, roast potatoes & root veg, cauliflower cheese, brussel sprouts, pigs in blankets & gravy ...

We always laugh at the crazy cracker jokes, wear the paper hats & linger over lunch ... that is how Christmas should be - relaxed & fun ...

Hope your day was absolutely fabulous family time too, thank you for stopping by,
Dee ~♥~

Be there completely at Christmas ...

Hi everyone,

Are you all as excited about Christmas as I am? I love having the girls home & so I have decorated our home to be warm, homely & lovely to look at.

Our tree went up early, abundantly deer again (they were in the boxes which came down from the loft)

Lights & a long garland always make our inglenook fireplace look warm & inviting, the advent calendars & fabric stockings hung up too ... 

Little trees creep in to the dining room ... 

The sideboard in the conservatory is always changed to festive items - I know you love it as much as I do as it always has so many blog hits ... 

A little IKEA tree with wine glasses & little cocktails glasses & shakers - such fun!

 A pair of new sledge decorations with little trees

A pottery house with some LED battery lights I put in to brighten it up ...

The drinks console is stocked up & lit with some more lights - you can never have too many twinkly lights ... 

My gifted door wreath makes a welcoming entrance - with more lights naturally 

A second gifted wreath is a welcome addition to the patio that our kitchen, dining room & conservatory look on to.  The vintage sleigh & some fir branches make an appearance too ... 

A little Gisela Graham village from houses & churches reminds us of the religious side to Christmas 

Some of my many little bottlebrush trees are moved to the village; who else loves bottlebrush trees?

A new wooden church with led lights comes from ALDI - a German addition to my home

Which brings me to an important thought -

Christmas is a time to connect with our nearest & dearest so enjoy the time, put other things aside & just catch up. Christmas is not a time to take on too much & to get stressed about it - ask for help or more importantly - offer help without being asked, it is a group effort & many hands make the day easier & more fun. 

We will all be getting the food in the oven then relaxing & eating mid afternoon or whenever it is ready because we start the day with fresh fruit & yoghurt which sustains us. 

It is a time to just unwind , relax & enjoy because everyone has had a busy year; it is also a reflective time for me because my late Mom was born on Christmas Day. I will be thinking of my family who are not with us. 

I am aware that we are making memories that will last far longer than the day or the meal - make them good folks  ...

Be blessed in the run up to Christmas 

Dee ~♥~

A little Christmas biscuit baking ...

Hi everyone,

Are you all ready to relax, unwind & enjoy Christmas? I am sure my regular readers are familiar with my annual Christmas bake with my Godsons.

The lads have baked at Christmas with me since they were quite small & needed to stand on a bench. However, it is a good time to just catch up before we go our separate ways for Christmas.


Christmas biscuit baking in 2013

This was our baking from 2014 

Our Christmas 2015 baking

This morning I got out my Xmas cutters ...

My little Kilner jars are stocked up with milk, white & dark chocolate - you never know when they are needed ...

I love the metal IKEA cutters of woodland animals ... the moose is rather large ...

A cute new NOEL sign for the kitchen

All ready to make some cookie / biscuit dough

Which do you prefer? Milk, white or dark? 

Christmas apron time while I make up two biscuit doughs - one plain Christmas mixture & a chocolate gingerbread one - the recipes are in the links in case you need it ... 

Rolling & cutting out on a plastic IKEA placemat 

Older Godsons biscuits - the animals are always popular

Godson was a competitor in Young chefs so he wore his apron with pride

Younger Godson using the icing tubes to decorate - they are always easier to use ...

Some pretty biscuits ready to go home with them ...

The warm lights from our coloured glass & it is time to relax ...

I hope you are taking a relaxing view to Christmas ... thank you for stopping by,  have a blessed day
Dee ~♥~