"Dec" the halls - Wilkinson's Super Scandi budget Christmas tree decorations

You'd be forgiven for not thinking of Wilkinson's as your first port of call for Christmas decorations. It wasn't the first place I had thought of and immediately headed to Next to gasp in horror at the prices of felt decs that I remember crafting at School. As our first Christmas in our first home approaches we're both bursting with excitement whilst our piggy bank is bursting with dust so this year will be Christmas on a budget.

We have been on the hunt for some (mainly) cool toned Christmas tree decorations for a little while now and were delighted to discover that not only did Wilkinson's have a nice little selection but they EVEN HAD GREY DECORATIONS which is exactly what we had been looking for.

Below are a few of the Scandi gems we bought today but I'm certain we'll be back as they have a fantastic "build your own wreath" display which is a lovely mix of berries, cinnamon sticks, foliage and mistletoe. All coming in under £4 means our frosted winter tree is starting to come together with some change to spare.

Clockwise: Grey wooden Robin, Red Tin Heart £2, Red Knitted Star £2, Foil Bauble £1.50

Clockwise: Snowflake Garland £4, Wooden Tree £1, Grey Wooden Tree £1, Knitted Candy Strip Bauble £1, Knitted Grey Heart £1.50

Clockwise: Knitted Heart £1, Grey Wooden Lovebirds £1.50, Teal Knitted Star £2, Bark Star £1

Grey Wooden Hearts Garland £4

The hunt continues for some more traditional Scandi decorations including the essentials such as a wreath for our red front door and the stockings for the fireplace. 

Where is your favourite place to shop for Christmas decorations and do you go all out to decorate your home during the festive season or keep things minimal?

Our next post will be all about trees and fingers crossed we find one before 1st December!

The Sunday Session: Part deux (finally!)

1 What are you reading?



I 'm attempting to finally finish "The hundred year old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared" by Jonas Jonasson. It's funny, heart warming, captivating and I'm annoyed at myself for not finishing it first time around as it really is as bloody brilliant as the reviews say. I recommend charging to your nearest charity shop and find a copy and then pass it immediately onto someone else so they can belly laugh as well!  



2 What are you watching?


Thanks to someone updating their Facebook status last night (we would have completely missed it otherwise!! Thank goodness for social media!) we've started watching the third Series of "Borgen" this weekend on BBC 4 and it's started off as brilliantly as Series 3 ended. The Danish Political drama is still filling the gap that "The Killing" has left in our lives and high five to the BBC who are showing 2 episodes every Saturday!

Also back on our British screens is "Masterchef: The Professionals" on BBC 2 which is a relief as I've watched so much of the Australian series that 'I'm starting to guess the dishes and ingredients before they happen.

Last night we watched Ryan Gosling in "Lars and the real girl". If you haven't seen it and you're a Ryan Gosling fan be prepared to see him in a totally different light! I hadn't read the blurb or even heard of it so was not prepared for the brilliant but heart-wrenching tale. 



3 Where have you been?

We went South to see one of my oldest friends from Uni get married at the weekend and it was magical, cold, romantic and I felt so happy for her and so proud as she deserves her happy ever after. It was very much a reality check as friends are beginning to get married and have babies. Is it time to grow up?!


4 What made you smile?

I found the old emails my buddy Dan and I sent to friends and family when we were travelling around Europe and it included an email from my Mum checking that we hadn't been kidnapped in Croatia as we had forgotten to call before we left Hungary. Not sure what's worse; the risk of being kidnapped or the fact that she had just emailed her concerns to us and hoped for the best?!


5 Most listened to?

• Delilah, Strong for me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvVW7u2y4LQ
• Sky Ferreira, Everything is embaressing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEamE0MYPkg
• Robotaki, Walking on a dream http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKm2jdzB2n0

6 Who deserves a mention?

Design sponge

I discovered Design Sponge via one of Essiebutton and Gemsmaquillage's TTYL videos (See here) and have not been able to stop scrolling through the pages and pages of well put together interior design spaces. The photos are brilliant quality, the style a mix of vintage, restored and mid century categorised by State, Country and style and now I know that there is a book to go with it I'll be hinting over the next few weeks! (Please boyfriend!!)

7 Favourite purchase?

These boots from New Look. My All Saints army boots finally gave up this Autumn and although I don't expect these to match their lifespan I think they'll at least last the Winter. 



8 Most used site/app/game?

This Month, in preparation for our Holiday to Paris in little over a Month, I've been upping my French lessons and Dualingo has been a brilliant on the go tool to improve both my vocabulary and my tenses. It's silly and easy to pick up and mixes the written with the spoken (with an option to not use the mic if you're on the train for example) and with a leader board that shows your friends progress it's good for motivation too! Some of the sentences are very silly (This morning I had "The pig has a large fly") but I've since discovered that they have made some of the silliest into t.shirts so I know a few people who might get one for xmas!

If you're looking to pick up a language I highly recommend Dualingo although the choice seems to be limited to a few European languages at the moment.


9 Something good to eat? Drink!

This Months lineup...

Chai Latte has taken over my life. I'm fully on the bandwagon and I can't see my getting off this side of "the worst Winter Britain has ever seen". It's amazing with milk, with water, in the mornings, at work and with a tiny dash of Nutella.



10 Random favourite

I think I've mentioned this before but seeing as they've moved I feel it's only right to mention Artemis and Nao of Junkaholique. The Husband and wife team run their own jewellery company, have the most beautiful home and sense of style and a little girl who wears Artemis' handmade knits adorably well. Their blog is inspiring as it is endearing. A weekly read for both the Boyfriend and I.

Interior: the "grown up" Games Room (yes that is a thing!)

Now that most of the  boxes have been unpacked and the important rooms are starting to take shape  we've started to throw about ideas for the unnamed den/games room/ play room/ man cave upstairs in the roof. (Can a den be in the roof?)

Between us we've got nearly every games console since the commodore but they've all been gathering dust at our parent's houses under a spaghetti junction of cables.

Below are some ideas that we both like for a games room that incorporate function, organisation and the kind of design that continues throughout the house. It's hard to make, what's essentially a kids room, look stylish but below shows that with a bit of money and planning it can be done.

Click on the images for relevant links. It gets a bit silly towards the end but this is all research anyway...

*look out for the console glass coffee table!!

Various stickers available online and through Etsy

Wall stickers from: UberDecals

Poster from: PopChartLab

Pong sticker from: Zesty Graphics

Dream gaming room via Dannycoo.com (the craziest site!!)

Star Wars poster from: Conception Studios

$10,500 when sold with all the money going to charity!

Contemporary Media Room

The Sunday Session: Favourite things from the past month

http://stepjourney.wordpress.com/how-to-study/

It's Sunday afternoon and we are both trying to study. Despite the blazing sun and the call to laze in the park with a cider and some strawberries. Our attempt to take our books to the park was a disaster as we quickly gobbled up all the picnic food so we are now held captive; chained to the desk and fuelled by scorching coffee on a scorching day.

As part of my attempt at record breaking procrastination (Jim is currently taking a break to sing to the cat) I thought I would start a little regular post to cover my favourite things from the past Month. If you've got any recommendations of your own please send them my way as I am incredibly nosy and love to hear what other people are hooked on!


1 What are you reading?


I finished "Billy and me" by Giovanna Fletcher (Mrs Tom McFly) in just under 24hours. It's lighthearted, easy reading and written in one of the most delightful voices I've read in a while. I had a day off of work so curled up on the sofa (which I pushed to the french doors as we don't have any garden furniture yet) and hungrily consumed the novel and an entire packet of Maryland cookies (ahem) which made for one of a blissful and self indulgent day! 



2 What are you watching?

I am hooked on 3 TV shows at the moment which I hoped would fill the "Game of Thrones" void in my life. "Top of the lake" (BBC 2) is a crime drama set in New Zealand with (a now predictable) a female lead, "The White Queen" (BBC 1) is a glorified soap opera set during the 'Wars of the roses' and "The Returned" (Channel 4), a supernatural/zombie drama in French. If anyone knows how to take the English subtitles off when watching back on 4OD please let me know!!

Fact: Jeremy Irons son plays the lead in "The white Queen". Lovley, um, genes!

We also watched "The Firm" starring Tom Cruise which I'd never seen before as I find his on screen presence creepy and a little embarrassing (maybe just me) but it was so good! Afterwards I discovered that it's really famous and everyone has seen it so this may be old news to you.


3 Where have you been?

Our best friends bought a house close to us around the same time as we moved and they had a house warming/birthday BBQ this Month to celebrate all the good things! They have the most beautiful home and it's one of those places that as soon as you walk in feels so relaxing and comfortable. There were about 25 of us there and the sun shone and the bubbles flowed and it was such a great day. I know it is a sign of things to come and that their little home will see many years of good times! For a sneak peek have a look at my instagram on the right!

We also went to Lovebox festival in Victoria Park, London just for the Sunday and watched Kelis, Leanne La Havas, Hurts and Goldfrapp play. Jim's Nan gave us tickets and it couldn't have been a better day. The sun was scorching, the cider chilled and dancing to Goldfrapp made me reminisce about crimping my hair to look like Alison. The glory days...


4 What made you smile?

Yesterday my girl friends and I had an old photo/letter/memories day and huddled under the umbrella in the garden with huge tubs of food and bottles of cider and dug out all our old photos. There were some absolute shockers in there and some I would happily forget but it was such a nice afternoon remembering the good the bad and the ugly (fashion wise) and trying to get over the fact we've been friends for nearly 12 years!!

A little taster of some of the classics...




5 Most listened to?

• Yes Giantess, "Tuff n stuff" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CpUyZcEPAs
• Air, Moon Safari http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo8aSo5Tv1E
• Laura Marling, everything she's released (and not released) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC2MaFHDzEo

6 Who deserves a mention?

Charlotte from Charlotte's Web

We all read lots of blogs (some of us on a weekly, daily, hourly basis) and there are those special blogs that simply make you smile as soon as they load up on your screen. Charlotte is hilarious, a brilliant writer, part of a fantastic web design team and a cat lover (which in my book speaks volumes about a person) and her blog is one that I race to as soon as she's posted. I urge you to have a read if you haven't already and I'm sure you'll love her blog as much as I do and if you were a dog person before, you may even be turned.. 


7 Favourite purchase?

My absolute steal was a pair of green chunky heels from Debenhams in the sale. I haven't had the opportunity to wear them yet but as I have had my eye on some chunky heeled Jeffrey Campbell's and nearly fainted at the price I feel quite smug that I spotted these beauties on the shelf. 

8 Most used site/app/game?

My go to app for house related ideas again this Month has to be Houzz. It's an online platform a little like Pinterest except that it also features articles and edits by interior designers. You can store things you like in a scrapbook and search for themes, styles, items and link to the site where the items can be purchased. It's a great reference too but is also a more useful alternative to a hard copy mood board or scrapbook.

Jim and I both downloaded (brace yourselves) Candy Crush to see what those 1573 requests on Facebook (from people I spoke to on one occasion at school) were about and 102 levels later I think you can gather how much time has been wasted on it.

For a break from crushing electronic sweets try "Dumb ways to die" which is a silly, railway safety based game (bare with me) which we've ben singing the song from it for days. Apparently it's famous in Australia although correct me if I'm wrong! (Both available from the App store - you've been warned!)

My most visited site this month has been "Junkaholique" for the photos, inspiration from Artemis and her Husband Nao on up-cycling, places to visit in the Uk and how to take the most beautiful photos I've seen on the internet. Nao captures moments between Artemis and her daughter Pehr that would normally be missed in the blink of an eye. 


9 Something good to eat?

Jim and I whipped up a lazy sweet, juicy salad as the weather has been so hot and splitting up during the shopping and then realising what we'd bought once we got back to the kitchen has meant we've invented our new favourite summer snack!

• Salad leaves (ours were peppery pre-washed salad leaves topped up with iceberg and romaine)
• Plum tomatoes chopped
• Flakes of goats cheese
• Orange slices
• Beetroot chopped into chunks
• A dash of olive oil and the juice of another orange...

Not for everyone I admit but if you like zesty, colourful and juicy salads give this a try!


10 Random favourite

Charity Shops. This may seem an obvious choice considering we love vintage furniture and homeware but I just can't get enough of them. I can't seem to walk past one without having a little look for potential gems. I love the fact that they completely differ depending on the area and country and that what is one person's junk really could be your treasure!

I will leave you with exhibit A...

Demi-john from a charity shop around the corner for £2.00!!

If you're reading this...

Paris when it sizzles - a few favourites

There's a little entry on the calendar scribbled next to a date very close to Christmas that has got me bubbling with excitement.

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that my heart belongs in Paris. This isn't a love affair caused by a holiday as a child or the fact that I'm a sucker for a cliché; it's more of a spiritual/cultural/meaningful connection that means I feel more at home in Paris than anywhere else in the world.

I once visited Paris on my own when I found out my Parents were getting a divorce. Sitting on a picnic blanket outside the Louvre in the "jardin de tuileries" with a small bottle of wine and some freshly baked bread and cheese I realised that the city could help to mend broken hearts as well as it could join two together.

So, after that lengthy intro I think that a little post of my favourite Parisian/French favourites is apt now that we're planning our next trip there.

Music

This song never fails to make me smile and Ms Denamur's sexy French vocals are the perfect soundtrack for a wine fuelled evening.

Films 

Midnight in Paris

A Woody Allen film that captures some of the literary greats such as the infamous drunk Hemingway and Gatsby writer F. Scott Fitzgerald as well as artists Toulouse-Lautrec and Dali.


The story itself is magical, romantic and delightful. It won't feature on any "cool" critic's lists but that won't matter because the scenery, the era, the costumes and the script will bring a smile to your face and make you wish you were wandering the city at midnight too. 



Before sunset

The second in the trilogy and my favourite of them all. (Quelle surprise!) The continuation of 2 strangers on a journey who meet through Europe and fall in love. Who doesn't love a film that features everyone's favourite Parisian bookshop?





 Paris when it sizzles, Charade, Funny face...



Audrey Hepburn is essentially the most beautiful screen siren/Parisian tour guide there is and numerous films featuring the starlet are set in the city and capture both times gone by and how some things about Paris will never change.

Places 

The aforementioned "jardin de tuileries" holds a bitter/sweet place in my heart and will always be my destination should I ever need to escape by myself. For anyone that's seen Amelie; the steps at the Sacre coeur are where Nino finds clues and where you can ride the traditional merry-go-round and is a beautiful look out point over the higgledy piggledy chimney tops of Paris.

The "Shakespeare and company" book shop situated near to the Notre Dame is now infamous and well worth a visit for bookworms and/or English speakers alike. On exiting the bookshop you are round the corner from some of the best record and second hand book stalls in Paris.

Whilst famous landmarks such as the Eiffel tower and the Concord are worth a trip, I definitely think that a walk to the top of l'arc de triomphe at night is the best time to go. The twinkling lights of the city and the darkness surrounding you makes it feel like you're the only ones seeing the landmarks of the city; a stolen view that could mirror what Hemingway or Hepburn saw whilst arm in arm with another.

There are a zillion other places that I adore but to save this post and your eyes I'll end it there with a clip featuring Ms Tautou... 

A break, some sun and my talented friends

LoveBox 2013 

It's been a while since we settled down in front of the laptop with a steaming cup of tea surrounded by notepads and French design catalogues (rock and roll). During a Twitter chat a few weeks ago someone told me about the "5 month curse" and it rattled me a little. I was told that it takes approximately 5 months before your nerves/commitment/effort and enthusiasm start to quiver and you decide to stop blogging/writing/creating.

I was sure that I wouldn't be one of those to cave under the pressure despite what life was throwing our way or let myself drift but much to my disappointment, life threw us some curve balls  rocks and the blog took a hit at exactly 5 Months old.

It was a conversation with two good friends at my best friend's beautifully sunny Birthday BBQ this weekend that made me feel excited about blogging again. As I spoke to my talented teacher friend about her starting a blog I found myself describing all the reasons why it makes me smile. Never because I feel like anyone out there would want to hear what I have to say but simply that I love putting pen to paper and fingers to keys.

There are a lot of big changes happening soon and whilst those may not feature here amongst the photos of Danish furniture and heavily filtered photos of our cat (did we mention we have a cat?), they will be there grumbling away in the background reminding us that sometimes having people you love around you is far more important than lovely things.

When life throws you lemons...

And now for the exciting part of this post - to introduce one of the people who made me smile this weekend. I suggest you put the kettle on, settle yourself down with your laptop/phone/cat and enjoy the witty dialogue and hilarious prose in her very first blog post. After nearly 12 years of friendship she still makes me laugh so much I'm nearly sick. (The highest of compliments!)





Bebe Armitage - Teacher/Dieter/Singleton


My beautiful, talented, honest, brave and funny friend who enjoys a beer as much as a book - the perfect date!

This isn't her but it very nearly could be! Read her brand-spanking-new blog here