*I don't feel middle-aged! I really don't!*

It's my birthday on Sunday & it's a birthday I have been dreading all year!!!
I will be 35!
Thirty Five!!!

I will be in that middle-aged bracket on forms ~ no longer will I be 21-34 NO I will be 35-49!!!!! I think this officially means I'm middle aged!!!

I don't feel middle-aged, I still feel like that wild young thing I was at 20 although slightly more sensible it has to be said!!! But I will be 35, how on earth did this happen???

It really doesn't seem 2 minutes since it was my 30th birthday ~ which I wasn't overly pleased with either & got hiddeously drunk on bubbly the night before & had the mother of all hangovers for my birthday!!!

I'm still a little girl, I'm not 35 for goodness sake! We don't have children as I've always thought myself too young to be a mother, I can barely look after myself for goodness sake, but now blimey in 2 minutes time I'm going to be too old!!!!

I know it's only a number but I think this is the first real birthday that I've thought *eek* I am old although in my rational moments I do realise 35 isn't really old at all! Oh well I'm sure those forms for filling in will come flooding in now just to spite me & I will have to be the miserable one ticking the 35-49 bracket with a frown on her face thinking where did my youth go? Although really one shouldn't be frowning too much now as one has to think of those deep set wrinkles settling in now don't you know ...

*I ♥ Butterflies*

You all know I have a love of butterflies & I have just added these very pretty pink butterfly garlands to the shop.

They can be hung vertically by a loop at the top & they have a big bead at the bottom for weight or they look equally pretty draped around mirrors, bedstands or birdcages as seen above!

I am going to keep mine for Christmas time as I wanted to go a little more delicate with the Christmas decorations for the dining room & so thought silvers, whites, pale pinks & blues would be lovely & these pretty garlands are just perfect for that scheme.

They are £8 & can be found *here*.

*Losing our way, an art show & a little shopping ...*

This past weekend the Northern Art Show was on in Harrogate so James & I popped along on Sunday.

I'm afraid on our way there I realised I had forgotten to take my camera & so I have no photos of the art show itself & so I thought I would pop one of James' pieces in for the art element!!! I do love this Mills & Boon cover painting.

Anyhoo the day started out oddly as we were in the International Centre carpark & found it strangely difficult to find the exit & then an older couple joined us in the search for the 'light' as they had been wandering around for ages & had found themselves in various places but not the exit! The lady did say at one point they had found themselves in a darkened room!!! *eek* We did eventually find the street thank goodness & didn't spend all day wandering around an underground carpark!

On our way to the art show we bumped into Steven Lawler another talented artist that James knows through the gallery. He had already been to the art show & so after a few minutes chatting off we went to see the art.

Within the first few mins in the show we bumped into the couple we had been lost with, so they had also been on their way to the art! There wasn't too much that took my fancy I must admit but I was taken by work from a photographer named Richard Heeps.

You can see more of his work *here*.

After leaving the art show there just happened to be time to do a little shopping in Harrogate & I managed to pick up a lovely 'Welcome' hanging Christmas decoration from a sweet little shop! It is always a little odd visiting these cute shops as they do tend to sell the same things as me but I do always manage to find a little something that can feed my obsession for buying homewares! Thankfully!

*Such Sweetness*

I just love Marilyn Monroe & I think this photo is just so sweet.
I am completely in love with that pretty dress, I want one just like it.
I just love the sweet combination of the pretty blue & the pink flower & of course Ms Monroe's delicate beauty ...

*Mini Makeover*

This is a metal pitcher I bought a couple of years ago in a sale. It only cost a couple of pounds but it was a bright baby blue. I lived with it in various places in the house but it just never seemed to fit in properly, so in the summer I decided to give it a mini makeover.

This is the colour it used to be when I had it by the fireplace a couple of years ago but I was just never keen on the brightness of it.

I bought a can of this Painters Touch spray paint in Antique White & gave it a whole new life!

At the same time I also sprayed a little zinc trug that we had in the garden. I just gave the trug a good wash & sprayed it & popped some lavender plants in & sat it on our landing window ledge.

That is the fab thing about having old lovely sash windows, you get these huge window ledges on the outside to pop planters on.

I even managed to spray a biscuit tin that we had left over from last Christmas! Does anyone else hate throwing these tins out? I do. Anyhoo it received a lovely makeover too & is now a bits & bobs tin.

So I managed to get a whole lotta makeover done with this one can of spray paint! Fab!

This is where the pitcher lives now, on top of a wicker hamper on the landing & I think it is much prettier now ...

*New Pretties for the Shop*

Well here are the new pretties I was telling you about the other day.

I have completely fell in love with this Home Sweet Home Sign!
I photographed it here & here this one has stayed! I just love them, they are so incredibly pretty.
These signs are £6.00 & can be found *here*.

Another pretty item is this lovely heart shaped bird feeder.
Just pop an apple on the spike & place in your garden. I'm afraid I did have to photograph this in doors due to this miserable dark & wet November weather. But this pretty is currently outside hanging in my garden!
They cost a bargainlicious £4.00 & can be found *here*.


... and I'm afraid we have even more cuteness here with this sweet little hangies.
Two birdies & two hearts in the set. I just love these too! They are such a wonderful chalky white which has been distressed ~ they really are just the cutest little hangies. Perfect for Christmas decorations but pretty enough for all year round decor too.
These have been 'flying off the shelves' since they arrived in the shop yesterday & I'm not surprised they are simply delicious!
They are £4.50 for the set & can be found *here*.

Specially for Christmas we have our cutie pie little 'gingerbread' decorations back this year.

They come in a set of 8 & cost only £3.50 & can be found *here*.

Another Christmas favourite from last year is back too.

These handmade red NOEL letters were really popular last year & since they have been back are a favourite this year too.

They cost £8.00 & can be found *here*.

*Please note that the last day for Christmas Shopping is Monday 14th December this is so that all your orders can be packed up & sent out & arrive in time for Christmas ~ and with the Royal Mail strikes recently & the backlog of post it has caused I think the earlier Christmas items are posted out the better.*

*M&S ~ Penny Bazaar*

Apparantly going by Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert website this Friday (Friday the 13th *eek*) Marks & Spencer stores will be holding a 'Penny Bazaar'!!!
They will be selling things for only a penny to celebrate its 125th Birthday.

There will be 15 things included in the penny sale & all the money will go to local charities.
Things included in the penny sale are Christmas socks, card games, children’s puzzles, handkerchiefs, money boxes, tea-towels, mugs, notebooks, ties, knickers, key-rings, Christmas chocolates and Yule logs!
*Phew*

You can buy up to five 1p products each but get there early as I'm guessing this is going to be really really popular.
I'm not sure I'm brave enough to tackle this kind of shopping! I must admit I'm not a huge fan of shopping as it is, plus I hate getting up early especially in this cold weather ~ I know, I know I'm a weakling but I am a thrifty gal so all these goodies for a penny may seduce me but I say may lightly ...

*Pretty Pink Rose Garlands*

Just a quick shop update to say that these wonderfully pretty pink rose garlands are finally back in stock!!! Hurray!
It has took me months to get these as the supplier hasn't had any for ages but they are now available again to buy.
They are so pretty I personally just adore them. They are £10.00 each & can be found *here*.

***

I have also finally received a supply of new pretties that I have been waiting for an absolute age for ~ without a couple of Christmas items I wanted so I am quite angry about that but anyhoo the other things are adorable & will be available in the shop very very soon ...

*Vintage Style Birdcage & a Pretty Heart*

Just a quick update of a couple of new pretties for the shop.

Firstly these really pretty vintage style birdcages. I just love them ~ they are a soft white which is slightly distressed for a lovely vintage look. Pop a pretty planter inside & use them indoors or out. They can be hung from the top & so would look pretty hung from a tree for the summer months.

They are £20.00 & can be found *here*

And also just new are these pretty white-washed willow hearts. They are painted & then are slightly distressed for a soft vintage country cottage feel.

I have one of these propped up on a pretty shelf with hooks above the stairs but I'm thinking I will have a few more around the house for Christmas time & they will look so lovely me-thinks especially if like me you love love love white!

They are only £4.50 & so would make an ideal stocking filler gift for Christmas ~ find them *here*

*Remember, remember ...*

Well its the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason & plot & all that.

The image above is the Guy Fawkes Inn in York, the birthplace of Guy Fawkes.

Are you off to any displays & bonfires tonight, or are you having a bonfire of your own?

Ooohhh this time of year screams hot baked potatoes, mulled cider & gloved hands doesn't it?

There are a few displays in our area so it is just choosing which ones to go to. They are happening from tonight until Saturday mostly so I'm sure we will be attending a few!!!

Whatever you are doing stay wrapped up warm, be safe & have fun ...