A Christmas Bedroom. {FT. Laura Ashley}

Ever since I worked in a florists, I have always had dreams about decorating my bedroom more at Christmas time. We used to get this customer who would come in every year, a couple of weeks before Christmas and buy: 2 long garlands, a wreath and some small posies all to decorate her bedroom with. She would explain how a garland would hang above the bed and one across their mantle piece. They would put a wreath on the door and have posies for her dressing table. It sounded like something out of a magazine. A perfectly picturesque scene for her and her husband to enjoy in their own space. I always felt quite jealous about it to be honest as what we made always was so beautiful and I could just imagine it adorning some grand bed. Could you imagine the smell? Fresh spruce; how Christmassy. However, my one cause for concern is that once it got a bit dry, would it not drop? Finding little pine needles in your sheets wouldn't be that comfortable, but maybe the prettiness outweighed the potential droppage and therefore it was still something that had to be done. 

As the years have passed I have often thought about how I would decorate a room for Christmas. This year the kids have a nice new sideboard in their bedroom which I am going to put a small Christmas tree on. They will be so excited for that; one they can decorate themselves. Our room, as it is the attic isn't seen as much as theirs in the day though. I don't really get chance to chill out in there as it is usually time for sleeping once I get up there. I always wanted a bedroom I could just be in, relaxing or reading, but being in the attic I feel it is too far away from the sitting room to just be in when the kids would be downstairs. However, since we painted the bedroom, and as the kids have had a few toys put in their rooms as we have been overflowing a bit, I spend a bit more time up there. It is such a nice space visually for us and the dark grey wall still is as impressive as it was when we first painted it. All of this change and having the opportunity to have some Christmas bits upstairs for the kids I have found some pieces that would go in our room so perfectly. Even though they would spend most of their time being unseen I am absolutely going to be going to bed a bit earlier to enjoy just sitting quietly in their glow. There is something about fairy lights that gets me all excited anyway and as I always wanted a garland for my bed, finding this one from LAURA ASHLEY is an absolutely perfect substitute for anything fresh. Dressing the wooden headboard with a Christmas garland is such a great idea, if you can get one to fit, honestly you should as it looks so pretty. 

Using a traditional wreath as well as adornment for my chest of drawers is just another nice seasonal piece that means the room feels Christmassy. 

With a few extra pretty lights to bring that Christmas glow upstairs I think my bedroom is ready for Christmas. I am so excited to enjoy this space this season. I think a few Christmas movies and hot chocolates in bed will be called for, some special moments to just reiterate the importance of family at this time of year.

What I have;
WREATH / GARLAND / STAR FAIRY LIGHTS / STAR LIGHT

*Laura Ashley sponsored this post for their blog, I am just sharing it on mine also as it is so pretty!

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Christmas At Our House.

I'm afraid that's it, I have been waiting to start sharing and boy am I going too. For the first time in years I have been desperate to get the Christmas decorations out and for once I listened to myself. I usually start taking pictures after thanksgiving but this year I actually started before as I was just too busy to plan time in and wait and that meant that inevitably, Christmas decorations have been out and styled up much earlier than usual. We also had our first official Christmas movie night which I am afraid really kick started it {even though Rob and I have been watching Christmas24 films for 2 weeks}.

I know, it has just hit me this year and I think it is because we have a huge event happening just before Christmas which has completely changed everything. We are off on our Mark Warner Ski holiday and it's gonna be intense, but as of today, all Christmas shopping is done and nearly wrapped which is something I have never done in the whole of my life, What am I gonna do for the next three weeks? Oh that's right, advent, pantos, nativity, reindeer parades.... the list is endless and that's why I needed to enter into December really ready for Christmas.

As a blogger I find I naturally set scenes a bit earlier anyway, so I can have pictures to use and inspire others' creativity {at least I hope I do that anyway} so I do get that bit more excited slightly earlier than most. As I said, because our our holiday I feel since that's been finalised in the last few weeks I am totally ready to start celebrating the season. Rightly or wrongly we naturally have and I have really enjoyed delving into the cupboard and pulling out our very familiar decorations.
What is nice is I think my Christmas decorations are a style that I still love. From our first Christmas when I got most of our baubles I have always used the same and just added little extras here and there. I always have a strong white theme but this year thanks to a few purchases over the last few months there is a lovely gold element via candles and and a few new deer and a soft grey colour has also crept in. I keep it simple though; no real amounts of red anywhere, in decoration form anyway, as I always found it just didn't suit us in the way I wanted it to.

Simple, non fussy and with a hint of nature is how I like it, obviously that includes nice metallics but nothing too garish. At the moment it is the fireplace and kitchen shelf that have main displays. The kids' room has a few bits and I have put up our advent calendar which is always quite a spectacular feat to do anyway. This year it looks just as exciting as last.

 Advent is such a great time and I love the little celebrations each day {that reminds me I must get out my advent candles!} so having a bit of decoration out for the 1st of December is quite important.
This year as well I have really been drawn to Christmas pyjamas. Now that is a new thing, I am never that bothered but I now have three pairs!! A couple were gifted, but this pair from JOULES I bought after walking past the store window and just thought they looked fab! The display pulled me right in and I couldn't resist! While I was there I also picked up their new Christmas book which is so lovely, it is such a nice addition to our library and the illustrations are beautiful.

With life swiftly moving on and I myself find that time is just disappearing, I am trying to live very much each day as it comes. With family life hectic and work busy, my feet aren't even that close to the ground but driving home from the school run today I had some Christmas songs on and was just reminded about the real beauty behind the season. I almost felt quite emotional about all that is to come and very much the reason for the season. My Catholic faith stands so prominent at this time of year and even though I get wrapped up in all of the material, and enjoy it, I love the small reminders that Christmas is a time to celebrate that Christ was born.
Oh bring on the 1st!

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Investing in a good coat {Checks} #3

OK. So this is my third and final post on my checked coat. It will probably appear again at some point, especially if I style it with a colour other than red or black, but hey, I like what I like and I have found that I clearly like wearing this coat with those colours!

This is my favourite look by far though. Why? Because I am bringing back the beret! Oh my goodness, when I saw these on some high end bloggers I literally couldn't believe it. Sat in my hat basket I had two berets which I bought when I was first dating Rob. I used to love them! I always wore them and in fact made sure to take these and a very sparkly one {which I got rid of years ago and am now regretting} onto our French honeymoon. I had only really kept this red one and a black one for nostalgic reasons, and I suppose, deep down I knew I really liked them and hoped I would wear them again. And here we are, 2017 and the beret is "back in fashion" so they say and by that I mean so trendy that you can pick one up easily on the high street! Even though my beret, stud ankle boots and checked coat made me feel like an art student from the 80s/90s, I must say I instantly loved wearing it again. My love affair with checks and red can continue and this is very much going to be a repeated outfit, I can tell now!

I seriously love this coat. I don't think I have said that enough. Part of me wants one with more colours in since seeing a few different ones come out in the shops, I always rush in, but really this is so good with so much. A simple style which really can sit in my cupboard and come out over and over again. It shouldn't go out of fashion; checks are so classic but I really like that its popularity makes it accessible and means that we can all enjoy a bit of checkered fashion.

I also just want to mention my perfectly colour co-ordinated bag! Could it match any better?? I have long loved Cambridge Satchel Company and this is my fourth bag from them. My first, I must have got a good few years ago now, I think long before children when they burst onto the scene. They are still making beautiful styles, keeping up with the trends and producing new designs that are still so desirable. This year though, as I have waffled on and on about the colour red, it seemed fitting that I added a good quality red leather bag to my collection. Not only is red the colour of the season but in reality, there is always a place for red in your wardrobe, especially at this time of year, after all, it is pretty much the colour that symbolises Christmas so I feel very ready for the season with this one! In this case though, it is pretty perfect for combining with my check coat and red beret. What a perfectly vintage arty feel!

I'm wearing:

COAT / BOOTS / similar JUMPER / JEANS{old}/ BAG

* The bag was a gift from Cambridge Satchel Company to share on my blog.

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Investing in a good coat {Checks} #2

OK, so after seeing the last outfit {#1} where I showed you how I was wearing this River Island Check Coat in a very casual way, I wanted to share something slightly different. Red is still a big thing in this, just in jumper form but as it is so bold it really stands out. I love that though, how bright it is! Just like the other outfit, I am sticking with my jeans but I have swapped out the trainers for some kitten heels. Now this is a style that I have found a little love in. So easy to walk in height wise, my feet don't hurt at all but there is still a part of me which feels like they are such a dated style. Do you get that? It makes me smile! I remember having kitten heels as a young teen and being so impressed by them, but now it is almost like stepping backwards. Part of me is a little disappointed too, I should still be able to manage in full heels and therefore a kitten heel means I am growing a little older!! Ha ha!

I do like them though and these little booties are great for moving into the colder weather. With some cropped flared jeans they sit really nicely and alongside the check coat I feel that it is another winning outfit perfect for day wear or even work wear, This coat sits great even in a more smart style, another way to wear it!

I'm wearing:

COAT / BOOTS / JUMPER & BAG {Primark}

Similar coats I love:

COAT 1 / COAT 2 / COAT 3

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Investing in a good coat {Checks}. #1

I have been wanting to write about this for weeks. It is the season after all and as coats are one of my absolute favourite items {I could easily buy one a week} I wanted to share a few I have in a series of posts. More because I want to talk about investing in good, but on trend coats and seeing how you can wear them. The problem is, if you follow the fashion world you often find that coats don't last through the years in the same way as buying a classic cut in a classic colour does. I have a strong feeling that after this year my red coat probably won't be worn again, but I know, my caramel, nude or navy ones will see me through year on year. I suppose I just know come next year there will be a new colour that is popping on the high street, so knowing me, I will follow trend and and buy a new "fashion" coat. This year it is very much about red, but also about what goes with red. The very old fashion Prince of Wales check is very much on the scene too and is being teamed with this colour in a big way. Now if you are not familiar it is a classic black and white knit that can be large or big in check and can often then have other colours running through. Most popular at the moment are actually mustard and burgundy colours or you may find they are pretty simple like mine. I actually have the faintest pink stitch on mine, but you can't actually tell. So naturally, this coat is making more and more appearances as the more I wear it, the more other items I think to wear it with. I really love the cut too; very simple, straight and unfitted really and I just really love how it looks. One colour is showing up with all my looks though and that is red. As I said, with it being a popular colour I am so attracted to the check and red together. My first outfit is about keeping it easy. Trainers, tees and checks, I don't think you can beat it. 

I'm wearing:

COAT / TEE / SHOES / BAG {Primark}

Similar coats I love:

COAT 1 / COAT 2 / COAT 3

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