In conclusion: November

Whooosh!

Where did November go? Seriously I've never known a month go by so quickly. It's been such a frantic and busy time for me I've been playing "catch up" constantly. I've not blogged as much as I would have liked, I've not had time to read all my favourite blogs (slowly getting through them) and as for all the plans I had to decorate the home office before Christmas, well, forget it. That's going to have to wait until the new year now!
I'm not the only one feeling the pressure. Just today I managed to have a read of the lovely Rosie's blog and found this post. The readers comments show we're not alone. My advice is to let go of perfection. We simply cannot do everything and do it perfectly everytime, and our lives/ homes/ can't always be like life in the glossy magazines and the pictures on Pinterest.
Do your personal best and look after yourself, take time out to relax and .......breathe!

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Poor Flossie!
Earlier this month Flossie had to have some blood taken to check her liver enzyme levels because she's currently taking a course of steroid tablets due to having itchy skin. The veterinary nurse took her away to the treatment room while we were directed to take a seat in the waiting room. I felt so bad as she looked back at me wondering why she was being taken away. About 20 minutes later she was brought back through the door into a crowded waiting room to an eruption of "Awwww" followed by laughter!! The nurse had shaved her little leg and put on a lurid green bandage which Flossie dutifully held in the air as she walked in!

Christmas market
I went to the Christmas market in Manchester last week, and it was wonderful!
It was very busy and difficult to take photos for people being in the way (don't they know I'm trying to take blog photos!??) The afternoon was spent wandering the many stalls, drinking hot chocolate, buying French biscuits, cute trinkets and eating German sausages! I particularly loved the bird feeders for sale on the Dutch flower stall shown in the picture I took on the right.

Manchester Christmas Markets from Manchester City Council on Vimeo.

Getting ready

Any free time available in November has been dedicated to Christmas preperations. I am feeling very smug that I've bought all of my gifts and they simply await wrapping..... then I remember everything else that needs to be done.... menus to organise, clothes to buy, decorations to make (why do I do this to myself!??) Trees to put up, it just goes on and on. 

I'm not making a Christmas cake this year, I thought it would make a nice change (and be easier!) to make cupcakes. I'll add some fruit and spices to my usual mixture and I'll top them with the gorgeous sprinkles featuring red and green sugar strands with white snowflakes and tiny gingerbread men, I bought from Planet Bake, which is where I got the red and white snowflake cupcake cases from too. 

I also bought Wilton icing colouring from my local Hobbycraft in Christmas Red and Leaf Green. It's a concentrated paste colour which is much better than using liquid colours as they can thin down your icing too much making it hard to use with a piping bag!

Pyjamas Pizza & Ice cream!

After such a hectic month it felt only right to have a much needed break, so last Saturday ended up being a "Pyjama Day." After a lovely lie- in I spent my time lounging around in my PJ's drinking copious amounts of tea and reading and snoozing on the sofa with Flossie. I literally felt like I could sleep for a 100 years I was so tired! 

In the evening we ordered pizza, garlic bread and potato wedges from Dominoes. I ordered online which I love because it's so easy, the website is brilliant there are lots of pizza offers, you can pay with Paypal and you even get a progress report! Naturally, we also ordered ice cream. I got my absolute favourite Ben & Jerrys Chocolate chip cookie dough!

There's more?!

There is so much more I could blog about, but it will have to wait for now. The only thing left to say really is Thank You to everyone who is still reading(!) Hi to any new readers (*waves) and check out some of the lovely bloggers and their blogs below! 

• A little Ones Adventures   • Beautiful Clutter   • Buttons and Bunnies   

• Dottie K   • Sugar Patch   • Glamour Rouge

• Chloe likes to Talk

Words on Wednesday

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Retail Therapy: Subtle sparkle

1. Mac "Glitter and Ice" Holiday 2011 collection lipstick in Soft Sable


2. Pearl Lowe for Peacocks embroidered bodice dress 


3. Mac "Glitter and Ice" Holiday 2011 collection mineralize eyeshadow in Fresh Ice


4. Gold envelope clutch bag from ASOS


5. Gold star bangle from ASOS


6. Animal print open toe shoes from Peacocks


7. Swatch of Mac nails from Temptalia 


8. Mac "Glitter and Ice" Holiday 2011 collection nail laquer in Unconditionally Fabulous


9. OPI Christmas glitter collection nail polish in Rainbow Connection

Words on Wednesday

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Giving feels good!

Busy Busy Busy
As Christmas fast approaches and we all get busy organising gifts and food and looking forward to the festivities, I know I'm by no means the only person whose thoughts turn to those less fortunate. My parents mantra was "There's always someone worse off than yourself" and that has always stayed with me. I'm not a martyr or religious in any way and I also hope I'm not patronising but if I can help, I will.

A helping hand
There are numerous ways to contribute to those that need help, anything from cash donations to giving up your free time to feed the homeless. We've just had Children in Need here in the UK which raises a massive amount of money every year for children all over the world. Another great idea close to the hearts of a lot of bloggers is Give and Make Up, the idea behind which is to create a box of toiletries and make up items, these are then distributed to victims of domestic abuse, many of whom have had to leave their homes quickly without any personal belongings.

My contribution
This week I found a cause close to my heart when I was in Pets at Home, buying Flossies dog food. A simple sign had been pinned up stating that a local dogs home was in desperate need of blankets, towels and dog food, due to a lack of donations. Also this week I found out that my local RSPCA needs £30,000 by the end of December or it will have to close down.

So, obviously I made a cash donation online to my local RSPCA and promptly bought some blankets and dog food to take to the local dogs home.

Charities feeling the effects of recession
In the economic climate people are simply not donating to charities as much as they used to which is totally understandable, if you've lost your job you might not have much to spare. Sadly, some pet owners are having to give up their animals because they can't afford vets fees if the animal is sick, and animal shelters are being inundated with homeless animals, not just dogs, but, rabbits, horses, cats and even the smaller animals like guinea pigs.

Bella RSPCA 

Female Rabbit in need of a home RSPCA

Feel good!
I don't want to sound "preachy" but I urge you to do something before this year is out, that will help someone else (human or animal!) There are so many great ways to help others. and I can promise, in return you will feel very good about yourself. Spread the word! xx

Getting organized

The time has come to re-decorate our home office and I've been spending rather a lot of time on Pinterest in the name of research! Here are some of my finds.

I love these clipboards used on the wall. Much cooler than your average cork notice board. I'm going to buy plain clipboards from here and then cover them with different coloured papers.

Another great idea for keeping everything together in a stylish way, an empty picture frame with wire mesh (chicken wire) tacked to the back and wooden clothes pegs to attach stuff to. Love it.

I'm definitely using these two ideas for storing all my paper and documents. You can find similar wire baskets here and here. I've bought a simple plastic bin and some coloured elastic bands for my paper rolls rather than using tubes.

This little desk tidy is so cute. It's actually a sink tidy! I could see myself being very secretarial flicking through these files!

Finally. I think this shower-tidy-used-as-office-organiser is genius. I am definitely going to be searching one of these out. 

Hopefully all of these ideas will make me more productive and organised!

*All pictures from Pinterest.

Words on Wednesday

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Yee Haw! I won a prize!

My raffle ticket is never the winning number, I'm one of those people that simply doesn't win prizes. Until now! 

I couldn't believe my luck when Adrienne of The Sunday Girl tweeted to say I'd won her giveaway of 5 Yankee Candle wax tarts and I'm thrilled to have received them this morning. 

The tarts themselves are a round disc as pictured above and you simply place them in the dish of an oil burner and light an unscented tea light underneath which then melts the wax and releases the aroma. They burn up to 8 hours and you can even mix the tarts to create your own fragrance.

Along with a little note from Adrienne my selection of tarts are:

1. Autumn lodge
2. Sweet honeysuckle
3. Mango peach salsa
4. Autumn sky
5. Apple pumpkin

So, I'm sending a big THANK YOU to Adrienne for hosting the giveaway and giving me the opportunity to try these wax tarts, the trouble now is deciding which one to light first!

* Total credit for the above picture to Adrienne at the Sunday Girl Blog.

Recent purchases: Winter woolies and a bag

The weather has finally turned to what feels like a proper Autumn, and Winter won't be far behind. I wonder if we'll get early snow like we did last year?! In preparation for chilly days I found myself stocking up on some woolies in Peacocks and Primark.

Peacocks  £20 

I like the fairisle pattern on this jumper and the big cosy hood. I'll wear a vest under this and throw it on with jeans, boots and my duffle coat to take winter walks with Flossie. It kind of has a "Christmasy" feel too!

Socks from Primark £3

I grabbed these socks while waiting at the till (sucker? me?!) At £3 I think they are amazing quality, lined with a fur trim at the top and those gluey, non-slip-like-thingies on the sole. Bargain. They are navy blue though they look black.

Pimark £8

I chose this jumper because of the colours which are not accurate here at all. It is in fact navy blue and a mustard colour. I'll wear it with navy blue trousers or dark denim.

Primark £12

This again isn't showing true to colour, in real life the red is brighter and again it's a mustard colour!
I'm not sure what to wear this with. The main reason I bought it, is because it's so comfy. Any ideas how to style this would be gratefully received.

Primark £10

Finally, I needed fancied a new handbag and at £10 it would be rude not to, and I like to think of  myself as very polite!

 

Recent purchases: Crafted love

Over the years I've dipped in and out of various crafts, some I've stuck with forever, (jewellery making) some I haven't, (cross stitch and it's tangled threads, no thanks!) and when it comes to giving gifts I love to either make something myself or purchase something from other crafters. I always find that an item is much more appreciated by the recipient when it is made by hand, the fact that it's been designed and handmade especially for them gives the gift such a personal touch.

Here are some items I've purchased recently from fellow crafters/bloggers for myself. They'd make perfect presents for friends and family, if you can bear to part with them!

Lily loves Lola

I'm pretty sure most of you will know Victoria from her blog Lily loves Lola. She writes about her adventures with her two very cute pugs and her life in Yorkshire with her boyfriend Jonathan. She's recently taken up jewellery making and opened an online shop. I couldn't resist these lovely earrings featuring the Eiffel Tower and sweet baby pink hearts, I'm a sucker for anything Parisian.

Layla Amber

I bought these little beauties on Etsy from a shop called layla amber. Maybe you've guessed from the name of my blog I find bird/feather/nest related items very appealing! I had to make these little blue tit earrings mine, they are so detailed. Layla Amber  is based in Suffolk and she also has a lovely blog of the same name. As well as bird earrings she also has some gorgeous "tea time" items which I love.

Blanche & Lola

Blanche & Lola is a gorgeous shop belonging to the lovely Amy, a fellow blogger! I love everything about this shop, the name, the cute labels and of course the jewellery. I particularly love Amy's hand collaged brooches which are made using vintage book illustrations. I asked Amy to choose a design of brooch for me, I couldn't believe she sent me a bird related item as she had absolutely no idea it was "The Pampered Sparrow" who was buying from her! Spooky coincidence?!
I'd also like to add that Blanche & Lola has really good customer service :)

There are so many talented bloggers out there, please share in the comments any of your favourites!

Words on Wednesday

Day Tripper: Hey! Little Cupcake

One of my favourite places to visit when I'm in Manchester is Hey little cupcake. It is the cutest little cafe specialising in, you guessed it, cupcakes! Here are a few pictures from my last visit.

The cupcake I had was called the New Yorker. A chocolate and vanilla marble cake with a coffee buttercream! Yum is all I can add to that really. :D