Christmas Decorating, Lush Hot Choc and a Sequinned Dress

The trees are up!  My favourite room is the living room.  This year I've used a garland strung with fairy lights across the beam over the fireplace and I love it.   

The first thing I always do when we've put the tree up is run outside and look at the house from the street.  Our house is on a main road and if we leave the curtains open you can see the tree and the fireplace as you drive past.  With the outdoor tree lit up and a little tree in the upstairs window our house looks a bit like a Christmas grotto!  That makes me very happy; it looks so welcoming! 

The tree in the living room is decorated in white and silver.  I was tempted not to use the baubles because I love the simple beauty of a real tree strung with white lights and nothing else but it seemed a shame not to let this little lady out of her cardboard box:

My favourites are the bird decorations.  I like to see the fat little birds nestled on the branches and I love this sparkly wooden miniature bird house.

I've gone for all out tackiness in the dining room.  A small pale pink tree with pale pink vintage baubles and a pink feather boa to cover its plastic legs.  Nestled amongst the feathers is a brightly coloured bauble of Santa in a space jet.  LOVE.

Isn't it difficult getting photographs of Christmas trees.  It's especially hard with an iPhone.  I have asked for a digital SLR camera for my birthday (which is soon!) and I *may* have spied the box for a Canon EOS under the spare bed.... I'm excited to get one but I'm also worried that I just don't have the skills or eye to be a good photographer and it will be a waste of money.  Got any tips for me?

Now, I wanted to tell you about the BEST hot chocolate.  It's nothing fancy, just a bag of little chocolate bits from one of my favourite shops:  Hush.  It is delicious; quite the most delicious home-made hot chocolate I've had.   Coffee is my hot drink of choice but I do like a chocolate occasionally.  

The little sprinkler contains a mix of cocoa powder, ground cinnamon and vanilla sugar.
Delicious and especially nice for frothy coffee, too.

Got to dash in a mo because I have the day off work (yipee!) and am meeting my mum for a bit of shopping.  Well, we've done most of our shopping - it's just an excuse to have a girly lunch together.  I'm so looking forward to it.  

I just wanted to show you a quick outfit... I went to a Christmas party last night.  It was the party of one of Andrew's customers and I had to do the corporate wife thing.  I was so nervous about it - I always worry I'll make Andrew look stupid by saying something daft - so I bought myself a new dress to boost my confidence.  

It is, quite honestly, the most fab Christmas party dress I've ever owned - a sequinned dress from Coast.  (Link).  It's out of stock online but if you happen to see it in the store I can definitely recommend it.  I really wanted a dress with long sleeves because I don't like my upper arms.  This is a wrap-over style with three-quarter sleeves; soft inside too when a lot of sequinned clothes are a bit scratchy.  I wore it with a navy blazer, some high platform shoes and kept my jewellery minimal - just a small pair of pearl studs and a big sparkly cocktail ring.

Dancing (well, swaying really!) with my man to the band singing Frank Sinatra's 'Merry Christmas', next to a big dazzling Christmas tree I felt properly happy.  And Christmassy!  Bring on the celebrations!

Nicki 

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♥ing Red

Just lately I have had a thing for the colour red.  I treated myself to a Union Jack mug at the weekend and a new red whisk.  I love red and navy together but red with pale pink makes my heart race.... It's the simple things!



We've had a full-on weekend and I'm shattered.  I have a step-son and we fetch him for the weekend every fortnight.  He adores his dad and seems to like me by association - we get on like a house on fire.  He rules but, OMG, I'm exhausted when he leaves! This weekend I have taken part in two sock fights, listened to a long [enthusiastic and complicated] lecture about Marvel versus DC, watched a gory film about aliens and planned [in minute detail] the party for his 13th birthday that he has chosen to have at our house next month.  (I might need to cling film the house for that particular event.) 

If my step-son had his way, we would stay home all weekend and watch movies, play video games and generally just hang out.  I get cabin fever if I stay indoors for too long (I think because I often work from home) so I dragged the boys to a pretty town near us for a pub lunch on Saturday.

My love for the colour red is slowly finding its way into my wardrobe.  On Saturday I dug out an old red mac that I've had for ages.  Belted tightly with the sleeves rolled up I thought it looked quite fresh.  I like rediscovering old favourites.

Mac - John Lewis, Sweater - Joules, Handbag - Mulberry,
Denim Leggings - M&S, Shoes - Next

Today we went to my Mother-in-Law's for lunch and I fancied wearing my new red jeans, not least because they are stretchy and can easily accommodate a greedy girl's expanding tummy. 

Denim Jacket - Mango, Top - Primark,  Necklace - M&S,
Jeans - Next, Shoes - LK Bennett

I wore my platform peep-toes for a bit of Sunday afternoon glamour.

The thing that always makes me laugh about children is how brutally honest they are.  Or maybe that's just my step-son.  I quite often get an 'oooh, fancy' (in a silly voice) if I've made even the slightest effort.  He has also requested, several times, that I do not wear my jogging bottoms when he has his birthday party because they are [his words] chavvy.  (So not fair.  They are skinny leg joggers and, I think, quite cool.) 

Memorably, he once told me I looked like 'one of those sophisticated mums'.  Not sure what that meant, I was wearing a pair of over-the-knee boots at the time.  Today, rather alarmingly, upon seeing me dressed and ready to go he declared chirpily: 'well, hello teen!'.  I'm 34, that's not good.  

Nicki

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Bad Hair Day, Good Bag Day

Dress and Jacket - M&S, Belt - Reiss, Sheer Tights - John Lewis, 

Snakeskin Courts - LK Bennett, Handbag - Mulberry

Despite getting up at the crack of sparrows this morning I still didn't have time to wash my hair (as evidenced by extraordinarily straggly ponytail).  I really should get up earlier - I know it's attention to the detail such as washed and blow-dried hair, polished nails and curled eyelashes that make all the difference to your appearance but I err on the side of grunge most of the time.

It mattered not a jot today though, I was wearing my favourite work shoes and carrying a new handbag.  All was right in my world! 

Nicki

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