Friday Round Up

making chicken soup out of roast dinner leftovers - BIG new candle - yummy latte

this year's tree - all decked out - favourite new tree ornament

a very frosty gate - beautifully wrapped hush goodies - best card ever

I was so happy to see that so many of you enjoy these Friday posts - they are my favourites too!

This was the week that I finally got that Christmas feeling! Writing up my Old and New Traditions posts really helped (I got all nostalgic and excited) as did putting up our tree. We always have a real tree, we get it from the local estate and I always pick a winner. Just look at that beauty!

I also finally bought my Christmas cards, began my food shopping lists, sat down with my sister to plan our Christmas dinner and bought a few more presents. I'm usually about finished by now but I've been a bit lax this year. I've really struggled with ideas for Matt, usually I know what I want to get him months in advance but it's been hard this year because he's so focused on the new house that he's not really shown any interest in anything else all year! I asked him what he wanted and he came up with the following suggestions;

1. A bath tub
2. An armchair
3. A sword

I kind of wish I hadn't asked

I finally caved in to my hush fetish this week and made good use of their 20% off sale. I ordered two jumpers, some pyjamas, some cords and three dresses, expecting to send most of it back. But they were all so gorgeous that I kept them all except two dresses! Hush clothes are so cosy and warm and the pyjamas are particularly lovely - soft, warm and beautifully detailed - I wish I'd ordered more! My order arrived beautifully wrapped and included a competition entry, a complimentary magazine and collection of short stories and some teapigs tea. It was a real treat to receive such bounty in the post!

I also snaffled myself a HUGE new White Company Winter candle. It was crazy expensive but I had a 20% off code and a £10 voucher, so it kind of felt like a bit of a bargain!

I popped to Meadowhall for some late night shopping with Matt last night but it was actually a bit of a fail. We got there at 7.30pm and were absolutely starving, we couldn't concentrate so we went for some dinner. After much deliberation we ended up at Las Iguanas, which I wouldn't recommend. Terrible service and extortionate prices for just average food. Matt also complained about the portion sizes - his fajitas cost £15.30 and there was barely enough filling to make two. Never again! We spent most of the evening hanging around the Apple store whilst I deliberated between iPad Minis or MacBooks. In the end our shopping trip yielded a load of Hotel Chocolat goodies for Christmas and two tree decorations. So it wasn't what you'd call a roaring success!

This weekend I'll be finishing my Christmas shopping, taking some photos for an upcoming house tour post (eek!) and on Saturday night it's Matt's staff Christmas do so we'll be chowing down at our favourite Chinese restaurant. I'll be at the new house on Sunday, flexing my painting arm and on Sunday night Jessie will be picking the winner of my Christmas Gift giveaway - have you entered yet? I'll be leaving a reply to the winner's comment on the post so be sure to check back on Monday

Have a fab weekend!