What inspired my Christmas Day dining table?

I'll be the first to admit it, cooking has never been my thing - I mean, I've got better & I genuinely love it once I get into it! .. but I'll be honest that when I used to live on my own in Manchester, my staple diet was pasta, dolmio sauce and far too much cheese.

So when we agreed that Christmas dinner would be out ours for the first time to give our mums a break, everybody knew that what that really meant was Stu would cook & I would make the place look pretty...

Well hey, if I'm given a task, I put myself into it! & the look of the dinner table got me faaaar too excited for my own good!

I had some lovely compliments when I posted a pic of our table Christmas Day & even messages from people asking where I got some of the bits from which was a fab compliment - So I thought I'd write a post about what actually inspired me to step away from the traditional red & green..

Enjoy the read & feel free to ask any questions :) xx

Our Christmas Day Table 

Here she is.. Oh I wish I could do it all over again! The crackers were from TK Maxx & I literally bought them two days before in the sale, I couldn't believe how perfect they were!

I got a lot of my inspiration from the brand Kate Spade for the use of pink and chevron - you'll see in a couple of pics time the images I found on pinterest which are similar.

I very last minute cut some of the Christmas tree on christmas morning, I was inspired to do this by one of my favourite Instagram accounts @kerrylockwood_  - seriously, if you follow one account today it NEEDS to be hers. I've never been so inspired by an account, her homeware style is insaaaaane <3

Managed to get a picture of the starters before the mayhem began... The chevron place mats & coasters were from eBay,  you can buy them HERE for a £11.99 for a set of 4

                      

I got the sequin table runner from eBay too - I think you may have caught on now but I BLOODY LOVE SEQUINS.
I've had these wine glasses for a while now (aswel as the matching tumblers) they are from NEXT and still in stock - you can buy them HERE. They are one of my favourite purchases (aside from the house! whoops) in 2015 <3
(especially for you @lauraparry33 :) )

                      

I picked up the flowers from Sainsburys on Christmas Eve, I love that they came with cones that had been sprayed - perfect finishing touch to the table and they last for aaaages, infact they are still on my table now!

                      

I had to get a picture of what the table became as after about 10 minutes it was literally carnage - I am NOT happy with whoever bought that huge tub of salt out of the kitchen!! Not the look I was going for!!! haha ;) You might be able to see all of the pieces of xylophone all over the table - these came in our crackers & thought it would be a real nice touch to all play a tune with the music sheets they came with - safe to say that didn't happen!

MY INSPIRATION

So as I do with most things which require a bit of inspiration - I took to Pinterest and even made a 'Christmas Table' board. Yep, that actually happened. Here are some of the pictures I had pinned - I just love the colours against the black and white, and of course, the sequin table runner was the main attraction.

        

                

          

           

              

             

              

              

Hope you've enjoyed reading this & use it as inspiration next time you need to make your table pretty - I'm already excited for the next time I need to do it, I'm drawn to a yellow colour theme next, can definitely tell I'm ready for Spring to arrive!

Do you follow me on bloglovin? That way, you will get an email notification when I post on the blog, don't worry - as you can see - they don't happen often so you won't be constantly spammed!hehe.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

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30 things to do when you're 30

Turning 30 was a bit of a moment for me, firstly because I was leaving my boyfriend behind in his 20's but secondly because I just didn't feel ready!?

I freaked out, I cried, my anxiety went through the roof.. and then slowly I decided to accept it. After all, I had a very exciting year ahead what with searching for our first home. 

One day I sat down & wrote a sort of bucket list, 30 things I wanted to do by the time I reached 31, some of the things are obviously fairly specific for me, but you get the jist and more than welcome to use the list yourself for when your day comes... or maybe as a new year thing?

Over the year I'm slowly working through the list but keep reminding myself about number 14, there's no pressure. This is for you and nobody else.

1. Buy a piece of furniture that will outlive you
2. Appreciate one thing every single day and say it out loud
3. Buy one piece of nice jewellery for yourself, just because
4. Create an exercise routine that you will stick to
5. Save money, even if it's only £20 a month
6. Don't worry if you haven't found 'your style' yet
7. When people compliment you, take it, and say thank you
8. Stop drinking cheap vodka. Seriously. You deserve better.
9. Watch Star Wars from the beginning
10. Take more of an interest in art
11. Stop giving up so easily
12. Start taking an interest in wine and actually understand the different types
13. Learn how to light a fire
14. Turn the pressure notch down a little -what will be will be
15. Have more nights in with the girls
16. Bake a cake from scratch
17. Ask a friend if they want to go on a road trip to somewhere you haven't been - just because
18. Drink more water
19. Use more fresh ingredients
20. Read more blogposts
21. Buy less, invest more
22. Learn how to play an instrument
23. Buy your friend some flowers when you pop round for a brew
24. Play sport, even if its in the garden with family
25. Test yourself regularly on countries and locate on map
26. Ring mum more often
27. Think before reacting
28. Visit an old friend you haven't seen a while
29. Look after your things better
30. Ask more questions about politics
    

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My 2015 in pictures...

                

Wowee, 2015, what. a. year.

Full of highs, very highs, lows and very lows. 

I went to visit the lovely Sarah-Jayne from +Bella Coco last night and she queried as to why I hadn't blogged much recently - my answer - I just don't know if people read it? Her response - So what?!

I think over recent months I've cared too much what people think (months, who am I kidding, that's a life issue!) and it's prevented me from just sitting down and writing like I normally would.

So she asked me to think about the last year and reflect on it, so I have done, in pictures!

Here, starting from January and working all the way through to today, I've added pictures of milestones in my year or just general memories.. oooor David Beckham.

I'm already thinking about what 2016's will look like - let's be honest, I think it will be a liiiittle less eventful than this year!

January started with a photo from a shoot with the most lovely photographer, Austen Blakemore. I can't believe how long my hair was - albeit I had extensions in! This was such a fun day with Austen & Sarah-Jayne

One of the best things I've ever done! Love my new eyebrows by Olivia Naylor - you can watch my YOUTUBE video all about the day I got them done here.

This is a photo from my 30th Birthday night out...Im only just coming to turns with it.. oh gosh how am I nearly 31?!?!
Love this pic of the girls & I <3

                  

I got whisked off to London by Stu for my birthday and pretended I met David Beckham... sigh!

I attended (more than one!!) baby shower... yep, I'm definitely at 'that' age ;)

My obsession with rose gold continued... this may I add, is not my kitchen, I can only just get away with copper wine glasses! Stu seems to think I have an obsession... he might possibly be right!

.... no words required...

I followed the hype & chopped my hair off!

                

.... & then instantly regretted it when seeing a pic of my all time idols, the Olsen twins. Swoon.

                  

I had the pleasure in seeing pics of my friends babies wearing Cordelia baby grows... TOO CUUUUTE!

..& I even got a little shoutout for Cordelia in the local newspaper 

I FINALLY quit my job and got a new one.. still at Boots.. but a million times better for me :)

I stocked up on my favourite perfume as a little celebrational present.. any excuse right!?

I spent a lot of time with my mum travelling to Louth to visit my Grandad as he was receiving treatment for cancer..

                    

.. which devastatingly ended his life on July 13th. 

Stu & I took the trip of a life time to Chicago to visit his best friend Tom & go to Lollapalooza festival..

Followed up with a  week in Miami, watching the most beautiful sunsets <3

To then get back to the UK and sign the final documents for our 1st home!!!

...& then my obsession with homeware began... uh oh. Homesense has ruined me!!

I became a very proud God mother to my own little ballerina, Savannah <3

Things got a little too much in September & I looked to a couple of self-help books for guidance, I couldn't recommend The Chimp Paradox by Prof Steve Peters enough!

        

I FINALLY got round to filming another YouTube video about some of my favourite things in September.. you can watch it HERE.

Pips, Jo (her mum) & I took a day trip to Saatchi Gallery in London to see the Mademoiselle Prive exhibition.. this is us sat on the famous Chanel stairs :)

We finally got round to getting our bedside tables - from a builders yard! You can't beat a bit of Pinterest for inspiration.

After 7 years of not having a car -  I fiiiiiiinaaallllly bought my second one! This was a GREAT DAY. Could my grin be any bigger?! haha

I practiced my contour & dressed up as Black Swan for Halloween..

... & after the arrival of my favourite chair, my dressing room started taking shape. (still my favourite room of the house!)

Myself & Jade (Jade is NOT in this picture! :/) took calls till 2am for Children in Need - sadly this was also the evening of the Paris attacks. 

Stu & I celebrated our 3rd anniversary with a metallic overload.

... & surprisingly (as I hadn't been advertising them & contemplated closing the website) the Cordelia t-shirt sales started coming in for Christmas..

... My love for Becks continues...

.. & Stu FINALLY joined the 30 club, he can no longer call himself my toyboy... well.. for 2 months anyway! :/

                  

I surprised him with a weekend in Milan, biggest secret I've ever had to keep and it was tough! Best weekend ever though, definitely recommend those thinking of visiting to go at Christmas - the Christmas markets are ace!

       

The dining room got decorated thanks to Dunc from D&B Decorating in Stapleford... Just in time for Christmas!

I was given the responsibility of decorating the table on Christmas Day - my love for rose gold shone through!

         

I received the Missoma London necklace I've been lusting after all year!! <3 <3

                    

.... & only yesterday I got totally spoilt to my first proper designer handbag!! I can't stop looking at her!!!

So there we go, my year in pictures. There are some moments in there that I will remember for the rest of my life, whether because it was the best moment of my life or my worse.. either way, I think it's easy to say that I won't be forgetting 2015 in a hurry...

I would love to see pictures from your year, make sure you tag me or comment below if you have done a similar blogpost that I can read.

Happy New Year you lovely, lovely lot & thank you for all your support in 2015

                                                           

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