As you know we moved into our new home two years ago. We have a kitchen/dining room, living room and sun room all decorated, furnished and finished. However we also have another living room, or here in Ireland we would call it "the good sitting room". Years ago most houses had a "good sitting room" which was never really used only at Christmas times and for visitors. Well I have one of those which we have not yet decorated. I can't decide on what colours and style to go for in this room. I was thinking a shade of grey for the walls and have come across some inspiration on pinterest. Below are some of my ideas, I would love to hear if you have any ideas or images which you think I may like.

{Classic Casual Home}

{McGill Design Group}

{Lee Ann Thornton Interiors}

It's the weekend again, the weeks seem to be flying by. Last weekend we visited Harvey Norman and I couldn't believe how much it has changed, they now have beautiful furniture at affordable prices and lovely home accessories. I bought a lovely towel in the home section. They have a stylish catalogue out now too. Below are just a few images from them. I know some people are really fed up with chevron but I still love it! I particularly like the grey and yellow in this image. This bedroom looks very country cottage but with a contemporary twist with the bedding.

Below is a lovely french style dining table and chairs with lovely accessories. I love this, however the white on the chairs wouldn't stay clean in my farming household.

And finally, how pretty is this bed? The bedding is Jigsaw from Harvey Norman. They also stock lots of Orla Kiely items. 

{All images via Harvey Norman}

I know some of you are already married and others may not have any interest in marriage, but all you single ladies out there looking for a husband, would you marry a farmer? Well, be honest now, would you?

Do you like country life, perhaps you like animals and nature or would you like to put your wellies to good use? If the answer is yes, then the farmer is for you!

Lorna Sixsmith has provided us all with a witty account of the Irish Farmer as the ideal husband in her book Would You Marry a Farmer? When Lorna posted this question on her blog, she got a phenomenal response and since then she has gone on to write the book. I really enjoyed this book and so much of it is true. The illustrations are cute too. I have already married a farmer so I know first hand what it is like and I wouldn't change it for the world! Thanks Lorna for the great read. The book is available online from Lorna's website Irish Farmerette.

As some of you already know, I am a student on Decor8's Blogging your Way e-course and I am loving it, I highly recommend it to you all. As part of the course I partnered up with Denise from What a Day Weddings. Denise is a wedding coordinator and once you visit her website you will know she is excellent at what she does. If your like me and love taking a look at wedding day inspiration, you should pop over and take a look around Denise's beautiful website and blog. 

Are you a dedicated follower of fashion?? Do you like to keep up to date with the latest style and wear 'what's in'? Maybe you love to keep on top of what is in trend but me, nope, I have my own style. I love casual country style clothing and you can check out some of the country style outfits I like over on my Pinterest Board. 

However, I also love bright pastel colours as they impact my mood. Spring may be over, but I am definitely not over pastel colours. I love them, give me baby blue, power pink or mint green any day! Savida at Dunnes Stores have some lovely pastel clothing, accessories and shoes at the moment. Here are a few items I love. I gave in and purchased the laser cut shoes and the cute scalloped edged handbag which was in the sale- Bonus! What type of clothing do you like the most? Are you a dedicated follower of fashion? Or like me, do you go it alone and pick your own style. 

It's a bank holiday weekend again here in Ireland. Have you any nice plans for the weekend? Thinking of going anywhere nice with your family and friends? How about getting out in the fresh air and experiencing rural Ireland- the sites and the scenery...

I know that when the weekend comes, myself and my husband always like to go somewhere to spend some time together. I am guilty of saying 'oh there is the nowhere to go' which I must admit is totally wrong! I just say it because I can't make up my mind where to go and don't want to go too far away as my husband has to be home to do the farm work for 6 o' clock. So I thought I'd introduce a new column on my blog entitled 'Escape to the Country- Rural Ireland' for those of you interested in rural Ireland or indeed for those of you who are indecisive about where to go for a day/evening out- I hope this is of some use to you!

So today I will introduce to you the first in the series of Escaping to the County- Rural Ireland........
and the chosen location is County Meath, Ireland. Please bear in mind I cannot cover everything but the sites I focus on tend to be a bit off the beaten track rather than the very commercial large scale tourist sites.

So here are a few of the sites on our trip around County Meath. Bear in mind that there are lots of other amazing sites in County Meath but for this post we are focusing on the above pin points on the map- Kells, The Hill of Tara, Skryne and Slane.

Kells- as you all probably know, Kells is famous for its book- The Book of Kells (which is now housed in Trinity College, Dublin). For anyone coming from Dublin, Kells is just off the new M3 Motorway about 65km from Dublin. You can visit the Abbey of Kells with its Round Tower, Celtic Crosses and a unique Monk's Oratory. Kells is a lovely historic town with plenty of historical sites. To the northern end of the town is the Hill of Lloyd with its large Tower- Lloyd's Tower (around 100ft tall) built as a folly. It is almost like a lighthouse but obviously not for looking out over the sea as Kells is inland. At the tower there is a really nice park known as the People's Park. Kells also has the Headfort Estate and it's many historical buildings and grounds. There is a Victorian Waterworks to the north of the Town which is very unique. In terms of stopping off for something to eat, perhaps you could take a picnic if you have the kids and have it in the People's Park at Lloyd's Tower or visit The Headfort Arms Hotel or The Round Tower Pub for some lunch or snacks. For more information on Kells you can visit the website Visiting Kells.

Just off the M3 south of Navan is The Hill of Tara. This is a large archaeological site with a number of ancient monuments. There is a wealth of ancient Celtic mythology associated with it. It is signposted off the M3 motorway. It is said to be the seat of the High Kings of Ireland. There is an abundance of archaeological remains in the form of earthworths and enclosures along with a standing stone and passage tomb. If you are into archaeology you will love it here! Bring your camera as the views are lovely too. All ages will like the quirky Fairy or Wishing Tree. The idea is that if you leave a gift for the fairies on the tree along with your wishes or your blessings. There is ample car parking at the Hill of Tara, along with a lovely coffee shop - Maguire's, gift shop and an old world book shop- for those book worms out there! I would advise to bring sturdy footwear and warm clothes.

The Fairy Tree full of wishes....

The Hill of Skryne is situated on the far side of the valley to the Hill of Tara. You will be able to spot the ruins of the church at Skryne from the Hill of Tara. The Hill of Skryne is higher than the Hill of Tara. If you are like me and love exploring ruins of old buildings, there are the remains of a 15th Century church with tower on top of the Hill. When your at the Hill of Skryne, notice the pub- O'Connell's as this is the pub that featured in a Guinness Christmas advert. It is an authentic Irish pub and well worth a visit.

{Image courtesy of my sister in law}

Slane is a quaint town overlooking the River Boyle- it has some of the most wonderful architecture and so much to see! Don't miss the four large Georgian townhouses in the centre which were said to be built for four sisters. While in Slane, visit the Hill of Slane for spectacular views and a look around its many historic sites. Just on the edge of the village, you can visit the Francis Ledwidge Museum for an insight into the poetry and life of this famous poet. Take a walk down to the bridge at the River Boyne and make sure you stop by Slane Castle. Today, Slane Castle is not only famous for its rock concerts but also its own whiskey. For those of you into the great outdoors you could stay overnight in Rock Farm Slane which offers boutique camping or nearby Slane Farm Hostel. There is also the Conyngham Arms Hotel in the town which has been totally renovated in the last few years and reopened.

I know that when you are in Slane you are only a few miles for Newgrange Bru na Boinne and the Battle of the Boyne Site at Oldbridge House- both have large visitor centres and for this reason Slane is a great place to base yourself for a short holiday to experience Rural Ireland. 

*If you are in Slane, I would also recommend that you visit Tankardstown House and Gardens-the house is a 18th century manor house with orangery, courtyards and a beautiful restaurant- Brabazon Restaurant. Tankardstown House is listed in the Blue Book Ireland.

{All images my own unless otherwise stated}

Do you like your food? Ireland has a reputation for some of the best food in the world so why not have your say! The search is on for Ireland's Top Foodie Town 2014.

The Top 10 Foodie Towns have been announced and Voting is Open. 

The Top 10 Towns are: 

Cork 

Dingle

Galway

Howth

Kilkenny

Kinsale

Lisdoonvarna

Loop Head Peninsula 

Sligo 

Westport & Clew Bay Area

Which is your Top Foodie Town?

To vote or find out more about Ireland's Top Foodie Town visit 

Foodie Towns on Facebook or Foodie Towns

As you all know I am currently a student on Decor8's Blogging Your Way e-course, which I am really enjoying. As part of the course, we are developing mission statements/visions for our blogs, along with lots of other really interesting and thought provoking tasks and discussions. For any of you thinking of blogging or wanting to learn more about blogging, you really should check out the courses they have on offer over on the website, I recommend it highly. Anyway I have been busy developing a mission statement for my blog which I have posted on my About Page and here it is for you all! I am changing my blog layout a little, do you like the grey/white background or did you prefer the floral theme. I would be grateful for any comments or feedback on my mission statement and my blog.....