My living room is now taking shape. I have been talking about it for a long time now. I was on the look out for an over mantle mirror for my living room but then I bought this canvas and have decided to use it instead of a mirror. It only cost €20.00. What do you think? I have changed it a bit now with two vases each side of the photo instead of the mixed items. I have tried to kept the room in different shades of blue, white and grey to watch the chairs, furniture and white marble fireplace.

I was also on the lookout for some nice cushions for the sofa and came across these cute paisley ones for €6.00 in Primark. I think they fit in very well and look more expensive than €6.00. Who doesn't love a bargain?

And finally I bought this cute baby blue lantern for a tea light in Primark as well. I need to paint/spray my lamp base and shade as it doesn't match the room but in time I'll do this. What do you think?

Below are just some of the flowers I had around my home in 2015. In Spring time I did a short night course in flower arranging. I also set a wildflower area in my garden this year so 2015 was a year of flowers for me.

This photo is one one of the flower arrangements I made. How beautiful is that rose on the right? 

For Easter I decorated my home with flowers. All of the flowers below were from one large bunch which I divided and made lots of posies from.

Some daffodils and wildflowers which I set in my garden...

More flower arranging

Flowers are so pretty, they brighten up any day and I hope 2016 is filled with lots of flowers :)

Finally my living room is almost complete. I just need a few items to finish the room including an over mantle mirror, TV, ceiling light fitting and curtain tiebacks. I'm thinking of painting the inside of the unit a crisp white, as it is ivory and looks quite cream next to the white marble fireplace. What do you think? Have you any ideas for my over mantle mirror or the light fitting? I hope to use this room over the Christmas season. I am now on my holidays from work so have lots of time to decorate the house for Christmas, I just need less rain so I can go pick ivy, moss and berries in the hedges. I will keep you posted on my DIY Christmas decor.

I haven't posted 'Things I Like' in such a long time, so here goes.... This month I'm liking all things country style, cute floral patterns and lots of autumnal colours.

 1. First up as always it's Cath Kidston... who doesn't like a bit of CK? The patterns are so cute and cheerful.

2. I'm also on the look out for a nice practical handbag that doesn't date... I've come across the Longchamp Tote which I'm loving the look of. I would love to hear your opinions on a nice practical handbag. I like bags that I can put over my shoulder as I don't like having to hold them in my hands all the time.

3. Finally, I can't get enough of Joules Clothing and everything Joules, their clothing is so practical but so stylish at the same time. They are the best at doing country classics and their clothing is perfect for life in the countryside and the city too if you live there. For lots of inspiration and style, visit Joules Journal 

This week I'm loving lots of things but here are just a few of them;

I've been following The Informal Florist on instagram and twitter and also saw an article about them in Irish Country Magazine. I love their style and their flower arrangements are so pretty- really natural looking and traditional- just the way I like flowers. 

                                                      {Images from The Informal Florist}

So the Informal Florist has inspired me to enrol in a short night course in Flower Arranging in a local community hall. I am really looking forward to it and will let you know how it goes. 

This week I am also loving Cath Kidston's Billie, he is just adorable...

                                                            {Images from Cath Kidston}

Do you like winter time in Ireland? I know it can be a bit damp and cold but it can be lovely to have an excuse to stay indoors in a cosy living room with an open fire or alternatively when it is dry outside, wrap up warm and go for a nice stroll in the countryside... Here are a few photographs of what I am talking about....

 Ready to light the fire and keep cosy in Castle Leslie (Image from Co. Monaghan)

Walk along the by roads and country lanes to see the colourful leaves adorn the place (Image from County Cavan)

Dusk setting in on an evening walk (Image from County Cavan)

Even the cats are keeping warm on the farm 

and ducks are enjoying themselves (Image from County Leitrim)

I have been blogging since November 2009. That's five whole years! Where has the time gone. I have now decided to dip into my blog archive and show you what I have blogged about each November since I started. A lot of things have happened in my life since 2009 including building a new home on the farm, moving to the countryside, getting married, getting a new job, completing an accredited training course and getting older and wiser with age (I hope). I have now been blogging for over 5 years and hope to continue with my blog for as long as I can. It has become a hobby and rather than watch TV at night time I blog. As I work full time I rarely get to blog during the week, only at night. 

I hope you like the blog posts I have taken from my blog archive and today I will feature November 2009. 

November 2009: This year I wrote about the wonderful book "The Goddess Guide" by Irish Author Gisele Scanlon. It is full of beautiful images, illustrations and inspiration for all Goddesses out there! Six Goddesses appear throughout the Guide; The Home Goddess, The Office Goddess, The Earth Goddess, The Luxurious Goddess, The Urban Goddess and The Sex Goddess. Which one are you? I think I might  introduce my own  seventh Goddess- the Countryside Goddess. That's me with a little of The Home Goddess thrown in for good measure. It's 2009 since I blogged about The Goddess Guide and I still love it as much now. It would make a great gift for Christmas too :) 

{Images from The Goddess Guide}

I haven't posted much in the past few weeks but now that the Summer is over and the nights are getting longer, I will be posting more frequently. I haven't posted items I like in a long time so here goes. Below are a few items I like this week...

From top left: 

1. Paris scene t-shirt which I purchased from Next (nice for lounging around in)

2. Really loving the Pip Studio tile collection based on classic lace patterns

3. A good read from Lesley Pearse- lots of love and heartbreak, thanks to my sister in law for getting this for me (haven't it all read yet but I'm really enjoying it) and finally

4.  Bought this blue tile print dress from New Look, now that I see it, it looks really like the Pip Studio tiles :) Love the blue colours.

So there you have it, all the things that I like this week. Is there anything you are into this week?

Hope you all had a lovely weekend. I had an extra long one as I took Friday off and today was a bank holiday. I spent Friday with my parents and Saturday with my sister in law. Yesterday I did the shopping and today I just chilled out and did some housework.
Below are a few images from around my home if you would like a nosy. First up is my growing stack of pretty towels in our bathroom with a few Cath Kidston items thrown in too... The wee lotions I got for 50p in a charity shop, I will probably never use them as they are too pretty. As you may have noticed before my bathroom is very vintage style with lots of florals.

Here are a few more photos of the dresser in my living room. Some of my books are stored here including Selina Lake's Homespun Style, Lorna Sixsmith's Would you Marry a Farmer, Gisele Scalon's Goddess Guide, the rest of my books are stored in my library room in the attic. I also have lots of country inspired items. The card is hand painted silk from Swallow Yarn Barn. You might also spot my Rachel Allen Forget me Not candle and the pretty wildlife cards from Wrendale Designs.

And finally some more of my books in my library in the attic...

So I hope you enjoyed the sneak peek around my home...

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. 

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.....

It has been well over a week since I last blogged. Things have been hectic with me between working late and doing a part time course at the weekends, I have no free time to myself. To top that off, I have now come down with some virus and have spent the day in bed and on the sofa. So as you can imagine I am really under the weather and to top that off, I have a deadline for an assignment and training session for my course for the weekend after next.

The good news it though, I entered Holly from Decor8's Blogging Your Way e-course contest to win a place on her next course and guess what??? I WON- I am delighted as I have never had the opportunity to participate in an e-course and envied everyone who got the chance to take part in Holly's Blogging Your Way Course. If you haven't heard about Blogging Your Way, you have to visit the website. The course focuses on creativity and writing with heart, soul and passion.

Decor8 is my favourite blog- full of wonderful images and content- really interesting and personal too, so if you haven't checked it out yet, you must start following it.

Sorry for the short post but when I am feeling better I will be back...

This week I spotted the New Country Range Doll Furniture from DFS. It is very feminine with lots of pastel colours. It is almost shabby chic with a modern twist. I think it is really pretty. Have you seen it yet? If not, do you like it? I love all the cute patterns- florals, birds and patch work. Although it looks so pretty I wonder how practical it is?

My parents were visiting friends in Holland this week and my mother came across the Riverdale Brand. I had never heard of it before, but now I love it! There are only one or two stockists in Ireland but you can check them out online. With Riverdale home accessories, it’s easy to create a new mood for your interior again and again. Make it warm and cosy in the winter, and fresh and airy in the summer, That way, your home will always be in fashion! Here are some Autumnal ideas for your home.

{All images from Riverdale}

Sorry for the lack of blogging lately, it appears that there has been somewhat of a lack of blogging taking place in August. I have been busy with outdoor work around the house- mainly painting. The photographs below are not very good but I just took them to show you the colours we have chosen. Do you like them? I thought that the Connecticut Blue looks good with the main colour and our stone. Our stone piers are also complete at the entrance. Now once the painting is finished we have the driveway and fence along the side to finish.
Have you been busy in August? What have you got up to?

Do you have a Pinterest account? Do you find it addictive? I love it! This teddy below is just looking up my pinterest page, you should check it out too! :o) 

{Image via We heart it}

I just spotted some of the new Cath Kidston Limited Edition Bird Print, it is so pretty! As you already know from reading my blog I love all things that take inspiration from the natural environment! My last post was on florals for those of you who may had a chance to see it! Cath Kidston's new Autumn range of fabrics features garden birds 'in warm, earthy autumnal tones of Cream and Olive, the hero print of the season is the latest in their rich history of bird prints'. It features the Robin, Blue Tit and Chaffinch so pop over to their website and have a look yourself! I love all things country and these cute bird prints are definitely some of my favourites.

Here are some of my favourite Cath Kidston Hanbags too!

Have you checked out Dunnes Stores online yet? Those of you from Ireland and the UK will be well aware of it, but for those of you further afield, it is an Irish retail chain based in Dublin Ireland. It also has stores in England, Scotland and Spain and you can now visit there online store. I love the new Carolyn Donnelly Eclectic Range from Dunnes, it is so in and so me too! Here are a few items in the range, from top left, set of four dinner forks €12.00, roman wall clock €65.00, lantern €12.00 and finally giant desk lamp €160.00.

 Here are a few extra inspiration images from Carolyn Donnelly's Eclectic Range. If you would like to see more visit Dunnes Stores online.

I am currently trying to pick some fabric for roman blinds in my guest bedroom which I posted about here. Have a look at the images of the prestigious textile collections below and let me know which you think I should pick. The guest room is painted white with white furniture so I hope to get the blinds made along with two cushions and maybe a bed runner? So have your pick and let me know what one you like?

 

 

All images from Prestigious Textiles