let's get organised... thanks for the memories

Today's lets get organised post is about documenting and recording moments and memories. A year might only be 12 months (and maybe it's just us) but when we look back at 2015 we struggle to remember what we did or where we went! Scrapbooks and photo albums are a perfect way to store and keep those fun adventures and events to look back on in years to come. At the end of each month gather together any items that have been saved or print out some of your favourite photographs you have taken. Sit down, put on a film and start arranging a few pages to reflect the month just gone. Washi tape, stickers, instant photos, patterned papers and alphabet stamps work well combined together to create fun and exciting pages. Pinterest and Instagram are perfect places to look for inspiration to get you started! It's a chance to get creative and if you do this month by month you won't forget what you did! 

There are lots of types and styles of scrapbooks out there as well as a brand called project life, which is a simple and easy way to document your life. There are kits and packs available containing postcards and insert cards to help and aid you to easily add text and images to pages. These are great as they add colour, design and fun to page layouts and can be easily incorporated alongside your own photos and keep sakes. Why not give it a go and see how your scrapbook looks at the end of the year. And if a scrapbook doesn't seem like your idea of fun, then why not try out some magnetic photo frames for the fridge and switch the photographs each month. Whatever you decide to do make sure you have something to look back on fondly in the future to remind you of the fun times had and the adventures taken over the years!

Project life pack Hobbycraft £25 / Planets scrapbook Paperchase £16 / 

Camera scrapbook Paperchase £12 / Washi tape Papermash £2.50 / 

Letter stamps Hobbycraft £12 / Polaroid instant camera Argos £119.99 / 

Holographic alphabet stickers Ohh deer £5.50 / Awesome tape Ohh deer £3.50 / 

Magnetic photo frames Red candy £11.50 

Sarah and Holly

      

let's get organised... for the year ahead

Happy new year and hello 2016! Well 2015 flew by! We thought we would start off our first blog post of 2016 with a practical theme. Today's post is all about getting ourselves ready and organised for the year ahead. A lot of technology today allows you to plan and log events and manage your year using different devices and apps. But we still prefer the good old fashioned and traditional methods. There is something satisfying about turning a calendar over each month and looking at the events, birthdays or holidays that the month has to bring. Keeping a diary or journal is a sentimental way of looking back on a year and reminiscing on the memories you have made. Helping to keep our life's a little more organised should make the year seem much easier and enjoyable (well in theory). We are all guilty of ignoring the ever increasing to do list so why not make the process pretty and fun and pick out quirky items like the fish paper clips. Or you can keep it stylish and modern with on trend copper and marble.

Here are a few ideas and our favourite picks, we hope you like them. Don't forget to follow our blog (just click the follow button on the right side just scroll down you can't miss it!) so you can keep up to date with all the exciting posts we have planned for this year!

Marble notebook Ohh deer £6 / Fox diary Paperchase £4.50 / 
Copper in tray Paperchase £10 / 2016 calendar cards Not on the highstreet £17 / 
Sardine paper clips Ohh deer £6.95 / Storage tin This modern life £9 / 
Sticky tabs Paperchase £3 / Owl highlighters Paperchase £3.50 / 
Peg board This modern life £30 / Sticky notes Not the usual £3.95

Sarah and Holly

     

and a happy new year

Christmas is over and done with for another year. Why does it go so quickly? All that fuss for just one day but we had a lovely time with our family. Now it is the awkward time in between Christmas and new year, the slightly depressing realisation that the big day is over and the decorations just start to irritate us slightly. We have a few days back at work (back to some normality for us) but we still have the new year celebrations to look forward to. We are not wild party animals so we tend to enjoy a nice evening at home but this doesn't have to mean a boring or dull night. We like to watch some good films, make some cocktails and drinks (why not treat yourself to a posh shaker) and choose a selection of snacks and treats. Or if we want to ensure we stay awake until midnight (this is much harder now) we like to play some party games and we are currently loving the Obama llama one, which we featured in our last blog post! 

Staying in doesn't mean scrimping on the decorations or the fun. Bake a celebration cake or some party buns! Or opt for a disposable camera, which is a good talking point too, to capture the celebrations and fun in a more traditional way (no instant photos!) Some banners hung up, party poppers at the ready and some novelty accessories create the perfect party to welcome the new year! And if you can't be with friends or family then why not send out some happy new year cards to them! Whatever your plans or however you decide to spend the evening make it special and say goodbye to 2015 and hello 2016!

Cocktail shaker Paperchase £18 / Cake topper Not on the highstreet £17 / 
Happy new year banner Folksy £18.90 / Lets party card Urban outfitters £3.50 /
Gogglebox game Amazon £18.41 / Disposable camera Urban Outfitters £12 / 
Metallic paper cups Paperchase £4.95

Sarah and Holly

      

merry christmas

Thank you to everyone who reads our blog and follows us on our Instagram page we hope you have a lovely Christmas and a fabulous New year too!

Sarah and Holly

      

setting the christmas table

Christmas dinner has to be the highlight of Christmas day for us and with this in mind we think setting the table is as important as the food itself! A beautifully decorated table helps create the festive atmosphere as you, your family, guests or whoever you spending Christmas with, are all seated and ready for the food to be served. Christmas comes but once a year as does a Christmas turkey dinner, so on this one special day of the year indulge and make the effort to create a memorable and fun day! Take some extra time and plan the layout of the table and decorate to create something fun and exciting. Here are a few ideas to make the table extra special. 

Place cards labelled with guests names ensure no confusion over who sits where (make sure you pick wisely to avoid arguments!) DIY or make your own place cards or opt for pre bought depending on your theme or the time you have! Some christmas table confetti scattered on the table adds some extra detail nestled around plates and cutlery! Keep it easy and use a disposable paper tablecloth and napkins so any spills or drops of gravy are not a worry (you don't want to spend the day cleaning up!) And Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without crackers and those classic, colourful paper hats. 

We all enjoy a nice drink with our dinner so some festive themed tumblers or wine glasses can hold the perfect Christmas beverage. The centre of the table should be the centre of attention on Christmas day. Scented candles or some seasonal flowers and plants (or both) arranged beautifully together to create a show stopping focal point that is sure to get everyone talking (or those interested in homeware!) Once all the food has been consumed and everyone is full, an after dinner game can be a fun activity (we have picked up the Obama llama one) or maybe take some family photographs with a fun photo prop set or kit. Now, we understand everyone has their own traditions or preferences, but why not try something new or incorporate some different ideas into your Christmas dinner, day and table this year!

Place cards Paperchase £2 / Wooden confetti Not on the highstreet £2.99 / 
Table cloth Ebay £2.79 / Napkins John Lewis £2.50 / Crackers House of fraser £25 / 
Tumblers Next £16 / Table candle centre piece Farthing £9.95 / 
Obama Llama game John Lewis £20 / Photo booth prop set Lakeland £6.87

Sarah and Holly

      

the stockings were hung by the chimney with care..

Hanging stockings from the fireplace is a lovely tradition that as children we loved. We had knitted, fairisle, patterned stockings with our names stitched on them! (we will try and instagram these as we still have them!) These are unpacked from the storage boxes every year and they are a reminder to us both of all our Christmas memories! But these don't have to be purely decoration or for children either! Stockings can be a great alternative to using a gift bag and the stocking is also a bonus present! Pick a stocking that reflects the receiver of the presents or personalise by adding a name or adding your own additional decorations!

There are so many great stocking filler present options, that can fill the "christmas sock" with some exciting and fun treats! Chocolate coins, fun gadgets, socks, gloves are a few ideas but you can add anything you want! Why not pick a stocking out for all your loved ones and instead of giving expensive, large gifts choose lots of smaller, personal and special items that can fill the stocking right to the top. Or if you still fancy splashing out (it is the one time of year we all feel like we can) and are worried that the stockings size will restrict your options, then opt for a giant one! There are some out there too! Just maybe don't try hanging this one from the fireplace! 

Deer stocking Sasse & Belle £9.50 / Grey stripe stocking This modern life £25 / 

Knitted stocking Not on the highstreet £15.99 / Penguin stocking M&S £15 / 

Extra large stocking Not on the highstreet £17.50 / Animal print stocking John Lewis £12 

Sarah and Holly

                 

      

dasher, dancer, prancer...

... vixen, comet, cupid, donner, blitzen and not forgetting rudolf! (who else thought of jingle all the way as they read that!

Reindeers we believe are one of the most iconic symbols of Christmas. As children we always looked out of our bedroom windows on Christmas Eve, with the expectation of hopefully getting a glimpse of Father Christmas and his reindeer as they flew through the sky and listening out for the jingle of the sleigh! Now we are older we are glad to say we don't spend our Christmas Eve this way but we still love the idea of the reindeers! 

Sometimes shopping for Christmas decorations can be daunting! The shops are saturated with some many themes and styles (sometimes too much choice can be overwhelming!) and it can be difficult to select multiple items and imagine them all pieced together without it looking like a jumbled up mess or a mix and match! So often it can be easier to choose just one single element and roll with it! Luckily there are lots of different variations of reindeer out there! Realistic and wild, cute and adorable, simple and figurative or as part of a farisle print, it is easy to incorporate these creatures into your Christmas decorating. We think reindeers are a timeless, classic, familiar and simple choice that can be repeated and replicated Christmas after Christmas. The best part we think is that you can build up a vast and varied collection and pick up new pieces each year to add to it, so there is no need to rush out and buy everything you can find in your chosen theme! Collections take years to build up and that's the fun part! Here are few ideas to inspire!

Candle John Lewis £12.00 / Candle holder Ebay £19.99 / Heat changing mug Boots £9.00 / Pom Pom decoration Oliver Bonas £4.00 / Draught excluder M&Co £10.50 / Reindeer names print Not on the high street £9.10 / Metal Reindeer Habitat £45.00

Sarah and Holly