Festive

Things have turned a little chilly round here over the last couple of days and Christmas is definitely in the air with festive lights springing up here, there and everywhere! I snapped this little pretty yesterday on our way back from Sunday dinner at the rents'. It looks so much prettier in 'real life'! x

Image via: The Drill Hall Emporium  

Today is a special day...

My wish was granted.

We woke up to snow this morning!

A gorgeous parcel arrived in the post, containing this beautiful print from Abby Try Again.

I just love it!

There were also a couple of very kind surprises inside.

This one is so fitting for today's weather....thank you so much Abby!

...and I was about to say we are waiting on some very special news, but as I write this I've just heard that my beautiful friend Jemma has had a gorgeous baby boy Max.

So, congratulations to Jem's and Chris, who will undoubtedly make the most amazing parents!

The snow was definitely for him. x x x

Three Days

I took this last photo through the windscreen of our hire car, a little over three days ago, yet now it seems like a distant memory. (I found myself slightly obsessed with the local goats and their amazing rock-climbing abilities!)

It's funny how quickly you slip back to reality though isn't it?

The last few days have flown, catching up on e-mails in the office and all the necessary things you do when you return from time away.

We've also been looking forward to the delivery of our newly upholstered sofa for the office above. It's an old Habitat one which was given to us along with a couple of chairs in return for some help I've been giving my friend's parents in their home. Thanks Jan & Mary - we're loving it!!

And finally, (I know you shouldn't start a sentence with and..) the curtains have been going up in a scheme I've been working on for a lovely couple which is nearing completion. It's always lovely to see a job coming together, so all in all it's been a busy but satisfying week so far. Hope you've found that too!

A new month, a new(ish) desk

I woke up today and decided my desk needed a fresh new look.

This is what it looked like this morning (cleared of course!!)

It started life as a pine table which I painted up at the start of the year and the idea was to change the wallpaper under the glass top from time to time which I also had cut to fit.

Whilst it's still officially Summer here in the U.K, the nights are slowly getting darker and I felt like lightening things up around the office.

I used Ribbed by Ferm Living under the glass...

It's funny how changing one little thing can make something feel like new...

...and this is what it looked like this evening. I'm really pleased with it's new found lighter look!

A lovely start to my 28th year...

Time spent at the caravan is time very well spent in my opinion!

Our lovely friends Ange and Ben brought some lanterns with them to light at midnight. It was so nice watching them float away above the sea until they were tiny specks in the distance.

We were woken on the morning of my birthday by the sunrise streaming in through the windows.

Larry loved his time on the beach as usual. This time, chasing seagulls and fetching flip-flops. That's not a fish in his mouth I promise...he's not that clever!

 

...and the icing on the cake was this gorgeous present from my lovely mum and dad.

I saw this 1930's lamp in one of my favourite antique shops months ago when shopping with my mum. At the time I decided not to buy it as I'd spent quite a bit that month but was upset when I realised it had been sold. I really wasn't expecting to see it again when I unwrapped my parcel! They definitely know how to make their daughter happy!!! So, here's a huge big thank-you to everyone who made my birthday so special.

I love surprises don't you? x

Time flies doesn't it?!

I can't quite believe it's been three months since my last post and that it's coming up to a year since Steve and I set up our business, Coachhouse 8 Ltd. It's been an exciting time and a big learning curve for us both so far and what with work and little jobs still to do around the office, the blog unfortunately came bottom of the list . Now, with things a little less hectic, I'm really looking forward to sharing my daily inspirations and loves again on 'An Hour From Eight' . Even though there are days when I still feel like I'm chasing my tail we have managed to tick quite a few things off our list. One of those things was to tackle this.....

The yard out the back of the office was completely overgrown and we could see it's potential as a space to sit on a warm day for informal meetings with clients. With the help of my dad and his garden tools (which were far superior to ours!) the weeds were shifted and we were left with a nice area in which to add a bit of colour.

This is how it's looking now. 

I picked up the number 8 while we were on holiday in Devon.

I'm not going to pretend I know much about gardening but this little guy was on his last legs in the garden centre. The lady gave me it for 90p and told me it would probably flower again next year but once planted it started to thrive much to our delight. The flowers are such a gorgeous shade of blue!

Larry loves the yard and is able to spend so much more time basking in the sun than us.

Seeing as we only rent our office, we tried to be as economical as possible when sorting the yard area. We re-used the existing paving flags and just rearranged them in a more convenient location and added a number of pots for some bursts of colour.

Larry.

This Friday, I want to live...

Here.

I know 'I want never gets' but sometimes, you just have to use that word! To me, this is perfection in the form of a house. The bright pink door, the duck egg blue walls, the Wisteria, the railings and that bike....colour co-ordinated and complete with basket too! ...Sigh! Have a happy weekend. x

Image: my own

Something old, something new...

I took these photos today in mum and dad's garden. I really, really love this time of year! The chilly, yet sunny days, beautiful colourful bursts of spring flowers and the lovely sound of birds singing late on into the evening. Bliss.

Il pleut des cordes!

What a day. It's never stopped and even Larry won't go out in it!!

On a much brighter note, we're off to Paris tomorrow to meet up with our friends, so here's hoping the skies over the Seine will be as blue as they were this time last year! Mr weatherman doesn't seem to think so though. Oh dear! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend minus the rain.x

Happy Valentines.

Image: my own

Cars suck!!

Especially ones which decide to break down....not only halfway up one of the busiest roads in the city, but at rush hour too....arrrgh!

Donkey's are definitely the way forward and so much more reliable I'm sure! I snapped this lovely old man from our car when we were leaving a village in Spain last year. 

A day in the office

A few images of our little workspace...!!