Christmas Holidays, Shopping, Cake and more!

Can you  believe the Christmas Holidays are only a couple of days away?  Has there been a time-warp or something strange going on?

There's lots of dashing about here in Ireland, picking up last minute presents, then panicking a bit more and picking up some more totally unnecessary gifts.  This happens every year without fail.

A few photos from my own Christmas Countdown Craziness over the past week:

We did a quick run up to Dublin, stopping at Avoca Handweavers and were met by these cakes.  Oh, so good... we had the cheese cake with salted caramel topping.  I'm recreating it for our own holiday dinner for sure.

There were ditzy frames and baubles..

And Christmas tins of all shapes and colours

Having had enough of that, we adjourned for drinks, I ,for one, had a really amazing Mocha Coffee:

The next day we met friends at Wexford Opera House for lunch which was super nice.

And they have Purple Carpet in the Opera House!!

  Imagine my surprise coming down the stairs after lunch to see wall hangings based on the Irish artist Mainie Jellett:

I was very proud to see these as we are in fact related, sharing a great grandmother I think.  I like to feel the artist gene is somewhere floating around my brain, I just need to tap into it!!

And this is a dress I will be wearing for a birthday party we are going to this Saturday night.

Friends,  this dress has BATS on it!!  BATS! I will definitely get my darling hubby to take a proper photo and I will post in my next offering:

And on that note, a final photo of our little altar in our sitting room where we attempt meditation and quiet-time at least once a day.  I do believe it's good for the soul, good for balance, basically good for what ails you:

Wishing all my special Blog visitors and friends the most peaceful of Christmases, with much love and laughter and good times.

Thank you so much for dropping by this year and I will see you soon in 2015!!

Love and Hugs, Siobhan

Spring Has Sprung!

Three months since my last post? Disgraceful!

To be honest, after the crash on the black ice in December, I haven't been quite myself.

Work was very challenging, people were very difficult (or so it seemed to me!) and dark winter nights were dreary and lonely-feeling instead of being cosy and warm.

Then, the Christchurch earthquake happened. Absolutely devastating. We all felt incredibly sad and useless.

Then, as we ate breakfast one morning, we watched a giant tsunami hit Japan. Breakfast was abandoned as we watched in horror.

The world appeared very bleak and like everyone else, I found it difficult to be positive and pick myself up, mentally-speaking.

I read the lovely Milla's post today over at The Girl Who Married A Bear, and I felt inspired to write a few words at my own blog.

The Spring sunshine is warm and beaming here, the daffodils are out, the birds, in particular the Blackbirds (my favourites) are chattering away crazily and I can finally feel the grey-ness starting to lift.

So, I thought I'd share a few things that in the past couple of weeks have made me smile and helped me get my creative mojo going again! I hope you enjoy! ~Siobhan xox

1.  A stunning Gothic necklace I'm saving up for.
2. The most exquisite perfumes from For Strange Women.
3.  The yummiest caramel brownies ever! And I have actually baked them!
4.  Amazingly beautiful doll - I want!!
5.  Beautiful original artwork from the oh-so-talented Paulina Cassidy.
6.  A rather dreamy dress I'd like to wear out to dinner...
7.  Pure decadence from Villainess Soaps.
8.  Baby Bat Rescue - I can't stand the cuteness!