Champagne Lifestyle on a Lemonade Budget.

mrs_slapshot

Just popping on to say I've used my new masks from The Ugley Mask Company and they are so comfortable! They are quite generous lengthwise and fit really well, so no accidentally slipping under your nose...., they have adjustable ear straps, come with a filter and feel such good quality on your skin. Highly recommended.

Also to say I've just done about 1.5 hour's Christmas shopping and I think I'm almost there!!

Should find out if we are on for a pre-Christmas house move tomorrow....if not I'm getting my decorations out this weekend!!

Oh and I won a lucky dip at the weekend which is in tonight's draw...fingers crossed...

phoebe1989seb

Hi all! I really hope the lack of posting recently has been because you've been too busy clocking up the champagne moments?!?

Any news on the house move, mrs_s?

Decorating here at welsh_cottage_reinvented has been ongoing, if a little less enthusiastically than normal as Christmas is gradually taking over. Instead of wielding a paint brush 24/7, I've been juggling baubles/fairy lights and finally have 4 (out of 5 😮) trees done. The last one - a tiny vintage specimen of only table-top size - will go up once DH has temporarily transformed the space from tool store to somewhere fit for Christmas dining!

We have four large plastic boxes of fabulous Christmas decorations, collected over the years we've been together (plus some from my childhood), so it feels like a champagne moment when you open the boxes to reveal them all and realise that's one less thing we have to spend our hard earned cash on.....although we do usually add one or two items each year 🙄

Amazingly, I rediscovered some wired butterfly decorations hidden in the bottom of one of those gift boxes for a single bottle.....these hadn't been seen since before our last house move and we both assumed we'd sold them at a fleamarket whilst decluttering! Yay!

I'm so pleased I got the Christmas cards written early (all done/posted by 7th), leaving me time to trim all those trees! It's a mystery as to why we ended up with so many this year - more than we ever had when we owned larger houses with far more space, lol - perhaps it's a reaction to 2020 or maybe just that we have a (slightly) more finished home this year.....

No matter, we only had to buy two trees and one of those is potted so will be reused for the foreseeable future 

I'm into wrapping now and am over half way with that - a miracle for me as often I'm to be found swamped by paper, ribbon and gifts on Christmas Eve! - but we're seeing family at the weekend, so it had to be done.

DH (busier than ever at his day job  ) has been assisting me with getting the kitchen cabinets finished ahead of next week when - ideally - we plan to wind things down a little. At the weekend we had a major declutter of the guest room (aka storage facility!) so now you can actually see the floor, lol! It will be great to get the guest room/hall wall repositioned in the new year as it's going to incorporate more built-in storage - something you can never have enough of imho and something that was sorely lacking here.

We found time to go over to Homesense one last time before the holidays - primarily because I needed a box for an awkward shaped gift, but was disappointed on that score. We did pick up - amongst other things - a pair of Danish candle holders (RRP £50 the pair) for £16, two cushions (RRP £55 each) for £12.99 each, a pair of framed botanical prints for the main bedroom and a pair of quirky yellow/cerise lamps. Lots of champagne moments there!

My latest batch of David Austin bare root roses - including the appropriately named Comte de Champagne  - have arrived, but the weather has been too rubbish to plant them out, so for now they'll be potted up temporarily till things improve.

After much laying on of heavy furniture, books (and sheets of plywood!) I'm pleased to report that the creases in the new rug are starting to disappear and - although not an high end, antique rug like the one we previously had in there - it's the icing on the cake in the snug.....and it's more dog friendly, to boot!

Finally, DH was presented with a (very expensive!) bottle of red wine by his biggest (aka wealthiest) clients yesterday....perfect to go with the beef on Christmas Day!

balabooberlies

Just popping in to wish you all well.

Best of all.............3 glass vases found on a trip to a mini tiny antique shop and 2 charity shops.  It felt as if every shop I walked into had a glass vase for me.  One for Mum, one for my sister, one for me.  We love glass.  Total spend £28.00 so within my meager budget.  Real champagne moment.  Was thrilled.

Keep well all

Bala

x

phoebe1989seb

balabooberlies said:

Just popping in to wish you all well.

Best of all.............3 glass vases found on a trip to a mini tiny antique shop and 2 charity shops.  It felt as if every shop I walked into had a glass vase for me.  One for Mum, one for my sister, one for me.  We love glass.  Total spend £28.00 so within my meager budget.  Real champagne moment.  Was thrilled.

Keep well all

Bala

x

Brilliant, Bala! They sound lovely....not to mention great bargains! What's not to like

balabooberlies

Thanks Phoebe

came home feeling so chuffed.  Problem is I want to keep them all.................


very naughty 

helensbiggestfan

hello my lovely friends. 

Bala.  I feel your dilemma.  I love beautiful glassware too (and porcelain and fine bone China).  I would have had difficulty parting with those vases....😂. They sound fab. 

I had a lovely champagne moment yesterday.....totally unexpected.  My DIL and son gave me a surprise gift as a thank you for helping them this year - as if I needed a reward. My reward was simply being able to be there for them and with them, sharing in the excitement of the new baby and spending lots of time with them all, and really getting to know my eldest grandson. 

The gift.??  Well it could not have been chosen with more care and love, they commissioned a handmade cake stand, made by one of the potteries in Stoke on Trent. Its sumptuously decorated with hand painted birds, flowers etc.  It will be a real heirloom piece.  I just need to learn how to make really nice cakes now to do it justice,  my next challenge, 😂

Phoebe.  You are doing so well with your renovations, you are putting me to shame. The new accessories sound lovely.  I have had a break from diy etc this last couple of weeks, although I have been busy, cleaning and then dressing the house for Christmas.  Christmas shopping more or less finished, just need to wrap the presents and then I'm done.  

As we approach the year end I have been thinking about next year, my aspirations and goals.  One of my needs/wants is to increase my income. I mentioned recently that I was thinking of setting up a small vintage clothing business.  Well, now that I've broken the back of the house renovations and the baby is now here safe and sound I have decided that the time is ripe.  

My family are really supportive and enthusiastic and have offered to help me set up the website etc.  I am really looking forward to getting cracking.  I have made a start on  clearing and organising the top bedroom to use as a temporary office/stock room.  Hoping to be ready to launch in the spring. 

 I am getting quite excited. I will be doing something I love and hopefully earning a nice little bit of extra income .........working at my own pace, following my passion for fashion and all things beautiful.

  I just hope I will be able to part with all the beautiful treasures ......😂🤣. 

balabooberlies

LL..........how thoughtful and full of love and gratitude.  Clearly a 'treasure'.

So pleased for you, that you feel you can move forward again and that those around you are supportive.  Having said that I always 'feel' you in motion.

Phoebe always blows my socks off !  

Mrs Sugarbaby..............you okay ?

Ditto to all other lovelies.

Big kiss

X

mrs_slapshot

Morning all - just written a long post which was lost when I clicked on preview.....

I’ve moved! It was stressful, exhausting and overwhelming but we’re in. Lots and lots to do, have unpacked the kitchen and most of the living room and two main bedrooms so we’re functional. Back at work tomorrow for a couple of days then off until the new year so plenty of time to unpack some more boxes. Looking forward to keeping you all
updated on my renovation plans and champagne moments along the way!!

First step on the path to financial freedom 🥂

Edited to add how excited I am at LL’s news!!! What an amazing adventure that will be!!

balabooberlies

Corrrrrrrrr !

Well done Mrs S, so happy for you.


bala

balabooberlies

Has anyone 'seen' Mrs Sugarbaby.  Hope she's okay.