After a pretty stressful week, our weekend has started off nicely. Saturday is always a busy day for us, but it's what I call 'nice busy', with us being out and about shopping in the morning, but home and cosy in the afternoon and evening. The weather is sunny for a while, turning to heavy showers, then back to mild cloud/sunshine. I love days like this! The kind of day I'd like to keep in a bottle and open on days when I crave it. My perfect day.
Once my chores are out of the way, I can usually find time to light a candle, make a pot of tea, and sit and do some reading.
Our plans for one of the shower rooms are well under way. We have booked a chap to do all of the refitting and tiling work for us, and once it's done (some time in May), I will show photos. Now the main decisions have been made, it's lovely to be able to think about the smaller details to finish off the room - my favourite part. I've bought some really lovely books recently. I've already mentioned Jessica McClintock's 'Simply Romantic Decorating'.It's a real favourite and I am enjoying it so much. I have decided that I will have some kind of ruffly window treatment in the shower room, inspired by Ms McClintock.
Many of you will be familiar with the style of Magnolia Pearl. This is my least favourite of my new books, but that isn't to say I didn't enjoy reading it. Even if something isn't exactly in your style, you can still glean ideas and inspiration from it. What I love about Magnolia Pearl is the laid back slightly bohemian air. Mixing textures, colours and patterns is fine. The paintwork isn't just slightly chipped, it's practically falling off, and that's ok. I took the photo of the book on the bench in the back garden, which turned out to be the perfect setting!
After a particularly harsh winter, the paint on the bench has been peeling off. I like chipped paint, but peeling paint? Not sure. I was all for the husband sanding it down and repainting it. Then I looked through Magnolia Pearl and realised that paint in such a state just shows age and the passing of time. So the bench will stay like this.
There are other looks in the book that I really like, and know I can adapt to suit our style.I absolutely adore everything about this book.
I am inspired by almost every page. If you are a fan of the shabby chic or vintage style, then this book is almost certainly for you. The pictures inside are like as delicious as a cream cake, topped with strawberries! 
So many wonderful ideas to inspire. This is a book that I will look through often. I've added to our Easter decorations today. While in Sainbury's I found some rather lovely little plastic eggs, there are 8 in total. For an Easter Egg Hunt I suppose. There are holes in the top and bottom, so they can be hung from a tree. I've scattered them along the mantelpiece, they look incredibly pretty. I ought to fill them with sweeties for Gorgeous Girl to find!
Recently, I saw [This] bag by Cath Kidston, and was planning on treating myself to it later on in the year. Today I ventured into good old Primark (sorry if you are outside the UK, Primark will mean nothing to you),and found this little beauty, only £39 cheaper than Cath's bag!!! 
I am very happy! There is another bag that I'm after, but sadly they didn't have it in stock. What a shame, another visit to Primark is in order!!! ;o)Time to get back to reading/planning/creating. I've been working on a couple of projects but with the craziness of the week, haven't got very far with them. Wishing you a lovely weekend, ooh, and don't forget if you are in England, the clocks go forward tonight!
Don't forget, the Giveaway is open until the end of the month. Details can be found by clicking on the link marked 'March Giveaway' (underneath the header photo above). If you do not want to enter the giveaway but want to leave me a comment anyway, simply mention that you don't want to be included ~ I won't be offended.