Devilishly Destructive Delights Talks: Wilkinsons Garden Range

Now a couple of weeks ago I blogged about my dreams to transform the garden and showed you a couple of things I had found to do so. Well this morning while in bed sipping a cup of tea I did my usual online browsing and stumbled across Wilkinsons new outdoor range and was instantly excited. I adore Wilkinsons. I think it had a fairly bad reputation a few years ago but they have seriously worked hard, updated all of their stores and are now a competitive force in terms of homeware and household essentials. I kitted out a great deal of our first home from Wilkinsons and can't recommend it strongly enough. 

I am particularly excited by their new outdoor range simply because there are limited garden centres near me and often they are expensive for simple things such as bulbs and soil not to mention planters. Wilkinsons have made all of this far more affordable and within easy reach of my home, with the added benefit of home delivery if necessary. 

So here are a few things that have caught my eye and what I feel will be needed in my garden...

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Now I am a huge fan of the industrial, rustic and vintage look something which I have tried to incorporate into my home where possible. Pinterest is a huge inspiration to me and I love the idea of finding something old and upcycling it to make a beautiful feature in our garden. The planters I have chosen all have this very industrial look about them and I really love the look of the trough and steal barrel as planters. I also think that these metal effect pots are great too and would look great in a corner of the patio in a staggered or bunched effect with pretty flowers in close to a bistro set. I also think these cute little 1,2,3 planters would be great for anyone who is hoping to grow their own fruit, veg or seeds and would be perfect for families who might want to compete in who can grow the best plants. Safe to say that a fair few of these will be finding their way into my online basket and maybe even into my garden. Well, it'd be rude not to...

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I am really keen to grow more edible plants this year and herbs are the perfect way to do this. They are super easy even for an amateur like myself and will look great in or outdoors. I was given a lovely kitchen garden planter by a colleague of mine when I moved into my first home and I enjoyed three lots of different herbs. However it has been empty for a fair few months now since the seeds were finished so I would like to get some more and fill it up again. Wilkinsons are doing a 3 for 2 offer on their seeds so you really can go mad. I have chosen Basil, Oregano and Rosemary to try out simply because they are fast growing and will be used a lot in my home cooking. Richard and I were also given an amazing present by our friends in the form of a chilli plant a couple of years ago. We had hundreds of chillis off of it until it pretty much produced itself to death, in fact we still have chillis in the freezer from it! We loved it though and given how much curry and spicy food we eat we would certainly get our use out of it. So this simple grow your own chilli kit is another must have on my list.

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I am not going to pretend I know a lot about gardening or plants because I really don't. It's safe to say that the green fingers my parents have didn't work their way down to me. I can just about identify a pansy. However I do know what I like the look of and have had success in the past of looking after Iris and Gladioli. This year I am more confident in my abilities and am keen to purchase more bulbs. Here are just a selection of the plants that have caught my eye and no doubt my parents will give me a hand here and there too. Maybe this is the year I learn a thing or two about gardening!

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Here I have selected a few odds and ends for the garden and gardener in me. String lights are really popular at the minute and something I have always really liked. I think these would look great strung all the fence and in the overhanging tree in our garden which is where I hope to put my soon-to-be upcycled bistro table. As I have already mention I am not a true gardener so therefore the idea of getting mud under my nails is not one that fills me with joy but luckily Wilkinsons do have a selection of pretty gloves to stop me squirming. I am also really keen to attract more birds into the garden and this simple bird box is the perfect starter kit for us. Finally and probably least exciting of all the things I have found are these bamboo plant labels which I had last year for my kitchen herbs. Again I love the rustic look of these and they will look great in the planters on the patio.

There you have it! My exciting finds for the garden and a way for everyone to get green fingered this year without worrying about the purse strings or entering the strange environment of a garden centre.

Devilishly Destructive Delights Talks: A Dogs Life

So I was sat down on the sofa on what is a typical boring Saturday afternoon when I suddenly looked over at Murphy, fast asleep next to me and I was immediately filled with love, pride and an overwhelming sense of happiness. These emotions ultimately caused me to write this post.

I look at this dog and am in awe at how much happiness, laughter and joy he can bring to our very small family and how little he asks in return. So long as he is given some biscuits, a bed and a chin scratch every now and again he is happy. 

Before he came into our home, we were of course content but our lives were certainly short of a third musketeer. I think that Murphy has impacted my life the most simply because I am so often on my own in the house. Richard has rugby training twice a week, a game every Saturday and is at the gym or a mates house at least once a week. That's four if not five days that I'm guaranteed to be on my own, such is life. I've never felt unsafe in either of our homes but having a companion like Murphy to talk to, cuddle up with and ultimately look after makes those nights in a little less lonely. Even as I write this and pause for thought, I look over at him on the sofa and he raises his weary head and gives me a look as if to say "what's wrong Mummy?" 

In the year and two months since we took him home from the shelter we have experienced a lot and he has been with us every step of the way. One house move, numerous trips to the vets, one holiday, lots of shrill drives in the car and lots and lots of licks.

Although this post is about the happiness a pet, particularly a dog, can bring in no way do I think that everyone should go out and get one. Pets require a great deal of time, money and care and we are very fortunate that Murphy is at that age when he is content to be at home while we are at work, in need of short walks and fully house trained. We are also fortunate given his previous circumstances that he has taken so well to us, our home and of course all of the family and friends we have. There may be the odd day when he decides to kick all of the cushions off the sofa, or whine early in the morning or decide to nibble the duvet but I wouldn't change him for the world and I like to think he wouldn't want anyone else to cuddle up with at the end of a long days snoozing.

Devilishly Destructive Delights Bakes: Crunchie Traybake

I am a bit of a chocolate lover so you can imagine my excitement when I tasted a version of this traybake a couple of months back. As soon as I bit into it I knew I had to make it. Low and behold that weekend I made my own version of the crunchie traybake and it was a massive hit with Richard. Weeks passed however and I forgot all about it until yesterday when I decided to make it again. Remembering just how good it tasted I decided it was just too delicious to keep as a cheeky little secret so I've decided to share the recipe with you all. It's delicious and oh so easy to make. For those who fear baking you'll be pleased to know there is no oven involved, just a bit of melting here and there not to mention smashing biscuits to bits! So here is my Crunchie Traybake...

Crunchie Traybake

Ingredients

200g digestive biscuits

100g butter

2tbsp golden syrup

250g milk chocolate

2 Crunchie bars

Method

1. Add the butter, 150g chocolate and the golden syrup to a pan and melt together until well combined.

2. Meanwhile put the biscuits in a food bag and smash using the end of a rolling pin until in chunky pieces.

3. Allow melted mixture to cool slightly before tipping in the broken biscuits and then combine.

4. Grease a tin, tip the biscuit mixture in and squash down until the base is covered.

5. Smash a Crunchie bar (still in it's wrapper), open at the top and sprinkle over the biscuit base evenly.

6. Place in the fridge for half an hour.

7. Melt the remaining chocolate and cover the biscuit base.

8. Smash the other Crunchie bar and sprinkle over the top before returning back to the fridge to set.

9. Once chilled, cut into pieces and enjoy! 

That's it! That really is all there is to it. So simple, so delicious and a great use of all that leftover Christmas chocolate that you are still trying to work through. You can change the Crunchie bar to Twix, Mars, whatever tickles your fancy. I'd love to know what you make of this recipe and what you've added to your mixture.

New Year, New Look

So one of my goals for the New Year was to try and make our new house into a home. We have started to decorate and add our own things but there is still plenty to get on with and I am keen to make a start. If I had it my way we would be decorating every weekend but other commitments get in the way as does procrastination.

Now that Christmas, New Year and the mad rush of the sales has pretty much gone I decided to start scouring the internet for all the new and old homeware on offer and made a list of all the things I would like to do this year in the home. My main concern is the spare room which is now a study, lounge, storage facility and laundry room which although convenient is also a huge waste of space and also a bit of an eyesore. As the weather changes I want to move my focus from the inside to the outside and start making what is currently Murphy's playground into a relaxing space for Richard and I to sit and enjoy after a long weeks work. So what have I found to inspire me into getting into action?

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It's safe to say I'm in love with a sign or two and love hanging things up all around our new home. We still however have a lot of 'gaps' that I'm keen to fill. I always look at H&M homeware because they have some lovely themes and there is always a sale on. This chalkboard is a new arrival and I think it would look great in our spare room above the desk. I also love rabbits and this sign by Sass & Belle is great fun. You can never have enough 'home sweet home' script and I really love this cute little sign. Last year I painted a feature wall where our headboard is but it still feels like it needs something more here so I'm looking into wall decals. There are hundreds available and although I am still early in my search I think this one is really romantic and would fit the gap perfectly. I also think we need more photos up seen as I take so many so I am a big fan if these frames. I like the idea that you can change the pictures really easily in this clip frame. I also like the different styles in this multi frame too and the fact it fits in with the shabby chic style I love. I have also still got my eye on this block calendar which I'm certain I've blogged about before. It is now reduced in price which is the perfect excuse to show it to you again and maybe even make a cheeky purchase.

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As I've already mentioned our spare room is a bit of a storage nightmare at the minute. When we moved in we (or rather Richard) ventured into the loft and stored away lots of the things we didn't need out but couldn't bare to throw away. However we still have boxes of things that were too heavy to lift into the loft (my box of childhood books for example), a computer that Richard swore to me he was going to sell to a guy at work (four months later and it's still here), my crafting supplies and boxes of Richards things he is yet to find a 'home' for. All in all it's a big mess. When we get round to sorting it I want to have a big storage unit for all of our 'stuff' to go in. I do like IKEA's storage units but hate the hassle that is involved in getting to our local store, attempting to find a parking space that isn't miles away, navigating our way round and then dragging it all home again. eBay can be a great place to find furniture bargains and I particularly like this unit that you can add shelves to I. Order to make one big piece. I think I would get some attractive boxes to hide all my scrapbook supplies and then display some of my favourite books in the other holes. I haven't quite decided on the colour scheme in the spare room but I may take inspiration from these gorgeous storage boxes from The Range. I think these would be great to have out on display in the spare room, even as a foot rest with our armchair and they'd do a great job of hiding Richards junk! Finally a fairly boring but essential item for us- underbed storage. Although we have great fitted wardrobes we don't have any drawers which means our knick-knacks and socks are chucked in the bottom of the wardrobe and it makes getting dressed in the morning a bit of an operation. These boxes would solve all of our problems and can be hidden out of sight and free up room in the wardrobe for our shoes. Perfect.

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At our old house even though we had a big garden we rarely used it other than to chase the dog, tackle the weeds and enjoy a BBQ every now and again. We only had the disposable BBQs and I was desperate for the real thing. I've found this really cute once from The Range and I'm sure if I shop around I'll be able to find it even cheaper but I just love the colour and think it's the perfect size for our small garden. I'm also keen to get a fire pit (I'm obsessed honestly) and this one will definitely do the job for those evenings outside. We also need new doormats for the entrance and patio doors. Murphy loves to go out in the rain, walk through muddy puddles and then splash all of this up the white ledge into the house so I think the wipe your feet mat is perfect. We were left with a doormat for the entrance but it is certainly worse for wear and this would be the perfect greeting for our visitors.

So there you have it. My finds for the new year and hopefully a new home.

Not Another New Years Resolution Post.

It's that time of year again when everyone vows to change something about themselves that has naturally caused the previous year to go down the pan. Most people state that they will eat healthier, go to the gym more, quit smoking and other such good deeds. I however stopped making 'resolutions' some time ago. I too used to make commitments such as to stop biting my nails and to exercise more. Both failed, year and year again. 

So about three years ago I made a different commitment- to stop making resolutions but to instead set myself 'goals' for the year to make sure I was happy, rather than guilt tripping myself into thinking I was any less of a person than the next. Since then I have achieved my 'bucket list' if you owl and have found my self eager to do more. Now I am sure you are wondering how goals are any different to resolutions but I can assure you they are. People make resolutions with the belief that they are achievable or will change them, even make them happy without really taking into consideration what they are. The goals I set myself truly are for the whole year and take into account my current situation and are purely for my own development and well being. 

So what were my goals? I've made goals such as wanting to finish my apprenticeship, successfully get a job in my field of interest, pass my driving test, move out of my family home, cook more meals from scratch, find more time to see those that mean most to me and visit more new places. I can honestly sit back each new year, look at my list and say that I have achieved them all which is a very satisfying feeling indeed. 

Last January I wrote the following goals...

• To save more money.

I can honestly say that Richard and I tried really hard with this. We had a number of money jars around our old home and we were even given a savings jar to put all of our pennies in. We were religious about putting any loose change in the pot and we would even put the odd note in here and there. When we emptied it in August, it was almost full to the top and we had over £40 in there which we used to pay for one of our more expensive food shops at a time when money was tight. We now have a new jar and continue to fill it with change.

• Take more trips together.
• Find more time to be a 'couple'.

These two are actually ones we find quite challenging simply because of time and money. We spent all week working, weekends are equally as hectic and we have the added annoyance of paying the bills. However we managed to go to Wales for a few days, took a trip to Watford, wandered hand in hand around Ashridge and have also been to a lot of rugby games while we have the chance. Just because we are young and in love doesn't necessarily mean you have all the time in the world together and actually sometimes life takes over.

• Make use of all those recipes and cook exciting meals.

Since moving out and making not only one house and home but now two it has been hard to justify spending a lot of money on interesting meals and pricey ingredients. Sometimes it's easy to just settle for a pound jar of sauce and some pasta just to save some cash. I was in the habit of collecting lots of recipes from magazines and books and doing nothing with them. I made a change however and have tried a number of new recipes that have certainly pleased Richard as well as our guests and my colleagues.

• Make an effort to stay in shape rather than take it for granted.

Probably a bizarre goal to many who know my build but it is one that I feel strongly about. The previous year I got into the regime of completing a number of workouts daily and could visibly see the difference in terms of toning. However in amongst the move and work I lost track of this and was keen to get back into it. As well as eating better (i.e: not skipping breakfast and cooking from scratch a lot more) I also found time to do some exercise while I was off for the summer and during half terms. A small change but one that made me feel better.

• Move on from School Walk.

This was the one goal I was most keen to achieve and I can't quite believe we have done it. We always wanted to have a place that was truly our own without the aid of family but it always seemed so far away. But fortunately with the right motivation (however awful it may have felt or seemed at the time) we took a bad situation and made it into an amazing opportunity to move on from a house that wasn't right for us to where we are now. No matter how tight money gets or how many things we have to turn down based on our situation we can look around, content that we made the right move.

So what does 2015 hold for me?

I have say down, scratched my head and thought a lot about where we are now and where I would like to be and to be honest other than the obvious "I'd like more money please", I can't think of much else which can only be a good thing and prove this yearly goal thing ain't half bad. Here are my goals for this year...

• Keep saving the pennies.
• Continue taking trips and exploring the area.
•  Make Swan Mead a 'home' not just a 'house'.
• Cherish your time with Murphy.
• Try to blog as regularly as possible.
• Go away for our give year anniversary (it is half a decade after all).

What are your goals for 2015? 

Remember, the year is what you make it.

Here's my year summed up in Instagram snaps courtesy of Flipagram.