Adopt Not Shop- The Story of Spike and Cassie.

So as I mentioned in my previous blog post we sadly lost our much loved rescue pup Murphy back in March. As devastating and traumatic as that time was it definitely didn't stop us wanting more pets, specifically those from rescue shelters. 

Richard and I had many a long chat and decided that we really didn't want to get 'used' to not having a dog. The routine is one of the hardest parts of losing a dog- having something to care for, get up for, exercise, feed and prioritise is hard to quit. As much as we would both love to have a puppy we decided that we weren't quite at a stage of our lives yet where we could give a puppy the care, attention and training it needs whilst both in full time employment.

So the search began for another fantastic rescue pooch. We both agreed that we would really love to have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier again not only for their affectionate nature but also because of the enormous number left in shelters across the country. We used the Pets4Homes app to search for dogs, which proved to be invaluable in connecting with rescue shelters from far and wide. We were looking for quite some time but as lovely as the dogs were nothing quite struck our heartstrings quite like Murphy had.

One day however on my hundredth check of the app I stumbled across two adorable dogs called Spike and Cassie. I fell in love instantly. They sounded perfect and the more I looked, the more I knew I had to have them. The only catch? They were all the way in Rotherham some two and a half hours away. My heart sank and I carried on searching, convinced that they would never be ours. 

Fortunately for me I have a super partner in crime who convinced me that if we were willing to go an hour and a half for one dog why not two and a half for two? We sat down, worked out the maths and how much more work we would have to do with two woofers rather than one and made the decision to take the plunge. During this time I had been in contact with one of the ladies who was responsible for caring for the dogs at the shelter who spoke incredibly highly of the two of them and made recommendations for their successful transition.

The date was booked, the car was full of petrol and the playlist was made. The trip there was full of excitement and nerves. What if they didn't like us? Fortunately they did- as soon as we went in their kennel they were jumping up in excitement, covering us with kisses. We took them for a walk and the longer we were with them, the more we knew we couldn't leave them behind. We got back to the shelter and had the opportunity to play with them in a huge enclosure, which allowed us more time to bond with them. We then met the shelter owner, who was thrilled that someone had finally taken an interest in the pair of them rather than just one. She told me that had we not liked them and taken them they would have been separated because it was just too hard to rehome them together. The idea of them not being together broke my heart and still does to this day. 

With all the paperwork sorted, a picture to mark the happy occasion and all of the staff saying their begrudging farewells we were back on the road once more. I must say the dogs were absolutely fantastic in the car, something Murphy had not been, in fact he screamed the whole way home and ate two of my seat belts. Spike and Cassie however settled down with Richard in the back of the car and were as good as gold the whole journey and have been ever since.

When I talk about rescuing Spike and Cassie I always get asked the same thing- "so what's their story?" Well their story is a sad one. Spike and Cassie had a home together but they didn't receive the love, care and attention they needed as two young, energetic dogs. Their owner was a single man and worked away a lot, with no one else to care for them. Soon he realised he couldn't care for them and when no one else could take them in he took them to be put to sleep. Fortunately for us, the rescue centre stepped in and took them into care, free of charge and worked hard to keep them together until they could find their forever home. Thankfully they've found it.

I cannot express how much I believe in the 'adopt, don't shop' campaign. We have had three amazing dogs that have come from rescue shelters and I have a feeling that we will rescue again. 

I feel an immense sense of pride when I think of how much we have changed the lives of Murphy, Cassie and Spike and I don't mean that in a selfish way. I don't mean it at all in a 'oh wow I rescued some dogs and that makes me a good person' kind of way. I mean it in regards to the wellbeing and the lives of the dogs themselves. Murphy had been at the shelter for a long time and prior to that he was at the pound and before that we believe he was used as a fighting dog. Although his time with us was fairly short we gave him the best possible home to pass away with love and dignity. Spike and Cassie, however much they were loved and cared for at the shelter, hated being in kennels surrounded by other distressed dogs. Seeing how well they have settled here and how much love they have for us is really gratifying in knowing we did the best thing for them.

We've had them seven weeks today and we can't imagine life without them. They have the most incredible personalities and their relationship together is fantastic. As true siblings should, they love winding each other up! I also love how different they are to Murphy. They are mischievous, energetic and totally bonkers. Seeing them makes me realise how lucky we were with Murphy and his behaviour.  Murphy was the kind of dog who you told to do something and he'd do it, you'd teach him something and he'd remember it. These guys? Well let's just say it's a work in progress...

Want to see more of Spike and Cassie? Why not check out their Instagram hashtag? Just type #adventuresofspikeandcassie or follow me here

Love, Loss and a New Lease of Life

So I am back once more into the world of blogging after what can only be described as a rather lengthy absence. I almost packed the whole business in, if truth be told. Not because I don't love writing and sharing my experiences but more due to the chaos of the past few months and looking back over what this blog had consisted of.

I have been AWOL for over four months now and in that time a great deal has happened. Back in March we sadly lost our much loved rescue dog and companion Murphy. The shock of having a happy, healthy dog one day and a seriously ill dog the next is something I will never come to terms with. In all honesty this has probably been the main reason for my absence from blogging. Devilishly Destructive Delights featured Murphy a lot and I can remember writing so many blog posts with him curled up next to me, that it is hard to shake that even as I sit here and write this post. My mind has been preoccupied with the loss of our wonderful boy and the pain of having such a short time with him. Time is a great healer however and I really want to develop my blog from what it once was.

In this time away from blogging I have thrown myself into working hard, not only at the school I teach at but also in the new business I have taken on and my home life too. 

Richard and I have recently joined the team at Kleeneze and have our very own part of the business. This has kept us incredibly busy what with packing catalogues, delivering our books, placing orders and delivering goods to customers. That being said it is something I am enjoying although it is understandably exhausting after a full day at work with 120 children under the age of six! So far the business has been really successful given we have only truly been up and running around two months. That being said any further business would be greatly appreciated so please check out our online shops here and here.

In terms of home life I have really thrown myself into making our house a home, focussing particularly on the garden now that the weather has improved. I will show the progression of our garden in a future blog post but it something that I have really begun to enjoy and feel proud of, but this too has been another time consuming commitment that has drawn me away from sitting inside blogging.

Although in many ways I regret not continuing with blogging these past few months it has had its benefits. I feel refreshed and motivated to start afresh and already have five other blog posts lined up that I am really excited about. Blogging after all shouldn't feel like a chore, it should be something you look forward to doing as with most other things in life. 

All I can say is, watch this space...

Dunelm does Homeware

Sometimes on a cold, wet and dreary day there is nothing better to do than to Internet shop and day dream about all these wonderful things you neither need nor can afford. 

I found myself doing this today on what really is the coldest, wettest, dreariest day of them all. For some reason or other I was drawn to looking at Dunelm's website and immediately was taken in by their homeware range, both new and old. Their range was just so lovely I soon had hundreds of tabs open at the top of my browser and my need to write a blog post was created. 

Now as I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, this year I am working towards making my house a home and after a busy few days of painting I am now ready to kit out our walls with all of the signs, quotes and artwork. With this in mind I have selected some of the nicest pieces that fall into a number of categories for my home needs and hopefully these too will inspire you to give your homes a new lease of life. After all, spring is just around the corner.

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Now I am sure I am not the only one who is a little bit obsessed with signs. I love a good quote or funny print and my home is slowly but surely filling with signs. I think they can add so much character to a space and are so widely available, not to mention cheap that it is easy to get carried away. Dunelm have also got on the bandwagon in the sign sensation and I have selected only a few from their range that I would like to put in my own home. I already have a sign in my bathroom that may even have originally been from Dunelm that offers 'hot baths' for '25c' that looks great on my panelled bathroom wall. That being said you can never have enough and the wall certainly has the room to accommodate this laundry sign. I also like this industrial looking 'not in service' sign and although I don't really know where I'd put it I still love it all the same. This 'homemade food' sign would fit perfectly in my kitchen, after all it does have a red theme throughout. The question is, can I really fit another sign in there?

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I am a super organised person (or so I like to think anyway). I plan meals, shopping and daily life pretty well but my home is certainly missing a memo board. I used to use magnetic pads to scribble down shopping lists, meals and chores but at more than £5 a pop for the pads I liked I soon realised it was becoming a bit of a money pit so now I am using scraps of paper for these everyday scribbles. I really like the idea of having a chalkboard to write meals down and I have space on the wall above the cooker for one. The question is which of these do I use. Naturally I am drawn to the red board with cutlery hooks which would fit in perfectly and act as a great tea towel hook, replacing the flimsy, unattractive one we inherited. I also like the natural wood one with key hooks which would reduce the clutter on top of the fridge of various keys. The 'home' board is already set up for the weekly food and chore scribbles but may be slightly on the large side. Finally we have the 'memories' board which isn't really for the kitchen but I like the idea of having this in the spare room/ office to clip some of the many instagram pictures I take. 

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You can never have enough photo frames in my opinion. Although I'm sure I have plenty and have enough trouble updating the photos as it is I couldn't help but include these in my wish list. I love the family frame and think it would be a great place to include all of latest shots of my family that we took at our Christmas get together not to mention give us an excuse to get new ones of Richards family. The little houses in the second frame remind me of a recent upcycle I did on some house shaped boxes and I think these would make a great addition to my front room. I am certain I've previously included this 'love and laughter' frame in another blog post but it is another piece that I still love and think would hold some silly shots I took with Richard in Barton Springs recently.

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Finally we come to some artwork that has caught my eye. I love the colours in this piece along with the quote and although again I don't quite know where I'd put it, I adore it all the same. I keep seeing lots of 'rules' artwork such as 'cottage rules', 'bathroom rules' etc but they have never really done it for me until I saw this piece. I like the positive messages in this and think that it would look great in pretty much any room. Naturally I like the old type style of font. Well done Dunelm for changing my view on this type of art.

So there you have it, my top finds from Dunelm. I have a feeling I will be dragging Richard along to our local Dunelm very soon.

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.