5 Christmas Inspired Candles

I adore candles at any time of year  but at Christmas they always have a special place.  My usual vanilla and lavender make way for the earthy, spicy aromas that are just deliciously wafting around the house!





5 Christmas Inspired Candles



Secret Santas - 6 Gifts under £5!

Every year I get asked to join in with several Secret Santa's so always on the lookout for inexpensive but quality products at this time of year. The usual limit is £5.00 which as you can imagine gets more challenging each year!

Here is a selection of £5.00 and under buys that would make lovely inexpensive gifts.



Links removed, items no longer available.

Front Door Renovation

Our poor old front door was always getting pushed back to the end of the queue in the house renovation stakes, but when the elements bashed it so much the inside porch area became flooded each time it rained it was time to take serious action before the winter set in.

The front door used to be set back into the porch area but we decided to have the front door at the front and remove the old storm doors.  This meant that there was large step up into the house so this new front door now opens outwards and some adjustments will be made to the inside "porch" area.


I'd seen a couple of modern, solid wood front doors around the area and decided to knock on a couple of them to ask where they had purchased theirs, then went straight to the source at North Road Timber & Joinery to have a look at their extensive range of doors.

These doors are custom-made for your house so can take a few weeks to prepare but well worth the wait.  Our door has had several coats of yacht varnish applied too to ward off the sea salt laden air.



The result is a fabulous new solid wood front door expertly fitted.  No more gale force draughts, no more paddling pool in the porch area!

Next stop, filling, finishing and house painting.

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Christmas Garland Inspiration

Christmas Garlands or wreaths are a festive way to bring the season's cheer to a front door, building or  indoors over a fireplace.  This is just a very small selection out there.



 1|   2|   3|   4|   5|

and for something a little different, how about this Sprout themed Garland.


from {not on the high street}


and finally this amazing Christmas Garland spied on a house in the town.  It is up high on a first floor balcony, stunning!

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Advent Calendars - Links I Love

As a child my mum would hand make my Advent calendars.  She was very inventive and I remember them all with fondness.  My favourite was 24 small boxes, handpainted and numbered then stuck to a Christmas tree shape with red ribbons.  Not unlike this one but with ribbons!  In each box was a chocolate or small gift, I remember being so excited each day to open a new box!  



....

A few more favourites:

A grown-up version!



{image source: LOFT Kids}
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Love that this ladder Advent Calendar can be part of the decor
(minus the candles here though!)


{image from livingathome.de}

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We love this hand-made felt stocking garland,
 ideal for younger children



{source:  Laura Windebank }

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and not forgetting the doggie in your life, each day snip off a doggie bone,
then on Christmas Day the whole tree can be eaten!  
(by the dog of course)



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and finally, how fab is this Angel inspired Advent calendar.
Love it!




{image source: Lisbeth}


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Silent Sunday







OneDad3Girls

Cot Bed to Child Bed

It is way overdue for the little girl to transition from her well-loved cot bed to a child's bed.  I've been teaching her to stay in her bed until morning and she does mostly but with a new bed the temptation to stray may prove too appealing!





Cot Bed to Child Bed

1 |  2 |  3 |  4 |


My choice would be No. 1, it's not unlike her current cot bed but with lower/no sides, but I think given the choice she would run to the Peppa Bed!

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I'm off to Mumsnet BlogFest!

small



I'm off on a very early train back home to London tomorrow, of course there are rail works this weekend but nothing can spoil my excitement at going to my first real blogging event!

The Mumsnet BlogFest programme looks very impressive and I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing from some seasoned bloggers plus a few celebrity guests.

The sponsors that will be there are Coca-Cola, Mark Warner, Red & Yellow Care, Talk Talk and Honda who have some fantastic activities lined-up to keep us entertained. 

I have my train and event tickets, my notebook, pen and most importantly my camera!


Maybe see you there?










Today...

Two things guaranteed to cheer me up and make me smile.

First today was a beautiful day here, look ...



I was lucky enough to spend the whole day out with Miss CCL, capturing every moment, making memories before the time comes when school beckons next September ...

It doesn't matter that tomorrow it will be blowing a gale or raining, this is today ...

and the other ... a simple bunch of flowers, I love flowers, I photograph any I see, I find them utterly beautiful and so intricate.


Hope you had sunny day too.

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Toddler Girl Bedroom - 3 Lovely Things




Toddler Girl Bedroom


1| Laura Ashley Bunting 2| Girls Height Chart  3| Alphabet Canvas

 
Miss CCL's bedroom is almost ready for her to move into, I  need to find her the perfect bed and a floor covering, I have a couple of stores in mind for each but that is all for another post.  Above are 3 things I have recently bought for her that she will love in her room, I will post when the room is {finally} finished & before she rearranges the contents as she inevitably will!
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Welcome

Welcome to City Coastal Life & Style Blog, here you'll find life from our coastal city and those beyond plus interiors, food and travel, house renovations, favourite finds, stylish steals, photography, housewares and much more.