Happy Christmas!

Hello...it's been a long while!  Just a quick note to wish anyone who still visits a wonderful Christmas!  Thanks for your little messages over the past few months!  I'll be back to blogging once Christmas is over and look forward to catching up with everybody!   

A few shots from around the house (last year..haven't got around to taking photos this year!!)  Busy, busy...off to lunch now and then down to Kilkenny to my parents for Christmas Day and Stephen's Day...AND, I am off work til 9th January ...hurrraaahhh! 

I hope you get to enjoy time with your family and friends and have a great old holiday...bye!

Martina xx

Go ahead and try to watch this without smiling..

This is amazing...watch to the very, very end!  Click on link below....

Go ahead and try to watch this without smiling.. - Have you seen, Video - Independent.ie

Random stuff...

Loving these editions of the Eames Hang it All.  I now have the original version installed in my hallway (see here) but would love to have somewhere to hang one of these babies!  Found these at Utility Design which is a great online store with loads of fantastic goodies I wish I could afford :)

We have a long weekend coming up and I am sooo looking forward to it.  We are staying in Dublin but hope to go for breakfast somewhere nice, go out for lunch, go for dinner and go on a nice day trip or two!  Will be doing a little trip to IKEA too and naturally I will have to have a big slice of Dime Cake!!! I hope you have something nice planned for your weekend and Happy Halloween!

PS:  After all the fretting and worrying and preparing, when I went to the Veterinary Hospital with Sadie, the surgeon decided that perhaps she didn't need the surgery at all and that it wouldn't make much difference to her current situation (she had improved quite a lot on the new drugs she is taking).  I felt both relief and disappointment (I thought after the recovery period from surgery she would be back to her old self but apparently not).  Anyway, she is in great form and that's the important thing :)

Woody goodness...

My husband is great at working with wood (he will be mortified when he reads this - he is both humble and modest but I don't mind boasting on his behalf!!)...he loves carving and turning but rarely has the time to indulge his hobby.  However, he is now making an effort to clear some time and he has been very productive!!  He started a wood turning class two weeks ago and came home with this little vase after his second class...isn't it gorgeous?  It's made of cherry wood but it hasn't been kiln-dried so it may crack...I really hope it doesn't.  It's out in the workshop now and we are hoping that it will dry slowly and without breaking.

He has also hand-carved some lovely spoons for me!  One is made of oak (the one with the longer handle) and the other two are made of sycamore.  I love them and have more on order (along with some bowls, platters, plates and knives - heehee).  What do you think?  I have started a board on Pinterest to help inspire him!

Hope you are having a great week :)

Slightly obsessed...

...with the CH25 chair designed by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son...I would totally love to have one in my home...a thing of beauty....take a moment and admire!

Unfortunately, it costs over 2000 pounds...so not likely to be darkening the doors of our home ;)  If anybody knows of something similar/along the same lines that is available somewhere, much cheaper, I'd be interested to hear!

Winter woolies...

Loving these gorgeous mittens/gloves, hats and scarves...

Mittens in first image from here and the rest from here.  I think the hand-knitted mittens in the first image (made by Klara Bothen) are my favourites!

Sweet Sadie...

Poor Sadie...she really has had a hard time of it recently but she is such a darling little trooper - she keeps soldiering on being the happy little ball of fun she always has been tho restricted quite a bit by her bad back legs.  We spent a lot of Friday last week at UCD Veterinary Hospital where she was being assessed for spinal or other orthopaedic issues...we were wishing, hoping and praying that it wasn't spinal and thank goodness it wasn't...huge relief.  She does however need surgery on both her back legs.  Once she has the surgery she should be able to return to her old ways!  However, she has to be "confined" for TWO MONTHS post-op as if she runs or jumps or does whatever it is doggies like to do she would most likely undo the work of the surgery.  This is going to be really hard.  B spent a few hours on Sunday making a gate which we will use to close off our tiny kitchen and that's where the woofers will have to be "confined" to when we are not around.  Surgery is scheduled for 24th October so we time to gently introduce them to the new regime. Anyway, as long as the surgery goes well and we manage the post-op care and attention, we know she should make a great recovery and get back to living life to its fullest :)

Oscar is doing fine but a little confused as to why his twin sister can't play and blitz with him...he had to feature in one of the above photos :)

Liking....

Today is the first "proper" autumn day we have had here in Dublin.  I love autumn and really look forward to lovely bright, sunny, but much cooler weather in September.  This year was different...September was horrible...wet and warm..ugh!  Today is gorgeous, cold enough to wrap up in coat and scarf!  I have the fire on as I type...glee!  So, now that I am feeling all autumny I am looking for more snuggly/wintry items. I spotted these cushions from Darkroom and love them.

Hope you are having a good week :)

BTW...please keep your fingers crossed / say a little prayer / light a little candle for our Sadie.  She is having serious spinal issues and we are heading off to vet hospital at UCD tomorrow to have her assessed for MRI etc.  I am so scared that she might need spinal surgery but am trying to remain very upbeat and positive :)

Bedroom...

I need bedside tables - the ones I have are fine but are a temporary measure (and have been for, hmm...let me see now...8 years!!!)...so I am thinking of a 2 element Componibili (image below) for one side and a little white cabinet I have had for years from Ikea (which is currently residing in the snug) for the other.  I also want to replace my bedhead (or get rid of it).  My husband is pretty handy so hopefully he can build something like the headboard/shelf in the first image above...my current favourite.  I do like the use of plywood in the second image and of course a simple shelf would be nice too.

 

We are starting a big paint job shortly...the entire house needs to be done so am looking forward to it feeling fresh and bright again.  Will hopefully sort out the bedhead/bedside table issues at the same time.  Will post photos when I do :) 

First picture from here, second by Camera Press / Chris Warnes / ACP found here and last from here.  Picture of Componibili units here

Dinesan Douglas Fir...

I am in total love with Dinesan douglas fir floors...will let the pictures speak for themselves.  These images are in the inspiration folder of the Dinesan website...there are some jaw-droppingly amazing homes here...the light and views, the architecture...really beautiful. 

City break...

So, as mentioned, we left the woofers with a really nice place in Clifden whilst we headed into Galway for a couple of nights.  Had a great old time..ate and drank loads.  Back in Dublin today and back to work on Wednesday - it's been a wonderful break :)

 

Pictures from our 7th anniversary dinner at Ard Bia...yummy food.  All a bit grainy as it was quite dark and didn't want to use flash.  Hope you have a good week :)

More hols...

Spiddal Beach, near Galway city (we visited the city and stayed two nights, Sunday and Monday - more on that later) including shot of three guys out on a traditional currach. 

Practically every day we have lunch in the same place... below pan fried fish straight from the boat followed by the bestest and biggest banoffee pie ever!

Holidays in Connemara...

Hello there! It's been a while :) We are on holidays - back at the usual cottage in Connamara with the woofers and loving every minute of it! Some photos below and more to come when I sort them out!  Also, if you click on the photos you will see bigger size.

This is Mannin Beach - always quiet, I don't think we have ever met anybody there...perfection!

Hope you are having a good week!  Pictures above include Mannin Beach (first 2), view from back of cottage looking at the ever-changing skies, road from island to mainland and then a couple from Gurteen Beach (where we go most days with the woofers).