Tis The Season To Be Jolly.

Well that's Christmas all about wrapped up for another year. Did you all have a good one? I'm currently weighing up the pros and cons of changing out of my pyjamas (I've been debating this for approximately four hours though!) I sort of disappeared about a week before Christmas; my days merged into one long session of darkness, trains and cookie decorating (notice how there is no evidence of said cookies- how bloody hard is it to use royal icing!?) In a whirlwind of working and Christmas prep, there's only a few people that I didn't manage to squeeze in. Is it just me or once Christmas day comes, all the stresses building up to it just seem to melt away. We had a wonderful day; starting in the morning with my parents and Bimble (I got him fake tattoos and a moustache to make him into a strong man and as you can see, am far more excited about it then he is!) The afternoon was spent in the kitchen with Harps's grandparents and early evening we feasted before coming home and sitting with Batman to open gifts. The last few days since have been a slower, much needed rest. Hands up if you're ready to go back to work? No, me neither.

Over & Out

Sophie 

Batman Diaries #11 Batman At Christmas.

Batman has grown to love Christmas. This being his third one, he revels in the papers to chew, tree to play with and attention he gets. It's the only time of year he stays a little bit more still to be able to take photos. It's almost as if he's in awe of the tree; glittering and glowing in an evening. He has his own little stocking that hangs on his hammock but really he's more interested in pine cones (I keep a few at the bottom of the tree for him to play with) and opening his presents (and everyone else's) before the big day. 

Merry Christmas 

Love Batman Xx

Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree.

It's really and properly almost, very nearly Christmas now! To the extent that I'm not embarrassed to show you my tree which has actually been decorated and spreading festive cheer for just over a week.  So snuggle down with a warm or tipsy beverage of sorts and grab a biccie; it's tree time!!

I'm always in charge of the tree. Harps and I always decorate it together but I'm definitely more bothered about him; this is actually the first year he hasn't lay on the floor, throwing the decorations at it, shouting "Christmas!" just to annoy me! (I think it was because he had the camera to keep him distracted.) Our little tree is on it's last legs. This will be the last year that we use it. Bought five years ago, we fell into the whole 'black Christmas tree' thing? Why was that a thing?! It was cheap and did the job with our minimum wage jobs. Next year we'll be going big and going real! Also check out my lovely festive reindeer made by the guys and gals at People & Gardens! That cheeky little fox below is one of the only non-handmade decorations we own but he's just so damn snazzy!

Slowly, over the years we've gathered little homemade Christmas decorations from friends and family. Every year it's my favourite part of decorating the tree. It's become a little tradition that Stacie makes me decorations for Christmas and I can't wait to see what's this years! Most of the above are hers but last year my brother and sister-in-law gave us their little handmade melted snowman bauble which is such a great idea don't you think?! This year our collection has already grown with some friends who are expecting their first baby next year (HUZZAH!) making us a mini Christmas Batman which is so cute and thoughtful and a great use of recycling their tree from last year by gifting it on this year! What a plan for next year ey?! 

So after a day of blanket, film watching and paper chain making. Christmas is slowly arriving in the Harps household. 

Now show me all your trees dammit!

Over & Out

Sophie X

A Week With My First DSLR.

Black Friday got me. It's the first year I've ever succumbed to the insistent advertising and made the brave purchase of our first proper adult camera. Harps and I have been talking about upgrading a Kodak digital camera that we've had for about six years now for a while. With lots of exciting times coming up next year; our wedding and honeymoons, friends weddings, friend's babies and so much more, it just seems like the right time. Harps needs a better camera for his bike riding and I need a faster one for catching photos of that little ball of black fur that scurries around my house. 

Having a few days off gave us a chance to get a few festive jobs done; a visit to the barbers for a beard trim, pottering around Harps's grandparents garden, movie nights on cushions on our front room floor with Batman, baking all sorts of cookies, biscuits, gingerbread people and mince pies, foraging for goodies and this cute little spaniel who's my parents rescue dog. She's a daft one.

So here's to learning to use my new camera - A Nikon D3300 with 18-55mm lens and 50-200mm zoom lens incase you wondered. Any tips for new starting photo taking people would be muchos appreciated!

Over & Out,

Sophie.

The Last November Anniversary.

Celebrating our anniversaries has long been a day of comforts. The first three years we'd go on a little shopping spree for each other. Bags full and arms heavy, we'd settle down with a take-away and film. Simple but exciting. There are still jumpers and hats that I wear now, purchased on our first. The fourth we spent quietly, moving in without anyone else took the need out of buying clothes and trinkets. A quiet day together would just do, some kind words in a thoughtful card and of course that sneaky take-away. Year five brought the question we'd been building up to, and of course, a very firm, overwhelming, yes. Rome was our gift that year, and mine was a fairytale dream coming true. Year six seems almost yesterday, and a new tradition has been born, continuing to year seven we've walked our legs as far as they'd go. Finally embracing the cold, wintery date that we first became a couple. The last two have been spent at the same beach, this year with more of an adventure thrown in. Every year has been an adventure to date. 

As we fall into a new cycle, a new tradition has been born, subtly celebrating the special date for both us and what would be Grandpa's birthday, it seems quite quaint and perfect that our final year celebrating our anniversary in November, where next year it starts anew in spring, has been so peaceful, so comforting and growing.

2016 will bring so much change and so much of a new beginning. Seven years later and starting all again in so many ways fills me with a new excitement and adventure than ever before.

Love Sophie Xx

20 Things I've Realised Planning Our Wedding.

We're progressing slowly but surely though the planning of our little 'big day' and after giving notice of intent to get married today (EEEEKKKKK!) I thought it'd be a good time to reflect on some of the things I've learned so far with the good intentions that it may either help you OR give you a chuckle. Either way!

1) Weddings are crazy expensive. Seriously consider elopement. Like seriously. It wasn't something we chose as Harps has quite a large family, but there have been times where we've both agreed it would have been much MUCH cheaper to disappear just the two of us.

2) Remember it's just one day of your lives! It is so easy to get carried away and before you know it you're demanding that you simply must hire 10 olive trees at a cost of over £250 for one day. You can live without olive trees if it means you can buy food for a month ok?

3) You simply cannot please everyone. And that's ok! Who cares if your distant relative that you've only ever seen at weddings and funerals isn't high up on your guest list! It's up to you if they're not even on it at all! Which brings me to...

4) There will be a lot of fluttering and influence from family and friends, make sure that the two of you do everything for you and not for keeping other people happy. They'll be happy if you are eventually!

5) Think carefully about the day of the week you're getting married. We just spent over £450 for a legal ceremony on a Saturday! 

6) Hen do's have become hen weekends and hen holidays and hen space trips (ok the last one's an exaggeration) I had no idea of this until I'd started planning.

7) Pinterest is of course a bride's best friend. I have board a plenty! 

8) If you're having a marquee, it isn't as simple as getting a tent (yes I thought it was!)

9) It's so important to get wedding insurance. I compared on MoneySuperMarket.com and got a great deal at Debenhams and a £20 voucher that I used for some bridesmaids shoes!

10) Some wedding dresses make you look all sorts of crazy shapes. It's them, not you and you don't need that kind of negativity in your life or your wedding.

11) If you're not getting married in a traditional venue and need to provide your own booze, it's pricey so think carefully about how to do it.

12) Your wedding dress/outfit should make you feel like a total babe. Fact.

13) Being interviewed to give notice of intent to get married is scary. It may make you doubt your own name and get a little bit quaky when they tell you about bigamacy even though you know you've never been married.

14) Treat yourself to a special book for all your list making needs! I am so pleased that I have everything in one place!

15) Confetti.co.uk knows my love for crafty additions.

16) There is so much choice for everything that planning a wedding is the best procrastination I've ever done. Spending a whole afternoon day looking at different types of table fabric is my idea of important Sunday work.

17) Most people that work in all types of the wedding industry are super nice. They want you to have the best day ever too! In my opinion, anyone at companies you want to get involved that aren't hugely helpful should be dumped. You can find another that you'll be much happier with in the long run!

18) Guest lists are probably the hardest, much more so when over time, people and relationships change.

19) Trying to train your stubborn house rabbit to any ounce of being able to be apart of the big day is impossible. Give up and watch Netflix. He's a rabbit, he can stay home.

20) Enjoy it all. It can be stressful and I've experienced ways why it can be, but at the end of the day, it's about the two of you and if you want pizza and swingball (yes we have both) then goddamit, have just that! It's one day of many wonderful and brilliant days ahead, don't panic!

Have any of you had any big lessons learnt in planning your wedding? Maybe some great advice from someone when you were?

Love Sophie Xx

*There is no affiliations with any of the brands listed, they're all just some I've used! 

A Month Away In Photos.

This is probably the most summed up photo of my summer. Cake, flowers and a sneaky bunny.

Made some delicious brownies for a charity event!

Funky blue flowers.

Falmouth at 7am on a sunny morning makes early starts for work not half bad.

My hair is red again! Was it last time you saw me? Probably not! The ends have faded pretty badly now though!

I could spend all day organising shelves like this.

Good weekend everyone! How the golly gosh are you all?! It's been forever, ok well maybe not that long but it has been over a month since I last visited this little corner of the land and there a couple of reasons why it's taken me so long to get my backside in gear. Firstly; I've been pretty ill. Losing my voice for just over two weeks has had me pretty flat and sleeping at every single spare moment just became a bit necessary. Then, just as I was feeling better, a certain four legged creature whom stalks my life and my house decided he'd gnaw through my macbook charger (for the second time this year!) and do you know how bloody hard it is to get a replacement macbook charger in Cornwall?! Amazon to the rescue and ya-da ya-da here we are!

So, let us catch up with lemonade and cake!

Love Sophie and A Very Naughty Batman Xx