Monday Must Haves #24

I am a list-maker.

I {really} like being prepared for things.  Especially things like travelling.  Hence the crazy amount of lists I made whilst organising my impending trip to see S in New Jersey.

{Lotsa listies!}

That's not including the list I made for S's birthday and the itinerary he gave me for my two weeks!  What can I say, I like to keep organised ~grins~


In my otherwise hectic life, I like to be able to check back to lists I've made of things I need to do or buy or whatever, as a way of keeping grounded.  Sometimes when I feel a little overwhelmed and like I'm not sure where to go next, it reassures me that I can have a gander at my 'to-do' list, knock a couple off and get back to normal (^_^)


This week, my Monday Must Haves are dedicated to all the list-makers out there!

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♥ Just...Yes.  I need this.  Pretty much.

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♥ And I also need a ~gorgeous~ handmade pen to write in it with.  I'd feel so fancy, writing with a pen you have to dip into a pot of ink (^_^) All of the pens made in this Etsy store are unique pieces and they are so pretty, it'd be writing with a piece of art!

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♥ Well, I love cats.  And this is just beyond adorable.  This would be perfect for those everyday to-do lists, like picking up some groceries or cleaning the oven.  If I had this, I'd love to use it for all the craft projects I keep meaning to start, then forgetting about!  I need to make a crafting to-do list!  But first, I must obtain this lovely notepad!

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♥ I've fallen in love with this pendant a little bit - bucket list, anyone?  I've always wanted to write one but it's always seemed such a daunting task for me!  I know it can be an on-going thing that you add to and take away from, but...I think, until I'm ready to sit down and attempt my very own bucket list, a personalised necklace like this would be a joy to wear - and perhaps a little reminder to get it written when I look in the mirror!

I hope you're all having a wonderful Monday and you're looking forward to the week ahead!  I'm so excited - only two more shifts at work to go before my two-week break to see my boy!  Have a wonderful week full of all the things you love (^_^) Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

♥Ắçĕ♥

Monday Must Haves #23

It's been a while, huh?  I think my last MMH was in February!  Crazy times!  It's been a real rollercoaster since then, from blog stuff to personal stuff to everything in between!

S and I have been planning a trip {which I'm actually taking next week, how exciting!} and as much as I love going to see him, I really *don't* like the 8 hours flying there and back ~sad face~ My flights are usually okay, I get fed a lot of yummy food and the entertainment isn't bad.  But you need more than that to make an okay flight into a really good, comfortable one.  So this week, my Monday Must Haves are all about making your flight the best it can be!

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♥ So, I know when I land in NJ at about 1pm, the July heat will likely cause me to melt like a popsicle left in the sun.  ~However~, when you're up on that plane, it gets *chilly*.  One important factor for comfort is warmth, and even though they give you a blanket, wearing a cute, light sweater will keep the cold away and will be easy to stuff in your travel bag once you get outside!

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♥ This cute little devil is perfect for a long flight like mine!  Since I'm going to be travelling during the day, it'll be bright out and, since I'll be so excited to go, I'll probably not sleep much the night before!  It's always good to get some shut eye on the plane (Yes, S, people still do say 'shut eye'!) but that doesn't always come easy, especially if the person next to you ~really really really~ wants to look at clouds the whole flight (-_-) Stick on one of these pretties and you'll be sleeping in no time!

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♥ Sometimes, you just don't want to watch a movie or listen to music.  Getting lost in a good book is an excellent way to spend a few of those long hours and make them fly by before you know it!  I love a bit of H.G.Wells, I think he's an excellent writer and a collection of stories would be perfect to dive into!  Note: getting stuck into a book can sometimes stop your very-nice-but-super-chatty neighbour quiet down some.  Or annoy the person the other side!  Bonus!

Above all else, to make your flight as comfortable as possible, *move around* and *drink plenty of water*.  It's important to stay as active as possible and keep hydrated (^_^) These are my top three flight necessities, to stop me from going mad on a flight that is much too long!  What are your top three things to bring with you on your travels?  And are you going anywhere nice for a holiday this year?

Thank you for stopping by!  Hope you're having an awesome week!

xoxo

♥Ắçĕ♥

Monday Must Haves #22

Oi, it's been a crazy couple of weeks!  And not crazy in a 'I'm so busy and it's so much fun!' kind of way ~sad face~ My manager has been offered a position at another store and while she undertakes her training, it's just me and the assistant manager left to run the place.  This means horrible long days, too many early starts and not nearly enough time off ~even bigger sad face~ This not only means I'm neglecting blogging (which really makes me frowny) but I'm also not making enough time for my family or my friends and that's really.not.on.  Everything is lacking at the moment, from rest to crafting to quality time with those I love.  And the worst part is, we don't have any idea how long it's going to be like this for.

So, with my moan out of the way {sorry!} I'd like to dedicate my Monday Must Haves this week to rest, relaxation and being with the people who mean the world to you.

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♥ First things first; when relaxing properly, one must have both comfortable *and* beautiful cushions to relax upon.  And I'm pretty sure this colourful pretty ticks both of those boxes!  I would love a living room/lounge area full of bright colours (^_^)

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♥ Secondly, one must have a suitably colourful and snuggly blanket to wrap up in, especially when it's chilly out (like it is today, cor blimey!) My own crocheted blanket is still in the early stages but I'm so keen to attempt something as beautifully colourful as this.

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♥ To complete the insane snuggly/relaxing/awesomeness, what better than a pair of comfy, toasty, *gorgeous* slippers??  I absolutely cannot stand it when my feet are cold, it makes me *so* grumpy and I can't chill out, no matter how hard I try.  These slippers are so beautiful, it would be such a pleasure to slip into them after a long day on my feet!

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♥ I think this one of my favourite must-haves ever.  I absolutely adore this family tree pendant; the wonderful person who creates these beautiful works of art takes the birthstones of those closest to you and works them together into this stunning piece.  This is such a clever, wonderful idea; you know your pendant would be completely unique and mean *so* much to you personally.  And what better symbol than a tree for a family (^_^)

I hope you're all looking forward to a wonderful week!  Mine is looking crazy busy again ~sighs~ My giveaway didn't go down so well {Thank you to my one entrant - I will be sending you something lovely in the post as a special thanks!} but in a way it's good since I now don't have the free time to make something to the best of my ability (and no-one wants a crocheted rush-job!) Have a great week, take care, be happy and thank you for stopping by today (^_^)

xoxo

♥Ắçĕ♥

Monday Must Haves #21

Did you all have a lovely weekend?  I sure did!  In preparation for the next three weeks of too-many-hours and not-enough-sleep (a terrible combination!) I did pretty much nothing (^_^) I crocheted some more granny squares for my blanket, read more of my book and, most deliciously, I baked a cake.

It was a simple Victoria sponge with strawberry jam and buttercream which I have made *so* many times, I know the recipe by rote.  It was really tasty, light and fluffy and it got me thinking; why don't I bake more?  So, this week's Monday Must Haves are all about baking, cooking and having a darn good time in the kitchen making scrumptious food!

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♥ Not only do I love the colour of this cute necklace but this really reminds me of when I was young, making cupcakes with my Mum and my Nan.  We have a set of measures just like that and a big cupcake pan that we'd bake delicious treats in (^_^) Super pretty with more than just a touch of nostalgia!

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♥ I adore this print!  I think there is something really lovely about green in a kitchen (Note to S: I'd really like green in our kitchen!) and this cute print would fit perfectly in my future home!  It's just my kind of humour and I think it would bring a smile to my face every time I saw it.  Not to mention encourage me to get my mixer out and make something tasty!

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♥ Okay, I'm *clearly* lusting after charm bracelets at the moment!  I think I just like how busy they are, I could spend ages admiring each individual charm and I'd love the little jingly sounds it would make (^_^) This pretty bracelet is full of gorgeous baking and kitchen charms, not to mention the lovely 1940s images of ladies!  *So* lovely!

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♥ We all know that baking and cooking can be a messy business (it's part of why we love it so much!) and what better way to protect your clothes with something as utterly gorgeous as this apron?  I love how pretty and stylish it is, with the lovely circle skirt look.  I would totally wear this if it were a dress!  Cuteness overload!

I hope you're all having a great start to your week!  I'm not looking forward to the next few weeks so much but I'm keeping positive and going to spend my spare time doing things I really love to make up for it!

I've got my 100th blog post coming up *Woo!  Made it to 100!* and I'm SUPER excited and proud!  I'd really like to do something special for it, so I was thinking...maybe a crocheted giveaway would do the trick!  Keep your eyes peeled, it's coming soon!  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to attempt making meringues!  Wish me luck!

xoxo

♥Ắçĕ♥

Monday Must Haves #20

Happy Chinese New Year!

It is the Year of the Dragon and as luck would have it, I'm a dragon myself!  Woot woot!  It's super cool 'cause I'm a Leo too, so I'm some kind of bad-ass Dragon-Lion ball of awesome (^_^)

Today's Monday Must Haves is all about celebrating Chinese New Year, supporting handmade and vintage and generally being overwhelmed by all the beautiful things people create and craft, which I hope will make you smile and bring a little fire (see what I did there?) to the start of your week!

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♥ Absolutely essential for telling everyone you know about Chinese New Year!  I love the style of this card, the colours and how effective the design is against the white background.  This is so pretty; I've lost count of the number of times I've dreamed of having something this gorgeous tattooed on me!

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♥ Who doesn't love a cute cat pendent?  *Especially* when said cute cat is both lucky and pink!  Squee!  This is literally the most adorable thing I've seen in weeks.  I'd love to get one and hang it on my keychain, since I can't wear jewellery at work.  Then I could take a little slice of luck around with me every day (^_^)

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♥ I have seen similar lanterns in a store in my town and I keep meaning to go in there and snap one up before they all disappear!  This is just so pretty, full of colour and would make such a lovely light fixture in a room!  I love anything in bright colours and can see this hanging in my lounge (sorry S, *our* lounge) when we get our place together.

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♥ I pretty much can't get over how awesome this is.  Not only does it have a cute dragon on the front *yay for dragons* but behind that little dragon pendent is a fully working 'pocket watch'!  Ahh!  I think I need this! *raids savings*

I hope the start of your week has been brilliant!  I went out for a run this morning and went the furthest and longest I've been so far!  Completely dead at the end of it but feeling *so* proud that I'm pushing myself that little bit extra each time!  I plan on doing some baking over the next week and, of course, I've got my next vegan day coming up on Thursday!  Think I'm going to go with some hearty homemade veggie soup!  Delish!  Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

♥Ắçĕ♥

Monday Must Haves #19

Hellooooo!  Are we all having a lovely week so far?  I hope so (^_^) Mine has started off rather well with today off *woo!* although I'm expecting a rapid decline due to the INSANE amount of hours I'm working over the next three days (someone come save me please!!!)

Today's Monday Must Haves are all about GAMES!  As you may (or may not *grins*) know, I'm a bit of a gamer!  I love playing all sorts of games, ranging from console to board to online (^_^) I'm currently obsessing over DDO (Dungeons and Dragons Online) and spent the evening talking with my friend about all the awesome games we used to play as kids - Guess Who? and Buckaroo, anyone?  Here are a few delightful handmade items that are all about bringing out the gamer in everyone!

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♥ I want all of these adorable magnets on my fridge right this moment!  I love that they come in so many different colours; I remember getting a green Gameboy colour for my birthday one year and being so thrilled with it!  I've always been a bit of a Nintendo fangirl and these really made me smile.

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♥ For everyone who has ever played any kind of game with magic or hitpoints - SQUEE!  These gorgeous little earrings are so adorable and would make me feel like a *real* cleric (that's my class in DDO) I'd love to have these pretty little potions dangling from my ears; wouldn't they be a fantastic conversation starter?

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♥ Combining two of my favourite games here - Scrabble and Super Mario Bros!  I think this necklace is super cute and it brings back memories of happy (and sometimes frustrating!) hours playing games!  It's completely adorable (^_^)

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♥ This was the ultimate 'oh my gosh I want this I want this I want this' for me this week!  All of these tiny charms are handmade!  I can't imagine how many hours have gone into this gorgeous charm bracelet!  It really is beautiful and the perfect accessory for any stylish gamer-girl!

I hope you've all got a wonderful week planned ahead!  I'm planning on my second vegan day on Thursday (Saturday was a success, woohoo!) and if I've learned one thing so far, it's plan ahead, because you never know *what* isn't vegan friendly (I'm looking at you, vegetarian sausages!) Thank you for stopping by!

xoxo

♥Ắçĕ♥

Monday Must Haves #18

I can't believe it's Monday again already!  The last week absolutely flew by, with so many busy hours at work and our work Christmas party on Saturday (lots of laughter and lots of wine!) plus getting packages sorted for overseas people (S and B, I'm looking at you!) I once again feel like I've not had a minute to myself!  Seems like that's becoming a bit of theme in my life lately *chuckles* Note to self in the New Year - Make Me Time.

This week is another Christmas themed Monday Must Haves only this week I'm focussing on gifts specifically.  I'm making lots of my own gifts this year (mostly crocheted things, I've got a wonderful hat that I'm making for my brother, I can't wait to show you when it's all done!) and am really supporting handmade gift giving.  These little lovelies are some of the beautiful things that have been lovingly hand crafted to bring that extra sparkle to a smile on Christmas morning (^_^)

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♥ I am completely in awe of anyone who can produce such beautiful swirly earring posts!  These earrings are utterly gorgeous, dainty little gems that will glitter in your ear, twinkling in the fairy lights (^_^) Prettiness overload!

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♥ I have been eyeing these lovely leather wrap bracelets for a long time now and would really love to have a stab at them as I think they'd make such lovely prezzies!  I love the colour of this one, the way the red of the gemstones contrasts with the black leather.  This one is gorgeous and made by someone with years of beading experience!  I hope I can be as good as this one day!

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♥ This stunning handmade music journal literally made me squee when I saw it!  Hand bound and illustrated with pen and ink by the amazing artist who created it, this book would be perfect for songwriters, musicians (the pages are all lined with staves, how cute is that!) or simply for thoughts, ideas or poetry (staves will make it all that more dramatic and poignant!)

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♥ Sadly, I don't know any little people that I could buy this epically cute reversible apron for but I just *had* to include it!  Wouldn't this be perfect for all those lovely crafts afternoons with a tiny artist?  Such a perfect little gift that not only misses and misters will love but parents will thank you for (^_^)

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♥ To wrap things up in the most delicious way, who doesn't love a homemade treat to eat for Christmas?  And oh my gosh, drooling over my computer at the sight of this delectable fudge! It looks so crunchy and chewy and chocolatey and...Oh, just like heaven!  I love fudge (^_^) And I *love* making food for people for gifts!

I hope you're all getting into the Christmas spirit and enjoying the final run up to the big day!  And I hope the start of your week has been less tiring but just as smiley as mine (^_^) Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

♥Ắçĕ♥

Monday Must Haves #17

Yay!  It's nearly Christmas!  I figured now would be the perfect time to do a Christmas-inspired Monday Must Have (I expect I'll do another one too, I love Christmas so much!) so I've found a few little bits and pieces that I'm coveting for the festive season!

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♥ I would love to have this adorable little family sitting on my Christmas tree, looking ever so cute!  While I'm a huge fan of traditional decorations (baubles, tinsel, all that jazz) I love that these would be a quirky addition and the sweetest conversation starter!

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♥ Can anyone resist cake pops?  I know I can't!  Especially when they're in such pretty Christmas colours (^_^) These would look great on the table as edible decorations or as an alternative to Christmas cake and pudding (wouldn't they be awesome for kids?)

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♥ As the year has gone by, I've seen *so* many beautiful pieces of quilling work and I am desperate to have a go at it myself!  But until I get to do that, I am going to swoon over just how gorgeous these gift tags are and be just a little bit jealous of the talented lady who made them!

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♥ These are *such* a great stocking filler idea!  Those delightful little snowflakes and trees have seeds embedded in them, so when you add water to your soil lots of lovely things will grow!  And look at the cute little box it comes in too!  I know so many people who would love this as a gift; it's so pretty, simple and can be enjoyed for a long, long time!

I hope you enjoyed that little selection of festive treats!  I've got my Christmas shopping well under way and am planning on crocheting a few hats and scarves as gifts (I have *so* much wool - in the New Year I'm thinking about doing a little woolly giveaway!) How are you all doing with your own festivities?  Have a wonderful week!

xoxo

♥Ắçĕ♥

Monday Must Haves #16

Wow.  It's been a helluva fortnight and I am *so* glad it's over and I finally have some time to myself!  I've been neglecting my social life, my family, my blog and my crafting for the last two weeks because of hectic and long hours at work, so now is the time to get things back to normal (^_^)

This past week, I've been coveting a lot of pretty jewellery; my job doesn't allow me to wear any jewellery at all, so every morning I have to take it all off and leave it at home before I head out.  I know it's for food safety and hygiene but I miss my lip ring, earrings and bracelets!  I've also had my eye on yarns and mittens this week, as it's gotten so much colder recently and I'd love to crochet myself a cute pair of fingerless gloves to wear on chilly mornings!

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♥ This necklace is *so* pretty; I love the shape of it and the depth and variety of colours.  It's so eye-catching, wouldn't it be such a conversation starter?

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♥ I *need* to make something out of this yarn; isn't it gorgeous?  With Halloween just around the corner, I love the blend of yellows, greens, blues and purples in this hand-spun yarn.  It'd make such a beautiful scarf!

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♥ This style of jewellery isn't one I'm usually drawn to but I really like this piece.  It's so dainty and elegant whilst being so pretty and detailed (I love that little flower!) It looks super snazzy when it's worn, too!

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♥ Okay, so forget me actually making something for myself, *these* gloves are perfect!  Lots of different, warm colours in soft, snuggly wool (^_^) I find full gloves are a bit fiddly for me so I like to have my fingers free - these are definitely on my wish-list.

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♥ I love everything about this wonderful wrap bracelet; it's feminine yet funky, it's wearable with everything, intricate but simple at the same time.  At this time of year especially, I love to wear autumnal, natural colours and this would be the perfect addition to my jewellery collection!

I hope you've all been good the last couple of weeks; I've got some serious catching up to do with you all!  In other news, S has finished filing for his application so it's all out of our hands - we're waiting to hear back so we're really excited and tense to get the news!  I finished the doll for his sister and have a 'how I did it' post planned for some time this week.  Now I'm going to spend the rest of the day relaxing and working on my art journal (^_^)

xoxo

♥Ắçĕ♥

Monday Must Haves #15

I've been thinking a lot about art journalling recently (I say thinking about, since I've not had a moment to myself lately!) It's something I've been interested in doing and I've read a lot about it on various websites and blogs!  I'd love to really explore that creative side of me which I've never had the chance to before and see what comes from it.

This week, Monday Must Haves is focussing on art journalling and all the incredible supplies I've been drooling over the last few days!  A girl can dream, right?

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♥  I am both terrified and fascinated by zombies, it's a real love-hate relationship!  This blank journal would be ideal for starting an art journal and it would make me smile every time I looked at it!

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♥ These are the cutest tapes I have ever seen.  Washi tape is so versatile and would completely liven up a journal, cards and scrapbooking, I'd use it all the time!  I've wanted to experiment with washi tape for a long long time but I'm finding it quite tough to find locally.  I think I'm going to have to look abroad to get some (I can always sneakily get it delivered to S in America and get him to send it to me!)

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♥ Being a girl who goes nuts over anything stationary related, I would *love* to add these gorgeous embroidered papers to my stack.  These would come in so handy for art journalling, since they add colour and texture to the pages, which is something I would want from my art journal.

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♥ Speaking of texture, wouldn't these brightly coloured threads be awesome to include in a journal?  One thing I really love about art journalling is how mixed-media it is.  I tend to stick to pen & pencil on paper when I'm creating but this would open up a whole other world for me!

Ooh, I'm all excited now!  I think I'm going to have to spend my day away from work tomorrow just relaxing with a journal and my creative imagination (^_^) I hope you guys are having a wonderful Monday and have a great week ahead!  Mine is full of work (which makes a change *chuckles*) so I'm anticipating being very tired and desperately looking forward to my Saturday off - yay weekend!

xoxo

♥Ắçĕ♥

Monday Must Haves #14

Oh good heavens, is it really autumn outside already?

All I've heard on the weather forecast is rain, wind, cold.

*sigh*

Not happy.

I'm a summer girl, always will be, but there's something wonderfully warm and beautiful about autumn.; it's not too cold but cold enough for a sweater, it's when I pull out the hot chocolate (and a couple of marshmallows too!), it's a cosy evening with a great movie on T.V., delicious food and my craft things spread about.  It's a really good time (^_^)

This week, Monday Must Haves are all about comfort, snuggles and awesomeness!

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♥ There's nothing quite as snuggly and awesome as a handmade sweater.  This one looks so gorgeously soft and warm, perfect to tug on over a t-shirt as the autumn evenings roll in.  I never used to like grey clothes (wore a grey school uniform for years!) but I love how neutral this is and how I could wear it with anything!

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♥ This blanket is beyond beautiful.  I would *love* to snuggle up with S under this and hang out on the couch together, watching T.V. or crocheting a blanket of my own!  I adore how colourful and bright it is.

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♥ Speaking of snuggling up on the couch, how perfect is this?  Delicious mint hot chocolate, just enough for two!  I love mint chocolate *anything* and this pretty little jar would be so useful after all the deliciousness inside was gone!

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♥ I love autumn colours, even if I don't love the short days and the colder weather!  I think I'm probably going to be one of those people who decorates their house for the season (who says you should only put up decs at Christmas?) and I'd love to hang this gorgeous garland in my home for a true autumnal touch.

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♥ This necklace is *so* cute!  This would be such a perfect addition to an autumn wardrobe, it's such a little treasure!  Might have to drop a few hints about this one *cough cough* (^_^)

I hope you guys are having a good week so far!  I know it's a long weekend in the U.S. so I hope you're all having a great Monday away from work!  I've got a couple of crafting projects I'm working on at the moment, I've got to kick my butt into gear and show you all!

xoxo

♥Ắçĕ♥

Monday Must Haves #13

Ooh, Monday Must Have #13!  Unlucky for some, but not for me (^_^)

I feel like this week has just flown by in a flurry of work and creating, it's been wonderful!  I'm on day three of my three-day-weekend and I'm spending it sewing, listening to music and enjoying a delicious roast dinner with my family.  Still can't quite believe I managed to snaffle a whole three days off!  Don't mention it to my manager, anyone!

This weeks' must haves don't have a theme as such, they're just pretty things I'm currently lusting after (^_^) Hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do!

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♥ This dress is *so* gorgeous!  It looks like it would fit in all the right places and I just love the flower pattern, the way it stands out on the dark fabric.  I wouldn't mind adding this to my own closet, if only I had the pennies to spare!

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♥ This necklace is unreasonably cute!  I loved playing with Lego when I was young and this made me nostalgia pretty hard!  I think I'd have to go for the purple tile - which one would you choose?

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♥ With the thought of my impending move out of my parents' house plus a visit to the U.S., I can't stop myself from looking at luggage.  I just love these.  Everything about them is gorgeous, from the colour to the style.  And once I got back from the States, they'd make such pretty storage (^_^)

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♥ I'm always on the lookout for beautiful things to hang on my walls once I'm in my own place.  I really want rooms filled with beauty and colour and this piece is just *so* pretty.  Seriously, my bank balance is going to take a tumble once S and I decide it's time to decorate!

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♥ I can't resist this pretty brooch; I don't currently wear brooches but I'd love to start and this one just jumped out at me!  I love how it's so simple in design but it's double layered which gives it a bit of intricacy.  I have *so* many things I could compliment with this brooch.

I hope you all had a fab weekend!  I spend yesterday with my family at a big BBQ, which was both fun and weird at the same time; I got to hang out with my brothers and cousins which is always awesome but there's always that 'weird-we-don't-see-our-relatives-that-often-and-now-we're-forced-to-talk-to-each-other' thing.  There was lots of delicious food and drink and we all had a pretty good time!  I can't wait for next year, when I *hopefully* get to introduce S to everyone (^_^) Fun times ahead!

xoxo

♥Ắçĕ♥