Offer accepted!

On the 11^th March, an offer on our dream house was accepted. We smiled and literally jumped for joy for five minutes, until we realised that the hassle of moving will now cast an angry looking cloud above our heads for the next few months.

Like most people, buying is house is not something you do everyday or know exactly how it’s meant to work. I’ve found that the key elements to get you through it and most importantly learn how to do it are, speaking to family and friends. The next is Google. Oh what a valuable tool Google and Martin Lewis’ website is. (Because who knew how complicated mortgages and surveys could be?) The final is gut instinct. Listening to yourself on what is right just helps solidify any (ir)rational thoughts or reasonings, and it works almost everytime.

To keep myself busy during this tense period, I’ve been expanding the bottom drawer of ‘bits for the house’, which means it’s now bursting from under my bed, and into the garage and shed. I can’t quite fit everything in, so if the move was to happen sooner, practically it would be happy days. Luckily most furniture is second hand, which is a blessing for the wallet and much more fun and gratifying than walking into Ikea. Each item is lovingly handed down with history, discovered in a charity shop or bargain bought online.

Oh and of course - bridesmaid duties, such as shopping with my friend looking for her wedding dress, what a way to keep you distracted!

One thing that is repeated often to us, so it must have some truth is that ‘if it’s meant to be, it will be’ - so fingers crossed this house is. 

X

The house hunt begins!

And yet again I manage to blog post right before the end of the month – phew. Where do I start? This month has been a funny one. The house hunt has officially begun. We’ve both thought that starting to look at houses now is best, as the whole process takes a while anyway, so with each month; we will have that little bit more to help contribute to the piggy bank.

I knew it would be a difficult task but I wasn't prepared for how quickly I could fall in and out of love with houses. Especially when you view them on a crisp sunny morning, and they intentionally whack the heating up so you just want to sit on the sofa and have a cup of tea like you do at home. That ‘bake some bread’ before they come over theory really does work. I was a sucker for one house that put my favourite flowers, some tulips, on the little kitchen table. It was hard to concentrate and think with my head not my heart.

Then came the mortgage meetings, the long painful process of realising how much student debt can creep up on you and affect your allowance. Thanks student loan. We offered on our dream house but to no avail.

So with the week of Valentines and Pancake day filled with bad luck, it was the perfect time to get away with our friends for the weekend to Whitstable in Kent. We stayed in this lovely little cottage right by the sea – very picturesque – and set a task of overeating, milling around shops and visiting the local wildlife sanctuary. For a treat on the last day we made a trip to a very cold Canterbury to look in the cathedral. Entry to view inside was £10! But it’s huge and definitely worth the wonder about. 

What will be, will be I say! But keep your fingers crossed just in case! Hoping next month we might have more luck on the house hunt!

Oh saving the best until last, the highlight of February was meeting this little guy.

X

Happy New Year!

I burst into the new year by playing silly board games, eating a tremendous amount of sausage rolls, drinking too much wine and dancing to 90's club classics such as Barbie Girl. I hope you all had a fab night whatever you got up to. I almost spent my night as a means to go on for the year, which is to hold back on being frivolous and just being with your nearest and dearest! Sorry to be a bore - mentioning my money woes, but I do have other resolutions up my sleeve that I am determined to even just try, as the results would be so rewarding. So here we go...

One - Obviously number one is to save money, to scrimp and save to move out. Watch this space to share my tips and tricks to spending little leisure money each month.

Two - Visit my family as much as possible. We're an awkward bunch, living hours away from eachother. I managed to visit my Auntie just shortly after Christmas and I'm hoping to be back down there soon for more dog walks, cosy evenings in with good food and wine. Maybe an added essence of Witchcraft also...

Three - Successfully look after a plant. I am not green fingered in the slightest. If the plant cried, I would be sure to water and feed it, but it doesn't so frankly it gets ignored. 

Four - A personal one, so here's a personal photo. I am often terrible at saying 'no' to things, and will almost always attend everything, for fear of missing out and boredom. But more often than not, it's not always in my best interest as too many late nights make for too many days of indiscreet yawning. It's also burning a hole in the purse which isn't great. Just cutting down slightly on 'extra curricular' or focussing more time on me might be in order.

Five - Switching off as much technology as possible when I'm home from work. I can't seem to get away from my phone or the TV as soon as I'm through the door. Taking time out, listening to this beautiful new radio with the many of books I need to read will do wonders for my eyesight fuzzing and brain frazzling...

Six - I just mentioned books, and books is another resolution indeed. I got some really useful books this Christmas packed with vintage ideas to create lots of textiles and how-to's to restore furniture. Great for present giving, I can't wait to start collating more materials and fabrics to start stitching some new things for friends.

That's it for now, let's see how I go! Another resolution I have that isn't too exciting is me experimenting with gluten free bread. I'm hoping it makes my tummy smile a bit more. My mum even mentioned me baking my own, so I might even invest in a bread maker if it's worth it!

Have you got any new year's resolutions? I'd love to hear!

X

'Tis the season to be jolly

I think we're all looking forward to Christmas especially this year. It all starts off early, and I think a lot of us are just really excited for a nice traditional family Christmas. I used to look forward to coming home from university for a bit of luxury food, comfort and constant central heating. I'm now just looking forward a bit of a rest! I haven't given myself enough me time lately. There are so many books I'd like to read, and places I'd like to go for a walk. I'm also excited to begin my new years resolutions. 

Although I may not always say them out loud, I know what I really need to learn to do is be better with finances. I'm to quick to say 'yes' to friends and family - meals out, nights out or shopping etc. Which I do enjoy and is my own decision, but sometimes I feel I need to learn it's alright to say no so I can save that bit of money - especially when I can't resist temptation of buying a new jumper!

I've never been great with money, I never took the advice when I was younger to save for a rainy day. So if that rainy day came to me now I'd be a little stuck in the puddle. I'd like to get things all in order so I can fit in enough to do both the fun stuff and make sure I can afford the boring things like bills.

Time has really creeped up on me - it's quite a scary prospect when people are telling you, you should have a pension pot set up - which I don't. I'd like to do that, but also to afford a nice holiday, or reach my ultimate goal of having a home by next year. So, that's my resolution, I hope I can achieve it. Oh and return to the gym... er hem.

Giving myself a bit of credit, I've done a lot this year. Graduated, new job, promoted after six months and made myself more financially responsible for everything. It's a good feeling!

Now to decide on what to bake or make for Christmas day. I've been experimenting with honeycomb which has been delicious, especially when I don't burn it. Have you got any resolutions?

X

Graduating & eating too many waffles

I graduated last week! For three whole years I've watched every year above adorning the Potter-esque gowns in jealousy. How I wanted to be them, and then the time came! Patience is a virtue and all that. To celebrate we visited my much loved cafe Halladays in Bedford Place, then in the evening went out for a luxurious meal at Stovells in Chobham.

'Twas a bit windy.

Accidently visited this pudding place recently called 'Creams' in my local town a handle of times, which is actually too much considering the size of the portions. It's just opened where Pizza Hut used to be and it's very addictive. I mean how can you resist this chocolate sprinkled waffle with strawberries and ice cream? I can't, that's why I'm making a regular appearance.

Staying true to my word, I've been playing on my sewing machine a bit more, making some Christmas cards. Here I was on Sunday, with scraps splattered across the table with my Kitchen Spice Yankee Candle alight. That candle should win an award.

Hoping to do more Christmas shopping this weekend, and to also visit Ripley's Christmas Market, with the switching on of the lights, I've never been before so I am very much looking to it.

X

Dusting off my sewing machine

It’s been a thrifty few weeks as I've been thinking of many ways to spend as little money as possible – if that actually makes sense.

So I found an actual bargain in my local Oxfam lately, eight pudding bowls and side plates for only £4. They were such good quality and it is rather exciting to know they are selling on eBay at the moment for the same price per item. Even the lovely old man behind the counter couldn’t believe the price! Can’t all things in charity shops come down a little lower in price?

I've also been feeling really guilty lately after watching Kirstie’s Vintage Home on Channel 4, watching her teach home-owners how to use a sewing machine and I thought to myself – when was the last time I actually used my own? The next day I plucked mine out of my wardrobe to find it covered in dust – it was rather filthy to be honest. Quick baby wipe here and there and it was looking back to it’s normal self!

Except I felt like I forgot how to use it, which is ridiculous after years I spent slogging away on it. So, I thought I was start small and use the free machine embroidery foot to create some special birthday cards and here is the result! I'm hoping to make some Christmas cards soon when I've picked up some more scraps of material. 

Also, great news this month – I've passed my probation with a promotion and a pay rise! So, very happy at the moment. 

I also stumbled upon a salvage yard whilst milling around shops in Reigate – what a goldmine! Must remember to come back here when I can make the move! Antique and retro furniture all in one place! We were all like children in a sweetie shop. 

And finally - two of my friends also got married recently. This photo sums it all up for me, an amazing day and night. X

Must learn: earning before spending

So apparently my entries are becoming once a month. It has to be said, once you are working on computers all day, the last thing you want to do is surrender yourself to it in the evening. Maybe I will share with you what has been keeping me so busy these past few months!

Well, see if you guess where I’ve been here… 

and here…

Going on holiday to Italy for two weeks at the beginning of September was quite a wish come true. I’ve always wanted to go, and now I have I can’t wait for the next time I can return. Although it won’t be for a few years I’d expect, my piggy bank is running low and I really want to feed it with savings now for the next step.

Working in property PR really makes you think about your own living situation a lot more. Not a positive nor negative thing by any means, it just makes you more aware of daily trends on mortgages, interest rates and inflation!

I’ve set myself a bold target. This time next year I’d hope I will have enough money in the piggy to begin looking for somewhere to move. That doesn’t mean to say I’m not looking already, once you start looking at pretty houses and places you’d like to live, it’s incredibly hard to stop! Especially when you literally find ‘the one’ and you have to let it go (apologies if I’ve quoted a terrible song), and you’ve got a bursting stash of bits to start up a home brimming under your bed. I blame this whole mantra on my upbringing with the PC game, The Sims. It taught me to expect the best in homes, and what I’d like it to be in the future when I’m ‘grown up’.

Now technically I am ready to move – what I can afford to move out into is entirely different to the dream. So I’m blaming all those cheats I used on Sims to create these illustrious homes. I should have played the game properly from scratch, and earning before I spent!

Meanwhile.. Halloween is peeking it's head around the corner, and I cannot wait. It's right up there for one of my favourite festivals. Although not dressing up this year - it's a film night in with spooky treats, although we can't decide on what film to watch. All too scared to pick one so it might have to be Hocus Pocus, which is a delight to me as I have a strange hate towards SJP.

Now enough about me, how's your Autumn going?

X