Decor Inspiration: Glass Domes...

Hi Everyone! Hope you are all well:)

Lately while browsing the web or reading my interior magazines, I have come across a lot of these glass cloche domes, and have to say I am becoming quite obsessed with them. I love how they can be used for displaying a wide variety of objects! Here are a few of my lovely inspiration photos...

Holding plants

or cheese...

 I think they would look lovely forming part of an Easter display as seen above, filled with miniature coloured eggs.

Hope you all have a good day!

Anne xx
Images Via 

Spring Sunday...

This weekend we have enjoyed some lovely Spring like weather.Yesterday I had to stay indoors as Sarah had a cold and high temperature. Philip took over minding her today, and I went for a spin out to Co Wicklow with Laura.

   

 We stopped off at Tulfarris country club which is in a lovely lakeside setting, and enjoyed afternoon tea. Not a bad way to spend a gorgeous Sunday afternoon!

Hope you all enjoyed the weekend:)
Anne xx

                                                                    

I've been Tagged...

Yesterday I was tagged by my lovely blogging friend Lauren over at Simply LKJ. Whilst I don't have time to do a full posting of the rules and tag and link others, in the spirit of fun I will answer the 11 questions posted on the tag link. Here we go...

1) Flats or heels?

 Heels!

2) Favourite scent for a candle?

Any of my Jo Malone candles

3) If money were no object what is the first thing you would buy for the home?

Replace my wooden venetian blinds with white shutters!

4) Book or nook? Do you prefer the real thing or the virtual version?

Book. Real thing.

5) Favourite fashion accessory?

Scarves

6) Recycle or not?

Recycle.

7) If you could change one thing about your appearance what would it be?

Grow my hair again! Don't think I have the patience though!!

8) Dogs or Cats?

Dogs

Our dog Milly...

9) Go to appetizer when entertaining?

Mini Savoury pastry tartlets

10) Favourite design trend for the home?

Stripes

11) Movie that makes you cry every-time?

Titanic

Hope you all enjoyed reading and if anyone would like to join in the fun, please do so!!

 Have a good weekend!

Anne xx

Weekend Time ....

Happy Friday!

Hope everyone had a good week. I must say I am enjoying the mornings getting a little brighter! It makes for getting them all up and moving a little easier! I started my day off on a good note with a lovely breakfast of Eggs Benedict. See here for the recipe I followed. I am trying to eat a little bit healthier (off the chocolate for lent!!)  so a good breakfast keeps you full for longer!!

Today I decided to give my new denim tunic a whirl. When I tried it on I thought it looked more like a dress on me,  so I have paired it with tights and a colourful necklace from Next for a casual style!

I am ending the week on a great note, as I was delighted to receive the Liebster award from the lovely miss b who blogs over here. I hope you all check out her fabulous blog if you get time , as she has lots of goodness going on over there!!

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend!:)

Anne xx

Recipe: Potato cakes with creamy cheese and crispy bacon topping ...

 We eat potatoes in some form or other on a daily basis in this house! Usually it is either mashed,chipped or roasted I serve with dinner, but for a change, I am sharing this recipe for home made potato cakes fried on the pan, and covered with a rich creamy cheese sauce...

To Make Potato Cakes...

Boil about 10 medium floury potatoes for 20 minutes until soft. Mash adding pepper and salt and set aside.Whisk an egg and add it to 125g of plain flour. Combine this with the mashed potatoes and mix to form a soft dough.Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into four and roll each piece into about four sausage shapes and cut each one into 4cm rounds...

Flatten these rounds into a patty style on a floured baking sheet and press down with a fork to shape. Heat some olive oil on a pan and fry the cakes on each side until a golden brown.

Keep turning them at regular intervals to prevent burning them too much on one side They should take approx 10 mins to cook ...

Remove from pan and keep warm until sauce and bacon is ready. For this just add grated cheese to a flour and cream mixture or alternatively buy a ready made white sauce. Stir until thickened. Grill some bacon slices until cooked and crispy. Drain on kitchen towel and chop into small pieces.

Arrange potato cakes on a plate, cover with  the creamy cheese sauce and top with crispy bacon pieces. Add some fresh rocket to serve...

These little potato cakes are very similar to the traditional Irish Boxty which has the added ingredient of grated raw potato as well as the mashed variety. Alternatively serve for brunch with fried eggs, tomato and bacon. Hope you enjoy!!

Anne xx

Spring Clean...

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With the arrival of a new season it is always nice to not only add to your wardrobe, but also good to give your home a little lift! I always enjoy buying new pieces for the home as much as new clothing! After all fashion and decor, go almost hand in hand ! You don't have to spend lots of money to achieve this. A scattering of new cushions or a bright new rug is all that is needed to add a vibrant look to any room!

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Adding some greenery in the form of plants or vase of  flowers creates a clean and fresh vibe. I love succulents as they need little care, yet always look good...

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Light some gorgeous candles, which always add a great finishing touch, and you are ready to relax and enjoy your new calm surroundings!

This is the newest addition to our house! I  have replaced my corner lamp seen  here  for this new lighter version.

So start sprucing up your home today! Surprising how some small changes can have a big impact on style!

Hope you all have a good Wednesday!:)

Anne xx

Lighter Layers...

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While shopping at the weekend I was admiring all the new spring cardigans in the stores! Whilst a bit early yet to walk the street here in a short little number, the longer slightly heavier style would be a good option as worn above by the lovely Olivia Palermo!!  Indeed if the weather man I heard last night is correct, we could be in short sleeves before the weekend!! I don't think I would go that far just yet ,but shedding the bulky coat would be a good start! Here are a few styles I am loving...

A gorgeous jersey drape from Splendid at Net-A-Porter.

A selection of lovely fine knits from High street favourite H&M. Won't be wearing mine with shorts!!:)

A grey cosy cocoon style from Reiss...

getting my stripe fix with this lovely Topshop number...

One of my favourites a dusky pink edge to edge style at  Dorothy Perkins...

The possibilities to style these are endless. You can add as many layers as you like to keep warm and accessorize brightly with scarves,belts and jewellery for a great casual Spring look. Now I am dying to get out of my heavy bulky winter jackets!:)... If we can believe the forecast, Spring is arriving this week!

Hope you all have a good day!

Anne xx

Weekend Recap...

Hi all!

 Hope you're feeling good this morning! I have a bit of sore throat myself a result of the changeable weather over here I think! Anyhow Friday started good with a shopping trip. I picked up a few Spring basics along the way and going home we stopped off in Avoca for lunch!

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This is a beautiful lifestyle store, selling everything from candles and homewares to gorgeous clothing. They  stock labels like Hoss Intropia and Anthology. I must go back for another trip some morning to have a better look around!

We had a delicious lunch in the restaurant before heading home.

  

The rest of my weekend was quite uneventful , but I did pick up this gorgeous denim tunic while doing the grocery run! I had been looking for a shirt, but not being one to ignore a bargain I think this is a great versatile option. It is from the F&F range in Tesco and can't wait to wear it with coloured jeggings and wedge sandals.I liked the ruched detail on the waist and button down front with a mandarin collar. Not bad for 18 Euro!! I paired it here with my new spotty scarf...

 Today it was back to early morning calls again as the Mid term is over. Wishing Conor good luck with his trial exams which started this morning for the leaving cert!!

Have a good week everyone :)

Anne xx

Fab Friday...

Happy Friday everyone!

Today I am off  to do a little shopping with the girls! We are heading over to Dundrum Town Centre to have a look around and a bit of lunch. I have seen some gorgeous pieces in Zara online so I can't wait to view them in-store!

Love this casual grey knit top ...Would look equally good when worn casually with jeans or glammed up with a pleated maxi skirt for evening wear...

Delighted to see the return of denim shirts! Loving this dark wash style.. I gave an old one I had to charity last year, so I am now on the hunt for a new number...

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I love all the short coloured cardis available at present. So easy to add some Spring colour to any outfit. This mint green number is fab...

On another note, A-Wear have a fabulous range of separates for Spring. As an added incentive this weekend, there's €15 off when you purchase any two skirts, blouses or trousers!

I never tire of the nautical look!!

As it is raining a little, I am wearing my lightweight Zara jacket , ideal for our very changeable weather. This DKNY bag is also great for shopping trips as it leaves the hands free to peruse the rails!!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend :)
Anne xx

Recipe: Blueberry Pancake Muffins...

With pancake Tuesday just around the corner I was dying to give this recipe I found here a go. Now normally I wouldn't think of having my pancakes any other way, than rolled on a plate with lots of sugar and lemon added. The only downside is all the standing around and flipping that is involved!! I usually end up red faced and frazzled with no mind to eat my own by the time everyone else has had theirs. So this morning being a lazy mid-term one, I decided to try this recipe.

Ingredients...

250g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1tsp baking soda

2tbsp melted butter

pinch of salt

2 tbsp caster sugar

2 eggs

200ml buttermilk

1 carton blueberries

Directions...

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a jug whisk the buttermilk, melted butter and the eggs. Add to the bowl and combine gently to form a smooth batter.

Spoon into a greased muffin tin. I added the blueberries to mine for a healthy option... Bake for 15 mins in a hot 180c oven. Remove and serve immediately while still warm.

The verdict here was that while they were lovely for a change, they will not be passing up on their normal pancakes next Tuesday! So it will be back to flipping again for me!! Although  I do think they are a great option for anyone in a hurry, as they are in and out of the oven in double quick time!:)

Hope you all have a good day!

Anne xx

Style Inspiration: Spring Florals...

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As someone who has never worn that many dresses, before I have suddenly developed an urge to add a few new designs to my wardrobe! I am loving all the floral patterns that are around at the moment. These have me dreaming of brighter days and looking at them puts me in a little holiday mood! Here are a few of my favourite styles ...

A gorgeous  print from Monsoon...

 floaty chiffon number from French Connection...

love this pansy design also from Monsoon..

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A sequinned number from Zara..

Bright and breezy from Next...

My favourite colour from Dresses.ie

I love how a simple dress is so easy to wear. You can add a blazer for a structured look or worn with a loose knit they take on a more casual vibe! With Easter falling early this year, I am on the lookout for a nice number that will take me well into Summer evenings .Here's hoping we get some Spring/ Summer weather this year in these parts I might add!!

Have a lovely day
Anne xx

In The Pink...

 Happy Valentines day everyone! Hope you are all well and looking forward to celebrating this evening:)

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We won't be going out to a restaurant tonight as I prefer to stay at home and cook a nice meal and dessert here instead.

 It is a beautiful sunny morning here so I am wearing this hot pink cardigan and scarf to start the day off on happy note!! I also have a lovely box of chocolates beside me ,so I will be working my way through them while blogging today!:)

 Have a happy and fun-filled day!!

Anne xx