Wish List Wedenesday

The new Fujimax 50s camera is out. It is sleeker, slimmer, lighter and has an improved digital counter on the side. I am sure it has my name on it!!!

As many of you know, I am obsessed with Emma Bridgewater pottery. Excitingly, they have bought out some wonderful pieces in honor of the Royal Wedding. They have made a few cups and plates, this one is rather nice of Westminster Abbey.

I think the plate is rather wonderful but it's not something that I would really want in my collection. I would however buy this smashing tea towel.

I have just found this fantastic little company which sells perfume, hand cream, lip balm etc. I just can't get enough of it, love the smells, love the packaging. It is a company called Love and Toast and this is something I am coveting at the moment - the pomme poivre perfume.

Lastly, I read about a cupcake in a jar from a company in CA called Yummy Cupcakes. I must say that it does look rather yummy and I am tempted to order a few for my birthday.

I think I will be emailing this blog post to Prince Charming, what with my birthday coming up!!

Wish List Wednesday

I feel like I am a hunter gatherer, always on the look out for interesting or unusual things. I have been on the look out for a really nice tooth fairy set, the problem is that they all seem to be quite girly. What with two strapping boys, I wanted something a little bit more masculine .

I was so super excited when I came across these :

There is a little report which you can fill in and an envelope to put the missing tooth in. You then slip it in the muslin bag and put it under your pillow, waiting eagerly for that little fairy to appear.

You can also buy extra report cards for more teeth or more children. Just think of those wonderful layouts you could make.

I rather took a liking to this little one, more on the girly side and rather expensive but what a lovely keepsake.

I am being slightly premature as eldest OL has not lost any teeth yet. But as my old Brown Owl used to say, 'Always be Prepared'!! Have a Happy Wednesday.

Wish List Wednesday

Only one thing on my list this week....................this house. When we were in England looking to buy a house, I came across this little beauty. It was love at first sight.................

This room was one of my favourites, a beautiful living room with a real fire place and old beams. Slight problem for Prince Charming as he was to tall for the room, he had to bend his head, especially to get under the beams. Still, this didn't put me off!!
The only thing I would have done to the kitchen would be to put an Aga in, apart from that it was perfect.
Ahh, just look at that stunning conservatory, I imagined myself sitting there, reading a book, looking at the birds and drinking tea.
And, what a beautiful English cottage garden, I could see myself with my gardening gloves on, listening to the radio, digging up the old weeds.
The owners owned the bathroom shop in the village, (which had the Royal Crest - in other words they had sold/supplied something to the Queen, which in turn means that they can display her crest on their logo. They were very proud of this appointment and had the letter framed in their shop, an amazing shop I hasten to add). The bathrooms in this house were the best I have ever seen. To top it all off, there was a little pub in one of the outhouses, decked out with an old bar and real draft ales. It was all too good to be true. Which I am afraid it was, there was one major, major downside. It was just tucked behind the A22, the only road that goes from London to Brighton. On this particular stretch of the A22 it was a single lane, (I know, unheard of over here) and the traffic never seemed to stop. All day and all night, the cars, trucks and lorries all revving past. The noise outside the house was so bad, I literally had to shout to Prince Charming to be heard. It was also pretty noisy inside, not as bad, (as all the windows were double glazed) but bad nether the less.

My biggest concern was for my Oompa Loompa, (just had the one then). It would have been impossible to contain him from the road and I just felt that life would become rather stressful wondering if he had escaped. So, with a heavy heart I walked away. But I still love this house, I have kept all the photos and I compare every single house to this, my dream. I wish I could just pick it up and move it.......anywhere, but maybe Denver would be a nice place for it to be!! Have a happy Wednesday.

Wish List Wednesday

I think my favourite thing to do is to take photographs, I nearly always have my camera with me. I am extremely happy with my camera but feel that this one may be missing from my collection. Oh yes, I am talking about this little beauty..........

Fuji's answer to the Polaroid. I just love it. I love the design, the colour and most of all the concept. I think I was about 8 when I got a Polaroid camera for my birthday. I used to love the anticipation of waiting for the photos to 'develop'. It was sort of like magic. One minute it is yellow and a few minutes later it is a wonderful colour photograph. I still have quite a few of my polaroid snaps that I took ever so long ago.

The problem is I don't really need another camera. I have quite a collection already. For some reason I can't seem to part with them, I keep them in a little chest, along with their original box and instructions. They feel like a part of me and I don't want to sell them or throw them away. These are my cameras so far in said collection:

This was my first camera, the Canon Sureshot - 35mm. My Dad bought me this for Christmas when I was 10. He thought it would be nice for me to take to boarding school, he was not wrong. I loved it, I took it to school and took photographs of anything and anyone.
Prince Charming bought me this 11 years ago when APS was all the rage. I must say it is the worst camera I have ever had, it stopped working after three months and was then with Nikon for about a year whilst they were fixing it. Even when I got it back, it wasn't that great. But, I loved the APS format, I loved those super, duper long photos and I especially loved how tidy the negatives were.
Prince Charming then bought me this camera for Christmas seven years ago. An Olympus 35mm, a cracker. It was such a pleasure to use after that dreadful Nikon APS and the photographs were superb. I actually thought the other day that I might like to buy a 35mm film and take some shots.
Then three years ago, just before we came to America, Prince Charming bought me this amazing digital camera for my birthday. He thought I was ready for digital and a DSL even though I wasn't really sure. It was so heavy and such a big thing to lug about, I thought he was crazy but now I couldn't be without it. I love it.

But and there's always a but, wouldn't it be nice to have the Fuji and take little snapshot photos. To watch them come out of the camera and develop in front of your eyes. Can you imagine the little shots you'd get and the wonderful scrapbooking pages you could make.........

OK Prince Charming, I wouldn't really leave you for Zachery Quinto and my birthday is around the corner!!! Hint, hint, nudge, nudge!!! OR if my wonderful brother is reading this, I hear that they are so much cheaper in Hong Kong!!!!

What do you wish for on this wonderful Wednesday?? What ever it is, good luck and have a happy one.

Wish List Wednesday

There is only one thing on my wish list this Wednesday and it is this:

I know, people who have been following my blog for a while will recognise this from a wish-list Wednesday I did last year. I had forgotten about it until the new catalogue from Chasing Fireflies arrived. I can't believe that they have it in there again and I can't believe that I still want it. Obviously hasn't been selling as well as they had hoped, not surprised with the current price tag and the shipping cost!!

I still think it would look beautiful at the bottom of the garden. Baby Oompa Loompa and I could dress up as fairies and have afternoon tea. Could you imagine the amazing photos you would take. But the bottom line is Prince Charming still says no, time hasn't softened him, begging hasn't worked. I wonder if he would actually notice it on the credit card bill? I could just imagine him shouting, (not that he ever shouts but I am sure this would make him)................'Tara, are you on drugs? Did you really pay $600 for a plastic toadstool'. To which I would get out my magic wand and turn him into a frog!! I might kiss him later to turn him back into a Prince but I would seriously have to consider it!!

Wish List Wednesday

It is true, English people love baths. I don't understand the whole shower thing, you can't read, you can't chat, you can't have a cup of tea and you have to stand up - what is relaxing about that?? Why stand when you can wallow like a hippopotamus in a big old bubble bath.

I love my baths, there is something quite wonderful about lolling around in warm, bubbly water. It is also a great place to think, Winston Churchill is famous for his afternoon baths, he is known to have made all his major political decisions whilst soaking in the tub.

So here is my wish list for the perfect bath:-

A free standing claw foot tub:

Some Jo Malone bath oil:

and we might as well throw in some of her bath soak too:

A bottle of Molton Brown bubble bath is an absolute must have:

I would then need a nice cup of tea:

And then possibly something to read, the latest creating keepsakes would be great:

Then maybe throw in Zachary Quinto.................oh sorry, I got a bit carried away then. That's a different wish list Wednesday!!!

My towels would all be warm and ready, heating up on on the towel heater, a real treat!

Lastly a nice big fluffy dressing gown to lounge about in once I finally got out of that bath...............just heaven!!

Have a happy Wednesday.

Wish List Wednesday

If I won the lottery, (not that I actually do the lottery but if I did!!) this would be my wish list Wednesday:-

I would buy a cottage in England with a 'thatched roof', (basically made of straw), with a beautiful English cottage garden. I wouldn't live there all the time, (as I am loving living in Colorado) but it would be a perfect base for when we were back home.

It would have to have an AGA cooker, preferably in pink but I might be open to other colours!!

I would then need a zippy car to get around town, the roads in England are far too small for big cars so I think a VW Beetle would be perfect, does it come in pink???
And lastly, a butler. He could make me tea in the morning and walk my dogs - Bliss!! This chap is actually the late Queen Mother's butler duly walking her corgis!!
How perfect would that be...................OK back to reality. I have the dishwasher to empty, beds to make, washing to do, shirts to iron.............but a girl can dream!!!

Wish List Wednesday

Dear Father Christmas,

I have been rather a good girl this year and wondered if I could possible get one of these in my stocking........

Emma Bridgewater Polka Dot Christmas Crackers:

The 13" Sizzx Big Shot Pro:
The Quick Kutz Letterpress:
The Scotch ATG 714 Adhesive Gun:

The Elessi Cheese Platter:

Nordic Elf Advent Hangers:

Nordic Elf Dolls:

I will make sure I leave you out the best mince pies and a glass of whisky, (the English equivalent of milk and cookies!!). I will also make sure that your reindeers have a nice bowl of peanuts to keep them going. Can't wait till the 24th.

Take Care,

Tara xxx

Wish List Wednesday

I saw this and thought I had gone to heaven, what could be more perfect than an Emma Bridgewater Polka Dot Aga? I will have to work on Prince Charming, wish me luck!!!

I bet some of you are wondering what an Aga is? It is like a Viking oven that stays on all the time, it warms your house, keeps your pets cosy and cooks the most delicious food. It takes a bit of getting used to as there are no temperature controls but once you get the hang of it, you never want to use anything else ever again.

In our old house in England we had the most wonderful Aga, it was so old-school that we had to fill it up with a bucket full of coal every day. Slightly messy but so romantic.

Here is a photo of me looking quite pregnant, cooking bacon on my beloved Aga, oh those were the days!!

Wish List Wednesday

I saw this and just fell in love....................

How magical to have this sitting at the bottom of your garden. Ready and waiting for a fairy and gnome tea party. Yes, I wanted to order it straight away. Yes, I already knew where I was going to put it in the garden. Yes, I had already imagined what fairy and gnome outfits I could make for the children. But this fairy tale does not have a happy ending, Prince Charming said no. Not just no, but an absolutely not-whilst-I'm-alive no. I don't blame him, it is rather expensive for a few toadstools but we'd have it for ever, for our children, for our grandchildren. Oh well, I can wish...............If any of you lucky chuckies happen to have a Prince Charming that says, 'yes', here is the link:

http://www.chasing-fireflies.com/toadstool-table-chairs-set/productinfo/26401/

Just don't forget to invite me and my little fairy and gnomes round for tea!!