Ferrero Raffaello Giveaway!

With Mother's Day fast approaching Ferrero are offering you a wonderful giveaway treat! The treat in question is a delightfully pretty chocolate box of Confetteria Raffaello.

With toasted almond at it's heart, Rafaello by Ferrero are a delicate coconut and almonds cream, encased in a thin, crispy wafer and dusted with coconut which just melts on the tongue. Yum yum!! Even though these would make a very nice and tasty treat for any fabulous mum, they would also make a lovely gift for your sister, daughter, special friend or even (if you love chocolate as much as I do) yourself! If you would like to go in the pretty hat to win this scrumptious Fererro chocolate box, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post. Maybe you'd like to share who these would be going to if you won. I'll get a small member of the Poppins household to pull out a winner on the 20th March and Ferrero will get your delicious chocolate prize out to you asap, and right in time for Mother's Day!

Good Luck!

Winner Update: Thank you so much for the comments on the Ferrero chocolates giveaway ~ I would so have liked you all to get a yummy box of chocs. Unfortunately there can only be one winner and I got little Miss. Poppins to do the picking.

Well done to Liz at Shortbread & Ginger whose name was pulled out of the hat and I hope you love your chocolates.

Do share now won't you Liz ;))

X

Giveaway now closed - thank you.

Happiness Is Homemade

Well hello lovelies! I thought I would share a little of what I have been up to. I have definitely come to realise I get much more happiness making or re-loving an item for my home than buying something shop bought, and that has most probably come off a factory line. I think it is so special to have handmade elements around the home, and every week I now make it my aim to get creative, and make at least one little something to help bring some extra homemade happiness. One make I've done recently and which actually is a make'over' is this very useful storage ottoman. I am a big fan of Freecycle and this is where it was kindly given to me. It was looking just fine but I knew I wanted to give it a cover more in keeping with my own decor. 

   

To be honest this started off in my head as something I thought I could do quite quickly and easily. Ha Ha what was I thinking! Difficulty level wise, this wasn't too bad but my staple gun and I just didn't get on at all on this project. In the end I just stapled on a new top cover after removing the old one and then got the sewing machine out to make a loose skirt style bottom for it. I used one of my favourite Laura Ashley gingham fabrics and Rosali for the inside lining. 

 

I was really happy with the end result and this makeover certainly was a labour of love - removing hundreds of old staples that seemed to take forever is not my idea of fun ;) But all worth it in the end, and I think the skirt style cover for the bottom really works!

My next little project involved this old music sheet book. 

 I busily got on with cutting out many heart shapes...

And after popping them into pairs, and sewing a length of thread all the way down their middles, I ended up with a pretty heart garland. This project had been on my to do list for longer than I can remember, it took so little time to make and I can't wait to get on and make more and perhaps using different materials. 

   

I'm also trying to source things I already have around the home to make new things, and so next time I'm going to make some pretty bunting using some of my many paper doilies I have in the cupboard. 

I can't wait to finish it and see how the bunting looks.

I am way, way way behind on this one. But only now have I jumped on the pom pom craze and with the help of these little pom pom makers am able to churn out many on the go. 

 I can't get enough of making these pretty little balls of fluff.

Back to Freecycle, I again have been given some wonderful free items and this is my most recent favourite, a little dressing table stool. Exactly what I needed and all ready for a little sprucing up!   

So hopefully these little homemade touches really do bring happiness, I know when I see something homemade in peoples homes it really does bring a big smile to my face :)

Happy making!

X  

Pretty, Pretty, Pretty

I don't know about you, lovely peeps, but I definitely feel a bit down in the dumps at this time of year. Christmas is over and done with and the buzz of a new year has for me now passed. February has always been my tricky month ~ bit of a nothing and depressing month. However thoughts of spring and sunshine keep me going and I find this time more than most I need to have pretty things in my life. So to begin with, I took off the chine cover and got sewing. I have had this lovely vintage bicycle Ashley Wilde fabric for a while, and knew the large print would be perfect for a comfy, over sized cushion cover. 

 
It is going to be perfect for when the sunshine is out, friends gather round and a spare seat is needed. The extra large size makes it a lovely floor cushion. 

Next a teeny little shop was in order, im a big fan of dotcomgiftshop and well, they always do such great sales! I couldn't resist this little lot, and one or two prezzies in there for other people too :) 

 I just had to have this oh so pretty toilet roll, ha ha not to be used mind, purely for display purposes only!!  

If there was toilet roll made with me in mind, that would most certainly be it ;) Of course some of my bestest pretties can be found in charity shops and I loved this little floral mantle clock ~ only £2, a pretty bargain indeed!

It really is so sweet and a little kitsch too. I adored this pretty floral posy, a pound well spent, and in the dreary month ahead, they shall certainly put a smile on my face. No need to water either! 

This lovely bracelet had to come home with me too ~ well they do say one (wo)mans trash is another (wo)mans treasure! 

Next it was on to Paperchase for a little mooch. They had a great sale on and I just love this shop.

At £2.40 (sale price) I could absolutely not leave these pretty winged heart cases on the shelf. I have visions of me baking pretty little heart cakes for Mr. Poppins on Valentine's Day :) 

And then it was to Sainsbury's and with me thinking and longing for sunshine these little items made their way into my shopping trolley. Ooppps!  

   

The napkins are so cute....urrr though looking at my already collection of paper napkins I didn't really need any more. Oh dear, I'm beyond help I think, I probably need to join some sort of napkins anonymous group! 

I adore the paper honeycomb decorations, oh.so.cheery.

Having a desire to make something pretty, I gathered some ingredients.

One project is still a work in progress but I managed to finish this little raggy heart. Off to be gifted I think, and such an easy make, anyone can bring a little sunshine into their lives :)

To help the inspiration/mojo at this time of year I love to read pretty books, and I am really enjoying Vintage Home. It was from the works so cheaper than RRP and one of my favorites to perk me up a bit. 

Also this little man, I only have to look at him and I grin from ear to ear. Oh how a dog truly is a (wo)mans best friend.

Not sure he's too happy about having a floral bed, but it deffo suits him!   

So I shall continue to dream of sunny day's, when the heart doesn't feel so heavy and the hats and scarves can be replaced by flowery flip flops and floaty dresses.

However, I am indeed realizing that although that big ball of heat may not be in the sky, you can carry sunshine in your heart and be grateful for the here the now, family and friends in your lives. So, although February is my wobbly month, I truly am going to do my best to see the prettiness in everything.  

Oh, and these certainly help, probably the best thing about this time of year ;) 

   

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