Little Miss Turns 5 - Setting a Beautiful Birthday

My daughter turns five on Saturday, five! How did that even happen? Time certainly does fly, it doesn't seem five minutes since she turned one. I always like to make a fuss on birthdays, well for everyone else anyway (I don't really for my own). So here is my little bundle of pink loveliness for the little miss this year, I can't wait to decorate the lounge and dining room with bright pink prettiness and see her little face when she comes down on Saturday morning.

For her cake I am intending to do a simple plain pink cake with these beautiful tall candles and little mini foil balloon. So here is to my baby baby, my littlest of littles and be sure to keep an eye out on my Instagram feed for snippets of our weekend.

Little Miss Turns 5 - Setting a Beautiful Birthday by themummydiary on Polyvore

Super Shaped Number Balloon Five | Party Balloons & Decorations |... / Pink Gold Ready Made Tassel Garland | Delight Department | Candle and... / Pink, Red and Pastel Cone Party Hat Selection | Candle and Cake -... / Extra Tall Long Pink Gold White Cake Candles | Candle and Cake -... / Paper Circle Party Garland - Ballon Tails | Candle and Cake - Stylish... / Assorted Pink Latex Balloons | Candle and Cake - Stylish Luxury Party... / Mini Number Five Foil Balloon Number Cake Toppers Table Numbers |... / Hot Pink Crepe Paper Streamer | Candle and Cake - Stylish Luxury Party... / Lilac Crepe Paper Party Streamer | Candle and Cake - Stylish Luxury...

Lovely Christmas Lighting

I love pretty lights and have a few up all year round, nothing says cosy winter evenings and Christmas like twinkling lights.

This year I want to light up the house, from the dining room to the kitchen and the lounge to the hallway I want to make sure the house sparkles and make it as magical as possible for the children.

Here are just a few of some of the wonderful lights available online and on the high street, how do you make your house sparkle?

Lovely Lighting by themummydiary featuring John Lewis

John Lewis wall art / Mercury glass globe / Glass jar / String Lights Festive Selection by Cable Cotton / Buy John Lewis Noel Christmas Light Sign, Soft White | John Lewis / Buy John Lewis Pre-Lit Copper Twig Tree, 6ft | John Lewis / Buy Lit Red Berry Willow Heart from the Next UK online shop / BO White Rattan star

French Inspired Bedroom

We inherited our current bed base after my husband had a back operation 8 years ago, we've since bought a new mattress from John Lewis to help with my bad neck and added to it a mismatched head board we found in the Pier furniture store when it closed down. The base is discoloured, torn and really not attractive, it is just something we haven't got round to replacing yet, as the children outgrowing their beds and needing new ones was higher on the list of priorities.

Since we moved house, our bed just doesn't look right, the smooth walls and fresh carpets just aren't being done justice by it. After spending a week in France, I felt inspired to seek out some beautiful French bedroom furniture and linen.

I adore this French inspired bed from Loaf and the linen sheets are to die for, I imagine crumpled linen Sunday mornings snuggled up in them. We don't have anything on the walls in our bedroom, and I love these picture frames, perfect for holding memories of special days. Throws and baskets add texture and I love the Thelma & Louise dressing table and stool, perfect for sitting at to do my makeup and hair.

French Inspired Bedroom by themummydiary

Portrait frame, Stool, Margot Bed In Scuffed Grey | Grey Rattan Bed | Loaf,Lazy linen | Loaf,Thelma | Scuffed Grey Dressing Table | Loaf, Panier boule,Dawdler | 100% Linen Quilt | Loaf

Summer Picnic Wish List

With the sun out and summer fast approaching, there is no better time to start thinking about picnics. There is a wide range of picnic items , everything from snuggly blankets, to baskets to carry your picnic in, storage for your yummy food and BBQs to cook it on.

I particularly love the wine glass holders, great for making sure that no more glasses of your favourite vino get tipped over!!

Summer Picnic Wish List by themummydiary

Linea kitchen dining / kitchen dining / Wine Holder / Flatware / Weber Smokey Joe Premium Charcoal Barbecue / Harlequin Kaledio knitted throw 140x200cm calypso / Rice Melamine lunch box x-large - House of Fraser / Family Picnic Blanket Lollies / MissPrint Storage Container, Set of 3 / Rice Oval plastic bread baskets - House of Fraser / Limbo Kit

NB: This is a collaborative post.

My Perfect Festive Christmas Table

I love Christmas dinner, it is an important part of my Christmas day, a time when we can all sit down together without rushing and enjoy yummy food and talk about the day we've had. But we have a bit of a mismatched set of table linen that we've inherited over the years so I would love to replace it all this year, last years was pretty but not that festive!

So when I saw this challenge with Jen over on Love Chic Living, to put together my Christmas table I jumped at the chance.

I have chosen a white table cloth and then added colour and sparkle with crackers, table runners and oven to tableware in a traditional red.

Festive Christmas Table by themummydiary

Tribecca 44 piece cutlery set / Damask table linen / Stoneware dish / Glass cake stand / Oak cutting board / Ceramic serveware / Red table runner / Silver champagne flute / Glass drinkware / Scented candle / Christmas home decor / Vintage pumpkin glass ball lights / Metal snowflake table confetti / White Stoneware Plate

To go with this, I have chosen some pretty lights, now these are pumpkins but I think they look so pretty and would be great either in a bowl at the end of the table or possibly running down the middle.

I love candles and they always add an element of romanticism, as well as some wonderful condiment dishes and a beautiful cake stand for a Christmas cake or I may go all non traditional and make my new favourite Pumpkin Pie.

Some metal snowflakes to add a bit of texture to the table and then beautiful cutlery, some snow white plates to serve, I love white as it allows you to better see what you are eating.

I can't wait for Christmas dinner, in fact it is safe to say I am starting my prep early this year and will be trying out some new dishes passed on from members of the family.

But the centre piece will be as always Nigella's Redder than Red Cranberry Sauce, I have made it every Christmas Eve for the last few years and it tastes divine and is the perfect accompaniment to Christmas dinner.

NB: This is my entry into the I’m Dreaming of Debenhams Dinnerware competition with Jen at Love Chic Living.