Crazy plate lady:

Today I (gingerly) made the first step back onto the interior improvement bandwagon.  I still have plenty of fairly big projects I want to carry out in our flat over the summer - including rejigging the spare bedroom and FINALLY covering the bloomin' sofa - but I thought I'd start small, just to ease myself in gently.

So, since I seem to have become the kind of person that collects decorative plates, I hung them on our living room wall for the world to see.  I'll admit they look a little odd in the photo below, dwarfed by that big, wonky frame collage on a huge expanse of white wall, but they look good in person (I promise) and I'm sure they will soon be joined by some other ceramic friends.

You will probably recognise the chameleon plate from when it used to hang above the fireplace, but it has since been replaced by my wooden stag head.  The plate is still available from Anthropologie (it's part of the Natural World Dessert Plate line) and I would love to buy a few more from the same collection at some point.

The Jimbob Art bear plate was a lovely Christmas gift from my best friend, and I think she'll be happy to see that it's finally out of the box!  The designer does all sorts of other ceramics, and they are available to buy in his online shop.

As the more observant among you might have already noticed, one of these things is not quite like the others.  That's because one of the items I hung on my plate wall is actually a miniature horse's head, made by my very talented friend!  Fans of Parks and Recreation may recognise him as wonder horse Li'l Sebastian, isn't he cute?

I used my trusty adhesive plate hangers to hang both plates and Li'l Sebastian, and they worked perfectly, as always! 

Finally, I added a black and white chevron Urban Outfitters photo frame I've had lying around for a while (which sadly isn't on the website anymore) to the frame collage, and popped an adorable little print from The Grey Earl inside.

Perfect presents:

I know Christmas has been and gone now, but (just like last year) I was given some lovely homeware as gifts by my thoughtful family and friends, and I'm excited to share them!  First of all, Craig gave me an awesome wooden stag's head from Oliver Bonas.  I've had my eye on one of these for ages, so I was very excited and grateful when I opened this gift!  I think it (he?) looks brilliant above the fireplace.

My very talented Auntie embroidered pillowcases for me (and Craig!) with sweet messages.  She makes sewing and knitting look so easy, but I can't even comprehend how bad the outcome would be if I had attempted this project myself...  It's lovely to have something unique but practical that we can keep for a very long time, if not forever!

Craig chose this 4x4" dark wood stained photo frame (also from Oliver Bonas) as another surprise present for me, and it's perfect for our bedroom.  I've popped it on my bedside table already - just need to remember to put a photo in there at some point!

Remember the cutesy milk carton jug I included in my November Instagram update?  Well, my lovely little Mum did, and bought it for me!  It was a brilliant present, as I thought the jug had sold out.  Craig's Mum also surprised me with a pair of quirky Coca-Cola salt and pepper shakers in a little caddy.  They'll look so cute on the dinner table when we have dinner parties!

And last but not least, my big cousin brought me back some beautiful flower fairy lights all the way from Thailand, and my best pal, Emily, picked me out a Jimbob Art plate, by James Ward.  There are SO many great designs on his website, but the 'What Cake?' side plate that Emily chose is perfect for me.  I'm tempted to start a collection!  When did I become one of those people who collects plates and hangs them on the wall?