6 Ways to Freshen Up Your Room

via Unsplash

Hello darlings!

If you know me you will know that I love decorating my bedroom, and organisation.
It makes me so happy to have a clean, pretty and organised space to call my own. But we all know that your bedroom can get messy and untidy quite quickly!

Today I want to share some of my favourite ways to freshen up and tidy my room!



1. Let the fresh air in!
I am a great believer in the benefits of fresh air! I love to open the window in my room on a sunny day and let in that lovely breeze.
It just makes the room feel a lot cleaner even though all you did was open the window. It also helps improve the quality of the indoor air.


2. Wash your bedding (or get a new set)
I don't do this enough! I did it recently and let the duvet cover and everything else dry outside in the sun and it felt so nice to get into a clean bed that night.
If your bedding is looking a bit worn and thin, maybe it is time to get a new one!


3. Wipe down all the surfaces & vacuum the floor (thoroughly!)
I usually vacuum once a week and wipe everything down every now and then when the dust has accumulated a bit.
These are both simple and quick tasks but both ones that will make a difference!


4. Add fresh flowers or a house plant
Adding something living to your space instantly helps make it feel more alive! Makes sense right?
Flowers make anything so happy and cheerful and will probably make you smile when you see therm.
House plants also help to clean the air and some even improve sleep quality. They are definitely something to keep around!


5. Declutter, declutter, declutter!
I find decluttering to very satisfying and rewarding. Get rid of the thing you no longer need or want. Giving them to a second-hand shop means someone else can enjoy it more than you did.
This applies to clothes, decor items, books and other bits & bobs. It will give you more space and make your room look cleaner because you have fewer things in it.


6. Hang up some new wall decor
I recently made my own little banner and hung it up on my wall and I love how it looks!
Frame a print or photo, put up a cute wall hanging, or a garland/banner. A few new touches here and there will give your space an updated look and help you feel more inspired when you are in it.


Enjoy these quick tips and I hope they help or inspire you to make something beautiful out of your space!



keep blooming,

Hannah

My Top 10 Beautiful {Aesthetic} Movies

One thing that always stands out to me in a movie is how it was filmed (the cinematography) and the aesthetics and pretty little details. I decided to make a list of some movies I consider to be very beautiful today. Whether it is the scenery, the time period, the fashion, the cinematography, how they use light in the film, etc. It's going to be hard to choose just ten! I am also putting them in no particular order because that would make things even more challenging.

10. The Light Between Oceans

9. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

8. The Greatest Showman

7. Hugo

6. Testament of Youth

5. Cinderella

4. Bright Star

3. The Sound of Music

2. La La Land

1. The Young Victoria

For your information, these collages took forever!!! It was hard to find the right photos to stress my point. These are only the ones I thought of but I'm sure I have seen more. Most period dramas are breath-taking so there are quite a few on this list!
Also because, to me, the period drama style is aesthetically pleasing.

Do you agree with me on these top 10?
Share one of your top beautiful movies!


xoxo
Hannah

Introducing.....

Introducing Molly.

Molly is a coarse-haired terrier cross and she is around 3 -6 months old.

We got her today from our neighbors. We are all very excited!

It's been a dream of mine for a couple years now to get a pet, a dog in particular.

From what we can tell at this stage Molly is quite kind and gentle.

Since she is so young, she isn't yet potty trained. We had one little accident already!

In fact, she isn't really trained at all but I think that she will learn quite quickly.

So that's where we're at! I just thought I tell as I am so happy about her!

xoxo

Hannah

A Cute Little Tag

Saw this tag on The Storybook Journal blog and decided it might be fun to do so here I am, on a rainy day(at the time of writing this anyway), answering the cute questions that make up this little tag.

1. Do you have a favourite fictional couple? (If so why do you like them?)

One of my favourite fictional couples is Chris and Emily from The Cherished Quilt by Amy Clipston, which I 'm reading right now. They are so sweet, Emily is a darling and Chris is really nice too.

2. If you could have any animal (safely), as a pet you would have a...

A.....um....let me think.....(there are soooo many choices!!!). I love woodland animals. So maybe a squirrel!

3. You get to live in Middle Earth, what race are you a member of?

Do I need to explain myself?  (In case you can't tell it's elves) I think they're so amazing and beautiful and fabulous!

4. In an ideal situation (you don't have to worry about living too far from family or money concerns) where would you live? (It can be fictional.)

A gorgeous old English country house in England (of course). It may be the effect of watching many period dramas but I really think it would be lovely. A house full of history and stories, ivy creeping up the walls, a library stuffed with beautiful old favourites, china dinnerware and tea sets, a rose garden, a crackling open fire and snow in the wintertime. I would really love that. *dreams about said situation*

5. Do you have a favourite 'vintage' movie? (As in, filmed before 1960.) What is it?

I gushed about this movie in a post not long ago. Ahhhhhhh! And it just so happens to be a musical!
State Fair is also good and 'vintage'.

6. When you were a little kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Either a ballerina, a librarian, a florist or a ballet teacher. And a mum too. None of these (except being a mum, are still on my list.) I want to be a photographer now. Funny how things change!

7. You can be 'the best' at any sport (e.g. gymnastics, curling, synchronised swimming etc.), what do you choose? 

I'm not really into sports so I don't really have an answer for this. Though it would be nice to be better at soccer (like the only sport I don't mind in small groups).

8. List three things that you wish people knew about you but will never ask. (Or just three random things. ;))

1. I have a weakness for choc-chip cookies. (Choc-chip cookies are my one weakness:))
2. I have found that I love all things chai/cinnamon spice flavoured or scented.
3. I don't like sci-fi books/movies. Blah.

9. Share a favourite quote!

 Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.

- Dr Seuss

There. What did you think?

Mini Knick-Knack Haul

I recently took a couple trips to our local Salvation Army and found a few bits of treasure. This time I didn't find any clothing items but found some cute decor for my room instead.

So as you can see the first thing I have is a little 'porcelain' doll figure. I had decided I wanted to get something like this and looked in my local antique shops and Salvation Army, but with no luck. Then, on the way to somewhere, my mum stopped by Vinnies (another second-hand store) and what did I find just sitting THERE, waiting for me? This beautiful little lady!
I want to name her but have yet to find the perfect name.

♥♥♥

Next up, a cute silver tray. I can just imagine serving some decadent chocolate truffles on this tray!

For now, though, it'll just hold some little things in my room. A small glass elephant, a bracelet set, my 3 and only rings, and a handmade dog brooch that I made with a kit.

Isn't it pretty? The little edge is so pretty and girly. I love it so much and will probably get good use out of it.

♥♥♥

Thirdly, I picked up this adorable dish with floral print and gold detailing. ♥

I am not sure what I will use it for. I don't really want to put items in it otherwise you won't be able to see the flowers. But I love it all the same!

♥♥♥

Then I got some beautiful gold earrings. They just scream vintage to me and I had to take them home.

This photo was a little tricky to get because I took it myself but here we are. I...I don't have any more words to say about them!

♥♥♥

Lastly, I got this pretty ceramic box.

I thought it was adorable. I tried looking up the brand name but didn't come up with anything much. The little picture on the lid is so precious. I am keeping some jewellery in it at the moment, as you can see. The gold details are also a lovely touch to this cute little box.

♥♥♥

And so those are some of my recent finds! I am very happy with them and I will treasure them with care. I wonder who owned them before they found themselves in my hands? I shall never know but it's fun to wonder!

My Top Favourite Children's Picture Books Growing Up

The other day we were talking and the topic of our favourite picture books popped up. When I was younger, library trips were a weekly occurrence. Each Friday we would go to get a new batch of books.
In all those years while we lived in that location we definitely found some favourites at that library. Some of these are also ones that our grandparents read to us. I know this is a little different but I hope you like it nonetheless.

Handa's Surprise by Eileen Browne

I remember this one was an audiobook. It's quite a fun book. Full of bright colours! It's been a while since I read most of these so I can't say a lot about them.

Annika's Secret Wish by Beverly Lewis

I love this one! It's a beautiful Christmassy, warming story with wonderful illustrations. We listened to this one on audiobook too. I remember this book with much fondness. ♥

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman

This story was one of my top favourites. I borrowed it from our library often. It's a like a recipe turned into a story. A girl travels all around the world to get the ingredients for an apple pie and sees the sights at the same time.

Maple Syrup Season by Ann Purmell

I remembered the plot of this book but I could not put my finger on the title. I searched for 'maple syrup children's books' on Google and there it was! I really would love to get copies of some of the books on this list to read again and pass on to any children I have! ♥

Best Friends for Frances by Russell Hoban

We have a few of these books in our home and I think of them with a smile on my face. They are funny, cute tales of a badger who can't spell and her family and friends. Read them! They will make you giggle!

Jody's Beans by Malachy Doyle

This is a book that I asked my grandparents to read to me just about every time we visited them. It's a really cute story with beautiful illustrations. It's all about Jody and how she plants runner beans and how they grow till they're ready to eat. I still love it so much!

Princess Poppy: The Wedding by Janey Louise Jones

All the Poppy books hold a special place in my heart. But these two are the ones I remember especially loving. They are sort of like a series but you can read them in any order. The Fair Day Ball is before The Wedding. The illustrations are so cute and special too.  

Princess Poppy: The Fair Day Ball by Janey Louise Jones

I remember loving the dresses Poppy and Honey had in this book. I played the audio CD that it came with many times when we got it from our library. 

Angelina's Birthday by Katherine Holabird

I loved and still love pretty much all of these books but I chose this one to represent it because I got it for a birthday once. As a young girl, I adored ballet. I took lessons and read these books. They are a signature part of my childhood I still rather like them.

Princess Grace by Mary Hoffman

I think I only read this a couple times but I recall that there was something that I liked about it. Since it has been so long since I read it I don't remember a whole lot. It was about ballet though and like I said before, ballet was an obsession for the little me.

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

This is a really cute book and one that all parents should read to their young ones. It's one of those lovely, calming and lovable books that is perfect to read just before bed.

The Glass Heart: a tale of three princesses by Sally Gardner

A top favourite! My Nonna often read this to me when we visited and she still reads it sometimes to my younger sister, though she has given it to us now. It is set in Venice, one of my Nonna's favourite places. She has many books set in Italy. I have always adored this book and I am sure I always will.


Now, these were only my favourite picture books, but I am possibly going to do a post all about my favourite middle-grade/chapter books.

What was one of your most-loved children's picture books growing up?