I’ve wanted to make an advent calendar that’s a little more special than the standard chocolate ones for years, and whilst I love the look of the pocketed fabric advent calendars, I also don’t like how they are slightly restrictive on gift size. I don’t want to fill it with small plastic tat or rely too heavily on sweet treats either - my kids certainly have enough of those throughout December - so this offers up a way of incorporating something beautiful that’s a Christmas decoration in its own right alongside a less restrictive way to include whatever size gifts you want!

If you’ve been following me for a while you will know that I love a mustardy burnt yellow. From the nursery in our old home, to the ceiling of the guest room in our current home and the exterior windows and doors as well, it’s a colour I’ve never strayed too far from.

Mustard tones seemed to be everywhere from clothing and sofas, to cushions and accessories, but now I am seeing a new, more buttery yellow popping up and I am not mad about it. Its soft warm tones are maybe slightly harder to perfect than the mustard - get it too light and it may look magnolia, or too bright and it verges on primary school toilets - but done just right, it can look wonderful.

This corner of our landing has been crying out for wallpaper ever since we’ve moved in. It’s been on my ‘non-essential’ to do list for so long and I guess the reason why I’ve actually never done it is because a) everything else in the house has broken and needed our time and money to replace, and b) the more I look at those angles, the more I feel it’s a job I don’t wanna do!

As interior trends shift towards more traditional, and maybe a somewhat whimsical aesthetic, we are seeing a rise of hand painted vintage furniture popularised by talented decorative artists and illustrators who use repetitive pattern, small botanical shapes combined with stripes, spots and soft geometrical patterns.

I have loved watching these pieces evolve, from picture frames to wardrobes, bedside tables and mirrors, pioneers of the craft like decorative artists Tess Newall and Felicity Buchanan have opened up a whole new level of upcycling which many, including myself, are enjoying having a go at.

First up let’s get things straight. I hate camping. There I said it. It makes no sense to me to make life harder on a ‘holiday’, but for many many years it’s been all we can afford, the kids LOVE it, our friends love it, so it’s what we do! It’s what I grew up doing and what we’ve done every summer since having children.

In this sense though I feel I am well qualified to give out packing tips. We have friends who love it so much they’re like, ‘Oh, its fine, just a tent and a sleeping bag and a pocket knife and you’ll hAvE tHe BeSt TiMe.’ I wish on every level I could be this carefree but the reality is, that just ain’t me.