There is something about fairy lights that makes everything just that little more magical isn't there? I found this miniature old dresser in a shop in Southbourne and before I had even asked the price, I said I would have it! Luckily it was very reasonable!

I wanted to use it as a photography prop but it is actually quite heavy to lug around and the sliding glass door could be easily broken in transit, so it has been sitting pretty, but quietly in the dining room waiting for a new purpose.

On New Year's Eve it came to life! Our new mini bar!

I found two large cider jars for £1 in the local charity shop which I want to use for pink and blue lemonade at my sister's baby shower but make great light holders either side of the dresser.

I draped some bright white fairy lights over the top of the glass shelves (smashing one of my champagne saucers in the process - luckily not my Granny's) and then set about filling up my little bar.

The thing about cocktail ingredients is that you always have to buy too much and it seems really expensive. I would only ever drink a few combinations so I don't see the point in having a fully stocked bar that never gets used.

Here are my Mini Bar Must Haves:

• A measure - If you want to enjoy an evening of cocktails you need to measure the spirits or you'll all be drunk by 9pm and you won't enjoy the whole evening
• A strainer - my husband loved mojitos but I don't like all the bits
• A twisted spoon with a flat end - use this to make layers. Pour a liquor like Creme de Cassis at the bottom and then cava on top to create a pink pool. We did this for our Jubilee cocktails
• Monin sugar syrup - use it in your cocktails or to rim your glasses
• Angostura bitters
• Brown sugar cubes - put one in the bottom of a brandy or whiskey based cocktail to take the sting out of the spirit
• Paper Straws - because they make everything you drink look nicer!

Optional extras:

• Lemons, limes, clementines sliced and frozen
• Tin of sliced peaches in juice
• Ice cubes made from coffee - try them in a glass of Baileys - delicious
• Pomegranate seeds
• Grenadine
• Candy Floss - fill your glass then pour over a glass of Prosecco, a treat for your eyes and your lips
• Rock Candy.

Spirits to I like to have in stock; Vodka, Brandy, Whiskey, Schnapps, Baileys. Cava and Prosecco. Champagne is lovely, but in a cocktail not worth an extra £15-£20!

Do you have a cupboard somewhere with bottles that have gotten dusty?!

Dust them off and try our New Year's Eve cocktail menu!

This weekend I have been thinking a lot about my family. When we lost my Granny, 12 years after my Grandpa died, we all wanted her funeral to be a celebration of her life, albeit with unstoppable tears but with laughter and sentimental anecdotes as well. You know the old saying one makes room for another. I was actually just pregnant when she died although I didn't know it. My cousin Simon read a letter she had written him whilst at University featuring her shopping list and the bargains she had found in a DIY store. We set up a projector screen and a beautiful collection of photographs streamed silently whilst we all watched them. Except there wasn't silence there was laughter and giggles from everyone as we looked through the photographs of her life.

Granny's Collage

I have a number of her old memory boxes bursting with cards and letters, scrapbooks and albums. I made up two huge collages and left them for the guests to ponder.

Granny's Collage

Granny's Collage

My favourite bits was their original engagement announcement from 1949, their wedding invitation (I'm saving that for later in the week as it is so delicate it deserves a post of it's own) and a letter from her mother congratulating her on the birth of my Auntie "Thank God it is all over & the baby isn't called John... What a clever girl you were to get it over so quick & not keep us all in suspense. We are so thrilled... I bet Geoffrey is as pleased as a dog with two tails & Mamma doesn't know whether she is on her head or her heels with pride & joy."

Granny's Letter

Granny's Letter

I hope you can make it all out!

Granny's Collage

Granny's Collage

I feel so lucky to have this treasure chest of memories and I hope my own grandchildren one day will adore pouring over our old love letters from university days and thousands of photographs! I wonder what that future generation will think of snail mail! With email, Facebook, Twitter and blogs as the modern way to record and document your life, I treasure my things like the shoe box of old champagne corks we have written the date and occasion on.

This week a very brave family said goodbye to a beloved mother and wife. It inspired me to write this post. You can read a touching account of the celebration of her life here. Please take a moment to read it.

Do you keep memory boxes, are you a sentimental hoarder like me?!

hank you cards have been a long standing tradition in our family. My Mum always insisted we actually write thank you cards and it's a manner I am instilling in the boys. You don't have to make the children write a lot but enough to show someone their effort was appreciated. I love receiving them (my friends send cards for nice weekends and sometimes just for nothing at all) and Sammy was so proud to colour in the stamp area. I didn't have the heart to tell him it would be covered up when I went to the Post Office!

I found some great free printable designs like these ones from Today's Creative Blog which are perfect for little ones.

Download it here.

For an older child try this sweet style from Two Pooch Paperie. You can download it here.

For a modern style try this from She's Kind of Crafty, download the black and green version here, the red and green here and the mint and pink here.

Grown ups will love this traditional design from Sweet Muffin Suite, download it here.

But in the end I decided to use one of my Christmas presents! Ladybird Book Cover postcards. I found one which either suited the recipient or the present!

Granny gave them a playmobil airport (and masses of other things) so The Story of Flight postcard was perfect. My in laws bought an entire pirate playmobil set (both sets of grandparents did very well on eBay this year) so it was a pirates life for them! The African Mammals tied in brilliantly with our Safari Christmas theme for my Auntie.

I love photo cards too. I would use Photobox, Truprint, BonusPrint or Snapfish for affordable printed photo cards. Boots are offering 20% off at the moment too!

Did you get the children to write thank yous this year? I've seen some pictures of lovely photo cards on Twitter!