It feels like such a treat to spend money on flowers.

When I go and pick a few stems from a florist, I act like Sammy and Ollie on a Friday after school, when I say they can choose 10 penny sweets at the Post Office.

I come over a little giddy and take time to choose the prettiest blooms.

I feel greatly inspired with things I love around me.

I snapped some photos quickly the other afternoon and suddenly realised when I loaded them on the computer, I had some mini works of art in the making.

Simply add a lovely quote and print as postcards or frame for a quick and inexpensive decoration for your home.

I held the flowers in place upright with some blue tack on the dining room table!

And these were on our coffee table, in front of the lounge window. 

I am going to print them for above my desk.

Feel free to download them here if you fancy some blooming beautiful artwork too :) These will print well as greetings cards, if you have someone who loves botanical photographs as much as I do.

Happy Sunday everyone. We are off to Sammy's sweetheart's birthday party this afternoon. As her birthday is so close to Christmas and she has her whole class coming, as well as other friends, we are giving her an experience, instead of a wrapped gift. A sleepover and first time for all of them bowling followed by lunch out! I have put a garden plastic skittle in a gift bag as a clue! I know she will love it. 

When I was first pregnant with Sammy I rushed out, I'm sure like millions of others, and bought the huge travel system with it's enormous frame and bulky, heavy wheels.

I was quite delirious in fact, at the 10 piece wonder that stood proudly before us complete with it's matching changing bag. 

But as time went on I realised that what we needed for our travels and lovely holidays was a lightweight buggy that collapsed to the smallest size possible. And so the travel system went in the loft ready for a number 2 someday and the changing bag gathered dust. My handbag then became a makeshift changing bag, filled with crumbs and odd wet wipes stuffed into pockets.

Now Ollie, our number 2, is rising three, and the list of "essentials" is slowly getting less and less by the day. I end up grabbing a nappy and some wipes and sticking them in the back of the seat pocket in the car.

Not at all satisfactory when we have an emergency 2 person situation, which still happens on occasions.

So when I was sent this beautiful soft grain leather Coco changing bag from BabyBeau, it made me realise that, whilst he's still 2, I do need somewhere to store all his bits, a snack, maybe a drink, just not one that screams "I am a changing bag!"

I often go straight from the school run to a supermarket and this bag is perfect for the ever changes stages of motherhood.

For me now, it's making the most wonderful camera bag complete with pockets for spares and big boy pants!

Stage 1

The Newborn Stage - oh I remember it well! The cotton wool pads for the first few weeks, the bottles, the milk cartons for emergencies.

Then all of a sudden you start to slim down a little.

Stage 2 

1 years old and you have snacks available at all times, I carried around plastic cutlery for cafés that think an 18 month old can use grown up knives and forks and tissues. Is it just me or do they seem to always have runny noses at this age?!

Stage 3

Then by 3 you suddenly give your bag a new lease of life. Less crumbs at the bottom more room for your beloved bits, your phone/ultimate distraction toy/soother, keys, hairbrush and the zipped pocket can be an easy to find purse, instead of rooting around on the floor in the Post Office queue.

This bag not only looks divine but it actually smells divine too. Soft red leather that is flexible and so many inserts and pockets you will be spoilt for choice.

Apart from the striped organiser insert, which can be removed to be used as a separate smaller bag, my favourite feature is the changing mat. 

I have bought and wrestled in the back of the boot with awful cheap plastic ones that you end up throwing away after a week. The BabyBeau changing mat is in a league of it's own! Contemporary but above all comfortable for tiny ones. And tiny toes :)

Have a peek at the rest of the BabyBeau collection too. There is something for all modern tastes. Simple and sophisticated.

And the best thing about the Coco, now my babies are growing up, is that I can fit my laptop in it with ease. Psst it's also on sale now too.

A bag to last you through the early years and beyond is a worthy investment and with this bag you get so much for your money. Bottle holder, removable organiser, secure zipped pocket, changing mat, detachable zip pocket pouch, enormous dust bag and an adjustable strap.

How has your changing bag changed as your children have grown? Or do you still feel feel you carry around the kitchen sink?!

I was very kindly sent a Coco for the purpose of this post.

Welcome to a new feature!

Wednesday Wishes will be a monthly post of my personal wishes for the month. Some wish list products, things I wish I had known and my last wish will always be that you make a donation to The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation. 

I have always wanted to use my blog for good and I love good deeds.

If you haven't heard of The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation have a read of this.

Here are my Wednesday Wishes for January.

1. I am dreaming flamingos at the moment as my sister and I are busy planning my niece's joint Christening and First Birthday party. I wish I knew how to make this gold fringed photo backdrop. Reckon I could try something similar in pink?!
2. Richard and I made a pact on New Year's Eve to quit alcohol for the month of January. With all the stress with moving into the rental house and selling our beloved house, we had more than overdone the drinking. School night drinking, mid week cocktails and lots of "Oh well it's Christmas" excuses. So on the basis that I wish I had known just how much healthier I would feel without several glasses of vino of an evening, I am determined to savour our creations! I would LOVE this book to drool over and get inspiration from.
3. Bow tie dog collars. OH MY GAWD. I wish they shipped internationally!
4. I wish I had proper skills in the kitchen. I have to learn how to make these apple roses. I am wondering whether I could make a heart shaped mini pie as a Valentines idea. Watch this space.
5. I wish we had put sides on Ollie's new big boy bed. 3 weeks of perfectly settled nights and thud. He fell out last night and gauged his forehead on the plug in the bedside plug socket. We took an ambulance ride to Bristol Children's Hospital where they were so kind and friendly, that he didn't make a peep when they had to prod and glue it back together. My brave boy chose 2 pink 'star patient' balloons as we left at 4am!
6. I am constantly inspired by Jessica Hische, so much so one of my Christmas presents was an online calligraphy course. I just wish I had the time to start it now. But there is no point starting when we are so in limbo and won't be able to fully commit to practising. Check out her amazing work for Starbucks.
7. I wish you would donate to The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation.