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!

I was really surprised about the number of people who were brave enough to take a break from blogging over Christmas and devote some time away from their laptops to the festive times.

A little break has left me swimming with ideas and I hope this post can help a few others, who may feel stuck in a rut or lacking the motivation to pick up their blog again after the holidays.

I love reading blogs and stay up until the early hours most nights catching up on my favourites. The reason I love them is their variety. It's easy to get pigeoned holed into a bloggy corner and whilst this blog features the boys A LOT, I want it to fully encapsulate me rather than just being a "Mummy blog". Not that there is anything wrong with that (it is big business), but being a Mummy is one part of me and I want to share all the different aspects of our life, all in one space (I am in awe of those who can keep up several blogs at one time - I bow to you!).

I keep a notebook with ideas in for blog posts, which helps when I want to look for inspiration.

I have created 12 inspiration envelopes for each month of 2013 each with a good few ideas to help kickstart the weeks in that month. One idea always leads to another.

I love the thought of opening them at the beginning of each month and seeing what I had planned back in January. For example there were loads of things I didn't quite get round to photographing before Christmas or making at all, so those will be saved for Christmas 2013!

Those are a selection of a few of the things I have planned for this year, I don't want to give them all away! It was a great excuse to use my new vintage looking number ink stamps that my husband bought me for Christmas!

How do you collate your ideas? I hope to post a new article every day but that takes some planning and organisation. I usually have the next 4 days or so ready to go but sometimes they shift around if I get distracted!

Share your blog inspiration tips too and we can all help each other. Happy blogging!

Anyone who reads this blog regularly will know I am going to be an Auntie this year!

But before the baby arrives, there is first going to be a baby shower! How exciting!

I met all my sister's close friends on her hen weekend in 2010 (I will post some photos next week so you can see what we got up to and it's a hint of what's to come for the shower) and I am really looking forward to seeing all her work, as well as old and new friends in March to celebrate her baby shower.

I have been collecting things for months and there was only one theme we could have. The baby is affectionately known as Baby B (as in bee) as their surname begins with B and their house is known as The Beehive!

Etsy is like a bumble bee paradise. What's even better is, with my brother living in America I have a US shipping address. We are going to visit him and my sister in law in February and I think I will end up with a suitcase full of party bits for the shower and the boy's birthday parties (Circus and Doctors) this year!

I want to send the invites out in the next week and looked into printing my own from printable files you can buy from Etsy. It's a great way to get a super professional look if you are not a photoshop pro.

I toyed with all sorts of ideas, had several conference and Skype calls to Mum who is co hosting and eventually settled on a sweet but modern honeycomb design on heavy linen lined card. They are quite the modern design couple so I am going to incorporate different elements of the other designs into the buffet table in paper treat bags, striped paper straws and table linen.

I have bought an ink stamp set to pretty up the envelopes and will use the stamp on the food labels and party bags.

There is a surprise envelope in the girls invitations with an activity for each of them I have made, a request and a prepaid envelope (I'll fill you in next week) back to me.

My sister is a big supporter of this blog so I have asked her not to peek this week! She has been very anxious through her textbook pregnancy with first time nerves and she really deserves to be spoilt, especially as she will have to return to full time work, shortly after the baby is born. Mum and I can't wait to spoil her rotten!

If you have any honey ideas please share them! I've been jotting down a list of games to play too but any suggestions would be lovely!

You can follow my Pinterest board here.