No sooner had we got out of the car than we heard gorgeous birdsong and lifted our heads up to see this little chap up in the trees. It was a chaffinch. How beautiful he is.

At first we didn't see him and as if to make us fully aware of his presence, he flew down at our feet.

He hopped around around 2 or 3 feet away from me as I bent down to him. I'm sure if I'd had some seed he'd have jumped onto my hand.

I could have stayed and watched him for ages but Monty was quite outraged by now at being left in the car while all this was happening and it was freezing!

Maybe tomorrow I'll take him a little seedy treat. He really put a smile on our faces

Friday was cold and a biting wind blew around the barn as Morag from the National Trust gave a wonderful short introduction to the very mixed history of Sissinghurst and its inhabitants. Sarah Raven believes that Sissinghurst was originally built as a Tudor palace and it must have looked magnificent.From its darker days as a destination for French prisoners of war through to its current existence with a glorious garden created by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson, Sissinghurst has always fascinated me. Seeing the gardens as they were on Friday, gave us a wonderful opportunity to see their structure clearly. The gardens look strangely subdued and hauntingly beautiful as they ready themselves for the explosion of colour and vitality that spring will bring.

The warmth of spring sunshine will soon be here as the buds and new shoots begin their surge.

Isn't this just perfect?

An inviting bench on Tower Lawn.

Walking around, we virtually had the gardens to ourselves. Turning corners, long corridors led to more rooms and perspectives. It felt like our own private visit and I imagined Vita and Harold here creating their masterpiece.

This end wall will soon be a riot of colour with clematis Perle d'Azur completely covering it.

Another view across the Rose Garden.

The Lime Walk planted in 1932 looked lovely and will be at its best in a few short weeks. I love this tranquil part of the garden.

View from the moat across the orchard towards the tower. The daffodils will soon send the orchard yellow.

The magic of Sissinghurst continues to hold me in its spell.

Yet even when I'm enjoying an invigorating walk or a relaxing stroll, it's all too easy to miss what's around me. I stopped today to listen to the sound of birdsong and stood for an age trying to spot them in the hedges, much to Monty's frustration. My husband  took a few photographs as we walked and on our return home we looked at them.

Here is our little world in a raindrop.

Note to self - don't always be in such a rush.

I might have bought a couple of these in different sizes. Literally can't resist stationery.

This owl print scarf £17.95 by French Grey Interiors is available from notonthehighstreet.com. It's  beautifully soft and comes in four different colours.

French Grey Interiors is one of my favourite places to browse when I'm visiting Cirencester and I always come away with something.

I have resisted an owl onsie, owl hats and gloves, owl hot water bottle (although this was glorious) and owl jumpers. Not quite sure what's prompted the owl onslaught although they are amazing creatures. After all, could you do this?

]]> http://www.catwalkandcake.com/2013/02/its-a-hoot/feed/ 0 http://www.catwalkandcake.com/2013/01/clinique-another-chubby/ http://www.catwalkandcake.com/2013/01/clinique-another-chubby/#comments Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:00:10 +0000 sherry http://www.catwalkandcake.com/?p=4162 I love Clinique’s Chubby Stick lip balms and I’m looking forward to their latest Chubby addition- their Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes - seems so obvious now doesn’t it? Choosing from this range does make you feel a little like … Continue reading →

I remember the stunning Elie Saab gown worn by Halle Berry to the Oscars in 2002. The sumptuous burgundy of the skirt, cut low and at an angle, perfectly accentuated Halle's amazing figure and the sheer top punctuated with flowers clinging in all the right places was intensely sexy and feminine. I was hooked on the genius of Elie Saab. I still am.

The ES S/S 2013 collection is so beautiful.

A shimmering sparkly LBD

Lady in Red

I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight, I've never seen you shine so bright......And I have never seen that dress you're wearing..

Lavender's blue dilly dilly...

He is a genius. As dress after glorious dress comes down the runway, every one becomes my new favourite.

I have two problems... affording one of these shimmery creations and then finding somewhere perfect to wear it.

I'm working on both of these.

We've been feeding the birds for a while and they now come into the garden every morning for their treats. Our two lovely cats are now older and slower, so we can encourage more birds and my husband has promised to build me a bird table this week.

On our walk a couple of days ago, we came across this friendly little chap. Aren't robins beautiful?

He followed us for several minutes, hopping from post to post.

Simply beautiful. No make-up tricks. Exquisite every day.

Butter 3 Free Polish 

Granted not the kind of colour I would normally reach for but it does look amazing worn with black and just what's needed for a boost. This bold and uplifting shade from Butter will make a statement this month. Blagger £12 available from Selfridges.

I'm always impressed by Urban Decay and was really pleased with this gorgeous navy blue eye shadow. It looks great on brown eyes and has great lasting power as you would expect from this brand. Shimmery and elegant - I love it. Evidence, £14 from Debenhams and House of Fraser.

'Do not wear blue eye shadow if you have blue eyes - it'll kill your natural eye colour.' Mary Greenwell via Vogue.

I've got a little distracted here but I should have added this pair of court shoes with ankle strap to my January wishlist...£29.99 Zara. Heavenly.

Chanel's Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner in Marine will give you a long-lasting slick of blue. I have this in a different shade and am very impressed with its staying power. It's very easy to use giving you a precise line that doesn't smudge. It is fully retractable and has an integrated sharpener. Around £19 from Debenhams.

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This beautiful blue 'Flower' tooled Italian calf leather A6 journal from Aspinal of London is an absolute bargain at the moment, reduced from £39.00 to £11.70 while stocks last.

So, go out there and grab yourself a bit of blue.

Try Me. Love Me.

Available in 5 different fragrances, these mini sets are a great way to pamper yourself and try out at the same time. Their rose and lavender ranges are already big favourites of mine but I'm liking the look of the Citrus and Friends set (above) containing English Lavender Shower Gel (100ml), Aromatic Foaming Bath (100ml), Nourishing Orange Flower Facial Wash (50ml), Petitgrain & Lemon Body Lotion (100ml) and Geranium & Orange Body Lotion (100ml). Ethical, natural and wrapped in glorious apothecary blue, these sets will chase away the January Blues. 

I adore this colour but with the amazing range available, La Laque Couture from YSL is going to appear in various guises on future lists. £18 available from Selfridges

Rouge Volupte Shine lipstick from YSL is a gorgeous silky indulgence both in shades and presentation. Long lasting as you would expect and with a delicious taste, I can't wait to add a few more shades to my make-up bag.

I have Red Muse and I'm really impressed with its creamy, rich texture. I'm thinking of a daring Violet Incognito for evening or Beaubourg Brown - a scrumptious warm, neutral colour. Available from Boots £23.50

I'm down to the last few applications of my Dior Forever foundation and although it's been great for me, I'm feeling a hankering for an old favourite of mine - Chanel's Vitalumiere. I love the dewy finish and when wearing it, my skin always has a healthy glow. Time for the return..

Chanel Vitalumiere Satin Smoothing Fluid Make-up SPF 15 £34 from The Garden

The last thing on my January wishlist is Guerlain's Super Aqua-Serum. Guerlain suggests that this serum will 'restore youthfulness' which I would be rather grateful for. I've been using samples of this for around six weeks now and it's made a visible difference to my skin. £65.50 for 30ml from John Lewis

You should always have dreams and a wish list..