What a fun day! My friend Kelly, from Shooting Suzie Photography (make sure you check her out! shootingsuzie.com) and I spent the afternoon in the very beautiful Covent Garden Hotel, with 18 Hens... decorating knickers!

It was a perfect ice breaker for a group of ladies who had a fun night ahead of them. It started off as a very sophisticated event, chatting over sequins and marabou, and ended up with fits of giggles as diamantes and buttons were traded for improvised items found in their goody bags.

We had a gorgeous Champneys gift set, which we sneakily gave to the Bride-to-be, as a prize for her chosen best pair of knickers, once we'd gathered them all up and handed them over to her.

This event really does work well for a Hen Party: the Mother-in-Law was having just as much fun as the Bride's old school friends, and a complete lack of sewing or crafting skills was no deterrent. I really recommend it - just email us if you would like more details, or ideas for our other Crafternoons (including jewellery making)... Also available with Afternoon Tea.

We offer giant jenga, boules and croquet available for hire - perfect for garden parties, weddings and corporate events.

Having just unpacked the car from a recent booking, Ernie just couldn't help himself... Of course! Laying on top of a croquet set has to be THE most comfortable place to fall asleep...

Recently I had someone say to me 'everyone has done bunting now' and I must confess, my heart sank a little... for about 5 minutes until I walked along the road and saw that Marks and Spencer's windows were heaving with it.

It made me think. Should Chic'n'Cheerful change what it offers? Should we be rushing out to buy the next big thing?

The answer is yes and no. I buy Wedding magazines, to see what is happening, and honestly I really feel for Brides. There is SO much pressure to go with the current trend, and to spend a fortune on whatever this season's theme is meant to be.

At its heart, Chic'n'Cheerful is about creating wonderful events, with items that are recycled, upcycled, or with the most environmentally friendly materials we can find. Just take a look at Rusty, he's 38 years old!

Much more important than what is in fashion, is what makes your heart sing. When you look back at your photographs of a special day, you want to smile and remember how much fun you had.

Bunting may have been the big thing in the magazines last year, but I can honestly tell you every time I hang it out, people love it! And it absolute transforms a back garden/village hall/hotel room.

Our bunting recently went out with a gorgeous selection of crockery for a garden tea party, and in the words of our customer: The detail was great, the bunting is pretty and made a great setting

This isn't about bunting though... This is about doing your own thing. It's nice to keep people happy, and to be 'on trend' but it's also important to have what you want - no matter what the occasion, make it yours!

If you follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, you have no doubt seen the odd picture of Ernie.

He sneaks up on me when I'm at the sewing machine, or will jump into Rusty and curl up on a seat while Grant is busy polishing the paintwork.

I will admit, sometimes it can be a little bit trying, when I spread out fabric to measure it, and Ernie wants to quality control the material by laying in the middle of it... But, I wouldn't change it for the world.

Ernie is part of the team, and he certainly injects some of the CHEER into Chic'n'Cheerful.

Having just made enough finger sandwiches for 40 people, I had a reasonable number of squashed slices of bread and crusts that I couldn't use... I could either feed the entire local duck population, or make bread pudding!

Bread pudding (not to be confused with Bread and Butter pudding) is one of those stodgy, comfort cakes that people seem to love. When I do a bake sale, it's one of the first to go (along with the lemon drizzle, of course).

Not only is it delicious to eat (cup of tea, essential), it's easy and fun to make - there is something quite therapeutic about sticking your hands in a bowl of soggy bread to squish it all up.

Here's my favourite recipe:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/13355/bread-pudding

Tried, tested, and heartily approved by the Father In Law!

Save those crusts and dried up bits of bread, and keep them in the freezer until you get enough to make this delicious treat - and you can feel virtuous as you eat it (guilt free calories) knowing you have saved some food from going to waste!

In an age where people are quick to complain, or seek compensation, I imagine a fair few complaint letters get written.

I have always made it my mission to write and thank people when I've had great service: the lady at Urban Decay who made me feel so at ease with choosing new makeup, the recovery driver who made us smile at the end of a 22 hour journey home, Cafe Rouge for a really enjoyable meal out with great service.

I am the type of person that likes to help people - I am a quick thinker, and a problem solver, so in my corporate job, I received a fair few Thank You emails etc.

Since starting Chic'n'Cheerful, I can tell you that each and every Thank You, compliment, and smile, absolutely makes my day. It truly is a pleasure to know I have had a part in creating a great day and some lovely memories for someone.

Our most recent event, a Christening for a beautiful little girl called Holly, saw us catering an afternoon tea for 40 people with our crockery collection. Two solid days of baking, 7 loaves of bread turned into finger sandwiches, and a LOT of washing up. My feet were aching but we loved every minute of it.

I was humbled by the number of people who made the effort to come to the little serving hatch and thank us for the wonderful food, or compliment us on the beautiful crockery that really made the occasion. One lady told us, very sincerely, it was the best afternoon tea she had had.

To my delight, we received a beautiful card in the post from Holly's mother. It made us smile!

As a business owner, this is the best! But as a person, I encourage you to do the same - grab a post card and write just a few short sentences to say thank you to someone that deserves it. 5 minutes of your time, will absolutely make their day.

Let us do our bit to counterbalance all the complainers... After all, it's part of our ethos... to be chic, but most of all, to be CHEERFUL

Have a great day, and thank you for taking the time to visit our blog!