- loving & celebrating in the last 4 weeks, my sweet husband turning 50 and our 26th Wedding Anniversary.
At the moment, I'm..
- missing our lovely Lucy who is now at University studying medicine a long way away...but is very happy (phew!)
At the moment, I'm..
- very disappointed at Coldplay's new album Mylo Xyloto and shouldn't really stay up late and take photos of myself with Chris like a teenager, when everyone else has gone to bed. Wish they would forget the expensive producers etc and go back to what they used to be like. Ring me Chris!
(image Cath Kidston)
At the moment, I'm..
- anticipating putting the above duvet and pillowcases (not the spotty ones though) on our bed on Christmas Eve. Sooo excited!! Sooooooo gorgeous. I've got to repaint our bedroom floor first though. Cath has made me have serious wanties this autumn in the bedlinen department. Bad Cath.
- delighted to be wearing my Dr Martens Triumph boots again, and this winter I have a brown pair too. So one day it's the brown and the next it's the black. I wear nothing else. Er, well I do wear dresses and jeans too!
- so happy it's my favourite time of year. The Christmas magazines are out, the leaves are the most wonderful colours, the smell of woodsmoke is in the air, the evenings are drawing in and everything is cosy.
- secretly confessing that I have already played some Christmas music and am loving it.
- touched by your concern by my long blog absence. I am fine but needed (and still need I think) to have a break from blogging. At the beginning of January I will have been blogging for 6 years - 6 years (!!) and I feel I have lost my blogging voice a bit. What can I say that I haven't said before? I don't live an exciting life and do anything different really from year to year. I don't want to give up completely so will keep on and just hope my mo-jo comes back! I may be just not as regular as I used to be. Thank you though for your patience and kindness. xxxxx
It's funny how life can be ticking along quite happily and then life trips you up quite spectacularly! Hence my blog absence for awhile and it may be a little sporadic in the coming weeks so please be patient with me. It's nothing to do with my health I hasten to add (phew). Anyway, I apologise for the lengthy delay in updating you with my comings and goings and I still realise I haven't done my before and after weight loss post which I will.
But today I want to share with you some family news that's been happening over the last few weeks. Firstly, Alice left her secondary school in June, which sounds funny seeing she was still in primary school when I started this blog 5 and a half years ago (she will be going to a new school in September to do her A levels). In July she attended her Prom - such great anticipation! She had been talking about her dress for months, changing her mind on a weekly basis. She looked so grown up. She has suddenly matured in the last few weeks and is blossoming before our eyes. Can it just slow down a bit please?
Then we had Tom's graduation...can you honestly believe 3 years has gone by?? Anth, me and Granny went to the ceremony and our hearts nearly burst with pride. It hasn't been an easy ride for him but he stuck at
it and has achieved his goal. He has a part-time job here at home whilst he decides what he wants to do career-wise. (Blimey, my linen dress needs a good iron!)
And whilst Tom was graduating, Lucy was sitting her driving test for the first time. Oh boy, the stress!!! 'Crikey dick' as my NZ father-in-law would say. But...she passed!! Yes folks, there were no otters on the roads that day so she passed! Woo hoo! And she HATED every blooming minute of learning to drive - though when she reads this she'll say, "No, I didn't!" But between you and me she moaned constantly. Every. Time. But we are also so very pleased and proud of her too. Just wish we could afford to insure her now...
Anth and I are looking forward to a child-free weekend (yeesss!!) which means some high jinks are in order. Bring it on....
Has it really been a week already? Where does time go? It hasn't really been an easy week for my little family and I have had to call upon all of my 20 years (nearly 21!) of mothering experience to get me through - but I still seem not to make things better sometimes. Exams, auditions, university interviews etc the pressure is on in this house and it's awful being so helpless. But that's what I signed up for all those years ago..but crikey dick (as my sweetest father-in-law says in his NZ accent) who knew it was going to be so hard as they got older! Not me. I thought the sleep deprivation for 12 years was pretty bad but worrying about their future happiness...well.
But enough of that now let's talk flowery Pip Studio towels shall we? Can you spot my new one? I was naughty and bought another on Saturday as we need to replace some of our towels but I don't think Anth was quite thinking Pip Studio...hmmm!
It's the white one. The pink one was my Mothering Sunday present last year. I do love it again better than the Cath ones.
I was given these wonderful booklets at school last week at our Ash Wednesday service and I was most impressed. They contain over 40 small things to do over Lent - so instead of giving something up you can do something meaningful instead. Read more from the website herewww.livelent.net. We are doing some as a family.
Each daily action is one of 5 catagories - a home or family action; a workplace/school action; an environmental action; a community-focused action; a global action; and an action to encourage you to take time out for prayer and stillness in the week. Simple but effective.
My coathanger love is still much in evidence. This one was finished last week
and I've moved onto a plain pink one now.
I'm not following a particular pattern (for Maggie who asked last week) I just make a foundation chain of about 10 to 13 stitches depending on how wide I want it. Then I either double crochet or single crochet (US terms) the length of the hanger. Be warned. Simple but addictive. It's a very portable project as well. I love that too.
Bird news this week...very exciting..probably even better than last week really...this Sunday in the bird hide we saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker and some Nuthatches. I was so thrilled to see the Woodpecker though. The bird hide seems to be our weekly date. I get teased about it. As I don't drink and my ideal date at the moment is the bird hide in the local woods you can imagine I get a lot of leg pulling about it! Thing is Anth loses interest after 30 minutes but I could stay for ages. Come to think of it, I think it was the lure of the rugby on Sunday! Unfortunately, all is quiet at my feeders at home, I think it's the pesky magpies (we've got 4 of them) shooing everything away.
Another recent charity shop purchase I'm loving is this vintage woollen pink blanket all the way from Scotland.
It's just what this girl needs as I spend 99% of the time freezing. My feet actually make the bed cold! Anth thinks it has a slight hospital look to it but needs must. Well, it's that or have my feet on him...and I know what he would prefer. Until next time xxx
Redwings Blackbirds Sparrows Great Tits Chaffinches A Blackcap A Wren A flock of Long-tailed Tits A Thrush A Robin Blue Tits And a cheeky Pigeon or 2
This list of birds are not the birds visiting my father's bird table/feeders or my Aunt Madelyn's, or even my neighbours. Oh no. These are MY birds!! All mine. I'VE GOT BIRDS PEOPLE! I'VE GOT BIRDS!! Oh I love my birds. In case you are new to reading this blog I have spent years (it feels like years) trying to entice birds into my bird-free garden. Read more here, and here. This summer the birds have been non-existent - even my only visitors to my feeders - the 3 or 4 Sparrows - have gone elsewhere. But during this really cold snap my little garden has been full of them. So full in fact, I've had to make 2 trips to the garden centre to buy different foods and more feeders. Yay! Well.. you know me and my 'thing' about feeders...
Let me talk feeders..pleeeeese. I've now have ..er..8! Well in my defence different birds need different feeders, though I have doubled up with quite a few! Hee hee. The family have a glazed over look now though I must say Anth is quite keen and is often found watching the feeders with interest. I even have a pair of cheap binoculars on our bedroom window sill (sad, I'm told). The birds seem to favour one feeder in particular - is that normal? It's the one with the seed tray catcher where they can sit on. I bought one exactly the same but they don't really use it! What's with that? I have also bought a Nyjer seed feeder (even though I'm not expecting any Goldfinches anytime) for my Chaffinches but they haven't tried any. Does anyone know if Chaffinches eat Nyjer seeds? Anyway, I tried so hard to get a photo with the variety of birds in it but failed, but did manage to get 3 Long-tailed Tits
I found it hard returning to work this week as it has been dark when I leave the house and it has been dark when I have gotten home so I have not seen them. I have though, when ringing Lucy during the day, asked who was on the feeders. I got a double 'sad' for that...! I'm very excited though and if you have any tips please let me know. We can be sad together!
:: Miracle two :: A Love Story
A few weeks ago I fell in love with a velvet coat. Not just any velvet coat. The deepest glossy purple velvet coat that I likened to the purple velvet petals of a pansy. Over the last few weeks every time I went into Marks & Spencer I would try on this coat and stroke it's soft folds. Even inside, the label had lace around it. But. And it was a big but..it was far too much money I felt to spend on a coat..even a velvet purple pansy one. So, I would visit it, and when I did I noticed to my surprise that the rail of coats was fast disappearing. Then a week before Christmas when I was in M&S buying gloves and tights I went to visit my purple friend and couldn't find any. Gulp. Surely they can't be all gone already and I hadn't said goodbye. No, there were just 2 hiding at the end of a rail. I tried it on for the last time. Two days before Christmas at 7am, Anth and I went to M&S to pick up our turkey. "Ooh, Anth let me show you the coat!" We head towards the clothes section, Anth is not at all interested which is usual. I search and search. Only one size 20 left. The last one in my size has gone. Anth wanted to get on with the grocery shopping, he didn't really look at the coat. Christmas Day I found a squashy present under our tree. I usually know exactly what I'm having for Christmas because I guess. I opened this one and saw a purple sleeve. I screamed. There were tears. My darling husband went to M&S early one morning before work to buy the coat, before he had even seen it! I had only described it to him. I still can't quite believe it. He's never done anything like that before.
The family say it looks like Elton John's stage wear as it is rich and glossy and well...velvet..but I love it and I will be wearing during the day even though it's probably an evening coat. It will come to the supermarket with me, to school, on my charity shop runs. Everywhere. Because it reminds me how much my husband can surprise me and loves me. Just don't shout "Elton" at me if you see me!
Yesterday, due to having our wardrobe fixed we had to empty it of my rather large-ish collection of blankets and quilts. Whilst the plaster is drying the quilts have been plonked onto Lucy's spare bed with instructions not to let the cats climb the mountain of my heart's desire and claw and do cat things and get up to nonsense.
10.15am this morning during break-time at school I check my phone. There was a photo from Lucy with the message..LOL.
Hummmph
Such cheekiness! P.S. Thank you for your birthday emails and good wishes. I had a quiet day by the fire which was just what was needed!
enjoying - the colours of the last of the hydrangeas.
very excited - about the coming week (more about that soon!)
astounded/flabbergasted - due to 'the' event of the coming week I have bought my very first (and I hope not my very last!) Cath Kidston dress...well 2 actually as I couldn't decided which I liked best so bought both to try on and send one back. This has been my weight loss goal - a Cath dress - so when they arrived yesterday I was a little scared to finally try one on.
I thought the large might still be too small for me but when I put them on they swamped me! So now I'm waiting for the medium size. A Cath dress at last! But I can't choose so I'm hoping that Anth will let me keep the second one for my birthday in November.
loving - 3 new to me songs ~ Miserere Mei Deus by the Choir of King's College Cambridge (oh this is exquisite) Be Here Now by Ray Lamontagne, and Silence by Seal.
looking forward to - the first of the Christmas magazines out next Thursday (Ideal Home's Complete Guide To Christmas...umm yes, I actually rang the magazine to find out the exact date - sad or what!? Don't tell my family or I'll never live it down!) The first of many good ones this year I hope. I can't believe it is my most favourite time of the year again - but where has this year gone?
going to - Totnes tomorrow to the Nostalgic Mix Fair (do come starts at 10am) and to meet a lovely blog reader and her husband from the US. So excited as I feel I know her already. Funny that. So as you can see I have spent most of this week in a state of high excitement and it looks like next week is going to be even better. How much can a girl take!
Dear Friends
I'm afraid David Crosby didn't recognise my tea making talents on Sunday and invite me to join the rest of their Summer 2010 tour - so I'm back home...shame. The concert was wonderful and I will share more but we have had no internet for days. I'm typing this on my iPhone.
Hopefully things will be fixed soon when I can spare 2 hours to spend on the telephone to a call centre in India. Wish me luck..
Miss you
love
Janie
xxx
- I'm finding it so, so hard to juggle my time at the moment with having to work everyday! How do people manage who have to work full-time all the time/run a home/have 3 teenage children at home and sitting exams/have far too many interests to squeeze into one day/and find themselves stuck in bed with migraines 4 out of 5 of the last weekends? Phew..the house is quite unrecognisable with mess/clutter and dirt and I've just had to let some things go - my blogging being one of them. But I have missed this space and am ignoring the dirty floor to sit and chat to you for a while. But I've had a great week this week and here's why.
:: A new crochet obsession- the 'ordinarily extraordinary' blanket ::
:: Singing in a choral workshop in Salisbury Cathedral last Saturday ::
(ooh, I was seriously excited about that folks. I asked Anth to take a photo and I'm afraid they came out a bit blurred to say the least but I've put an arrow pointing to where I am!)
Talking choirs - I spent a large part of my childhood in a church choir and I am desperately yearning to join another that has all the musical parts or a choral society. I'm finding it hard to find one locally but the search is on as the need to sing choral music seems to have been reawakened. It must have been all those times sitting behind the choir in the Quire in Salisbury Cathedral and being so moved by the soaring voices that I am covered in goose bumps and I have a lump in my throat. It is in my blood though as my father used to a chorister at New College Oxford and my lovely aunt Madelyn has her own choir and a beautiful voice. (Though mine does need working on so some lessons might be in order first.)
:: Discovering a new anthem ::
Carrying on from my choral bliss last weekend I was sent into the stars quite literally at Evensong when listening to the choir perform this anthem by Jonathan Dove, 'Seek Him that Maketh The Seven Stars'
I had the privilege of being seated in the Quire right behind them so was fully immersed in the beautiful sound which I confess moved me to tears. You can listen to a version here on YouTube but it isn't as good as the Salisbury Cathedral version on their CD, Praise & Thanksgiving Anthems (in my humble opinion) Don't tell anyone but I'm actually going to buy the sheet music so I can learn to sing it properly by myself so I can sing along to the CD! How sad is that? I told you I just had to sing in a choir didn't I! Well a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.
Seek Him that maketh the seven stars and Orion and turneth the shadow of death into the morning. Alleluia, yea, the darkness shineth as the day, the night is light about me. Amen. Words Amos 5:8 and Psalm 139
:: The receiving of the most wonderful gift ::
Sometimes, very occasionally, I find myself lost for words. A week or 2 ago was one of those times. I was so very blessed to be gifted the most loveliest crochet cushion by sweet Emma from way 'up North'. The fact that someone actually made it for me still makes me tear up because I have never even met her and the hours of work that has gone into this...I'm welling up again. Sigh. You should see the back, it's just as lovely as the front.
The rest of the family were touched by Emma's generosity too and I have noticed them each studying the cushion carefully when it arrived - probably, me thinks, wanting to see what a real life finished crochet project looks like...hmm. Emma, words still fail me xxxxxxxx
:: Alice has started to crochet ::
Well let's not get too excited just yet. She has started to chain stitch but has really enjoyed doing that and has made bracelets for her friends - so there's hope she might be turning out cushions like Emma by Christmas and I won't have to make any presents this year as she will! She's not interested in the least in making anything else so this photo is probably the last you'll see. Shame. I have to laugh because as soon as she said she wanted to learn I was up off my seat and over to the bookcase pulling out all my 'how-to' crochet books as fast as my little legs could carry me. The hooks were out and a choice of yarn colours thrust under her nose. Hopefully I'll be proved wrong and she'll be on her first granny blanket by next month and actually finish them, unlike her mother.
I shouldn't really be blogging feeling so utterly blah. I wasn't going to but I needed to get my laptop out for something else and I was feeling guilty that I have ignored this little space for what seems an age. So I thought I would just say hello and show you my 'new' crocheted throw for the back of the sofa. Found at Totnes market.
I'm a bit of a sad bunny at the moment for various reasons. I'd like to tell you that I've lost some weight but I don't think I have. I don't actually have any scales so don't know that for sure but going by looks..mmmm..certainly not Gwyneth yet. Poor Anth's mother has been very ill. It is so awful being on the other side of the world and not being able to go and see her - I do feel for him and the rest of the family. It's so damn expensive and so far. And there are changes for me at school which...well..we will see.. What a year it's been - I feel quite buffeted by life and just want things to go back to normal but it seems to change on a daily basis at the moment and it doesn't always feel for the best. Even the weather is cold, but at least I have a little ray of sunshine with my yellow crochet throw and I'm hoping for some of the real stuff soon.
:: actually being able to go out onto our patio through our new doors ::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ :: The Delicious Miss Dahl ::
Only there are a few problems. I have serious, serious kitchen and kitchen utensils envy when Lucy and I watch her cookery programme.
I love the programme though I'm not interested in the slightest in the cooking (I actually fast forward through that bit!) but I do pause our sky+ and spend ages, much to everyone's annoyance, studying all the details of the kitchen and rewinding the poetry bits and the snippets of music. I love Sophie and apparently she has been given some bad reviews about the show. Shame.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
:: driving to school the 'lanes way' for the first time this year ::
Today was my first full day at school and I am not completely exhausted!
P.S I would like to thank you for your kind comments about my eyelashes (they're still hanging on!) in my previous post. The diet is going very well but I don't think I have lost any weight - how can that be!?
..the Barbola plaque (bottom) I spied back in the first week of December in 'Inspired Buys' in Totnes. I thought it might have been sold but it was obviously waiting for me. (It is a fantastic shop with a fantastically creative owner - well worth a visit.) The plaque, if that is it's correct name, lives in our bedroom.
Also some crochet stars going cheap in Sainsburys. No, they weren't saying "cheap"!
admired:
..the moonlight shining from a full and very low moon.
crocheted:
..the beginnings of a doily from my Japanese crochet book (not too pleased with it though.)
gathered:
much needed kindling for our fire. I have been meaning to go and collect some kindling from here since the council cut it all down in the summer. Every time I drive by (which is at least twice a day!) I berate myself. As my father is staying with us for a few days I didn't have to ask twice and Anth also decided to join us.
not stopped laughing to myself about:
I forgot to tell you about this incident the other day. I have no photograph of it but you can imagine my face. It was Christmas Eve and our elderly (female who we will call B) neighbour came to our front door to give us a box of biscuits and to wish us a Merry Christmas. I was upstairs getting dressed but shouted down to Anth to get her, her present from us (also biscuits) which was under the tree. As I she didn't want to come in and remained on the doorstep I went downstairs to have a chat whilst Anth was rummaging under the tree. He appeared at my shoulder with a shiny gold,exquisitely wrapped (by the store complete with Estee Launder ribbons) box ...my mother's Christmas present, a Beautiful gift set of perfume, body lotion and hand bag size perfume, which cost a lot more than a tin of biscuits. The next part seemed to happen in slow motion...his hand stretched out to give B the present all the while asking me if that was the right one. Too late, B's hand was outstretched...I didn't want to appear rude by shouting "NO!!!!!!!!!" very loudly and snatching it away. So I paused for what seemed like an age. I then seemed to find my voice and a rather high pitch, "Oh not that one, Anthony! It's the unwrapped tin under the tree," escaped my lips as I quickly took the present just as she touched it. Poor B she had to make do with the biscuits and unwrapped at that, but I still laugh (sort of) at what could have happened if I hadn't found my voice!
grateful:
For all the good wishes and kind words from my last post. Thank you. You are the best.
Goodness, here I am blogging at 11pm but I wanted to try and post today and this is the first opportunity I have had! I didn't finish last night so here I am at 8 pm a day later. Life is still very full my friends but the term is drawing to an end and then I can concentrate on this poor undecorated, neglected house and some preparations for Christmas. But here are a few bits and pieces that I have enjoyed over the last week.
::: Plastic Holly :::
I seem to have discovered a passion for plastic holly. Probably very uncool and naff but I can't seem to help myself...
::: My new love affair with blue :::
Because it has been at least 6 weeks without having a paint brush in my hand and I don't have any time to do the essentials - I decide I MUST paint our bed. My eye keeps being drawn to blue things ando I felt our bed needed a make over. It was going to be bubble gum pink - that's what Anth wanted. Yes, you read that right he wanted pink, but I was leaning more towards blue as it will go well with my new CK birthday duvet (which will be put on the bed on Christmas Eve). I should have listened to Anth and stuck with my original plan because I didn't have a 'Whoa..Jane Goble's on fire' moment when I stepped back to check on my handiwork. I don't really like it and feel quite disappointed as I was sure it was going to look great. I am really a green person and not a blue one but I have some blue doily cushions etc to make so it might end up looking good if I put some more blue things into the room. Watch this space.
::: My name :::
I could write a whole post on our surname - the toe curling embarrassment when it has been mispronounced as Gobble (think crowded restaurant waiting for a table and then a loud voice saying 'a table for Gobble, table for Gobble' and the whole place erupting in laughter! I hissed to Anth out of the corner of my mouth, 'Don't you dare move!!!') But I'm proud to be Mrs Jane Goble and actually call Anth, 'Gobie, Gobler or the like as a nickname. This week I have been very blessed to receive some Christmas cards from the children at school and had to smile at all the different spellings of Goble. There's Mrs Gobal, Mrs Gobble, Mr Gobll (yes, even Anth got his own card which he loved!) Mrs Gobe, Mrs Global and today a new one..Mrs Gobey. Bless.
::: The letter my mother never got :::
It has been a life time's ambition of mine..to be Mary - but I was always an angel. Always. But the Mary we had was absolutely beautiful and her lovely Mummy was rightly proud. In fact being part of the nativity play has to be one of the highlights of my job.
::: The large envelopes I actually got from my mother :::
This year's advent calendars. Thank you.
And lastly possibly the saddest photo of all
Lucy rang me on Friday afternoon. A boy at her school was selling his tickets for a rather inflated price. Should we do it? Yes we should. For an hour I thought we were going, then Lucy got a call to say that he wouldn't accept our offer because he wanted to get more money. There are some tickets being sold on ebay for over £1000. So no concert for us.
Message to Brenda from Australia - Thank you a thousand times over for your wonderful package. I don't seem to have your email to write you a speedy note so please contact me.
I have so enjoyed reading your comments from my last post - you have both jogged my memory and encouraged me to try some of your suggestions. I had forgotten all about Dewberry and Just Musk..I hated Just Musk.. but loved all the Laura Ashley scents, I remember one of the bottles being beautifully decorated. I forgot about Cinema too, which I had a bottle of 2 or 3 years ago. Sigh. But today I just wanted to share some photos from my weekend. I bet by saying that you think it was really exciting don't you? Well it really wasn't. Honest.
On Saturday, I spent the WHOLE day in my new pyjamas crocheting by the fire. I am desperately want to show you what I'm doing but can't as they are Christmas presents. So I had to put another ball of yarn on my knee for the photo. And yes, they are the trousers of my new Sainsburys pjs!
And here is my latest Totnes market purchase - a £3 fair-isle scarf which seems to go with just about everything, especially the pyjamas.
And lastly, I'm having to restrain myself every time I walk past our wardrobe and see this..
..it's my birthday present, the Japanese Crochet book featured in Dottie Angel's post which I just HAD to have. My birthday is at the end of the month so this means more torture on a daily basis as I try to resist picking it up (I have succumbed twice and looked at 2 pages). Oh why, oh why can't I read Japanese. Now that's an idea!
And yes, these white floorboards are in the sitting room! I painted for many, many hours yesterday and long into the night. Now comes the bit I've been waiting for...putting it all together. I can see that light at the end of the tunnel. Phew...
And that's only downstairs. Take it from me that upstairs looks just the same. It hasn't been the greatest of weeks. On Tuesday the floor was sanded (by someone else) but when I came to paint it we realised that we would have to redo it....ahhh. So yesterday we hired another sander and poor old Anth had to do it and now it's ready for painting. I was hoping that by now it would be all over and I was going to have over all the people I have said 'Oh you must come and have a cup of tea' to in the last few months. But that may happen yet. As we had to wait 2 days before we could hire the sander again I managed to squeeze in some sewing. I have nearly finished another loose cover for the chair and I have changed our curtains a bit. Right then, I really need to get my painting clothes on and get back on track...that's if I can actually find the paint brush!
The week has arrived when the rather stained and tatty sitting room carpet, will be assigned to the dump and some beautifully sanded white floorboards will take it's place. Yes, I've been counting the days and now there are no more days left to count. Yay! But before I show you grotty 'before' pictures let me fill you in on the past weekend. Early on Friday, Anth had his exam in Exeter (the closest and loveliest city to where we live) which allowed me to go along and do some shopping (I had realised that I hadn't been to Exeter since last December when I got my iphone.) We had had a rather worrying email from Tom that morning who was feeling terribly ill with a nasty chest infection - so had decided that we would drive up to Wales and collect him after Anth's 4 hour exam. (He thinks he has dome well...phew!) We even squeezed in a trip to Ikea and ended up not returning home till after 11pm. A very long and tiring day but it's good to have Tom home for a short while to feed him up and make him well again. Saturday and Sunday were spent taking everything out of the sitting room - yes all the printer's tray bits, my sparkly corner, the books and the wall of flowers. You can hardly get through our front door because of the piles of stuff. The carpet came up yesterday and I am just loving the boards already -
even though they are paint splattered. I'm in a good place at the moment and feel excited and happy about the weeks ahead. I bought my first Christmas magazine on Friday
and treated myself to the fabrics beneath it. I know what I'm making for Christmas for my friends and family (not the mistletoe now, which I'm still hoping to make for myself instead) and am loving making it. I have another crochet project in my head which may very well be my 'Christmas project' but more about that another time. Now I must get going with the nail punch and buy some cement. We are sanding tomorrow...wish me luck!
There was a lot of blue sky but not much of this..
sitting and enjoying it. I think I managed 15 minutes outside with Anth
doing my crochet and him doing his study (he is doing his second year part time Open University degree in Social Work - can't remember the fancy title it no doubt has!)
On Saturday we drove Tom to his new digs. Oh my... It's not often that I'm rendered speechless but how on earth can a landlord charge such huge rents for what is basically a hovel! There was no curtains in his room, no light shade, his furniture falling apart and everything was filthy dirty. I had been quite brave until I saw his room then the hot silent tears flowed on the drive to Tesco to buy him some food. But the 2 texts from him tell me he is OK and I keep telling myself that most people have had the dire flat sharing experience and that it can only make him a stronger and better person in the future. I'm just hoping that he doesn't pick up some horrendous bug from the kitchen and bathroom in the meantime! Later at around 8pm we arrived at Ikea and bought 2 rugs, a lime green one( like the leaves on the CK wallpaper) and a black one. We are not sure we will keep them as I would like a shaggy deep pink one (like the roses on the wallpaper) but have not seen one yet. Ooh, that's the door...the chimney sweep has arrived...bring on the autumn! See you tomorrow.
P.S The parasol was bought from Amanda at her stall at Totnes market. She has a choice of pink or blue with white spots. If you would like her email please let me know.
Oh yes, yes, YES.. it's the joy of such small things that make such a big difference to my small life. I've been looking for those tiny joys today and this is what I've found..
Joy # 1
The crochet mistletoe that looks like it might still be on my gift list - whoopeeee...(and sorry to those of you who will receive a bunch of crochet mistletoe from us this Christmas, for spoiling the surprise!)
Joy # 2
{And this is really making me excited. Very. Very. Excited.} We are replacing our burnt sitting room carpet with..floorboards..white painted floorboards to be exact, just like the rest of the house (but not counting the girls room).
Look at these beauties. It really is a shame to paint them isn't it but it is going to look so, so good. I hope.
The family have taken some time to persuade (read: years) and we will be buying a rug; but if it's not working out we can get a new carpet as our burnt one is in need of replacement. Can't you just hear me saying that as I plead!? So my friends, any idea where we can buy a rug or what colour we should go for? I'm going to start sanding (oh my, do you remember the trauma of this sanding experience!!??) and painting etc in the October half term. Oh, I just can't wait. This is big, serious heart quickening joy for me.
Joy # 3
Late summer offerings in our garden. There is not much else flowering at the moment but these plants are doing their very best to lift my spirits.
..just as I was devouring said catalogue and making a wish list. Mmm not good timing!
Today I finished painting all the floors in the house..
even the re-touching where every other member of the family at sometime had managed to walk over the wet paint.
Today, I spent sometime in the garden..
..and treated myself to one of my all time favourite plants a verbena bonariensis and a chocolate cosmos.
And finally today I started making a few notes so I would be able to share the pattern of my latest crochet blanket with you. There is no written pattern as far as I know, and I have just tried to copy Yvonne's photo. So watch this space
:::::: Some answers to your bathroom questions ::::::::
Our shower rail was bought online. It is a P shaped rail which we are absolutely thrilled with because it gives us more room whilst showering. The P shape stops the shower curtain from clinging to you and gives you more elbow room. It cost more than the standard rails but we definately think it is worth it.
Our floor tiles are called Waxman Honeycomb gloss white mosaic tiles and cost approx £30 per sq metre and we only needed 2 sq metres.
Ok folks, the curtains took longer than expected - mainly because Anth insisted on wanting them lined. The whole lining issue made me slightly miffed because the curtains (which were vintage sheets) only cost me £1 but the blooming lining cost £23! Anyway, I think Anth was right to want lining as it gives them a more finished look, rather than just hanging a pair of old sheets up at the window which is what I was going to do!
But enough of lining,
why don't you come on in....
It's a bit flowery isn't it?
I have had great pleasure in trying out all my quilts and blankets to see what looks best. Oh and here are the curtains, made from 2 pink candy stripe sheets complete with pesky lining.
Well, what do you think?? It has been hard to capture on photographs the proper shade of the paper. I still can't quite believe I am staring at it in our bedroom as there is a story behind this wallpaper. I saw it in 2007 on the beautiful blog of Sophie Honeysuckle's English Decor. She has it in her bedroom and I just fell in love with it. I feel it just epitomizes the shabby chic/old-fashioned English drawing room/slightly eclectic look I am striving for. When doing Lucy and Alice's room a little while later I mentioned to them how one wall of this wallpaper would look really great but alas, they didn't want it, so I loved it from afar catching it very occasionally in magazines. But last week I suddenly remembered the beautiful yellow wallpaper and was struck with the overwhelming and I mean o v e r w h e l m i n g desire to have some in our rather dull bedroom. Not having any idea what it was called, I spent much too long trying to search google for flowery yellow wallpaper and thought I would never be successful when sweet, sweet Sophie answered my email. Hallelujah!! She very generously not only told me the name and product number but forwarded 2 links where I was able to order some. I felt greatly touched by her kindness and again had confirmation that you can't get a kinder, more generous community, than the blogging community. Ooh, I love everyone of my Blog Ladies I really do. But I digress. I then had what I thought would be a huuge job of persuading Anthony that more money; more upheaval; and this time much larger flowers covering our wall, would be a good thing. And guess what..he said OK! I do seem to remember in my pleading that I mentioned that this would be my birthday and Christmas present for this year...mmm..hope he forgets that bit. So on Tuesday night I sat up in bed gazing at it - not quite believing that in the space of a week or so I actually have it up. It is a little different than I thought it was as I thought it was going to be more pinker and the flowers not quite as big as they are - but what surprises me most is that everyone who has seen it really likes it. Lucy and Alice now say that they can't remember me suggesting it for their room and yes..they would love some...even their friends like it (though I really think they are just being polite) and my sweet Anty thinks it makes the room less dull and more of a feature. John who put it up and regularly shakes his head at my endeavors actually found himself admiring it. And Tom? Yes, even he thinks it's OK.
And the rest of the room has been painted white, which looks so much better.
Now it just leaves the floor to be painted throughout the house before our friends come over in 2 weeks time from Australia. But there will be a break from painting today, seeing that I am alone here this afternoon, I'm going to make a cup of tea and settle down with my crochet while I still can.
P.S The wallpaper is by Sanderson and is called Pemberley number WR8246/3
It certainly wasn't planned, a bedroom makeover, but that is what I've been up to these last few days...that is when I wasn't at school helping at lovely Lisa's Art Club. But Art Club has finished and the summer holidays now can begin. Well, I say 'summer' - we have had the most torrential rain over the last couple of days. My garden is looking very weedy and drippy.
But back to the bedroom. Last week I had an idea. As the bathroom wallpaper looks so good and creates such an impact (bath panel should be put on this week, shelves were put up yesterday so we're almost ready for the big reveal!) I wanted to use more wallpaper in the house but as most walls have tongue and groove cladding on them I decided to wallpaper our large sliding (and falling apart!) wardrobe doors. I knew exactly what wallpaper I wanted. Exactly. But didn't know what it was called or who made it.
Ah.
But help was at hand by a wonderful lady who'se blog is a favourite of mine (she will be revealed later as I don't want you to see the wallpaper yet. Oh the suspense!) The wallpaper was ordered just in the nick of time as I found out it is being discontinued, and yesterday John put it up.
Then one of the doors fell off. Does this photo remind of another? John seems to spend his time in our house carrying large things around! The doors were home made by the people who lived here before us and are only thin hardboard. Very thin hardboard. But all has ended well. I've painted the walls white and today I'm making the curtains. Oh I'm so excited, a day at my machine. Yippee! So, I must stop chatting with you, as lovely as it is, and get on. Enjoy your day.
We're not ready to do the final 'ta-daa' yet but I really wanted to show you our £5 Marks & Spencer shower curtain. I smiled to myself when reading your comments and suggestions about shower curtains 10 days ago because I had already seen this spotty one and when Anna mentioned it I had confirmation again that we blog ladies are quite spookily on the same wavelength. So I bought it but thought for £5 I would be getting something cheap and tacky.
But I'm really pleased with it and it softens the white walls, floor and bath etc. We had our first shower this morning and it was bliss. Do you like the tiles? I knew I wanted these sort of brick shaped ones but nervously wondered if they would look OK as I haven't ever seen them in a bathroom before. They were very reasonably priced too, at £13 a sq metre. So we are nearly there and by the end of next week, all going well, I should be able to do the big 'ta-da'..well not too big as the room is tiny!
