Good morning Bloggers, and family! My family all seem to be using my blog as a way of catching up on my news, which is great, but I hope it doesn't mean the phone calls will stop!
My cold has turned into a serious lingerer which meant yesterday was a bit of a write off. I spent the day pottering around the house in my soft bottoms (comfy trousers!) and decided to sort out Grace's bedroom. We have a constant battle about tidying up, but to be fair to Grace storage has been an issue which makes tidying difficult. I had the brain wave (?) yesterday of using my fabric storage from my studio to put in her room, which did the trick but now means I have to sort out the fabric and find a new home for it. It's funny how these jobs just create new jobs isn't it?!
Anyway, I didn't really achieve much else, Andy took the girls and Bodie out for a walk and that was the day. Today I am feeling much better so we are planning to all go out somewhere this afternoon, but I am making the most of a few minutes peace to do some blogging. As I haven't achieved much I thought I'd show you a few bits of my house. My home has always been really important to me, and I used to while away hours moving the furniture around my bedroom and placing objects in different spots as a child, and that has just carried on in bigger form now I have a whole house to do it in! I love houses that evolve rather than ones which are done from the outset. I think you can always tell they are staged rather than lived in. It's just as well really as we have lived here for 6 years and are still working our way through it!
This is my favourite corner of my living room, where I can sit and watch people go past the window and warm my feet by the fire. The footstool is my most favourite thing in the whole room and I got it from an amazing antiques place in Grantham last year. I doctored the Ikea chair with a table runner and matching cushion, and I unpicked the back of the table runner and made it into the frill around the bottom. The bookcase was a bargain from a local junk shop. Second only to my home in importance to me are my books (I should just point out here that both things come after my family, of course). I have always been a voracious reader and love everything about books except the cost! I love the smell, the feel and the look of the rows in bookcases. I have never understood why people only surround themselves with old books that never get read and hide away the ones they do - I think all books look great. Most of mine are in the dining room, but these are some of my favourites of all and live here where I can look at them from my chair!
The blanket on the sofa was Andy's when he was a baby, and the bright
checked one was a recent purchase from a local shop - perfect for
snuggling under in the Winter. The curtains have been up for ages - it
is Ikea fabric and was £2.50 a metre! I really wish they hadn't
abandoned their shabby chic phase!
Bits of Bodie seem to feature in every photo - I kept trying to move him but gave up in the end. He's worse than the children for nosiness!
The dining room runs off the living room, and is where I am sitting as I am writing this. The bunting went up for Ruth's birthday in July and I haven't taken it down yet. I actually really like it up there so I may leave it for a while longer. The piano belonged to my Aunt (hi AJ!) who is an opera singer in Seattle. I am so glad to have it as it is a bit of family history, and one that we are all very proud of.
And finally, a plea for help. I bought this lamp base for £1 in a charity shop and it needs rewiring. Is that an easy job that I can do with parts from B&Q or do I need to get someone to do it? Andy is no use - if the answer isn't in the Guardian then he won't know! If anyone has any advice then I'd be really grateful.
I hope you are all having a lovely weekend. Thank you to everyone who left me a comment - and if you haven't yet, please do. I love getting them and will try to respond to you asap. Thank you Sophie for mentioning me in your lovely blog - lots of people found me through you.
Cathy X