Well she can’t possibly complain about this gorgeousness!
Blue skies, frosty crunchy green grass and sparkling sunlight? Woohoooo!!!
Although actually I can and indeed will complain : the sun is waking up new battalions of ladybirds every day. Our bedroom is infested with these flying pretties and it is very difficult to annihilate the enemy when their collective noun is a “Lovliness”. How can I possibly lay waste to this?
I have been gently ushering them outside, in some cases even carrying them over to the roses in case there are some hardy aphids that need eating.
Last night however I was attacked in an obviously planned and methodical operation whilst I slept. The first troops left their new trenches (the hops Garland) and launched themselves onto my pillow. Having just got back to sleep after a blood curdling yelp, the second lot made it personal - a ladybird in the eye. I launched my counter attack with a high pitched “arghhhhh it’s actually in my eye” and now the battle lines are drawn.
I shall spend today plotting how to eradicate the Lovliness (kindly but firmly) and perfecting my battle cry. Arghhh felt a little perfunctory.
Happy tyrannous Tuesday x
#frostymorning #frostygarden #gardenlife #morninggarden #pathway #countrylifestyle #gardenandhome #mygardentoday🍃🌻🍃 #alittlebeautyeveryday #bhg #countrycottage
Disclaimer: this is not a spring Garland.
This is Janugland..ohh…ohh that doesn’t sound so fabulous..erm a glanduary…erm a Januarygarland…
Ok there is no name that makes this right but I am stating for the defence that I am not encouraging nor discouraging spring. I am totally pro January and have had a ruddy lovely time thank you. I absolutely refute all claims that I might be a summer party baby..this is rude and ignorant and frankly based only upon images of last summer where I may or may not have wafted around looking like a wood nymph on midsummer’s eve.
This should not nor indeed cannot be taken into account when determining my guilt. I am very happy to celebrate January and will not be wishing the time away until I can swish linen blossom prints through long wavy grass.
Therefore I give to you the Janugland.
Happy month by month Monday x
#aga #kitcheninspo #countryliving #countrykitchens #cottagekitchen #rustic-living #hyggelifestyle #warmandcozy #cozyroom #mondayvibe #seasonalstyle
It’s a mean and moody capture today.
If it’s possible for a mossy, wonky, definitely sloping more to the right old cottage to look mean and moody. I think she almost nails it.
I may well start posting photos of me looking really mean and moody if the glorious sunshine does not reappear soon. Three days of sparkling sunrises and firey sunsets have spoiled me. I may even produce a Violet Elizabeth “scweam and scweam and scweam until I am sick” reel….although that might be the the white wine and sloe gin from last night talking (whose idea was that idiots?) rather than the indomitable and imperturbable nature of an over indulged personality (although the sloe gin definitely put me into the latter category).
Happy slightly sulky soggy Sunday x
#cottagestyle #cottagelife #countrylivinguk #countryhome #thatchedcottage #thatchedroof #mygardenlife #mistymorning #atmosphericlandscape #fieldview #countryescape
Hallo! What are these little pale yellow spring gems? This is all extremely very exciting!
One of my favourite ever jewellery designers has developed some truly beautiful new pieces for our homes. I have bought Monica Vinader jewellery for my self and my friends and family (mainly my daughter who I will obviously gift it to when she is older but for now she gets to enjoy me wearing it) ever since my best friends uber cool sister in law bought her a necklace for her 30th birthday and we all scrambled to look as fabulous.
I adore the artistic shaping and the tactile feel of each piece and they have achieved this again with their beautiful new home collection. Inspired by nature, each piece is finished with a hand painted gold edge and is so dreamily crafted.
Head over to @monicavinader and have a look - in gorgeous spring colours of pastel pinks, yellows and blues these nesting bowls are a ray of spring joy for your home (and you probably need to buy some of their jewellery to put in them as well…happy January self gifting).
Happy self gift Saturday x
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#floraldecor #cottagedecor #sittingroom #monicavinader #charminghomes #cosyhome #cosycottage #beautifulhome #inspiredbynature_ #colourfulhome #interiorstyling
I mean how can you not achieve with blue sky and sunshine???
It turns out that the answer to this is very very extremely easily. I missed a very important teams meeting “Hi, I am trying to join but no luck?”…”It was half an hour ago” ah, yes, erm there is a time lag here? Because the house is so old…er..we are behind by four centuries and half an hour…….?
I missed my yoga class and managed to consume the very healthy veggie meal, and the wine and the Brie and then some chocolate buttons that appeared as if by magic.
Today will be different, I shall make a difference, surely three days of this weather will have worked it’s magic. I shall have a smoothie, go to Pilates and then sit at my laptop and work very hard. All afternoon. Without a break. Once I have finished the book I started yesterday in despair at missing the very important meeting.
Actually none of the other things were invented 400 years ago so I probably can only sit by the fire and read. Drat. The constraints of living so long ago in time…
Happy four centuries late Friday x
#exteriors #cottagesandbungalows #whitecottage #listedbuilding #cottageinspo #oldhome #periodproperty #bucolic #cottagedreams #countrysideviews #countryhome
Ohhhhhhh hello my long lost friend!!!
Hello my kitchen inspiration!
Hello glorious wonderful fabulous sunshine!!!!
I shun the remains of the Christmas Pudding (it even has chocolate in it), I laugh in the face of the shortbread tin and avert my eyes from the oozy creamy Brie.
I don’t need you! I have sunshine! I have my children practicing “Veganuary”…well “Vegetarianuary” and so tonight I am cooking from this genius book “The Green Roasting Tin” and I am fine with this! I am embracing healthy and enjoying it.
All thanks to the sunshine…I probably need a chilled Sauvignon Blanc to go with all this incredible sunshine and I don’t want my sugar levels to drop too low too quickly…
Happy thankful Thursday x
#kitcheninspiration #cottagekitchen #countrykitchen #kitchengoals #belfastsink #unfittedkitchen #countryinteriors #cozycottage #springinteriors #platerack #cottageinspo #rustichome
Just off to scrape the inside of my car…
Yup, beautiful frosty morning…time to scrape the car windscreen outside and in so that I don’t have to hunch low to peer through the only defrosted section of windscreen at the bottom.
Initially I was perplexed, I was working up a glow, scraping away at the windscreen, spraying my little trigger finger sprayer so much that my poor tiny finger began to throb with my gusto. It took a while for my morning brain to understand that there was no more frost on the windscreen outside, I was simply scraping glass. The ice was inside the car. That is why we were late sir, my car has taken on life forms of its own ever since I carted 5 bags of moss around in the boot for a couple of days. The bags definitely aren’t there any more but something living still remains.
We had a jolly old time scraping ice onto ourselves before setting off slightly sodden, freezing cold but pink cheeked with laughter for school with only a vague sense of unease as to what was causing the inside frost.
The grey days of no inside defrosting nor unknown creature fear were most welcome.
Happy warm up Wednesday x
#cottagestyle #cottagelife #countrylivinguk #countryhome #thatchedcottage #thatchedroof #mygardenlife #sunriselover #atmosphericlandscape #fieldview #countryescape
Yes! Real life sunshine!!! Not today obviously! What three days of sunshine in a row? That would be crazy talk!
Thankfully the rain held off whilst the plumpling pink flamingo took her first flight (run) of the year. My goodness it was hard. Boldly, bravely, pinkly, plumply she ran (staggered) the fields and lanes (one field and one lane - not too far on the first run of the year). Brilliantly she slip slided through the mud, providing much hilarity for her grinning neighbour on his morning constitutional.
Courageously she stoutly swerved the incredibly rude squirrel who positively
sashayed across the bridleway as if I were simply an embarrassing apology for a human being and best to just ignore this bright pink, retching mentalist who is almost not moving.
I had no idea that inner thighs could weigh so much, I think they actually pulled me towards the floor. I had expected the 86500 mince pies and 85 bottles of Baileys stomach to propel itself up and down with a force outside my command. I knew my extra chin would wobble in time to my strangled intake of breath but I was unprepared for inner thigh drag.
I shall remain here today, finishing my wonderful book and resting my heavyweight inner thighs, I am not sure I am strong enough to lift them anywhere today.
Happy thickening thighs Tuesday x
#kitchendiner #farmhousetable #kitchentable #countrycottagestyle #cottagecountry #cosykitchen #hyggelife #homesweethome #howihome #cottageinterior #rusticliving
Oh the temptation to post the image after this one on my phone…
I flirted around the garden yesterday like a happy butterfly, alighting upon signs of spring and constantly warming my fluttering wings in the joyous sunshine.
Then I went inside and was faced with the maths homework from hell. I photographed it to send to another mother who has maths issues (in this case “what is the maths homework please?”). I chuckled smugly- at least we had the homework, ready to complete…now let’s snuggle down and get this answered…
Within question two I was yelling like a demented fishwife with a whole stall of stinking fish still to shift “DADDY!!!!!! (issued with a she is your daughter as well screech) Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!”. My husband rushed to my aid and after looking at my daughters face and listening to her saying “I know this because we did it in class but SHE has confused me “ gently ushered me into the sitting room and closed the kitchen door.
I had sobs and head banged to table (mainly me) whilst he had chuckles and actual maths giggles.
Be grateful that this is just a sunny cottage image and not the maths paper of rounding up or down (to the nearest 1000 round 19998 - so do I ignore the 19 bit??? Arghhhhhh!!!! Look at the pretty cottage, forget the numbers, breathe, inhale the blue sky).
Happy no maths please Monday x
#wintergarden #cottagelove #thatch #thatchedcottage #17thcentury #theirenglishcountrycottages #countrycottage #englishcountrygarden #winterblues #wintercottage #gardeningismytherapy
Ahhh! Harkening back to olden days of sunshine….Friday….yup…still refusing to glorify rain shots.
A happy day of streaming sunshine and spring hyacinths that are absolutely definitely not causing me to sneeze a little bit more…it’s the dust…it’s not the hopeful floral beauty. I refuse to banish beauty, in fact, I am enjoying the slightly streaming eyes- I can blame hayfever when I well up. Having been put in the defendants stand yesterday by my daughter whilst watching Harry Potter The Reunion : “Mummy!!!!! Why do you always cry at EVERYTHING we watch”????? (I began to explain the quickening of the passing of time and lost youth and the feeling of being part of something very special when it comes to an end- ok- I wasn’t actually in Harry Potter but I was devastated when the three week run in Kings Cross of “The Country Wife” finished (mainly because The Spectator singled me out as fabulous but also for all the amazing friendships that I would never ever no way forget…I am not sure I saw any of them again..).
My accusator was having none of it so I pointed to the hyacinths and I was let off with a warning and community service (“Just stop ruining everything with emotion“).
I shall spend today weeping by the hyacinths and pointing accusingly at them.
Happy spring hopes dashed Sunday x
#cottagestyle #beams #oldcottage #traditionalhouse #floralinspiration #colourfulhome #throughmyeyes #hallway #springsunshine #hyacinths #cozyhomes
Yes, yes, it’s so gloomy today so I refuse to post a photo of grey (also I refuse to go out into the grimble to take a sodden damp depressing shot so I will fool everyone with a shot from Friday. Mwoah ha ha ha).
Although I may need to stop fooling myself, if I take this as far as my latest “Be kind to myself” mantra, I will end up outside soaked to the bone having assumed I was stepping out for a brisk frosty walk.
I have definitely over kinded myself and it has to stop. I keep gifting myself chocolates, coffee with whipped cream (so kind) and bread with lashings of butter (what a generous self). As I was cleaning up after the de Christmassing (I truly did bring half the garden into the cottage which dried brilliantly and fell in really super tiny excellent millions of bits of green everywhere), I discovered an absolute stonker of a book given to me by my friend “Sorrow and Bliss” by Meg Mason- oh La La it really is brilliantly written- so I had to be kind to myself and sit down and read most of it straight away…surrounded by shards of crisp dried greenery. The house is a disaster and I can’t put this amazing book down.
It has to stop. I am adding another new year’s resolution to my “Learn to party harder”, I am adding “Be sterner with yourself”.
Although yesterday I managed a Pilates class in the village hall with no heat or light - so so brave. I still feel cold, perhaps I will be stern tomorrow, I think a mocha with whipped cream should warm me up this morning - it’s so frosty out there….
Happy shivery Saturday x
#frostymorning #cottage #oldcottage #englishcountrycottage #homesandgardens #cottageexterior #timberframe #wintergarden #mygardenthismonth #cottageliving #oldhouselove
Gloria had to go in the loft. It was no good.
I heard her sparkly glitter ball pleas but in my heart I know that a glitterball is just for Christmas. For that moment when the winter sun streams through the kitchen windows and the whole room comes alive, it raises my mince pie making spirits and reminds me of the fun to come. It transports me to year after year of Christmas days spent with the children chasing glitterball reflections on the floor and New Year’s Eve parties of Wassailing fun.
I have found a year round replacement Gloria in my crystal drop candelabra which was a wonderful wedding gift from a dear friend- rainbow sparkle smiles and sunshine joy. This is the perfect spring lift (am I going too early with spring???). Rather like my spring hyacinths I shall be traipsing this beauty from room to room in a slightly Havisham meets Morrisey meander.
Happy fast forward Friday x
#bedroominspo #bedroominspiration #floorboards #oldhouselove #bedroombeams #bedroomstyle #charmingrooms #englishcottage #countryhomestyle #simplehomestyle #calminteriors
G.L.O.R. I.A.
Gloriyaaaaaaa!!!!!!
One last hurrah with Gloria, the sun came out to bid goodbye to our glitterball of light and joy.
I munched my way through the last two mince pies and then the Dechristmassing began in earnest (well, after I had recovered from a buttery pastry swoon on the sofa for the main part of the day- I just can’t party like a 20 year old any more…or a 30 year old…nor even a 40 year old…drat. Perhaps this should be a new year’s resolution? Party better?).
Once the cottage is entirely devoid of all joyous Christmas decoration I shall turn myself to partying more wildly. Although I probably need to start with a run otherwise I might not be able to leave the sofa and I am not sure sofa parties are much fun. Unless I were to drag the camping fridge into the sitting room to keep the wine cool and string Gloria from the ceiling- this could well prove to be my first Transformation Tuesday! Woohoo!!!
For now I shall settle for a goodbye Gloria we will miss you Wednesday x
#kitchenlove #cottagekitchen #kitchentable #kitcheninspiration #twelvedaysofchristmas #countryhomestyle #cottagedecor #dresser #countrycottage #myenglishcountrycottage #glitterball
Shhhhhh! There are still glittering baubles on the old walnut tree.
I mean it’s basically a song so I can’t be held accountable for holding onto Christmas….yes…yes if you peer inside the cottage you can still see Christmas trees and wine (I think this was another very famous Cliff Richard song?).
I forced friends to suffer one more night of eek it’s now a school night but come and eat leftovers and enjoy Christmas Micky Bubbles…they left at nine pm and now at eight am I am trying to recharge the battery lights on my son’s bike and ferret out the missing protractor - I am really, really grateful that I decided to go maverick, to throw early nights to the wind and hold a final I love you, please don’t leave me, we had good times didn’t we Christmas jaunt.
The cheese along with the brandy doused panettone sat excellently well all night. The sponsored read for my daughter, every night all holiday went particularly well (I started declaiming Shakespeare and she packed me off to bed) and I ended up sobbing about last Christmas in a last of the mulled wine fugue.
Excellent last night of holidays decision.
Definitely expelling Christmas today - it’s very dangerous.
Happy tiptoe Tuesday x
#newyear2022 #freshstarts #cottagestyle #myenglishcountryside #countrylivinguk #countrygarden #cottagegarden #englishcountryhome #cottagefarmhouse #goodbyechristmas #januarygarden
The tree sags, the house wonks, the cottage owners stoop with Christmas excess.
And yet I find myself incapable of letting go. How can I wave goodbye to Christmas? How can I cast these beauties out? A Christmas that allowed our family to be together after a two year separation? A Christmas that brought laughter, joy, extra hips and bottoms and a wobbly jawline?
Ah! There is the key- if I keep going this way I will spend the rest of my life wobbling. Perhaps it is time. Just one decoration at a time…actually they appear to be doing it themselves, flinging themselves to the floor “for the love of your tight joggers…put us back in the loft…even the mice are a preferable companion to your Baileys and mince pie consumption. At least they eat the crumbs: you have crumbs on your jumper!!! (can I help my excellent super short crust pastry???).
Ok, I am receiving the message loud and clear. Make way for spring freshness…dechristmas and look forward…via the fridge which also needs clearing out…
Tuesday! That’s the day for fitness and defragging. Happy keep munching Monday xxx
#oldhomes #beams #windowview #cosylivingroom #farmhousecottage #hyggelife #cozyup #cozyroom
#countryhomestyle #englishcottage #myenglishcountrycottage
Wonky hyacinths? Sure! It may well be 2022 but nothing is going to straighten out this crumbly old cottage.
I on the other hand am now on a strict straighten out regime..definitely start running again…tomorrow…definitely stop drinking Baileys…once it had run out…definitely eat the six salads that I bought in a new year new me embrasive and enthusiastic shop of ideals…so far my lunches have remained mince pies and cheese…
Plenty of time for ideals and exercise, for now I shall inhale the glorious scent of spring hopes whilst hunkering down to the final cosiness of Christmas past.
Happy still sitting down Sunday xxx
#cozycottage #newyearvibes #hyacinth #bookloversofinstagram #booklovers #bookcase #cozyroom #cosyroom #cottagehome #countryhome #bibliophiles
Yes! Yes it is a glitterball behind the candelabra!!! Well if you can’t have a glitterball at New Year then when can you?
Gloria (the glitterball) has been in hiding for two years now, ever since the Strictly Come dancing Christmas Nativity where my daughter played Tess and Gloria was offered up as star glitterball. Unfortunately ANOTHER family also lent their glitterball which happened to be significantly BIGGER. Gloria got a credit in the programme but has never forgiven us for her total humiliation.
I think two years in a spider infested loft has taught Gloria the gift of humility, she seems very happy to grace our New Year table with her showbiz glamour.
Here’s pink for hope, white for peace and a glitterball for a year of sparkle. Happy 2022 xxxx
#newyearcelebrations #newyearsday #newyear2022 #tablescape #newyeartable #kitchendiner #countrykitchen #atableforfriends #tableinspiration #cottagedecor #burleigh
It’s a cheeky flyby “Happy New Year’s Eve” post.
Not that I am actually flying by, we are hunkering down to floral cosiness today.
Well…not actual hunkering..I appear to have lost all muscle and any attempt at a hunker would result in serious cramp and me collapsing in a “How did you get through that many bottles of Baileys???” (Husband Dec 30th 2021) plodge of no holds or snacks barred human pudding on the floor.
Safest for all for me to refrain from a fly by or a hunker and simply say “Happy New Year’s Eve”. Xxxx
#cosyhome #hunkerdown #newyearseve2021 #fireside #cozyhomedecor #cozyroom #woodburner #fireplacedecor #warmandcozy #floralchristmas #florallove
Day 4 of Christmas tables and the remaining crackers are skewiff, the dresser is bare of mugs, glasses and plates.
The tree is on the skunt and none of the plates match.
I think that is a successful Christmas run!!
Happy why does everything end up wonky in this house Wednesday…er Tuesday…argh!! Even my brain is wonky!!! Xxx
#christmastable #countrykitchen #kitchendresser #painteddresser #colourfulkitchen #countrystyling #cosykitchen #cozyhome #cozyhomedecor #homestyling #kitchendiner
The final presents wait under the tree to be claimed by absent friends.
We wave goodbye with tears of joy and gratitude to our family who we hadn’t seen all together in two years.
We slowly, slowly close the door and listen to the silent house, wooden beams creaking in the mist and then, shriek by delighted shriek the family tune into my shouts and screams of joy as I read aloud the most exciting interview from a real life journalist from @suffolk_live who has written delightfully kind words about our cottage and my floral obsession…love…not obsessive…no way.
I was terrified this exposé might be the ruin of me, perhaps I said too much, perhaps I had revealed the dark underside to my wafting rose petalled existence, perhaps they would reveal the deep dark secret that behind every photo is a towering mess of socks and books and magazines and other things that I am not even sure what they are…drat! I did it again. There is even a tv behind meeee…argh!! I fear I am undone…
Thank you Suffolk Live for being so incredibly kind and for even just listening to me, I feel very honoured to have been intensely grilled for your article!!!
Happy day after Boxing Day (our family may be gone but I am still holding onto Christmas as tightly as possible). X
Head to my stories for the link x
#cosychristmas #twelvedaysofchristmas #suffolkcounty #christmastree #hyggehome #livingroomideas #colourmeupmonday #cosycorner #bookloversofinstagram
#colourfulhome #christmastrees