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My English Country Cottage
  • Blog Posts
    • Our Home
    • Interior Design projects
    • How To Create A Cutting Garden
    • Pantry Recipes
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    • Home County Candle Company
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    • Country Cottage Creatives Interviews
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  • The meaning behind flowers, and why I didn’t go down the traditional red rose route for my Valentine’s day bouquet

    For those of you who have followed me on Instagram and via my blogs, you will have gathered that I have a thing for flowers, both in my garden and my home. My garden is taking a bit of a back seat this week as I focus on everything to do with Valentine’s day – one of the things COVID cannot touch nor cancel is LOVE. This year I wanted to use my Valentine’s bouquet to…

    January 28, 2021
    How To Create A Cutting Garden

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Daily Instagram Blog

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Hello! You catch me soaking up the rays and only shivering slightly whilst I pick Mothering Sunday cards. No, no I only have one mother and one mother in law but if you swipe you can see the ridiculously beautiful array of cards that @emma.perring delivered to me this week. Pre lock down she had created a truly stunning array of glorious cards taken from her incredible paintings. Then all the shops and galleries closed and now they are weeping quiet petals in cupboards and under her bed. “Let me show them off” I calmly smilingly offered as I grabbed the beauties and slammed the door in her masked face “Bye now!”. I struggle to buy beautiful Mother’s Day cards that don’t say “Mum you are a rose, you smell as sweet as a pose(y) and then some more awful words. I have decided that I will send these glorious beauties instead - as well as one for me: last year I threw a mega diva Lamda term 3 strop when my husband bought the most revolting cards for the children to sign “It’s not the revolting basket of sickly kittens or the appallingly worded ‘insert’ (shudder)..normally the children draw me beautiful cards!!! I miss “Happy Moth’s day” (that was my favourite card) waaaaahhhhhh” I sobbed into my bed of despair. I am taking no chances this year. Head to my stories to see close ups of these gorgeousnesses and avoid Mothering Sunday meltdowns, use code MOTHERSDAY21 (until 10th March) to get 10% off cards, prints and her actual paintings as well!!! Treat yourself..I mean your mum... who smells of roses and not wee (that was another Mother’s Day delight) X Happy save the cards Saturday X #springgarden #thatch #thatchlife #thatchcottage #countryliving #myenglishhome #oldhousecharm #oldhouselove #cottagesofinstagram #cottages #cottagelife #cottagecharm #mycountryhome #countrycottages #countrygardens #cottagewindow #floralcard #springmorning #countrylife #englishcottage #englishcountrygarden #englishlife #gardenlife #pathway Emma Perring promotion x


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It’s Springter! Ok guys, this is great, so I am totally in the “yes we are spring go!” Loving the sunshine, the warmth, the bulbs, high five to all that. Just erm..don’t know how to put this without breaking a few omelettes..frittatas..eggs...I am still quite cold!!! Sorry! So sorry! Cat amongst pigeons etc etc but actually cold, shivering...smiling with head tilted to sun but actually shivering. No, totally get IT’S STILL FEBRUARY and actually, completely embracing that but just, you know, the meeja are saying ‘BALMY SPRING’ and I definitely don’t want to miss out just because I don’t believ...just because I obviously live in a microclimate that mainly involves February type weather. So like I am totally involved in both seasons ok? Hedging bets, playing both..actually I don’t know any appropriate phrases, apologies. I have opted for winter blankets and candles with spring sunshine and florals and a ruddy good cup of tea. Springter solved. Happy feel the seasons Friday X PS: @flowersandlifestylebymargot has thrown herself headlong into spring summer garden entertaining, head over to my blog (linkinbio) to read her brilliant tips for garden entertaining (as well as agapanthus and lily planting) X #cottagestyle #cottageliving #cozycottage #cottagehome #cottage #cozyliving #cosyhome


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I am now on serious bud watch. These branches could blossom at any time and I need to be there to capture the beauty and the majesty. My Victorian lady Botanist will not countenance failure. Although after yesterday’s howling gales, I think I am pretty much over spring. You can keep your brilliant for drying clothes winds thanks, I am ready for summer!!! I had forgotten about the battle with the washing line, standing at 90 degrees to hold the clothes in place and hoping you have pegged them on as you can’t actually see because you have a woolly jumper in your face (reinsert enormous joggers for this spring). I had forgotten about the dash to grab the line as the wind whips the pole away and all the washing ends up in the huge piles of worm poo mud. I had forgotten about the constant rain watch, judging whether it is a passing tiny cloud or a vengeful huge storm about to drench your almost dry clothes. Yes, once I have finally captured this mysterious blossom of unknown origin and once and for all classified it, I shall move directly to summer thank you. Happy please drop wind thank you Thursday x


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I am outing spring. Well, it’s more of a midwife yelling “just one last push” than actually dragging spring out of the closet. It’s slightly strong encouragement : bulbs peeking through from their mossy beds, wildflowers taking centre stage, another spring painting stolen *ahem* borrowed from @emma.perring to adorn my walls *ahem* sell. A moss coloured jumper tossed carelessly over a chair - who needs jumpers any more ? It’s SPRING!! Initially I was muttering over the daily abandoned husband jumper but then I decided that this gave spring a very clear message: Find your light love! You are on! Places please people! Action! Go SPRING! We are spring ready! Happy when you are ready spring love Wednesday X #signsofspring #kitchendecor #cottagekitchen #farmhousekitchen #farmhousekitchendecor #cottage #farmhouse #farmhousedecor #farmhousedecorating #nestandthrive #throughthewindow #cottagefurniture #tabledecor #cottagehome #furniturelove #home #homedecor #homeinspo #countrytable #interiordecor #interior4all #cosyhome #floralinspiration #kitchentable #tablescapes


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It didn’t go dark until 6 o’clock last night...so WHY was every single light blazing merrily away when we returned from our walk?!!! Had burglers popped in and been forced to light up the rooms because they could see nothing of any value to steal? The television appears to have put itself out to pasture and very rarely works without a plug, unplug, start it up, hope, unplug, find missing button for the remote control and then give up and read. The laptops should have retired years ago, we need to start them up a good hour before school starts, they need strong coffee and bagels before they can function and phones have been dropped so many times that they are simply laughable. My son did receive the most glorious go pro camera for Christmas but sadly Father Christmas forgot to put in any instructions so it is a rather mysterious box of unknown joy, we think we have recorded wonders, but who knows! Ah, perhaps it is Father Christmas, bringing the instruction leaflet? No? Just my children and their inability to switch off any lightswitch that they have ever touched. Ever. Of course they deny these accusations, I think perhaps today I shall don the head camera and film them merrily lighting the halls , even if I can never actually show them the recording, at least I have hard evidence, surely someone in court must be able to work out how to play the footage? Happy not very techy Tuesday! X #cottagecharm #cottagesofinstagram #cottagelife #cottagehome #cottagefarmhouse #homesweethome #homeandgarden #myhouseandhome #timberframe #oldhouselove #oldhouse #oldhousecharm #countryrustic #lighternights #twilightscapes #unlimitedbritain #englishcottage #countrycottage #thatchedcottage #thisprettyengland #suffolkcottage


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Lunch outside madam? Are you mentalistic??? The children were ditch diving in snow last week! How can one possibly lunch alfresco? Alfreezing more like it! We ate outside. It was bliss. No coats, slightly robin pooey covered chairs but warm, glorious sunshine with hot tea and warm(ish) crumpets. We watched a bee buzz past as we dug into honey from down the road that this wonderful heavenly creature probably contributed towards creating. What rural joy, what country idy....we choked on the enthusiastic gardener’s bonfire smoke. I seem to remember a gorgeous lace covered table lunch approximately two years ago where the enthusiastic labourer piled up the bonfire to clear the winter debris and smoke out his alfresco family. Yet how we laughed! How we coughed! How our eyes streamed as we determinedly munched our way through smoky cold crumpets. We have got the cushions out and we won’t be going back inside until the teapot is empty. We may recreate this joy again today...or I might just sit here and hide away from home schooling, sipping tea and quoting Shakespeare, surely they must learn heaps from The Bard? He is schoolmaster, dramatist, linguist and tells really rude jokes, he can’t fail to instruct my young charges. “Once more unto the breach dear friends! Once more!” Happy melodramatic Monday! X


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Hmmm...I know this LOOKS like there is an enormous ant behind the camera, antenna waving in front of the lens, but I assure you it is just me, no ant costume, just large poncho & gardening clogs. Yesterday I was forced to throw my large woolly poncho over my greying, sagging nightie in much haste as there was a knock at the door & then the sound of the keys turning. I had remained prone in bed (perhaps suffering a little from the vapours inducing Sauvignon Blanc), assuring myself that delivery drivers knock & go these days. But oh no! Not this one! My son answered the door assuming it was my husband returning from his run at which point I leapt out of bed like a flea from a rabid dog, grabbed my poncho & rocketed down the staircase (well, it was more of a lumber but my intention was speedy). “Mummy there’s a man at the door who wants to know which is the right oil tank”...”well, yes, there are two” I cheerfully agreed with the oil delivery driver whilst attempting to keep my body behind the door “but one IS on its side & the other IS connected to the house, although I do freely admit that it looks a little abandoned & rusty”. “Ok, just wanted to check” he said in a VERY cheerful manner with something of a massive grin covering his entire face. “Oh, by the way! You’ve left your keys in the door “ . Ordinarily I pull out my tinkling laugh & thank them, however I was a little put out that my ponchoed, sagging nightied appearance was causing so much mirth so I keenly retorted “YES! I know!!’ My husband has gone for a run!!!!” He looked a little non plussed but by then I had realised that the more I explain, the longer I am standing at my door clothed only in a poncho so I allowed him to amble off, grinning broadly whilst I attempted a door slam that showed my fury but didn’t bring the cracked plaster down on me. For a trip to a cottage that isn’t rusting or crumbling, that has been clothed in the finest paints & most glorious stylish contemporary colours which harmonise beautifully with it’s old Somerset stone & create the perfect hygge cottage @leanneandthecottage then please head to my website (linkinbio). Happy sartorial Sunday X



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