• Blog Posts
    • Our Home
    • Interior Design projects
    • How To Create A Cutting Garden
    • Pantry Recipes
    • What Makes an English Country Cottage?
    • Home County Candle Company
    • Their English Country Cottages
    • Country Cottage Creatives Interviews
  • Instagram
  • About Me
  • Get in Touch
My English Country Cottage
  • Blog Posts
    • Our Home
    • Interior Design projects
    • How To Create A Cutting Garden
    • Pantry Recipes
    • What Makes an English Country Cottage?
    • Home County Candle Company
    • Their English Country Cottages
    • Country Cottage Creatives Interviews
  • Instagram
  • About Me
  • Get in Touch
    Loading posts...

  • Interview with Amanda Banham – Essex Potter

    “The Potter who lives here in this house makes houses and shops, trees and rainbows all from clay which she raku fires in her garden. She loves dogs and never leaves home without at least two. She loves her family and friends, mashed potato, reading magazines, the Suffolk coast, rose wine and roast dinners”. (Amanda Banham May 2020) This is the first in a series about what makes an English…

    June 6, 2020
    Country Cottage Creatives Interviews, What Makes an English Country Cottage?

Latest Posts

  • The Cottage – Reloving My Home
  • There will be nothing bare about these roses in a couple of months
  • The White Cottage
  • Let’s have a ‘socially distanced catch up in the garden’.
  • Manor Farm Cottage

Daily Instagram Blog

Click the photo to read.


Open


Spring joys! Hyacinths, blossom and a piano covered in books so that it can’t be played...ever again. I have very much enjoyed the music lessons over lockdown, revelling in the children’s take on the Hans Zimmer interview where he told the world to just have fun on the piano, make up songs, play with sounds..it’s been thoroughly inspiring and very, very enjoyable - the scales of “Bum, bum, bottom burps, bum fire, bum fire” was a real high, so expressive, such joy. I shall miss such expressive and creative moments, I shall miss the laughter...the kisses..the hugs...the walks..the...oh good grief what am I actually going to wear to face real life people this morning? I tend to throw myself into the hedgerows or hide behind the cars in the drive if human being are sensed and I am stuck for greenery camo. Months of lockdown learning have not been kind, my plan to be brilliantly fit and amaze everyone with a super slim brimming with health me if we went into another lockdown didn’t pan out, somehow I seemed to plump for the entirely opposite look. I think we have to wear masks to drop off the children so how long can I get away with almost fully masking myself, grey all covering poncho and is a cape acceptable with a mask and poncho or is that too much Spanish highway man chic for a Monday morning? My coat has retracted with the cold.... Perhaps it will finally encourage me to run? I shall deposit my daughter and then flee like ...well I suppose like Zorro. Happy speedy cape swishing, masked Monday X Ps: last couple of days for 10% off the gorgeous @emma.perring paintings, prints and cards with “MOTHERSDAY21” - treat yourself, we have been very brave and need a spot of self gifting. And a cape. #cottagewindow #prettyblooms #slowfloralstories #oldbooks #gardenflowers #cottagestyle #cottagedecor #cottage #mygorgeousgaff #ihavethisthingwithflowers #countrycottagestyle #countrycottages #interiordetails #myenglishhome #englishcottage #englishcountryliving #lovemyhome #loveofcountryhouses #countryfeatures #caughtflowerhanded #floralpainting #freshflowerbouquet #paintedpiano


Open


For the first time in 95 years - ok, it’s more like 3 months...hmmm can this be dated back to...yes just before Christmas... I ran! I ran like the wind!!!! Not in trainers with excellent intentions..no, I ran in gardening clogs, I sprinted to the nearly open daffodils and took the one moment of sunshine! Boom! Admittedly it’s not an enormously sunshiney shot with stretching blue skies and fluffy clouds, it is more mainly cloud with a hint of shine. But this is acceptable in my books, I ran and there was sunshine. That is a win day! I did also manage to finish my latest blogpost on the sweetest 300 year old cottage and oodles of blue skies and sunshine @reloving_my_home. Paula couldn’t see past an empty for three years cottage that was dingy and dark but her husband supplied the vision and now it is filled with stripped beams and a fabulous mezzanine over the kitchen, gorgeous quarry tiles and beautiful soft pinks, greys and greens balancing the remaining dark oak beams and brilliantly wonky walls. Head to my website (click on link in bio) to read more. Happy show more sun Sunday! X #cottagesunday #cottagecore #fairycore #farmcore #warmcore #cosycottage #cozycottage #cottagecoreaesthetic #cozycore #cottage #gardenuk #englishcottage #instacottage #theirenglishcountrycottages #anglophile #prettycottages #ruralliving #daffodilseason #slowsunday #springflowers #tranquil #springisintheair


Open


Happy Mother’s Day to me, happy Mother’s Day to me. I look like a ...actually let’s not define what I look like, let’s call it “gently home schooled”. When @flowersandlifestylebymargot said “can I pop some flowers round please?” I naturally screamed “YES”!!!, when they arrived she was lucky that I actually didn’t jump her and lick her face “I HAVE ONLY ONE LESSON TO GO!!!! GIVE ME FLOWERS!! Give me Champagne!!! Actually just half an hour of quiet with no one shouting “Mama! mama! Are you on the loo AGAIN???!!!” (daughter March 4th 2pm) would be the biggest treat. I’ll take any plaudits, then weep, then bemoan the school run, then miss my babies desperately. Ahh the uncomplicated life of a mother ALWAYS on the loo! These are Karen’s truly beautiful white and peaceful Mother’s Day flowers, just buy them for yourself if you are local, you are soooo worth it (I can’t do the hair flick, it hurts my many necks with my straggly harsh grey hairs of ruindom, but know that next Sunday I will be whipping my hair up a storm in congratulations to me - the children may still need to help me with fractions but by gum..we are excellent at feeding birds). Link in stories to buy Karen’s gloriously scented and stunningly beautiful flowers x Happy I might just sit down on...the actual sofa... for a few minutes Saturday!!! X #rusticstyle #simplehome #modernrustic #farmhousekitchen #seekthesimplicity #rustichome #morningsunshine #countrykitchen #oldhouselove #oldhousecharm #cottagestyle #cottagedecor #cottage #cottagecharm #unfittedkitchen #countrycottages #interiordetails #countryfeatures #mothersdayflowers #freshflowers #kitchenclean #countryhomesandinteriors #kitchenisland #countrykitchen


Open


We are soooooo nearly there!!! No, not real school, I still will not let myself believe this happy news until they are both physically back inside their actual classrooms of education (my son won’t go back until Wednesday so I am keeping a lid on the excitement), no I am back on blossom watch and it has almost popped!!! Then it will be officially spring and false spring will have to slink off, deeply embarrassed at its hammy, below par performance (if you are going to try and upstage spring then you need to pull out all the stops! One requires snow, hail, thunderstorms, possibly even snowstorms of such mighty proportions that no house is left uniglooed). But no, false spring has barely mustered proper rain, just amateur grey skies and rather unthreatening clouds. You don’t get to play the ultimate seasonal role of Spring without putting your all into it - did Vivien Leigh mutter “fiddle Dee Dee” a bit when she auditioned for Scarlett O’Hara???? No!!! She spent every waking hour perfecting a Southern accent between test 1 and test 3! That’s how you do it false spring! You wear a dress to bring out the colour of your eyes which happens to be the colour that Margaret Mitchell described, you express delighted surprise at being asked to screen test and then you murder anyone who gets in your way. It’s quite simple really. On your way false spring, you are an embarrassment to the craft, frankly my dear, we don’t give a.... Happy feel the real spring Friday X Ps: Head to my website (linkinbio) to scent summer plans- @flowersandlifestylebymargot has written a fabulously clear and straightforward blog on planting glorious summer roses with her top 3 roses of all time. Don’t read unless you are happy to immediately order bare root roses! X #blossom #cottagegarden #thatch #oldhouses #seasonschange #countryliving #englishhome #periodhome #oldhouselove #oldhousecharm #listedbuilding #bhghome #songofseasons #cottagecharm #cottagechic #photosofbritain #countrycottagestyle  #countrystyle #charminghomes #englishcountrygarden #countrycottage #englishcountryside #englishcountryliving


Open


I don't care how the weather vane points When the weather vane points to gloomy It's gotta be sunny to me...mainly because I have filled my home with spring joy. It may well be day nine thousand and five of grey skies but I will not be beaten, I will revel in signs of spring..inside...until my son’s PE teacher forces me outside to try and throw and catch tennis balls with one’s back to the thrower. This is impossible by the way, do not attempt this age humiliating exercise in reactions. I watched the video where two terribly agile, young and handsome pe teachers demonstrated lightening reactions, leaping forward for the ball that their acute young hearing had immediately heard bounce and then springing into action like playful lions towards innocent bouncing antelopes. I stood with my back to my son, I heard the tennis ball bounce behind me and felt the tennis ball hit my shoulder and roll past my still inert frame. Apparently I don’t have any reactions at all. It appears that I must remain inside, in my own little world of spring, safe from the wintry skies and dangerous things that may well require lightening reactions to ensure safety. Happy thwarted Thursday X #preloveyourhome #sunnyinside #springvibes #cozyvibes #cozyhomedecor #susiewatson #bookstagram #booklover #ilovebooks📚 #bookcase #bookcasestyling #librariesofinstagram #bookshelves #bibliophile #cosysofa #nicecupoftea #candlesofinstagram #suffolkcounty #cottagesofinstagram #cottagedecor #countryhomesmag #countryhomesandinteriors #cottageinterior #caringtoshareyourfeed


Open


That’s better! Hello pretty sky, hello glorious but cold sunshine but I promise swear I don’t mind! I brilliantly camouflaged myself with my bright pink and green blanket and enjoyed a quiet cup of tea to the tune of the tractors beginning their seasonal journey this...argh! The games up! I can’t do it! This was Sunday guvnor, I’m sorry, it wasn’t hurting anyone, I just can’t stand the grey, the miserable grey, you gave me a glimpse of the good life and I am hooked! I need more! Admittedly I did feel a total plonker in my colourful camouflage sipping delicately (the Saturday night zoom Sauv Blanc effect) whilst the farmer toiled the land. I tried to look thoughtful and contemplative, I suspect I achieved ‘hungover’, possibly even ‘still merry otherwise what is she doing out here at 7am in the freezing cold wrapped up like a rhubarb and custard sweet’. More sunshine please, I promise to stop looking like a weirdo Wednesday X #lovegreatbritain #periodproperty #countrycottage #beautifulcottage #englishcountry #cottagehome #theirenglishcountrycottages #prettycottage #thatchedproperty #thatchedcottage #britishhome #ukhomes #timeless #springdreams #spring2021 #snowdrops #snowdropseason #snowdrop #midweek #thisprettyengland #countrylivinguk #springgarden #cottagegarden


Open


Spring blossoms and blooms...ok the winter Jasmine isn’t necessarily a spring bloom but this is its second attempt at flowering because all the rain and snow drowned it so I think it deserves a place in the line up. The daffodils looked like they were about to break into a Wordsworth jive on Sunday but have sadly remained adamantly closed with the return of The Fog yesterday so we content ourselves with painted daffs in the background. This must most definitely herald spring, this predicted snow that word on the lane has it will arrive next week will surely take one look at this planter of Spring Hope and do one. Otherwise it is yet another reason for me to put off my first run of the year and given that we are in March and I have to be seen by real life people next week (at least the mask will cover the chins but even the duvet coat is struggling to cover the bottoms) I really have to stop “can’t go - it’s foggy...can’t go - it might rain...can’t go - I have maths...can’t go- the mice ate my trainers...). Help me spring sunshine, I need you! Happy actually where are my trainers Tuesday?! X #glassbottle #glassbottles #brassmirror #mirrors #exposedbrick #exposedbrickwall #bathroommirror #oldhousecharm #vintagestyle #vintagemirror #mirrorshelf #brassplanter #springvibes🌸 #springflowers🌸 #florallove #petalpower #springblooms #flowerpower🌸 #underthefloralspell #undertheflowerspell #petalpassion #mullionwindows #cottagedecor #budvase



Follow on Instagram


Tags

#autumnbeds #autumngarden #christmasdecorating #cottage #cottagecore #cottagelife #cottageliving #cottagelove #cottagestyle #cottagevibes #countryabodes #countrycottage #countrykitchen #countrylife #countryliving #countrystyle #curflowers #cutflowerblog #cutflowerpatch #cutflowers #cuttinggarden #dahlias #englishcountrycottage #englishstyle #farrowandball #flowerbed #flowergarden #flowerpatch #flowerpower #flowers #freshflowers #gardenblog #gardenflowers #gardening #gardeningblog #gardenjobs #growyourown #myenglishcountrycottage #pantryraider #pantryrecipe #springbulbs #springflowers #springgarden #theirenglishcountrycottages #whatmakesanenglishcountrycottage

Categories

  • Country Cottage Creatives Interviews (2)
  • Home County Candle Company (1)
  • How To Create A Cutting Garden (41)
  • Interior Design projects (2)
  • Our Home (6)
  • Pantry Recipes (11)
  • Period Living May 2020 (2)
  • Their English Country Cottages (14)
  • Uncategorized (6)
  • What Makes an English Country Cottage? (18)
  • Instagram

© Copyright My English Country Cottage