Our Easter cake is ready ....

Hi everyone,

I hope you are having a peaceful Easter break.

Our A Wondering Star daughter invited us to join them for a meal at their lovely home in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter as it is close for university daughter to join us too.

With no responsibilities for making food, I offered to make a cake - my favourite Victoria Sponge cake to take with, I used the larger recipe for a taller Victoria Sponge .

The cake is just sandwiched together with a summer fruit jam ...

I chose to use a water icing because we didn't want a rich icing. These sugar egg decorations are perfect for Easter as we always like cake at Easter 

The cake at the lovely apartment, along with some delicious lemon polenta biscuits Pat made. 

 Happy Easter everyone - hope your Easter is peaceful & blessed.

Thank you for stopping by & taking the time to read & comment.
Dee ~♥~

Easter blessings

Hello everyone

Sending Easter Blessings from our home to yours. May your Easter be filled with love & light.

Thank you for stopping by - have a lovely Easter whatever you do .... 

Dee ~♥~

Repotting some topiary & other garden tasks ....

Even though the official Astronomical Spring Day is just another day on the calendar, it seems to have brought a spurt of energy & the promise of brighter & longer days ....

Last weekend I had my Godsons & their parents to stay while they had work done on their home.

The lads painted some Easter stained glass for their windows I had bought them while sampling the Easter eggs in the bowls on the sideboard.

Teddy joined my rabbit cushions on the chair ...

We lit the candles & had a relaxed supper

They gifted me a beautiful white camellia which I have wanted for a long time.

A magnolia I had ordered online arrived too so it was time to do some potting this weekend. I needed the 2 narrow pots that the topiary had outgrown to put the new plants in, while transferring the topiary to larger, patio pots that match the others. It sounds simple ...

However, box topiary have heavy root systems so I needed the garden trucks to move the pots about then some muscle to get the plants out of their pots. Their roots clung on desperately & I had to resort to a narrow spade to cut through the comprehensive root ball to get them out, a little at a time, wriggling them free like a tooth ...

 This is what the root ball of one pot looked like once I had got the topiary out.

The 2 topiary pots on the right are the newly moved plants. They are the last topiary plants that Olive, my late mother in law, had planted on for me from cuttings she took from her many box plants. All our topiary plants were from cuttings in Olive's garden & the oldest topiary is some 17 years old. They are very slow growing & very heavy plants but I love their elegant shape & I love using hand trimmers to keep them in shape as it is a very therapeutic exercise ...

They have now joined the other older topiary on the patio - all matching pots, all waiting to be trimmed but not yet as we might still get a late frost that would blacken their cut leaves.

I know - the chimnea needs another coat of paint - it has to be black heat resistant paint but it needs a hot day to do it so that is a job for another day!

The two emptied pots are the right size for the new acid loving plants. I have wanted a camellia for ages but find it is always much nicer to be gifted one & my friend is a great listener so knew that I would love one ....

The magnolia was a bare rooted one which needed to go in as soon as possible. It will be a fabulous one once established.

This is how it should look in time - Magnolia Red Lucky 

I hope Spring has found you with renewed energy too & that you are looking forward to Easter. Thank you for stopping by & for taking the time to read & comment. 

Dee ~♥~

Welcome SPRING

Has your Winter been wet & dull like ours?

We have had no proper snow this Winter & the wet weather has been trying - our lawn has been so wet & muddy with soggy patches that I have avoided walking on it - other than to top up the bird feeders.

Today is the Spring Equinox - equal day & night hours & I know that lighter days are on their way.

Our garden has few flowers but we have several clumps of hellebores & they are looking wonderful with clumps of flowers about the garden.

For me, these are the perfect Spring colours. Don't you just love them?

The colours remind me of a painting with the tones & colours!

Happy Spring Day everyone - I hope your week will be as lovely as this bowl of flowers ....
Dee ~♥~

Getting ready for Easter ...

I am making progress & have more or less got the sideboard ready for Easter.  I like to put the things we will use on the sideboard in our conservatory because that is where we eat when we are all
together.  

We still have a very loved free range house bunny Vivaldi - these are a reminder of when we had 2 bunnies ...

New bunnies from a favourite local shop - Number 45 

Colourful glass IKEA bowls are useful & beautiful & they offset the vintage glassware well ... 

Easter means cakes so spoons & cake forks need to be handy ...

Lovely glass egg cups are perfect ...

Godsons overnighted on the weekend so the bowls of eggs are a little sparse already - oops :)

I love these eggs which come out most years  at Easter in our home .... 

I love this vintage plate with some little felt bunnies & clip on hats; everyone needs an Easter teapot that is a talking point ....

Ms M gave me this gorgeous bowl a few  years back for my birthday & it definitely has pride of place

Some of the girls favourite Susie Watson pottery that always comes out at Easter ... 

 

I like mixing things up - the plain plates with the decorative edge are the classic Spode Chelsea Wicker design, teamed up with the girls Susie Watson 'fairy' plates, mugs & jugs. 

It is colourful & I know I will enjoy using the things off it ...

I love lanterns & these pink IKEA ones are perfect with our colourful table cloth & runner. The charger plates with their raspberry coloured border are as they protect the cloth from spills ...

The dining room needs brightening up too - a white tree holds some pretty Easter decorations. The huge gold mirror sets the colour theme so some gold, brass & battery lights look right ...

I will be doing some baking next week so have these gorgeous cutters are ready in the kitchen ...

With some new bunny bunting up in the lounge / living room & the other rooms brightened up, I think I am almost ready ....

Do you have any traditions for Easter?  Will you be doing some baking?  I look forward to family time when we all have some time off to catch up. Thank you for stopping by & taking the time to comment
Dee ~♥~

Making some new Easter bunting ....

Hi everyone

Easter is so early this year, the 40 days of Lent have flown by & I realised it is time to think of Easter.

While dropping off some bags at a local charity / thrift shop, I saw this blouse & I just knew that the fabric was perfect for  .... Easter bunting!

I washed & ironed it & then decided that the pattern was too busy & it needed to be combined with some plain fabric.

I did not want it to be a laborious task so decided on single sided bunting flags with just pinked edges to stop them fraying. I tried out some paper shapes before deciding on the narrower flag shapes.

I wanted a contrasting shape - perfect inspiration in the kitchen - this cookie cutter was the right size & shape for contrast ...

I folded & pinned the fabric to make it easier to cut several at a time, then cut them out with my pinking shears ...

The pretty thrift / charity shop top (H&M according to the label) was cut along the seems then straight sections cut off for the contrasting pieces ....

The egg shapes being cut ...

Time to head up to my sewing machine with all the bits ...

The tops were turned over & straight stitched then trimmed - that is all that is needed 

On my shelf by the sewing machine I spied some fabric glue that I had bought but not used. Hmm this project could be getting even quicker ...

Glue lightly applied to the reverse, smoothed with a paintbrush, then positioned on the larger flag ...

The egg contrasts being glued on with fabric glue ...

I wanted a simple threaded top with string so I cut a kebab skewer, taped the thread to it to make threading the flags quick & easy - a perfect way to thread them together ...

 

I had bought some small wooden embellishments - they would finish it off well. I remembered the fast tack glue my local independent craft shop had recommend to 'stick almost anything'. I can really recommend this glue - a few light blobs on each shape then they were pressed on to the bunting ...

It looks rather good for a couple of hours work & the colours are more grown up for our space ...

Our new Easter bunting - in place on our inglenook fireplace in less than 2 hours from start to finish.

I am glad I took some shortcuts by doing single sided flags, using fabric & craft glue to finish off a project in a spare few hours. I prefer the string threaded through the top because I can adjust the flags to suit the fireplace much easier & it looks more relaxed & casual.

Do you put up some decorations for Easter? We will be having a family Easter so I like it to look a bit more inviting .... Have you used the fabric glues before?

Thanks for stopping by & taking the time to read & comment.
Dee ~♥~

Loving the home you have ....

Hi everyone,

Has anyone else been watching the Great British Interior Design Challenge?

I loved watching it & marvelled at the many skills the designers needed - painter of all sorts, upholsterer, wood worker, sewing experts, & then still knowing how to put it all together in a 'cohesive way' while being coaxed to 'push the boundaries' ...

My favourite make over was Lucy's Scandinavian Bedroom in the Half Houses  - a stunning built in Scandinavian style bed with everything really looking calm, coordinated & utterly lovely. It was a lovely mix of old & new with even the curtains having a special touch  ... These are some TV stills I photographed for inspiration ....

However, the kitchens were disappointing, especially when really good (expensive) kitchen cupboard doors were painted & the judges commented that 'the paint is soft under my nail so it will not last' (or something to that effect). After having our kitchen redone last year, I know only too well how expensive it is so thought ... that will not be a happy home owner at all. I would be livid ....

However, it is easy to get caught up in comparing the homes with your own ...

One quote that always comes to mind is

It is too easy to watch such home programmes or read blogs & not love or appreciate what you already have.

Us bloggers are an eclectic bunch & we look for inspiration & in turn I hope we inspire others to be brave with their homes too.  However, the very fact that we have homes to change & fiddle with should remind us to be thankful for the blessing of somewhere to call our own. Millions around the world would be more than happy with what we take for granted - a safe & warm home, enough food, a comfortable bed,  more than enough clothes to choose from, shoes etc

Replace your envy with gratitude & your home will be your safe haven & sanctuary. A clean organised space is something of beauty, however humble it is. Use inspiration to make your home more of what you love, make it unique to you - to tell your story because that is what homes should be, but never stop loving what you already have.

In the Great British Design Challenge, the one thing that stuck out was the phrase 'stop playing it safe' and I thought - WHY? When the cameras stop rolling, someone has to live with designs that SHOUT out instead of wrapping you in comfort. Classic rooms do not date & they are beautiful spaces what encourage you to enjoy them.

My faithful readers know only too well that I love calm, neutral rooms which I can change around. Most of you are familiar with glimpses of my home. It is a place that we love & live in every room, using it as a home not a show home. I love nothing more than collecting, painting, making or adapting things to make our home unique to us.  Old family items sit happily alongside modern bits as is similar in all our homes.

Let me give you a peek in to some of our home ...

All 4 our bedrooms have solid cream painted furniture but they are very different according to the occupants ...

Our guest bedroom has twin beds because it often has single people who like their own bed. It is pretty with painted French style headboards (I painted dated vintage ones to bring them up to date) & an Ikea cupboard that I embellished for the space.

The alcove in the guest bedroom holds my sewing corner - a little  space where I have my things at hand for when I have time to just indulge my passion ...

Our A Wondering Star daughter has a beautiful bedroom too - this is part of her room - calm so it can easily be changed with soft furnishings.  Even though her & partner Andy have a beautiful loft flat in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter, they still have this room at home with their bits for when they want to pop through with their lovely Vizsla dogs, Apollo & Aura. She loved the solid, slated bed & it fits in well with her own art on display.

Youngest daughters is away at university & her bedroom often hosts overnight guests - the bedroom suite & decor was decided by her & it is a lovely space.

Our master bedroom has ornate cream furniture, the shape of which complements the built in cupboards & is perfect foil for regular change

My personal desk is in my bedroom, that is where I write letters, it holds my special bits ...

Last year we had our dated bathrooms redone because they had a leak we couldn't locate. This was our en suite that went from all grey & cramped with a boxed in shower, a dark basin area & a bidet that I loathed .... 

... to a more calming colour with a large walk in shower & a much better layout ... 

The large corner bath was removed and a lovely jet bath was installed, the basin was moved to the other side of the shower wall to make space for the walk in shower & the space is now sleek, beautiful, useful & modern ...

This was the family (girls) bathroom which used to be very dated with patterned tiles, a double basin, gold taps & no proper shower. A leak under the bath had prompted the change & gave us the opportunity to think about how we use the room, especially as showers are the choice these days. 

I designed the bathroom to make better use of the generous space. We lost a basin there but gained a lovely corner shower which is far more practical & useful. Neutral tiles & fittings made the space more open, light & bright - a really beautiful bathroom now which was planned to make better use of the generous space. 

Our kitchen went from dark oak which was dated & drab in need of modernisation & without enough work surfaces & awful tea cup patterned tiles  ....

 

.... to a fab & light modern space now which is a pleasure to be in. We planned the space to be both functional (with generous work spaces & lots of cupboards) and a beautiful light & airy feel ...

Our dining room is conveniently placed by the kitchen & is a cosy space that is used all the time

However, if we have a large group for a meal, it is always in our conservatory which is larger with lovely views of the garden. 

I have my desk in our bedroom & hubby has a downstairs study / office where he works from & which holds all the things he loves - his books, awards, paintings etc 

Most of you will be familiar with the main feature of our living room - the generous inglenook fireplace that often sports some colourful bunting & is where we have our main Christmas decorations each year ... 

 Even our garden is calming - our summerhouse is painted in Country Cream & it offsets all the green plants very well.

Our home, our space, always a list of things to do & upkeep to keep on top of but that is what we love about it - it evolves with us & it incorporates old & new items.  I take inspiration from the gorgeous blogs I read, from programmes such as the Great British Interior Design Challenge but the challenge is all ours to create a space we are truly relaxed & happy in - that is what makes it a home.

I hope this post has inspired you to look around what you have & to be both thankful & grateful for your home & I hope it will always change & evolve ....

Thank you for stopping by, where do you find your inspiration? I hope I have inspired you to just enjoy your space - warts & all!
Dee ~♥~