Monday 31 December 2012

2012 Round Up

January
A visit to Seaham Harbour, Durham to attend my father-in-law's funeral.  Not a good start to the year.


February
Tom leaving home to start a new job in Leeds.


March
Rosie deciding what to buy at a vintage market we attended.


April
A day in the New Forest.


May
A visit to Dublin and the Avoca factory.


June
A few purchases from the Stansted Garden Show


July
Cornish cream tea I held in my garden to raise funds for Breast Cancer charities.


August
Enjoying using the summerhouse on the few sunny days we had this summer.


September
Two weeks in Florida with all the family.  Wonderful!


October
A lovely weekend in the Cotswolds.  This was the view from our room.


November
A lovely day spent at a spa courtesy of my daughter.


December
Christmas.


Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and a wonderful 2013.

Monday 24 December 2012

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas.







Monday 10 December 2012

Added to the Website


Some of the items added to the website this last week


An old wooden stool.  I have painted the legs in Annie Sloan's French Linen but left the shaped seat as its original wood.


A French baby's bonnet.


Eight French linen napkins with red cross stitched monogram.



French metis linen double sheet.


Double pale blue paisley eiderdown.



and a French linen pillowcase.

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Monogram


I have always loved the Gershwin song 'Someone to Watch Over Me' and thought how clever the line is which says 'I'd like to add his initial to my monogram'.  The embroidery on this silk handkerchief is exquisite; what a shame my surname begins with a T and not M!

Sunday 2 December 2012

This week...

This week I was treated to a spa day, a birthday gift from my daughter.  We had a wonderful day lounging about in the softest white bathrobes I have ever worn and dipping in and out of the pool.  The sauna and steam rooms were too hot for me though.  Lunch was included - chorizo and mushroom risotto with slices of chicken breast followed by chocolate mousse and black cherry ice cream.


I also had an hour long 'brightening' facial which was the best I have ever had, lying on a warmed water bed and being pampered.  I treated myself to some of the products which were used.



Another birthday present I had from a friend was a Shellac manicure.  This is a varnish which is guaranteed not to chip for 14 days and it is brilliant.  It has to be removed by the salon so, of course, I have now ended up having this done regularly!  The first one I chose was brown varnish, then green the next time but now I am wearing a more conventional colour.


The builders have started on the downstairs bathroom renovation.  We have had the room completely gutted.


The previous owners of this house had tiled every wall so these have all been removed, the walls plastered
and a new window fitted.  Underneath the old plastic shower tray was a lovely deep old porcelain shower base which I would love to have kept but it was cemented in so too difficult to salvage.  I am assured that the room will be finished by the 17th, when someone is coming to stay so will post photos of the finished room then.  We are having a basin mounted on top of an old sewing machine table which the builder obviously thinks we are mad for choosing!

I have also decorated the study as we had ordered a new carpet (I can't believe I have lived with the awful orange carpet for so long) and we had the artex ceiling skimmed.  I have painted it all white as are most of the rooms in our house.  I have also rearranged the furniture and I am very pleased with the result.




I spend such a lot of time at the computer and I love it in here now, in my little 'den'!  I was recently given this table which is ideal for use as a sewing table but I think I will paint it so that it will go better in the room.


Yesterday I bought several shades of Annie Sloan paint and did a quick makeover on a French peg rail.  I'll show you the other things I have been painting in another post.


I hope you all have a good week.