Home Sweet Home

Lucy's Cottage

I must apologise for the long delay since I last posted here, however, we seem to have had week after week of illness or health problems since Good Friday - first with me and then with Lovely Hubby who has had a terrible time with high blood pressure and nosebleeds. Fortunately we are just about recovered now. It's good to start feeling human again, I can tell you, and just in time to enjoy the recent sunshine we've been blessed with.

Anyway, in this post I just wanted to share some pictures of our wonderful home that I've taken over the last couple of weeks. You'll gather three things about me straight away from my style: I'm quirky, I love colour and I love vintage :) 

I recently sourced these cushions on Ebay - the velvet ones are vintage and the floral tapestry ones are "vintage lookalike". I painted the picture frames on the wall which are red and yellow - they were plain wood before.

I love this corner of our lounge. You can't see from the photo but the lamp shines up on a dark green metal toad who is wearing a yellow bow-tie :)

I have a gnome and toadstool obsession :)

This bedding looks lovely but it won't stay clean for long with Lucy & Whiskers around !!

My FIRST EVER sewing machine :) :)

I bought this lovely mustard make-up purse from a lady on Instagram - she made it herself out of vintage barkcloth material. I love the colours.

I received this wonderful parcel today from another wonderful lady I met through Instagram - she makes the most beautiful felt creations !

Our tulips at the front of the house are positively blooming !

My fairy garden :)

Our scarecrow "kids", Georgina & George. Looking good in their new togs !

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday and an even better week ahead.

Fiona x

Getting Ready for Easter

It has been another busy couple of weeks for us but this weekend I have found time to relax and do absolutely nothing, as well as making a few preparations for Easter.

Our Easter tree is looking lovely thanks to my sweet friend Khira in Finland who sent me these gorgeous yellow and cream felt Easter rabbit decorations. They have just finished the tree off nicely.

This morning I was busy making these chocolate cornflake Easter nest cakes to take to work. I made 12 but I don't suppose they will survive much past eleven o'clock when everyone makes their coffee !

It's been a good week for vintage finds:- a sweet little cottage shaped teapot by Sadler and some darling plates as well as some classic children's books (which were only 20p each !).

I'm currently reading The Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe and even though I read it when I was small, I can't remember any of it.

It's my birthday on 2nd April and Lovely Hubby told me to get myself something as he didn't know what to buy for me, so I went off this morning in search of Cath Kidston's latest gnome salt and pepper shakers. I found them :) And also got some more pretty teaspoons. Lovely Hubby has strict instructions to wrap them up before my birthday. I will take pictures on the day of opening !

Finally, I had to share these lovely free range eggs with you. We buy them from a farm about 8 miles north of here and often there are double yolkers. Look at the size of these!

It's a lovely short week this week at work - only three days again. Amen to that. I can't believe Easter has rolled around again already.

Have a great week everyone, whatever your plans are.

Fiona x

Catch Up Monday

The last two weeks have flown by, and I can't say that I have done anything of note - just work, housework, dog-walking and messing about on Instagram. I have been fighting a cold which has left me feeling tired and uninspired to write a blog post. But I'm feeling much better now and can share a little of the last two weeks with you.

I've bought some more vintage lovelies on Ebay - this wonderful Sadler teapot with yellow roses and below that an Art Deco toast rack and preserve pot for the breakfast table. We know how to have toast and marmalade in style :)

I've been busy baking more chocolate cake, at the request of Lovely Hubby.

I finally cleared my desk after weeks. I had a good week of selling on Ebay and made a profit of £50.00 :) Lovely Hubby and I took all the parcels to the post office this morning so it was good to get rid of those things and reclaim some space. 

I treated myself to these gorgeous folders from Cath Kidston, to keep all my cuttings tidy.

And today I spent the morning catching up on letter writing. It's been a nice slow day and I could do with more like that.

I have a few more hours before Tai Chi, dinner and then bed :)

Have a great week my friends x

Great Vintage Buys

Today we got some great vintage buys - I got a big pack of vintage greeting cards for only £2.00. Those shown above are my favourites. They must have come from a house clearance because they are all addressed to the same lady - someone called Louise. I wonder who she was and what sort of a life she lived ... I'm sure she would be tickled pink to think I had bought her cards and would be putting them to good use as vintage decoration around Lucy's Cottage !

BUT the very best vintage buy from today was this antique bureau/writing desk which we picked up for only £15.00 ! It is made of oak or walnut and looks to be 1940s or 1950s although it could have been made later. We have been wanting something to sit underneath the bookshelves Lovely Hubby built to use as a vintage drinks cabinet - think 1920s champagne bowls, cocktail shakers, soda syphons etc ! Well this bureau fits like a glove and looks as if it was made for the space. We can leave it closed during the day and then open it up and display all our vintage drinks things when we want to have a bit of a cocktail party or at Christmas. Isn't it just the bee's knees and the cat's pajamas ?

Lovely Hubby has taken out the inside section so we have room for all our glasses and bits and bobs ...

Now I just need to find that perfect cocktail shaker and soda syphon ... Ebay !!

Brightening January ...

The Nutcracker Ballet

Well, we have all survived the first week of January. I think we've done well. I hope you've all had a good week. For me it was back to work and back to Tai Chi, swimming and personal trainer classes. I was very glad when Friday evening rolled around !

Here are a few things which have made me happy this week:-

• Before Christmas I decided to start collecting vintage baubles and Christmas decorations ready for next Christmas. OK, so I got a bit carried away and bought four 'lots' on Ebay ! They arrived this week and are stunning - like little jewels. Their bright colours really cheered my heart.

• Listening to The Nutcracker ballet music in my car to and from work.

• Seeing our girls' happiness at getting their Friday evening treat of pigs ears.

• Putting the twinkle lights back up over our fireplace. It was much too dark and miserable without them !

• Wearing socks handmade by my sweet friend Khira in Finland :) 

• Going out today to The Queen Catherine in Osmotherley for lunch - fish, chips and mushy peas followed by banoffee pie. Oh, it really doesn't get any better (and here's to not being on a diet in January).

• Baking a winter spice tea loaf cake in my 'new' kitchen, with the twinkly lights on and the girls for company.

• Visiting my friend Nancy on Monday at her care home and seeing another friend tomorrow morning for tea and cake.

• Finally writing a long letter to my Bristol-based friend, Sarah. I hope the letter arrived today ... 

• Cadbury's creme eggs. Yes, we are those awful people who buy Easter eggs at times of the year other than Easter. It's Lovely Hubby's fault - he now has me hooked again !

Baking a spiced winter tea loaf cake

Spiced winter tea loaf cake, fresh from the oven

What has made you happy this week ?

Fiona x