It's what I do . . .

Hello Theo

Our lovely friends Rachel and Toby have just had their first baby and I'm so proud of them. I'm also little bit tearful - in a good and happy way. I wonder how long it will take for new babies not to remind me of the moment Celeste popped into the world. It seems like yesterday that she was born - but I can't remember life without her.
This picture of her room was taken a little while ago and made me remember all the things we did to prepare for the tiny bundle of life we were expecting. Everything was so carefully washed and ironed, dusted, vacuumed and organised. I even pressed muslins and I normally don't even iron my own clothes. Anyway . . . the first thing we did after she was born was rearrange the room, changing the aesthetically pleasing layout to a practical one. One where I could actually feed, reach my coffee and change the radio station - all from one chair. I couldn't do the feeding and walking thing back then and suffered a few 3am feeds accompanied by god-awful radio that I couldn't turn off.
Today I was struggling to even find a clean muslin - they must all be in that ironing mountain - perhaps I'll scale that next week . . .

On a baby-free note I bought some beautiful buttons in Southwold the other day and stocked up on yummy ribbon at Providence, where I also ordered some new oilcloth for our kitchen table. The whole oilcloth thing has been difficult because it's a large table and so a pricey mistake if it looks vile once I've bought it. I think this one is right - the pattern is very small and hopefully homely and warm without overpowering the room. It's the details that matter don't you think?

I adore . . . sunny Bank Holiday weekends

It's been a few days since I was here due to a long evening power cut last week followed by a longer weekend away in Yorkshire. We left behind a rainy Norfolk and arrived in a sunny Yorkshire. Annoyingly, but not surprisingly, it also got all hot and sunny in Norfolk once we had left. Maybe the summer has finally arrived. I can see blue through the skylight but I won't hold my breath.

Being with our friends Kate, Daniel and Hattie in Hebden Bridge felt like being in a different country. So much so - it made me want to move there for that permanent holiday feeling. Of course, I know that it doesn't last when you actually live there - but we'll  visit again soon for a fix.

While we were in Whitby we visited the church at Whitby Abbey which still has all the pews boxed in for different local families. It's a bit surreal - but they have some great interiors to their pew boxes, ( there must be a correct term for these ?!) lots of different shades of green felt and worn out red velvet. Mostly they were too dark to photograph, but a few had some light falling on them from the windows.

We got home late on Monday night and after a 5 hour car journey (not including regular feeding stops) it was very nice crawl into bed - and even nicer to wake up to big parcel of fabric, tape and a pattern book from a little goodness.
I haven't followed a pattern for years and never without my Mum in the same room, ( now she's not even in the same country) plus it's in Japanese - but I couldn't resist - the pictures were so lovely and there are clear diagrams. Ho Hum. I'm sure I'll work it out somehow . . .

I thought I was having a Summer Baby.

Well, there appears to be a baby, but where is my summer????? In August - the above is how the beach is supposed to be. But that was the beach three weeks ago and the sun only lasted a day. This weekend my friend Juliet made it all the way here from Scotland and it was so wet I couldn't - no wait - wouldn't even get my camera out of the car. Not to worry though - we managed to make it into The Bell Inn for lunch and got back home with enough time for a DVD and glasses of wine in front of a fire - yes I know - a fire. In AUGUST. Outrageous.

I also had the opportunity to show Juliet a few of my current favourite things. She only has dial up in her new remote home but apparently there are flushing toilets and a lot of deer. xxxx (those are for Juliet)

THIS poet has me in stitches. Especially the one about that curious detail of East Anglian vernacular architecture - the elf shelf (you'll just have to listen).

THIS never fails to put a smile on my face.

THIS is where we plan to spend some October nights.

THIS wall colour. Well, we actually just discussed painting 'feature' walls and whether it is a horrible idea and whether I can be bothered to paint over it if it all goes wrong. It is a beautiful colour though . . .

Happy Saturday

This breakfast made me very happy for five reasons.

Our honeymoon tablecloth is on the table, bought from a strange field of tablecloths in Hellville, Madagascar ( I don't have a picture of the strange field - I wish I did . . .)

My favourite plate is on the table. made by Rupert Spira, a very nice man and a wonderful and sensitive potter.

There is coffee.

And there are sweet peas.

Reason five is that I can actually see the table which is normally covered in mail, cat paw prints and other family detritus.

So many tea towels . . . so little time for washing up . . .

These arrived in the post today from Skinny La Minx - aren't they pretty? Supposedly they are presents - but they may just sneak their way into my own tea towel drawer!
Note to all friends & relatives. Tell me now if you don't like tea towels as I consider them the perfect present - everyone needs tea towels - right? My friend Megan makes lovely ones - I'm particularly fond of the ice lolly design.
I feel a tea towel photo montage coming on! Maybe even a Flickr group - I wonder if there is already one?
Have a nice rest of your Thursday - Friday tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drawing a blank.

A lovely trip to the river was marred only slightly when I went to collect a slightly forgotten film that's been lurking ever since November, from the lab. "It's a blank" the man said. "It's Japan" I replied. "It's Tokyo in a power cut" he quipped back. Only slightly funny as I was really excited about the only film I've taken in ages. Oh well - I will inspect the guilty camera tomorrow.
At least Celeste had pleasure of a very cool changing mat (circa 1968)  to have a kick about on. It's a good thing that Granny never throws anything away.. .

It's what I want to do . . .

My life before the 23rd of April was full to the very top with work and play and busy -ness. I could sew things, cook, relax, take photos, visit friends, sleep, wash (!),  garden, walk, decorate, paint, rearrange furniture/rooms/my wardrobe, shop, drink coffee, travel, talk on the phone, dream, have long baths and watch films . Pretty much. Whenever. I wanted. I was a very fortunate girl.

On the 23rd of April our beautiful daughter was born and so far, most of the above have become tricky, if not impossible. However, my life is richer in every way and the only thing I am poor in is time.

That is why I've decided to join the curious world of the blog. You see -  I'm somewhat of a control freak and it kills me not to have the time to resolve the snatched moments of creativity that come my way everyday, to not be able to fiddle with and print my photos late into the night or have the time to push an idea a little bit further. I hope this blog becomes a place for me to pull ideas, images and the inspirational together. A virtual mood board.

Let's see how I go.