Friday 25 September 2009

Coveting....

Found on HomeShoppingSpy - where else!

The person who designed this obviously thinks very much like me! But I think coffee might come first for me. Perhaps I could place it above the aforementioned fireplace. I already have the typewriter (thanks to Aly and Jolly - how are you guys? Long time no see).

The teapot (or is it a coffee pot?) is very similar to one that my mum's Thai friend Pom used to use when we would visit her as children and she would make us delicious (and I thought very exotic) Earl Gray tea from leaves not bags. Her house always smelt delicious. And being from abroad and probably not used to the British weather she had wonderful heated, parquee floors which to a chilly individual like myself were amazing and obviously way ahead of their time compared to normal UK houses.

Fireplaces...

A fair few fireplaces were taken from Church View when it was repossessed so we are trying to put them back. I am now on the hunt to find something to fill the hole that remains in one of the spare bedrooms. Until we have that in place we can't really move on in here. Here (and t'husband take note should you be ebaying) are a few of my faves...

Also Livingetc





I also love the bowback chair above...

Seems with the exception of the last one, all we really need is a mantle, maybe a fire basket and a builder willing to take on the job.

Wednesday 23 September 2009

Love on a post-it...

Just because...

Friday 18 September 2009

The Cuddleston Wedding Extravaganza - part 2

So after a few days relaxing, eating, gently familiarising ourselves with our surroundings, eating and getting to know one another but mainly eating before we knew it it was the night before the wedding. Abi's brother and dad with the help of some of the other chaps prepared all the food for a pre-wedding BBQ. How Italian is this?

I was too busy eating to take photos of the food but believe me it was so, so good.. fresh fish, salads of various sorts, meats, and some rather hot roasted chillies t'husband insisted on eating and then regretted all followed by gelato of course. Anyhoo, here are the lovely couple still looking mighty relaxed the evening before. I think Abi looks super happy, mainly, as she has persuaded me to spend the last night as a single women with her and that is a treat for anyone!

Anyway, the day of the wedding dawned bright and beautiful with Abs throwing back the shutters and shouting 'It's my wedding day' rather too loudly for the early hour. This declaration of extreme importance was swiftly followed by the equally important 'Is it too early to open the Haribo?"

Matt had taken a more practical (and perhaps sensible) approach to dealing with wedding morning jitters. Instead of calming his nerves with a hit of sugar (!), he decided to wash the wedding car. The sight of something so beautiful clothed in white must have been a trial run for the day ahead...here she is. It makes you misty eyed doesn't it?

And Abi didn't scrub up too badly either! The headgear...

The flowers....



The boys in all their handsomeness...anyone else thinking that the Italians aren't the only ones with natty dress sense...

The calm before the storm....so lovely....(thanks for this one Nick)

The proud and also very lovely mum...

And then it was off the the ceremony. Twas a bit of a worry as we got separated from the convoy and only had very limited directions and even more limited grasp of the lingo and I am sure Matt could really have done without our 'we're lost, please help guide us through the town that you are not much more familiar with than us' type calls but he responded in his usual helpful fashion and we got there just in time. The vows were lovely. The Italians lay out the responsibilities of marriage quite wonderfully. I will try and get a copy...
Anyway, despite the ceremony being in Italian (they had a lovely translator) and it being the new Mayor's first wedding all went swimmingly. And after there were the congratulations...

The 'just married' photos overlooking the square...

The procession through the streets to find prosecco for some, gelato for others...


Then back to the villa for feasting...


And much love and romance...

Congratulations you guys, it was all so beautiful....



Friday 11 September 2009

The Cuddleston Wedding Nuptials Extravaganza - part 1

You may remember me mentioning on a few occasions that we were off to a wedding in Italy. We were away last week and then this week has been a bit busy so no time for blogging unfortunately but I have meaning to post something about the wedding ever since we returned as it was a truly wonderful, warm and memorable week, full of absolute loveliness in every single respect.

Abi has wanted to wed for as long as I have known her which is now coming up to 22 years, in fact I think it is 22 years this month and therefore the extent of her wedding celebrations were directly in proportion to the amount of time she has longed for them to happen with a full week long series starting with the Italian leg.

The setting
This gorgeous place near Alba about an hour from Turin....

...surrounded by wonderful rolling countryside....

Beautiful sunflowers...

And a hilltop pool, overlooking the aforementioned rolling countryside...


The guests...
The beautiful couple. Bonny bride and ..er.. groom. Looking good Cullum!

The Mother of the Bride. Apparently, after the bride the second most important person there and equally beauteous...

And the proud father of the bride and the event 'sponsor' whose generosity knows no bounds. Here he is preparing his speech and delivering it to no one in particular...either that or he has just got the bill!
Here is the photographer, nose excavator and best man...
...which I guess makes this the 2nd best man...only kidding Rich...

And this little lady very nearly diverted all the attention away from the bride... (and baby Rosie was a hit too!)
Like with the wedding I might eek out the post-wedding posts over a week so stay tuned for The Dress, The Flowers, The Marriage, The Reception and much, much more...