Coveting...

...graphic prints for the dining room walls. I like these...

And perhaps something by Paul Rand. I saw this on Dooce's Daily style and if I could I would buy everything she recommends in the Daily Style section of her website. And then if she ever came over I could freak her out by welcoming her into a complete replica of her home. Sans the heated baby wipes contraption. Then again, I am sure t'husband would love it...

And this was the original Union Jack piece of wall art I saw that made me want all of these...

It is by Lucinda Chambers via The Rug Company, costs an arm and a leg. The image is from Living etc. Oh me oh my...on my quest to find out Lucinda's name I also happened upon this....

Hubba hubba. It is by Vivienne Westwood so I daren't even dream. Oh the internet, you are bad...

Pottering and pictures...

While I was yardening, t'husband decided it was time, despite rooms being far from finished to hang a few things up to get them out of the way. Or at least on the walls. Here are the lights for the dining room...

And then some pictures. Here he is applying his DIY mantra - measure twice. Cut /drill/hammer once!

For me, with pictures, I want something on the walls that I like but that also means something. Therefore, whenever we go abroad, we usually buy some sort of picture for the walls at home. In the old place we were running out of walls but now have many to fill with holiday art. Unfortunately, we no longer have the funds to go abroad which means the pictures are now good reminders of our frivolous youth!

From New York (my 30th birthday trip)...

Brooklyn Bridge and Portabello Rd (our 1st anniversary trip)

er Morzine....

Not a picture and not from abroad but its installed, it tells the time, the temperature and the humidity...yes really!

And although again not from abroad but the one below was given to me by my mum. Way before Kirsty and her homemade home made skip diving de riguer, my mum used to come back from, what they would now call, the recycling centre with goodies she had unearthed. She found this picture there. I think it was part of an art students discarded portfolio - I am hoping they make it big and I will have an unknown work which I unassumingly hung in the lav and then sold for millions in the future. Of course, in that particular future I have also won the lottery so won't need the cash.

But I digress. In those days the recycling centre was called 'the dump' hence its current home at The Money Pit!! Aly said she thought that our downstairs loo was like a gallery (being long, white and lit with spotlights). So I am taking her at her word and turning it into one, one picture at a time.....

We also hung a few more bits a pieces and I will try and get photos of these tonight...

Summer breeze makes me feel fine....

The recent spell of beautiful weather has definitely got me in the mood for summer and hankering after picnics, barbeques and living outside. Although we haven't a garden as such we do have a yarden and like everything else at The Money Pit it was in need of a bit of care. So this weekend was mainly, for me, given over to tackling the rather overgrown beds and giving it a good tidy. Unfortunately, I forgot to take any 'before' photos so my sense of achievement cannot be communicated in pictures but here it is after I had, for the time being, beaten the battle against the bush on the left which is trying to take over every bit of soil...

The offending bush of unknown type

Succulents

Adopted gnomes

Hanging garden

Flower bed

Once it was all tidied it gave us a great excuses to use it and we had the lovely Claire and Rob over for dinner. There they are below at their wonderful wedding...

Had a really nice night and as we sat in the glow of the BBQ turned into open fire, with drinks and candle, as Claire said we could be anywhere. If the weather continues to be wonderful I am officially jumping on the staycation bandwagon. In fact, I will adhere to the letter by just having holidays at home.

Flahs

In order to take my mind off much dust and other significant building problems, including the ongoing cellar leakage, I have been trying to add prettiness at home to distract myself. So I have been trying to buy a bunch of flowers each week. Writing that seems as if I am being very extravagant but the proviso with this wanton need for blooms is tempered by the fact that they should cost less than a fiver...it still might be considered an unnecessary extravagance but I can't describe how much I love having flowers in the house. I end up going into rooms just to look at them. Here are some of the latest...

Sweet William

Iris

Lily

Rose

Okay the roses were not under a fiver. They were an anniversary gift from t'husband...as you can see the rose bush outside is doing well so I have roses in and out. I am just too lucky....

Also, bought some peonies from M&S British range which have been beautiful but didn't snap them at their best and now they look a little faded.

Coveting...

We are not duvet people. T'husband and I seem to reside in different climates so a layered approach of sheets and blankets seems to work well for us as layers can be kicked off (mainly by him) or added (mainly by me) depending on the temperature. I have a permanant stack of blankets at the bottom of the bed should the room suddenly turn icy cold and manage to penetrate the 12 layers of wincyette (so soft, so cosy, so not sexy!) and bed socks I am already wearing to bed. When we eventually get round to decorating the bedrooms I want to make the beds with vintage linen sheets and some lovely Welsh blankets like the ones above and below....

Liking...

Not sure I would have it in my house but I really love this wallpaper. Maybe I have a thing about buses as they featured here recently too! Love the suitcases and they would definitely be welcome at home. My mum gave me one not so long ago so just need a couple more.


Found at HomeShoppingSpy again. Must resist just completely reiterating their blog via mine but I love so many things on there. That is a hint for anyone that is looking for something to buy for my birthday in case you didn't recognise it....

Three years ago today....

And I thank you for bringing me here

For showing me home

For singing these tears

Finally I've found that I belong

Feels like home

I should have known

From my first breath

Happy Anniversary my beloved. It's been a blast.....

The Wife x