White Lilac

Fragrant white lilac and apple blossom from the front garden

new spring/summer curtains in duck egg .........it is so nice to take down the long, plain coffee coloured curtains of autumn/winter and hang in their place some shorter, light floral ones in my all time favourite duck egg blue.

 and it's refreshing to replace the cream sofa covers with the old shabby white jacquard ones - now 17 years old but still washing up beautifully!

some comfy thick padded cushions for the kitchen chairs in a pretty taupe floral 

everything is very floral here today.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Thanks for all your comments on my last couple of posts. I am still trying to catch up with you all as well as catching up with the housework, which got a bit neglected these last few weeks whilst Bella was home for Easter, and also continuing with the Spring cleaning and garden when time and weather permits.

Have a great week everyone!

Bluebells, Blossom and Blooms

Blooms in the garden

New book, Pure Style Home by Jane Cumberbatch...........classic and modern country style interiors book with lots of  inspiring photos, lots of gingham checks, stripes and simple white rooms. Originally published in 1996, this edition published in 2014, and it shows how good country style doesn't date.

A new dress pattern too. It's a while since I've made any clothes and I fancy a simple style summer dress. 

I used to make a lot of  my own clothes in my teens and twenties, including silk underwear that I used to sell through a small shop. Apart from a little sewing when Bella was young, I've sewn hardly any clothes for either Bella or myself in recent years, so I reckon it's about time.

I wonder whether I will manage to make it in an hour - I somehow doubt it very much, as all the usual things will go wrong when faced with a throw the gauntlet down challenge like "make it in an hour" which I won't be able to resist trying to achieve, or even beat! 

I will rush and clock-watch to achieve it, and because of that the scissors will be missing, the fabric will need ironing, the bobbin will run out, I will have joined something the wrong way round, or cut out something wrong, I will  prick myself and curse.........I just know it won't be plain sailing.

So watch this space.........!!!!!

Bluebells in the woods

We knew we were in for a treat even before we saw the blue band of bluebells on the edge of the woods as we could smell the wonderful scent across the open fields as we approached.

Blossom in the orchards

The fragrance of apple blossom in the orchards was amazing too, and the blossoms so beautiful.

Couldn't resist the blossom against blue sky photos!

 

So much beauty this Spring.

I hope you are enjoying some beauty this Spring too.

Been busy............

Been busy in the garden.............

...........sowing seeds, potting on seedlings, taking cuttings, moving plants, weeding, digging the vegetable beds......and a bit of just enjoying the garden in the Spring sunshine.

Been busy out and about, including walking in the woodlands and estate at Chartwell in Kent, once the home of Sir Winston Churchill and now owned by the National Trust..............

........where we saw alpacas and bluebells.............

Been busy sewing.......making a present for my daughter.............and celebrating her Birthday

the applique hearts are made from scraps, some vintage and some more recent, and some from clothing when Bella was little - so a special cushion for a home-loving girl! 

( The green small floral goes way back 40 odd years when I remember my Mum making a dress for my little sister from it, and the pink and red floral and red polka dot are from a little skirt Bella wore when she was 5 or 6 )

Been busy crocheting a round floor mat for the bathroom...........using some of Beverley's hand coloured yarn from the giveaway win. 

Pattern from Erica Knight's Essential Crochet.

......and been busy making another crochet washcloth..........

But above all I have been busy enjoying the company of my daughter home from uni for the Easter hols, so sorry I haven't been busy on my blog!

Hope you are all well and enjoying the sunnier Spring weather. Sorry I haven't been visiting in Blogland for a while, will be over to catch up with you soon.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend - Happy Easter!