Angel Jem's City Cottage

I really need to introduce you to my latest hooky love, before it gets finished and I end up not telling you the back story. Let me show you what I'm on about first; World, meet Autumn Ripple Blanket (Autumn for short). You see, I have a granny square with flowers and a black background blanket that I'm desperate to finish for my bedroom, and a list of decorative items I'd like to do for Autumn and Christmas, so I sat down last week to make an Autumn Inspirations board on Pinterest (like you do) and made this; https://www.pinterest.com/angeljem5/autumn-and-fall/ and I loved the colours and the feelings it aroused in me. Colour-wise I am a warm autumn, but very often misbehave and don't wear them (long reason; won't say now) but I do love them, and the whole Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness bit, so the board keeps filling up with pure autumnal inspiration. Until this one hits my eye. From The Glamorous Housewife's site . And the colours are be...

Yes, it's a day late, but it's here at least. What am I reading this week? The Goldfinch  by Donna Tartt. We're reading it at bookclub in September and I decided to try and read it far enough in advance. I've really enjoyed it, although I recognise there are parts that are very long that other people haven't enjoyed. But I read Dickens for fun, so no probs there. And some Brocante Home books. I enjoy reading Alison's writing (except for the apostrophes! They're everywhere!) and she makes me feel like homemaking can be enjoyabe because it is an act of love for me and the house. I'm going to get a system set up for September so that I can keep on top of the housework. I've been reading  The Vintage Housekeepers Circle  and really enjoying it. It's a set of posts that were published on Brocante Home but only available to the Vintage Housekeeper's Circle members. The posts cover about a year, and include seasonal advice on Autumn, Ch...

We lived in a different house. I had a 2 1/2 year old toddler. I had fish and chips for tea. I read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for pain relief. And at 10.30pm this little scrawny baby was born. He's a lot bigger and a lot hairier than he was then, but still cute. And today we celebrated his birthday. With a homemade card; A homemade cake; Plenty of presents (mostly computer based) And an hour locked in a game room in Liverpool. It was really good fun. I need to blog about it, but that will have to wait until I have time. And I could wax lyrical about how proud of him I am, because I am, or how loving he is when he still snuggles up for a kiss on the top of his head, although now he looms in and bends down for his kiss rather than stretching up for a hug, but I can imagine him  making vomiting noises, or rolling his eyes at me and saying things like "Mum, how could you let me down!" So I won't. I'll just repeat, quietly,...

I would love to show you my completed bedroom this sunny Tuesday morning; but life's not like that. Yesterday I worked through 4 hours of one to one tuition; very intensive, very much an hour of deep thinking all the time. So my much hoped for finishing off time didn't happen. And today is Son Number Two's 15th birthday, so it won't happen today (but I hope to be back later with a report on what we did... exciting times, I hope!) Instead there are a few promising shots, with a full reveal to come (possibly this weekend!!)  This is the view up my bed. The village cushions came from Dunelm Mill (£5.00 each) while the smaller cushions were presents that have quotes to live by!  The house cross stitch above the bed was made by me in 1992, the year before we married. I will take a picture of it sometime without the great glare from the window. The dotty duvet comes from the centre of my interior design world, Dunelm Mill, while my bedside chest is both my bedside ...

A quick and easy set of meals this week; it's holidays, I only want to faff with cooking if I can be bothered to, so meals in the summertime are either tremendously easy or unutterably complicated! We had a lovely meal last night of char sui pork, using a recipe from Gok Wan's Chinese cook book, Gok Cooks Chinese . Monday; Schnitzel and noodles. Aldi do breaded pork schnitzel, and we'll have them with a past in tomato sauce. Tuesday; James' birthday. I've asked him what he wants and had no answer so far; it may be Sainsbury's pizzas or Domino's best two for Tuesday. Wednesday; Hoisin Chicken and potato. The chicken recipe is again from Gok Cooks Chinese and uses the other half of the hoisin sauce we used on Sunday. Thursday; Pork belly with chorizo and baby potato roast. Friday; I don't know. I may just go and see what tickles my fancy at Aldi. Saturday; Fajitas with minced beef and plenty of salad. Sunday;  Sichuan Chicken. Can you tell I fo...

I love how when the holiday has been going for a length of time, the days cease to have names. They roll along with nothing to decide the difference between them except if you are doing something or going somewhere and have decided the day in advance. And I love how this holiday I have been busy (very) so that even when I am at home I have been doing, or busy with housework or planning more things to do around the house. And that the rush to be up or go out or entertain the children that controlled me other years has gone. We have hung around together, but been very happy at home. The boys have played on their computers, S has been reading and reading and reading, while I paint or clean or sort. I've sent bags of rubbish to the tip and at least 10 bags of clothes, books, things and more things to charity. Slow living at its very best. But we have got out, we have been to a couple of places of interest, sometimes shopping but sometimes not.  Last Sunday we went to ...