A new bedroom for Anya

 

I thought I'd share a few pictures of Anya's new bedroom.  The reason why is that we have worked so hard recently on three rooms (simultaneously) and are now so happy to finally give her the space she deserves.  To say the least, her sleeping arrangements over the past few months have left a lot to be desired, yet she never once complained.  And her little face when she walked into her finished room, a look of pure joy.

My aim from the beginning was to avoid the typical fairies and ballerinas, to have many different colours as well as pink and to create a room which could evolve with her age over the coming years.  At the same time, I had to remind myself that it was her space and should reflect her own tastes as well as mine.

Our whole house is filled with second-hand, thrifted furniture and the odd item which has been handed down.  This is a look which pleases us and we find that wood and natural materials age so well.  Therefore in Anya's new room, I repainted old furniture, dug out vintage linens which have been collected over the years and tried to create storage systems which are more eco-conscious/aesthetic than plastic boxes.  I love the metal trunk and will definitely be adding more to other rooms.  
 

 

Ebbs and flows

Recently I've woken up every day with the desire to have a day free of commitments; to pull on my wellington boots, grab my camera and trek through the countryside.  Life is full at the moment, every day seems planned in advance.  I know that things will ease off soon, as we come to the end of our current renovations and a few personal projects will be proudly finished.  And then I'll get to pull on my muddy boots.  

I love the simplicity of everyday moments; watching my kids draw pictures, chatting over mugs of tea with loved ones, hanging laundry in the garden, Sunday walks, morning cuddles with warm, sleepy children and catching up with my husband in the evenings over a glass of wine...

These small, insignificant moments which mean the most.

1.  our Geraniums are still going strong

2 and 3.  he has spent so much time this week drawing and colouring.  The omy giant poster has been such a huge success that he'll receive another for his upcoming birthday

4, 5 and 6.  real life is outside

7.  I'm in love with this vintage sheet from the charity shop, the faded blue and the florals are so pretty

  

Welcome autumn.

Fresh garden roses and a walk around our local château.  Little things to lift the spirits. 

This past week my resilience has been tested and having such a loving, supportive family has helped me to cope.  It's true that age brings wisdom and a certain clarity on life about what's important, what can be edited and what should be cherished.  I no doubt still have a lot to learn but feel that I've grown wiser over the past couple of years.  Perhaps through seeing loved ones disappear from life unexpectedly or watching as the children grow so fast, I've come to realize how fragile and fleeting our time is.  I also see now so clearly that family means everything to me.  I remember a conversation with my wise, old grandmother a few years ago when times were tough and my husband had just been made redundant.  She said as long as we were clean, well-fed, warm and that we had each other then the rest didn't matter.  How right she was.  I think family and love are indeed all that matters.

 

 

Mr Sticks and Stones.