Holiday!

That is it. I am honestly sick of the cold and am now planning my escape to somewhere hot.

Many moons ago I stayed in a wonderful thatched cottage with simple rustic furniture deep in the jungle. The early morning mist would rise in the valley and engulf me whilst I swung in a hammock drinking my early morning brew. Wonderful!
Holidays where you are herded from A to B to C does not appeal to me and so my wanderlust spirit loves this kind of unscripted environment where the animals are all wonderful and sometimes dangerous.
Just thinking of it makes me feel a little less cold!!!

How do you plan to escape from the dreary weather? - (assuming you are experiencing that where you are.)


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Spring Clean

Yes, I know it isn't spring, but I use the new year to evaluate the 'things' I have around me and if there are items that could be cleaned, used, thrown away, given to relatives/friends or to the local charity shop.
It just seems an opportune time to clear the cobwebs of the previous year away and embrace the new with a clean slate. Plus, changing the window dressings, wiping down walls, vacuuming behind places that can be easily overlooked, rearranging furniture, throwing out chipped or cracked items, old bedding and that chair that has been in the shed for x number of years which one has not got around to repairing... - is good mind and body exercise.
Why don't we try it together?

Sorry I was away for so long!


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Red Bedroom

Continuing the red theme, here is a bedroom which is so over-the-top it is untrue. Click the image to increase the size - the details show up more.
Throw things together and then some more! You either love it or hate it.


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Red Kitchen

Red can be quite a scary over-powering color but here, in a kitchen, it is shown off beautifully. This kitchen has a lot of natural light flooding in through the windows, the dark worktops help to ground the high color and the chandelier...is just great!!

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Red Lounge

If you have just moved into new accommodation and your sofas appear to have seen better days then here's a tip. Measure your sofas without the cushions, length, breadth and width ways. Add on a few inches up to 6 inches either way to allow for tucking in, etc.

Decide on a color and whether you suffer from skin irritations or not - you don't want to buy a wool blend if you are allergic to wool! 

Consider if you want to have hard or soft fabrics. Take a picture of your room and of the sofa - if you have a digital camera or camera on your cell phone then no need to print your images - just take your equipment with you!

Head on down to your local fabric store - and choose a washable fabric.

Adorn your sofas!

Easy, reasonably priced and when it gets scuffed you can throw it into the washing machine.

Oh, and if you would rather avoid the 'house of ill repute' look of a red bulb (which I love, incidentally) then use colored shades, soft tone bulbs and dimmer switches. Candles also add to the cozy ambience. 

Bedroom - Neutral

When I moved into my apartment my aim was to not clutter the place with trinkets and baubles and so I decided on key pieces and only purchased those. For four months I lived with the bare essentials: a bed, 1 sofa, a chest of drawers, and a small occasional table. 

That was a great experience and ensured I brought into my home only the furniture that I really needed.

My bedroom is calming and peaceful -  like this one but with less furniture!

My Dinner Party

Finally, I have agreed to have a dinner party for 3 of my dear friends. I have decided to keep it small and as I am redecorating my house, have decided to hold it in my apartment in the city.

Unfortunately, due to my culinary past, my amigas expect much from me and I aim to please!

Here is my provisional  menu:

Welcome Drink: Granita Champagne

Canapes (see above image)

Starter: Crab Confit with vinaigrette

Main course: Duck on a sweet potato and parsnip rosti with, asparagus and cranberry and orange jus

Dessert/Pudding: Raspberry and Marscapone cream with Almond Tuille biscuits

Selection of cheeses and a variety of homemade savoury biscuits

Wine will be served throughout the meal - both red and white. Coffee will be served at the end of the meal.

I have tried to do items which can be prepared well in advance and so am able to spend more time with my guests. 

Hopefully they will enjoy my menu - expect some images here of the food sometime after the dinner party on 24th October. 

Any suggestions??!

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Eco-Living

I sometimes wonder how future generations will live. [Click the image for a larger view.]

I am fascinated by this idea. Will we be more 'eco-focused'? Will beauty and aesthetics be enmeshed with practicality and an awareness of our environment?

You can read about this fascinating project here.

Do you like it?

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Window Box

I lived in a small apartment for a while and yearned for a large garden yet living in a big city often meant I had hardly enough time to breathe never mind tend a garden. I decided that I would bring a little bit of greenery inside and outside my home. First I decided to utilize my window sill as much as possible without detracting from my kitchen. I bought a small terracotta trough with a matching waterproof tray and planted tomatoes, Tigerella, actually. Beside that I grew mint, basil and parsley - because they were easy and I used them a lot. I had a tiny area outside and added a few pots with hostas and lavender.

Would you believe: Now I have a garden that is far too big I remember that small space with fondness!?

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Wooden Floor

Nothing beats a solid wooden floor in terms of beauty, style and feel. Carpets are fine but can look very grubby rather quickly, are expensive and need replacing after a certain period of time.

In my last home I had beautiful hardwood floors and in my current home solid oak floors have been installed and the old carpet consigned to the skip! I truly love it although if you are in a cold area you might want to consider having underfloor heating as well as your wooden floor.

The initial expense is worth it and the value it adds to a home could be more than 10% if completed properly.

Oh, well - on with the rest of the house! 

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Bedroom

This is an excellent example of how to manage a small bedroom. This room is long and narrow yet it has a very large bed which doesn't overwhelm the space. The high ceiling, brickwork and light-fitting, which adds a very slight sense of drama, work together very well.  

Do you agree?

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Wallpaper and Flowers

If you are someone who goes the whole hog then you will appreciate this combination - the bold and the beautiful!

I think this could work as an accent area, that is, on a wall or small area of the room - behind shelves possibly. There's a certain shabby chic feel to it and this is easy to achieve. Be careful with the pattern as you wouldn't want it to overwhelm everything or make a small dark space even more so.

 A beautifully simple floral arrangement works and you could use pale yellow or white or red.

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