PLEASE MR POSTMAN ...

Hello everyone, when the weather is as bad as it has been these last few days (or weeks) if you have a day off there is nothing nicer than making a cup of tea and sitting at the Big Computer (can't see the pictures as well on my ipad) and catching up on your favourite blogs.  

A good few years ago I found my first blog completely by accident while looking for a crocheting pattern on Google.  It was the lovely Lucy's blog attic24, which I am sure lots of you are familiar with, and I was completely drawn in.  I started to look at the blogs Lucy liked and the rest is history! 

In those early days I never thought that I would have a blog of my own, I just liked looking at the lovely images, getting inspiration for my own home, and even suggestions for what to cook for tea! Now I have my own, I love the way we all exchange views, recommend items and share a bit of our lives with each other.

Through my bloggy friends I have received a couple of lovely parcels this past week ...

A while ago,  miss-thrifty gave a link to a competition for the Diamond Jubilee which had loads of prizes and one in particular interested me.  It was from Graham and Brown, the wallpaper specialists, offering a roll of Jubilee wallpaper ...

I had never seen anything like this, so had to enter, because it was so me ... and I won a roll! (So did Miss-Thrifty!) As it is only one roll, I am going to have think very carefully what to do with it ... ideas on a postcard please!

I couldn't get a good picture of it as the light is so bad today, so have had to doctor it a bit so it isn't wishy washy ... the colours are more muted than this, but it's absolutely gorgeous, and so vintage! I am thinking of painting my bathroom in the salmony pink colour (and my roll-top bath) and papering the back wall beside the bath with the paper.  If I do this, will definitely show you how it turns out. I know it's very girly, but I do have a small shower room which gets used all the time and the bathroom is only ever used as a bathroom by me and my daughter.  The male members of the family just use it to get a towel out of the airing cupboard and splatter toothpaste and hair products all over the walls!

Another recommendation I had was via evelyn-may, who was hosting a giveaway which was won by my friend Maria of rosey tinted spectacles.  Evelyn-May recommended the Pretty Nostalgic magazine, and if you purchase a years subscription via her blog and mention who recommended it, you also get free the Pretty Nostalgic book.  So pop over to her blog, because I can easily say, it is very well worth it!

Maria was actually at my home yesterday, and we were having lunch when the postman called with this beautiful book ...

 the images are gorgeous, and the book is divided into chapters, with seasonal features and loads of ideas for titivating your home ...

There is a great 'make do and mend' ethos throughout, which I totally identify with! It encourages you to make use of what you have instead of going to the shops an spending a fortune on stuff that has a short shelf and becomes dated almost immediately ...

 It also encourages you to explore your own style and not follow the herd by having everything that everyone else has.

Loads of old fashioned hints and tips ...

  And lots of sayings that you don't hear nowadays ...

I don't want to reveal too much, but can honestly say that I pored over this divine book all yesterday evening, but on opening it again today to do this post, have found loads more things to look at.  It is absolutely jam-packed with images, old advertisments and household hints.

If you do nothing else this week, buy a subscription to this magazine, because it is £36 for the year (6 copies of the magazine) and this book is £25 rrp on its own.  Believe me, you will thank me!

Have a lovely week!

Love, Claire xxx