Home is where the heart is ...

A Thrifty Tale ...

Summer's Last Hurrah

Even though Autumn isn't officially here this year until 22 September, Summer seems to have run out of the door long ago, and Autumn has elbowed her way in.  As a childminder, I am lucky to work from home, and at the moment, only mind children before and after school, so I have all day to potter about at home.  (I have been doing the school run to the same school for 22 years non-stop!)

 I have noticed subtle hints around my home that it's getting to the time of year when we start to snuggle up and batten down the hatches ... I have at last found some blackberries, a bit late this year, and they're soaking ready to be turned into blackberry vodka (more about this later), and bramble jelly.

Bit of siege mentality going on in my pantry I think ... getting ready for the Big Freeze! ...

Note to self: Must organise Pantry!!

Spring bulbs, waiting to be planted (courtesy of Poundland!)

My secondhand new from car boot sale Autumn curtains ... fully lined 110" long, and all for £10 (and they'd just been dry-cleaned)

Cosy corner ...

Lots of lovely reading matter, to curl up on the sofa with ...

And a picture of H to remind us of summer days long ago ...

More lovely reads ... the Sophie Dahl hardback is in Tesco at the moment for a funny price, I think it's £4.82.

and the new Autumn magazines ... can I just say, I don't read magazines nearly as much as I used to ... I get all my lovely ideas from Blogland!

Wellies and scarves waiting by the door ... and my favourite chair left to me by the lovely lady who I got the faux leopard coat from ...

My favourite bag of all time, which I bought from lovely Sophie at fading grace, such gorgeous Autumnal colours!

The fireplace in my back room ... there is a thrifty story behind this! I spied the woodburning stove at a car boot sale for the princely sum of £15 but before I'd even had the chance to reply, the stallholder said "but you can have it for £12".  Well, you have to act fast, as there were other people hovering, so home it came with me.  It is actually a fake electric one, but we couldn't afford a real one and didn't want the fuss and mess of having one installed.  I just wanted  'the look'.

Our focal point in the back room at that point was an orange pine shelf in the middle of the chimney breast, with 4 terracotta pipes embedded into the wall below, I believe to be used to store wine bottles.  Not attractive at all, and I hasten to add, I do not wish to take the credit for this, it was our home's previous occupants who added this touch of class.  Well, I took the fire home and it just didn't look right against the wall, under the orange pine shelf (but luckily hiding the wine cellar).  So I bought a dirty, sticky, black fire surround for £15 and transformed with a slap of Farrow and Ball (I hadn't discovered Annie then!), sandpaper and wax.

It still didn't look right, so one day when I was out, Steve (bless him!) removed the plaster, and took out several bricks to make the space for the stove, and created a hearth with some old bricks.  I nearly cried when I saw it, because he had got it just right! And all for £27!!

Not a very good picture of these roses, but they are red with hints of gold underneath, they'll be lovely when they open ... from my favourite florists, Aldi!

 Vintage knitting bag with my Royal Wedding/Jubilee/Olympic/Paralympic patriotic WIP blanket poking out (what's the next Great British event? I promise I'll finish it by then!)

  Autumn asters and my little CK Stanley lookalike ...

and lovely pale pink cyclamens in my favourite Emma Bridgewater cup and saucer.

I hope you've enjoyed your little tour of my home, and if you're preparing to cosy up for the long, cold months ahead, I'd love to see!

Oh! and don't forget, my Giveaway is still open to Followers, old and new, home and away ... please click on the link on my sidebar and add your name to the list to be in with a chance to win a lovely vintage, crafty book.

Have a fabulous week ...

Love, Claire xxx