Never can say goodbye ...

Hello my lovelies! It seems a long time since I was here, it's only been 2 weeks, but I didn't really feel I had anything interesting to say, so I didn't ...

Have just had a lovely weekend because Jacob came home (he didn't make it last weekend, due to the bad weather in Leeds, and he was worried about getting back for work) and we had our Christmas dinner in February yesterday.  It felt really hard saying goodbye at the station this morning, because for the first time really, I've realised that he's never coming home to live again.  On visits, yes, but not actually to live here.  I'm glad he's got the confidence to live away from home, but it doesn't make it easier for us mothers when our chicks fly the nest. He seemed very grown-up and mature all of a sudden ... and brought me flowers!

Last weekend, to cheer ourselves up (!) because Jacob wasn't coming home, me an Millie went to see Les Miserables at the cinema.  If you haven't seen it, I can thoroughly recommend it.  I bawled all the way through, much to Millie's horror!

I've broken my 'no spend' rule and received  a couple of parcels recently ...

a little tin picture, that I thought would look lovely in my imaginary caravan/camper van  (one day, one day ...)

a nice new doormat as my old one is looking a bit threadbare ...

a metal verdigris heart (not that I actually need any more hearts, but there you go!)

and a pretty parcel from the lovely Miss CK ...

this actually contains my birthday present,  but I'll give you a sneaky little peek ...

I somehow don't think I can restrain from wearing it until the beginning of March!

I've had a few nice thrifty finds - a pretty glass bonbon dish, some lovely silver-plated dessert spoons and cake forks,  and a handy glass jelly mould ... these look good planted up with spring bulbs!

On the upcycling front, my dear friend Shazza told me she'd like a dresser, and did I think I could find one for her? The very next day I found one ... a lovely little Dutch dresser, just crying out to be prettified!

This is the top of it, before we got cracking with the Annie Sloan!

 And this is the whole thing a few hours later.  Sharon is still waiting for some new china cups to arrive and then it will be complete.  I think she's pleased with it ...

Before I go, I have a little Giveaway for you ... a pre-loved book which came to me via Annie @ knitsofacto called The Fine Colour of Rust.

 It's a feel-good, easy read and if you'd like to read it, just let me know and I'll drop your name in a hat and pick one out next Monday 11 February.  All you have to do once you've read it, is advertise it on your blog as a giveaway, fill in the card inside with your name and then send it on.  It's been all over the place so far!

Talking of good reads, I'm really enjoying Birdsong at the moment ... the tv series was very popular last year, but the book is much, much better ... unputdownable in fact!

I'd like to take this opportunity to say hello to all my lovely new followers ... you're always welcome here!

It's a hard life ..

Have a wonderful week, and see you soon!

Love, Claire xxx