Blue Monday ...

Hello my lovelies, Happy Blue Monday to you! Today is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year ... it's the annual low-point ...  post-Christmas, failed resolutions, financial gloominess and to top it all, grey dismal weather! I hope you're not too down-in-the-dumps ... I'm not!

With grateful thanks to Google!

I quite like Mondays, because I have the house to myself after the weekend, and don't usually get dressed ** until I've cleaned the house from top to bottom.  I know I'm strange, but I quite like cleaning, once I've got started, and love the feeling of having a clean house. Get some cleaning tips here ... After breakfast, I'll set to ...

January always feels like a new start for me too ... planning the vegetable plot and rearranging the garden in my mind, are both pleasant 'January Jobs'.  I also have the urge to declutter and clean out cupboards in readiness for Spring and think it makes much more sense to 'Spring' clean in the dark, gloomy days of Winter than in the bright, mild days of March and April, when time could be more pleasantly spent outdoors.

Last summer seems so long ago! x

January also gives me more time to make ... I'm building up a stock for upcoming fairs, and making pictures for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day ... any kind of day! (perhaps a Blue Monday one?)

This one was made for a friend you may have met before ...

Today Harry is coming home for a few days as he's just finished his exams at Uni, and is bringing his new girlfriend to meet us.  I've been 'girlifying' Jacob's room for her ... I'd quite like to move in myself! It's amazing how just a few accessories can transform a room ... all I added were some lace curtains, a few floral cushions and a vase of daffodils (all of which are easily removed when Jacob comes home!) and the room is transformed from lad's pad to a cosy, feminine bedroom. This is how it looks now, but I didn't do a before ... not very aesthetically pleasing, I'm afraid!

I feel at a bit of a crossroads lately, but in an exciting sort of way ... do I take opportunities that present themselves, or do I trust in myself and build on what I have to offer? Decisions, decisions ... it's not always right to take the easy path, sometimes we need to make that leap into the unknown ... Halfway down the stairs, a bit like Ruby ...

This is just a short post today, my lovelies, as I need to get my cleaning cloths out and get scrubbing ... so I'll love you and leave you, but what are you getting on with to beat the Winter blues? I'd really love to know ...

Have a fabulously colourful Monday!

Love Claire xxx

** I'm not a 'naked cleaner' ... I do it in my pyjamas!

All is quiet ... on New Year's Day

Happy New Year, my lovelies, and I hope you've all had a lovely time? We don't really 'do' New Year's Eve here at Thriftwood, so after a festive bowl of ice-cream, laced with the last of the Bailey's off we went to bed at about 10.30.  Harry thoughtfully brought the New Year in noisily at about 4am, but thanks to my industrial strength earplugs, I slept through it ...

Looking back over the year, it's not been a bad one ... a lovely summer, with lots of sunshine and al fresco dining, one or two mishaps that are not worth dwelling on any longer, but best of all, my family were all safely gathered in for Christmas, and for this alone I feel very lucky.

It was Christmas Day in the Workhouse ...

Christmas has now almost completely been removed; although I love preparing for it, and enjoy the rituals that go with it, for me, once it's over ... it's over.  The trees are down, the baubles wrapped and packed away, but usually there is always a little something, lurking somewhere, that I've completely forgotten about, that will make itself known in the middle of January ...

I don't know about you, but this year I'm not going to make long lists of resolutions that are unachievable, and will just make me feel bad when they fail ... this year I am taking for myself one word ...

SIMPLIFY

I am going to try to simplify my life ... not in one great sweep but in small ways.  I am going to take each day as it comes, and try to simplify something each day.  For a start I want to stop making mountains out molehills, one of my major faults! Rome wasn't built in a day, but if I try to turn a negative into a positive, it will be a step in the right direction.

I am going to cut down on spending (even more!), simplify the way we shop, cook and eat. I want to simplify my surroundings and I want to rid myself of things that clutter up my head with unnecessary thoughts and not give them a moment of my time. If I need something new, I want to first make sure I haven't already got it, or something that will fit the purpose.

This year, when asked what I wanted for Christmas, instead of saying I didn't mind, I asked for things that I need and use all the time.  My favourite shower gel, moisturiser, make up etc, were all given to me and now I have drawersful of my favourite things which I won't have to go out and replace when I run low. 

From my lovely husband, among other things, I received a voucher for 6 sessions of sewing lessons at one of my favourite shops, Suzie B's ... I can't wait to start in the New Year and will keep you posted of my progress! Each session something different is made, a cushion, bag, doll ... I can't actually imagine being able to do this, but have wanted to for ages so this is my chance ...

Now the decorations are down, I'm filling the bare spaces with bowls of Spring bulbs, which brighten up the dullest corner with colour and scent.  It's just a tiny reminder that this bleak, wet and windy Winter weather won't last forever, and that Spring is in fact, just round the corner ... Not wanting to wish my life away though, I'm going to use this time to plan for the year ahead ... family time, finances, home, garden and Thriftwood Vintage ... although no longer contained in a shop, still my passion! I'm looking forward to this year's fairs, my second garden sale in the summer, and meeting lots of lovely people in the process. 

So how about you? Do you want to join me in simplifying our lives or are your lives as simple as can be? Maybe you love the hustle and bustle of a busy life and can't think of anything worse than living simply? 

I'd love to know ...

Love, Claire xxx

Wake me up, when September ends ...

Autumn is now in full swing, the long, heady days of Summer are finally over, and there's a distinct 'nip' in the air. The nights are drawing in, it's getting dark much earlier, and it's time to snuggle up and batten down the hatches.  I've been making a few changes indoors too ...

Bye-bye, Summertime

The Summer shelves have been taken down, dusted, and stowed away until next year ...

Hello,  Autumn!

...  and replaced with more seasonal objects ...

Is the weather good when the pine cones are open? I can never remember ... though I think it may be something to do with rain ... if the rain gets in they will rot, so they close up ... I may be making this up ...

Not a very good pic, but I just love this amazing tea set.  I think it is from the 1930's, when my house was built, so it fits right in!

Thrifted granny blankies are piled on the sofa, along with the hooky bag ... my evenings are sorted now!

All are safely gathered in ...

and turned into the most unlikely things! Chocolate Courgette Cake ... absolutely amazing ... please just try it, even my veggie hating lil sis was fooled!

We've been foraging amongst the hedgerows ... They are absolutely brimming with voluptuous, purple-black bounty this year.  Lots more to come too, as there were many unripe and still some in flower ... my freezer will be groaning this year ...

The old jam pan has seen a lot of action this year!

I think I've cheated, and this picture is of Strawberry Jam, but I've been making that too, with the last of the British strawberries.

The treacle tins come into their own at this time of the year ...

And old faithfuls come out of hiding once more ...

 I've even brought the garden bench in, to get warm by the fire!

Thinking fairy lights may be needed here ...

A really lovely book to snuggle on the sofa with ... Vintage Home from Sarah Moore ... only £5.99 from The Works ... my heart skipped a beat when I saw this, as it was on my wish list!

Stairway to heaven ... another basic need ...

I'd like to thank you for all your concerned comments about my last post ... Harry didn't get the best start to University living, but I'm so proud of him, for coping so admirably with everything that life's thrown at him these last couple of weeks ... his unusual arrival at university, then a broken laptop, and to top it all his student account hadn't been activated, so he has had no (and still hasn't) access to cash, because of the bank's mistake.

He had to come home the first weekend (Fresher's) to sort the latter two out, and on the train saw little Minnie Micra on the top of the scrapheap, minus her wheels.  I have to admit, I shed a little tear ....

I've got lots of fairs coming up, The Pop-Up Shop in Ulverston is coming back on 5th October, which I'm looking forward to, and my calendar is filling up rapidly ... going to be busy, busy, busy ... but never, ever too busy to catch up with my favourite bloggy friends!

Hope you all have a fabulous, golden, week!

Love from Claire xxx

Down in a green and shady bed, a modest violet grew ...

Good morning lovelies!

What better way than to be greeted with a beautiful bunch of hand-picked wild flowers? These gorgeous displays are part of the setting at Violet & The Peapod, the unique and very lovely teashop which I visit often.  I was very lucky to actually work there a couple of weeks ago ...

The cakes are all home made on the premises throughout the day, so the smells of home baking mingle with the scent of fresh flowers ... a very heady mix! Kris, the owner of Violet's, is a food tech teacher in her other life, so the quality is first class ... Mary Berry eat your heart out!

The iced gingerbread is always very popular, as is the delicious double chocolate cake, above.

Ahem, this is my contribution! I mentioned to Kris that I hadn't made a Swiss roll since I was about 14, and weren't they very complicated? With that the mixing bowl was placed in front of me and I made a Black Cherry and Chocolate Roulade!

 It wasn't to Kris's high standard, but some did get sold, and I took the rest home, where it was wolfed down before it reached the tin eaten with relish. Not literally, as that wouldn't be a good combination.

Ooh, decisions, decisions!

Kris also sells genuine vintage clothes, and I can just imagine Jackie Kennedy wearing this gorgeous pink lace suit in the 60's ... unfortunately it is only a size 6 to 8, so I'll definitely have to lay off the cake for a little while ...

Everyone is encouraged to have a try-on!

 I always think coming to Violet's reminds me very much of tea at my Nana's house.  Crisp, embroidered tablecloths, rosy china, spotless white walls with shelves overflowing with treasures.  The nice thing is that complete strangers start chatting to each other, the staff pull up a chair and join in ... it's that sort of place, everyone feels welcome and you could quite easily go there alone, which is something I'm not usually comfortable about doing.

This pair of lovebirds recently celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary, and came to Violet's to celebrate.  They visit every week, and I love to hear their tales.  Mary is also an accomplished cook and has appeared on tv several times ... this just shows the quality of the cakes served here, as Mary is often called upon to judge at country fairs! Isn't the dress in the background gorgeous? Very 'Granny Chic', don't you think?

If ever you are lucky enough to visit the lovely market town of Ulverston, South Cumbria, don't forget to pop into Violet's (down the ginnel next to Tesco), open Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  You won't be sorry!

Back home I've been getting my house ready for Summer.  Looking out of the window today, the hot days of the last fortnight seem a distant memory! I change my curtains and cushions for lighter, flowery ones, and sort my shelves out ...

I remember doing this last year when we had so much to celebrate! Where does the time go?

I love to pick up unusual seaside mugs on my travels ...

Very Enid Blyton!

A lovely lady from Jamaica ...

And this lively, vibrant couple ... aren't they fabulous? I spotted the gentleman, shaking his maraccas, high up on a wall in a furniture warehouse, thinking he looked a bit lonely.  On my way out, his lovely lady was shaking her booty by the door, so they were soon reunited.  They scrubbed up really well ...

Unlike poor Dolly Button! I was treasure hunting with Millie when she spotted this poor little rag doll hiding under a pile of rags.  She said we couldn't just leave her there, so home she came with us.  The young man in the warehouse always gives me very strange looks when I lug my pile of old tat precious items to him to tot up.  I knew that he was thinking Millie was also slightly deranged. Anyway, we took Dolly home, I washed her not once, not twice, but seven times and still couldn't get her clean.  In the end I removed all her clothes, put her in a pillow case, and washed on a very gentle wash.  Unfortunately a lot of her innards fell out, so it is going to be a real labour of love renovating her.  Millie seems to have gone off the idea ...

I'll just leave you with this sentiment ...

Until next time, my lovelies, enjoy your days ...

Love, Claire xxx