Tuesday 3 July 2012

Home-making, baking and faffing about

Was it really only last week that I was on holiday?   My first day back at work, predictably, was super busy but I managed to get completely up to date and there are now just three emails in my inbox which require attention today.  Smug.

We had taken an extra day off on Friday to finish off our holiday so it was nice to have a long weekend.  Having unpacked and tidied everything away the night before, we were able to spend Friday doing nice things.  We were up early and headed straight for Milton Keynes to run a few errands (returning library books etc) and drove from there to Bedford (with a takeout flat white, natch).  As regular readers will know, Friday is pocket money day (yay!) and I wanted to treat myself to some blooms from my favourite florist.  It's only a small shop but I spend ages in there in admiring the flowers and trinkets.  I chose a selection of country cottage-style flowers and they look beautiful on the dining table.


Of course, we nipped through Primark where I bought yet more pretty tea towels, PJs and a nice cheapy pair of leopard print ballet pumps.  By one o'clock we were safely ensconced in a nearby village pub, tucking into proper scampi and chips and downing large glasses of ice cold white wine. 

We picked up the pooch from my MILs on Friday night - as always, she was super happy to see us and looked pretty as a picture in a little pink bow  having been freshly bathed and trimmed the day before (the pooch, not the MIL).  


J was with us again this weekend and the three of us spent the whole time cosying up in the living room together, reading, watching Harry Potter movies and playing about with our phones/ipads.  We left the house just twice, both times to walk the dog.  If J eats well, sleeps well and gets a bit of fresh air when he comes to stay, I feel I've done my bit as a stepmum!  

It was nice to have time to mooch around the house with nothing very important to do.  As well as buying a proper bunch of flowers in Bedford, I also bought a couple of bunches of sweet williams at the Co-op and filled a few pots and jugs with them around the house.

I love this old marmalade pot I bought for pennies at a local antique centre but it isn't the most water-tight of vessels and I have to use this little vintage saucer/bowl thingy to catch the drips.
I have a teeny obsession with vintage Wee Willy Winkie candle holders

As if that wasn't enough, I came home to find that my sweet peas had positively blossomed and I was greeted by a tangle of colour and fragrance (cue: a happy little jig on the lawn).  Having been reliably informed that they will regrow with gusto if I snip, I (gingerly) chopped the majority off and filled a few vintage bottles with the stems.


There is a little posy of sweet peas on each of our bedside tables, too.

To my mind, there is no better way to bond with your home after a holiday than to fling open the windows, put out some flowers, make fresh coffee and bake a batch of something delicious.  I made plain scones to have with clotted cream and jam after lunch on Sunday:  always a crowd-pleaser and takes just minutes.


I store all of my ingredients in these jars on a shelf in the kitchen.  I think they look lovely, and a little bit 'homespun'! 

On Sunday evening I finally got round to applying floral decals to a couple of glass mugs that I bought ages ago.   I'm chuffed with the result.  I have got a large rose decal to use on a little milking stool that I bought and gave the Annie Sloan treatment to a while ago.  I'll blog that when I've done it, but I know it will look gorge!




So that's how I settled happily back into ordinary everyday life after a delicious week in the sun.  I started work yesterday refreshed, relaxed and raring to go.

Hope you had a nice weekend, too! 

Kisses.

Nicki 

x

PS - Sorry that I've just reused my Instagram images, I know it's a bit lame.  Sometimes it's just such a palaver to get my big girl camera out and the iphone is sooo easy to take little snaps of my life throughout the day.  I'll try harder next time :-)

22 comments:

  1. What a lovely post and those little snaps of your life are just right. Remember the saying "It's not about the camera" ... it's about having a camera with you that counts!

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  2. That decal is a beauty, where is it from?

    Lexie

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  3. Loving the decals on the glass mugs! What did you use to stick them on?
    Victoria xx

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  4. Gorgeous post beauty. Isn't it pleasing to clear your in box?! I can almost smell those gorge floral treats. Lizzie (lizzy?) looks fab!!! What is decal? Is it a transfer???? X x x x

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  5. It's lovely to be back in your own home comforts after a holiday, although it is generally rubbish to come home to the weather and such!

    I love all of your vases, flowers and trinkets. Such a lovely post!

    You have a gorgeous home.x

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  6. It all looks perfect to me. And I think everyone is getting used to the vintagey look of Instagram so why worry about the camera. I'm guessing your phone is as much a part of settling back in after your hols as flowers and baking and crafty bits and bobs :D

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  7. Ahhh that sounds a positively fab first weekend back after you hols. I love the flowers you chose. I can't wait to start filling the house with flowers again once we hopefully move! And next year I hope to be able to grow some of my own too! Though next year may be a bit of an adventurous wish! Lovely, inspiring post as always chick! Just fabbo :)

    Love & hugs,

    Jo x x x

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  8. Lovely post, and what a gorgeous home you have! I would love to have more fresh flowers in the house but hubby is allergic so they are a rare treat! But I have an orchid in a pot :)

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  9. Lovely, lovely flowers and I think your idea of 'pocket money' is inspired! Do you really stick to it each week or do you 'cheat' a bit ;)
    Nicky
    x

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  10. They are really lovely flowers and what a yummy home you have! Sounds like you had a nice chilled weekend, we all need those sometimes don't we?
    Ali
    x

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  11. I love the flowers you got from the Florist - gorgeous! I love flowers and just told a Twitter follower I love them almost as much as shoes, OK maybe not THAT much! There were some beautiful flowers at the wedding I went too last week, did you see my Instagram?

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  12. Such pretty flowers, I like the different style vases you use.
    I really like the rose decal on the glass..how did you put it on? I have seen some on ebay to put on wooden furniture, it this the same kind of decal?
    Have a lovely day today :)
    Magie x

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  13. I hate the return to real life!

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  14. As much as I love going on holiday...I love coming home to my little nest and all the familiar things around me.When I'm away I'm planning all the changes I'm going to make in the house,and the projects I'll do,but more often than not they don't get done!
    Your flowers are so pretty,they always look better(to my mind) in unusual containers,like your lovely marmalade jar. :0)

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  15. Love seeing your sweet peas in bloom, I'm still trying to coax mine along.

    Thanks for sharing the gorgeous shots of your home
    xx

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  16. Lovely post to read. Yes keep cutting your sweetpeas the more you cut the more will come.x

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  17. Beautiful post, flowers, baking and adding prettiness, have a lovely week
    Thea x

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  18. What a lovely idea to prettify the house and embrace coming home. I am usually really evil when I return home from holidays. Maybe its because I am not living somewhere I like; time to change it I think. Lily. xxx

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  19. what a pretty home with so many yummy delights - did you stamp the jars/ I have been looking for ages for a stamper like that....where did you get yours/ Thank you xx

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  20. Your house looks beautiful and I love what you've done to that glass. X

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  21. I'm sur the WI rocks....well it does now!!

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