Welcome to my blog! Here you will find a compilation of short stories from up-cycling pre-loved furniture to design tips for the home. There are simple crafts to while away an afternoon and many gift ideas for friends and loved ones. All my stories are written from my beautiful Shepherds Hut in my garden in rural Hampshire.
Read about how Belle came to be. Meet Doris the latest addition to our family and spot The Spotty One photo bombing as I post pictures along the way. And over time, become acquainted with Mr M, Little Miss and Master M, my lovely and wonderfully supportive family.
My background hasn’t always been so creative. For many years I ran a totally unrelated successful small business and when the children were small, I took time out to raise our family. It was during that time I discovered my love for interiors and I took part in several accredited Interior Design courses where I learnt the ‘rules’ and how to break them. More recently I’ve taken part in several blogging courses because as I quickly discovered, you need a few technical skills to help you write a blog!
Now for a little about my style and what I like. I love to up-cycle anything I can. It comes from being married to a man in the business of renovating older properties: by the time we’ve finished the build, there’s not usually too much left to spend on decor! And so I’ve become imaginative with the pennies and other people’s discarded treasures. I tend to follow my heart and not always the rule book when I’m creating my look and I’ve learned to trust my instinct and try many schemes over time. I love the old shabby chic look of faded floral linens and fabrics that tell a story of their past and the simple chippy and faded patina of old wooden furniture that many of us have come to enjoy and include in our homes. I love decorative French Rococo swirls and timeless English country homes each with their aged and vintage pieces. Homes which are clearly lived in and yet still retain a sense of charm and informal design. And I take a little from all of this to create my individual style.
I do hope you like what you read and see and I very much hope you’ll join me each Thursday for all our latest news. And if you’re happy to do so, join in and leave a comment or two so I can get to know you a little better and finally, thank you for being here x
