Last night I met my hero

This post that has nothing to do with interiors, gardens, or cute cottages! 

but...

last night...

I met for the first time...

my hero...

Bruce Springsteen!!!

I am the happiest woman alive today!

Autumn in Devon

Just got back from my soap making workshop in Devon (more of that later).  Proving that you can't improve on nature the autumn colours in the Dartmoor National Park today were simply stunning!

Britain's National Parks - Dartmoor is in South West England

This was my first visit to Dartmoor and I only got to explore just a little of the 368 square miles

I definitely want to go back and spend more time here. It's so beautiful!

Questions, questions...

Some questions have been posed to fellow bloggers over at a lovely blog called Coco Rose Textiles 

http://cocorosetextiles.blogspot.com/2010/10/falling-behind 

So with feet up and a cup of tea I thought I would take the time to answer...

What age were you when you were at your most happiest?

I think being in my thirties was a great age to be. I'm in my 50s now and although I don't like the physical ageing process (I'm vain I confess!) I care far less what people think of me and am much happier for it. 

What is your most played song?

Thunder Road - beautiful lyrics, great melody, sung with such passion! His music has been the soundtrack to my life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KngiJUNdsu0&p=9B9B51730B716F22&playnext=1&index=12

What is your most favourite food and least favourite food?

I love cheese. My Dad called me Mouse when I was a little girl I ate so much! I detest Brussel Sprouts - they are the devils business!

One regret?

I joined a choir last year called Rock Choir www.rockchoir.com and discovered I could sing! I wish  I had known this when I was younger as it's so much fun! 

Favourite tv programme or film?

I love film so choosing just one is is impossible. I'm a big fan of films by the Coen Brothers. I also like old Hollywood films like Singing in the Rain and All About Eve 

Ideal job?

I'm nearing the end of my career as a manager in the NHS and I see 'retirement' as an opportunity to start a second career in something more creative. I love fashion, interiors, gardening and making things like soft furnishings and I'd like to start a small business that used my creative talents in some way.

Favourite flower?

I particularly love roses and peonies, white hydrangea, and of course lilac! The scent is so wonderful. I have a tree in my front garden. When it is (oh so briefly) in bloom I have seen people stop and positively swoon at the aroma!

Lilacs in my garden

OK so now you know a little bit more about me how about you?

Who has been the greatest influence in your life?

What is your favourite colour in the home?

Up with the lark  or a night owl?

Favourite book?

Cappuccino or a cup of tea? 

Vintage blue

I often take a look at the Guardian newspaper online. It has a lovely life and style page with a great crafts section. But this week I was so taken with by this beautiful bathroom....isn't it wonderful?!

With shabby chic white interiors everywhere the last few years (and I'll never tire of them) this stunning turquoise room just stopped me in my tracks. The rest of the house is equally beautiful. You can see it here - http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/23/anatomy-of-style-vintage

Newmarket Antiques Fair

I haven't been to an big antiques fair for simply ages so today I drove 60 miles to Newmarket Race Course for their antique fair. It was a beautiful sunny but very chilly day so I didn't linger too long at the outside stalls - with over 200 sellers there was plenty indoors to browse.  One of the reasons I haven't been to a fair for so long is quite simply I have too much stuff already there's little space at home for anything new!

Most of the stalls were inside the impressive main stand. While there were lots of lovely things to buy rather disappointedly there was not much in the way of vintage style. But even so I didn't come home empty handed (as if)!

This pretty little tin caught my eye. First purchase of the day -  I think its a tea caddy what do you think?

And then I came across this lilac adorned jug. Well I had to take it back home didn't I!

My final purchase was this beautiful art deco mirror. I've been collecting them for many years and I ummed and aahed about whether to buy it. I love green glass and in the end I just couldn't leave without it. 

So home again and where to put my new goodies? What nook and cranny hasn't been filled? Well that's what makes it so much fun isn't it! 

A good read

Books, books and more books! I know I should pass them on to charity shops when I've read them but when I've enjoyed one it feels like a little friend. I've used every nook and cranny to accommodate them in my tiny cottage but I'm running out of space ...

A house without books is like a room without windows.
~Heinrich Mann

Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house.  

~Henry Ward Beecher

My garden retreat. A place to read and write (and store books maybe...) 

Oh to have more space! Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a reading room devoted to books?

I love these.

Pink Friday

In recognition of Breast Cancer Care's Pink Friday http://www.pinkfridays.org.uk/  here's some pink from around my house and garden. Girls of every age need a little pink in their home don't they?

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." 

— Audrey Hepburn

Enjoy the weekend!

Autumn beauty

I'm lucky enough to live next to beautiful countryside looked after by the Woodland Trust who have planted thousands of trees to create a new wood. It's all the more remarkable given we are just a 20 minutes by train to central London - the best of both worlds. I took my camera with me for an autumn walk over the fields this afternoon and the colours were just stunning. Isn't nature wonderful!

So many sloes - maybe I could make gin!

Yellow moss on the branches...

What a shade of red - nature's own colour pop!

My favourite view...

The ones that got away

As summer fades into Autumn and the nights draw in I've been looking through photos from my travels this summer. There are many more pictures of beautiful old cottages than I have posted here so I thought I would share a few more with you.

These houses in the seaside town of Hastings and the nearby village of Robertsbridge were hundreds of years old - isn't the old timber wonderful?

And the roof on this cottage is amazing!

Visiting Dunster in Somerset was the highlight of my summer.  With all it pretty cottages it was chocolate box heaven. Enjoy!

And just along the coast in Porlock Weir I couldn't resist this cute little cottage right on the beach...

A beautiful summer, gone too quickly.

The cup that cheers

I've spent so much time on developing the garden of late that I've hardly given a thought to the cottage interior,  but as the weather turns and nights draw in it's time to focus inside once more. Every now and then I like to move objects around...it's lovely to 'rediscover' their beauty. I'm trying hard to save for a new kitchen but until such time as I can have the kitchen of my dreams I thought a few new purchases would cheer it up.
From my favourite shop, Anthropologie, I bought this pretty china cup for my morning tea. It might entice me out of bed on grey winter mornings!

Laura Ashley had everything on sale so I splurged on these...

I love the stem of this glass...

I have more fabric than I have time to make things but I couldn't resist buying a metre of this beautiful new fabric from Cath Kidston. I love all the UK landmarks don't you? I think it will will make a fabulous cushion. 

... and what could be nicer after all that shopping than to sit down with a frothy cappuccino and enjoy all your beautiful blogs out there :-)