The decorations are...

...starting to go up at Knox Towers. Here's what I'm quite pleased with.

Big paper balls hanging over the dining table.

I dragged a branch in from the garden and stuck it in a pot on the dining room mantle-shelf. Added some fairy lights and a few vintage decorations and mini paper stars.

Piled some sorbet coloured vintage baubles in a big old jar.

Put some white paper stars around the dining room window.

Piled the urn on the fireplace in the sittingroom with red and white balls and added some glittery roses.
The sitting room's not quite there yet, it just needs...more. More faffing to be done I think!

Is it wrong...

...that I am an oasis of calm, whilst all around me seems like chaos? I have had customers rushing to the counter with cries of "That's it! Just 4 more Secret Santa presents to buy and I'm done!" I have done virtually nothing. I've bought chocolate coins for the childrens stockings but not much more. Haven't even made The List yet. Yet I feel quite calm - why is that?
I'm having much love for some of the things in the shop this week...

The layers of paint on this mirror - pink, grey and gold - to.die.for.

These clutch purses, made by the clever lady who makes our pin jars...

Our rose vases. Might have to gift one to someone special...me!


On another note; I've had my front door painted dark grey. What do we think? Quite nice for in town I thought. I love my wonky old door, there's not a straight line on it. Bet it has a few stories to tell - it's about 250 years old!

Never judge a book...

...by it's cover.
Yesterday a courier driver came in with a big delivery for us. He was a big feller, high-vis vest, steel toe-cap boots, many tattoo's and the odd piercing.  I  thanked him and squiggled on his electronic pad thingy. As he was leaving the shop he stopped in his tracks and looked at one of these...

"How much are they?" Says he. "£4.90" says I. "I'll take one" Says he. I carefully wrapped it in pink tissue and off he went looking quite pleased, I have to say.
N'aaaaaaw! So sweet! Love to know who he bought it for!

Those clever sorts...

...at Country Homes & Interiors (December issue) borrowed some of our vintage French jam jars and used them for prawn cocktail! I know it's a bit Margot and Gerry meets Abigails Party, but I bloomin' love a good prawn cocktail!

Brilliant idea putting them in our vintage jam jars. They'd be great for puddings too. Eaton mess would look fantastic in them...or what about individual trifles? Yumeh!



Fa-la-la...

...la-la-la-la-la-la! It's 7.10pm and I'm still at the shop putting the finishing touches to the Christmas displays. It looks GORGEOUS! (even if I say so myself) 

We've got some super-lovely things this year, so if you can come tomorrow and be the first to see everything, please do. We're open tomorrow (Friday 4th November) from 10am-7pm and Saturday from 10am-5pm.

Hope to see you here for mulled wine, mince pie's and a lot of sparkle!

XXX

We're featured in...

...this month's (November) issue of Coast magazine. This time last year, they joined us in Norfolk while we there for half term and took pictures of us and the house. 

Coast is a lovely magazine and well worth a look. Lots of lovely beach huts and houses by the sea to drool over.

David Austin roses...

...from the florist in the village.

What can I say? A little piece of heaven. They smell too. What with these and the unbelievable weather, we're feeling all a bit July in the shop today and tomorrow it's October! What gives?
Anyway, I'm bunking off early today, I've found an amazing blackberry-ing spot. I could tell you where it is, but...blah, blah. Jam making for me this weekend! Well, that and a couple of wines with the girlies tomorrow night. It could get silly...
Bon weekend! XXX

Annie has been...

...at it again.

Went to wonderful...

 ...Norfolk this weekend. Hadn't realised that Sherringham was holding it's annual 40's Weekend. 1940's enthusiasts come from all over to ride in authentic cars and buses ...

 ...dress in amazing authentic clothing...

 ...listen to authentic music...

 ...and take trips on the authentic steam trains...

There were some amazing sights and some fabulous clothes, we thought we'd stumbled onto the set of Foyles War. Many of the men went for the WWII army look and we saw several "Captain Mainwarings" ("Don't tell 'em your name Pike!)  a couple of "Seargent Wilsons" and even a few "Jones's". Everyone had gone to SO much effort - all the shops in Sherringham had sandbags and criss-crossed tape on their windows - most had 1940's window displays - The Lobster pub even had bullet holes! Wouldn't have missed it for anything. I absolutely LOVE Norfolk!

One of Annie's...

...homegrown tomato's.

Oooh-eer missis! Trust Annie to grow fruit porn.

We've just got...

...back from France. It was heavenly as always. The sun shone.

The children had a "Swallows and Amazons" time playing in the pool, swimming in the river and hanging out with their friends there, while I searched for treasure and sampled a glass (or two) of wine!

The village reminds me of the film Chocolat; there are so many characters. The handsome local farmer who rides his horses bareback around the village with no shirt on. The curved backed old lady who wears a woolley cardi, socks and slippers with a tabbard whatever the weather and the nutty old bloke who sweeps the street and speaks with such a strong Charantais accent that no one can understand him! There's always gossip to catch up on and lovely friends to see.

I miss it already.

This is Ruby...

...She modelled for us on our home page and for the cute "Chien Lunatique" signs. She belongs to Monsieur Le P. He can mostly be heard shouting "Ruby, you $*@@ idiot!" at her when she's around. He says she has a brain the size of a lentil and is worthy of a doggy ASBO. She eats strange things like bags of raw potatoes and washing powder tablets. She was angellic when we did our shoot though!

I have finally...

...had my lovely old French sign hung in my kitchen. Most satisfying. Lovely sun-worn colours.

I've also been listening to this song alot. Think it will be my summer song for this year...



Are you sure I couldn't get away with dying my hair the same Tomato Soup red?...
Pfft...whatevs...

Must tell you...

...Atlanta Barlett, who wrote "At Home With White" has written a new book called Pale and Interesting. It's absolutely lovely. Right up our street. One's coming home with me tonight!

Lovely times in...

...Norfolk at the weekend with my lovely sis-in-law Alex. Her daughter India...Boo from Monsters Inc. Adorable.

Think Alex has forgotten the "Joys" of an English summer after living in NYC for so long!

It was my...

 ...birthday last weekend. It was satisfyingly flower filled. Above for the garden, below for the house.

 Tea and cake on Friday after work and dinner on Saturday night. This was the table before dinner. The after dinner table was a slightly more bottle strewn, messy affair. It was a balmy evening and it ended with us all in the garden singing cheesy songs accompanied by Felix and Monsieur le P on guitar. Badly. The singing, not the guitaring. Sunday was a write off.

This is how...

...my sorry little garden looked when I bought my house in late summer 2009.

 Then in May last year it looked like this...

...then this a few weeks later.

Then in May this year, there was much hammering and banging at the bottom of the garden...

Then tadaaa!

I love my shed! 

Are you jamming...

...this year? I hope to be. Once the children break up. Which is in 30 days, 1 hour, 45 minutes and 38 seconds. Not that I'm counting or anything. Thought I might try raspberry this year after my rather triumphant  blackberry last year. We've just had more Jam Makers sets in, you get lovely labels and lid covers - everything to make your homemade jams and chutneys look top notch.

 We're also got loads of gorgeous vintage French jam jars in, snap them up quick you domestic goddesses!

My little boy...

...is 15 today. He's an annoying potty-mouth at times; seems to lack the ability to pick up a towel once he has dropped it on his bedroom floor and leaves a trail of mess, noise and debris where ever he goes. He's just shy of 6 foot now and thinks it hilarious that he can look down at me. He thinks I'm a total embarrassment and gets cross when I toot and wave when I see him out with his friends, (it makes me do it all the more). He's mostly a pain in the neck. He makes me laugh though.  A lot.

I won't lie...

...I'm feeling a bit tired and emotional after this week. Last Sunday I hurtled into London in search of luscious things for this website at a trade fair. Ordered the first of the Christmas stock...I know, a world gone mad. Then I got up at 4.30 on Monday to sniff out vintage and antique treasure at a fair. Then did the whole up with the larks thing again on Thursday for another fair. I'm now bent over like a comma from all the walking/carrying heavy stuff and resemble a troll from middle earth.
Worth it though, because I found this little piece of heaven!...

Happy weekend! X

Half term Glamping...

...in the garden. I had four girlies in little tents doing lots of giggling under piles of duvets and floral eiderdowns. On the same night, Felix and 9 friends were doing whatever the opposite of Glamping is in a field somewhere...emanating unpleasant smells from the trainer area and using lots of inappropriate language if I know him and his friends...all under a toxic cloud of Lynx Africa. Bless 'em. 

Monsieur Le P...

...has given the Norfolk house's website a bit of a shampoo and set. 

Have a look, I think it looks lovely! It's heavenly there at the moment with the weather as it is and don't forget we're giving a 10% discount on bookings before the end of September.

I love these...

...sweet little glass cake stands and domes that arrived yesterday. Perfect for a little cake for two, a cup cake, or a few truffles.

 I wish you could smell these...the smell of summer...

...and these. I bought them from the funny, old fashioned greengrocer around the corner from my house. He gets them from his friend's allotment. Proper!

Happy weekending!

Just back from...

...the florists round the corner. The girlies there are always good for a for a gossip and a cackle. 

We compared flip-flops, purses and teenager stories. 

We cackled about their "Christmas Party" that's tomorrow night.

I came away with my arms full of sweetly scented stocks and peonies.

Most satisfying.

Now I am back in the shop, busy suspending lamp shades that look like 1950's hats from the ceiling.

Nice I think.

Must also share with you, the Lupins and Delphiniums in my garden. They're putting on quite a show this year.

Lovely!

Have a fun weekend y'all!