Thursday 12 February 2015

Life, Laundry and little bits....

We have had a few foggy, frosty mornings here in Northumberland


And some fabulous sunsets,


But today has been a sunny one...



Warm enough for Miss Ottie to cool down on her morning walk.



The birds are singing, the snowdrops are through and Spring is in the air.

Bookings are coming in for the Bastle, 



And all seems well in my little world. 

Kindness from someone who just "gave" me this Knole sofa,



And deep sadness at the passing of my Dad in January, following a long illness and the final fractured hip that gets so many elderly people in the end. 


But we all have to continue on with life and work... 
We have to..... but at the moment I keep getting caught out and forget he is no longer here. He did get to hear from his grand daughter in Paris about her exciting news and was immensely proud.
 More of that to come in the next few months x 

So, onwards and upwards on the Cloth Shed front.

I bought some more French linen smocks this week and having washed them all in readiness for the dye pot, it was interesting to see the different colours of "natural"  as they hung on the line.


From cream to grey white...




I am thinking maybe...indigo blue, grey or even black to match the hound? 


A pair of bold, vintage curtains, screen printed in a vibrant indigo


A decorative French lamp with gold insides to the shades. Re wired now with an English plug and beautiful when lit in the evenings.



A Matisse style oil painting from a flea market in Paris, with fabulous thick paintwork and distressed frame.



And finally, the fab, shabby chicness of old French shutters, with rusty hinges and locks. 
They were taken from the "Wendy house" in the garden of a Chateau in Brittany, hence so skinny.




I would have loved to have been involved with that house clearance!

Enjoy the sunshine and birdsong whatever you do today...and look after your loved ones x

Back with you very soon,
Julie x



10 comments:

  1. My deepest sympathies to the loss of your Dad Julie.
    The little signs of Spring must help to warm your heart.
    Miss Ottie suggests a soft tone of grey for a French linen shirt.I took a couple I had cut them down the front, finished the edges and turned them into smocks. And the more you wash them and hang them in the outdoors the softer they become.
    I'm so jealous... snowdrops? The only snow thing we have going on here right now is over 45cm. of the stuff and wind chills in the minus double digits!
    I wonder what Miss Ottie would do with the bunny I posted about on my blog. I can imagine he'd give her a run hither and fro and make her dizzy.
    Enjoy the sunshine and the birdsong.
    Susan x

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  2. Aw so sorry to hear about your dad. It's so sad to loose your parents and nothing will ever replace them but I'm sure you'll have lots of good memories of all the fun, happy times you had together. Love the blue curtains such a beautiful colour, they might just go in our new house!! On our way "up North" very soon x

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  3. A very poignant post. Sad news about your father. But your positivity is shining through. Great news that bookings are coming in for the Bastle. When we finally make it up to your neck of the woods we will be making a booking too.

    Jean
    x

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  4. Georgous photographs, especially the one of your Dad. Lovely post, Jane x

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  5. Sorry to hear about your Dad. It is never easy.

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  6. So sorry to read about your Dad.
    Love the shutters.
    x

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  7. Hope you have many happy memories of your Dad to keep you company through the years. I think of mine every day - even found a 1960s photo of him this evening looking so cool it made me laugh.
    Hope to see you tomorrow!

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  8. Hello Julie so sorry to hear about your Dad. I still miss mine so very much and its over 4 years since he died. We had to cancel today as we both still coughing and sneezing and feeling rough. The kids have been bringing provisions but not allowed in as we are so 'germy'.

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  9. Dearest Julie, I can see you are trying to be so brave and positive. I am so very sorry about your Dad, but know he will have been very well loved and cared for.
    Your laundry looks wonderful on the line, almost as if it belongs to that lovely old house. The shutters are fab, as is that wonderful lamp.Big hugs and lots of love are winging their way to you as I write. Love Linda xx

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  10. Your laundry looks wonderful on the line.
    Big hugs and lots of love!!

    House clearance in Kingston

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