Monday 22 September 2014

Celebrating Home :: 2014

Hello Lovelies,
I wonder if any of you can recall my January resolution to do a series of posts celebrating my home this year. I've just be re-reading THIS post and looking at photos of the artwork I drew to go with this idea............


All it says still holds true for me, but I did not carry on with the posts through the following months as I had planned. 
In fact my hopes for a year where things got tidier didn't materialise and our home was starting to get me down. 

I just seem to have spent too much time focusing on the small details whilst in reality SO MANY jobs piled up.

On our last day in Wales mum  and I popped into a charity shop and I was delighted to pick up this sweet framed print for a couple of pounds..............

 It's by THIS artist....I love lots of  the other work in her shop too....and she paints pebbles :0)

But returning to our home after spending time in a much bigger and neater house I could see all the jobs that I had turned a blind eye to for so long.

Time to get organised and start with some serious de-cluttering and even decorating.
It's been twelve years since I painted the smallest bedroom....I know exactly how long it's been as the last time I was pregnant with youngest and ( already having two sons ) was desperate to paint the room pink.


My twenty week scan said that no pink pant would be on the cards so I settled for lime green with a slightly heavy heart. Of course, when my beautiful baby boy was in my arms any disappointment vanished.

 I'd forgotten about my pink room wishes until I opened this tub of ceiling paint.....it goes on pink so you can see where you have painted, but quickly fades to white............


Seeing it in this space those memories came flooding back and I just felt blessed with happy, healthy children to love.

Middle son has now claimed this small, single bedroom with it's odd angles. Youngest is happy to share with his eldest brother.

My decorating is  not perfect, and the colour is darker than I had hoped, but it's tidy and freshly painted............

 I made this owl way back in 2010 HERE and middle son made the adorable alien cushion at school a couple of years ago.

Just two more bedrooms to do now....sigh.


Over the past few weeks I've also been reorganising our downstairs space. I was keen to make all our  boys some study space and I know that soon cold weather will mean our conservatory will be too chilly and dark. So to make more space in our cosy dining room I moved my welsh dresser out and popped it in the conservatory............


Eeek, it's so nice to be able to see it in a bright space were you can stand back and see it from across the room.

Here's a wider angle of this less than perfect space.............


Yes, it's still got a tumble drier in the corner and mis-matched furniture, But it's functional and colourful and TIDY, I'm happy with that.

Playing around organising these shelves always makes me smile, though I have re-donated some of the charity shop things that it held before.....and that seems like a prefect solution to my clutter war..........


Here's how it looks right now....with space for a few home-made items, or charity shop finds that will cost me pennies and give a small donation to a good cause...............


Mum was here on Thursday and she passed the time painting, both my dresser............



and the home made things on the wall next to it..................


Here's what the dining room looks like now......a shelf each for my boys school work and a place for their bags..............

 The painting is one of mum's, and middle son made the clock at school.

I had to smile when I got home from work on Friday and found this wonderful drawing by my niece..........

 She didn't even know about mum's paintings and it seemed such an amazing coincidence that she had drawn part of our home too....bless her.


I'll finish this post with a heartfelt Thank You to all of you lovelies who left such supportive and understanding comments on my previous post.


I'm feeling rather less anxious for my eldest two as they head into the GCSE years. It's just so reassuring to know other mothers feel the same and put things into a bit of perspective.
You lovelies are the best.
Jacquie x

Where we love is home - home our feet may leave, but not our hearts" Oliver Wendell Holmes.

19 comments:

  1. Love the charity shop find,, and your mum is so talented!

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  2. Your family is full of talented artists, isn´t it? :-) The re-donating is a brilliant idea!

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  3. Such a lovely warm post and so many artists in the family
    Clare x

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  4. Many talented persons with you ! Have a nice day !

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  5. I know exactly how you feel about clutter. I'm determined to have a go at sorting our house out before Christmas - I'm just not sure where to start. It feels a bit overwhelming, but I know once I start it will be ok.
    I have a tumble drier in my conservatory too! :)
    And a rowing machine!!

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  6. You have really inspired me, I must start on sorting out my home, it is looking really cluttered after having all the kids home over the summer - in fact since early June, as I had a yr 11 and a yr 13 leaver, and 2 uni students! All 3 uni students will be back at uni this week, and school started for the yr 12 student a few weeks ago - so no excuses for me!!

    Helenxx

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  7. Love your dresser and your mum's paintings - I really love her interpretations, somehow seems to capture the character as well as the image, clever mum you have! xx

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  8. Jacquie, your home is beautiful. It is light, it is cheery, and above all; it is filled with people who love and care for each other. You are so blessed!!!
    I've always wanted to use that paint and you are the first person I've known to do so. I take it that the colour of it does assist in coverage? And as for the rest of the colour of the room, it looks awesome.
    I am grateful that I have a roof over my head, but I'd like something a lot smaller. There is two of us here with three cats inside and rattling around in 30 squares plus of space. I spent the whole weekend cleaning it. It was a freaking nightmare. My carpets are original (about 30 years old) and in desperate need of replacement, the underfelt is so worn from decades of feet. Although I vacuumed thoroughly, they still disappoint. I can't steam clean them on my own, as it is too big a job. To get a professional in is going to cost a fortune! But it will have to be done because I don't have the funds for replacements.
    We all have to learn to live with what we've got because we're lucky we've got it!!!

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  9. Good morning! You have a beautiful home and I love what you have done with the dresser. I was tackling mine only yesterday as it had become a dumping ground for all sorts of oddities. As I'm home all the time now with our Little Man I am surrounded by unfinished rooms and an overwhelming list of jobs to be done, tidying and cleaning too. My mum once suggested I set a timer for 10 minutes and see how much I could get done in the time - I did this yesterday morning with the nursery and was pleased to be able to tidy things away and whiz round with the duster too! I think I will try this approach with other rooms too, even if I have to have several sessions 10 minutes is manageable!

    I couldn't help notice those lovely painted pebbles on your dresser - another of your finds? or did one of your sons paint them?

    Jones x

    PS. I have emailed the bunny mummy email address now, so hopefully you will find me! xx

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  10. Life is a constant battle to keep things tidy with children in the house, even worse when they are teenagers! I remember it well. I would much prefer to see a house that is lived in and loved than a show home any day.
    Love your mums painting of your dresser :-)

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  11. Your home looks lovely Jacquie and it is always a battle to keep things tidy with children around however old they are. Our house always is more untidy when our girls are home visiting and they are both in their twenties and one is married but it quickly gets sorted once they've left but I do miss it though it looks more lived in when they are around with all their stuff lol
    Take care
    Jackie x

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  12. I had big plans of some of the same this year, and it still hasn't come to pass, oh well...one thing is for sure, it will still be there when I do find/make the time for it. ;- / Bravo for getting started, looks great! I think we all have those "less than perfect" spaces, I may have more than one. Maybe with the cooler weather and less to do outside we can finally find the time (and energy) to tackle the inside jobs. Here's hoping! ;)

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  13. Your home looks lovely and cozy, and your mum is incredibly talented!
    Have a great week! : )

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  14. I love your dresser full of treasures, beautifully captured on the painting too.
    A wonderful new space for your boys to study, create and be part of the family at the same time.
    Best wishes
    Helen

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  15. Your dresser looks so lovely in the conservatory and your Mum's painting is beautiful too!! In fact, all of your Mum's paintings are so lovely. I like your nieces too! xx

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  16. You have such a lovely home, filled with beautiful things. How wonderful that you have all been painting it. I really like the organised space for your boys, I think I might have to come up with something like that in the future. No pink paint here either, but I'm happy with boys, they keep me on my toes and they do make it lively. That little print was an excellent find, I always like things with the sea on them. Have a good week Jacquie. CJ xx

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  17. You are doing my most favourite thing - de-cluttering after a period of collecting - so satisfying. I have such lovely things now and when I look around, things have meaning and a place. Your dresser looks great. Jo xx

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  18. Hi Jacqui absolutely adore your posts your home is lovely and so unique.there is never enough space when your children are growing up. Suddenly you look around and they are grown and off to uni. I would love to have those years back.we have so much space now just me hubby two little dogs and my cat! If your house was perfect it prob wouldn't be a home but some sort of showpiece. I love all your art work and your mum's and nieces .seriously you could sell those pictures , or make a calendar from them I'd certainly buy if u did. Anyway have a lovely week , keep up the art work and some new crochet perhaps? Ps. Love the owl you made ,Thu k I might make one for me and my mum.pippaxxxx

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  19. Hi I love your blog,You have a lovely home so cosy and looks like a happy atmosphere resides there,your mum is also soooo talented.We too have been frantically trying to declutter and decorate,not enough hours in the day is there.x

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