Wednesday 8 January 2014

Celebrating Home 2014 :: part 1

Hello Lovelies,
I'm such a homebody....even more nowadays than when I was younger. I love to be at home in my own space, it's where I can relax and be myself.

My home is a bit cluttered and worn, but it's warm and cosy and full of people I love.
I wish that I enjoyed house work more as I do think home-making is a wonderful role. I'm happiest when things are tidy and I'm organised but so often that's not the case.
 So I guess I'm hoping this series of posts will inspire me to try a bit harder to keep on top of things and  look at these tasks in a new light. THIS post  by Rhonda that Tina linked to really inspires me (as does Tina's blog )

So here are a few images celebrating time at home. Very ordinary but at the same time  so precious .



At this time of year, especially when the weather is miserable, the sight and scent of spring flowers lift my spirits. They are like a promise of warm weather to come and distract my eye from the outdoor gloom.



 My boys are rather gadget obsessed so it always makes me happy when they try some" old fashioned" play. This was eldest making a model he got for Christmas from his Nanna....she buys great, fun gifts for all her gradnchildren.




 On the 3rd of January we took the Christmas decorations down and I spent most of the day tidying up.  When everything had been packed away I did a little dance around the room, relishing the extra space and tidiness.
 The weather was dark and rainy the next day and it felt lovely to light the fire and stay indoors.




 On Sunday more rainy weather led to a quiet day. I slowed down and enjoyed making a bit more effort with Sunday dinner. Fresh flowers and candles decorated the table as well as my favourite tablecloth.
I'm not the best or keenest cook but I can see that there is a great satisfaction to be gained from preparing a healthy, tasty meal for your family, from scratch.



 Retuning home on this windy but sunny afternoon my porch was bright and cheery. I noticed how nice this old project of mine from 2009 was looking in the corner. I even managed to find a link to the pattern for you lovelies if you are interested it's on Ravelry HERE. This was made shortly after I had rediscovered crochet and had only just discovered blogland.



Getting up in the dark is never easy for me, that feeling of being dragged from a deep sleep by a buzzer going off in what seems like the middle of the night is pretty unpleasant. I'll be so glad when the early  mornings are lighter . When I stumbled into the kitchen, still half asleep,  yesterday morning this sight made me smile....lots of cheerful flowers and my Amaryllis is suddenly shooting up now.

As you can see I've been having fun doing a bit of  editing....I may or may not continue to do this bit ....photos in my other posts will be how they always have been.

At the end of 2014 I hope to have lots posts, all celebrating the little homely things that mean so much.

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

Jacquie x

34 comments:

  1. Lovely flowers or should I say bulbs, and crochet. Think I'll come to your boy's nana for ideas for fun 'old fashion' play for my grandchildren!
    Julie xxxxxxxxxx

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  2. Love all the colour in your pics. Thanks for leaving me a comment and happy new year to you too :)
    L.x.

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  3. I totally agree...I love being home...I love my home...I love making my home!!!
    Wonderful way to start the new year!!!

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  4. Lovely, lovely, lovely :) And I really love how you've framed the photos too - perfect for this series of posts.
    I am a home-girl too, especially at the moment. We've done a lot of sorting in the last week and I'm so enjoying finding my pretty things and arranging them and just enjoying a bit of home blessing. I can tell I'm going to enjoy these posts of yours!
    Jones x

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  5. I totally agree too - I love being home. And like you mention - ours is a bit battered round the edges - definitely lived in, but its a welcoming happy place to be. I'm still waiting for my hyacinths to bloom - it feels like a long wait.
    Loving your photo editing too :) x

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  6. Very cosy home you have there, I've a bit of a traveller spirit in me but ironically I love my home too,which is good as we can no longer afford the trips we used to take.....what I need is a vintage campervan, make it all cosy but travel the world too!!! :) x

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  7. I love my home - I called my blog that!! I love seeing your home too Jacquie, everything you show always seems so cosy and friendly. Your amarylis is doing really well isn't it! Lots of lovely homely things which I look foward to seeing more of in the coming year. xx

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  8. Great post! My home is my favourite place in the entire world!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  9. I too love my home. Like you it's where I feel the most comfortable and relaxed. Housework is not always my number one priority, but it's my home, it's a clean home with a bit of wear and tear.
    Sally xxx

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  10. There really is no place like home, is there? Lovely, cozy photos, I love the colours of your home and decorations! Chrissie x

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  11. Home...our hearts are always there :0) Yours is lovely and cozy.

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  12. I know what you mean about liking home, but not being keen on the housework! I'm trying to have a big declutter at the moment. I love your kitchen windowsill, it looks beautiful.

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  13. It is the "ordinary" homely things that are so important at giving us comfort. Loved your post. I feel I have trouble photographing around the clutter in my house:S

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  14. This is such a nice idea, Jacquie. I really like to stop and think about my life at home, which I enjoy very much. I try to be present and mindful in all the home-related tasks, even the ones I don't like, but that's not always easy. :)

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  15. You have a lovely home. It's obviously filled with love and comfort. Thanks for sharing :-)

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  16. There's no place like home! Nice way to start the new year.
    Anne x

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  17. I love the mantel!! So nice.
    :)
    Midge

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  18. Love the spring flowers,I also love it when the house is tidy, I don't feel guilty when I sit down to craft.

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  19. Such a warmin the cockles of the heart post Jacquie. I think it must be our age, but I too have become much more of a home body, just love hunkering down in Winter especially and have no desire to go out in the evenings x I am waiting for some muscari bulbs to grow and flower this January, so satisfying xox

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  20. Lovely moments of week 1 of 2014! Loving the Spring flowers x

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  21. Lovely photos-and a lovely idea to document the little things. I'm not very good at keeping my house ordered but I do enjoy having the little touches of homeliness where I can :-)

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  22. Your home looks cosy and beautiful, I love that quote xx

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  23. Lovely cosy photo's, nothing better than Spring bulb in the house these grey January days
    Clare x

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  24. Love your pictures and generally love your blog!

    Alison x

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  25. This is a really lovely idea. I have been celebrating the home a lot lately- I think it's one of my favourite things to do. Your roast dinner looks delicious. And spring bulbs are definitely the way to go on a grey, January day. Happy new year to you Jacquie! x

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  26. Lovely seeing around your home and special photo's. Yes I love being home, but we do
    go travelling a lot lol

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  27. Home, is my favourite place too. Love the crochet, in the corner. Jacqui x

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  28. With so much emphasis in society about productive work outside the home, it is refreshing to read about the value of being at home and the art of home-making. Like my crochet, my home is a WIP - an eclectic mix of old furniture of varying styles and there is always something to do or an improvement I want to make. This year I want to refresh and re-furnish my home so it is more functional with more cosy corners and peaceful nooks for relaxation. "Crochet in the corner" sounds like a great title for a regular column! :-)

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  29. What a lovely post Jacquie! Someone recently introduced me to Flylady.com and I can't recommend her enough. She's a homely, nurturing, Amaerican lady who emails me every day and tells me what to do that day. It's almost like having the Mum I never had!!! She's certainly helped me to start enjoying looking after our home. Who'd have thought? Happy new year chick xxxx

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  30. What a lovely post Jacquie! Someone recently introduced me to Flylady.com and I can't recommend her enough. She's a homely, nurturing, Amaerican lady who emails me every day and tells me what to do that day. It's almost like having the Mum I never had!!! She's certainly helped me to start enjoying looking after our home. Who'd have thought? Happy new year chick xxxx

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  31. This is one of my very favourite posts of all the blogs I follow for some time - resonates with me. Thanks, Jen

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  32. This is one of my very favourite posts of all the blogs I follow for some time - resonates with me. Thanks, Jen

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  33. i like the idea of appreciating all the little corners of our home, it's all part of us really. Thanks for the link to down to earth. Heather x

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  34. What a lovely post....I loved Part Two as well....and your brill illustration, of course! So kind of you to mention my blog. Hugs, Tina xx

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