Pink
A few years ago, when I was a decorator, I’d often receive a particular phone call. It was generally the same request on those occaisions. “I have a little girl and it will be her 5th (6th, 7th) birthday soon. She loves the colour pink. That’s Sindy Pink, do you know the colour? Would you be able to paint her bedroom on such a such a date so that when she comes home from school it will be the colour that she loves?” I managed it every time that there was a request. Even knew the colour number by heart. Going up the house, paint pots in...
read moreA month in the country
I didn’t plan my month in the country. At first I just wanted to take a few days off from blogging. Then it became a week – two weeks and more. Then I decided that I’d take the entire month off. August 12th this year was The Cottage Smallholder’s sixth birthday. Six years of blogging, finding new friends and learning. Blogging ultimately means shifting stones. There’s no point in just being a town crier. When I started blogging I had no advice, no map or planned route. I had no idea that there might be treasure involved. I’ve since...
read moreVintage Britains Lead Toys and more. I am selling my private toy collection on eBay!
So what did we do when we took a holiday break recently? Well we stayed in Cheveley, which was good as the weather was so hot that it was just like being abroad. It was really too hot to work in the garden so we decided that the time was right to set up my vintage toys eBay shop to start selling my vintage toy collection. Actually this is not just a shop, it’s an emporium. Unless you know me very well you wouldn’t guess that I’ve invested a lot of time, money and energy acquiring a substantial collection of lead and other vintage...
read moreCottage Smallholder Summer Party 2012. Complete and unexpurged report
Danny was up at five am hacking through the undergrowth – whilst I snored above. So most guests made it to the front door and into the kitchen to offload generous foodie goodies and get fixed up with a drink. Then everyone was propelled out into the garden and sunniest day that we’ve had for weeks. We were a small but perfectly formed party. Actually our parties are not ‘parties’ as such, they are more hangouts. Loads of eating, sipping and laughing. There is always an undefined queue for the capacious swing seat and a lot of...
read moreParty
The worst party that I can ever remember was shortly after I moved from London to this area. I was 30 years old and had been used to a sort of free flowing easy going life. I only entertained people that I liked. I received an “At Home” invitation to a local party in a month’s time. I misread the surname of the lady who’d invited me. Let’s call her Mrs Bloggs. Luckily, within a couple of weeks had discovered that her name was in fact Mrs Blaggs. Her daughter was the long term girlfriend of an old family acquaintance of mine....
read moreYour chance to win a £100 Argos voucher to spend on something for the garden!
It’s time for another Cottage Smallholder Grand Draw. We have linked up with Argos this time and the focus is on their fantastic range of garden log cabins. They are sponsoring the super prize of a £100 Argos gift voucher. Ever since I read the books by Laura Ingles Wilder as a child, I’ve fancied having my very own log cabin. Danny shares a similar dream and would love a sturdy studio space in the garden which could double as an extra summer bedroom. Knowing Danny, he’d have heating installed in a jiffy and use it as a year round...
read moreMum
My mum is a sparkly sort of person. On form she is charming, intelligent and artistic. She comes from a tough and long lived family. My great grandmother lived to 100. My grandmother, a 40 cigarette a day smoker, clocked up 83 years. My mum will be 93 in November. She lives alone and independently in her own home in Cambridge. Reads The Times everyday and is a passionate armchair horse racing fanatic. She negotiates very steep stairs and doesn’t have grab handles beside the step to her front door. “I don’t want them Darling. That’s the...
read moreHow clean is your home?
I want to let you into a secret. When I was a full time decorator I discovered the acid test to indicate how deeply a home is cleaned. No I was not running my finger along picture rails or whipping out my binoculars to search for dust when the clients were out. I’m not a clean and tidy fanatic – rather the reverse – I just happened upon this discovery in the course of my work. Let me give you a bit of background first. Most of my clients had someone in to help with the cleaning. These ranged in skill across a wide spectrum...
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