What's your style?

What's your style? 

I'm talking interior wise - your home, furniture and those bits that surround your everyday. It really matters to me - is that a bad thing? I love design. I always have. I can remember intimate details of the homes I've lived in; from the design of the Habitat tea set I ate off of in the 1970's to the bold blue floral pattern on my childhood bedspread. 

Now that we are staying in our current abode for the next few years we're going to do a bit of much needed work to it. It's the first 'big home project' we've done since having our family, so we need to approach it with that in mind. There is lots of boring stuff to do; the kind of stuff that eats away at tight budgets such a dealing with damp patches and buying loft ladders as well as some electrical and building work.  We'll be living with a bit of dust and disruption in the coming months, that's for sure. But the bit I am looking forward to is the decorating and the careful purchasing of some key furniture pieces. No matter what your style is, the process of putting your stamp on your home is what makes a house a home.

I love the picture that I've used to illustrate this post. It isn't my garden in case you were wondering. I came across this spectacular garden in the village where my parents live. It made me smile so I took a photo of it. Looking back at it now, I love it for its unapologetic display of personal style and taste. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but the owner is not shy about declaring his or her style ... and good on them, I say.

Bookworm ...

I bought Arthur a new book this week with some of the money he got for his birthday. He is really getting into books now. Lily is a right old bookworm, so maybe he will be too. Having children gives me the perfect excuse to dip into the wonderful world of picture books - there are some beautiful ones out there. This latest purchase has not disappointed either Arthur or myself. ABC at the Circus by Patrick Hruby is packed full of stunning illustrations that really strike a cord with me. I love the graphicness of them, the rainbow colours and the retro feel. The illustrations would work for me framed on the wall. Since having this book in our home I have done a little research and found that this illustrator has a blog (well, lets face it who hasn't!) and a website and that has furthered my passion for his work. This book will become well-loved in our family and when Arthur has outgrown it, it will be boxed up and put into the loft for any future grandchildren to enjoy.

Now We Are Six .... well almost

Several times, on a daily basis, Lily is informing me of how many days to her birthday and how many days to her party. This countdown has been in full-flow for a good two weeks or so now and we've still almost that much time to go again to we get there.

I have however, probably added fuel-to-the-fire by having started preparations for her party. I pride myself on being organised - I have lists (and in some cases notebooks) to catalogue the various projects and daily tasks I have in my life. Lists keep me sane.

So the party. Well, we are having it at home. I've yet to venture holding one of Lily's parties outside of the home, although the day after each years party I swear that next year we're hiring a hall or that Lily can pick a few select friends to have a dinner out with. She's not having it and to be honest neither am I. I love the idea of young children having their parties at home, just as we used to. Their expectations are relatively small; a party bag, games, pass-the-parcel, dancing and cake.

I relish any chance to get creative, and my children's parties are good opportunities in which to do so. 

I enjoy the run up, the preparation, much in the same way I love the run up to Christmas. I set myself a goal to try make each years party individual, fun and memorable. I'm sure in a few years time, Lily will be begging me not to get 'so involved' and that she would rather just go out and have pizza with her friends, so I shall therefore, as they say, make hay whilst the sun shines. This year my (rather loose) theme is bright colour and pattern with a wink-and-a-nod to children's parties of the 1970's. It will be a crafty homemade affair through and through. I've made a start on making some fabric cone party hats for each of the guests and I've got fabric for my party bags cut and ready to sow.

Now the countdown really has begun. The invitations have gone out. The invitation design came about through my recent obsession with the wonderful Ed Emberley Picture Pie books. It's a rather therapeutic way to spend an evening or two, cutting and sticking these simple shapes. I hope that these invitations have gone some way to setting a taste of what is to come.