October 2014

I know, original blog post title!

So, October was an exciting month as we knew our newest little niece or nephew was due to make an appearance. We were going on a work trip to Kuwait on 30th so we were really keen that the new baby would show it's face before we went.

Here's my gorgeous little sister very heavily preggers on our last night out before she dropped! And that's not a clutch bag under her arm...it's a mahooosive sanitary towel! chic.

Meanwhile it was a busy month work wise - we ran a conference in Liverpool which was held in the 'Hard Days Night' hotel. Not surprisingly it's Beatles themed - 

and far less tacky that it sounds!

View from our room!

 We stayed the night before and were in a room dedicated to George.

 and cleggy had John watching over him.

We also held one in York. It was raining in Liverpool but beautifully sunny in York so I took a little walk to take some photos of nearby views. When I had a proper job a million years ago the York shops (Monsoon/Accessorize) were in my area - 

so I know the centre pretty well. 

It was nice to see a little bit of York I didn't know.

Our little nephew Wilfy was 2 in October - we love that boy.

His birthday party had a bear theme - my sister suggested you bring your own bear, and also encouraged dressing up. Naturally I went as Goldilocks with my three bears...the Teen was deeeelighted!! 

(not)

Kenzie with his rabbit, Geordie with his Kangeroo (Joanne!) 

The teen refused to take his bear. We let it pass.

Here's my old bear - originally called Pooh.

He did used to have eyes.

 Love the Teen checking his phone in his ears....

 ...and it didn't take long for all the boys to try out the locks!

Geordie...as ME!

House wise we left the hall where it was (stripped)

and moved on to the dining room and the bathroom. When we bought our house just over 5 years ago we fell in love with it from the schedule - and offered the asking price on the day we saw it, which was the day it went on the market.

 We always wanted a Victorian house - and could only afford this particular one because it's on a fairly busy road into the village. 

We had done both building and renovation work on our previous house and loved that this one was beautifully decorated. 

Over the years we've had a big cellar conversion (where The Granny now resides) a loft conversion, and converted the previous owner Rob's wood workshop into a shared work space for Cleggy and I. 

With a mixture of the work, and the fact that we have three boys, we have basically turned what was a finished house into a house where everything needs doing! Trashed it.

We also made a conscious decision to concentrate on our fledgling business for a few years and wait until the boys were a little older before spending any money making the house beautiful again. Hoping that money spent painting walls wouldn't result in the familiar dirt slick we have developed (around Geordie height!)

It must be said that the previous owners of our home, lovely Helen and Rob, had extremely good taste. But it was all a little too coordinated and grown up (The Granny would say 'tasteful'!!) for us. It was french chic where we are more french eclectic. 

More matching than mish mash.

The dining room was basically cream and a beautiful shade of Farrow & Ball red. It looks great at Christmas - 

 But really felt like a winter room (if you know what I mean) and often ended up looking like this:

a dumping ground.

So we moved all the furniture into the lounge...

and decided on a vague colour palette of turquoise and red - so painted the rest of the room off white.

 This is a box made by Michele at Cowboys and Custard - 

I've always known it would inspire a room

 and this card too!

Because the majority of the furniture was either built-in or staying we just bought some nice bits and pieces to update it

 and of course some Annie Sloan chalk paint to paint the one new 

(to us) bit of furniture.

 No new room would be complete without a bit of crochet!

some new house plants

 and tins...

The dresser was gifted from my sister, who bought it for something ridiculous like £15!

We decided to paint it in Annie Sloan 'Provence' but with some red showing through:

 

I made a nice new light switch...

 We pretty much got the room finished...but before I could take any decent photos we started on the next room (the bathroom) so some painting of furniture started...and then a whole bathroom suite arrived, and could only realistically go in the dining room. (/dumping ground!)

 I had my mind SET on having a yellow washstand. 

Cleggy found this old knacker on Ebay (£40)

which I painted in English Yellow. It might be my favourite bit of furniture ever.

Finished bathroom photos in November blog!

My October wardrobe seemed to morph into all things navy and red (again)

a good dress for big melons...from Polkadots and Petticoats

 But as it got colder the yellow scarf I made last year made a comeback!

 And we spent more mornings at Altrincham Market!

 Towards the end of the month my amazing little sister managed another speedy delivery, again at home, but not in the pre-prepared birthing pool!

They never had chance to fill it.

And (sharing Cleggy's birthday)on 23rd October 

Hettie Jean was born.

 I love that Mabel has a sister as well as a brother - just like me!

I hope they get on as well as we (now!) do...

We all Ad♥re her!

Fee x