the welsh house

A few weeks back, I found myself with a coat over my pyjamas, bobble hat pushed firmly down over my bed-hair, wellies sinking slowly into the mud as I tried my hardest to capture the spectacular beauty of a rural Welsh sunrise. Seed heads were waving merrily in the breeze, the sun was forcefully pushing its way through the clouds and the only sound I could hear was the chirping of grasshoppers. As the wind whipped through my tangled hair, I thought, 'I could get used to this'.

I don't start every Sunday morning outside in my pyjamas, but then I (sadly!) don't start every Sunday at Bryncyn in Camarthenshire. Owned by the wonderfully friendly Dorian, this little haven started life as a delapidated old stone cottage; nowadays it's a building where the traditional meets the contemporary, combining original features and lime-washed walls with an impressively light and airy modern extension which houses the kitchen. And we were lucky enough to be spending the weekend in it.

We loved Bryncyn, every inch of it, every second we were there. The huge sofa that we all gathered on to watch a film and read our books, wrapped up in blankets, heads sinking into the cushions. The fire which crackled and danced and entranced the kiddos, throwing shadows on the wall and enveloping us in that glorious warmth that you only get from a real fire. The vastness of the kitchen and the space for a proper Sunday breakfast, boiled eggs and coffee bathed in dappled sunlight. The details; dried seed heads and dusky hydrangeas arranged in stoneware vases, coupled with vintage reels full of string and twine, just begging to be used. The beds that we sank into at the end of the day. (And on a more practical note, the heated towel rail - a small piece of unexpected but very welcome luxury!)

We did everything I could possibly have wanted to do while we were there; we explored the local area, driving down some of the hairiest roads and sharpest bends I've ever seen, before rewarding ourselves with fish and chips. We ate them in the car, parked on the quay as the sun set over the water, seagulls whirling overhead; hands damp with vinegar and smeared with ketchup. We sank into the sofa together, watched films on our laptop and enjoyed just being in each others company - two small blonde heads nestled contentedly between Ali and I, tiny toes curling in the heat of the fire, fingers sticky with chocolate. I knitted and crocheted, turned the pages of Modern Rustic magazine in between chapters of I Capture the Castle, not noticing the time ticking by; there was no traffic, no internet, no television and no hurry for anything. Just quiet.

On the morning we left, Ben cried. He didn't want to leave, he said, he loved it there. I felt the same, and we decided to make our normal life a bit more like our weekend at Bryncyn; more time for each other, less time for the noise of the outside world. It was our stay here that prompted my break from blogging and social media recently - I realise now that although I love the internet (who doesn't?!) I need to step away from it regularly to stay sane, and to keep on top of things. I'm just gutted that I can't do it every weekend in the Welsh countryside!

We were generously invited to stay at Bryncyn for the purpose of this review, however as usual, all words and thoughts are my own. I really can't recommend the cottage highly enough - if you want more information, head over to The Welsh House where you can find out more and make a booking.

postcards from early november

Cor, it's been a while since I've popped in - I enjoyed my digital break way more than I thought it would (apart from not being able to discuss Walking Dead episodes with friends on Facebook!), and to be honest, it's been a struggle to get back into it. I found that without any social media apps on my phone or iPad, there was pretty much no temptation to check up on things; I got heaps more done as well - I read my way through three books (well, one is an audio book but details, details!), I've worked out a load of crochet patterns and tutorials for work and the blog (coming soon!), we've watched some brilliant TV (Walking Dead, Peep Show - hurrah! - Homeland) with both eyes on the screen instead of one fixed to my iPhone screen, I've planned and shot a whole series of Christmas posts, and I've started gift shopping. We went for walks and made leaf lanterns (although they were a bit Pinterest: Nailed It-ish), ate soup, drank LOTS of tea and I had some lovely long baths. Oh, and I hoovered!

I'm a big fan of hibernating, and I've spent an awful lot of time huddled under blankets, crochet hook and knitting needles in hand, tea and spiced candle on the table next to me. I've listened to Radio 4 plays almost endlessly, downloaded audio books and flicked the v's at Instagram; it's been lovely to not have to worry about filters or comments, or what people might rightly or wrongly think of me. I love being part of the blogging community, and I've made some really amazing friends through it, but sometimes things happen and you just need to step away for a while.

On the plus side, the time away also meant I could get a nice lot of content ready; crochet and craft tutorials, shop profiles, interiors posts and LOADS of Christmas-related stuff. So stay tuned!

latest loves: october

I've been reading a lot about 'hygge' lately, which is the Danish word for cosiness or comfort; think blankets, fires, candles, plenty of tea and soup, reading a good book or eating dinner with friends... simple and nourishing, things to make the dull, cold months a bit more pleasant. My latest loves for October all seem to be a bit hygge-ish - this is what I've been enjoying in the last month:

• Drinking plenty of tea from my new mugs; the Nkuku Indigo Drop cup from Oates & Co, the Mountain ceramic mug from The Future Kept and my beautifully rustic handmade ceramic mug from Luke Arthur Wells.

• Stockpiling fabrics to make cushions for the kiddos room and a robe for me (how gorgeous is that woven fabric? Thanks eBay!) I don't usually like sewing, but there's something quite nice about sitting at the machine in the evening, with plenty of tea and biscuits to hand, and Radio 4 playing in the background. Who would have thought sewing could be 'hygge'?!

• Adding some more jumpers to my collection - the one above is probably my best eBay find ever, and makes me feel a bit like Sarah Linden when I'm wearing it (if you've not watched The Killing, you definitely should).

• Covering every available surface in blankets; blankets on the beds, blankets on the sofa, over chair backs and piled in the corner. The one in the picture is from The Future Kept (rapidly becoming my favourite shop!) and is a little recycled bargain at just £16.

• We've come home from almost every trip out with an abundence of autumn finds; pockets stuffed full of pine cones and feathers, bags littered with giant maple leaves in red, gold and green, and hands prickled by opening chestnut cases. There's nothing quite as lovely as arranging everything on the mantle and then lighting candles in the evening, the flickering light bouncing off of shiny burgundy leaves and giant seed heads casting glorious shadows on the wall. 

I've got so into all this cosiness malarkey, that I've decided to take a break from blogging and social media, and in fact the internet entirely. I've found everything a bit of a struggle lately; too much work, too many distractions, feeling woolly headed and despondent about a lot of things - I don't know where I'm going with a lot of my projects (including the blog), so I decided to take some time to myself to think everything through and work out what's important. I'm planning on getting in some serious crafting time, watching a lot of box sets with the Husband, wading through all the books on my reading list and drinking a lot of tea; generally taking more time for myself and my family and spending less time in front of a computer (or iPhone!) screen. I'm starting with a week, but it might end up as more - I will be back, though!

styling the seasons: october

October's 'Styling the Seasons' post had to involve Hallowe'en somehow, but I'm not really into faux cobwebs and plastic skeletons, so I included these miniature gourds (the small pumpkin is called a 'munchkin'!) instead. We went on a bit of a foraging mission last weekend (which saw me edging along a country lane trying to collect some Old Man's Beard without getting squashed by passing cars) and I found the little gourds at Waitrose on the way home - I had to be really restrained as they had LOADS, and they were pretty cheap as well. I was hoping they'd be able to be packed away for next year, but I'm guessing that's probably not going to happen!

As well as the gourds, I've included my prized Old Man's Beard, a few of my gazillion pine cones, my treasured dried hydrangea, some rosehips, Michaelmas daisies, dried honesty and some seed heads. What I love most about collecting at this time of year is that a lot things are already dried, which means they last ages longer - which means you don't have to spend quite so much time sweeping up dropped petals!

Styling the Seasons was started by Katy of Apartment Apothecary and Charlotte from Lotts and Lots, and anyone can join in by using the #StylingTheSeasons hashtag on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

blossoming gifts

A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by the lovely folks at Blossoming Gifts about their new floral delivery service; based here in the UK, they specialise in beautiful bouquets offered at budget friendly prices. They asked if I'd like to review one of their products - obviously, being completely obsessed with flowers and foliage, I jumped at the chance to spend a couple of hours photographing and faffing around with some beautiful blooms!

The one thing I was most impressed with was the delivery service; they really go out of their way to make it easy to fix a delivery time that suits the recipient - and what's even better is that they actually arrive when they're expected to (cough cough Hermes, I'm looking at you). Plus, they're great for last minute gifts, as you can request the next-day service if you order before 9pm - just what you need for 11th hour birthday shopping!

I have to be honest, I'm always a little sceptical of receiving flowers by post; (Ali is a big fan of supermarket flowers!) I always think they're bound to get squashed on the journey, or arrive starved of liquid and clinging to life. So when my chosen bouquet (Creme Brulee from the Grandparents Day range) turned up at the door, I was pleasantly suprised - they were packed tidily, and sprung out of the box like they'd just been picked. There were a couple of droopy daisies (but then they're ridiculously hard to keep perky, so it's to be expected) but there were no broken stems, curled petals or brown leaves at all. Everything was as fresh as a daisy (sorry!).

Once I'd finished faffing about, trimming stems and taking pictures, I gave the whole thing to my lovely Mum; not only is she my best friend and favourite person, she also looks after Daisy when I have to work, and cares for my Dad who has Alzheimers. She's amazing, and I couldn't think of anyone that deserved some beautiful flowers more than her - I'm pleased to be able to report that the chrysanthemums are still going strong, almost three weeks later!

Aside from the quality and delivery, there were a few other things that impressed me about the Blossoming Gifts service:

• The chocolates that accompany the bouquet are VERY tasty (depending on which one you select, these are often free!)
• You can choose add-on gifts, such as balloons, enamel jugs and cakes; these are really well priced as well
• The cost of the bouquets are more than reasonable for the quality of the flowers - I'd definitely order from there again. I've not come across cheap flowers that last three weeks before!
• The website is easy to navigate, and there are a few different ways to shop - they also stock items such as hampers, wine and plants, so you could literally get everything in one place.

I tried desperately to think of some negative points, just to balance things out, but I couldn't. Erm. They don't sell tea?

The kind folks at Blossoming Gifts have given readers of this blog a code for a special 33% discount on any bouquet on the site, apart from the 'Flowers by Post' range. Simply head to the website, and enter the code at the checkout to receive your money off.

I received the 'Creme Brulee' bouquet for review purposes, but as usual all thoughts and opinions are my own. You can see from the pictures how amazing the flowers were!

PS: There's probably nothing harder than shooting white flowers on a white table, in front of a white wall. It might be time to get some tablecloths and paint!

five ideas for a rustic style christmas

I know, I know, we've not had Hallowe'en yet, and I'm already talking about Christmas - but, in my defence, last year I left everything until the second week of December, and I ended up in a sweat with sticks glue-gunned to my hand and almost missed the festive season entirely. This year, I want to do everything slowly, plan ahead and enjoy the whole experience, rather than panic-crafting two days before Christmas in a huff in front of National Lampoons (which means that naurally I've started a Pinterest board as well.....)

I love everything rustic and nature-filled, so obviously my Christmas decorations are based around foliage, wood, natural fabrics and simple homemade decorations (and we add some glittery stuff for the kiddos!) - this sort of thing does take some advance planning though, so based on my experience of last year, today I've got my five top tips for rustic-style festivities.

1. Collect pine cones now for free crafts later
Pine cones are the quintessential festive accessory, and there are SO many things you can do with them; display them in beautiful bowls, make garlands from them, hang them on the tree, spray them gold, dip-paint them.... the list is pretty much limitless. You can obviously buy them on eBay, but why pay for something later than you can gather and keep now for absolutely nothing?!

2. Invest in some good blankets
I do tend to go on about blankets quite a lot, but they're literally one of my favourite things. There's nothing better than snuggling up with a glass of mulled wine, a plate of mince pies (or the festive chocolates!) and the Christmas specials in the evenings, and for us, this usually carries on way after the big day. If you're feeling crafty, or fancy learning a new skill, there's plenty of time to knit or crochet your own blanket - YouTube has plenty of helpful tutorials, or check out websites such as Lion Brand or Ravelry for patterns.

3. Bring the outside in
It might sound odd, but sticks and twigs are the basis of a lot of rustic style decorations; this star I made for our mantel last year had a base made from twigs I'd found at our local country park, and many homemade wreaths are formed around similar things, so it pays to start collecting early. It's also a good idea to collect plenty of beautifully coloured leaves now, then preserve them for Christmas crafts and decorations in a month or so. Later on, look around at places selling live trees for offcuts to decorate your home with - they're usually more than happy to give them away for free!

4. Buy or make some lanterns
There's nothing better than the lights twinkling on the tree, and a few candles dotted around for creating a cosy atmosphere. If you're the crafty type, start collecting tin cans now to make simple DIY versions later on, or alternatively pay a visit to the lovely folks at Houseology, who have an entire department dedicated to tea lights and lanterns; I'm in love with the Miners Tealight Holders (£22 for three! Such a bargain!) which have festive shapes cut out of the sides - great for casting Christmas-sy shadows on the wall. (The gorgeous images at the top of this post have been sent kindly from the Houseology team and you can see the entire lookbook here - vintage ice-skates, trunks, lanterns, wooden decorations and foliage galore. Heaven!)

5. Add some festive cheer
I used to be all about colour, but now that my style is a little more neutral, Christmas is always a bit of a challenge in that department - wood and foliage are great, but you definitely need something to make it sparkle. I'm going to be sticking to traditional colours; deep reds, silvers and golds, white fairy lights and a little bit of glitter (well, a lot of glitter in the kiddos case, lets be honest!). There'll probably be quite a bit of washi tape in there as well!

Many thanks to the team at Houseology for the kind use of their images and for collaborating on this post.