A Beautiful Mess

My dresser is especially dear to me. It was the very first piece of furniture I bought. I'd scoured the local classifieds for a pine dresser for my first house and could just afford to stretch to this.

It was horridly orange when I saw it in a dark little bungalow with my dad. The chap selling it was very shaken up after two previous people ended up scrapping over it in the street!? He was quite glad that dad and I spent just five minutes in his house, handed over the dosh and took it off his hands.

I painted it white quite swiftly and it desperately needs re-doing, but part of me is quite attached to the scuffs and dinks that family life have wrought upon it. Over time I've moved on from displaying pale and chintzy china to bolder, chunkier pottery that I much prefer and suits our home much better. The whole thing is a moving, growing display of memories and day to day life which is what I love about it so very much.

The Liberty bunting was a decoration at my 40th party, there are photos of cherished nephews, endless piles of correspondence from school, junk shop and flea market pottery, holiday postcards and pretty cards, presents for wrapping, uniforms needing mending, sewing kits, a colourful tea cosy, favourite mugs and teapots, a pleasingly shaped jug from Lyme Regis, chargers, a cheese dish, sellotape, glue and crafty mess in the drawers - a beautiful, much treasured mess. Home xxx 

A Refreshing Start

Look! There's life outside despite it being so dank and dark. Not that I'm minding much. Seasons are what keep me going, they mark and celebrate the year, so darkness and chill during January are really just how things should be. Seeing the bulbs peep through though is massive cause for celebration.

I'm not one for giving things up in January, it's a time for comfort and cosiness but  I do rather like to try something new. My concession to the New Year health kick is to try and knock back my sugary coffees and teas (I'm surely the only person left who still takes it!) -  but gosh it's hard. 

Instead of total abstinence I'm reducing my number of mugs and replacing them with a new found friendship with fruit and herbal teas. The Dorset Tea Company kindly offered me a chance to sample some of their delicious range of teas and fruit infusions which was quite timely for me and I've been making some lovely discoveries. 

(note - teapot not required but I wanted to show off my bargain, charity shop Saddler pot. I love it!)

Based in beautiful Dorset where we've had such lovely holidays, the Dorset Tea Company has recently created this new range of fruit and herbal infusions and green teas inspired by the some of England's most gentle and beautiful scenery. Its also good to read they're a producer member of The Rain Forest Alliance.

So, my new regime features a morning boost of Wild About Mint, without doubt my favourite; a mix of peppermint and spearmint (and tingling nettle apparently) that I'm finding a totally different experience and very refreshing. Green tea is a completely new drink to me and one I've looked at with trepidation if I'm honest - but with added lemon it's rather uplifting and relaxing; if that's a possible combination?! 

Woody's sweet tooth has been captured by Strawberries and Cream as an afternoon pick me up. For a fella he can be a bit refined and the special Earl of Dorset blend is disappearing fast. 

A handy flask is making my herbal habit very easy to keep up too. When I'm busy in the borders I like to top up my brew and I found today this trick works even better with herbal teas (lack of milk) and means you're not faced with that lukewarm disappointment that's the curse of the gardener's cuppa.

I've also taken to popping a few bags and a couple of flasks in the back of the car and a warm fruity or herbal choice was very popular after our blustery New Year's Day walk with this lovely bunch. They just reminded me that I really need to remember biscuits too next time - not quite so good for my sugar detox!

So have you picked up a new habit for the year to come? I'd love to know xx