Tag: anne taintor (page 1 of 1)

Dust? What Dust?

Dust? What Dust?

I think I need a blindfold like this! I’m in the process of thoroughly gutting our pantry. This is no small undertaking. Especially when I discovered that some of my beloved art history books had been ruined by mildew. Because, unbeknown to us, we had a damp problem along the side wall of the pantry, where the bookshelf is. Now, those gorgeous books are in the recycling bin as they are completely and utterly in disrepair.

We have been living in and amongst chaos all week as most of the pantry is sitting in various piles in our den. We live in a very tiny cottage, in fact, so tiny, we could have started the “tiny house” movement that is all the rage today. But, as I write this a storage bin we have ordered is winding it’s way to me through the streets of London today. So hopefully by nightfall, I can have everything neatly and safely stored and the pantry more organised, so you don’t have to move like a Ninja to grab something.

It is exhausting yet cathartic completing this process. It’s amazing to realise how much crap you accumulate and I’m not ashamed to say that a good portion of it was mine. I have cleaned off my “crafting” shelf and all the little magazines and scraps I’ve kept for so long, have now been gone through with precision. There is no point in keeping an entire magazine for only one page, is there?  I’ve been ruthless.

We are pairing down, stripping back and streamlining. By the end of today, we should be nearly there and then I can take a break before starting our next room overhaul, to work on a project that is very dear to me. I’m keeping my fingers, toes and anything else that can be crossed, crossed, in the hopes to be published soon.

Here’s to Wednesday, we’ve almost made it through the week!

{Image: Anne Taintor}

It Must Be Monday!

Anne Taintor PTA

Today, was one of those days. You know the kind of day I’m talking about! One of those days where you would be better served going back to bed and waiting till tomorrow to crawl back out.

Cons:

  • I sliced my finger pretty deeply this morning while taking out the recycling and it bled a lot!
  • I pulled a muscle in my shoulder blade yesterday, doing of all things, cleaning the house, and I am pretty sore.
  • Our kitchen was invaded by ants last night. So this morning we waged a war against them, while trying to throw dinner together in the crock pot, iron clothes and run around getting ready for work, all of this happened before 6am.

Pros:

  • For a few fleeting moments, I watched a flock of geese munch alongside a soft headed cow on grass that was sugared with frost
  • The sunrise was a glorious peachy pink color that filled the sky like a delicate blossom about to bud open and I watched the golden orb that the sun is slowly rise above London as my train traveled.
  • Mr. Michie was waiting for me when I got home, with the sweetest smile. He had finished cleaning the house for me! Oh, how I love that red-headed man of mine!

Well, tomorrow is another day as Anne Shirley says, with no mistakes in it yet!

{image: Anne Taintor}

I Dream of Storage Space

We live in a very tiny cottage behind a racing green door and as I have an important visitor coming this weekend, I am dreaming of more storage space to put everything up in as I tidy. Who is this important visitor? He is my Dad! I have not seen my parents since Christmas and for me that is a long time.

These are the moments where I truly feel like a pioneer woman, leaving all she knew behind to journey for months on end to reach her destination and her dreams.

But, through that journey she either never had the opportunity to see her family again or the visits were so few and far between, it could have been years before they laid eyes on each other. Thank goodness this pioneer woman has Skype. I can see their beautiful faces everyday and that is better than nothing, I am lucky.

My Dad has been in Europe on business this last week and is stopping on his way home to stay with us, as this is the first time he shall see our Lilliputian cottage, I want everything in tip-top shape! If only I could wiggle my nose as Bewitched’s Samantha and everything I don’t need at the moment could magically disappear!

Alas, that is not to be, so as I lay my head down on my pillow tonight, I shall continue to dream of miles and miles of storage space to contain my treasures…

(Image:Anne Taintor)

I dreamed my whole house was clean

The weekend is almost here and I am more than ready for it. The Southern Summer is at times unrelenting but when it is in full swing the English Summer can be almost as unpleasant at times. With no indoor air-conditioning and the little to no breeze outside, it makes for a long day and at times an even longer night. Even with a fan whirring away in our bedroom, sleep is difficult. The blades only seem to push around the non-existent air. You lie there; sleep eluding you, as you still feel bathed in heat. Which means we usually end up lying in the dark like little kids at a slumber party talking the night away because it is just to sweltering to close our eyes.

I change the menu this time of year, the less I have to use the stove and oven the better. It makes the house almost unbearable when running. If we could live off of ice-cream that would be alright with me. Our boiler also doesn’t like the heat, as it decided to stop working this week yet again, so in true pioneer fashion we have been boiling kettles of water to clean and sterilize the dishes. As exasperating as it can be you just have to make a game out of it and at least I still have water, I do not have to cart it back from the well to the cabin.

Having to do things in all this heat made me think of one of my favourite Anne Taintor designs, “I dreamed my whole house was clean”. I definitely get a workout cleaning with temperatures in the high 80’s inside the house, never mind outside. I have a card of this picture framed in my cottage and it always makes me smile. I pray for the little kitchen fairies and house elves to come at night, but they must be so busy at other people’s houses they miss mine. That’s ok, I find housework just as therapeutic as gardening or yoga, and it is a way to work out a lot of frustrations, even in all of this sweltering weather.

If you have not heard of Anne Taintor you should check out her designs. She combines the best of retro glam with witty adages.

Click HERE to go to her website.