January blues.

I thought I would go and suss out the latest Marks and Spencer Home range yesterday for something to do.

I didn't actually need anything (which is a dangerous statement to make!) so I was purely window shopping. I did buy a woolly pom pom hat....but mostly because I have the world's largest head and tons of hair and this hat was, if anything, too big! A first for me, so I bought it on that basis.

I haven't been to Marks for home wares for a while. I thought it went slightly off the boil some while back in all respects. Anyway. I thought there were quite a few nice bits and bobs and as my brother and family are in the process of buying a new (brand new) house, I am in need of ideas and inspiration. My sister in law has asked for help with buying for the new pad. They won't mind me saying that they are upsizing in a fairly considerable way. I had a text from the sis in law, slightly in awe of the fact that she has a 5 ringed all singing all dancing gas hob at the new house but she has only ever cooked on 2! Time to dust down those cook books Mrs B! You will no doubt be hearing more of Mrs B and her progress over the forth coming months!

As if house moving isn't stressful enough, the thought that you then might have to start thinking about curtains, blinds, colours, sofas etc etc is fairly daunting stuff. Where do you start if you don't have fixed ideas in your head already? Well, grab as many magazines as you can possibly find the time or inclination to flick through, and tear out pages with room schemes you like/love and don't like at all, considering colour, style and light and take it from there. It's probably the best way to unscramble and translate what might be in your head if, like the majority of us, you can't employ someone to do it for you!

The M&S Home freebie magazine (this latest edition), I think, is quite a good source of ideas and inspiration and I will be sending a copy her way.

Here are one or two of the things I spotted on my travels. Classic blue and white....but it just works so well. If you are moving to a modern house or if you fancy adding something new in the kitchen without great expense, then mugs and other accessories are a great way of doing it. Mugs and shoes are two of my biggest downfalls! I can't resist adding a couple of new mugs to the collection and I rarely drink tea or coffee! These would look great in a modern or more traditional setting as would the clocks. The seersucker bedding comes in 4 colour choices and again, provides a great base for throws, quilts etc. I wouldn't normally go for  something like the Magnolia bedding, but I have to say, when I saw it I thought it looked fab and if I had a bright, more modern bedroom, I would definitely choose it.



cross stitch wave mug £5



hand painted fish mug £5





cross stitch fish mug







bunting wall clock £25



white metal wall clock with blue hands £25







Magnolia bedding from £39.50





Autograph seersucker
bed sets from £19.50