1. See the bluebells
Aim: get outside and do nice things
Every year Andy and I take some time out to visit the bluebell woods near us. Here are some photos from our visit this year.

2. Finish decorating the bedroom
Aim: focus on one thing at a time
I had three painting projects that needed doing before I could call our bedroom 'complete'.
1. Stain the mirror frame
2. Paint the freestanding shoe shelf
3. Paint the chest of drawers

I did none of these things! I have all the paint, primers and brushes required, just not the inclination. Other things just seem to have taken precedence over this.
 
3. Finish decorating the downstairs loo
Aim: keep up the DIY momentum
1. print to frame and hang
2. loo roll and towel holder to be fitted
3. track down a nice soap dish

I might've failed to finish the bedroom but I did make progress here - the towel rail and loo roll holder have been fitted. It's amazing how much more finished the room feels with just these two little additions.


4. Hit the beach
Aim: do nice things, get some me time
Andy and I went to North Norfolk for a few days and went to both Heacham and Snettisham beach. The tide was out but it didn't matter, we could still fill our lungs with sea air and take a brisk walk along the sandy, pebbly beach.

5. Mend my old jeans
Aim: reduce the mend pile
I had two pairs that needed repairing again. And I still have two pairs that need repairing. I've been following #visiblemending on Instagram and I now want to unpick the mending I've already done and start again...

6. Have a wardrobe cull
Aim: declutter and get organised
I was feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of clothes in my possession, so I knew it was a good time to get rid of what was no longer serving me. It feels really good to have more space and a clearer picture of what I own.



7. Attend an exhibition
Aim: do nice things
Whilst away Andy and I visited Houghton Hall to see an exhibition of Henry Moore's sculptures. They didn't disappoint.


8. Plant up the hanging baskets and sow seeds in the greenhouse
Aim: get outside!
I planted up the hanging baskets in late March, kept them in the greenhouse to protect them from frost and hung them up in April. I went for a purple flowers this year and they're looking really pretty.


The seeds I planted are doing well. I have lettuce leaves, spinach, and potatoes. I've planted a pot of cat grass for Socks and Tink, and some violas, forget-me-nots and nasturtiums for colour and prettiness. And I have some marigolds for my Dad.


My brother gave me loads of strawberry runners that are doing well, some of which are in a hanging basket by the back door. He also gave me some tomato plants and some cucumber, neither of which I've grown before - any tips for these would be welcome.

9. Eat the pantry
Aim: declutter and reduce waste
I had no idea that I'd amassed so many baking ingredients! And I have no idea why I thought we'd need five tins of pineapple chunks. I've managed to reduce the amount of food we had sitting in there, and now that I write a meal plan every week it shouldn't, in theory, fill up again with items that we don't need or use.

10. Carboot or ebay
Aim: declutter
I put aside a morning in my diary in April to get as much listed on ebay as possible, I continued listing items throughout May and into June. I also have boxes full of stuff waiting to go to a carboot sale one day soon. The stuff to sell pile is going down, our takings are going up...

A walk in the woods to see the bluebells with my husband. An event I look forward to each year. Time out to just be together in nature.

When you're walking through the bluebells you know Spring has well and truly arrived.

In previous spring seasons I've found it hard to put a capsule together because the weather can be so unpredictable. This spring I decided to tweak it every month, hoping that I'd be adding more summery clothes each time.
I have 24 items in this capsule, six fewer than in April, which is more than enough to see me through the month. Twelve items remain from the April capsule, with twelve added, and only seven items are brand new, 76% is pre-loved - a statistic that brings a smile to my face.

April was a mix of cold days and delightfully warm days, my capsule served me well, but I did wish I'd added more lighter tops and fewer jumpers (why did I think I'd need ten jumpers?!). I've redressed the balance for May, and dared to hope that I'll be in need of a pair of shorts.

I wanted to add some rarely worn items to my May capsule. I do have a habit of reaching for my favourite items which leaves things languishing in my wardrobe, forgotten and unappreciated. I've sidelined my trusty navy jumpers for now. I feel little bereft at not having either of them in this capsule, they're usually to hand, season after season. But not having them will make me wear other things, and it's likely I'll find other outfit options that I like because of it.

In addition to trying to wear my less worn items I've also had a really thorough wardrobe clear out and listed a lot of items on ebay. I feel there's little point in having a capsule wardrobe if I'm constantly adding more and hardly wearing the vast majority of it. Better to sell it and hope someone else will make good use of it.

The point of having a capsule was to limit my spending and to make the most of the items I already own. I enjoy having the capsules, and I do feel like I wear more of my wardrobe because of them but it's failed in curbing my spending, I'm still adding too many items.
I now have, what I hope will proved to be, a wardrobe of clothes that work well together and are a joy to wear, making putting together capsules much easier, and easing my guilt at having clothes I simply do not wear.

I have that wonderfully refreshed feeling you get after decluttering. I don't intend to buy any clothes in May, possibly even June too. The shopper in me is going to have to take a little holiday.

Come on May, let's see what you've got.

Is it starting to look like spring where you are? The sun seems to be making more effort to shine through the clouds but the wind is still a little on the chilly side. Things are starting to bud and grow outside and warming fires lit inside are becoming less frequent. Yes, warmer weather is on it's way.

My plans for spring are as follows:


1. See the bluebells
Aim: get outside and do nice things
This appears on the list every year and needs little explanation.

2. Finish decorating the bedroom
Aim: focus on one thing at a time
I've been waiting for nicer weather before finishing the last three painting projects for our bedroom. I have a mirror frame, freestanding shoe shelf, and chest of drawers that all need a coat or two of paint. I've picked a fab colour for the drawers, and tracked down the exact drawer pulls I wanted, and now can't wait to get started!
 
3. Finish decorating the downstairs loo
Aim: keep up the DIY momentum
Once the bedroom has been completed I have a print to frame and hang, and a loo roll and towel holder to be fitted. I also want to track down a nice soap dish as I've vowed to ditch liquid soaps when my current ones run out (being my Mother's daughter, I had a large stash bought during a three-for-two offer, possibly the year before last. I've been waiting for it to be used up ever since).

4. Hit the beach
Aim: do nice things, get some me time
Any or all Suffolk beaches will suffice, paddling optional.

5. Mend my old jeans
Aim: reduce the mend pile
I have two pairs that need repairing again, but they still have plenty of life left in them.

6. Have a wardrobe cull
Aim: declutter and get organised
Since removing everything from our bedroom in order to redecorate I've been really picky about what gets put back. I've started to be more considered about what I keep when it comes to clothes. I'm thinking now is a good time to go through my all my clothes, I'm in the right frame of mind.

7. Attend an exhibition
Aim: do nice things
I've seen a few exhibitions recently, after years of not seeing a single thing. My love for them has been reignited and I want to see more.

8. Plant up the hanging baskets and sow seeds in the greenhouse
Aim: get outside!
I'm probably a bit late to plant some things but I can certainly make sure we don't run out of lettuce leaves and spinach this year.

9. Eat the pantry
Aim: declutter and reduce waste
At some point I want to get in there and declutter and reorganise, it seems like a daunting task at the moment so reducing the amount of food will help. I don't know why I thought I'd ever need seven tins of pineapple chunks when neither of us particularly like it...

10. Carboot or ebay
Aim: declutter
I still have a huge amount of unwanted stuff that needs re-homing. With the money I make I'm going to buy a large rug for the bedroom.

What plans do you have for spring?

Ah spring, it's almost here at last! The warm interlude in February awakened my love of bright sunny days that are warm enough to leave the house without a coat. I'm hoping that the sun will be back with us sooner rather than later.

The improving weather turned my thoughts to my spring capsule, I'm looking forward to wearing some recent purchases, mixing them with older items to create new outfit combinations. My cropped jeans are making a reappearance, and my cropped dungarees their first. And the green skirt is back now that it's been mended and is wearable once again.

I've decided to make my spring capsule monthly, just like I did in the summer. It allows me to wear more of my wardrobe, and it lets me tweak the capsule depending on the weather. Spring and autumn are always tricky to get right as the weather is difficult to predict.

This is what I'll be wearing in April.
I've got plenty of things for cooler days, but have enough for days when the sun comes out.

Happy spring!

My spring outfits were dominated by three things. My red floral skirt, a pair of pink brogues found in a charity shop in April, and a navy bowling bag I discovered in the Pile of Things to be Listed on Ebay (it's safe to say that it won't be returning to the pile).

Looking at these outfits I'm reminded of how gloriously warm spring turned out to be, before summer came along with it's tarmac melting heat. I'm not complaining, I'm not, I'm just a bit hot.

I'm loving my July Capsule. It's probably the best one so far. I love being able to wear all of my favourite summer clothes as much I am, most summers aren't warm enough for this (see not complaining). (But it is a little hot).

I missed my opportunity to make elderflower cordial last year, using the first crop of flowers to make gin instead (priorities). So, this year I kept an eye on the flowers and picked them as soon as enough had bloomed.


It was a few weeks ago now, I used this recipe, chosen because it didn't require a trip to the shop to purchase citric acid. The acid acts as a preservative but I figured it wouldn't last long anyway because I'd gobble it all up pretty quickly.


The instructions say to shake the flowers to remove any bugs, I had a look and thought 'I can't see any', but I went ahead and did it anyway. I'm really glad I did, don't be tempted to skip this step!

Reading the post I was very intrigued to learn that you could make elderflower cream.  I rather liked the sound of that.

'Make elderflower cream by adding a few tablespoons of elderflower cordial and a sprinkling of icing sugar when whipping cream. This livens up any recipe using cream – especially trifles, pavlovas and Eton mess.'

I immediately added cream to my grocery list, along with strawberries and raspberries. I had some meringues left over from making Banoffee Mess the weekend before, so it was the perfect excuse for an Eton Mess.


I made an 'Eton Tidy' as I couldn't be bothered to break up the meringues, I just wanted to get it in my face as soon as possible.

How did it taste? Wonderful! Especially when I remembered that I also had some left-over salted caramel sauce and chopped pecans too. The elderflower added a subtle, delicate flavour to the cream that was really pleasant, and it tasted lovely with the soft fruit.

We rarely have a dessert at home, serving one only when we have guests. It felt wonderfully extravagant, even though we were only having left-overs (lasagna - which always tastes better the next day, don't you think?)

Mostly I've been adding the cordial to sparkling water with lots of ice, but it's also lovely added to a G&T or Prosecco. I added a tablespoon to a cup of green tea yesterday and that was lovely too.


It's nearly all gone now, I knew it wouldn't last long. I wish I'd made more.


The recipe called for lemons and I decided to plant a few pips to see if I can grow a lemon tree, I planted three just in case. If it's successful (I'm still waiting for a shoots to emerge) it'll be another thing ticked off my Day Zero list.

Do you forage?

OK, so can I just say how can summer be here already?! Spring has been lovely, but it's over all too soon. I'm enjoying compiling my list of things to do over the coming season, but first here's how I got on with my spring things.

1. Make
I ordered two skirt patterns, and thanks to signing up to the Simplicity newsletter, I got a 25% discount on my order. One pattern is very similar to my red floral skirt which has proven itself to be a favorite of my current capsule, the other is a full midi skirt with the option of pockets. Now I just need to find the material, which is something I'll buy in person rather than from the internet. I want to see and feel the material before purchasing.


2. See the bluebells
Done! I don't think I'll ever tire of wandering through this beautiful carpet of blue.


3. Hit the beach
Andy and I went to Lowestoft for the day. I've mentioned this before in one of my Weekend posts, but I'll say again how lovely it was. It was completely unexpected and turned out to be great fun, despite slightly grey weather.

4. DIY
I failed. I spent most of my spare time in the garden, pottering, mowing grass, weeding, you know the stuff. But I do have a plan (and a list) to get lots of DIY jobs done when harvest starts and I have all my evenings, without Andy, to fill. But then you've heard that before...

5. Mend
The first thing was to mend a frayed collar on a top I'd already mended once, it had frayed in a different place, and since washing it it's frayed again. I seem to spend more time mending frayed seams than any thing else. It's so annoying. Then I shortened the sleeves on a dress, took in the seams on a top, and mended the hem on a pair of shorts. There are still plenty of items waiting for my attention, but this is good enough for now.

6. Make pasta from scratch
Nope.


7. Read 12 Books
Done. I've read some great books this season, it'd be hard to pick a favourite. Sometimes after I read a really good book I don't come across another one I enjoy as much for ages, so this has been a real treat!

8. Get stuck into embroidery
Kit purchased. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into this but I've decided to save it, to fill a few of the afore mentioned solo evenings ahead (see, I'm already I'm shirking the DIY!).


9. Have Afternoon Tea
On a beautifully sunny Thursday afternoon my Mum and I headed out to Seckford Hall and spent a rather pleasant few hours drinking endless cups of tea, and nibbling on delicious treats, all in beautiful surroundings. Can I just take a moment to talk about warm Scotch eggs? I say yes, Andy disagrees. It was my first taste of a warm Scotch egg with a deliciously runny centre and I much preferred it.

10. Host Afternoon Tea
Fully armed with inspiration from Seckford Hall, I was keen to get one in the diary, but I am a little hampered by the fact that I've temporarily lost the use of my dining room (the table and chairs are pushed up against the wall to make room for our old sofas, until they can be disposed of). So I'll just have to wait. And plan.

Spring has been pretty good. How was yours?

The first quarter of the year went by so fast that putting this together was a bit last minute (as in started and finished on April 1st!) Looking at it now I've realised that I've only included one coat, and that's a denim jacket so this might not be my most successful capsule to date.

I have two spaces 'free' because I'm going on a charity shop rummage with Sophie soon and we always come home with armfuls of pre-loved items.

I have some old favourites here - my yellow maxi, my khaki trousers, my khaki mini skirt and some new purchases - a red floral skirt, a floral skater dress, and ditsy print shirt. It's a real mixture of old and new, new and pre-loved. And hopefully a good mix (if we ignore the lack of a proper jacket) to see me through the cooler days of early spring and the (hopefully) warmer days of late spring.

This time around I quickly put together a chart of possible outfits - the things you do on a wet Sunday afternoon! I'll be ticking them off to see how many I wear. I hope it'll be warm enough for me to wear the 23 different outfits with shorts here - we can but hope, right?

How are you ringing the changes for spring?

SPRING! It's here. This always feels like the actual start of the year for me. The first few months are often spent hibernating, making plans, tentatively poking my head out of the safety of my home to see if it's warm enough to venture out.

With the (imminent?) arrival of blue skies and sunnier days I always feel more energised and optimistic, my head buzzes with ideas, and endless lists are made.

1. Make
I want to find a dress pattern and seek out some material to make a summer frock

2. See the bluebells
I have this on my list every year, and I doubt I need to explain why... I'm also looking forward to seeing if the ones I discovered in our back garden last year will make another appearance.

3. Hit the beach
I often visit Felixstowe, sometimes Southwold, and occasionally Aldeburgh, all or any of these would be fine.

4. DIY
Winter saw a slow but steady start on home improvement projects, but spring is the time to really get stuck in. I've been planning a bedroom makeover for ages and now is the time, especially as I've finally decided on the colour for the walls (probably).

5. Mend
I made a good start on the mend pile, but I still have a number of items left. I want to get it gone, asap.

6. Make pasta from scratch
I just fancy giving it a go.

7. Read 12 Books
The mission to read everything on my bookshelves goes on...

8. Get stuck into embroidery
I have an urge to try my hand at this, I had a quick go a few weeks ago, and now I've pinned the hell out of it, watched a load of YouTube tutorials, and admired all the pretty coloured threads, it's time to start another hobby that I probably don't have time for. Yay!

9. Have Afternoon Tea
I haven't had afternoon tea since I went with Sophie in 2015! I've been saying I'm going to take Mother for an age, it's time to make good on that promise. And it's a good excuse to wear a pretty dress.

10. Host Afternoon Tea
I can treat having afternoon tea as a fact finding mission, so I can host an afternoon tea for friends.

What plans do you have for spring?


Photo from Pixabay

Spring seemed to go on for ages, and yet the year seems to be flying by. Here's how I got on with my spring to-do list

See the bluebells
I love doing this and look forward to it every year. Andy and I went twice, as we always seem to go a little too early the first time, and have to return to see the best floral display, but it's time spent with my husband, so it's time well spent.

I was delighted to discover bluebells growing in our garden a few weeks later.

Plant up container pots and hanging baskets
I planted up my hanging baskets in autumn with winter flowering pansies and violas. They lasted until early June, even though they were largely ignored. They're now filled with Bacopa, a million bells, Lysimachia, and variegated Nepeta, despite being planted later than usual they're looking lovely. They make such a difference to how the house looks, they add personality and colour. They make the house look quite cheerful!


Hit the beach
My first visit was to Felixstowe with my nephews in April and involved arcade games, where I won some odd looking characters that I have no clue what to do with now I have them, and fish 'n' chips. I managed to talk my youngest nephew into joining me for a paddle - it was freezing cold!!

I returned in May with my Mum to celebrate her birthday. We spent some time painting pots, rummaging in charity shops, eating al fresco at Prezzo, playing on the arcades, and strolling along the seafront eating ice cream.

Do It Myself
I've been doing little bits and pieces around the house but my focus has largely been in the garden. It's hardly DIY but it does come under the umbrella of home improvement so it's good enough for me. My plan is to turn my attention inside and decorate when Andy disappears into harvest.

Make a plan to grow soft fruit
I have a raspberry plant that seems to be doing really well so far. As for strawberries I failed to buy any plants. I have an ancient plant in a pot by the front door but I doubt it'll be fruitful. I haven't given up on my plans for a fruit cage though, that's something I'm still plotting.


Mend
So far I've patched two pairs of jeans (one of which now has a busted zip!), and mended a torn hem on a maxi skirt, and a split side seem. It's not huge progress but it's a start. That said since doing these I've added a few more things to the mend pile. It's never ending.


Once a month veggie meals
In April I made Chickpea Tikka Masala - Andy Loved it, I only liked it, every mouthful was a bit samey.

In May I whipped up this Creamy Hummus Pasta dish that we both really enjoyed. I've made this several times now, it's a really easy weeknight recipe. I want to have a go at making hummus, I know I have a recipe kicking about somewhere.

In June I made a Three Bean Chili which we both really liked. Andy topped his with extra jalapenos, I added cheese and chopped red onion. Yum.

I also made this cucumber pickle recipe I found thanks to Vix. I made a half batch just in case we didn't like it. I think I needed to slice everything a little thinner (a Mandoline might be a good addition to our kitchen). Or perhaps cut the cucmber and onion into chunks so it has more of a Branston feel to it. I wasn't sure if I liked it at first but it's definitely grown on me. It's especially good with cheese and crackers, and lovely with a quiche.

I had planned on cooking a veggie lasagna but the recipe was American and some of the ingredients were hard to find, and I simply can't be bothered to work that hard for an everyday recipe.


Read 12 Books
I read 14 and of these Sylvia's Farm was my favourite, I still think about it now. I'm going to write a review at some point in the near future, I'm normally terrible at book reviews but I like this book so much I'm going to give it a go.


Attend the Suffolk Show
I've lived in Suffolk since I was tiny but I'd never been to the Suffolk Show before. So to remedy this I went along with my Dad, we had such a lovely day. We indulged in some shopping, spent ages watching horse demonstrations, and blacksmiths in action, ate Cornish pasties, strawberries, and date and walnut cake. We meandered around the many stalls and exhibitions, including an art exhibition. At the entrance to this was a large sculpture of a dog with a big stick in it's mouth, which was surrounded by three real dogs, barking at it but all too chicken to try and nick his stick. It was so cute, and noisy.

Also during spring, Andy and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary, I hit the charity shops with Sophie and Kezzie, I started my bee friendly garden quest, made elderflower gin, a malteaser cheesecake, lemon curd thumb print cookies, granola, and I started a new wardrobe challenge.

Although I make these lists each season and I never manage to tick everything off, there are always many other things that crop up to keep me busy and out of mischief. Making plans is all very well but there is always something to be said for last minute plans, acting on ideas as and when they strike, and going with the flow.

Summer feels like it's taken forever to arrive. I got bored with my spring capsule and started to wear items from this one ages ago, so it seems like this is well overdue but as I normally start my summer capsule on July 1st it's really not all that late.
I'm excited to have so many items that I really, really like in this capsule. I got my spring capsule wrong, I selected too many warm weather clothes and ended up wearing jeans and a t-shirt most of the time. Not that there is any thing wrong with that - I love a jeans and tee combo - I just wanted to be wearing other things, I wasn't inspired by it at all.

To create my capsules I choose my favourite items of clothing and then make sure I have a few things to wear with each item. Then I fill in the gaps with more standard items - jeans, jumpers or t-shirts. I've done some reading on how I 'should' put a capsule together but I've largely ignored the rules set out.

There is a school of thought that says you can wear prints either as tops or bottoms, and you should have a colour scheme with lots of neutrals and a few pops of colour. Most capsulers like to be able to wear any top from the capsule with any of the skirts or trousers. I don't bother with that. As long as I'm able to wear each piece a few different ways I'm happy. I put together these capsules for my convenience, to wear my favourite clothes, not to follow as set of someone else's rules. It means I have an uncluttered wardrobe, I am more aware of the clothes I have, and I have fewer 'I have nothing to wear days'. It works for me.

Most of the time.



As I said my spring capsule didn't work well, I didn't have enough cooler weather options and felt rather uninspired most days. It wasn't until the sun started to shine, and I was able to wear more summery pieces that I perked up, before abandoning it completely in favour of my summer capsule.

Bring on the skirts, the prints, and the dresses!

Greenhouse pottering
I've spent a lot of time in my greenhouse this week, it's old and and in need of some serious TLC but I love it. I'm growing numerous things but sometimes I just sit in there with a cup of tea, sometimes with a book. It's warm, my cats love to join me in there and at this time of year, when the weather can be a little chilly, it allows me to be outside without having to brave the elements.

Knitting
Every once in a while I get the urge to knit. I love knitting Monkey Moo, he knits up super quick and is always loved by his recipient.

Baking
A slightly out of date jar of lemon curd inspired me to pop on my pinny and make some Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies (I wasn't about to let a use by date cheat me out of the lemony goodness). They're utterly delicious! It's left me with a hankering to bake more often, perhaps some banana oat cookies...?

Reading
My current read is charming, and one I found via Yarn Along - Sylvia's Farm: The Journal of an Improbable Shepherd by Sylvia Jorrin. I'm really enjoying the short chapters, each a stand alone story of the farm. It leaves me a desire to make the most of each and every single day, to do just one more thing to work towards a goal, and to be happy and grateful with my lot.

Changing my routine
I decided to change my working hours in an attempt to have a little more routine to my days. Now I work in the mornings, I'm at my desk by 8am and finish some where between noon and 1pm.

The afternoons are mine. This is when I get my housework done, or I potter in the greenhouse, maybe read for an hour, write my meal plan, bake, go for a walk. It feels nice to know that after lunch I can ignore the emails and focus on everything else that life entails.

Before doing this, I had a 'just quickly' mindset, where I'd just quickly pop some washing on, just quickly run the vacuum around, just quickly nip outside and water the plants. I found that I'd 'work' a full day but rarely get more than half a days work done.

If I need to work into the afternoon then I do but I find this way I can concentrate on the task in hand. I feel like I'm achieving more each day. Multitasking has it's place but day-to-day I'm finding it's better to focus on one thing at a time.

Also
Having a bit of a bee moment. Thanks to Instagram I was alerted to a rather delicious sounding coconut and pear lip balm, it's limited edition and for each one sold 5,000 wild flower seeds are planted. Isn't that lovely? I purchased three (they're as nice as they sound), and gave one to my Mum.

I also uploaded a #SelflessSelfie via the Burt's Bees website, they add flowers to your selfie and with each one uploaded a further 5,000 seeds are planted.

Meanwhile in my own garden I've been planting bee friendly plants and made a bee bath, but that's for another post...

What have you been up to this week?

Celebrating our Wedding Anniversary

Two years. It's gone by in a flash! Cotton is the traditional gift for a second anniversary, so predictably I bought Andy a shirt. But I also made him a cross stitch. I'd been planning to do this for months, but of course I left it to the last possible minute. I ended up bunking off work on our anniversary to finish and mount it before Andy got home.

Heavily influenced my Pinterest I plotted a chart and pinched my Mum's collection of silks to stitch with. It's not perfect but I'm happy with it. Andy seemed to like it too.


Of course I saw this as a perfect opportunity to wear my wedding dress again. The chill in the air had me reaching for my tweed jacket, but it didn't feel any less fabulous!

We opened cards, looked though our wedding album, and read our guest book. He gave me the biggest bunch of flowers, and then cooked supper.

The bunch of flowers was so big it had to be split between three vases, and with all the cards up, our lounge felt very much like it did just after the wedding. Lovely.

Making daisy chains with my niece
 
This should be done every spring. A daisy crown was made for me and I wore it all afternoon, answering only to 'Your Majesty'.


Pottering in the garden

It's that time of year when I start to  pay attention to my much neglected garden. After a visit to a local garden centre to pick up a box shrub and a rather lovely metal yellow watering can (an absolute essential for any garden) I've planted some seeds, pruned a few shrubs, re-potted a few things, had a general tidy up and made a few plans for some new plants and shrubs. I can lose hours just doing bits and pieces, lost in my own little world, it's the best therapy there is.

Have you had a good week?

I've been really looking forward to swapping my winter capsule for my spring edition, it means I can wear some of my old warmer weather favourites again, and get my new purchases on my body too!

It took me a while to decide on the final items as spring is a tricky season to predict weather-wise. I've got more dresses to wear, some that can be worn over skinny jeans if the weather isn't brilliant, and of course some options for cooler or rainy weather (fingers crossed these days will be kept to an absolute minimum though), and I've left three spots open to give me some added flexibility.

With more colour and some much more interesting pieces than in my winter capsule I'm looking forward to putting outfits together, mixing new with old and coming up with new combinations.

I've missed dresses for the past few months, and it's so nice to be heading towards cardigan only (or no cardigan at all) territory. Coats are boring. I like to be free from layers, I've had enough of layers now, I just want sunshine and warm days.

I wish spring and summer could last forever.

At last spring is here! The sun seems to be making a more regular appearance which always lifts my spirits and makes me feel more energetic. I'm so excited to start putting my plans into action, and doing all my usual spring things.

See the bluebells
I always look forward to this, Andy and I go to local woodland and wander through the gorgeous carpet of blue. It never disappoints.

Plant up container pots and hanging baskets
This is another yearly task that I enjoy immensely, even though I know I'll be watering them daily for months I love how much colour and character they can bring to the house. They make it look so cheerful and welcoming.

Hit the beach
I'm hoping for some company this time around - my nephews with a big bags of coppers for the arcades, followed by chips, obviously.

Do It Myself
I've purchased paint for two decorating projects and I can't wait to get started.

Make a plan to grow soft fruit
My vegetable seeds are being planted this weekend, and after that I want to turn my attention to soft fruit plants - strawberries and raspberries are a must.

Mend
Having ignored my mend pile over winter I need to set about it. Most items are warmer weather clothes so the sunshine should be a good incentive.

Veggie meals
After a good start over the winter I want to continue cooking a vegetarian meal once a month. My new recipes to try are Chickpea Tikka Masala, Vegetarian Lasagna (hopefully it'll be better than the boring spinach lasagna I tried in the winter), and Three Bean Chili. And I also want to try this cucumber pickle recipe I found thanks to Vix.

Read 12 Books
I've read one book already - The Winter Place which was a tad unseasonal but enjoyable none-the-less. I'm looking forward to my first hammock reading session. Perhaps I can squeeze in a beach reading session too?

Attend the Suffolk Show
I've lived in Suffolk for most of my life and I've never been. Shame on me.

What plans have you got for the spring?

I really enjoyed wearing my spring capsule wardrobe. I loved how easy it was to use, and how well everything worked together.

Here are some of the outfits.




As you can see, the white skirt was definitely a favourite. As was the Next maxi skirt found in a charity shop, and my new ASOS jumper. But the biggest surprise was how much I liked the denim jacket, I've avoided them for years. I now reach for it almost daily.

Have you ever done a complete 180 on a particular item of clothing?