My 'Fairy' Tale Kitchen :)

Can you spot the cat in this picture ? 

During the day I have my hands in the sink a fair few times. Often it's to wash my hands, or to wash up a few small things that don't warrant putting on the dishwasher. Occasionally it's just where I stand to listen to the radio. It's where I watch the cat as he decides where to sun himself. Today is it going to be the boy's boat, his 'den' or at the bottom of the slide ? Oh I can while away literally minutes stalking that mog.

In the summer months it's my vantage point to watch the boy playing with his cars and kicking a ball into the bushes or over into the neighbour's garden for the umpteenth time. There are no fences between the gardens so he can wander over to retrieve it and I know he is safe. I can also see when he's on his way in for a snack or a drink and can be prepared. It's like I'm magic !

When we bought this house it was because of the Mr & Mrs Smith sinks in the bathroom and the pull out kitchen storage as well as the fabulous - if high maintenance - garden. The best thing is I can see the garden from my kitchen window and I can retreat into the quiet of the space indoors while feeling part of the outdoors.

Spice necklace

Pullout drawer of joy 

My evening spot by the sink listening to Radio 4 is sacred. I close the doors and chop vegetables or prepare bedtime milk for the boy while I stand with a drink (a mug of tea, honestly) listening to the Archers. It's my bit of personal space and I have my dream view. Ok, I'll be honest, Hawaii would be my actual dream view, but I'm aspirational, not insane, so this one is just fine for now thanks.

I've always enjoyed meticulous planning and preparation of food so I like to cut up fruit or vegetables for kebabs or chop roast veg or ingredients for soups. The repetition is very soothing for me and I can forget about other things.

My kitchen is organised to help me so the knife block that my brother gave me sits behind the spoon rest that my friend got me from Jamaica. The spice necklace my lovely friend got me on her Caribbean honeymoon is hanging from the kitchen window and occasionally a waft of nutmeg fills the air. On the windowsill are my plants; basil, red chilli, aloe vera and a Peace Lily from my Mum. Some do better than others, but it's continues the 'inside feeling like outside' theme.

Obligatory kiddie artwork

The couple we bought the house from kindly left the white goods behind and I was grateful for the dishwasher, washing machine and fridge. The only issue was they weren't actually as good - or as technical - as the ones I'd abandoned in the home we left. I still miss those that I'd lovingly chosen from John Lewis and bought with a 5 year guarantee that was still running when we let our buyer have them - sob.

Of course I also have the obligatory kiddie artwork on the walls and a crazy busy fridge of magnets holding gig tickets, pictures of my boy and invitations to kiddie birthday parties. Those are standard right ?

The most important part of my kitchen, however is the one I barely look at. I go into it many times a day and it keeps me going and stops me from going bonkers. The little piece of joy that I call my tea cupboard. Last year I decanted my extensive collection of teas into gorgeous kilner jars and now I feel the luxury of 'artisan' teas instead of reaching into a paper box for a tea bag. Not that I'm too good for that of course. Tea is my religion and I can worship it anywhere and anyhow.

The 'teashop'

Of course a love of tea must also be accompanied by a love of drinking implements so there is a very well stocked cupboard of fancy and not-so fancy mugs. This is why we use Fairy Platinum dishwasher tablets to keep them in tip top condition. I cannot abide a grotty mug.

So, if you visit my kitchen be sure to admire the view, pop on the kettle and enjoy a brew. When you're done, be a love and pop the mug into the dishwasher afterwards there will you ? Thanks :)

This post is my entry for the "My Kitchen Story" linky challenge sponsored by Fairy Platinum

I was fashionable in the 80s - no really I was

I used to consider myself fashionable. Admittedly this was back in the eighties when it was ok to wear baggy trousers and oversized tops in bright colours, Converse baseball boots, bright make up
and... hang on, hold the phone, it would appear all of this is now back in fashion !!

Yes, those clothes I adored that my much younger sisters teased me about so mercilessly until eventually I gave them all away are not only back in, but actually the height of fashion !?!?!? "Whachoo talkin' about Willis ?"

Matching shoes

Well I think it is fair to say I'm not the age or shape to wear those clothes any more - not least as I stood next to a young woman on the tram the other day who had a wedge hairstyle, peg trousers, chain loafers and pink shimmer lipstick (cannot confirm if it was from Rimmel though) and I was instantly transported back to sixth form, Chelsea Girl, Miss Selfridge make up and Dolcis shoes. Ah the memories. I was the first in my school to have a yellow canvas fashion rucksack and a homemade satin puffball skirt because I'd seen both on the Clothes Show. I was Jeff Banks' biggest fan and Warehouse was the 'posh' shop on the high street from which my best work suit came. I wore it for about 20 years before I finally gave in and retired it.

Of course now I'm a lot older, I'm a Mum and most days I'm lucky if I leave the house wearing shoes that match. I wear jeans almost every day and because I swim so much I choose clothes that are easy to wear pre or post dip. I went for a coffee with a lovely fellow blogger (and proper writer) the other week and she told me that the striped top is a Mumsy cliche - almost all of my tops are striped !! I was horrified. How did I transform from that young woman obsessed with fashion to this middle-aged sitcom Mum with a full wardrobe and still nothing to wear ? I knew I needed a revamp. And I knew I'd have to go and see a professional. So, I made an appointment for a personal styling session at Peter Jones in Sloane Square. It's the poshest John Lewis store I know and it's where we had our wedding list so I know it pretty well. I've never bought clothes there though.

My appointment was with Yvonne and she started by bringing me a lovely pot of tea and we had a little chat about the colours I like and the event I wanted to dress for. I told her I had a public speaking event I wanted to look nice for - I'll be reading one of my posts out at Britmums Live and who needs any excuse to dress up ? Lovely Yvonne went off with a clothes rail to choose some frocks and I sat and made use of the free wifi.

So many pretty frocks to try on 

The rail she came back with was loaded with amazing dresses and some matching jackets from ranges I've never shopped from before. She also brought me some lovely shoes to try on with the dresses. I only ever wear fit flops or boots so it was a bit of a trial putting on clothes and heels all at once, but hey what's life without a bit of a challenge eh ?

Yvonne told me I am different sizes on the top and bottom with narrow hips so I can wear a smaller size on my bottom half. This explains why I'm forever pulling my jeans up as I always buy the same size in everything regardless of how big it is and I never try on jeans in shops as it's just too demoralising. I was amazed how some of the fitted dresses really made me look shapely and she explained that my waist is my best feature - what ? are you serious lady ?

Beautiful and flattering

So, I whittled the selection down to three dresses that I absolutely love and as I've just had my birthday that was pretty poor timing really. They are completely different from my usual choice of clothing and I'm not sure I'd actually wear them often enough to justify the price tag, but how lovely to know that I can look that fab at my matronly stage of life.

I took off the high heels and gave them back to Yvonne. As I put my daggy boots back on I thanked her for her time and went back out into rainy Sloane Square.

I'm no fashionista, but man it's nice to pretend for a couple of hours.

wolf whistle time :)

Britmums Live, I'm coming to get ya !!!

Immediately after Britmums Live last year I did two things (ok if you count raiding the enormous goodie bag we got then I did three, but I digress as usual) Firstly, I wrote a blog post about the two day conference and how much fun I had and then I went online and booked a ticket for this year. I decided then and there that it had to be a staple part of my blog life to attend so I can categorically state that I will be going to Britmums Live in two weeks - YAY !!!

My souvenir from last year

The first conference I went to I was a newbie so it was just all so overwhelming to me. I panicked about what to wear, what to bring and if I'd have anyone to talk to. It was all fine and I came back armed with a head spinning with ideas about self-hosting, frequency of posting, social media presence and basically it ramped up my blogging life from snail's pace to the speed of a family cat - not mine, he's practically immobile most days.

Now when I attend a conference I try to focus on one thing instead of taking a scattergun approach to which sessions to attend.  The last conference I went to I was thinking about what I need to do to raise the profile of my blog and my writing generally and the sessions I went to all supported this aim. On the train home I made pages of notes with actions that I'm still working my way through.

Ooh snazzy !! 

I haven't decided what my theme is for Britmums this year as there are so many brilliant sessions planned, but it will probably be photography and how my blog looks. I love taking photos and have just started making videos so I'd like to learn more about how to do this better. I'll be bringing an iPad mini with me to make notes, record important information and to take pics of other peoples' fab outfits. Talking of which...

No more sartorial panic for me this year. I booked a personal styling session with John Lewis at the swanky Peter Jones store in Sloane Square so I don't look as baggy and 'Mumsy' as I did last year. I got some great ideas and a wish list of frocks I cannot afford, but it also gave me a bit of a boost to try on clothes that I wouldn't feel confident wearing usually. The lovely Yvonne brought me some proper classy frocks to try on and I even looked slim in some of them !! I will need persuading to move away from my original plans of what to wear though. My idea was to wear a Debbie Harry photo print dress on Friday because it's baggy and sort of ok for the evening do and a Ramones t-shirt and slim fit jeans on the Saturday as it's casual and funky and me and Sonya Cisco can be Indie/Punk matrons together :)

This is the first year I've really thought about sponsorship and have been lucky enough to agree a sponsorship with an amazing company that works with pre-school children. Totstars run sports classes for pre-schoolers including, football, tennis and basketball with coaches who are fun, enthusiastic and great with children of all levels from shy to outgoing. My boy loves them and started at 20 months. He's grown so much and being in classes helped develop his confidence, his language and - of course - his hand eye co-ordination and ball skills. I'm delighted to represent a brand that has great values promoting positive actions, activity, healthy eating and having fun. I'll be writing about Totstars in a specific post, but for now I'd like to thank Coach Thuli :)

Stop Press: I've been invited to be a keynote speaker - eek !! I've done a lot of public speaking before, but never to peers like this and certainly not to a room of women who I feel like I know really well. If it's anything like last year it's also going to be filmed and streamed so my boy and Hubbie can watch it - hopefully live. Gulp !! I'd better wear something nice.

Clockwatching with my boy

My boy loves clocks.

Clockwatching

Partly this is genetic - when Hubbie was a boy mother-in-law could leave him in the clock department of John Lewis and do her shopping unhindered. He was captivated by clocks (and still is) and when my boy was younger it became clear he is the same.

We have clocks (and radios) in every room in the house. My boy has an obsession with clock towers, church clocks, grandfather clocks, any kind of clock really. He calls the hands of a clock propellors instead of hands and has more watches than any 3 year old I know. 

Every time we take the train into London to go to a museum he sees the palace of Westminster from the window and he always points out the London Eye and Big Ben. Last week when I asked if he wanted to go and see Big Ben up close, he was beyond excited. 

We travelled by tram, overground, underground and bus - he also loves public transport - and dropped in on my Mum at her work and my friend SJ who is lucky enough to work right next to Big Ben. Despite all the hustle and bustle of tourists my boy was delighted to get a proper look at his favourite clock.

As you can see :)

Yes he really is this big :)

This post is sharing the joy with MummyNeverSleeps' linky #AlltheSmallThings :)