As you may know, I'm a great believer in re-using and updating where possible. I have tried to make a conscious effort in my life to not buy into today's throwaway society, certainly my home reflects this, full chock to the brim with vintage and retro pieces. With Christmas around the corner the impact of this throwaway society is all too obvious. It's far too easy to go consumer crazy and buy gifts just for laughs on Christmas day, after all who could live without a racing g

This week we had some surprise visitors. I was busily sketching away when I heard the squeak of the gate. This instantly grabbed my attention, as seriously, no one ever comes up to the house... we are just too far off the beaten track! I promptly stopped what I was doing to go and see who these unlikely visitors were. Suspecting they may be walkers from the bridle path gone awry. As I approached them I could see it they didn't look lost, in fact they seemed to be quite at eas

Well it's been a long, hot, sweaty week. The rain has failed to materialise, despite my best rain dance efforts to coax it from the sky. The UK and our home in North Wales has continued to be clasped firmly in the grips of a heatwave. Our grass has turned progressively browner all week, it now has the most bizarre crispy feel when you walk on it and it's all starting to look more like the Mediterranean than wet Wales we are all too accustomed to. I've become an obsessive wate

That's it... I did it... I jinxed us... After talking about how the weather is a big factor in our new rural life last week, the UK is now well and truly in the grip of a heat wave with North Wales recording the highest temp in the UK on Tuesday. Whilst most people are enjoying filling up their paddling pools and throwing water at each other... just for fun! Here, in Wales we are officially in the grip of a severe water shortage. The spring that feeds our house has slowed to

Even though I'm a country girl born and bred, adjusting back to rural living has been somewhat of a culture shock, after the hubbub of city life over the last 20 years. A lot happened in those years to change my general outlook in life. These have been my adult years, my grown up years, the ones in which you're supposed to be all sensible and settle down... do grown-up stuff like: get a job, get married, have kids. Well I did all three of those whilst in Stoke on Trent, so my

I admit it... I'm obsessed, infatuated and totally bonkers about anything vintage, retro, old, dusty and generally discarded. As a child growing up in the 70's and 80's retro is part of the territory. Some people grow out of it, to like sleek modern interiors. I can 'ooh and aah' over an episode of Grand Designs just like the next person, lapping up the modernist interiors that lie within... but I just can't help thinking it's all a little wasteful. I was brought up in a hou