I’m not a professional photographer, just an enthusiastic one, so I’m hoping that I’ve managed to capture what this morning has been like here at my home in West Sussex. I woke early after a very hot night, got up with the alarm at about 05.45am, headed straight for the shower and made the decision that today was going to be a day when I got things done that have been bugging me. My mum is with me each and every Friday taking care of the twins so I know that I’ll be able to clear some of the backlog of ‘stuff’ that has been around since we moved in.
As I get older and as our kids grow I’m finding the excuse that “I’m just a naturally messy person” too stressful to live with to be honest. It’s becoming an absolute necessity to know where things are, to have it all sorted and organised and to be able to live and enjoy our home instead of becoming tense within it due to chaos.
I may perhaps be painting a dramatic picture as the truth is we’ve only just recently moved in and it’s like this for everyone but I know how things go and I want a fresh start. Life gets busy, I want to be in the garden when the sun is out and not sorting out piles of junk. Besides before I know it the Prosecco has been opened and another day has gone.
Oops! * hic *
Oh, and the pile is still there, staring at me, daring me to deal with it.
I’m sorry but I find that after a while all of those piles begin to bug me and then when I can’t find a letter with a date or appointment on it because it’s in one of those aforementioned piles it gets stressful and Robert the Husband feels the full force of my Bugged By Clutter state of mind.
Sorry, love.
Of course it’s his stuff too so either move it or loose it buddy because I’m on a mission! 
So that’s what I’m doing for the rest of the day. But before today even really started I nipped out in to the garden. The twins were having their first bottle and Robert was getting his breakfast so I went out and cut some of my roses to bring inside. There’s something about the smell of the morning that is impossible to describe in any real detail you just know it when it hits you.
The sun was coming in through the back door and hit the roses that were on the worktop waiting to be put in to water.
It’s this moment that I wanted to capture through my photographs. This moment was free, it didn’t cost anything, it just was.
Soon they were cut and in water and this time around I decided to use a tin tea caddy from Fortnum & Mason. I stole this from my mother-in-law because I love the Fortnum’s shade of blue and this picture sums up why I decorate with very neutral light shades. Because I then get to add points of bright vivid colour to the rooms that can be changed on a whim according to what is in the garden, the local thrift store at the time or, as in the case of the tea caddy, other peoples houses!
This screams the month of June to me. The roses are out and although it’s tempting to leave them on the bushes because it makes the garden look lovely, roses are so expensive to buy from the florist that I’d much rather save the money and just cut my own.
This is Jubilee Celebration by David Austin and I’m pleased with it.
And I’m pleased with the tea caddy vase too. I think a caddy this size costs about twelve quid which is cheaper than a lot of vases. So not only does one get the tea but also a vase in that perfect shade of blue.
Have a fabulous weekend. Apparently it’s going to hit 91 degrees here in the next few days but I’m not sure if that’s just the radio talking rubbish. Robert, the kids and I are dissembling a greenhouse, filling the paddling pool for the kids for the first time, having a bar-b-q and I am going to try to get some colour on my legs because they are embarrassing and I’m terrible at applying fake tan. I don’t want colour ANYWHERE else apart from my legs.
Oh, and we may head down to the beach.
OK, now it’s your turn. Give me something to be jealous about! Tell me what your plans are but first of all check out today’s BEHIND THE SCENES!
I love you and thank you for reading.
Cherry x
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Oh my! Is that tin ever gorgeous!!! LOVE IT!
m ^..^
Lovely roses, you can almost smell them. Excellent point about using a glass liner, Sadie – I was going to tell you (well, I will anyway) about how things can rust without your realising. Our friend Uncle Howard needed to get some paint from his shed to touch up a couple of places in the guest bedroom when he changed the curtain pole. He brought it into the kitchen, took off the lid, stirred it up and lifted the handle to carry it upstairs – but the bottom of the tin had rusted and fell out completely, depositing about 3 ltrs of Truffle Delight (or whatever the shade was) on his kitchen floor tiles! Beware!
Hi Cherry,
Your roses are so beautiful. And I love the idea of using the tea caddy for a vase. I’ll have to start saving mine : ) Decorating with light colors so the bright and bold colors of nature is fabulous. There is also something so wonderful about roses (all flowers really) that can make even clutter, seem not so bad. – Am I right?
Your new home is charming. I can’t wait to see more.
This weekend hubby and I will be taking our little one to the beach. He loves to dig in the sand and also go in the water – no matter how cold it is. We’ll ride the carosel and have ice cream. It’s nothing very exciting, but I wouldn’t want to do anything else.
Love,
Danielle
Cherry, those are GORGEOUS! (the word of the day, I think) I used to grow roses and absolutely love them but when I downsized, I decided that the only high-maintenance thing that was going to be in my life was – ME! So now I just have a shrub rose but I did give in a little and bought a beautiful miniature rose standard this spring which is covered with blossom. I think that the Law of Attraction really applies to clutter, turn your back on it for even just a moment and it has quadrupled in size! Do a slash and burn with it…here’s a tip, if you think that you might need something but aren’t sure, box it up and put it away for 6 months. If you need it, there it is and if it remains unopened, chuck it out without opening it again! Good Luck! Have a fabulous weekend – the weather here in Cambridge, Ontario is absolutely PERFECTLY GORGEOUS! YIPPEE!
I´m taking my youngest to football practice today and then to the mall because I need to buy him some troussers (nothing fits him because he is in the stage of growing so fast, he is 12 years old). Tomorrow we all go to my sister´s civil wedding to Mexico City. We have to get up early and dress properly, later we all go to a wedding lunch. In a month and half we will go to the religious wedding which will be in the night (I need to buy a dress for the ocassion). Then on Sunday we have a football match, the first scrimage of the season.
We are having very hot weather and lots of sun, maybe I can find some time to sew!!
At the moment, I’m living amongst lots of clutter. Can’t wait til the daughter’s house is ready to move into so she can take her piles of stuff out of my living room! I’m like you-it’s starting to bother me A LOT! And then there’s all the wedding things we are gathering. It will all go away soon. ♥♫
Clutter is the pits for sure. Hopefully working on some of that tomorrow. Oh what I would give for 91 degrees, that would be comfortable We’re having record-breaking highs here on the Gulf Coast of Texas. 102 yesterday and not a drop of rain in 2 months! Guess I’ll be working in the garden too if I can get out there early enough (or wait until late enough) to beat the heat. Summer’s hit us fast and hard this year. Our gardening has been reduced to merely keeping everyone alive. Have a lovely weekend!
I know what you mean about clutter, and being more bothered by it as the years go by. I’m trying to do the ‘little and often’ tidying thing.
This weekend we’re going to continue enjoying to live in our lovely new house by the sea, going to work this morning was a real wrench when they weather is so nice. I’m planning to go to St Andrews to poke around the charity shops and eat cake. Enjoy your weekend, sounds lovely!
Stunningly beautiful and perfect in a tea caddy!
I always seem to be decluttering! I shall be building a pergola at the weekend, I say I , I mainly mean my brother!Actually I will be the labourer so although I’d love sunny weather, not 91 degrees please!
Rachel x
Loving the vase x
The Youngest Son has a football competion tomorrow, but on Sunday ……… my husband starts building me my very own summerhouse/sewing room.
HOW EXCITED AM I!!!!!
First camping trip of the year for me this weekend! Looking forward to waking up and drinking tea outside while Red Kites screech above our heads and long evenings by the campfire cooking lovely food and drinking wine.
Beautiful roses! Beautiful way of displaying them! Oh, I so know what you mean about clutter and being organised. I’ve had a week off (work in a school) and have I achieved everything I set out to do? Nope. Started to sort out a cupboard yesterday and here I am reading your blog instead of getting down to business! But then your blog is so much more inspiring! ok, off to the garden to get some roses. Enjoy your weekend
I LOVE the roses – i will have to put them on the list for my garden (when i ever manage to get it done that is!).
But i so enjoy having everything in its place that i don’t care ha!
i totally understand the clutter thing, i have never been able to stand it – to the extent that i’m know as Monica (a la Friends) by some
I’m heading out this evening for a dinner with the girls and shall be spending the rest of the weekend pottering in the house.
have a lovely time this wkd. Gillian xx
This weekend I’m traveling up to Suffolk to spend the weekend with one of my best friends from Uni days! “boogie nights” & shopping & eating & a trip to the beach if the weather stays lovely.
Girly weekend here I come!!
The roses look stunning in that tea caddy! I have a similar lovely blue tea caddy from the Royal Palaces that I picked up at Windsor Castle, I think I will be putting some flowers in it too! Thanks for the idea xx
I also find myself gettng more frustrated by clutter as life goes on. I too believe i’m naturally messy, but now find that being untidy stresses me out more than the keeping it tidy in the first place. It’s just a change of discipline I think, but I never really seem to get on top of everything at the same time – is that just me? They say it takes 30 consecutive days of doing something for it to become a habit – i’ll start today!
This weekend is about catching up on house chores (including some de-cluttering and sorting of piles – and no just moved in excuse for me i’m afraid!), doing post trip to Rome washing, a housewarming party and dinner out with my husband, oh, and trying to rescue the very probably dead plants that didn’t make it in to the ground before I went to Italy. Whoops.
The roses are just gorgeous Cherry – thanks for sharing. The colours are so amazing together and the Jubilee Celebration has just made it on to my birthday list!
Have a wonderful weekend – i’m going to put my new garden thermometer up and see if we hit that 91 degrees on the south coast.
Take care. x
beautiful roses cherry, I have mine on order for later in the year.
you beat me up by 10mins this morning, I love early mornings, papaya and mango juice, stood waiting for the kettle to boil and wail throughout the kitchen, then a morning cup of coffee sat on the terrace, listening to birdsong and nothing else, and the smell of the wisteria, magical.
huuby off this weekend so off to some fab carboots nearby…bargains here we come…bbqs out just in case this lovely weather continues, AND! just like you I only want colour on my legs, I hate the sun to tan my face..I dont want to look like one of my leather bags..so keep up the good work, and do hurry Cherry I can’t wait to see inside your house..
Have a fab funfilled sunny weekend everyone..Jacqueline xx
The sunshine has finally arrived here in Ireland and I spent last night doing one of my most favourite things, walking around watering the garden. I love getting the children to bed and then going out to do this. I am just going to pop out soon for the meat for our bbq this evening.
When we moved I remeber opening boxes and thinking why on earth did I bring this with me and quickly dumping the item. A move and a new house is very cathartic though.
Hi Cherry,
Thank you for the lovely the post – always puts a smile on my face to start the day! Which I desperately need as me and my fiance are about to move house too – pretty stressful! But we have found a beautiful flint cottage in North Norfolk, with a wonderful big garden! The chickens have already moved in ahead of us and I can’t wait to get there to start on the garden. The whole place sings out with alot of projects and choosing what do to first is half the trouble/fun! Thanks for all the inspiration, Abby xx
lovely roses. lovely tea caddy. I used to put a jam jar in a tin of Charbonnel & Walker hot choc (empty, natch!), and use that as a vase (the jar working as a liner). Haven’t done it for a long time, but you’ve given me the inspiration, and I think I might do that today. Thanks!
have a lovely weekend. I’m going to be spending a long time in Toys R Us on Sunday! That’s where the birthday girl wants to spend her time, and then she’s demanding lunch in town! Perfect
x
That does sound nice. Cx
As Tim has 4 days off this weekend (before a 10 day stint at work *sigh*) we are going to be busy sorting out the house and garden as well as enjoying the weather by going for a walk or two, I’m sure!
There is so much that I want to change in the house, things I had planned to do before falling pregnant and things that have come to mind in the first 5 months when I was too ill to do anything. I am one of those people who isn’t very good at daily maintenance but every so often wants to do a massive clear out and clean up and rearrange and cannot relax until what I see before me matches what I see in my mind’s eye.
First things first though, I promised Tim a cake, so it’s off to the kitchen to rustle up something yummy
Have a lovely weekend x
I’m very shamefully with you on the clutter front. I will get there though. Eventually.