A bit on the side in the bedroom!

Now that title got your attention didn't it!! Go on admit it, you thought my blog

had changed direction didn't you??

Ha ha, no sorry to disappoint, this is going to be a housey post.

I thought just lately my posts had been a little miserable and moany so I promise to be more upbeat in future - around here I don't have that "time of the month" I have that time of the year!

 (roughly April to the end of August)

I have been thinking for a while about those little arrangements we have around the house, you know the little clusters of photographs grouped together, the little groups of interesting objects d'art - a vignette if you will. I got to thinking after reading Mel's post here. Mel writes a wonderful blog about family life (and more) in Tasmania.
I used to spend hours arranging little things on the mantelpiece or dressing table, but that was pre-children.

We then progressed to moving all breakables out of reach (or on many occasions actually breaking them, just to save moving them!)

Out tasteful artwork was replaced with those pre school paintings you stick to the wall and admire, only to be told it's a picture of you and it's upside down!

This then made way for the massive amounts of school letters, timetables and important info which you pin to the wall or stand on the mantelpiece in the vain hope that this will help you remember said important date - it doesn't appear to be helping!

But after reading Mel's post I took a fresh look around and, although a bit disappointed that I seem to have lost all knowledge of interior design we do still have a couple of little "vignettes".

My favourite is on my bedside cabinet, it always makes me smile. It's only a really small collection but because it's in our bedroom it doesn't take a battering from the kids!

The cabinet I love; I spent an age looking for something that size and shape but had no luck. Then I realised we had the very thing in the garage, a set of three items from a house clearance which I'd bought on impulse for about £50.

They were mahogany and although lovely they just didn't fit with the style of our house.

A quick sand down and after undercoat I used some Dulux antique white satin finish (or maybe eggshell finish - are they the same??)

And I love the end result it's the perfect size and shape and holds plenty too. I say perfect but it's probably not quite that - I do get a crick in my neck trying to see the digits on the clock and I can't reach the lamp switch unless I get out of bed! But I love it all the same.
I like to have a few unread books from my must-read list on there as well as a little china ornament of my dear Grandmothers.

The little vignette I'm thinking of is this....

not the clearest photo I'm afraid!

It is only small but consists of a photo of the boys in the days when they hugged and kissed each other and smiled a lot and a tiny picture of Little Miss with a big beaming smile and clutching her first ever ballet certificate. And a straw wedding hat of mine - which comes with a story - you guessed there'd be a story behind this didn't you?

I love that hat and it was bought around 11 years ago to go to my husband's, nephew's wedding.

As most weddings are in the summer and this was, if I remember correctly, in August we have a problem. The builder will not miss a cricket match for anything or anyone!

I spent several years going to things alone but no one understands his commitment to the sport so quite often took offence that my RSVP said I'd love to attend but he would not.

They take it as a personal insult when he puts a match higher up his list of priorities than the most-important-day-of their-lives!

I then spent a few years refusing all invites during the summer as I got fed up with turning up and attaching myself to other couples I knew a la gooseberry!

I don't much like it but now I attend, although wedding invites are few and far between these days, when I feel like it and it's easier now I can be accompanied by children.

The most recent event was my best friends 50th birthday party which I went to alone and The Builder joined me there later, just before it finished!

Anyway back to the story of the hat.

I was very pregnant at the time, although it was August and Little Miss wasn't due until January I was still the size of a baby elephant (actually cross out the baby). I was huge in the tummy department but trundled along with two little boys and enjoyed a very glamorous wedding at the church.
I had borrowed a lovely wrap around silk dress by Nicole Farhi from a friend. The friend had come to my rescue with a variety of loose fitting dresses (not maternity) to try on, as I struggled to wrap it round my great girth she quietly mused that the last time she'd worn it she'd had a smoochy dance with
a very famous English film star!!
"What"!! I said - I never knew she had connections to that Hello magazine world where
 a good part of my brain lives!
Anyway I proceeded to interrogate her for details and she left looking a little shell shocked but leaving me with the dress and the line
 "oh this old dress? last time this was worn it was to dance with .....!"
 No mention that I wasn't inside the dress at the time it of course!

Anyway at the end of a lovely wedding ceremony we all gathered in the churchyard for the obligatory photographs. Various family members stepped forward when summoned by the photographer. I waited until he asked for the Groom's Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. Over I went with my huge tummy and two small boys and took my place amongst the others at the side of the Groom. The photographer looked up at the family group; then looked through his viewfinder and looked around the churchyard. He seemed to be looking for someone.
I encouraged the boys to show us their biggest smiles,
while the photographer looked around again.
There seemed to be a problem.
And then he spoke, he spoke directly to me. "Are we waiting for someone? Do you have a partner?"
I stuttered a bit and replied "No", whilst turning the same colour as an over ripe tomato.
The photographer then very pointedly looked at my face, then my bump and the two boys then back at my face. Then he took the photo but I swear I heard him "Tut tut"
It was difficult to hear over the sniggers coming from the other members of my husband's family though!

Seeing the hat does make me giggle though!