Spring Pinks

The sun is streaming into the house today and I thought how lovely my spring flowers looked.  I usually buy fresh flowers for the weekend as we are all home to enjoy them.  Today I bought  tulips, roses and a little potted primrose all in pink.  They look really pretty grouped together on the sitting room coffee table, especially with the sunlight flooding in behind them.  I hope the sun continues to shine here today, and where ever you are? 

 Have a great weekend.Lilly x

Angel Wings

I Just had to share with you my charity shop find of today.  A gorgeous vintage framed print of a Guardian Angel.  It looks so pretty in the kids play room - and quite fitting to put it there I think?  This one has such a lovely frame that I am rather reluctant to paint it.  I can always paint it some other time anyway.

I hope you like it??   Lilly x

Room for Guests

Living away from friends and family means that occasionally we have house guests visit from England. We have a guest bedroom in our basement, which although on the ground floor, has plenty of natural light flooding in and is a quiet and private place to be.  I have tried to think of most things needed  when guests arrive.   I put out fluffy white towels, guest soaps, some light reading, and of course there is a cosy comfortable bed to sleep in. The guest bed I bought second hand here in Sweden as part of a set.  It came with a chair, mirror and two matching bedside tables, and cost just over £100.  Although not particularly old I have painted everything in 'Antique' white and re-upholstered the chair and headboard. It now has a more rustic feel and fits in much better than it would have done left in its original colours (pastel blues and greens).  I think the room looks and feels cosy, and so far I have had  no complaints from our visitors!

 Also shown is a Lloyd Loom chair, English charity shop find and the pretty planter with lavender was a second hand find yesterday, £4.  

Have a great day.....Lilly x

Firelight

Its still rather chilly here, both day and night, with no real sign of spring that last weeks sunshine promised. So before the children head in from school it seems a good time to light the wood burner and warm up the sitting room a little. There is something magical about a real log fire and and the smell of wood smoke. For me the combination brings back memories of childhood Christmases at my grandparents house. There, in a huge open inglenook fireplace the fire would roar away and occasionally puff out so much smoke that everyones eyes watered - it was part of Christmas .....going home very happy, but smelling rather smoky !! Enjoy your day. Lilly x

Buntings and Birthday Cake

Yesterday was just a lovely Sunday.  I did as I often do and visited the local table top sale and came home pretty satisfied. One of my most favourite finds were seven rustic 'Gustafsberg' plates, which are just so pretty.  As my brother and his family came to us for Sunday Tea  yesterday they were soon put to good use when we ate his birthday cake.......which for me was doubly enjoyable served on my lovely new plates!!!!  

 We had a really cosy afternoon and enjoyed ending the weekend with our nearest and dearest home here with us.   

I hope that you had a good Sunday too ? Lilly x 

Simple Pleasures

The weekend is here again and how quickly this week has passed by.  It's often the way when the children are home, routines disappear, time constraints are forgotten and life takes on a more relaxed feel. Today we woke early and enjoyed a family breakfast together. I continue to light candles on the breakfast table as I have done since early November, yet now as the days stretch it seems less necessary.  Lunch today was eaten outdoors again as the children wanted grilled hamburgers and toasted marshmallows. Not the healthiest lunch I suppose, but delicious none the less!!  Sometimes life's simple pleasures are the most enjoyable ones !?
Table and chairs were a charity shop find, cosy blankets were from a table top sale, pretty pink jug, £4 from the Dollar Store, and the metal French inspired tray was bought new from The Garden.

Have a great weekend....Lilly x

The Great Outdoors

This week in the Stockholm area all children enjoy a week off school so that they and their families can make time to enjoy some kind of seasonal sport.  Many families drive up to the mountains and ski for whole week, but this year, as we skied over the Christmas break, we decided not to go away again, but to enjoy some winter sports locally.  We have been out walking, ice skating and today we spent the day skiing at a local slope.  I packed us a lunch, made some fresh coffee and hot chocolate, and we enjoyed a picnic lunch outside and yet another day of glorious sunshine.  What a wonderful way to enjoy the last days of winter......and tomorrow brings us March, the first true month of spring.

Here's hoping that you had a great day too.  Lilly x