Downton, Mr Darcy and being duped !

According to Miss Bingley in Pride and Prejudice, an accomplished lady can sing, and sew, and draw and play the piano. She can dance, has an understanding of modern languages and enjoys reading.

Though she may practice these skills daily, her lot in life was but to wait for a husband, for there was no other choice in life, for women of a certain fortune but to wed.

These days we are much more fortunate, for we are permitted to do as we please, to go where we will, to study or to travel and to generally make a path of our own choosing, whatever that may be.

Recently however, instead of broadening my horizons, I have been reposing at my leisure incandescently happy with my own private obsession for period dramas. Although I do not relish the idea of a life of pleasantries ( and probably boredom) waiting for Mr. Darcy, I have myself been sat for a considerable amount of time watching said gentleman in the pursuit of Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Not just once but on numerous occasions.

The stunning Miss Keira Knightly and the dashingly handsome Matthew Mcfadyn have delighted me with their simmering off/on romance. The musical score for the film is utterly charming and thought provoking, the views breathtaking and the Bennet's house is the perfect kind of shabby chic.

Upon searching for still shots of the interior of Longbourn, I inadvertently discovered that there was an extra scene added to the American version of Pride and Prejudice. It was sincerely felt that the US market would appreciate an extra kiss from Knightly and Mcfadyn, but decided that the British would find it unnecessary.

Well, I felt robbed,
DUPED
and generally done over !...............
How dare someone decide that I, a Brit would not enjoy this extra piece of romance.
I had always felt that the film ended rather abruptly, and I made it my mission to track down this scene. It was a happy day last week, when I found the film with it's extra scene in our local library.
I just hope it won't be worn out, by the time I take it back.

My interest, still not being satisfied, I went and bought the televised version with the very dashing Colin Firth. It has been most enjoyable to see more of Jane Austen's words played out in front of me.

Not content with Pride and Prejudice, I have watched the latest version of Jane Eyre at least three times, and the wonderful BBC has brought Downton Abbey back to our screens. The second series didn't seem quite as good to me as the first, but the new series got off to a glorious start on Sunday and I am looking forward to the next instalment immensely.

So, dear friends, this is where I have been, and my excuse for neglecting you once again.
My obsession will subside as they always do, and I shall return to practice my accomplishments but for now Mr. Darcy is calling once again.  I cannot decide whether it will be Colin or Matthew. I shall return forthwith - once I have taken this dictionary out of my mouth, and returned to my normal speech pattern.

Adieu, and may my words find you all in perfect health.

a tale of two lamps

When I found this lamp for our sideboard, I was sooo pleased. It was my birthday and I had just finished a couple of rooms for some clients and I was feeling flush (having more money than normal !).

When I got the lamp home my pleasure dulled somewhat, because it didn't look as great as I thought it would. Although I still liked the lamp, it didn't really work for me. The shade wasn't nearly as nice lit up and the eclectic look I was going for  just wasn't there.

Even though I could have taken the fabric off and maybe re-covered it in purple ( the colour my phone turns it), the base still bothered me.

On my beach junk post here I mentioned that I had a little idea for all the driftwood. Well, I have been working on it over the last few days, when I wasn't drilling or sawing or generally being noisy.

And I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. I started with this -

an old Ikea lamp

And made, this -

A driftwood lampbase !

I feel it goes so much better with the Beatles poster, and I just love it. I had a budget of £10 for the shade and I found one in our town in the last shop I looked in, and it's just the right mix of rustic and contemporary.

I stuck the base onto some driftwood first, because it was a little short. I put a piece of hardboard underneath and nailed through a couple of pieces to give it some stability. Then I just kept adding pieces, while trying to give it some movement.

You can see lots of glue here !

and some below (I got a nice blister on this project!).

I just kept adding pieces, so that it worked with the wide lampshade.

I even made sure the back was ok, just in case it ever gets put somewhere where it is seen from all sides (that would probably mean a larger house - one can but dream !).

To me, the whole sideboard looks alot better and is MY version of eclecticism

(I like to analyze stuff, so this is just my own point of view !!!)

Something old - something new !

 funky (Beatles poster) -  shabby (frame)

rustic (driftwood) and contemporary (shade)

antique (books - well not quite, but very sentimental) and chic (ceramic buddha)

soft (dried eucalyptus) and hard (glass vase)

and of course - add a little sparkle (mercury glass)

This little mantra is what I'm using to try and bring the same feel to the rest of the house. My dear old geezer is definately into the funky and contemporary, so I need to have a bit of something for the both of us.

Before

After

And one day, the sideboard will be painted a blue/grey and distressed heavily.

The other lamp - well it looks very pretty in my tiny office/studio, and I have

a plan for the shade, to pretty it up even more.

Linking up with

Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style

Primp Your Stuff Wednesdays @ {Primp}

Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here

Transformation Thursdays @ The Shabby Creek Cottage

Under $100 Linky Party @ Beyond The Picket Fence

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Inspiration Friday @ At the Picket Fence
Fridays Unfolded @ Stuff and Nonsense
Pot Pourri Friday @ 2805

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Vintage Inspiration Friday @ Common Ground

Saturday Nite Special @ funky junk interiors
Debbiedoos Newbie Party @ Debbiedoos

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

a mix of styles

I have been thinking about re-arranging these kitchen shelves for a few days, and when I got home tonight I just had to have a go. I really like the mix of blues, greens and whites but just wanted something a bit more basic.

These are the shelves as they were

And these are how they look now - I think I prefer the reduced colour palette, but as we STILL haven't finished the kitchen I feel sure there is yet more re-arranging to be done.

I do love this little corner though. The ceiling is lower here because of the stairs (they turn a corner just above this part of the kitchen). We could have moved the wall units into the corner but I wanted some open shelves, and knew this area would look really cute. Here it is on the night of our dinner party a few weeks ago.

I REALLY like the pink metal holder that is the perfect place for takeaway brochures but I am not really a pink girl, so the egg holder is either going to go, or be painted white - two pinks is just one pink too many for me !!!!!

Love this, when you look inside, you can actually see how the metal has been folded like an envelope !

Blogging has made me analyse my style continually, and really I can't put a label on it. It's not french, contemporary or shabby chic, and it's definately not classic or traditional like my oldest friend Pandy's house, but it has elements of all of these. This kitchen is one sort of style while our bedroom is more ornate, with gold mirrors and antique brass.

Hopefully in the not too distant future I will have some before and after shots, as the rooms get finished, but we seem to be working on everything at once (and at a rather slow pace).

My biggest dilemma will be the dining room. I have the round table and chair to paint, and the sideboard: and somehow I have to bring this all together with my old geezers guitars, a contemporary ikea pendant light and a huge poster of the Beetles on Abbey Road !

(Actually I think it's gonna be fun!!!)

Anyway, I'm now looking forward to a weekend of dog-walking, charity shops, good coffee and maybe some decorating !