Battleship Begone

My goodness, it's been a busy week here. In my panic to make sure we weren't bored, I have over filled all our days and I think I need to take it down a notch next week. The evenings have been packed too; Monday night dinner with friends, Tuesday I went running, Wednesday was book group and last night I went to the most wonderful local Turkish restaurant for a meal. Tonight I am looking forward to catching up with John, watching The Bridge (how I love gloomy Scandinavian crime dramas!), and having an early night. The kids and I have just returned from a very relaxed picnic at Kirkstall Abbey and now I need to tackle the looming Ironing Pile of Doom which I have been ignoring all week. It is three foot high. It's gotten so out of hand that I can't face even ironing one thing because, frankly, what's the point?

Anyway, I have some sort-of finishing touches to the living room I wanted to show you today. Finishing touches sounds a bit smug really, a bit "Ta da, my home is complete!", which of course it never is. This post should really be called Making The Living Room Look Less Like The Inside Of A Battleship, and more like a happy room to cosy up in.

We finally found something we liked to hang above the fireplace. Two prints of vintage travel posters we bought from the National Railway Museum in York for £5 each. I put them in two old Habitat frames I had in our bedroom and ordered some mounts which were around £6 each. So a very thrifty bit of wall art, all in all, and see how we deliberately chose local rail destinations? Also, in the pub last night, I drank a pint of Leeds Pale Ale and very delicious it was too. If embracing your local area means buying stuff for the house and drinking beer then I am definitely the woman for the job.

Some bay leaves in Kilner jars and Russian dolls add colour to the top of the mantle piece. I'm not sure if I like the arrangement. John chose the clock and I'm still not sure about it...

I ordered this garland from littlenestbox on Etsy a while back and, after hanging it in about ten different places, I finally settled on the pussy willow next to the fireplace. 

I love the contrast of the bright neon colours against the twig-like stems and grey walls. There are some seriously lovely things in Charmaine's shop, her nursery decorations are enough to get me a bit broody.

Holiday souvenirs now...some cedar of Lebanon cones found by my father in law while on holiday last week. 

He works with wood for a living and assured me that no harm was done to the tree in the making of my coffee table arrangement.

Aren't they beautiful? I just love that pale grey-green colour and the spiral pattern. I think eventually they turn brown.

Proof that the most appealing patterns and designs occur naturally within the trees and flowers around us. 

Have a lovely weekend, whatever you are up to. Pottering, crochet and hanging out with Bella and Angus is what I have planned for tomorrow. On Sunday, my sister and her children are coming to stay and we are all very excited. It will be hugely enjoyable but I need to steel myself for the high noise and chaos levels which we will experience next week. Four children, aged between three and five, all in one house...let's just hope it's sunny.