Indian dresses, laundry philosophy and upcycling successes!

Hey Lovebugs! 

Today I went to visit my old friend the river, we'd not seen each other for a while and I was surprised to find her wild and unforgiving, in the tepid sunlight of a frosty morning. The path I usually liked to walk was completely flooded, so I stayed awhile and watched her from the bridge. I'd had contractions with my second daughter swimming in that river, I hadn't known it at the time, but less than twenty four hours later she was here. A now bonny, six month old she looked out upon the riverscape with eyes hungry for the world. Seeing that swollen river encroaching on paths I'd previously trod, was a gentle reminder to take notice, to see where you live not just with your eyes but with your whole body. I look forward to more summer swims, this time with two daughters instead of one. 

This week I wrote a poem about laundry, it goes something like this: 

The Laundry 

The laundry is a jabberwocky 

snarling and snickering from a damp corner in the cottage. 

I'm a feminist, feminists don't have to do laundry, right?

From my peripheries it siren calls to my frustration,

listless and refusing to dry in the winter downpours.

Those muffled peaks, jutting through my lengthening to do list.

Never ending, never done. 

I hang my daughter's t-shirts, try to find space for my husbands socks, 

fold the babies leggings. 

And suddenly the laundry is a gentle reminder, 

that there are people to love in this house.

I take a breath and suddenly the laundry is connection.  

Love under my fingertips.

 I whistle a merry tune.

Inhale deeply the scent of supermarket fabric softener. 

Mindfulness in the mundane. 

This is love, I am loved, laundry is love. 

By Sophia 

I don't know about you but the never drying laundry pile was driving me slightly insane, as the weather reports weren't filling me with optimism I decided the only thing I could truly influence was my attitude towards it - hence the positivity poem! Reframing my attitude towards laundry has really helped, now I use it as an opportunity to do some mindfulness, or Oz the french bulldog comes for a scratch behind the ears. I'll never enjoy laundry per se, but I feel grateful I have a full house of warm bodies that makes the mess! (Before you go thinking that I'm a 1950's housewife over here, my husband does his own laundry, he puts me to shame, even knowing how to wash his clothes in a bucket whenever the washing machine has packed up)! 

This week my uniform has been my All about Audrey Indian maxi dress (bought second hand from Depop) and a messy bun. Having fried my hair doing the ombre I had to do a poor girls haircut (used the kitchen scissors on it myself) and have been trying to put it up out the way to give my tired tresses a break from the curling tongs. I get lovely comments about this dress when I'm out and about, but honestly it's my easiest wear, I don't have to think I just chuck it on and I'm done. The belt is a charity shopped New Look belt that goes with everything. 

I bought out from hibernation my £20 eBayed Penny Lane coat, it's so warm but as I haven't replaced the toggles yet and it's also quite heavy to wear when also wearing the baby carrier I've tended to opt for my green faux fur coat more often. It's one of my vintage finds of the century, so I'll never get rid of it as most vintage afghan coats sell for £100s! 

Here I am in my 70's kitchen (I'll be replacing the tiles with Moroccan tile stickers soon, but some days I actually quite like them)! I'm hosting a family get together this weekend, I'm making ahead of time Italian tomato soup, Greek feta pastries and cake. I love an excuse to host and enjoy thinking of a menu. I'll buy in some nibbles and other sweet treats, but I always try to make something homemade. As my post partum hair loss is ridiculous at the moment, I've been wearing the bandana to ensure nobody gets one of my hairs in their soup! The gloves are because I've cut my thumb and didn't want a plaster in the food either! 

In just under a week we'll be going to Morocco for a family holiday celebrating the exquisite Auntie Lola or 'Kemi's Mom,' my husband's fabulous Auntie. She's an interior designer, is learning Italian and has that delicious straight to the point way of talking, that I adore, I can't wait to spend time with her and my in laws. I'm one of those rare wives that love their husband's family! Whilst I can't imagine there'll be much time to read as my daughters will be with me, I've treated myself to three new books from off the Curtis Brown Creative's reads of 2022. Curtis Brown is the literary agency I dream of being represented by so I find myself often loving their suggestions. I decided upon Still Life by my favourite author Sarah Winman (you must read When God was a rabbit and Tin man), The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak and Stone Blind a retelling of Medusa by Natalie Haynes. 

This week my darling baby Marina (we call her Mimi) turned 6 months, I can hardly believe my happy, smiley new born is already a bonnie, 6 month old. My desire to show my daughters' off, is parallel to my fear of doing so. Here's a cheeky, accidental snapshot of her that I felt was discreet enough to  publish without you truly being able to identify her. Both my girls are the absolute loves of my life, I count my blessings every day I get to be their mommy. 

 

Outfit wise I haven't been too prolific in the variety of things I've been wearing, I've mostly been in the All about Audrey Indian dress seen above, or this vintage, charity shopped 70's jumper, thrifted Oasis Jeans, Vinted bought clogs and my husband's fat face bobble hat (that I keep borrowing without asking)! 

In other news I FINALLY upcyled my £30 Facebook market place bought antique sideboard. If you were privy to my last blog post you know how utterly troublesome this sideboard has been. Let's just say I made a lot of donations to the swear jar doing this! Alongside locked cupboards I couldn't  get access to, the top drawers I'd removed to pain, warped in the cold so I couldn't get them back in! Thankfully a paint job later and a bit of cajoling and it's done! The wicker mirror was bought from B&M bargains with a gift voucher I got at Christmas and the wicker plates and African style wicker hanging are both thrifted from Vinted. The dining room is getting there, I've only got some shelves to put up and it will officially be 'done.' I'm showing you the progress because I don't live in a show home, this is a real, life family home in progress, if I waited for things to be 'perfect' you'd see sod all. This 150 year old cottage, stuck in the (bad) 70's is a labour of love and is going to take YEARS to be done. In the meantime I may as well show you what's been going on! 

 

The dining room is my work happy place, this is my current chill happy place. There's so much to be done in the bedroom but I wanted to show you how a few B&M hangings and a vintage 60's bed spread I bought for a fiver are making my boring, white bedroom feel a little more boho. My husband being the romantic he is bought me on a whim last week, a little solar powered bed light so I can read my books in bed whilst the baby sleeps without disturbing her. He is a good egg isn't he! 

Anyway my loves, I've got Greek pastries to make and a homemade pizza I want to make ready for my toddlers return from nursery! 

Have a lovely rest of your week lovebugs! 

Love Soph 

x