Buried Treasure!

A few years ago we decided to investigate what was behind a wall in our living room. My husband was convinced there was a large fireplace so, mindful of the mess involved, I reluctantly agreed to get the builders in! I am so glad we did! We found this huge inglenook fireplace, complete with original brickwork, an arched seat, hanging rods and even an old cast iron kettle, which had been buried all these years! From what we know, the fireplace was bricked up in the late Victorian years. The cottage dates back to around 1800, a time when inglenooks were generally no longer being built. Our cottage is quite tiny so it was truly amazing to find this very large inglenook. The builders removed 6 tons of rubble - all of which left via the window!

I didn't want to scare you, so I have put the 'after' photo first!

I wouldn't be without our cosy woodburner now! Logs are a great way to keep the chill out - in fact they keep you warm twice; while you are stacking and piling them and then when you burn them!

I was reading Jane's blog recently and she has also discovered an inglenook! Have you made any amazing discoveries in your home?

Childhood Days

As the promise of Spring nears and the days begin to get longer, my thoughts turn to childhood, those carefree years when time really did seem endless. Growing up in the country was wonderful; days were filled with adventure playing hide and seek in the fields and building dens in the hedgerows. I have a real fondness for the fun and colourful make-believe characters of my era, in particular the Golliwog and Noddy - two of my favourite childhood toys and stories. I was an avid reader as a child and my staple diet of Enid Blyton's wonderful books kept me enthralled for many years, including the Famous Five, Secret Seven and Mallory Towers books - think I read them all!

The photos below are original Charlotte Becker prints from the 1940s, well before my time of course! She painted beautiful soft and delicate pictures of babies and animals, so perfect for a nursery wall. These are two of my favourites, isn't that dog so cute?!


Who are your favourite childhood characters?