Autumn Wardrobe Refresh

Its seasonal wardrobe review time. I like to get out my autumnal themed nail polishes and perfumes and put the summer stuff away. Hello reds, pinky browns and golds and spicier scents. Goodbye pastels and florals.

Wardrobe wise its time for cardigans and away for tops. This is a good time to review what you have. I purged and replaced most of my trousers and some tops as I have changed size over the last year.  Also after years of lurking in baggy stuff feeling gloomy about the pandemic, my job crisis etc I have turned a corner and feel it is time for a new look. I also bought comfy shoes and work boots for a new job I am starting this month! 

Stylewise I have experimented with some new colours, unexpectedly loving an orange dress and a yellow puffer jacket. Not together though.

Also trying to organise so similar types of clothing are together. A lot of mine live in a weird victorian wardrobe where the rails run front to back instead of across. Its awkward but a great looking piece of furniture which I love.

Backs of places

 

This house is all party at the back. Whereas its neighbours are quite plain, they enjoy windowboxes and a lime green balcony parasol. 

Hello again. Sorry for long period with no posts, I was starting a new job at Braemar Castle and was very busy. This is an iris which I successfully grew in the garden this year. My favourite paintings of irises are by Elizabeth Blackadder, she also does great paintings of cats. 
 

2023 Projects

 Hello!

Thinking about some projects for this year and feeling energised this month to plan…

A food project: to try cooking with new ingredients, this week it’s cavolo nero and white chocolate. I eat white chocolate but I’m going to try it as chunks in a banana bread. Cavolo nero is an Italian cabbage and it’s going in a pasta recipe from Stanley Tucci’s book Taste.

Knitting is always on and this years theme is cardigans and gothy lace knitting.

Reading, I am going to try and read 12 novels, not including vintage crime because I always read that. Also to get into some of Alistair’s chunky history books which he keeps recommending.

This year’s gardening theme is wildlife friendly flowers and unusual herbs.

Self care: I have booked my first massage since covid times started. 

Little Houses

 

From our Dunkeld trip, a back of houses image of the Little Houses by the cathedral. These houses are part of the town centre dating from the C18th. They were saved and restored after WW2 in a pioneering urban restoration project which revitalised the whole town. Dunkeld is a beautiful place to visit and a thriving market town. 

2023 Garden

Started planting some seeds for the coming year.

Mostly herbs, mint, parsley, basil. I am trying coriander and tarragon too as they are favourites of mine.

Flower wise the favourites sweet pea, nasturtium and I need to get some calendula, these all did well last year.

I may see what else takes my fancy, it needs to be easy to grow without needing any cossetting in a greenhouse etc, but I cannot just sow seeds into the ground as the slugs eat them. The garden’s general vibe is country cottage so flowers and plants which are good for wildlife and pollinators. 

Cacti Group

 

Another cactus picture from Duthie Park Winter Gardens, I just love the shapes and colours. 

Modern Cactus

 

I love plants. And I love architecture. Cacti and modern architecture seem to go well together, here at Duthie Park Winter Gardens Cacti House. 

Floridean Shells

 I may have painted these before, (Jan 2020 on checking) but I am so obsessed by these shells from Florida I keep in my bathroom. Years later, when I pick them up, beautiful white sand still falls out. I rotated the picture to give a feeling of floating. 

Deco House

 

There are some interesting 1930s houses in our area. Ours is a traditional Arts and Crafts style house but others are more Deco with flat roofs and moderne details. This one is beautifully restored with a yucca tree and pine giving it a Mediterranean flavour. 

2023 Objectives

 I don't do resolutions any more, which I find a bit morally imperative, I try to do a set of personal annual objectives. These could be:

Produce more art

Read 12 novels and go to the library regularly

Cook new things, theme is Italian and Romanian cookbooks

Get more work done on the house and garden

Restart work on Braemar Castle Renovation Project

See more art exhibitions etc

2022 was very much still a cautious year focussed on:

Knitting

Blairs Museum Relocation Project

Gardening

Looking back at my 2022 objectives I certainly drank a lot of wine but am no better at getting up in the morning! 

I’m not doing any huge objectives as I feel we are still in a period of uncertainty but that things are certainly opening up more. This year I hope to focus more on really positive and interesting things, get out more, do more.