New House, New Obsessions

So, in July 2010 we decided to put our house on the market and move. It was one of those spur of the moment decisions. We were happy in our home and had only just finished decorating it the week before we decided to sell it. In August 2009 we had been lucky enough to have three rooms decorated by Richard Randall and the 60 Minute Makeover team and we had worked hard on the rest since then. It was perfect, just as we had wanted it to be when we moved in almost four years before. There was only the garden left to tackle. But circumstances change and all of a sudden it made perfect sense for us to go and live at the other side of town. We said those words that all estate agents must hear at one time or another. "If we could pick our house up and move it we would but..." We were lucky. Our house sold quickly and for the price we almost wanted, we found one that we wanted to buy and by mid-December we had moved. That's the short story. The long one has a lot more tears and drama, but this is a happy blog. And then it began. The obsession with magazines. More properly, the obsession with home decoration and interior design magazines. And the obsession didn't stop there. The magazines led me to the websites and the websites led me to the birds (all will become clear). Two other things have contributed to the obsessions and the creation of this blog (and it's title). The first is that my son (who for the purposes of the blog will be known as Vastly Superior Baby) was 21 months old at the time we moved and growing quickly. While packing to move I realised just how many items of baby clothing we had that no longer fitted him but that were in good condition and of too much sentimental value to give away. A vague idea of using them to create a patchwork quilt/family heirloom began to form in my mind. The only obstacle to this is that I cannot sew and am frightened of sewing machines. So my idea may have been dismissed before it had a chance to fully form if not for an unexpected saviour. Kirstie Allsopp and the stumbling by chance on her programme Kirstie's Homemade Christmas. For want of something better to watch (we'd just moved in and only had three working TV channels) I chose the best of a bad lot and was surprised then to spend an enraptured hour watching Kirstie embroider Christmas napkins, stuff a turkey, make a candle, stick gold leaf to pears and so much more! Suddenly I was looking at my home, my pile of decorating magazines and my numerous carrier bags of tiny clothes with new eyes. I could have a homemade home! Kirstie said it didn't matter if I had no obvious talent, all I needed was a decent teacher, some enthusiasm and a pile of old rags and my house could be a self designed haven of unique joy in no time! I went right out and bought her book. I've read it frequently. I borrowed a sewing machine that I still haven't been brave enough to use but I have also looked at the magazines with fresh eyes and rejected some of the mass market items that once would have made me happy in favour of the homemade or recycled (more to follow). Where I have bought something, I've chosen the unusual and quirky things I fell for and had to have (budget allowing) that compliment the weird and wonderful charity shop and market 'one-off' finds. Kirstie and I don't see eye to eye on everything and I don't have her budget or the benefit of a TV show of experts to help me. But I have caught her enthusiasm for having a go at making something myself or searching the charity shops instead of (okay, as well as, Ikea) for my fabulous must-haves and I'm thinking about my own style more than ever before. And it's all thanks to my new mantra, muttered silently but effectively whenever necessary. What would Kirstie do?