Decorations

I spent the weekend hanging pictures. It's more complicated than I remember from the last time, because I've got quite a lot of wall. Then, do you group or not group? If you group how do you arrange the combinations? Is the criteria subject, frame, too much / little light, or sentimental links? You have to be able to get closer to small pictures & big ones look better from a distance. Finally there's the measuring.... cms / inches & remembering which you used? Holding a group with only two hands is tricky. It's certainly not possible to stand back & look. So you have to take the plunge & hope it's right.

At the end of it all I was really pleased. It's a good feeling knowing that I did it myself & I like what I did. Contrary to my expectations I actually could buy some more pictures - how good is that?

This morning my friend D came for breakfast to do me two flower arrangements. One for the hall & one for the kitchen. I'm not precious about artificial flowers so long as they aren't cheap & nasty. However I am not good at arranging them. D is a whizz, quick, decisive & very artistic with it. So two very tasteful, very different arrangements which give me great pleasure. And a wreath for the door - what a bonus.

Later I got down the Christmas tree which hasn't been out of storage for at least 5 years. Dave, (husband), always assembled it, but it was colour coded so even I could do it. For an artificial tree it isn't bad. The next thing is to be very selective about the baubles. Less is more & a restricted colour palette for me. If I'm going to "do" Christmas it's only going to be in a restrained way & all the surplus is going to a charity shop.

All of this is time well spent. My house is personalised & feels more like my home.