Some photos ....

I've been meaning to share a few photos and create a photo album for ages, now here are some!

A friend made this fire surround for us years ago and when we moved we took it with us.  I dug it out of the shed and painted it, when I stepped outside to see how it was drying I saw my daft dog sitting infront of it!  He has no idea what a fire surround does but he clearly associates it with being warm, happy and loved!

 

 I started taking some bits outside to show off what I was stocking!  As you can see I stock lots of gorgeous gifts and wonderful items for the home!

When I first started talking about returning to The Original Present Cupboard a friend suggested painted arrows.  

This is one of the first ones that I did, it's very basic and rushed but I love the simplicity of it! 

I have a batch of orders so will settle down and paint some up soon!

How can you not love this?  A cashmere hot water bottle, a woollen envelope and a star saying Yummy Mummy, of course you can have your star personalised.

A tidy desk?  Well, it's not overly cluttered and  you can see everything and it's all beautiful!

A view of the shop some time ago, the dresser stays in the same place but I tend to move things around!  Keeps me on my toes if nothing else!

Another arrow!  I followed my dreams and started up The Original Present Cupboard.  Before that I followed my heart, did I really want to leave my job and start up my business again?  I followed my heart.

Cushions, cushions, cushions.  A seat is not properly dressed without cushions!

A few of my favourite things!  Black labradors, green and lavender envelopes, seeds for ideas and gardens and storage!

I picked up some chairs and decided to paint them for the coffee shop, then I added some detail and now I am not sure I want to let them leave my house!

I just adore these beautiful notebooks, covered in material they are a best seller!

Covered Notebooks £7.50

There is nothing nicer than a handwritten letter and what better way to make it bright and beautiful than with a fabulous card!  Priced at £2 each and printed in GB they are fabulous!

I like nothing better than the shop being open and the sun shining.  A shop on the farm in the woods!  A find!

I hope you will come and see The Original Present Cupboard soon, we can be found at Wysipig, or for more photos and chat we are on Facebook and Twitter 

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More smells

As soon as I publish a blog I think I should have added in something else!  Bear with me, I'm new to blogging and clearly have a lot to learn!

Following on from my Smells blog I wonder how many have you have said "well where can I get lavender cream?".  I am very pleased to announce that I am a Consultant for a Jüstrich Cosmetics.  Please do browse the website and if you are in the Thames valley then contact me via the website to book presentation of Just ~ Swiss herbal bodycare  products.  If you do order anything and are prompted for the consultant code then my code is NPG2012.

Smells

As I write up this blog I can see and smell the beautiful stocks I picked up from Wokingham Market this morning.

Smells are very important to me.  I am sure my heart flips when I smell baby powder as it brings back the memories of those gorgeous little toes and the gappy smiles of my children.

Lavender is one of those smells that calms and awakens me.  What a bonkers thing to say, but it's true!  Lavender is well known for its calming qualities.  My children went through stages of bad sleeping and it drove me to despair.  Many years before the children rocked up I was invited to an Aromatherapy party.  Oh!  I am so glad I went!  My bonkers children had to sleep!  I would run a chamomile bath, wrap them in a warm towel and when dry, before the 'warmed on radiator' PJs I would cover their toes, ears, back of neck, chest and back with lavender cream.  Sleep.  Lovely sleep!

To say lavender awakens me is well yes I know daft!  However, lavender reminds me of two wonderful ladies who are sadly no longer here.  My father's mother was at home in the garden in Rowington wearing a quilted jacket stuffed full of mints incase a horse escaped and she needed to catch it!  My mother's mother was a girl about town who used to change for supper.  Those were the days!  Both of them had a bowl of lavender and would squidge the fading blue as they wafted into a room - smelling of mint, baby powder and Ellnet!

These two very strong ladies inspire still.  I am useless at flower arranging yet spent hours watching Granny Sheldon arrange the church flowers in Bath, I was too impatient to knit anything other than a square cotton dishcloth yet used to sit for hours watching Granny Pritchard-Gordon embroider.  I think they'd be proud of me, if only for my love of smells!

I am very lucky that The Original Present Cupboard  stocks beautiful bath oils and body lotions from Lubatti, their bottles evoke memories and the scents are divine.