Flower tonic.

Hello, hello, new, fresh bright start to a new fresh as a daisy week!

You o.k? Your day grey? Or BRIGHT?

My day grey outside, BRIGHT inside, in my nice pink walled studio.

(My Niece's bedroom is painted pink, it's the colour of love, did you know that? So when Millie (my Niece) wakes each morning, she's surrounded by love and reassurance. My sister used to work for Dulux, so she's an arbiter of colour therapy. And actually, I'm with her on that one, COLOUR, with CAPITALS, definitely brightens up my life).

And that's why I love my studio, my lovely pink studio.

Even if it does look like a burglar has been rummaging through all the drawers and cupboards.

It actually looks like my Father-in-Law's office (he's a very busy Vicar).

I enjoy hearing his story, told to all newcomers to the house, of the time someone looking after the house whilst they were away, reported with great anxiety that a burglar had been in his office, and tipped the contents of his filing cabinet, drawers and shelves onto the floor, and whisked it all up like a food mixer.

Alan (my Father-in-Law) had to reassure him that this was how his office always looks.

I recently found a library book under a pile of papers in my studio, that was overdue, to my dismay. One of the piles of piles in my studio.

Another thing my sister is an arbiter of, is making lists.

I don't make lists, I just have a pile of priorities.

Tidying my studio, ironing, tidying the house, making the bed, washing up, these are all things that are "on the list", in my head.

The list in my head.

Last week, the mystery pattern for Coats Crafts was ticked off my list. Today, the two commissions for eight abstract paintings, worked on over the last month, were finally done to my satisfaction, and ticked off my list.

Tomorrow I pick up receipts blowing around my studio floor, and get up to date on my accounts.

Once that horrible task is completed, I can then tidy the studio, and start work on the abstracts that are to go into a gallery and a posh florist.

You probably have an image of me living in some sort of nice ordered house, don't ya?!!! I imagine my photos make it look that way. I'm actually a very tidy person, with a tendency to be obsessively tidy, that's my true nature. My mum tells me I would have a little tantrum if my room wasn't tidy, and I actually believe her, (though I'm not sure I believe all her stories about my childhood!). But when you become an adult, you have to face the reality of life don't you? And being tidy is not neccessarily the most important thing in an adult life, is it?

Because I'm naturally a tidy person, life always feels much better when my house is in order.

And when it's not in order, I feel like I'm winging it, teetering on the edge, and if I don't keep my balance, chaos will ensue. That's definitely proof I'm a tidy person at heart, because messiness does not come naturally to me. Messiness is a by-product of too much to do, and not enough time to do it in.

And I just know I'm speaking to a few of you out there.

I'm messy, not out of choice, but out of neccessity! I just don't have the time to tidy up. So there we go.

It will all be done in good time.

Still, I do have the time, and I certainly like to make the time, to say hello to you my dear readers, because you are important.

And I do have the time to stop and smell the flowers.

And give you a big smile.

And say, "Isn't life GREAT! I'm busy and tired and happy".

And I can smell supper. Hugo is about to say "right, dinner is served!" (I call it supper, Hugo calls it dinner). I can feel it bubbling up, judging by the smells.

So I'll say, after one more flower pic:

And just one more for the road:

CHEERIO! Love Vanessa xxx

Comments

[greenrabbitdesigns]

I'm a list maker, I just love the satisfaction of crossing things off when they're completed (is that sad?)!
I'm having a little bag giveaway this week if you have time to pop in.
Lovely flowers,by the way!! :)
Vivienne x

[Kate Bruning]

Those flowers are so divine. I would hope that you live in colourful chaos because otherwise I would be mindboggled by how you do everything so beautifully. My house is definately dishevelled and often dare I say, messy in the extrememe. My father-in-law did comment once that I was definately his most household chore relaxed daughter-in-law (I was trying to prove a point and he backed me up almost a little too swiftly). Those flowers are just breathing colour arent' they. Lots of love, XXOOXXOOXX.

[paintdropskeepfalling.wordpress.com]

Such beautiful flowers! We were once burgled and the Police man saw our 'spare' room and said they'd 'had a right go in there'! Yup, you guessed it - it always looked like that! But I didn't say so. You know, we should all make a pact to upload a photo of our messiest corner and be proud together! Have a great week. Claire x

[Val Reaves]

We had snow over the weekend, so your flowers are delightful...so bright and cheerful! I enjoy orderliness,..but my studio need straightening, so off I go.
Val in Kansas :-)

[SNOOPYDOG]

Hello there! What a bright and cheerful post. Just what I need after a long and tricky day at school. I'm very much a tidy person too and feel very out of sorts if the house is in disorder. I'm much, much happier after the tidying has been done.....even though I hate doing it!!! What lovely, lovely flower phortos. Thank you! Have a great week. Ros

[Siobhan]

Wow, those flowers! Love the colours, love the piccies of them. I so love those juicy orange ones. I do make lists sometimes but sometimes I just run it through in my head. I envy tidy people - I've got no capacity for tidiness whatsoever! I've got a cut off point where I feel I have to tidy though. But it certainly doesn't come naturally. As a child I was just plain old lazy! I enjoy, lots of "things" around me but when everything is tidy that is lovely (Christmas usually being the one time guaranteed).
Lucky me, two lovely posts today - I can't believe that I missed Fridays. I don't know how exactly but I've got my own "to do" time at the moment so have been a bit stressy getting things done. I hope Hugo didn't mind too much about you pinching his chocolate! Can't wait until your mysterious Coats project is unveiled.

[Jacqueline]

Your flowers are beautiful, just the thing to cheer up this dull grey day. I am not a naturally tidy person, I gravitate towards mess, which annoys the husband no end. I know where things are in my mess though, what is in each pile etc. I do try to be tidy in the public rooms, but it is just not in my nature! I'm looking foward to the Coats project. I'll add it to my (mental) list of projects to do.

[Janice Perkin]

what a gorgous set of pictures - i don't think iam a very tidy person - someone once said - 'Janice your house is interesting as you can always see what you have been doing'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Laura]

My day here is gray and cold, so your bright, colorful, cheery flowers are a great pick-me-up - a happy dose of refreshing color!

Thanks for brightening my Monday!

[Linda]

WOW! love those flowers the colours just zing! I also live in the north of England and you need a blast of colourful flower joy to brighten our on going grey days , thank you , your photos are so good a lot better than mine..... any tips,? I try and fail to be tidy , I tell people arty types live in creative clutter and disorder , erm...yes...well..... very best wishes, love your blog ...lots.

[Mandy]

What a cheering post, such lovely colours!

I too am a very tidy person by nature and a compulsive list maker! I hope you manage to get on top of things. At least your current untidiness is for all the right reasons! :)

[Magic Cochin]

Studios get messy quickly when you're busy, don't they. But I'd rather be busy in a messy studio that glum and not working in a tidy one ;-)

Those flowers are gorgeous Vanessa!

Celia

[Penny Graham-Jones]

What a lovely burst of cheeriness, just gorgeous! My problem is that I am naturally untidy, but I hate untidiness so I lead a constant battle with a muddle of my own making (and the others...Tim is equally untidy but it doesn't bother him, and as for Higgins! )
I am busy painting my studio WHITE, ceiling walls AND floor!! surprised? The challenge will be then to fill it with colour of my own making, a scary but exciting proposition. (Meanwhile, I'll just have to keep visiting you for a colour fix! Penny xxx

[Janice]

I do lists but then I lose them...the will is there...I lived in a shared house many moons ago and my housemates locked themselves out necessitating a call to the fire brigade. Once in the house the firefighters gallantly checked the house and, finding my attic room, reported to my housemates that they thought someone had broken in - there were clothes and coffee cups and records and books everywhere! Needless to say I've had to become a little more organised

[Petit Filoux]

WOW. Those flowers are simply amazing x

[Jak]

Interesting post. I am a naturally tidy person too and obsessed with storage, but gone are the days when I would spend half of my weekend cleaning, far too many creative things to do, books to read, flowers to smell.
Jak x

[acornmoon]

Your very colouful blog never fails to cheer me up. I am surrounded by magnolia, I wonder what that says about me?

I am very intrigued to discover your new project. I hope you reveal it soon.

[Jessie]

I have a pink room where I keep the washing machine and tumble dryer. It makes it a pleasing place to go rather than a place of chores. This flowers are astonishingly beautiful, thankyou for cheering my day!xx

[annies abode]

hi vanessa
i am a list maker but not everything gets ticked off the list as i get waylaid by a book or a piece of sewing or giving the boys a cuddle.

those colours are just wonderful - so vibrant.
anniex

[The Girl]

You are most DEFINTIELY speaking to me right now. I get all itchy and twitchy when the flat is messy. And it's not that it's dirty, bit of dirt and dust I can handle. But I can't handle that pile of papers that's where it shouldn't be!

And once it's all tidied away I actually feel like I can breathe a bit more easily and my head feels more normal.....until it all gets messed up again in what feels like record time.

[driftwood]

gorgeous flowers Vanessa, with those to distract me I could probably any kind of mess xoxo

[mlle paradis]

gorgeous gorgeous flowers vanessa!

[kate]

That is the best color yellow yet. Just lovely.

[Laura]

Preaching to the choir here Vanessa! I am tidy, I AM. But it's everything else that gets in the way of my tidiness. Beautiful flowers and lovely blue and white spots. Laura x

[sumea]

thankyou for this wonderful wonderful tonic...oh my goodness, it is so gorgeous!!
i can't stop looking...honestly i can't. i think that you and your sister are both colour geniouses :o)

xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx

thank you for brightening my day xxx

xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx

[philippines flower]

So lovely flowers! and I also enjoyed reading your blog. Thanks for sharing.

-pia-