The Journey Home #BEDM

The Journey Home - A photographic essay by Maisie Ryan aged 7. 

Frosty Mornings and A Fractured Mind

I love my city best in early mornings, the peaceful nature of it all just waking up to start the day. Sunlight glinting from the old buildings windows, and catching the newer installations.

 However I feel Winter has gone on long enough, my body is crying out for real sunshine, warmth and vitamin D. We'll all full of colds in our house, and Lucas does not deal well with illness(I feel sorry for his future partner) which means 1am wake up calls and exhaustion in the household.

 

 It leaves me with my usually over filled brain feeling feeling fractured and unconnected, hazy and without merit(a bit like these pictures). 

Forgetting dinner money, and meal planning; homework and cleaning;birthdays and gifts; and all the other Mum things that fill my head

 I find the half hour to myself before work most peaceful and yet most head filling, sitting in a favourite spot(anyone from Carlisle should know it) where you can hear the whole city and nature next to one another. I go through my day trying to put it in order but simply remembering more that I have planned or have forgotten.

 I feel we still have a long road ahead before we feel true Spring, and lucky for me I have a sunny holiday planned in the next few weeks. I hope to return from it restored and whole, mind working to it's true capacity.; instead of the hibernating lump it is now. 

Linton Tweed Love

I'm so lucky to have been brought up in a wonderful city with so much history on every corner; part of Carlisle's great history is it's fabric industry. We had several mills around the city and one of the most famous in Linton Tweeds.  

Started in 1912 by William Linton, they originally employed 2 salesmen with a horse and cart, buying up Lake District wool, and selling suit lengths of fabric. 

What you've not heard of it? 

Well how about this lady?

In the 1920s Captain Molyneux a Parisian couturier introduced William Linton to Coco Chanel, and a great association blossomed, resulting in Channel being Linton Tweeds most famous customer.

Chanel still uses Linton Tweed in it's designs now and I can totally understand why. Over one hundred years of one family's life has gone into developing this fabric into something so beautiful, it's strength and depth of of colour is a joy, it's beautiful to work with and makes such a statement.

Which is were we come back to how lucky I am, next to the Linton Tweed factory is the shop where you can go and stroke the fabrics and weaves (the staff don't even look at you as strange), piles of beautiful tweeds in hundreds of colours. You can also buy the fabrics and have tea and scones in the attached coffee shop.

Just so many combinations it boggles the mind with it's fabric beauty.

Even better through you can purchase the yarn used for the tweed weaving as well, 

so what 's a girl to do.

Well buy it, that's what. 

Coming to my shop soon I be showing you how much I love Linton Tweeds buy making a range of brooches, jewellery and accessories with this wonderful, local fabric.

If you'd like to know more about Linton Tweeds and it's connection with Chanel, there's a lovely book out called Chanel and the Tweedmaker which can be purchased through the Linton Tweeds online shop, or if you live in Carlisle pop in for a visit they're all very friendly and happy to help.

Thanks for reading,

Amanda.x.

Friday I'm in Love

Wowza where did those 2 weeks go, well mainly procrastination over my Tax Return. 

Every year I think it's scary and find ways to put off doing it. 

I Pin things, read about Chinese foot binding(uck) and mostly crochet, I started 2 blankets which hopefully I'll get photographed soon. 

So this weeks loves are Polyvore, I know I'm slow to come to this and it's been about for ages but as this looks(a really is) a eater of time, I thought I'd not investigate to much. Now Tax time is over with though I'm having a great play on this lovely way to collect and inspire.

If you're on Polyvore please come say hi, I'm a bit of a billy no mates.

Living Room Inspiration by amandauniquely on Polyvore


Next is home town blogger love. When I first started blogging (not knowing anyone else that did it) I felt very much like I was shouting into the ether. I didn't really have a plan or style for my blog (I still don't feel it reflects me) and I couldn't talk to anyone personally doing it. Not now, through the power of twitter I've found other bloggers in Carlisle and we're arranging a meet up.

They are such a varied and lovely bunch of people, and as I love to meet new people I can't wait for a bloggers meet up. If you want to see what their all about click on the pic to take you through.

Last but not least a little motivational speech from one of my favourite films, what you've not seen this little known indie film? Get yourself to a bargain section now and find it.
Happy weekend people
Love Amanda.x.

Blurry Wanderings and a World Waking Up

January is a time for waking up, after the tinsel and baubles are put away the job off getting on with the rest of the year happens. Resolutions are made, goals are set people start making their plans.

 For me it's a lovely slow time of year, everything seams to go a little slower, such as walking to work after dropping Lucas off at nursery (he was very excited to be back). There's no Christmas shopping to fit in, no jobs to do just time to relax and look around my city as it began it's day.

 I love where I live it has such beauty everywhere you look, and I didn't go 5 minutes from the city centre. The parks just outside are beautiful, but I'll save them for another day.

Take time to have a look around your home town this month, I'll be taking a lot more pictures of mine.

Autumn Daze

So after not posting a picture from the last day of Summer yesterday because it looked like this...

Today I walked to work(typically in all day) on a day like this, I am filled with hope that Autumn will be full of bright, crisp and clear days. 

 

 Happy first day of Autumn 2012. 

May it be a happy season.

Amanda.x.