Merry Christmas one and all. The last few festive days have past by in a flu-filled blur, I had many posts planned but I have pretty much slept through Christmas. That said, we’ve had a cracking time, holed up at the in-laws in Somerset. Here are a couple of snaps…
Great ‘go-to’ UK sites for last-minute present buying
This year I’ve tried to buy all our presents in our local town and from surrounding markets and farm shops. Becoming shop owners this year, it has become even more important to us to support local enterprise and make it our everyday standpoint rather than a token gesture as a…
A quick guide to making Christmas presents
Every year in the 10 days or so leading up to Christmas I try and add a little sparkle to my shop-bought gifts by adding a little ‘extra’ that I’ve made myself. I’m neither a saint, nor Kirstie Allsopp, so I keep it pretty simple. A bundle of parmesan cheese…
Nine months on, nine months off – losing the baby weight. Part deux
So, I wrote a long rambling post about post-natal exercise, and here is step two: beauty. While I am not going to promise you a magic potion to lose you inches while you sit on the sofa (I would be kicking back in the Caribbean if I had *that* formula…
Snapshot: the new Countryfille.com HQ
So far, in countryfille.com’s short life, I have posted from the sofa, bed, the car, on holiday and in the garden. Since leaving the office environment I have yearned for my own creative space to work, collect tear-sheets, press releases and squirrel myself away to build, nurture and develop my…
CF weekend: in photos
Hello! Brrrr! and Phew! That pretty much sums up our weekend at Countryfille HQ. We headed into Exeter on Sunday, to the annual Christmas Fair in the shadows of the Cathedral on the cobbled ‘green’. It’s my favourite quarter of Exeter, with its narrow lanes, beautiful mix of Tudor and…
CF musings on: Being a young mum
A bit of a ‘brain dump’ of a post, but here it goes. It’s really shocked me that, since giving birth to Country Bebe, I’ve been classed as a ‘young mum’. In fact it started waaaay before the little guy even arrived. Heavily pregnant, on the tube (standing of course,…
My new vintage winter coat
Many moons ago, as an impoverished journalism student, I picked up a brown tweed coat in Greenwich Market for £10, and boy did I love it. Big chocolate brown buttons, nipped in waist, oversized collar and fantastically full, to the knee, silhouette. Alas, the lining tore, I was too poor…
A proper night out: mummy style
You know one thing I miss about London? Cocktails. Not just the alcohol content but the hour or two post work, with a girlfriend and an unlimited supply of calorific snacks for supper. The breakfast martinis at Cafe Luc, Marmalade Gimlets at Floridita and anything at Purl in Marylebone were…
A tale of two shops called Made
I have, coincidently, made two purchases today from different shops called ‘Made’. The first was a new desk from Made.com. A proper grown-up writing desk that will be for the sole purpose of ‘me’ and ‘words’. I love it’s angular lines and slimline proportions versus the curves of our new…
Have a great weekend all
I’m still in a food coma after an incredible dinner at The Railway in Honiton last night (confit of duck, perfectly executed chips, sticky toffee pud…). It was our first double date night with some new country friends and it was the perfect grown-up night. Now we’re just slinging a…
My £2 skincare hero product
So, after the popularity of the £2 hair hero product post, I thought a follow-up for skincare would be good. Okay, this one is a bit of a cheat because it’s usual RRP is £3.95 (it is currently on offer in Tesco’s for £2), but I figured even at that…