Little Pleasures

Little Pleasure #1 :: splashing out on a punnet of rather expensive out-of-season strawberries ::

Cost :: £2.50 :: utterly delicious and worth every penny ::

Little Pleasure #2 :: treating myself to a new face cloth when I was away at the weekend ::

Cost :: £4.99 :: love, love, love it, as I love pretty much all Pip Studio stuff ::

Little Pleasure #3 :: two bunches of daffodils bought from the market ::

Cost :: £2 :: the tightly closed buds are now opening and the colour is glorious ::

Little Pleasure #4 :: finding this thrifty top in Oxfam on Friday ::

Cost :: £3.95 :: the colours of these stripes make me deliriously happy ::

::

When I first started reading blogs almost four years ago, it was more often than not the small details of other people's lives that I found endlessly fascinating. I just could not get enough of it. I found the simple snapshots of ordinary days and ordinary things incredibly intriguing and inspiring to see. The Little Pleasures of life. Something baked, thrifted, purchased, remembered, crafted, found, loved, appreciated.

Observing how other people chose to celebrate, remember and document these small pleasures through their blogs really inspired me at a time when my life felt very adrift and unsettled. It helped me to re-focus, to zoom in and discover enormous happiness in the Little Things of my own everyday life. That level of appreciation firmly stuck with me and now I cannot imagine living my life any other way. 

A few strawberries, a bunch of inexpensive seasonal blooms, a pretty little bit of fabric (with pom-pom trim!) and a thrifted garment. This week's Little Pleasures, and I feel so lucky to have them!! Yes, I am one happy Mumma!!

Wishing you a week full to the brim of happiness and delight!

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Comments

[jenny t]

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/african-flower-hexagon

i just know you will love this one!

[Beth]

Lucy, your blog is still a great pleasure to read...or just look at the photos! You are so right: life is about the pretty little things after all.

From one old fan from Amsterdam...

[Jo]

Wow Lucy.
I love your strawberrys and your strips. Keep bloging in your own style, loads of us love it. No one's life is perfect and I read your blogg because you share the good bits, the crafty bits, and the colourful bits. If I want to be depressed I will watch the news.
Love
Jo

[Laura]

As usual a lift in spirits after I read your blog.
Thanks for sharing your bright springlike photos. It is finally March! I'm looking so forward to spring planting. I am also crocheting a little more as time allows. My inspiration comes a lot from admiring your work. Please keep sharing your time and photos-have a wonderful week!

[Sarah]

Fabulous! I tend to photograph those little moments for myself and never share them but you're right, they are the things I love seeing from others - I must share them more.

I love your blog - thanks so much for taking the time to share.

[Art work]

Me just like this post a lot...I always feel good to remember simple things..http://www.vivamagonline.com/index.php A bit of color, some time to do the things we love and its healthy too..

[Rebecca]

I love looking at brightly coloured items, and adore the jug you used to put the daffodils in.

[ScoobyDoo]

Love the stripey top, Lucy. I've garnered a lot of little pleasure treasures from my local charity shop, too, this week. Some lovely M&S Per Una tops - all for £3 or under! All in 'as new' condition. What a find! It's the fun and surprise of finding such treasure that is is the best bit, isn't it.

[Marleen]

this is exactly why I read your blog! When I'm too busy, always running, I forget looking around to see the Little Pleasures of Life. Now I often stand still and look. So satisfying! Thank you for sharing.
'groetjes' from Holland

[Wendy]

Oh my, I think there are a few people who have forgotten to take their ‘Happy Pills’ lately – you know who you all are!!!!

I have been ill for over a year and visiting blogland has certainly helped cheer me up at my low times. I’ve not been able to get out and about for a long time so being able to look at someone else’s flowers or fripperies has been almost as good as going out myself!
So Lucy and all the other lovely bloggers out there please ignore these self righteous people and carry on with your life just as you are and continue to bring some happiness into other peoples lives.
♥♥
Wend x

[fleur anglaise]

Your post made me smile from the 1st photo. I love it when my reader tells me you have made a new post, I know it's going to be something good. And you have inspired me to start crocheting again, last time was when I was about 9, too many years ago! You've even got me looking at caravaning again, haven't done that since I was a child too! Thank you very much Lucy x

[j k eells]

Hi Lucy, I love reading your blogs, they always cheer me up. I don't know how to put into words how i feel about these negative comments, (now I'm feeling really angry). Hubby has just walked in with an evelope from Glasgow I have just won £25 on the premium bonds! cure world poverty or a bunch of daffodils every week for the rest of spring, I'm going with the daffodils, (oops shouldn't fuel the flames). I give to charity but sometimes charity begins at home.Keep up the good work Lucy, keep inspiring us to feel good about life, ourselves, the small things that we sometimes miss when we are not feeling 100%, whatever our means are.

[Erin]

I think what people are having concerns with is Lucy's donate button. When going to the Paypal site to acquire one, an animal shelter and charity are shown as examples of sites that use these buttons.

I also enjoy reading Lucy's blog, however can understand some people's reactions, particularly after this post featuring "little pleasures".

I feel that the term "donate" is synonymous with charity, and should not be used in the case of a personal blog. Lucy is very creative and generous in showing us her projects, but this is what other crochet blogs do as well for free.

There are blogs, such as new software companies for example, who will give out free products and have a donate button. This is another case where it works well, since a just starting out company is actually providing its readers with a product. There is a very big difference here.

I don't think people should become angry with one another, however I do feel that it is important to address something if someone has a problem. This is something not only discussed here, but on many other blogs and websites of other subject matter. Some blogs, to avoid the word "donate" will replace it with a "buy me a coffee" which I also feel works well.

I feel sorry for some people in blogland who are feeling attacked for sharing their thoughts, which, when respectfully done, are all part of the blogging process. Sharing thoughts and opinions is what makes the world go 'round and makes us learn and grow together. I have noticed for some time now this issue being brought up and wanted to finally say for myself what I felt.

HOW, do we distinguish whether those flowers have been purchased with you donated money?

[Nancy]

Hi ya Lucy,

Just wanted to write a quick note to let you know i can not believe what some silly small minded people have written. And please don't take it to heart and stop writting. I love your post, it's make me smile every time i read it. Thank you for all your uplifting and thoughtful posts. Keep going and smiling
Nancy

[Louise]

Aren't people getting a little bit carried away? There is no need to be so defensive - some of you are blogging in really offensive ways too - much worse than anything said here for goodness sake. So there are a few moanie minnies but most people get it. Why bother about a few people - they are entitled to their opinion too. No one is threatening or swearing. So just ignore them if you don't like what they say. Read all the lovely comments instead - there are far more of them after all. People don't all have to agree do they? You may find that rude but in the scheme of things I don't think anyone has said anything too out of line. Or is freedom of speech only for some people? Sending emails full of nastiness straight to a persons email account as some of you have been doing, well that is the really horrible stuff and some people have been doing that to others who have dared disagree with Lucy. Most of us know that £2.50 strawberries and some dafodils are not the last word in decadence and love blog posts like this one. But if a few don't - so what? Hope your strawberries were sweet and that your daffs are still blooming. Carry on with what you do it's great. You can't please everyone all of the time and that is OK! P.S. Never apologise and never explain is a good rule to follow

[Cariad]

Dear Lucy. I have followed your blog for about 2 years now but have never posted a comment, but seeing those unpleasant and completely unjustified comments has made me want to let you know how much I love your blog. For the record, until very recently I was what you would consider 'poor'; we couldn't afford the gas bill when it came in; we lived in a terrible damp rented house infested with tiny beetles (they feed off damp, with plaster falling off the wall in big chunks - because we couldn't afford anything else. Now we are better off and live in our own little house but we still have to watch the pennies like a hawk to stay afloat, and either of us could be out of work at any time. Simple pleasures like a £2 bunch of daffodils can be enjoyed by anyone no matter what your financial status is, and blogging about them isn't going to change the hardship of others. Lucy writes a great blog and many people get great pleasure out of reading it. A little extra colour and happiness in the world is nothing but a good thing. I hope these comments don't make Lucy feel bad about her blog or what she posts, there really are some bitter people out there
Cariad xx

[Sandy]

hmmmmmmmmmmm I wish my english was good enough to express all I would like to say here!
I will be simple.. I LOVE YOUR BLOG....!

[Claire]

Lucy, don't stop doing what you do. We need more inspiration in difficult times, not less. I wholeheartedly agree with whoever it was that said there was a difference between frugality and poverty.

I love your face cloth and ADORE that top! Lucky you. I bought myself some primroses yesterday, inspired by your post the other day. They're gorgeous - thank you x

[Carol]

Seeing your colorful photos is one of my "simple pleasures"! I'm sorry about the negative commenters---maybe a flower or two would cheer them up! They should save their rants for those who are buying expensive clothes, jewelry, vacations etc. instead of unfairly attacking you!

[Jasmin]

just amazing, another post full of bright colours and wonderful thougths - i really adore your way of looking at the world!!
what a pleasure to read!!
xxx

[Kiwi]

Lucy...ignore the comments!..all of them! Even the well-meaning ones are getting carried away and subsequent posts on their own blogs are not the best. You keep posting about the things that YOU find uplifting, things that cheer and colour your world. You do not need to answer to anyone and you certainly won't be able to please everyone.
I really enjoy reading your musings from time to time, it's like a breath of fresh air and has inspired me to pick up my hook and crochet again. I've loved making a granny stripe and a ripple blanket, my kids fight over who will snuggle under them with a book!
I've even taken to buying a weekly bunch of flowers myself!! Why just feel cheered looking at them on your blog when I can feel glee looking at them on my table. Life is about the small memory-making moments, and it's certainly too short to feel angst over other peoples opinions. Please don't let all this nonsense get you down. :)

[Susanne Tyree]

I agree with Terrie and those of you who have a bug up your butts need to stop raining on Lucy's parade and dumping your gripes on her doorstep. Some of the happiest moments of my life was when I was a stay at home mom and it broke my heart that I had to go to school and work because I refused to live in the "poor house". Frugal, yeah, I know a man who was in his 80's, worked till he dropped dead, wouldn't even turn a light on when it got dark and heated his can of beans on the pilot light of his stove top because he refused to pay the power company any of his pittance of money. Everyone thought him a pauper, and felt sorry for him. He died a millionaire with so much money he couldn't even put it all in one bank because they refused to insure but only a certain amount. And how do I know this, why my boss at the time was his nephew and he inherited all that money and he knew how to spend it before he died. His uncle lived frugally by choice, just like some people collect welfare because they are too lazy to work and it is easier to live off of those do work. Every situation has a story "why" and some are not visible on the surface. Lucy isn't going to solve the world's poverty because she gave up a few flowers. Sure, she could have given the money to a bum on the street and he could have bought some cheap wine and some smokes. me, I would rather spent the money on flowers too. Way to go Lucy! Good thing St. Patty's Day is coming with all the "green".

[Shelley in SC]

This enchantment with the daily details of life is what drew me to your blog as well . . . and what keeps me eagerly reading each post.

[Janis Gonzalez]

Lucy~ These are indeed very lovely! These are the simple things to make me happy as well. I miss my hundreds of Daffodils & Iris' from a former home & am patiently breeding & growing her at my new home.
BlogWorld makes my heart sing. I love seeing that so many people are just like me across this big ole' world.
So from my little corner in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA I say Hello & Love to you♥

[Terrie]

Ah ladies get off your soap boxes. This whole thing is just plain silly. May I direct your attention to the address bar...yes, up above. It say's attic24.typepad. That means you are in Lucy country. A place where she can share whatever she damn well pleases. That's the wonder of a blog, see. You can say what you like about what you like. If her day was brightened by daffs - cool.

Chances are you clicked on an Attic24 link somewhere too. That's another wonder of the web. You don't have to click on anything you don't want to. I've had blogs that I no longer visit because I don't agree with someones views. Did I make a big faffle about it? No. I didn't even contact the person. Because that's their view and they have EVERY right to own it.

Sit back and think girlies. This is over a definition of frugality. Would I roll my eyes and laugh if my children came home and told me they had fallen out in the playground over something so trivial? Yes. It doesn't really matter (and I hasten to add the definition doesn't matter NOT frugality as a way of life) time is too short to get all hot and bothered over such things.

Finally, I would like to point out that I am not here, guns ablazing, to defend Lucy's honor. I suspect she can do that all by herself. I am also not here to berate those who have a difference in opinion to Lucy - actually I wish they had left links to that I could pop over to their blogs too. They sound like interesting people. I am just here to add my two cents. The web is a free space. We are grown ups. Let's smile, nod and move on.