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!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If you lot want to talk about blog bullies look what is happening over here...
http://cornpoppygirl.blogspot.com/2011/02/time-out.html
the A24 groupies have a vendetta...
Some lovely people following your blog, Lucy
As for this post, maybe a little ill considered to think spending £13.50 on stuff you don't really need is being frugal
Posted by: Emma | February 24, 2011 at 03:48 PM
Life is in the little things, so glad you celebrat them as do I. I must say, I've been reading your blog for about a year, and you are one of the bloggers that inspired me to get past my fear of "not knowing how" and get started. I just love my little blog. A lovely little place to put my thoughts on my life. Another friend who encouraged me to "jump in" said this as congratulations to me, "I hope you learn as much about yourself as I have while blogging mine." What a gift. Thanks for your inspiration, and pop by when you get a sec!
Posted by: Melissa | February 24, 2011 at 01:17 PM
Okay first of all just love your blog and your work - BUT Crazy why are you going for a holiday in the snow guess the scenery is pretty fantastic but it is cold isn't it ??? anyhow love the crochet flower shawl and your links to its origin, please arrange a visit to sunny Melbourne will welcome you with open arms, but maybe this will stop your creativity - Once again love your site and spontanaeity
Thanks for the fun Cilla Rule
Posted by: Cilla Rule | February 24, 2011 at 10:37 AM
Hi Lucy,
I love reading your blog :) I love seeing the flowers on your coffee table and seeing your blankets and strawberries and stuff.
For me "simple living" means cutting back ... because I want to. Not because I have to. It means less "stuff" so I can have a cleaner house, an emptier pantry so I dont throw half of it away that we forget to eat.
Im so sad to read such negative comments but I guess that what happens in blogland ... even crazies get a voice ... you know they wouldnt speak to you like that in real life!! Hopefully you will delete their posts ... and move on.
please remember that there is a girl in africa who likes to see all your pretty pictures!
Posted by: prefer to remain anon. | February 24, 2011 at 09:35 AM
well written! keep on sharing..
Posted by: jenni | February 24, 2011 at 06:50 AM
It's nice to start a day with your blog! As I said I love the colours.
Have a nice day!
Posted by: Regula | February 24, 2011 at 05:24 AM
Oh my, what is happening here? A lovely post about enjoying life's simple treasures is being twisted around!
One doesn't have 'play at being poor' to live more frugally. For one person that would mean buying 2 magazines instead of 10 each month, get a lovely new top at Oxfam instead of TopShop, buying 5 daffodils instead of 50. Sadly, for others, 'frugal' means now eating once a day instead of three times. But that's not Lucy's fault. She is in a very fortunate position to stay a home, raise her kids and ENJOY domesticity. She can teach her kids about enjoying simple pleasures instead of getting it from the latest Playstation or action toys. And that's how we grew up, many people are just back to our roots, being more responsible with the way we handle our finances.
What I don't like, is the way magazines like EL en She make a huge fuss about 'living frugal' but continue to promote designer clothing, hugely expensive makeup, jewelry etc, and not actually continuously and realistically promote more responsible living. Now THAT can deserves some critique.
Posted by: Christelle | February 24, 2011 at 04:29 AM
Dear A24...I will be dealing with this matter on my Post tomorrow....
This is unacceptable that people can come on your blog and judge and take their dibs at you... I love your blog and your outlook on things ... Dont let this get to you...
Posted by: Queen of Whatever | February 24, 2011 at 04:08 AM
WE hearby declare you.....unworthy
Posted by: Queen of Whatever | February 24, 2011 at 02:09 AM
I second Queen of Whatever... Bethany... you are mean. A pompous snot.
Love you A24.
Posted by: Taking Heart | February 24, 2011 at 01:22 AM
Oh for the love of God!!! Bethany you say you arent talking about Lucy (wink wink)
I guess thats why you chose her blog to have your come to Jesus realization.....
The cost of daffodils i am sure was a coincidence.
Give be a freakin break!!! You are a judgemental blog bully...
Why dont you go donate your computer to someone more in need...blah blah blah.
Now ....leave my friend A24 alone....got it...
Posted by: Queen of Whatever | February 24, 2011 at 01:14 AM
Small things are the very best.
I saw fat,silver pussy willows by a railway platform today.They lit up the gloom.
Posted by: Kate | February 23, 2011 at 11:13 PM
Love the colors!! Sounds like you have been enjoying yourself!
Posted by: kathi | February 23, 2011 at 10:54 PM
Gosh Lucy..I pop into your blog to be cheered by the colours in your life..it seems 'someone' who looks to be posting under multiple names has just come here for a grumble!..Hope they feel better for getting things off their chest. Personally I feel it a little rude that they have gate-crashed your blog and are using it as a soap box..it may be better for them to start their own cheerful blog!
Anyways..love your little purchases and glad you can spoil yourself from time to time.[your purchases keep others in employment;) ]
Keep up your happy posts Lucy, don't feel disheartened by thoses who feel the need to drag people down instead of cheering on the sidelines :))
Posted by: April | February 23, 2011 at 10:15 PM
Hi Lucy, I love your blog and have been following it for a while. I've wanted to comment but never know what to say. well today I was randomly searching the net and found these
http://www.glow.co.uk/colourful-striped-candles.html
they reminded me of your blog so I thought I would post you a link.
keep bloging, you never fail to brighten my day. :)
Posted by: Claire | February 23, 2011 at 08:12 PM
Your blog is so colourful and honest, I find myself thinking of it sometimes when I'm feeling a bit flat. I don't even need to come online, I just have a wee Attic24 moment! You're so right about treasuring whatever beauty is around us.
Posted by: Christine Laennec | February 23, 2011 at 08:03 PM
I so love the little look into peoples lifes through their blogs :) I enjoy reading about the way people are living simply enjoying the things around them and creating beautiful things to enhance their surroundings.
You have inspired me to get blogging to record the everyday events of our family life x
Posted by: Lorna | February 23, 2011 at 07:44 PM
I so love the little look into peoples lifes through their blogs :) I enjoy reading about the way people are living simply enjoying the things around them and creating beautiful things to enhance their surroundings.
You have inspired me to get blogging to record the everyday events of our family life x
Posted by: Lorna | February 23, 2011 at 06:45 PM
My Dear Amiga Lucy,
I really enjoy reading about your ordinary daily activities. It helped me to value the Little Things of my own everyday life too. ;o) I always realized how much love is in your house and how willing you are to share you colourful creative life with us. As a homemaker, I try to follow some helpful guidelines in my spending like always prepare before I shop, looking what's on sale. Budget my money for bills and shopping. Organize so I will by what I need at once. I’m slowly discovering a whole new way of living more green and I like it a lot more than my old, consumerism-driven lifestyle. I do believe the best way to save money is to not wastefully spend it in the first place. I’m still working in Reduce (donating) and Reuse (recycling).
I honestly think that the frugality state of mind will pass once people feel safe again. If I had greater financial wealth or greater income, there are many things I might do. The consumerism happened in India and in China. It has been thousands-of-years-old culture of frugality and sensible spending. However, now that their economy is growing rapidly, there is a fast-growing group of consumers that spend their new wealth frivolously in growing personal debt, high fashion and fancy restaurants. It might be a real human trait to indulge oneself in one’s perceived luxuries! :o) I also think, real frugality comes from more than a reaction to bad economic times. So maybe a buzz-word might pass, but some of the habits of frugal people might move over into the realm of normal and may end up part of the mainstream. For example, in an attempt to save money now, people may be tending toward frugal, eating out less, and cooking more from scratch. ;o)
Hasta pronto,
Gloria x
Posted by: Pattygloria | February 23, 2011 at 06:31 PM
Hi Lucy!
Your lake pictures are amazing and your girly getaway sounds idyllic... I wish I had one with my friends...
I enjoyed a lot your little happy things... I think I've always enjoyed and appreciated small things and I can be happy with little daily life details, but it became more self concious on me when I stumbled and started reading your blog around 2 years ago. THANK YOU for all the happyness and blessings that I've seen because of you and your blog.
I want to tell you about this blog I found today, it's all about Making Memories with your kids, and it made me think of you...
http://makingmemorieswithyourkids.blogspot.com/
Hope you keep having a great time and enjoying tons your Little People and J in this holliday!
xx
Shanti
Posted by: Shanti | February 23, 2011 at 05:22 PM
Good Morning Lucy! My, my, but your simple, honest posting seems to have struck a hornets nest and I am sure that was not your intent ..although some peeps have turned it around to sting someone. The majority of us common folk know what the bad times and good times are. Most of us know the difference between "wanting" and "needing". A lot of folks are trying to keep their heads above water in these hard economic times and some will sink while others swim. A smart person knows that hardship and poverty can strike anyone at anytime. No one is immune no matter how secure. Like you, I love to see what others are doing in their own little corners of the world. If I can't afford daffy dills, I just come look at yours and that is find with me. If those flowers make you happy, then girl, they make me happy too and I thank you for sharing. Maybe some day I will have something on my blog that brightens someone elses day too. I can't solve the poverty in this world and I doubt that any of the other readers can either, but we can do little things to help others and we don't need to plaster it all over blog pages to brag. No doubt there are many readers who donate to charities or volunteer their time and do it quietly without reward. Many crochet, knit and quilt for charities and help at food kitchens. When times are hard little things do matter. Some things feed the body and other things feed the soul. My husband says if you can't eat it then don't plant it in the garden, but me I see things through the eyes of a woman who knows that looking out my kitchen window in the summer is so much more pleasing to the eye than seeing through that same window in winter. I have a need for color....so color my world some more sweet girl with your lovely blog filled with color and a few daffy dills.....
Posted by: Susanne Tyree | February 23, 2011 at 04:06 PM
Actually I do work for a charity - for free.(I mention only as Tracy suggests I might like to do so). I also use the PC for part of this work, so they would be a bit stuck if I sold it! I have no idea what anyone else does and I would not presume to guess, however by the attitudes of some people here they don't seem to be overly caring. There are not many moaners anyway are there, and they seem to upset people like Tracy disproportionately considering all they are saying is to help people a bit and consider others a bit more. I love Lucy's blog actually; just can't cope anymore with some of the silly readers of it. Some of the Lucy 'followers' - isn't that what people in cults do? - get so carried away it's ridiculous. So much so that I had to say something. I do also object to people playing poor when they are no such thing. The real thing is far from being a game.
Posted by: Another person getting annoyed! | February 23, 2011 at 02:02 PM
Lovely post, Lucy, and in regard to some comments I very much agree with Christina: "What we see depends mainly on what we look for"... Have a pretty day with your loved ones!
xxx
p.s. that top is beautiful!! :)
Posted by: Nanita | February 23, 2011 at 02:01 PM
Hey Luce
Seems you are getting a moaners attack. Heed not the bitterness. Beautiful post as ever - keep up the good work.
Those who lecture on poverty and who is / is not contributing to alleviate/living frugally/etc, might better take action themselves first and sell the PC they are looking at, donate the proceeds to charity and stop flogging people for having the termerity to enjoy some flowers and a pot.
And while you are at it, maybe do some voluntary work to do something more 'worthwhile' to alleviate poverty (your own and/or others) than the aforementioned flogging of nice bloggers who find a bit of joy in blankies and striped socks.
And finally... try unclentching....
Posted by: Tracy | February 23, 2011 at 01:39 PM
After reading this lovely post yesterday,(thank you, Lucy), and then the subsequent comments - it remained on my mind. Then I just wanted to share something that I received in the mail last night. It said, "What we see depends mainly on what we look for." I suppose that's what has happened here. For those who feel so annoyed, I agree that there is terrible poverty and illness and there are hungry people all around us. I wish you didn't assume that the folks here reading blogs and celebrating life don't care or don't "do" anything about it. No one person can fix all, but I know for myself and most folks that I know have a household budget. Giving is very much a priority in the budget, but I also agree it is important to give a few tiny pleasures to one's family and to keep your own spirits lifted. I cannot take my children on an extravagant vacation, but I hope that they will remember the little cakes with strawberries in the winter. Although each person's station in life is different, you have to remember we all have had hardships and deep hurts in our lives. We all want to overcome and help lift up the next, don't we? And I believe Lucy's blog does just that.
Posted by: Christina | February 23, 2011 at 01:32 PM