October 2022

It’s been a mixed bag of emotions this month with lots of highs along with one big ass low.

I’ll start off with the rubbish bit, which was the loss of our beautiful old girl Mini. Just a few weeks off her 16th birthday, she had lived a full & happy life. The grief we’ve felt has been unreal & we’ll be forever grateful for the companionship and unconditional love she showed us throughout her life. Her bestie ElvisBob is still slightly confused by her disappearance but thankfully continues to bring sunshine into our lives on a daily basis with his neverending supply of LOLs!

Mini 18/11/06 - 28/10/22

Meanwhile, on a somewhat brighter note……

I’ve managed to get on with a couple of little home projects this month, including the front door glow-up that I’ve had swimming around in my head for at least the past six months! The paint I used was by Lick in colours Green 01 & Gren 05. The typography & little flower decals were cut out of removable vinyl using my Cricut Maker. To finish it off I added this beautiful bespoke door wreath which was lovingly created by Ashley at Ash Made Them. absolutely LOVED bringing my ideas to life and even if it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, this cheeky makeover has certainly brought a few smiles to both visitors and passersby. What do you think?

Front door makeover featuring paint by Lick Green 01 & Green 05. Vinyl decals cut using my Cricut Maker machine. Wreath by Ash Made Them

The old Ikea Billy Bookcases in the snug have also been shown a little TLC this month. This quick revamp took me just a couple of days and the difference it’s made to the feel of this room is huge. The ribbed glass window film was from Glassfilms and was fairly simple to apply and the olive green paint was added to match up with the fireplace. I gave the MDF cupboard door frames an undercoat of Zinsser Bullseye 123 and a couple of top coats of Lick Green 05. I may change the door knobs at a later date but for now, I just sprayed them with some matt black spray paint from Screwfix that had knocking around.

Snug bookcase glow-up featuring reeded glass film from Glassfilms and Green 05 paint by Lick.

Transformation Tuesday….

This month I shared a reminder of the Power of Paint with this simple color-blocked mural we created in my son’s bedroom. This room is multifunctional, so was designed to help create different zones within the space - for working, relaxing & sleeping.

Unfortunately, as my son is a serial furniture shuffler, just like his mum, when he rearranged his room, the painted design didn’t no longer had the same impact. The bulky white wardrobe ended up in this corner and stood out like a sore thumb!

We decided the best way forward was to try the old Camouflage Technique and continued the mural across the wardrobe….& hey presto, there it was… GONE!

That’s all folks…..

So that brings me to the end of my October roundup. To be honest, I’ve been a tad discombobulated of late & consequently it’s taken me considerably longer than anticipated to get last month’s journal up on here!

In fact, there’s now only about a week of November to go, then it’s full steam ahead to all things Christmas!

As promised in my last journal post, I’m hoping to get some new features here on my website, including shopping guides and some simple DIY tutorials.

So me know if there’s anything in particular you’d like me to feature on my new pages and I’ll do my very best to get together some great inspo together for you for the coming festive season ( & beyond!)

Until then…..TTFN

October 2022 ....

Hiya,

Wowzers! Well, it’s been a while! Almost 2 1/2 years in fact and such a lot has happened since then. I’m pretty sure you’re perfectly aware of what’s been going on in the world, so no need to fill you in on those minor details! So, I’ll just get straight to the point and tell you about a little plan I’ve been hatching for the future.

I’ve recently been thinking a lot about Instagram & how it’s been changing over these last couple of years. I’m forever mindful of how these changes could one day affect me and the content I’ve created on the platform. The fact of the matter is that although some of my content is in partnership with various brands, the majority of it is posted just for me because I want to share stuff with you. Whether it’s my projects, my outfit choices, or just pictures of life here at The Patterned Palace, inevitably the minute I press the share button, that content no longer belongs to me. I mean, they’re still my images & the captions are my words, but the platform doesn’t belong to me and I have no control over what could happen to it from one day to the next. Currently, there seems no logic to who Instagram chooses to show my posts to (or not show them to as the case may be!) meaning, sometimes even those people that are remotely interested in what I’m doing often miss out on seeing it!

So, I’ve been thinking up ways I can continue to share my stuff but have a little more control over what happens to it. I’m going to continue my work on Instagram & carry on sharing my own projects and thoughts over there, as I do still love the Instagram community that I’m a part of and all the virtual and IRL friends that I’ve made over the years. But I will also be sharing weekly roundups of all this content here on the Journal pages of my blog (just in case Insta’s playing silly beggars again and you miss out anything!)

I’m planning to bring you some exclusive new content including regular shopping guides. I’ll be sharing what’s caught my eye in the shops including designer v high street buys along with my essential must-haves for your home, garden & wardrobe.

I’m also thinking of creating some tutorials focussing on some simple DIY projects & creative styling tips. So if there’s anything in particular you’d like me to focus on, just holler!

I plan to make this space like an open house, I’ll always be home and you can drop by any time you like for a little catch-up or just a quiet moment with a cuppa. We can have a chat and you can ask questions or even share some bright ideas of your own, with me and any others that may care to join us. It can be like our own little community right here, away from the big boys!

Like the sound of that? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below & let’s get things started!

TTFN Soozi xx

Week 13 & 14 - March/April 2020

“Week 1 & 2 of Staying Home”

Monday 23rd

Monday morning vibes💕
Today I shall be here (not in this bed, just under this roof!) staying safe, staying positive and most importantly STAYING HOME!!
To all of those doing the same, I salute you!

Bedroom, The Patterned Palace

Shop this image

Wallpaper by Marimekko- available from Wallpaper Direct

Frida Khalo print - Maya Land (print no longer available click to shop her other artwork)

Yellow Gucci Girl print *- Amy Beager

Quote print*- The 13 Prints (print no longer available.Click to shop current range)

Marquee Light Letter- Hobbycraft

All cushions on bed*- Dunelm

Bedding*- Dunelm

*items kindly gifted

Tuesday 24th

Yesterday I wore sequins, on the off chance I was unexpectedly summoned on a videoconferencing call. Funnily enough , that didn’t happen...but you just never know!!

Don’t run the risk of being caught short when staying at home...scrub up, dress up & always be prepared, even if it’s just from the waist up!
In these unprecedented times, every little helps, and sequins definitely worked to lift my spirits! 💃🏼✨

Living room view, The Patterned Palace

Wednesday 25th

Keeping things going today with my usual #wallpaperwednesday So here, for your enjoyment, is a sneaky peek of @orlakiely at her finest. It’s her Striped Petal design which we put up in the snug around eight years ago. I first discovered this striking wallpaper when I saw it on the walls of the staircase at the Orla Kiely store in London and it was love at first sight! I just couldn’t get it out of my mind! I remember when we decorated in here and my Mother-in-law saw it for the first time she was quite taken aback (to put it politely!) her thoughts being that I wouId soon get bored of such an ‘obvious’ pattern. How wrong could she be!! This was In fact the start of my total obsession with all things Orla & I can quite honestly say, my love for this gorgeous wallpaper hasn’t dwindled one little bit. I adore it as much today as I did when I very first laid eyes on it, way back then in that London store!

Have you got any Wallpaper love stories? Do tell...

Orla Kiely Striped Petal wallpaper, The Patterned Palace

Shop this image…

Wallpaper - Striped Petal by Orla Kiely available from Wallpaper Direct

Handbag* - Orla Kiely

*items kindly gifted

Friday 27th

Reasons to be cheerful (part one)🎶☀️
Anyone who knows me well will know I’m someone whose mood is affected hugely by the weather. I don’t do well on the dark dreary days but chuck me a bit of sunshine and I’m the happiest girl in the world!!
So whilst we’re all struggling to deal with this curveball we’ve been thrown, at least we can be thankful that MrWeather’s done us a solid and eased the weirdness by blessing us with some SUNSHINE!!🙌🏼
Stay home, stay safe & stay positive!

A sunny snug, The Patterned Palace

Shop this image…

Frida print - Stan Chow

Ti Amo print* - Doodlemoo

Velvet armchair & sofa** - DFS

Rainbow striped cushion* - Tullibee

Velvet trunks (set of 3)* - QVC

Rug - Ikea

*items kindly gifted

**gifted as part of a paid partnership

Monday 30th

I’ve not posted on my grid since Friday which is almost unheard of but like so many others I appear to have lost my Insta mojo. No surprise really given the current ‘staying home’ sitch.

That being said, I just had me a little scroll and realised that even though I’ve been a tad absent on here, you guys are still giving out loads of positive engagement on my posts and many of you are keeping it ‘business as usual’ during this testing time. So I thought I’d better pull myself together and get back on my game. Keeping my spirits up by posting some new pictures & spending some of my spare time (which seems never-ending atm!) catching up with all of you, my Insta friends.
So here’s one I prepared earlier! It features a new personalised print I received recently from The Night Sky, which, I might add, is an absolute stunner! (swipe to take a closer look) **My print was gifted as part of a paid partnership with @thenightskyio with no obligation to post.

Living room, The Patterned Palace

Wednesday 1st

Just thought I’d pop on to say Hello 👋🏻

I’m on day 3 of having a huuuuuuge clear out in my bedroom (definitely NOT the room shown in this image) I’m right about at that awful point of it looking worse before it gets better! To be honest, I’m not sure it could possibly look any worse but I’m sticking at it. This bedroom WILL be Instagrammable by the end of this whole shenanigans.
If you want to see the current state of affairs, head over to my stories. But hurry coz the evidence will be gone in 24 hours and counting!
Disclaimer.....If you’ve just looked at my story..... please don’t judge me. Approximately 80% of my house is fully insta-worthy around 80% of the time but in these weirdy times you gotta cut me some slack!! 😳🤣
Just out of interest....how’s your house looking?🤔

Kitchen gallery wall, The Patterned Palace

Shop this image

Green Lady print - Stan Chow

TaDa print* - Toodle and Pip

Coffee print* - Sakina Saïdi

*items kindly gifted.

Friday 3rd

Happy Friday!!

First of all, an apology for not having posted this last night. After having a pole on my stories to assess whether you’d prefer me post on my feed last night or this morning the majority of you voted for LAST NIGHT. Unfortunately, I fell asleep waiting for the results to come in,so soz about that!
So here it is, late, but probably more appropriate because this picture gives me all the Friday feels (as opposed to the Thursday ones, which are totally different) I’ve got a Date@8 tonight with some of my favourite Insta galpals. Obvs it’ll be from the comfort of our own homes via a Zoom call but nevertheless I’m totally looking forward to a few gin based cocktails, some much needed laughs and undoubtedly some reminiscing of the olden days, when we were allowed out to play!!
I’m so excited at the prospect, I may even don the sequins!!✨
Anyone else got exciting plans for today?

Friday Sequins, The Patterned Palace

Shop this image…

Girl Boss print* -Karina Mansfield

Magic, Wild & Ti Amo print* - Doodle Moo

It Wasn’t Me print* - The 13 Prints

Zebra mask* - Umasqu Studio

Desk* - La Redoute

Dress - Zara (past season click to view current stock)

**Walls painted in Earthborn Paints

*items kindly gifted

**part of previous paid partnership

Sunday 5th

Today I shall be continuing to do my bit in the quest to ‘Keep Britain Safe’. I will be enjoying the sunshine whilst hanging out in the garden with my most favourite people in the whole wide world.

I hope your managing to do the same.
Stay positive. Stay safe.Stay home.
Happy Sunday 😘

Sunny dining room view, The Patterned Palace

Week 12 - March 2020

Monday 16th

Welcome to Hand washing HQ at The Patterned Palace.

Click here for the latest NHS guidelines on handwashing. Remember….STAY SAFE EVERYONE and ENJOY THE VIEW!

View from the loo, The Patterned Palace

Tuesday 17th

So here I am, sitting making plans.....hmmmm 🤔just think of all the jobs we could get ticked off the to-do list whilst we’re confined to these four walls....toilet rolls?...naaah, I’m off to stock up on wallpaper paste and some shiny new paint brushes!

Making plans at The PatternedPalace

Wednesday 18th

Wallpaper Wednesday strikes again! Today I’m featuring my most fabulous @eleanorbowmer Pink Leopard Print wall in my office 🐆

I knew, the moment Eleanor launched her wallpaper range that I had to find somewhere in the house to sneak this one in. In fact, the entire colour scheme in here was based around this wallpaper (oh, and a mint green lamp I’d bought from @homesense_ukie ) Obvs, this being the Patterned Palace an’all, I couldn’t stop at the wallpaper and had to continue with the riot of colour & pattern by stencilling the floor and painting stripes & shapes on the other walls!
All in all, I’d say this is my most successful room makeover to date.....although now, with all this time I’ve got on my hands, who knows what incredible transformations could follow!
**office makeover was part of a previous paid partnership with @earthbornpaints 💚.....I wrote a blog about it if you fancy a read, the link’s in my bio.

Leopard wallpaper, The Patterned Palace

Friday 20th

I’m hoping my kids are both returning to the nest today. My son lives alone in Leeds and has apparently set up a brilliant workspace in his studio flat. He loves his own company and to be honest I’m not sure he really wants to come home. My daughter on the other hand, has recently moved down to London & quite fancies spending her time back here but is torn because her boyfriend wants to sit it out in their lovely new flat and she doesn’t want to leave him alone.
I’m just thankful it’s Mother’s Day on Sunday & they both feel it’s important for them to spend some time with their mum. What they don’t know yet, is I plan to kidnap the pair of them and keep them here safe under my wing until this whole shenanigans is over!
Whatever you do though, don’t tell them ....Mum’s the word!! 🤫

Dining room view, The Patterned Palace

Saturday 21st

Bored with staying home already? Struggling to find stuff to do? Here’s an idea.....try colour blocking a shelfie! Super easy to do and really fun to look at. Just decide on your colours then shop your home and fill your shelves!

Bob’s your uncle Fanny’s your aunt!!

This time last year wrote a blog post about how to style a shelfie. Click here to give it a read & get some more shelfie styling ideas.
Happy Shelfie Shaturday! 😂

Colour blocked shelfie, The Patterned Palace

Week 11 - March 2020

Monday 9th

Hands up if you’re not a fan of Monday’s!🙋‍♀️Join the club! Well just for you, here’s a pop of pink floral wallpaper to brighten your day and make your Monday... erm... well ...less Monday-ish!

You’re welcome 😬

*Wallpaper- Orla Kiely Giant Rhododendron

Kitchen view, The Patterned Palace

Tuesday 10th

I’m contemplating a little shelfie shuffle in this room today. In fact, I may even shuffle more than a shelfie... I’ll keep you posted.

• Leopard print wall decals- Nutmeg wall art (gifted)

• Square metal/wood wall shelf -(similar)

Workspace Shelfie, The Patterned Palace

Wednesday 11th

Wallpaper Wednesday’s back....ooohhh and it’s a good ‘un this week. Another subtle one, as you’d expect from me (because you know I’m always so shy with my wallpaper choices! 😂) This jaunty little number is by @marimekko . It’s their classic ‘Unikko’, an original design dating back to the mid-’60s and best known in a bold red and orange colourway. I opted for it in the ever so slightly calmer shades of grey because let’s face it, this is about as neutral as I get!!

• Bedding, cushions & throws- Dunelm (gifted)

Bedroom Marimekko wallpaper, The Patterned Palace

Friday 13th

Oh by crikey, what a week it’s been! I don’t know about you but I’m definitely ready for the weekend! **sofa & chair previously gifted as part of a paid partnership with @dfs
Velvet trunks from @qvcuk (gifted)

Sunshine Snug, The Patterned Palace

Saturday 14th

It’s a funny old time we’re all experiencing right now. Not much to say about it really, just look after yourselves (& others), do as your told and rest assured if you’re feeling like you fancy a chat, there’s plenty of people to talk to on Instagram....me being just one of them. Alternatively, feel free to start up a conversation in the comments below.

Vintage String Shelving, The Patterned Palace

Week 10 - March 2020

Monday 2nd

After being blessed with some truly glorious sunshine (and not a jot of rain) for the ENTIRE weekend , I felt it vital that evidence of this rather unusual event, be recorded for posterity. I figured what better way to do this than by posting a shot of our snug that I took on Saturday afternoon. It clearly shows that the uncharacteristically sunny weather we experienced was not just a dream & it did in fact actually happen!

So in future when I’m whinging on about wet grey days bringing down my mood , I can just look back and remember THIS! 🙌🏼☀️
Just out of interest....anyone checked this week’s forecast? ☔️🌨🌬🌧🌈

A Sunny Snug, The Patterned Palace

Tuesday 3rd

When you finish working the 9-5 or going out to work on a part-time basis you can often find that suddenly small things become massive and there never seems to be enough hours in the day. I think adding to a sparsely filled calendar can often feel more daunting than adding to a full one.
About 18 months ago I finished working my part time job. My kids are both grown up & have left home & I decided to focus all my efforts into making a business out of my Instagram account and blog. Since then, I have become one of ‘those’ people who feel that one appointment per day feels like a full diary and anything more than that & I feel totally overwhelmed!
I’m not sure why I feel like this as I used to be able to run the household, keeping two kids, two dogs and a husband in check and making sure everything ran like clockwork at home whilst simultaneously going out to work.
Nowadays I feel like I’m massively busy even when I’m probably not and I’ve ALWAYS got a to-do list longer than my arm! I try NEVER to have more than one appointment/arrangement each day and I feel it’s important to have at least one day off in between each one!! So today I’m living dangerously....I’ve got a physio appointment this morning and then I’ve arranged for a friend to come over for a few hours. That’s two things in one day!! 😱Wish me luck!

My life feels like it’s passing me by. I spend so much time stressing about things instead of just getting stuff done!
I wonder, does anyone else feel like this? Or is it just me?

**curtains & blinds part of a previous paid partnership with @hillarysblinds. Small sofa gifted from @barkerandstonehouse 

Living room- The Patterned Palace

Wednesday 4th

I thought I’d share another Wallpaper Wednesday today. This one’s in my daughter’s en-suite bathroom. It’s by @hannawerning for @borastapeter and I bought it from @wallpaperdirect I love the whimsical style with a little nod to life under the sea. I’ve papered all four walls in this tiny room that has a really high ceiling and I absolutely love it!
Sometimes more really is more!!
**All three prints previously gifted by @hello_pea_and_me 🐟🐠🐡

Whimsical en-suite bathroom, The Patterned Palace

Friday 6th

Happy Freakin’ Friday friends and a huge welcome to all my new followers that have joined me via @apartmenttherapy 🙌🏼 Wishing you all a perfect end to the week! Who’s got plans for the weekend?

Mid-Century Boys Bedroom, The Patterned Palace

Saturday 7th

Happy Saturday campers! Not much to say today really, we’re having a quiet one. Just wondering what everyone else is up to…..

Dining room view, The Patterned Palace

Sunday 8th

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS!

I’m having my own little celebration for #internationalwomensday right here in my own front room. Shouting out some of my favourite creative ladies!
🙌🏼You go girls!🙌🏼

**images contain some gifted items. All tagged below)

Bottom Shelf - (left to right)

Magic print- Doodle Moo

This Woman Is: card - Tilly Hobbs & co

2nd Shelf -

Look For The Stars print - Sooshichacha

Top shelf -

Alcohol You Later print - Eleanor Bowmer

Selectively Social print - Staying In Studio

On the wall -

Manchester Women’s Club Print - Tilly Hobbs & Co

Girl Boss print- Karina Mansfield

I Need This Much Coffee - Sakina Saïdi

On the chair -

Rainbow Cushions - Tullibee UK

Celebrating International Women’s Day at The Patterned Palace.

Week 9 - February/March 2020

Monday 24th

 “Oh, hi Monday 👋🏻 Fancy meeting you here. Honestly, just seems like yesterday that we last met!”

New week, new vigour!! C’mon! Let’s do this! 🙌🏼
Who’s with me?!

Office Gallery Wall, The Patterned Palace.

Tuesday 25th

(ad//gift) Hands up if you think plain bedding is just...erm....too plain?!?
Well, I’m here to show you how, by following this simple recipe, it really doesn’t have to be...
1. Take one set of @dunelmuk plain dye bedding (there are loads of different colours to choose from) & put it on your bed.
2. Chuck on a couple of blankets or throws to introduce some pattern & texture into the mix.
3. Next pop on some fun colourful cushions, adding in some different shapes to liven things up & adjust to taste.
4. Finally, top it off with a cute mischievous, dog*
Et Voila!!
Plain dye bedding that’s anything but plain!
(*dog optional btw!) **All items on the bed gifted by @dunelmuk (apart from the dog....he’s mine!!)

Styling Plain Dye Bedding, The Patterned Palace.

Wednesday 26th
It’s Wallpaper Wednesday so I thought I’d show you one of my favourites....who am I kidding?! They’re all my favourites! At last count, I had nine different patterned wallpapers in the house and to be honest, I love them all in equal measures. I usually hang them myself, often with a little help from my daughter @_dansoninthestreet_ & I always seem to have a few rolls at the ready for my next project. Right now is no exception. I’ve already got three rolls for a makeover I’m planning in MrD’s office, there’s a pile of samples I’m sifting through for in the snug and I’m still wading through all the wallpaper sites online trying to decide on something spectacular for my bedroom. In fact, there are so many wallpaper designs out there that I absolutely love, I’m just running out of walls to put them on!! 

The Living Room, The Patterned Palace

Friday 28th

It’s Friday which means tomorrow is the weekend.....which means it’s bound to be raining....which means we’ll all be staying in.....which means this gin trolley is gonna get hit hard!!!
Every cloud hey!!

The Gin Trolley, The Patterned Palace

Saturday 29th

The sun is out people!!!

Quick!

Embrace it before it vanishes!! 🙌🏼☀️

Vintage String Shelving, The Patterned Palace.

Sunday 1st

 The sun shone all day here yesterday and is currently STILL shining! A whole weekend of no rain!!! What the actual?!

Sincere apologies if I appear to be a little smug about this fact but I kid you not when I say, this is pretty much unheard of in these parts.
Sometimes you just gotta shout about the good stuff & Mr Weather NEEDS to know how much the sunshine is appreciated!
Hope he’s been kind to you too!

Dining room, The Patterned Palace.

Week 8 - February 2020

Monday 17th

Happy Monday!!

What a week I had last week! Packing my girl @_dansoninthestreet_ off down to start her new life in London, galavanting up and down the M6 in weather conditions like I’ve never experienced before and planning and hosting an afternoon tea for over 30 family members! (& that wasn’t even all of them!!)
So I’m setting off this week on a somewhat slower pace. Starting with a day of catching up on emails, posting last week’s journal to my website and making plans for some new blog posts.
Any requests on subjects you’d like me to cover? Just pop them in the comments below ⬇️⬇️
Wishing you a calm start to the week!

** The handbag shown in my image was kindly gifted to me. It’s the Gondaletta Crossbody bag in Fern by Orla Kiely.

Orla Kiely inspired corner. The Snug,The Patterned Palace.

Tuesday 18th

Storm Dennis appears to have done his worst and moved on for now and I’m hoping for some brighter weather as we move on through the week. I was thinking if it brightens up and we get some decent light in the house I might make the most of the it being tidy by doing a cheeky ground floor house tour. Who knows I may even step totally out of my comfort zone and have a dabble with IGTV.
Hands up if you’d be interested in having a virtual nosey?

Vintage String Shelving, The Patterned Palace.

Wednesday 19th

Welcome to The Patterned Palace. House tour part 1
Click here to view the ground floor tour of our home.....enjoy!

Welcome to The Patterned Palace.

Friday 21st

 Happy Friday you lovely lot!

I’ve got a day of styling and photography planned for today so fingers crossed for some brighter weather! It’s SO dark in this house when it’s gloomy outside and I actually find it really brings my mood down which as a result has a negative effect on my productivity. On the bright side, at least the days are getting longer now, so that helps, but I just yearn for the sunshine....must be my Mediterranean blood!
Ooohh also I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who’s taken the time to watch & comment on my House Tour from earlier this week. In fact who needs sunshine?!..... all your lovely positive comments are enough to brighten even the greyest of days!! 🙌🏼☀️

Dining room gallery wall, The Patterned Palace.

Sunday 23rd

Hellooo & happy Sunday!!

I’m afraid I’ve no time to stop and chat....the sun’s come out and I’ve got pictures to take before it disappears again!!! 🙌🏼☀️📸
Hope the sun’s shining on you this afternoon!
**sofa and chair part of previous paid partnership with @dfs 

Sunny sitting room, The Patterned Palace.

Week 7 - February 2020

Monday 10th

It’s moving day for my girl @_dansoninthestreet_ She’s off down to London along with her boyfriend @ryanhall45 to start their next chapter in their first home together.

I’m gonna miss her SOOOOO much but I’m massively excited for them both as they start out on this new adventure together.
I’ve obviously been giving her nuggets of motherly advice on setting up home...

1) Make your bed every morning- (she rarely does it at home but maybe it can be a new thing!)

2) Always wash the dishes before going to bed.

3) Always have a spare bed available for your mum to come and stay!!

Do you have any nuggets to share with her too? 

Dressing table nook, The Patterned Palace.

Wednesday 19th

After what can only be described as a truly epic trip down to London, my daughter Ella-Maria @_dansoninthestreet_ has officially moved out!
My years of experience transporting precious cargo whilst working with Victoria @lilyrose_events had me packing like a ninja as we fitted Ella’s whole life (& then some) into THE smallest van imaginable! I kid you not, that van was precision packed within an inch of its life and transformed into an actual Tardis!
Thankfully her boyfriend had arrived ahead of us and along with a couple of their mates was on hand to unload everything (in torrential rain I might add) and cart it up the two flights of stairs to their new apartment.
Yesterday we made use of the Tardis van again and paid a flying visit to Ikea Wembley, their new local store. We picked up a few essentials (including a dining table and king size bed) and whilst I made the somewhat less eventful trip back up north, they spent the rest of the day building furniture.
Ella has definitely inherited the interiors obsession gene from her mother and armed with her copy of @grillodesigns brilliant book ‘Home Sweet Rented Home’ she’s already set for transforming this one bed flat in North London into a beautiful home for her and her boyfriend.
#proudmum

Ella-Maria @_dansoninthestreet_

Friday 14th

Tomorrow we’re hosting an afternoon tea in celebration of my Mother-In-Law’s 80th birthday.

That gives me approximately twenty-four hours to get this room (& all the others) looking like it did when I took this picture.
Wish me luck (or better still send me help!).....It’s gonna be a long day!! 😳

** Armchair (gifted) from DFS .

** Dining Table and chairs from Statement Furniture

Dining room view, The Patterned Palace

Saturday 15th

Waiting for the guests to arrive.

We’re hosting an afternoon tea later on today, in celebration of my Mother-in-law’s 80th birthday. The house is all clean & tidy (well, the rooms that our guests might wander into are anyway!) and the food & fizz is ready to collect from @marksandspencer Now all that remains for me to do is to decide which frock to wear!👗
Have you got any exciting plans for today? 

** Armchair & sofa (gifted) DFS

Waiting for the guests to arrive, The Patterned Palace.

Sunday 16th

So yesterday’s afternoon tea was a rip roaring success & we loved having a houseful!

The downstairs loo saw a higher than normal volume of traffic and there was lots of positive chat about our fancy facilities. My favourite comment of the day came from one of our younger guests, when his mum took him for a wee.....”Wow Mummy, this is a really lovely bathroom. We haven’t got one like this have we?!” he said.
A young man who appears to share my taste in interior decor and who clearly enjoyed the view from the loo! 😂
**’Enjoy The View’ neon print (gifted) @h_o_u_s_e__o_f__n_e_o_n_

Loo with a view, The Patterned Palace.

Week 6 - February 2020

Monday 3rd

What I need to be doing, is parking myself up here for the day and doing something useful. SO much to catchup on it’s not even funny. What I’ll actually be doing is fannying around the house making plans and accomplishing approximately NOTHING.

The Office, The Patterned Palace.

Tuesday 4th

Yesterday, although the temptation was almost more than I could bear, I managed to resist and did NOT sit on this sofa all day crocheting my almost complete rainbow blanket. No my friends. You would have been VERY proud of me, as instead, I spent the entire day in front of my laptop getting actual stuff DONE! Hallelujah! 🙌🏼

The Snug, The Patterned Palace

Thursday 6th

Dear Mr Weather,
Please could you be an absolute honey and send some good weather our way today. That means...preferably, no rain & no grey skies, please. Just a break in the showers & some good light would be very much appreciated (the sort that’s going to help me get some lovely new pictures to pop on here!)
Sorry to have to ask but the camera roll’s getting a tad depleted!
Thanks in advance,
Soozi xx
ps. Here’s one I took last week. I’ve never shown a view of the kitchen from this jaunty little angle....same meat, different gravy as they say 😬

Dining Kitchen view, The Patterned Palace.

Friday 7th

Well....what can I say?! Mr Weather was clearly in a good mood yesterday when I requested a break from the grey, as we were blessed with an absolute corker! A proper winter’s day with glorious sunshine & a frosty morning lawn thrown in for good measure!

Although I requested the ‘good light’ for picture taking purposes, I didn’t actually manage to take a single shot! Instead, I spent the day helping my gorgeous girl @_dansoninthestreet_  sort out and pack all her worldly goods as she prepares to fly the nest (again) to start her new life down in London.
Here’s a picture of her bedroom gallery wall, taken on another sunny day, about 18 months back (probably the last time this room was tidy!)
Although I am going to miss my daughter immeasurable amounts, on the plus side, I may actually be able to get some new pictures of this room....assuming we’re blessed with more ‘good light’ for me to take them that is! 📸

Ella-Maria’s bedroom gallery wall, The Patterned Palace.

Sunday 9th

Storm Ciara’s well and truly upon us this morning and it’s positively frightful outside! I think I’m just gonna hunker down here for the day.....if I can find a space amongst the ridiculous amount of cushions!! 😳

Stay wrapped up & safe in the weather my friends!

Sofa Sunday, The Patterned Palace.

Week 5 - January/ February 2020

Tuesday 28th

Ahhhhh....home sweet home.

MrD & I had a wonderful time in Barcelona but it’s always lovely to get back to your own bed, have full access to the fridge and give your dogs (& kids) a big fat cuddle.
Now, I just need to get back into the swing of things....

Dining room gallery wall view at The Patterned Palace

Thursday 30th

Throwing it back this morning to show off my beautiful vintage String shelves. They used to live up the road from me in a neighbours home, where they had been since the late 1960s. I had admired them when I visited and my neighbour informed me that her late husband, (an architect obviously with impeccable taste in classic furniture!) only bought furniture that was made to last. Consequently, she was never allowed to replace these pieces even as, over the years, they fell in & out of fashion. Several years after her husband’s passing, she decided the time had come to say goodbye to her String Shelving system and replace it with something new. Luckily for me, she remembered how much I had swooned over them and kindly gave me ‘first dibs!’ As you can imagine, I jumped at the chance and handed my cash over faster than the speed of light!

My neighbour is happy to be choosing new shelving after over 50 years but knows that her beloved husband would be happy in the knowledge that they now take pride of place only a few doors away.

Vintage String Shelving at The Patterned Palace

Friday 31st

As if by magic Friday’s back, January’s on its last legs and we’re one step closer to spring 🙌🏼🌿

So I’m sharing some green springtime vibes with you this morning & introducing you to this lush Adila cushion that I treated myself to last weekend in Barcelona from @kavehome It’s just casually hanging out with my new Botanicals print handbag that I was sent as a gift from @orlakiely 

Officially THE BEST GIFT EVER!

Green springtime vibes at The Patterned Palace

Saturday 1st

✨Saturday evening vibes✨

Staying in...the new going out. Who’s with me?

Sofa Saturday at The Patterned Palace

Sunday 2nd

Hope you’ve all had a lovely weekend. It’s been another fairly uneventful one here and consequently, I’m feeling fully rested up and ready to take on February 💪🏼Determined to make this month a good one by completing at least one mini makeover. Hmmmm....now just need to decide which room’s gonna get it! 🤔

Here’s a room makeover I did last year using Korallang wallpaper by Hanna Werning for Borastapeter from Wallpaper Direct. You can buy it here The prints were from Hello Pea & Me ** and the patterned towels from Christy **

** Gifted

Ensuite bathroom at The Patterned Palace

Week 4 - January 2020

Monday 20th

Here we are again. Monday morning and ready for action!💪🏼 Hmmmm...perhaps not quite that ready but ask me again after I’ve had a couple of coffees!
This week my achievable goals list is going out of the window! Mainly because I didn’t achieve the one goal I set myself last week! (sorting through larder cupboard in the kitchen)
I did, however, manage to get my new journal feature up on my blog. Yayy! It’s a weekly roundup of my Instagram posts & includes some useful links to whatever I’ve been chatting on about! So in case you missed anything here on Insta, it’s a great place to catch up.
So whilst you’re having your morning cuppa, why not pop take a look? Maybe leave a comment below to let me know what you think or just say ‘Hi!’

Office workspace at The Patterned Palace

Tuesday 21st

There was no blue Monday at our house yesterday. In fact, my Monday was positively pink! I got to spend some quality girl time with my fave @_dansoninthestreet_ We went to @intutraffordcentre where Ella-Maria in her inimitable style shopped the final sale reductions like an absolute pro!
She has an incredible eye for a bargain and appreciates the merits of both pattern & colour....and yes, in case you wondered, I taught her everything she knows!! 🙌🏼(apart from how to sing....I didn’t teach her that!!😂)
The image below features my beautiful Peace accent chair in Mustard velvet from DFS which was part of a previous paid partnership. Oh and Mini Dog, she’s just part of the furniture  🐶💛

Mustard Velvet Chair & Mini Dog at The Patterned Palace

Wednesday 22nd

I’ve been spending a lot of time in this room recently, ever since it evolved from being just the ‘Front Room’ and became the ‘Snug’. (click here to see my most recent blog post to see how that transformation occurred) Unfortunately, it has since become apparent, that if I spend too much time in one place, my mind begins to wander and I start dreaming of ways to improve the view.
So here are my thoughts so far.... more colour (probably pink💕) & more pattern (you can never have too much !) Obviously these ideas are just in the planning stages and there’s much procrastination to be done before I actually get off the sofa and crack open the paint!

The Snug, fireplace view at The Patterned Palace

Friday 24th

Got that Friday feeling this morning, as MrD and I are off for a much needed mini-break to Barcelona!! Yayyy! We haven’t been properly away together since this time last year, so really looking forward to some quality ‘us’ time. The trip was a Christmas present from our beautiful, wonderful kids @_dansoninthestreet_ & @zacdanson who not only provided us with this cheeky little holiday but also provided us with their 5* house and pet sitting service! It’s a win-win! We get a romantic city break & they get some peace and quiet without the nagging parents!
What do we think the chances are of the house still looking like this on our return?!🤔

Kitchen Dining view at The Patterned Palace.

Saturday 25th

It’s day two here in Barcelona and MrD’s just disappeared off for a run. I will definitely be running approximately nowhere today! After the miles of walking we did yesterday, I’m not sure my feet could take it! We haven’t planned our day out yet, but we’re thinking of taking in some of the popular tourist spots and seeing where our (weary in my case 😩) feet carry us! TBH, our lives revolve completely around food, constantly thinking about where we’re eating next, so I imagine we’ll be spending a considerable part of the day searching out some more gluten-free/ coeliac friendly places to eat!

In the meantime, if anyone’s visited Barcelona and got any recommendations of good places to visit (& eat obvs!) hit me up in the comments below! TIA!
Adios amigos! Have a great Saturday!

Mid-Century inspired living room at The Patterned Palace.

Sunday 26th

It’s been our last full day in Barcelona today & another day spent walking and searching for suitable eating establishments. We’ve enjoyed lots more tapas & copious amounts of Spanish rosé followed by our first paella of the holiday. We covered over 13km on foot, most of which felt like it was up hill & which definitely cancelled out the huge amount of calories we managed to consume!

I’m hoping to have a quick scout around a few of the interiors shops first thing tomorrow morning, before our taxi arrives to take us to the airport in the afternoon.
Hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend & thanks so much for all the Barcelona recommendations after my post yesterday. There are so many places to visit that we didn’t have time for, so we’re already contemplating a return trip in order to check them all out!

Waiting for our return in the snug at The Patterned Palace.

Week 3 - January 2020

Monday 13th

Just compiling this week’s list of achievable goals. I think I may have to make it even shorter than last week’s, as I’ve got a couple of meet-ups planned for Thursday & Friday that are likely to distract me from everything else! So I’ll keep it simple and start with organising the larder cupboard in the kitchen. Whoop whoop! Living life on the edge, I know! Two cupboards in two weeks! Hallelujah!🙌🏼 Only another eleven to go...then I can start on the drawers!! 😂

I shall also be continuing to work on my new journal feature for the website, with an aim to get that published over the next week or so.
And that’s it....that’s this week’s
achievable goals list! Short & sweet and definitely doable!

Orla Kiely inspired kitchen at The Patterned Palace.

Wednesday 15th

As anticipated, that ‘go slow’ feeling that was served up last week has well and truly done a bunk and this week appears to be on fast forward! Apparently it’s Wednesday already! What the actual?! Operation sort out one kitchen cupboard per week is going ok so far...in that, I did one last week and I’m going to do one this week....(I officially have four days left to be on target!) Yesterday, I did however take on the massive task of organising the six billion cds that we own that were taking up approximately half of the house. I managed to condense them down into an area equivalent to the size of a four slot toaster! “How on earth did you do this?” I hear you ask. Quite simple really. I bought a CD storage case off @amazonuk which has got pockets for upto 400 discs. I sorted all the cds alphabetically and by genre and binned all the covers (responsibly of course) Et voila! Now I’m on a roll and plan to do the same with the DVDs. Infact, now I want to condense everything down into toaster sized spaces! MrD and the kids, you better watch out!

A creative corner at The Patterned Palace.

Thursday 16th

We had the grand total of around 20 minutes of sunshine here yesterday, so I took this brief opportunity to get a few snaps of this very dark corner of the lounge. Although with pops of warm yellow in my beautiful artwork by Amy Beager and my string of mini festoons, glowing softly on my vintage String shelves, even when it’s dark, this corner makes my heart sing 💛🎶.

Vintage music corner at The Patterned Palace

Friday 17th

Friday’s back! Who’s ready to party? Erm....not me! I’m ready to hang around the house doing as little as possible, if that’s ok with everyone?!
I’ve not quite finished my list of achievable goals for this week...the list with ONE goal on it! I did do other important stuff though...like sort out a million cds into alphabetical order, filed them all carefully and binned all the cases (in a responsible manner, obvs) Actually , come to think of it, now my cds are so beautifully catalogued & I can find any given tune at the drop of a hat, perhaps I will have a party after all!! Are you dancin’? 💃🏼

Boys Bedroom at The Patterned Palace

Sunday 19th

Evening all! Hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend. Mine’s been fairly uneventful....just how I like it sometimes.
Here’s a shot from yesterday....check out that sunshine!! 🙌🏼☀️

A sunny Snug at The Patterned Palace

Week 2 - January 2020

Monday 6th

Good morning Monday! I’m starting the week with a bit of goal setting. The plan is to set myself ‘achievable goals’ every Monday, hopefully resulting in greater productivity (& I figure if I set them out here on Insta it somehow makes me more accountable)
So here’s this week’s ‘achievable goals list’...
1. Store cupboard overhaul-the first step in becoming more savvy with my time and money in the kitchen! I’m determined to get serious with my meal planning this year with the help of monthly meal plans from my good friend @gemcwade I’ll be starting the year off as I mean to go on. Gemma is (IMO) a complete food genius! She’s compiled monthly meal plans which contain family friendly seasonal recipes along with weekly shopping lists, meal prep advice and loads of really useful hints and tips.
Gemma suggests a good clear out of your store cupboards is a great starting point and so that’s first on my list this week.
2. Blog plans- as some of you may be aware, my blog writing is somewhat sporadic and I’ve decided to up my game this year by adding a weekly (or fortnightly-depending how organised I am!) journal to my website. I’ll hopefully tell you more about that later this week.
3. Compile a comprehensive list of house projects for 2020 along with approximate timescales and a rough idea of the order in which I hope to get them done.
So that’s it....this week’s Monday achievable goals list....ready, steady, LET’S GO!
**Gemma has kindly gifted me her monthly meal plans with no obligation to promote them. All my opinions are genuine and honest... she really is a kitchen whizz!! 🙌🏼 (find out more & get signed up here )

Living room workspace corner The Patterned Palace.

Tuesday 7th

Yesterday the final traces of Christmas 2019 were banished into a cupboard under the stairs, leaving my trusty old kitchen branch the last surface to be stripped of its festive attire.
After having been the centre of attention in this room for a whole FOUR years I’ve become quite attached to it. In fact, this branch was actually the starting point of my journey into the world of Instagram interiors. It all started back in December 2016, when I posted this pic (right-hand image below) and won the weekly Christmas hashtag competition #myxmasvibe (hosted by the now formidable duo @deecampling & @_lisa_dawson_ ) The Christmas hashie was a seasonal add on to their hugely popular #myhomevibe and I can still remember the buzz I got that Saturday afternoon when Dee announced the winner on her feed!! So yesterday as I stripped my lovely old branch bear I posed the question, Should it STAY or should it GO??
Should I be adorning it in something colourful & cool or should I just say farewell and move onto something new?
I need your help to decide!
The destiny of the branch is in YOUR hands! 🙌🏼🔮

Thursday 9th

How’s everyone’s start to 2020 going? So far so good for me & managing to make inroads into my achievable goals list. Weird though, time seems to fly by so fast these days but for some reason this week feels like it’s on a go-slow!

Not a complaint....just an observation.
Anyone else feeling a bit like that? Maybe it’s like a new decade kinda thing and from now on we’re all gonna take things slowwwww! Ahhhhh, how lovely would that be?!?! 🙌🏼

Boy’s bedroom at The Patterned Palace.

Friday 10th

Friday has arrived at last! (& not a moment too soon!) Not a bad start to the decade here at the Patterned Palace. The house is kinda tidy and the spice cupboard in the kitchen has NEVER looked so organised! Tiny steps as they say!!😂

Looking forward to a weekend of niceness....not sure what yet, but hoping something good will come along. I’ll keep you posted if & when!
Happy Friday friends!

Disco ball magic at The Patterned Palace.

Saturday 11th

....and just like that, the weekend returned.

No particular plans, but sometimes that’s a good thing right?
Look carefully (top right) and you can see the kitchen branch is still there, somewhat undressed, but still there nevertheless.After my poll earlier this week, most of you suggested it should stay. So now I just need to think of a creative new look for it. I’ll give it some thought over the weekend but still welcoming any suggestions.
First though I’m off for a walk on this rather blustery morning.
Enjoy your Saturday, whatever your plans.

Dining room view at The Patterned Palace.

Sunday 12th

There are only a few hours left to get this week’s list of achievable goals completed.

My spice cupboard is looking super organised ✅ The wine rack has gone and my under stairs wine cellar is now a thing ✅ (As a result I’ve acquired a little bit of empty wall space in the dining room!! Joy of joys!! I’m now desperate to fill it!!) I’m currently sitting here, putting together my weekly roundup for a new diary feature coming soon to my website. (almost ✅😬)
Looking forward to compiling next weeks list of achievable goals and getting stuff done! 💪🏼

Workspace nook at The Patterned Palace.

Week 1 - January 2020

Wednesday 1st
I hope you’ve all had a wonderful Christmas & New Year! I’ve had the most delightful week spent with the fam whilst enjoying a little impromptu Insta-break.

I’m still somewhat caught in the Crimbo-Limbo & thought I’d take the opportunity to share some of my faves from 2019.

To start us off in true Blue Peter style, here’s one I prepared earlier....my office, a project I completed back in the spring as part of a paid partnership with @earthbornpaints I’m so VERY proud of this space & I’d like to take the opportunity to say a huge heartfelt thank you to everyone at Earthborn Paints. Thank you for having me as one of your 2019 claymates and for allowing me to let my creative juices run wild, whilst totally embracing my love of colour and pattern! 🙌🏼🌈

Here’s to lots of exciting new projects to come in 2020! 

The Patterned Palace Office

Saturday 4th

….and we’re off!!

I jumped into 2020 with both feet yesterday. Starting with a good long walk in the sunshine, beginning my walk 1000 miles 2020 Next up was clearing out the space under the stairs. I’ve spent ages trying to talk MrD into getting this job done (too many spiders for my liking!) and finally had a breakthrough when I suggested we turn it into a wine cellar!! Haha! Wish I’d thought of it earlier!

Today after my walk, whilst I still have MrD’s full attention we’re going to get his office sorted. It’s currently housing bags and boxes of Christmas decorations that need putting away, a chest of drawers that hasn’t quite made it upstairs to our bedroom and a mountain of ironing! Hopefully, if this room is tip-top for his return to work on Monday, the temptation for him to use the kitchen/dining room as his office will be a thing of the past!!

Happy Saturday, it’s gonna be a busy one!

**Heres the Peace Accent Chair in mustard velvet💛I helped to make it last year as part of a paid partnership with @dfs when I spent an amazing day at their Bridge Mills design studio. You can read all about it here

Accent Peace Chair in mustard velvet by DFS.

Sunday 5th

…....And so the Christmas holidays draw to an end. MrD’s back to work tomorrow and these two will be back to enjoying some peace and quiet in the house! We rounded off the holidays with a weekend of wonderful dog walks, so they’re probably looking forward to a week recovering on the sofa!

I, on the other hand, will be making big plans for new projects. With so many ideas bobbing around in my head I desperately need to get them written down fast before I forget what they are! Haha!
Wishing you all a fabulous first full week of the new decade!
**Please spare a moment to embrace, not only my two beautiful pooches but also my gorgeous @orlakiely Mimosa snuggler which was VERY kindly gifted to me last year by the delightful people @barkerandstonehouse 🧡🙌🏼

Orla Kiely Mimosa Snuggler by Barker and Stonehouse.