My grandmother, one of the most glamorous women I've ever known, used to tell me I have champagne taste on a peanut butter budget- which has never been more true than right now.

My beautiful grandmothers, Bisi Starkey, and Elizabeth Blanchard, at my parents' wedding... probably discussing their future granddaughter's taste for fine things and her creative ways of procuring them.

I have lovely silk and cashmere tops... that I can't get dry cleaned and have douse in Febreze while running late to work.  I travel internationally... in steerage.   I have a crystal cut decanter...  filled with whiskey I won in a raffle.

Crystal cut decanter from Trumpington car boot sale, glasses crystal and silver plated glasses from Essex antique shop, and silver plated tray from Royston market.

My taste for nice things- designer perfumes, cell phone insurance, country clubs- is not something I can quite provide for myself at the moment so I do what I can with what I have.  Scouring charity shops, street markets, family's homes and, of course, Ikea, I have managed to make my new-build home feel a but more old home- with a bit of help from my boyfriend.

Willow wear plates and mugs from Royston charity shop, display cabinet from Ikea, bottles from last weekend

Through this blog I'd like to share the wonderful things I find in unusual places, post pictures of my dog and things that I have cooked, and maybe opine on current events.

The gorgeous Fenway, adopted from Heathlands Animal Sanctuary