Period Living in Your Home !

     I remember putting the phone down slowly, as I looked at the calendar, and it registered that I had just confirmed a date with the photographer from Period Living Magazine, Brent Darby, which was only 2 weeks away.

 Two weeks! Two weeks! How many things could I hide, paint, move, bury in two weeks ?

     When we had originally submitted some photos of the house, for the Christmas feature, we had great fun throwing all the clutter of daily life into a corner of a room and then photographing the clear bit ! Now things were for real I would have to have all corners tidy!

Like all families with children, pets and visiting wildlife, life is lived at such a pace that you learn to look past the weetabix that has been stuck to the corner of a table for too many years to mention, the damp patch on the kitchen wall, the dust, the cobwebs and the wisps of dog hair wafting across the wood floor, but now I had to take a critical look.

A careful inspection revealed there wasn't a wall or ceiling in the house without sticky fingerprints, boot or ball marks of some description, every piece of furniture needed a wash or a wipe and the wooden floors charted the progress of many a wobbled ribena drink.

However, THE day dawned and we were ready - or so we thought !

Naomi Jones and Brent could not have been nicer, they popped round on the Thursday to take a few shots outside and returned early the next day for the full shoot. There were no props or additions of their own, they left everything just as it was, except the odd piece of furniture that blocked the light , which was when it was apparent I didn't dust everywhere I should - oops !

Brent and Naomi were a pleasure to have in the house. They clearly enjoyed what they were doing and worked really hard photographing every room, with real attention to detail. Lunch was buffet/picnic style with the whole family rushing in and out to grab sandwiches and buns, the like of, they said, they had never seen before !!

I have to admit the hardest part of the day was guarding some lovely fairy cakes I'd placed carefully centre stage of the kitchen table, from the cheeky inmates who were supposed to be gainfully employed down the garden !

All in all, we all had a really lovely day. One I would thoroughly recommend to all readers. It is really amazing what you can do in two weeks, and that 'warp factor 9' activity really pays off when you see your home as a feature !

Now of course, when the clutter builds up and the energy levels need re-charging, I can sit and look at my tidy house in Period Living Magazine or of course in style on their website, and put the kettle on knowing anything's possible ! ...........