My Best Bid

Sideboard envy has been noted in the case of this auction find. Bought for £10 and in need of nothing more than a good clean and a loving home. The perfect place to store my collection of retro Zambesi by Jessie Tate dinnerware. Don't know about you but it makes me want to put my lippy on and do the jive.

Big Print, Low Budget

I'm always a bit nervous using oversized prints but this one has been a winner. It looks way more expensive than its B&Q price tag and was well ahead of the grey trend when it went up a couple of years ago. Still makes a striking feature in our entrance hall.

Magic Orange Cake

No work done today. My little Charlie is at home with a temperature which means the only thing he will eat is my homemade orange cake. It will also ease George's pain at having to go to school whilst his brother has a duvet day.

Mary Berry I am not, but honestly this baking tip from my mum works every time - weigh the eggs and match their weight with the same amount of sugar, butter and flour. If you want a bigger cake - just use more eggs and increase the formula. Who knew? In this recipe also add the grated zest from 2 oranges and some nice thick drippy icing, using the leftover juice. Guaranteed to put a smile back on poorly little faces.

The new (old) sofa

TaDa! This antique sofa has been cluttering up my parents garage for years. I took it round a couple of re-upholsterers who wanted to strip it of its original horsehair stuffing and replace it with modern foam. I'm so pleased I found an old school upholsterer with a love of antiques. He kept the original craftsmanship in tact and re-covered it in this plush aubergine velvet. It's the perfect low level window seat and in contrast to the modular Habitat sofa at the other end of the room, it helps bring a bit of grandeur to the place.