I am very much made up of contradictory elements. On the one hand I fail to cross the finishing line when I am almost there. On the other hand I get a bit obsessed so when I have something in my head I have to get on with it.

At least the advantage of the latter is I get things done.

Hence the making of cushion number 2 in double quick time.

Thank you for all your comments and ideas for this second cushion.

I decided to go for using a piece of the first fabric but incorporating the grey too.

I'm really pleased with how this second one has turned out and how they look together. In fact I'm liking them so much that I think I'm going to have to do the same combination in our bedroom.

Or is that overkill?

I just can't bear to have this gorgeous fabric in the place in the house that I pass fleetingly without stopping to admire and appreciate.

I suppose I could always take my coffee break in one of the seats...

I don't know about you, but I am so slow with finishing touches. I'd like to think it's because I don't like to rush things and like things to come together organically, working out what would work in a space.

Quite frankly I think it's because I'm not good at the finer detail.

However, in an Etsy perusing mood last week, I hit on this fantastic piece of fabric by the uber talented Heather of Skinny Laminx. This has long since been an absolute fave piece of fabric of mine and something that day connected with my brain and told me to buy it right now to make the much needed cushion for the newly appointed hallway.

Heather's fabrics tick every single box for me...

hand-printed...

crisp linen...

simple eye-catching designs...

lots of greys and yellows.

Even without seeing this fabric in the flesh I knew it was going to work perfectly in this space. It compliments my hand-printed wallpaper by Missprint beautifully.

I used some of my new Ikea grey linen for the backing, which I binded with another new (to me) Ikea fabric, the pretty ditsy daisy.

I love the splash of colour here in the hallway and I love the fact that the space is just about complete. I say just about because as you can see there's a second chair that needs a little Skinny Laminx treatment. The question is do we go for a cushion in the same colour and design or same colour, different design? Me being me I'm all for a different design. I'm not too good on matchy matchy.

What do you reckon? If this was your space, what would you do?

That was a rather nice weekend, wasn't it? The timing of all that beautiful sunshine could not have been any more spot on. Here in Leeds today it's all but disappeared, but when the weekends manage to be sun-drenched, who's complaining?

The sunshine has such an affect on people, doesn't it? On Friday, I was feeling on top of the world. I was doing the same old stuff - food shopping, cooking, working - but when the sun is shining on you while you do it you just feel so positive and happy.

And when it continues throughout the whole weekend, so you can actually enjoying the finer things in life - picnics here, coffee and/or vino on the deck, taking an hour out to read in the sun - really, for that time, life is good and all problems seem to momentarily fade away.

And don't you feel you have more energy in the sunshine too? (well, once you have managed to jog yourself from your hazy slumber) That certainly seems to be the case in this house anyway. Ever since we decorated - gulp, almost a year ago - we've been wanting to get a table in the hallway. I have to say, I have fleetingly looked over the last few months and whilst still haven't found anything in the budget that quite fits the bill, with our sun-induced get-up-and-go this weekend, we did a bit of furniture removing and now we have the old redundant desk in a new position. And I love it.

And whilst I am under no illusions that we will find the most perfect affordable piece to replace this old worn out desk any time soon, I am thoroughly enjoying walking by this version in the meantime.

Particularly with my fab new print by Mrs Eliot Books that arrived this weekend...

At last it's started. Finally the builders are in and the day I was both dreading and relishing has arrived. You know when you anticipate how bad really can it be? And it takes less than 10 seconds for the first rubble of plaster to be removed and instantly the house is filled with dust? It's a bit like having your second child. All thoughts of how awful it was the first time have instantly disappeared and whilst you know it was the worst experience of your life, you can't quite feel the pain anymore so you forget...just a little bit. Ok, I'm not comparing having builders in to childbirth! It's the sentiment!

We have been monitored for nearly 3 years for suspected subsidence and finally it was agreed it was and the go ahead was given. Fortunately it is all covered by insurance and so it's a matter of grinning and bearing it and focussing on the end result (Orla, Orla, Orla)

As many of you know I've hated the decor in the house we moved in to more than 5 years ago and so this is quite a blessing to have it redecorated from top to bottom and a few rooms imbetween. So what's a few weeks of (major) inconvenience if we get a little help in getting the house how we want it. I have big plans for this hallway. It is so grand and beautiful, but is desperately crying out for a bit of 'Wow' factor. I am slightly nervous about getting it right though. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and we need to choose carefully. Because I got my way with the Orla paper in the living room, I've had to give Matthew final say out here. Or at least let him think he's getting final say...

As you can tell we have a long way to go and there may be a lot of tears, a fair amount of moaning, but hopefully it will all go as smoothly as possible and before we know it will all be a distant memory...