Climbing The Stairway To Heaven

There's a cursory nod to St Valentine's Day in our house but that's all. 

In my experience its the couples at each other's throats all year round who bankrupt themselves on overblown gestures and padded cards the size of a house. I'm not anti-romance but I'd rather buy my bloke a present when I feel like it, not when Mr Hallmark tells me I should.

For the entire 20 years of our relationship we've made our own Valentine's cards, locking ourselves away from each other with all manner of salvaged bits and pieces. I made Jon's from a couple of recycled envelopes, a map of India torn from a 1981 copy of National Geographic and a Bakelite button. 

Jon's cooking tea later and I've kept from getting under his feet by sweeping the stairs (a rare event he's captured on camera).

 As the snow's been replaced by torrential rain, I thought I'd take advantage of a tidy space to pose for photos.

 The Wall of Misery in all its glory. I keep getting emails from people trying to sell me more, I only started collecting these creepy kids because I felt sad that they were forever left at jumble sales and car boots, unwanted and unloved. I'd never spend more than a couple of quid on the evil creatures. 

Jon made this lamp fitting from a charity shopped bird cage and some car booted chain. The black painted mirror was one of a pair from a jumble sale.

This brass candelabra came from a car boot sale.

 Not entirely dust-free. I can't get to these cobwebs, I'm such a slattern.

1970s Richard Shops maxi (Birthday present from the fabulous Liz), more £5 fake Litas and a heap of junk jewellery.

We covered the risers with retro-inspired wallpaper from a B&Q clearance bin and varnished it to stop tearing.

The treads & floorboards are stained Jacobean oak, The walls are painted concrete grey. We like our walls and floors austere, it's a pleasing contrast with the madness of our patchwork curtains, kitsch art and eclectic collections.

So annoyingly rock and roll. We've got more in the bathroom.

Whether or not you're celebrating have a happy Thursday. 

See you soon!