I wanted to show you my pretty new manchester, which was part of the booty-haul from my recent birthday. Jenny & Astrid and their families bought it from me from my wishlist. It's satin-y on the top, which I wasn't expecting but there you go, these are the dangers of internet shopping - somehow I didn't pick out the satiny sheen in the thumbnail on the website. Thankfully, the underside is normal cotton. Not that I mean to whinge here! I love the pattern & colour, but all over satin in mid-winter doesn't seem warm & snuggly enough, somehow.I just love gorgeous bedlinen. And I've really learned to appreciate the good stuff. My advice to all you young things about to move out of home is to save up and buy the Sheridan. Stay away from supermarket or discount-store sheet sets. (Unless they specify impressive thread counts.) When we were really, really strapped for cash I resorted to el cheapo linen. What a waste of money. I've got some of my Mum's good linen that she gave me when she moved to Sydney and some of it is 20 - 30 years old and still in much better condition than the kmart sheets.
I can only do small disposable income purchases these days, which is still an improvement on the bad-linen days. So coffees, the new Harry Potter book, the occasional night out are all fine now. But I have my dreams of what I'd do with proper disposable income. First and foremost would be a new computer because this one will die some day soon. And then I would be prowling through the manchester departments with intent.
What would your indulgence be?
The colour of your new doona is lovely and you'll love the lightness of the sheen in Summer.
ReplyDeleteI love great sheets. On Mon night (at bookclub) we diverted to a discussion about the demise of really good quality sheets that last more than one generation.
My great indulgence is handbags. I ask for a new bag for my birthday each year. I find it hard to buy shoes that fit but handbags never present that problem...
Wow, that's lovely. Very elegant in design and color.
ReplyDeleteIndulgences. Hmmm. Probably books or fabric painting supplies. Or some serious plastic surgery!
Re: needing a computer, it might be worth keeping an eye on the freecycle network in your area, assuming there is one: http://www.freecycle.org/. In my neck of the woods I see all kinds of computer hardware go floating by for free, some of it barely out of date. You might see something that is, if not quite not what you want, enough to tide you over for a bit.
I recently bought some great flannelette sheets and they are the BEST thing! I agree, don't skimp on manchester, you really notice the difference. Hmmm, with some REAL disposable income ... too many things to list!
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the manchester. Hard to convince the bank account that the yearly average cost will be so much less, though, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful choice on the bed, the satin on top, cotton underneath sounds lovely.
My big indulgence is usually books, but this year I have challenged myself to not buy any books new for 12 months (secondhand ones are okay). Walking into bookshops nearly kills me at the moment, I gaze longingly at the new titles, I start salivating at the bargain stacks. (Why do I torture myself by even going in there?)
ReplyDeleteBooks may not sound like a big splash out, but you have no idea how many I could buy in one go if I was let loose at the moment. Reading them would be another matter.
I am so with you on the Sheridan, (well, the topic I mean) but I baulk at the price.
ReplyDeleteAs for satin, summer, winter, what the hell, get down and dirty on it and slip slide away with fixit!
Might be another gorgeous child in it that we can all drool over!
Hahahaha
That looks so nice!!! Love the colour!! Hope you have a hot water bottle under there too!
ReplyDeleteWhen we were first married someone stole our very expensive wedding present sheets off our clothes line. I bet they're still in good condition for the bastard that stole them!
ReplyDeleteI love your beautiful new doona. I hope that it is snuggly warm, the weather does not look kind in your area of the world.
My indulgence is, as always, fabric.
I agree on the Sheridan - we got some as a wedding present over 10yrs ago, and yeah, still going strong.
ReplyDeleteI once bought a pretty doona from K-Mart that pilled on first wash. It was in a Salvo's bin within the week. Worst.purchase.ever.
My preferred indulgence is swanky, gourmet, upmarket restaurants. i love the pomp & circumstance.
Oh - and business class flights. I was upgraded once - it was divine. I felt like a movie star.
Hmm. What would my indulgence be? Oh I don't even know. I dream of a nice kitchen. I have a weakness for kitchen stuff. But I do agree with you -- nice sheets are a necessity. I rotate between two nice sets of sheets ... couldn't go back to the cheapo poly blend ones ever.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about good quality sheets. Having been married forEVER, I can attest that Actil first line sheets (while not the prettiest sheets in the world) can last TWENTY years. These days I buy only very very good manchester. I am a manchester snob of the highest order. My bed is my temple.
ReplyDeleteI've never had really good manchester, so I guess I don't know what I'm missing.
ReplyDeleteMy indulgence would be a housekeeper or cleaner so I never had to do the bathrooms or floors ever again.
TRUE Disposable income! Does one dare to dream?
ReplyDeleteI'm with Caramaena on this. I'm hiring a housekeeper... then I'm off to the day spa for a massage and some expensive chocolate.
Manchester is a city in England, right?
ReplyDeleteWhat in Gods name is A manchester?
Nice bedroom.
And what is a 'doona'?
ReplyDeleteAnd there I was thinking I had a good educmacation.
Well we're honoured to be allowed a peek. They are lovely and you're absolutely right about not buying cheap as it is a waste of money.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Very nice, and I agree with you on the cheap manchester too. Though I back when I was a broke university student I did buy some cheaper flannelette and cotton sheets from Target, and the flannelette sheets are still doing nicely - on my bed as I type in fact. Unfortunately I am not also on my bed, because that's where I'd rather be.
ReplyDeleteShoes. Cooked breakfasts (cooked by someone else). Cashmere.
ReplyDeleteGood linen can never be surpassed. We bought Sheridan bath towels when we first moved in together (in 1995) and they are still going strong. Sure, they've needed some stitching on the sides, but the actual towel is still in perfect nick. ON the other hand, we bough cheap sheets because we'd bought a king size bed, which equals $$$ for bedding. And still we suffer. I yearn for good quality sheets. YEARN.
ReplyDeleteLurv the doona,SG - being rather partial to manchester and Sheridan, particularly Sheridan bath sheets. As for disposable income, the closest I've come is when working in Sydney. My boss (I was the PA) sold the family business, built on the smell of an oily rag, for squillions. She travelled at whatever exceeded first class and she set about replacing things like the rings which had been hocked to pay the staff's wages. Then there was the matched set of Luis Vuitton luggage, the country estate in the Southern Highlands, the excquisitely soft Persian rugs (the most wonderful experience for bare feet) and the art works, and the marbled bathroom for the Sydney unit, and the beach house on the south-coast and... plus flying the staff to the Hyatt at Coolum for the weekend. We stayed in the gated section in luxury!
ReplyDeletedo not put it in the dryer.
ReplyDeleteI speak with the Ominous Voice of Experience.
Do they sell sleep on wishlist?
ReplyDeleteActually, I'd buy a big big house on the coast, and one down the coast, and one up the coast, and then adopt lots of kids (to clean them, of course. What did you think? I was philanthropic or something?!)
Love that bedspread. And I SO echo your view about quality linen. I got a pair of el cheapo sheets which burned me when I slept on them. Could't ditch those fast enough. I'd rather sleep on loose unwashed hay.
I do love a good sheet set. Sheridan easycare cotton. Or the 350 percale from target on special (although they don't last as long). Good sheets matter... your bed looks so lovely, think I should go fall into mine, nigh' nigh' :)
ReplyDeleteA live in housecleaner and chef.
ReplyDelete(Three more sleeps till what?)
Is a manchester a duvet cover? I'm confused, Ted.
ReplyDeleteIf money were no object and I could indulge in anything I wanted, I'd hire a daily cleaning lady. Seriously. My house is a complete and utter tip. Two babies who love to throw food. An almost-13-year-old who finds it beneath her dignity to pick up anything and a husband who is the laziest, sloppiest person I've ever met, a dog and a puking cat and my house is just about ready to be certified by HazMat as unsanitary. *sigh*
Oooh. LOve the new bedding.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're absolutely right: good quality bed linens are essential.
Another place to get cheap good quality sheets is http://www.beddingsheets.com.au
ReplyDelete