Tuesday 25 August 2009

A Big Garden Project

*** waves magic wand *** ... and... *** puff of magic smoke ***

Ta Da!



The hen house has been magically transformed into a Gorgeous Thing. And, yes, in case you were wondering, it IS in Farrow and Ball Lichen (sorry, I can't help myself - I just love that Farrow & Ball paint!) Although it was really tempting to make some little Kate Forman curtains for the ventilation window and a couple of bolster cushions for the nesting box, I have resisted, and have tried to focus on getting this project properly finished!

So what next? Ah yes, it needs a safe haven in the garden - we don't want any visits from that nasty Mr. Fox. So it's over to Hubby, with help from friends and family!

Just need to knock in a few posts ...


.....looks like hard work, boys!

The kids measure how deep to whack in the posts ....



then stretch the wire between the posts - but make sure it's level!


Now, just add a bit of chicken wire...


Yup, looking good! Now just one or two things missing. Can you guess what that might be?

Oooh! I can hardly wait.

Next installment will follow very soon!!!!

Thursday 20 August 2009

The Hen House

Well, so much for having all my projects in one room. Already my project room isn't big enough to hold all my stuff, so I have overspilled into the dining room again.

This time it's the arrival of the hen house - Yippee! - great excitement at The Old Village Hall. But, of course, I don't want just an ordinary browny/orange stained wood hen house - nope, I want a cutesy, gorgeous painted one.

We've often talked about getting some hens, but it has never seemed to be the right time. But somehow it just happened that we noticed some cute hen houses on ebay, and before we knew it a bid had been made, and the house was won.

So, Lovely Hubby's done his big, strong, he-man thing and cleared a space for it to go....


... well I never liked that shrub anyway!

And then Lovely Hubby got out his tool kit and put it together.


... Hmm! What's going on in there? ...

And now it's sat on my dining room table...

... ready to be transformed into a Gorgeous Thing. How about Farrow and Ball's Lichen? Yes, I think that'll be it.

I really hope I can update you with the finished house VERY soon!

Tuesday 4 August 2009

The Project Room

Apparently, everybody needs a project room. Well I've never had one, and to be honest, I'd never even thought about it - but having just moved my youngest daughter out of her old bedroom and into another room which we have just finished renovating, I think I might have found one.

It has taken over a year to renovate my daughter's new room (and it still isn't completely finished) - how do these home makeover shows manage to finish so quickly?? Kevin McCloud would be able to have a fantastic rant at how slow we are - some people manage to build a mansion in the time!!! I'll post about the new room soon (once those all important finishing touches are in place!) with lots of photos.

Anyway, I digress - back to my project room! Up until now, my projects just happen all over the place - anywhere I fancy....























...so there are sewing machines and fabric all over the dining room, half painted benches in the hall, random pieces of furniture waiting for restoration in my bedroom, bedspreads and cushions for the new bedroom in the lounge..... etc. etc. ... So, when we finally moved the little angel into her new room last week, I took the opportunity to move some of the stuff from all around the house into her old room - and, hey presto, I now have a Project Room.

And here it is so far...



.. with a desk painting project underway already!



I love it! I can gather all my gorgeous unfinished things in one place... and it's pink and pretty, what could be nicer? AND I don't have to move half finished projects just so that the family can eat tea.