Allotment Update!

I got told off! With all the moving and working and markets, etc. etc. the allotment got abandoned! And what happens when you ignore your plot? The grass grows and you get a letter from the Allotment Association telling you to cut your grass or you will be kicked out!

So I begin cutting the grass with a push along lawn mower (no electric at the allotment and a petrol mower was too heavy for me to carry down) and I give myself lots of blisters and tears, until a neighbour rescues me and cuts it with their petrol mower! And after some additional toiling the plot looks like this...

...our progress is probably considered slow.

But we finally have a water butt and a completed base for a shed. The soft fruits are coming along and my potato bags are looking healthy. I have covered over some areas of grass ready for beds and added some nice reclaimed wood around the completed one. Next addition will be a compost bin!
xx

The First Project: The Bathroom

So, we have decided to tackle the bathroom first. It was really the only room that we didn't do anything to before we moved in. But now that we are here I feel we need to have somewhere we can escape to after a hard day DIYing. The above image is a reminder of what we were dealing with when we first moved in, but after a weekend of hard work (not to mention removing an electric shower and water pipes!) the bathroom now looks like this...

We have removed all the wall tiles, the airing cupboard and the ceiling. Basically we are at the bare bones stage. Now that we have an opportunity to assess the condition of the walls, we are thinking that we need to replace/insulate some of them with plaster board and carry out some heavy duty fills before we can take the next step. But my hope is by the end of August the bathroom will be complete!
xx

House Tour: At First Sight

So we got the keys and this is the sight that meets us as we opened the door for the first time...

The Porch

The Front Room

The Kitchen

The Garden

The Stairs

The Bathroom

The Bedroom

The Studio

It obviously needs a lot of cosmetic work but it was also lacking hot water and a central heating system. So hot water we now have, central heating we now have in most rooms and slowly we have stripped back to reveal the bare bones of this house. I'll try and give you more detail room by room as things develop - this weekend we are removing the bathroom tiles!

xx

The Hardest Month

Hello! I must apologies for having been so long, but this last month has been the hardest month I have ever experienced.

Never mind trying to maintain my 2 part-time jobs, whilst doing markets, (a wedding and 3 birthdays thrown in for good measure) and completely overhauling the new house -  in between everything we had some devastating news that shook my family to the core and a second scare which involved hospital visits to intensive care.

I have cried a lot this month and been reflecting a great deal.

But with every last breath there is new life and my strawberries on the allotment, producing beautiful flowers and tasty treats to come, bring a smile to my face. We are still not fully back up and running but the blog will hopefully be returning to normal, and the shop will soon follow suit (once I have unpacked everything!).

Also, stay tuned for the house tour which will be coming soon!
xx

We Bought A House!!!

So I have dropped a couple of hints over the last few weeks that something exciting has been in progress and you guessed it - we bought a house!

So let me fill you in on the whole story. After our wedding in January we counted up our pennies and started house hunting. We fell in love with a period terraced property in the centre of town which was at the top of our budget but needed everything done to it - central heating, bathroom, kitchen, (potentially some new joists in one of the bedrooms!) but it was gorgeous. We eventually put an offer in at what we felt we could afford, but we got out bid and had to walk away. For a month afterwards we felt very dejected and no properties in our price range were coming on the market - it was not a happy time.

Then, one evening we read a description of a property on the Internet, no pictures were available, but it sounded interesting and we booked an appointment for the next day. It ticked every box we could have hoped for! Not only did it have the space we needed - 2 double beds, bathroom upstairs, off road parking, garden, shed - it also ticked some of our dream wish list - right location, needs work so we can add value, has a big kitchen, a traditional front door and parquet flooring! The only catch was that the sale had to go through quickly so we set to work trying to make it happen but knowing that if we didn't meet their deadlines we might loose the house. But we made it!

I have to say I am completely overwhelmed by the whole thing. There is a lot of work to do on the place before we can even move in, and until we do I don't think it will feel real. It kind of feels like we are moving to another rented place - it all very strange.

Due to now having 2 jobs, an alottment, markets every weekend and 2 houses to sort out, blog posts will be a bit slim over the next month. Things will get back to normal soon.
xx

New Item Friday

Head over to the shop HERE

We are currently house/cat sitting for my parents. I write this whilst sat at the kitchen table, sun shining through the open door, and with a cat on my lap who keeps pestering me for attention. It is actually very difficult to type when you are having to stretch and manoeuvre around a big tabby cat! I sense this may mean there are fewer posts next week (I have images of me being pinned to the bed at night by my parents 3 cats and not being allowed to leave! If you don't hear from me by the middle of May send a rescue party!).

However, as my Mum is lovely she left all manner of tasty treats for us in the house and I think the cake stand above is the perfect addition to the shop to honour her Welsh cakes and Flapjacks. No market this weekend thankfully, but work with the National Trust as usual. I am hoping to enjoy as much sunshine as possible!
Have a lovely weekend.
xx

57 years ago today...

Another Hobbies Weekly for you today. Highlights from this issue are...

• Make a covered wagon electric light
• Make your own negative album
• Make a meat safe
• Designs for toothbrush holders
• How to make a kite

P.S. Please remember that this is a vintage magazine so some of the materials used may no longer be suitable or comply with current heath and safety regulations. Please be careful and check out all materials for modern equivalents. We can not be held liable for any injuries incurred, but please don't injure yourself!