Grand shed opening!

I know what you're thinking.....crazy hey! Yep, it all happens in my life.

So, you may recall the seed being planted last month when my lovely little shed/ex wash house was re-roofed. Well things have been cooking rather nicely over the past two months and I would like to share our little moment of madness; albeit rather a lot of fun, with you my dear friends.

Back in February, our very kind maintenance man and friend re-roofed the lovely old red brick shed that resides in our garden along with my adjoining neighbours shed too. Poor thing was leaking here and there and one of the main timbers was severely taking the strain of the weight of the rather buckled corrugated iron roof that it supported.
I knew that re-roofing was on the agenda at some point but wasn't given any real idea about when this might actually happen.
One day I came home from something or other and upon walking into the shed thought it seemed surprisingly lighter than usual. It was of course 'roofless' at that point. Hmmm! Now that was a surprise!
As all of my sheddy things were still present and the nature of being open to the elements, it wasn't long before I was admiring a fine new roof and for once, no leaks :-)
Yeah! I did a little hop, skip and jump at the mere excitement of having a 'leak free' place in which to store said stuff. Then of course my little mind went berserk and started working overtime about the possibilities that a new roof could mean for an old shed.
I mentioned my excitement and a host of potential uses to Mr Maintenance and under his breath he mentioned that my neighbours shed was 'very tidy'!
OOOOHHHH! Mine wasn't in the slightest bit tidy.......
Well, that did it. One little comment was all it took to fuel the start of 'shed envy'.
I instantly set to work looking on Pinterest for shed inspiration (if you haven't yet discovered Pinterest you really are missing out).

I'm embarrassed to reveal these but here we go!

Yes, I know...I could barely get through the door!

My neighbour was equally inspired to transform his shed too :-)
The past two months have been incredibly fun. Dear P started off at super speed and left me on the start line, so to say. We would pass on the way in and nod on the way out....most hilarious! One night Small boy came in to my room at midnight to inform me that P was in his shed...in his pyjamas! Hehe!
Visiting friends have been collared to help too not leaving without a spot or two of paint on their being.

I built shelves and a work surface out of an old door.

The walls were give a lick of paint and the fireplace a rub up with grate polish.


For many weeks P's shed seemed to be advancing (or so we imagined) at rapid speed whilst ours; if the truth be known, was changing at a snails pace. I had so much to move around and re-home. The utility items had to move into the house, the garden stuff had to move into the woodshed....the list is beyond imagination truly it is. My house have never looked more disorganised. It's been a crazy couple of months.
Saturday we announced that we were done.....poor P was under pressure. We joked over the fence about underfloor heating, swimming pools and surround sound systems ...hehe, most amusing!
Sunday night I dropped into the conversation that I had invited a few friends for the grand opening on Monday and so it was. Monday, 19 of us supported the grand opening. It was really a rather lovely excuse for a social get together :-)





 The moment of anticipation.....

 

    

 



  



                                 Ta dah!
Note, the transformation cost me a mere £5.09....:-) not bad hey!
* P's shed was warm and insulated.....the envy continues.......

Welcome back!

People out there, hello! I'm back! Winter induced the downtime and it's been lovely. It's been a period of hibernation...ideas have been flowing and now I feel I have emerged....it's Spring! :-)

So what of my period of hibernation?
It's been wonderful!
Work throughout January and early February was unusually quiet. I think that the powers that be decided I should have a little time out. Time to think, play and hatch out some plans.

For quite a while now I've been wanting to design and make clothing to sell on Etsy. I don't know about you but when I look around the High Street stores I just don't see the style of clothing that I like anymore. I've never particularly been into fashion but I do still like to look good. Many of the designs out there are too short or the cut just doesn't flatter. It's made me question exactly what us women do want?
Well speaking for myself of course, I personally want clothes that are comfortable, easy to wear, forgiving...that's a must! Versatile ...another must really. It's great to buy items that can be teamed up with other garments and dressed up and down depending on the occasion.
I've spent quite a while fiddling about in my little sewing room and did come up with a few designs. I'm not revealing anything yet...(top secret!) but will as soon as I'm happy with what I have created.

Quite recently I've had my garden shed re-roofed. It was rather rotten and a tad damp (well it is a shed!)....anyway, the creative possibilities that have now emerged as a result of feeling that it isn't going to fall down imminently have filled me with excitement! (I'm wondering if admitting to this is actually making me sound somewhat 'sad?) So the thought of a 'she-shed' is manifesting. Of course if the shed is to become anything other than a dumping ground it has to be cleared out and sorted and other areas too need addressing in order to re-arrange the stuff. It's the usual thing really. So we've made a start. I've come up with the ideas and have provided the initial motivation and the kids (haha) have started on the decorating! It's jolly useful to be able to put them to work now that they have become a little older and are more able :-) No justifications needed really, they will be able to use the new space as a den/chill out area and I will be able to escape them and possibly use it for larger craft projects. It's win win!

I've been using the dark Winter evenings to join one of my favourite bloggers, Lucy at Attic 24 and her crowd of followers, to join in her CAL (crochet along). I'm not all that good at following instructions or sticking to the book but the inspiration for this CAL (which incidentally is ANOTHER blanket) is in fact the North Yorkshire Moors, one of my most favourite areas of the country especially when the heather is in bloom. So the colours of the blanket are those of the moors with the heather in bloom. I resisted the draw of this project for quite some time and then gave in and bought myself the yarn pack for Christmas. I love having a crochet project on the go and it quite literally goes everywhere with me just in case I have a spare moment. In the Winter months, creating a blanket is lovely as when it grows you can wrap yourself in it and enjoy the warmth it provides. I'm halfway there now, perhaps it will be ready for next Winter!

Other than that I continue to live life as a romantic adventure, looking for the romance in the everyday mundane.
I read a little quote last week that I had forgotten but do recall resonated some years ago

'Make your life a romantic adventure and love will find you'.

I am as always engulfed in love and this little quote has made it's mark on me once again. I particularly chuckled to myself last Friday when I landed myself the job of towing a caravan to Oxford from the outskirts of London!

Life is never dull!!