BLOGGERETTE SORORITY

Won't you join us?

It was yesterday I know. I was supposed to post this yesterday and join in the Sisters in the Bloggerette Sorority over at Karen's Some Days Are Diamonds, but I have to admit to a state of inertia in the latter half of this week.

You see, I got up the ladder in order to begin painting the walls of my kitchen (Craig and Rose's 1897 Adam Cream) when I had a huge shock. HOW FILTHY WAS MY CEILING? As you can imagine, I rarely get up there to inspect it closely but I never imagined...

I blame it on the Aga. It does tend to attract dust.

Anyhoo, I hot-footed it to the shops to load up with Flash and two car wash sponges. By Wednesday I was a limp rag, fit for nothing and that's how I've remained until today when I finally have the energy to get off my **** and DO something.

Karen gave us an image of the five sisters in the pic above and asked us to use it in some way, then photograph what we'd done and include one of ourselves. Here is my humble offering. The sisters went through a few incarnations before I finally stopped being embarrassed by my efforts!

I bought this little cabinet in a cs before Christmas. I haven't done anything to it except put the five sisters in the window. I arranged some CK lavender products and lace in the drawer for added interest:

The lilacs and window box were painted with some watercolours I had lying around in the cupboard. The lace trim was left over from when I made my daughter's christening gown:

Lastly, in the words of Mike Yarwood 'And this is me':

Very pleased to have joined the Sisters and I look forward to meeting you all soon when I visit your blogs this weekend.

Blessings,

Andi

xx

This Week's Treasures

This week I'm joining in Rhoda's Thrifty Treasures party over at Southern Hospitality.

I managed to get to two car boot sales this weekend and the first gave me this treasure for £4:

Something I've been looking for since seeing some of your pics of white step-ladders in the garden decorated with pot plants (and I've also given you a preview of my hand shadow show).

At the same boot I bought a wooden fire surround for the breakfast room (oh, that sounds grand doesn't it? It isn't. We eat all our meals there. We just call it the breakfast room because that's what was on the estate agent's details when we bought the place - it has a more 'Edwardian' feel to it).

There's no photo of the fire surround because it was squirrelled away into the shed awaiting a lick of white paint. You see, M has no idea about my plans for that room. He works by the 'if it aint broke, don't fix it' rule and is happy for rooms to stay as they are unless there's something wrong. So presenting him with a fait accompli is preferable to waiting for an authentic period fire surround to come along.

A Portmeirion cake stand for a friend who collects it. I have some too but have to admit that I've got a bit bored with it:

I love this tea set. It has a cup missing but I just love the polka dots:

Just don't use it for tea with anyone who has chicken pox.

A stair basket. I've been after one of these for a few years but they're either difficult to find or too expensive. This was £3. Now we won't trip over all the junk that's on the stairs. We can trip over a basket instead.

Apparently these cards were a fresh batch that day and I had first pick:

Inspired by Lululiz in Lalaland, I hope to 'do something' with these. I'm also hoping Lululiz might cast her expert eye over the pic (sorry it's not more detailed) and let me know if she thought I got a good deal at 50p each.

Btw - in case you were wondering - the kitchen doors have now all been painted and waxed and the doors are now back on the cupboards (after weeks with open cupboards isn't it a pain having to open doors to get cups out?!!!), the garden is being worked on and one raised bed has been made out of the pallet. Progress photos to follow at later dates. I've also been remiss in posting about my erosion bundle and an award I was given by the ever sweet Alina over at The Purple Caravan. These will also follow soon.

Blessings,

Andi xx

Knock on wood

I've inherited a few things from my dad; a need to keep a stick for stirring paint (see earlier post), a bunion and an inability to throw away wood.

So when I was left with a pallet after a delivery of plasterboard, did it get thrown away? Absolutely not - I am my father's daughter. It was left hanging around in the garden until I had the time to dismantle it and use it for raised beds for my blueberry bushes:





The problem was, these things are sturdily built. I guess they have to be, considering the weight they have to support. There is a very useful demonstration on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtPmUZ-k3aI) on how to break up a pallet in a way that doesn't destroy the wood, but it would appear you need to be a big strong chap to do it this way. When I tried, nothing moved at all!


So, just in case any of you girls have plans to reuse a pallet, I thought I might show you how I, a weak and feeble woman, took mine apart.


Firstly, here are the tools:

A crowbar (otherwise known as a jemmy to your local burglar) and a rubber hammer (don't use a metal hammer as this will jar your hand and arm).

Get the bar into the corner of the first join and hammer in at an angle.

After prising and jiggling you should be able to lift the first section from the beam:

Do the same with the next three joins and you should be able to remove the first plank. Carry on doing this to all the places where the planks meet the beams. I warn you it's hard work and it took me about forty/fifty minutes to complete, but now I have some great bits of wood to make my raised beds:

My dad will be so proud!

Blessings,

Andi