Love this

I was chatting earlier this week to a friend, who was upset to be missing her daughter's wedding as it is in Australia and only a really small do. She's organising a Reception for when her daughter next visits the UK and has asked me to help with the invites etc. I asked her, if money were no object would she go, she said yes! I asked her if she had the money to go and she said yes! So I said, go! Be there on that special day, for her, for her daughter, for the moment.

As I get older, I realise that life is far too precious and we have no idea what is ahead. We should jump at the chance to 'collect a moment' especially when that moment means so much more to us than money or a 'thing'!

 Jeff's mum died so unfairly and far too soon and that was 8 years ago now, I really do see life in a completely different way. I am quite content in my little world now to not want 'things' but feel more and more the need to collect moments, that are precious and happy and meaningful and fun.

***collect moments***

50% off OFFER

It's National Stationery Week from the 25th of April - 1st of May

We're offering

  50% off EVERYTHING

over on our website for one week only.

Use the code NSW50 at the checkout

HAPPY SHOPPING

What a difference......

.......5/6 months make!

 The kitchen is now feeling like it's always been here. 

There are a few jobs to do and I'd love to get new chairs and a couple of comfy chairs for the bottom end but I need to save up for them first. But today I took a picture of the room and thought yes, this is how I imagined it would be. So here's a little look back over the past few months.

It's true what they say - 

give it a few weeks and you forget all the mess and upheaval x

Happy Birthday Your Majesty

Today the Queen celebrates her 90th Birthday

We got the flags out to celebrate 

Happy Birthday Your Majesty 

Unpacking!

Busy, busy, busy - this week has gone by in a flash.

My Granny very kindly paid for removals, so on Wednesday we emptied not one but two storage spots, filled the van in the pic and brought everything back here to the house. What doesn't get put away here and used is now going - no keeping, just in case!!! It is simply shocking at how much stuff we have!

So the latter half of the week has been about unpacking and sorting the kitchen out, now the big bits of furniture are here.

My old larder cupboard is now back in full use.

I love it x

The old sideboard is in - was going to paint it (still might!) but it's growing on me in the new space, just as it is. 

My little corner is getting there. I have really missed having my pictures and prints up. I still have boxes of them but will style each room as I go along and see what's left.

I've given the sitting room a jolly good dust, hoover and clean up and rearranged the furniture in a more sensible way. Realistically this room isn't going to get any attention until at least the Summer holidays, late August at the earliest, so it needed to be more habitable.

Jeff has given the hedge out the front it's first haircut. It needs to come down another foot at least so it can be maintained easier but that will have to be one weekend now, as he's back to work on Monday.

So as we enjoy a sunny Sunday and have a 6 week school term ahead until the next break, I can start to think about warmer, sunnier days - even got the summer shoes out today. My plan for the weeks ahead is to get back into a more routined running pattern, back to 3x 5k runs a week if I can. Re-focus my attentions to Slimming World, I've been doing it, maintaining at the top of my target range but would like to lose a few pounds before out trip to Sorrento in 12 weeks time arrives. My next big project is to strip, prep and paint the box room, including the floor. This is now going to become my room for all my wrapping papers ribbons, studio stuff etc and Jeff is going to have the downstairs front reception room eventually. He has set up a little corner in there for now, instead of being up on the landing but that will be one of the last rooms I will paint.

So another week gone and a busy week ahead - enjoy x

Project bedroom!

How has another week passed by so quickly. 

I really don't want the school holidays to end and back to the alarm clock starts as of tomorrow. My painting will now need to fit in around normal everyday goings on!

This week all my efforts have been concentrated upstairs in our new bedroom. That has meant a LOT of prepping, painting and more painting - so many coats.

But 2 nights ago, we spent our first night 'upstairs' in our new bedroom - a real novelty after 9 months sleeping downstairs in the front reception room!

This morning I finished painting the wardrobes we had made. Now that has been hard work, so much painting and why, oh why did I opt for a whole space filled with shelves? Far too much painting involved but now they're done and we can hopefully move everything in tomorrow if they are dry.

The shutters are great, better than curtains and we get lovely sunlight flooding in first thing in the morning.

Jeff has been busy making a start on the outside and has laid the deck so you can step out immediately from the kitchen. It's a sunny spot in the morning and shady come the afternoon - perfect for Summer breakfasts outside. We eventually intend to get rid of the summer house in the corner as that is the sunniest spot but that might be a project further down the line. In fact the garden will probably take a good year or two or three.... due to lack of funds and time but as we've not intention of moving anywhere else, it'll give us something to do!

Jogging along

Life in holiday mode is so much more enjoyable, no less busy but all 'jogging along' at a better pace. Each day we've had orders to get from the unit in Shepton, we've brought a piece of furniture or box or two back with us from the storage unit. My Granny has very kindly given us some money to hire proper removals, so on the 13th of April we bring everything out of storage and over to the house.

This cupboard could fit in the car and is now home to all the everyday plates, bowls, mugs, glasses etc. It's meant we can now clear the worktops again of everything. Next thing we really need is the larder cupboard, so all the food can have a proper home. I know, I have a kitchen this big and no where to put the food!!! but the larder cupboard was planned to be home to it all (eventually)

Sam's got his room back! We got around to moving the tumble dryer out of his room and down into the utility. I'm still a long way off tackling this room but at least it means he can access his wardrobe again, so no excuses not to put his clothes away!

The painting that needed doing immediately in the kitchen is now done, although the internal doors and door frames still need to be done. We've given the floor a proper steam clean, so ready for the furniture to come out of storage now.

So my next big challenge is to paint the bedroom skirting boards, cupboard doors, wardrobe, shutters etc, steam clean the floor ideally by the weekend, so we can move up into our new bedroom. This will free up the downstairs front room that we've been using as a bedroom, to house everything from the storage unit temporarily. It's a little bit of a juggling act but I really want to go through everything out of storage and do another round of decluttering rather than just shove it all somewhere, forget about it and then keep adding more stuff to it! I WILL have a clutter free house lol, one day!