We have been in a bit of a quandary over a living room clock, not wanting to hang anything on the walls as yet and not able to find a mantel clock that I liked.
I found one today in Next, the only problem we had was that it was grey and wouldn't go with our home decor.
I bought it anyway as a stop gap as it was odd not having a clock in the living room. I placed it on the mantel piece but it looked dreadful, then this happened.......
And now it looks right at home.
Well it's all but finished, I'm waiting for a new unit for the alcove and something for the wall, new blinds oh and a door, but mostly it's cosmetic and I can live with it like this until they are in place.
This was my dream fire, I long way better than my old one.
Most nights you will catch me with my back to it hitching my skirt up to get a warm.
The pictures just don't do it justice.
It's so lovely to get back in this room and get some order back in the house.
Poor Chris has worked like a Trojan to get it in order for me.
It never rains but it pours.
Finally the temperature is starting to rise and we can get the much needed work done to the outside of the house that has stopped us from finishing our room.
Thankfully we have good friends that are in the building trade and that we trust to do the job properly.
Our home was built in 1908 so I guess the renovations are well over due.
As you can see the pointing was a little more than expected and porous bricks had to be removed.
It seams that we have had a 100 years of rubbish (crap as the builder termed it) fall between double wall so all of this rubbish (crap) needs to be removed.
As you can see it is quite a few bricks that has to be removed and replaced.
As they say, they don't build them as they used to.
You can see the bricks on the other side that need to be removed, the porous bricks are covered in white salt.
So lots of hammering and banging to get this all done but at least we are starting to see a light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
Something that I giggle about often, hoarding. Why do I do it? I strive to be minimalistic, I don't think that is will happen in my lifetime.
I remember visiting my Grand parents home and always coming away with carrier bags full of groceries I believe it made her feel good to give. You had to take the stuff as she would be offended otherwise, yes my Nanna was a first class hoarder of groceries.
When I lived at home with my Mam and Dad we lived in a remote part of the village so my Mam had a walk in pantry that was full to the gills, within the Pantry was a chest freezer, again full to the gills, with home made bread and pies and meat for our meals.
So here we are 35 years on and my Mam who now lives alone and is 82 years this year still has a full to the brim pantry. I took Mam a dinner up today and came away with 2 carrier bags of goodies.
My Husband Chris always says if we ever go to war he is going straight to my Mams house and boarding us all in as there is enough food there to last us all for around 6 months without ever having to leave ha ha!
So does this pass down the family!
I always have extra in but not to the extent that both my Mam and my Nanna had.
Now I know that most crafters are guilty of hoarding and after reorganising my craft room I am guilty as charged of this, I had to take a deep breath and give loads away to brownies, girl guides and a local school.
Are you a hoarder? What do you hoard?
Do you have like my a under stair cupboard that you throw things into never to see light of day again?
This weekend has been all about weddings, my Daughter had a dress fitting and sorted out the wedding car for the special day.
So much to do, invite cards to make, wedding favours to make. They are all planned and we know what we want, just need to knuckle down and collate numbers.
Chris came in from work asking me to make a Wedding card for one of their agents so I set too and made this for them all to sign.
Of course I used Hunkydory imagery and topper sets as I wanted a professional finish with the best card stock available.
Using foiled acetate as a designer feature to the front of the card. Using the background card to hide the sticking son the inside of the acetate.
And finishing the back with some pretty card to send good wishes and sign their names for the Happy Event.
I thought it was about time I gave you an update on our home renovations.
Although we thought things were going fine, the room had lovely new plaster and it was drying beautifully.
We soon realised that all was not as it should be on the outer wall.
It just wouldn't dry out in parts and we soon came to realise that we had a problem on the outside wall.
Silly I know but for some reason in the back of my mind I was thinking porous bricks, the house is around 108 years old.
Sure enough when we got the builder to look at it he confirmed it was indeed porous bricks and pointing needed.
So although the fire and surround are being fitted today we are at a total stand still until the outside work can be done and unfortunately that is weather depending.
We new that updating our Living room would be a mammoth task but as you will see in the images the work has started.
So the above is our old fashioned living room, it was very tired looking and should have been done a couple of years ago but something always got in the way of it being started.
So out came the cupboards and the fire surround.
Then the room was bare ready for the workers.
The fireplace removed and the whole widened ready for the plasterer.
The arrived and everything got rather messy, electrics sorted and moved, chimney breast took back to brick and then boarded.
Skirting boards, Window surround, and windowsill removed, rendered ready for plastering tomorrow.
I'm hoping that this time tomorrow all of the muck and dust is gone.
If you are wondering why the carpet is back down, it's because we are buying a new one so this is being used as a good fitting dust sheet.
Meet Eddie, he is the unsung Minion, as soon as he saw the Minion Crochet hats he asked if I could make him one,
Doesn't it suit him, he will be a Best Man at my Daughter Natalie and Adams wedding next year, that is Adam stood behind him.
And another, Eddie is normally sporting a wheelchair but that doesn't stop him from enjoying life to the full.
This crowd of friends are just lovely, they all get on so well and look after each other and both Chris and I had a wonderful evening with them all tonight, Stephen was the host (Lauren's Partner).
Me and my girls.
Chris and his girls
Even Grandson Jack got in on the act
Fabulous evening.
Something Chris has been promising himself to visit for many years and is practically on our doorstep.
This is one impressive work of engineering that is a must to visit, my Mam and Dad took our children many years ago and I remember just how much my Dad enjoyed his visit.
I’ve added a video below of the beam engines in all of their glory, the sheer size of these is immense and has to be seen to be believed. the smell of the oil and machinery all added to the experience and the pride of the men keeping this is working order.
As you can see even the building is mighty impressive.
The Museum is open every bank holiday weekend and we were definitely blessed with the weather for our visit yesterday, quite often they have a vintage car collection on display too so that is always a bonus.
A few of the photo’s took alongside our visit.
The Blacksmith’s workshop.
A mans dream, the oil cans.
One of the smaller engines on display.
Just look at all of that grease, Chris was drooling at this stage.
Just the oily rag missing from this photo.
One of the display models.
So pleased that we went to visit, More information can be found here http://www.ryhopeengines.org.uk/index.html
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