Monday 7 July 2008

DID YOU KNOW? SHED WEEK 2008!!

Shed Week 2008!!!!
I saw this in an article in the Times, and thought it might be worth a look for all us interested in Sheds! Shed Week 'celebrates the importance of the shed, hut or gazebo in our our culture as a place of refuge, storage and amusement'. There is a competition for the 'best' shed, 1000 are in the running!
The article suggests a visit to Readersheds.co.uk and Shedblog.co.uk, for all you 'sheddies' out there!
News on our shed front!
We have the shed we won from a nice Gent on Freecycle up and running (its nearly full already - where does the stuff come from!), and we have moved the chicken shed - so the sheds are 'back to back' as it were.
This gives the little lovelies (chickens) more of a view of the garden and closer to the house - and us! All the better for me to 'commune' with ' chat', 'share secrets' and generally 'ask advice' of the special little souls!!

You will be amazed how much sense you can get from them - such 'knowing' little bodies!!!



Now we have moved the sheds across we have all this yard space!







Hubby P is going to build me a new larger greenhouse, from recycled timber and whatnot! Got to keep the Green ideals alive - its so easy sometimes to slip into the easy option of 'lets just go to B &Q and buy it'!
But I firmly believe 'everything comes to she who waits' - and there is so much of everything in this world, so much wasted, what you need always shows up! - So I am just waiting for my greenhouse windows!!!



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A quick garden pic - the runner beans are doing really well, perhaps all the rain!!!
We had our first beans for Sunday Dinner!





And they were just wonderful!!!



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Carbooty Finds!!

This pretty pretty runner was wet, dirty and stained, in a 3 items for 50p box. Just look at it now - after a good boil wash and de-stain (little bit of bleach). I think maybe its destined for Ebay - its a bit big/long for me - too long for me to display anywhere.
No doubt it will make someone happy!







And these lovely vintage brooches, so pretty - just to brighten my day, I wear them daily - they were made to be admired!






A couple of Willow Pattern plates for my collection - I want enough ( and cheaply) to use them daily - they don't necessarily have to match - I have found the colour varies widely.






Now this is just the 'Bees Knees'!!!!
and all for £5 -
I found these two Victorian Lace window panels - just beautiful, they even have the original little brass hanging rings on the top.
There is some damage ( to be expected really) - so I will attempt to do little repairs and then a gentle wash.







I can't decide where to display them yet, I am worried if I hang them at the window, the sun might do further damage to the fragile fabric. Think I will give them a wash and see!






So romantically pretty!!




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Home Front Economics!!


I think we are all a bit worried about the cost of power and fuel!
So continuing my theme of 'Economy in the Home'! I thought I would give you an insight into our heating arrangements - our 'Stock Piling' -' Girding Our Loins'!!!!!- an all that, ready for the long (most probably wet) winter!

We have various sheds (more sheds! - I know!!)- and piles of wood - not just any wood, Hubby P makes sure it is all graded! (he can be as sad as I!!)
This is the rubbishy - recycled - old timber, pallets etc shed. This burns really well, hot but quick and is good to start the fire. This gives enough heat for use during the summer - if its needed, or to air a bit of washing!







This is the 'posh' wood, Our son Will is a tree surgeon, so we are lucky not to have to buy logs - it sometimes means having great lengths of tree lying around, until has time to cut it up - but hey - it saves us a fortune.
We burn the logs during the colder months, they are longer lasting and give off a steady heat, and if we are lucky we get some nice scented wood -maybe a bit off apple or cherry - lovely especially around Christmas time!





We can,and do burn coal on our multi fuel, but it is so expensive (didn't they use to call it Black Gold!), someone told me the other day that coal was going up by £3 a bag - that would make it nearly £13 a bag! I really don't think there is a cheap heating system today - its a case of get out your woolly vests girls!!






This is what we burn it on! This heats all of the original part of our tiny little cottage!
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Crafty Bits!!
Not a lot of crafting really, just made another couple of smocks, from what fabric I had lying about.
All in the name of Frugality!
They are so comfy to wear around the house - cheap and cheerful!



Hope to get back to something a bit more creative and challenging soon.
Got to go , Ta Ta for now xx