Craft Space

Although we moved into our little flat over six months ago, we've still got plenty of decorating and sprucing and organizing and beautifying to do. When we first arrived, my crafty area was a designated corner of the lounge, but when The Boy went from wobbling across the lounge to scaling chairs and sofas, I decided that it might be time for a little change.


And so, the Nearly-Husband kindly put up some shelves in our extra-large hallway, and I turned this into my little creative space. For a while, things were shoved in boxes, and slowly, piles of stuff began to appear on my desk (which will hopefully be replaced with some sort of retro table very soon!) Earlier this week, I decided that the piles of stuff were simply out of control, and something had to be done.

The floral bag on the chair (a Cath Kidston freebie, courtesy of Easy Living magazine!) was actually full of wool, which is why the pink basket looks much fuller in the 'after' picture. A place for everything, and everything in it's place!

It was a fairly quick project, as most of the pictures had been put up, the notice board had been made (that's another post entirely!), and the storage boxes were simply waiting to be filled. It was just a case of putting things in their final homes. And so, without further ado, I present.... my Creative Space. In an ideal world, it's an entire spare room, and the shelves run the length of the walls. But for now, it's a corner in an oversize hall - they do say the best things come in small packages...

Little Sketches

I've been finding my thoughts turning to all of the activities I'd like to be doing during this glorious weather (bicycle rides, park visits, picnics and suchlike), rather than the activities I actually have to do (work, food shopping, wedding details and household chores, bah), and I've been doodling some more in my lovely little Waitrose notebook.


Obviously, just being sketches, these are rather unimpressive, also not helped by the fact that they have been done on lined paper. I'm thinking they might make lovely little postcards... all coloured in with acrylic paint and framed with little retro-design borders. Minus the lines, naturally!

In other news, I found what can only be the best cushion for our house...

We are a real tea-drinking-cuppa-loving household, and even The Boy, aged twenty-months, loves a good old brew (although I have it so strong it looks like tar, while he has it almost all milk with no extra sugar...). The cushion looks marvelously at home on my sofa, which I've decided from looking at this photo, needs a ruddy good straightening up!

Life on the Balcony....and the Windowsill

The balcony is looking ever so lovely these days, and dare I say, rather, well, promising. The runner beans have grown to absolute epic proportions (well, they probably haven't, but in comparison to the size of the balcony, they're pretty big), and the tomatoes have started to flower as well. There are roots and shoots and flowers and blooms, and the whole space is looking just how I pictured it. It's not quite Alys Fowler's Victorian terrace, but I like to think it's the balcony equivalent! I absolutely can't wait for the fruits to start arriving, tomatoes and courgettes, spinach and lettuces, and of course many many runner beans....

Meanwhile, the kitchen windowsill is a hive of activity as well - the basil, oregano and thyme and positively thriving, and I like nothing better than the delicious herb-y smells wafting in on the breeze while I'm making dinner or washing up. Home made pesto, here we come!