Zero results

This was my Christmas present. "March Hare" by William Goddard. The colour representation here does not do it credit. The inner mount is a pale heather colour to compliment the purple flowers - and the alium flowers of the curtains - and in the spring the 100 alium bulbs which will flower opposite the window. I have admired this picture for a few months - bought from The Stables gallery in Thornton-le-Dale.
The gallery couldn't tell me anything about the artist as it was bought by the previous owner - all we know is William Goddard has a Sheffield connection - so my research continues....so far despite endless google searches I have zero results!

This concludes the current ABC Wednesday round - next week brings Round 16!

Y is for Yule...Jonathan Yule

I came across a new artist - well new to me. Jonathan Yule
The paintings of the farming subjects are so vivid and real. We live opposite a sheep farmer and these scenes could be Ronnie himself.

I have always liked Hares in art and for my Christmas present Jon chose one I had admired at a nearby gallery in Thornton-le-Dale. Once the Christmas tree has been taken down and put away I have the perfect spot ready!

Watch this space!

Very nearly there!

The landing window needed some curtains to finish off the decorating/revamping project. Whilst I have plenty of spare curtains we have never had a grey theme. I decided to keep my eyes peeled, knowing something would come up......and they did.

On Saturday we took Jon's mum shopping in Guisborough, so I popped into the charity shops and found exactly what I was looking for. Lined and ironed...£3.50.

On Sunday I bought the curtain pole and Jon fixed it onto the wooden plinth. We adapted the brackets so there wasn't a gap between the curtains and the wall.

The size of the curtains was spot on too!

The snug carpet has been down since May 2011. Remember this?
We decided we needed to change it and have been out and sorted one today.......a bit of a change of colour!

Watch this space!

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Quite a change!

Today the carpet took its place in the snug - so apart from the roman blinds, the snug is now finished. I have used existing furniture but we did buy some new lamps yesterday.

We were particularly impressed by this mood light. You turn it on by touching the base - touch again for a brighter light and again for the brightest setting.

The nest of tables were mums - not sure if I will keep them in this room, but they are good for now. The clock was a wedding present from my class back in 1988.

We replaced all light and power sockets with brushed steel - so much better.

My neighbour and I are going to be using the fabric I shared here to make a roman blind.......should be interesting!

So the snug is complete and we have now started on the lounge! Gluttons for punishment eh? Still, we can relax in the snug and shut the door at the end of the day.

Will keep you posted of the next stage!

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Nearly there!

There may be light at the end of the tunnel – but it was somebody with a torch showing me the parts we had overlooked! Yes, we are very very nearly ready to lay the carpet in the snug! The carpet is here, the carpet fitter, our good friend Spud is ready with his stanley knife and gripper rods……but there are a couple of finishing touches we need to address before I open the door and share with the world. The underlay has been delayed – apparently there was a problem with the courier finding us (common) and the doors need another coat of gloss. Being realistic – we’ll be in there by next week!

Back to the grindstone!

Pottering!

A whole week since i last rambled here – but believe me we have been busy!
The Royal Wedding – I even put the flag out for the binmen! lol! (refuse collectors to our US friends!) The local council worked as normal so I gave them a couple of my sandwiches made specially for the day. Salmon & Cucumber and Roast Beef & Horseradish. Some neighbours popped in and we had Pimms & lemonade – how sophisticated I hear you comment! I thought the whole event was quite spectacular!

 
 
On Saturday we had the perfect excuse for a tootle over the Yorkshire Dales on the motorbike as we had to deliver an order to one of Jon’s customers. We travelled via Bedale, Leyburn, Hawes to Kirby Lonsdale and home via Harrogate. A great day!


On Sunday we tootled over to Grosmont Station. There is a gala on at the moment, so it was great to see some of the all time favourite steam trains – including Sir Nigel Gressley. Jon stood on the footplate when he was 10 years old so it brought back many memories.


We had been very busy in the garden that morning – the size of the bonfire indicates the amount of garden pruning we did!
 

Yesterday we spent more time in the garden but had another tootle out in the afternoon to buy a new radiator for the snug. It will be fit this week, along with the carpet.
Oh and guess what? I am off to see Take That on May 28th!
So that is what I have been pottering with – do you potter?
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Hound Lemon!

Thanks to the information and tips you helped me with I chose Farrow & Ball Pale Hound (top) for the walls and Hound Yellow (bottom) for the chimney breast ! Our local decorator supplier mixed the colours for me, thanks to the tips you gave me I saved £60 on a 5 litre tin of emulsion – so am really excited about seeing the colours on the walls! The photograph doesn't really do the colours justice, but will give you an idea.



It has a definite green hue to it so when we get the carpet in it will all look splendid.Over the next few days this room will be finished and the furniture can be moved back in. Once finished Jon will do the chimney breast in the lounge. We want one room we can escape to!
The window fitter came last night and measured up for the replacement door/window in the kitchen. We all ready have the door and window so this will be a relatively small job.
We had a great day off yesterday – Jon had business in Kirby Lonsdale so it was ideal to go on the motorbike. We are off to Scarborough tomorrow as it is the Ian Watson Spring National Race at Oliver’s Mount Racing Circuit so all being well, let’s hold the weather is good! A good weekend in store me thinks!

I have done it!

The walls have been painted today - photos later as the paintwork and ceiling will be done tomorrow.
A very very BIG thank you to all of you who encouraged me to think outside the box and be brave!

Watch this space!

Management and Magnolia!

Today we have the joiner here fitting skirting boards and architrave. I found his details in a local town magazine. We phoned him, he came when he said he would, gave us a price and a day he could do the work. he is now here on the designated day. Of course it was down to the plaster drying but I am glad to say it has dried beautifully. Tomorrow the room will be painted which means that today I have to take the plunge and go and buy the emulsion. My SIL's partner has set up a home maintenance business and having seen the great job he made of my MIL's decorating, we decided to ask him to do ours. We would prefer to keep such tasks within the family.
Having reliable people involved has allowed the whole project to run smoothly. All involved have been either recommended, or are people we know and trust. I guess the many years I was deputy headteacher have it's uses - I would like to think I am a good organiser and it is a joy when surrounded by good, honest people. Tomorrow we have a builder coming to price a door for the kitchen and then the icing on the cake will be choosing a carpet for the snug. This will be fitted by our good friend Spud, who we have known for many years.

I have been looking at the colour chart and keep focussing on the very modest neutral colours - I am losing my nerve - BUT I AM avoiding the magnolia - it just keeps creeping up on me! I have to buy the paint today so I had better get myself into gear and do some matching of colour ideas.

It's all happening!
Watch this space!

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Not the Magnolia!

 

 

We are having a tootle up to Northumberland today so I will be thinking about colours! Have been greatly inspired by Farrow & Ball – we can actually buy this range in Whitby! The plaster is drying out nicely a few more days I think.

Got a builder coming round on Wednesday re fitting new kitchen door so he should be giving us a date for when he can come and fit it. Talking with Jon last night – once snug is finished and carpetted – ie by Good Friday we will move back in – and the snug will be our base whilst we work on the lounge. There is very little to do in there, compared to what we had to do in the snug. Jon has to move the aerial, re-position a couple of lights and build a chimney breast. We can leave the chimney breast for now – the laminate floor is to be replaced with a carpet. Fifteen years of tap tapping across the floor is quite enough! The carpet will be ordered at the end of June – ideal time to do the chimney breast – but other bitty jobs can be done!

Fun!

Watch this space!

The plasterer has left the building!

 


The plasterer has done a great job. I think the coving will look great when all is painted. Hopefully it will take 3-4 days for the room to dry out. As the weather is good this should help the drying process.
We have to change the door round and replace the handle with a knob. Architrave and skirting need to be completed, then the decorating can begin! The switch panels too will be changed - brushed steel to match the doorknobs and my picture frame!
We have moved into the lounge so we can shut the door on the snug and leave it now. The weather forecast is good so we will have a couple of biking days! It will be a good opportunity for me to think about colour schemes. Definately white ceilings, coving, doors, architrave and skirting. Walls – hmmmm a creamy pale yellow and a sagey green? Will have a think!
Enjoy the weekend!

Spring in the Dales

We had a great day out yesterday. One big advantage about going in the van is we can share the driving. I drove from home to Sadberge, on to Penrith then Jon drove on to Kirby Lonsdale and then home via Ripon. The weather was lovely.

When we parked in Kirby Lonsdale I noticed this painting in a gallery window. It really caught my eye! It is by a local artist called William H. Jones. It is calling to me!

More of his work can be viewed on the gallery's website here

I think it will look fantastic on the snug wall - even the frame it was in will match the doorknobs! lol!

Talking of doorknobs - must get on! Plasterer is here tomorrow!

ABC Wednesday….L is for…….laying in the sunshine!

ABC Wednesday time!

 

There’s nothing like a dust bath in the warm sunshine! Here you can see Ernest with May, having a cuddle! It always brings home to me how caged and battery hens miss out so much on an experience which all hens love. To see them, like this so happy and content always makes me smile.
The weather has been rather changeable but whenever we have a warm day the hens enjoy it so much.
Well, it is 3.34pm Tuesday and I have JUST finished the final wall paper stripping! Jon has some socket work to do, but my part is finally over and I can relax! Well not really – will be an early night for me as we are driving over to the Lakes tomorrow re Jon’s business – returning home tomorrow night - a long day but will take my camera along!
So – nearly time for the plasterer and I will be able to think about colours! Way hey!

View from the snug window – Monday morning!

 

Says it all really! Just making sure there isn’t an inch of wallpaper on the walls ready for the plasterer coming on Friday. I only have today, tomorrow and Tuesday as we are in the Lakes on Wednesday re Jon’s business. The window is a nasty piece of work as it would seem gloss paint has been applied over old paper – so this is taking quite a bit of elbow grease to shift – but I’m on the case.

Had a lovely day out yesterday with MIL – went to local for a carvery – delicious, just a shame we had to share a restaurant with the family from Hell! We are ruined really I guess as I always cook for the family. Our nephews absolutely LOVE cooked dinners and woof up all vegetables prepared for them – a joy to cook for really, but yesterday we witnessed children who were not use to eating vegetables and were not going to either – so why insist they eat them when out in public I ask? The tantrums, screams and shouting followed and I am sorry but in a public place ignoring such behaviour doesn’t wash with me. As a child mum would never bring attention to any bad behaviour – no she would speak very quietly, very directed, very much into my face and utter the words I dreaded…”Wait till you get home!” Yes – oh yes, how I feared those words. Still my MIL enjoyed herself which is all that matters. Next year however I notice Mothers Day is near her birthday again so we will be here – peace and quiet!

Right – back to work!

Back to the grindstone!

 

 

Electrics preparation – so we had to chase some walls!

Jon did this one…….

and this one…..

 

I did this one! Ahem!

I have just removed the old skirting board and Jon is pulling wires upstairs – our bedroom, the landing and the bathroom!

Getting there!

Memory Lane

 

 

When I was stripping away the wallpaper yesterday I came across this piece of wallpaper. It was the very first design we used in what was then, our new home - twenty years ago. The previous owners used our now snug as a dining room. The carpet was a navy blue and I used this on the lower part of the walls with a navy and claret floral design above.

 

I also came across this carpet - the very best that money could buy. Again, some twenty years ago. I bought this when I was "acting" deputy headteacher for a few terms - the rise in my pay was put away and this is what we bought with it. An accident from our border collie Tess stained the carpet and despite endless treatments and cleaning the stain remained. I vowed then I would never spend such a great amount on carpet again - or at least one which would not clean up!

 

Well as you can see the stripping of the walls has finally finished and my preparation work for the plasterer has now finished. Jon now needs to do some door furniture stuff, put some light switches in and remove the radiator. The plasterer came last night to size up the job and he will be coming towards the end of next week This gives us a week then! Wayhay!

 

The room seems much bigger without the cupboards – so we have decided not to put them back – we will find somewhere else for them to go. For now I am using a table from the lounge to stand the TV on.

I must say I am sleeping well – like a log  . Fortunately the amount of preparation in the snug is the most we will have to do downstairs as the remaining rooms have all been plastered since we moved here, nevertheless there is still plenty to do.

Following the problems I had loading pictures the other day I am now using Windows Livewriter – much more reliable!

Stripped!

Yesterday I stripped! I have 3 more walls to complete but I must say the lower paper comes off a dream. I will do the other three walls on Tuesday, as I have some admin work to do for Jon on Monday. My target then this week is to have all walls stripped - then we will pull out the cupboards so I can get to the paper behind. The fireplace will come out and the room will be ready for the next stage - lighting wires. There is some woodwork to do round the doorway, and the door needs re-hanging, once this is sorted the room will be ready for plastering. I will be contacting a plasterer this week. We are fortunate in having a few pals who are good plasterers! I am looking forward in seeing the room plastered because then we will have arrived at my favourite part of the project - chosing colours. However I am not rushing anything - Jon said we should enjoy what we do and we are so far. Must say the main colour wont be much different from what it was - I have always loved daffodil white but the chimney breast will be a shade different!

We will be removing the curtain pole as I am having a roman blind made with the curtain fabric above. I think this room has been really thought about as we sit in it every night and plan together.

Watch this space!

A couple of days in the garden!

Whilst the weather has been favourable we have made great progress in the paddock/garden.

Last year we had an aerial photo taken of the house + paddock - we realised how much land had been lost through overgrown hedges and trees -

So yesterday and today we cracked on!

Now the hens are having a good scrat about!

Needless to say, yet again I feel quite tired, but a hot bath will soon sort that one out. Whilst I was writing this we received a telephone call to say the new door + window for the kitchen were ready - so we nipped round to collected them and they are now in the shed. All being well they will be fit next weekend. Once they are fit we can make the next move with the kitchen. Meanwhile in the snug we are discussing lighting which Jon will sort out the next bad weather day.

Another busy few days here - but the garden and paddock are certainly looking much better.

Snug so far.

Snug - chimney breast yesterday am....

 

 

and pm!
Wall am....

 

and p.m.

 

Other wall a.m.

 

and pm!

 

Jobs next on list here - remove fireplace and take down remaining dado rail and carpet then strip paper ready for re-plastering, then new skirting and edging round the door. Lighting needs sorting too.......but today the sun is shining so it can wait for a couple of days. The back breaking stuff has been done I reckon once the lighting is sorted I could have this room ready for re-plastering in a day.