William versus Cath

The kitchen is having a make over

The 13 year old tartan paper is going.

I’ve had a dozen paper samples and whittled it down to three.  Even though I started out with roses and spots there was something not sitting right with me about it all.

Then it clicked, I’d seen it to many times in magazines and social media.  What am I talking about ? ...... it’s the Cath Kidston look.  There’s nothing wrong with the look,  nothing at all and if you have it you’ll have a beautiful bright kitchen.

But for me it just didn’t feel right,  it didn’t feel like me.  Once I’d realised what the problem was I went back to the wallpaper shop and hey presto as if by magic I knew I had hit on it when I found this William Morris design.

Out went the chintzy florals and spots, back went the off white emulsion and wood paint in exchange for Bramwell chalk paint for the Welsh dresser and Little Greens emulsion and Matt wood paint (equivalent to Farrow & Ball “String”)

The paper is only held up with masking tape at the minute, the real work starts tomorrow.

Now here’s a bit of inside info from the paint centre.

Well something I didn’t know I mean.

Apparently oil based paint is a thing of the past, now it’s all water based.  All to do with emissions.

The problem with it is it doesn’t cover the same as oil based.

If  the paint you already had on the walls/wood was previously oil based you’ll need to do an awful lot of prep work to get it to cover.

Hence we went for a more expensive paint so that we wouldn’t need to have use a primer or spend hours rubbing down woodwork, of which there’s a lot.

See you on the other side 

Heehee 

Lynn x

Schools out ......

I don’t know about it raining plums, it’s certainly been raining cats and dogs here in North West England.

I’ve nothing to show on my desk as I have been extremely busy taking all my mahoosive stash of craft materials and drawers to the local hospice day centre.  

As I am no longer facilitating any more workshops I wanted to make sure everything went to a good home.  The hospice were delighted with it all as they go through so much stuff.  They hold sessions four days a week, run by one fabulous paid member of staff and a fantastic team of volunteers.

Now I’ve hung my teaching hat up, I’m having a lovely time attending workshops, which are always great fun with fabulous like minded people.  

I’m preaching to the converted here though aren’t I haha.

Linking up with 

what’s on your Workdesk Wednesday

63 Up ..........

This week saw  the return of the ITV series 7 Up.  

Since 1974 ITV have been interviewing the same people every seven years following them as children then as adults.

Seeing what path their lives have taken .

I could be one of them as that was when I was born so I thought I’d do my own 7 Up 

7 years old. Oh my word those teeth 

14 years old out on an adventure with the youth club.

21 years old and a nervous wreck at my own 21st birthday party 

28 years old ~ running circles round the

 wandering welder even then 

35 years old and newly married to the wandering welder after ten years together 

42 years old with two of my beautiful goddaughters 

Amy and Olivia 

49 years old with the apple of my eye Goddaughter Macy

56 years old

And here we are today 63 years old.  

Somebody needs to tell my head that, it’s still stuck in its 20’s haha!!

Can’t believe next time they make the programme we will be 70 years old ..... Yikes !

Girl crush

There are so many women I admire for their passion, commitment, drive and focus.

Here are a few.

Jessie Chorley who I had the pleasure of meeting when I attended one of her workshops, held at my friend Tina Gilmore’s studio in Montgomery, Wales.

Jessie has a fabulous shop in Columbia Road, London, selling her beautiful creations and lots of inspirational pieces for you to collage and stitch with. She also travels the world teaching 

Link to Jessie Chorley

I love attending Anne Brooke’s workshops at her specially built studio 76 1/2  in Brighouse, Yorkshire.

This gorgeous lady creates wonderful collage pieces with paper and stitch and she is only about a 30-40 minute drive from where I live. 

Link to Anne Brooke

I’m a fully paid up groupie of Viv Sliwka’s work and of the lady herself. Viv also travels the world, like Jessie, teaching her particular style of textile art.

Link to Viv Sliwka ~ Hens Teeth

I could quite easily spend my days in the company of these three special ladies given the chance and all the like minded people I meet on their workshops.  I always feel as if I’m in the place I’m meant to be.  It’s the same when I’m with my vintage trader friends.  

I’m going to be blogging about other women I admire over the next few weeks.  Hope they will inspire you too  

Coroners cave

The wandering welder has been very busy in the garden this week as you can see.

He’s made a fabulous area around the gas box.  He calls it “Glance to the right”

That’s because to see it when you come out of the front door that’s what you have to do.

He’s also redone the cupboard and renamed it “Coroners Cave”. Said he’s keeping all the spare parts in there.  He has built a bench in the garage and named it “Coroners Corner”.  Apparently coroners benches are narrow to allow them to get round.  Crikey you learn something every day.

I have serious worries about the sanity of this man

Mind you he probably thinks the same of me 

Filling the garden with plastic plants 

Haha

I think the whole house is bonkers

I mean look at the wildlife

 

Linking with

Annie’s Friday Smiles

Have a great weekend 

Lynn x

Come into the garden Maud

While all you lovely desk hoppers were busy chatting, creating and having fun together I was up in Brighouse, Yorkshire doing the same.

I spent two days stitching, dyeing threads, chatting, laughing, exchanging ideas and being inspired with a group of lovely like minded ladies.

Anne Brooke, textile artist was a fantastic teacher and host,  keeping us supplied with tea and goodies  throughout the day.

I’ve come to realise how good it is for the soul and mind to be with people on your wavelength and to spend time in mindful occupation, whether it’s stitching, crafting, gardening or reading. My aim is to do more of it and to hopefully meet up with you all at next year’s crop.

Hope you all had a fabulous day.  I pretty much can guarantee that you did.

Lynn xx

Linking upto 

WHATS ON YOUR WORKDESK WEDNESDAY

Come into the garden, Maud,
For the black bat, Night, has flown;
Come into the garden, Maud,
I am here at the gate alone.
I am here at the gate alone.
And the woodbine spices are wafted abroad,
And the musk of the roses blown,
For a breeze of morning moves,
And the planet of love is on high,
Beginning to faint in the light that she loves,
On a bed of daffodil sky,
To faint in the light of the sun she loves,
To faint in his light, and to die.
Come! come!