The Messy Desk Award goes to......

Some of you have seen this mess craft space before... if you search a way back on this blog you will see a quick video of when it was first built (if I was any good i'd link it for you, but i'm not...) and I must tell you that I love this space! before this I worked on the kitchen table and we all know what thats like.

So, this desk and these shelves were built on the landing which was the only unused space in the whole house. They have served me very well, but as you can see things have gotten a little out of hand!

 As bad as it looks, I do know where everything is - if you needed some alpha stickers you go to the pink box on the bottom shelf on the right, or double sided tape? thats on the middle shelf above the desk. Anyhoo, Himself decided enough was enough and the only way to create a craft room was to build on a tiny extension. Wasn't that nice of him? ( he wants this desk for his own "stuff", but still its nice of him!)

 Last October the foundation was layed, its tiny as I said, about 10x8ft, but it'll be MINE!! today as I write this there are workmen in the garden putting up soffits and wotnot (i'm sure what soffits do, but we need them apparently) We did almost all the work ourselves, foundation, frame, walls, insulation, panelling, wiring - we only got tradesmen for the roof and the bit they are doing today and a plasterer for inside.

I will put up all the "step-by-step" photos soon, but its not ready yet. On Friday we will lay the floor, the walls are painted (white walls and ceiling, wooden floor) and then the great move begins!! I am scouring the Ikea catalogue trying to decide what I need - drawers or shelves? lots of baskets is the only decision so far, and an arm chair for Tim to sit in when I invite him in for a visit (He fears he will never see me again once its livable!)

My inspiration so far is this photo from Pinterest, it was put up by this lady, I think i'll have to stalk her blog to see what other ideas she has!

If anyone has any storage tips please pass them on, i'm off back to my measuring tape and Ikea catalogue!!
Bye!!! xx
p.s. There is one kit left for Saturday in Waterford if you'd like it?

Furniture Revamp.

Last year my Mum was on holiday in Kent and brought me home a colour chart for Annie Sloan Paints. The chart was actual blobs of paint so you could feel the texture, it is a chalk paint so it has that smooth but super mat texture to it, and it paints onto anything, wood, metal, concrete, plastic with NO UNDERCOAT!!!

Anyhoo, off I went Googling distributors in Ireland, there are quite a few, the problem was that paint is heavy so the delivery charges were mad so I gave up on this idea for a while........

Then last week it was Himselfs birthday so we went on a bit of an adventure to Clonmel. I'd never been there before, so I did my usual tour of a new town scouting out the coffee shops, book shops and what I call "quirky" shops.
I was stopped in my tracts by a beautiful pale blue bicycle with flowers in the basket parked outside Forget-Me-Nots  it was indeed quirky! and guess what they sell? (amongst other lovely gifty bits) Annie Sloan Chalk Paint!

Although I had spent much time drooling over the colour chart I couldn't choose a colour. After much deliberation I chose Louis Blue..... only to discover they were out of it so I chose Provence instead. (its a lovely bluey green, where as Louis blue was more bluey grey)

I can't believe I didn't take a before picture! This chair was my Nanas, it is solid mahogany and had a hideous gold seat (thats it thrown in the dogs bed there!) I thought for ages about painting it because I really didn't like it as it was, but its really old, in the end finding the paint was enough to persuade me!
So here it is after 2 coats of chalk paint.

I gave it a coat of spray on wax and then a good coating of soft Briwax to protect the paint.

Then I got a remnant of Cath Kidston fabric from my stash and went to work with a staple gun....
As you can see Toby likes it!

So that is my chair, I'm not sure my Nana would like it but I will enjoy it much more!!

My new paper love.....

I don't say this often, but I think this is my favourite paper line ever!
 I am very fussy about which new paper lines I actually like, I don't like them too twee, I don't like them too pastel or too bold, usually I prefer to buy individual 12x12's because I only like half the designs in a stack (told you i'm fussy!)

But I love, love, love every paper in this, and i'm about to ring the shop to save me another pack because I think I need a "spare"!
This photo isn't great, its a bit dark but look it up - its fab, fabby, fab!




I used it to make an altered diary, my aim this year is to be more organised so a pretty diary will help (I hope!) Here is a sneek peak.....

You are only getting a sneek peak because this is my project for next months Scrap 'n' Yap. I was delighted to be asked to teach it, it is on Sunday February 3rd at the Cork International Hotel (I think thats what its called, its the big one at the airport) I will put up more details when i'm sure of the time etc.


The day before Scrap 'n' yap, I will be in Dungarvan co. Waterford with the lovely ladies over there for the first Scrapzville craft class of the year.
There will be a couple of mini layouts, I'm liking these recently, quick and easy but all together they look great, and a couple (or three or four) cards. Lots of paper, embellishments and pretty bits.
If you're anywhere near there and would like to go, let me know, its from 10-4 and the kit costs €32.

Again, not a great photo, but these papers we will  be using for the class.

update.

Ha! The computer whizz has worked out how to add photos..... just in case you are as computer challenged as myself and blogger won't let you add photos anymore, this is how you do it.....

Click HTML not Compose, add photos then click back to compose and voila!

So, this is the old fridge, it will be sadly missed.... (if you wonder why i'm showing you pictures of fridges read the previous post.)

This is the new fridge - its really tall, so tall that Ebony can't see whats on the top shelf (she's the shortest one of the family!) I don't know if I love it yet, but i'm very glad its here!

The Saga of the Fridge...... its long and boring!

New Year, New Dreams.

Well, the dictionary/thesaurus had to come out to find THE word for 2013, and I have yet to find one that means everything I want it to........  maybe I need to simplify things and stop trying to add so many traits to myself!

So, I finally decided on LEARN - plain and simple, learn to do new things, learn more about the things I already know.

 We are having a spell of mild weather which means lots of walks, these pictures were taken at Muckross & Dinis in Killarney. Its a 10km round circuit and when we saw these floods we started to wonder if we'd get round....

                               Isn't it pretty though? thats the only good thing about all the rain we get!

 So, 8km into the circuit we came across this flood and our choices were turn back or wade through... I cannot tell how cold the water was, my feet went blue!!

I have lots of plans and goals for this year, one of which is to be as organised as possible. If i'm stressing about something I wake up in the middle of the night in a panic, so hopefully being more organised (like having a month of class plans done) will help.
I have a huge list of "in my wildest dreams" wishes, like going to America this year to do art classes with 2 of my favourite artists (one of them doesn't give classes, thats how random this list is!) but my absolute top wish is this......
FOR EVERY ONE OF MY FAMILY TO HAVE A HEALTHY AND HAPPY YEAR;
Thats it, plain and simple, To be healthy in every way and be happy with our lives.

I wish that for anyone reading this too!!