Merry Christmas Everyone

Last month on the way to work I spotted a brilliant chest of drawers that were perfect for all my crafty stuff!!

So I popped in to see how much it was and walked out with the drawers, a new desk and a big dent in my bank account- eek!!

Look how lovely they are though....

The plan in the new year is to 'shabby chic' the desk and strip back the surface, but that's another post.

Soooooo with all this space and a kind of craft room set up I set about making some festive goodies.

First I had a go at some raffia and string pompoms, although they didn't turn out quite like the image I spotted online they do look good on the tree.

Next was some sticky, gluey, messy string baubles. To make these all you need is water balloons, string and glue...

I filled up the balloons....

And then wrapped string around them and covered them with watered down PVA glue - taking me back to being a kid and copying the projects on Art Attack!!

After letting them dry I threaded some gold string through them and voila - ready for the tree...

Next it was time to wrap some pressies...complete with painted initials instead of gift tags 

The OH was quite disappointed when he found out that 'M' stood for Mum and not Matt - bless!

I was feeling very proud and productive after all this creative crafty festive fun until the next door neighbour explained he was chopping down the christmas tree in his garden to take inside....damn we dont even have a real tree and he's growing his blumming own :-(

They had planted it when their children were small, around 15 years ago and now its gone :-( Apparently the kids were NOT impressed and refused to help bring it inside, sounds like something I would do ;-)

A couple of days later the nice man kindly bought around some of the cuttings for me to make some more festive goodies....

Now, what to make with half a tree?!?!

I started with a wreath...

...and then I got stuck. 

I'd already clipped away at some of the holly in the back garden for the dining table candle piece thingy and wasn't sure what I could do with the rest. So for now it's sitting on top of the fridge until I find some inspiration!

Not my finest decorative piece...

But with all the other creations, Christmas in our new home is very festive :-)

Merry Christmas Everyone

&

Happy New Year

xx

Through the Keyhole

Ok, so its been far too long since I last posted I'm sorry. But I've been sooooooo busy!!

You see me and the OH have bought a HOUSE!!

Very scary exciting grown up stuff that means we have loads of room to stash more camping equipment - Whooohooooo!

Here's the video we made for far away family and friends if you would like to go 'Through the Keyhole'......

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ynmye1aptelq486/IMG_0067.MOV

Not sure how many times Loyd Grossman looked into the attic but I thought mum would appreciate

it *recalls childhood memory of viewing attics when looking to move house*

Our first night consisted of Chinese take away and champagne....

....then the second was pizza delivery, the third indian, the fourth fish and chips - eek we ate a lot of take away!!

We also slept downstairs for quite a while as the OH was a bit concerned the creepy crawlies would come up from the gaps in the floorboards in the bedroom and attack him in the night?!?!?!

Was quite comfy though with the SIM...

Since then we've had the bed delivered and some other furniture so at least the boxes have been unpacked and we're sleeping upstairs. Shame the sofas take 6-8 weeks though - the trusty camping chairs and blow up sofa will have to last a little longer.

It already feels like home :-D

Plus we get to have camp fires in the living room and a whole stock of wood in the garden that doesn't come is pesky orange bags!!!

Talking about the garden, I have a SHED!!!! I'm sure I shouldn't be so excited by this but I am :-)

Great place to leave all my non existent tools (they will be on the xmas list) and pots of paint.

Talking of tools and paint we've I've also been decorating and giving the DIY a good go. Well I did get a little help from my friends....

 

The kitchen/dining room before...

and after.....

Also changed the toilet seat after a lot of fu8%, bo!!03ks, s51t's.... gross job that wont be done again by me.

God knows why the OH took a photo of this but never mind. Probably because he wasn't sure what to do with himself. In the weekend it took to do this he decided to disappear to B&Q to buy enough smoke alarms for a block of flats!!! oh and some solar panel lights for the garden! Off shopping while I'm doing the DIY? Somethings not right there!

But at least I returned to the kitchen soon enough. Last week I was out putting the washing on the line (such a novelty after being in a flat for 4 years) and our neighbour told me I really should pick the apples from our apple tree. Note to self, next DIY project is building a taller fence. Anyway so I went from DIY queen to domesticated goddess and used the lovely haul to make some yummy goodies.

Some what to do with all these apples...lots of apple pie and an apple and apricot thingymajiggy...

 Then I got a bit into the cooking and made enough chilli to last a month...

Well we do have a huge fridge freezer to try and fill now!

Talking about food its time for dinner. No doubt there will be more DIY and sewing project updates soon, like the neighbour said '20 years of living there and its still a work-in-progress.'

Oh I almost forgot.....yes I know its a big responsibility taking on a mortgage, especially with this tough unstable job market etc etc but dont worry the OH found an 'original genuine one of that crazy artist paintings' in the attic so we're fine ;-)

Plym Valley Trail

On Saturday we decided to dust the cobwebs of the bikes (well I dont even own one and the OH's is shiny clean as its only been used once) and go out and explore a bit more of Devon by following the Plym Valley Cycle Trail.

We planned to set off at 10am from our house and follow the 10 mile route from Plymouth to Clearbrook (near Yelverton) and back.

When Helen arrived we were all ready to set off - well no we weren't, the other half just had to sort out a couple of things on his bike first.

Finally it seemed we were ready to go.....oh no wait.... a little test ride was needed first.

YAY we were finally ready - All systems go!!

At 10:30am we left the car park and cycled along the estuary on Embankment Road to Marsh Mills Sainsbury's to stock up on some food for lunch.





After filling up our backbacks we carried on to the start of the national cycle network route 27 - Not the most scenic route out of Plymouth.....

....but soon we were into the reliable hands of the National Trust.

Posing on the bridge with the camera timer on.....

This photo nearly caused a passing cyclist to crash over his handlebars whilst screeching to a halt so he wasn't caught in the picture. He stopped just in time so unfortunately the camera (which was randomly on burst) only caught our reactions.

A couple of action shots taken while precariously balancing one handed.....

....before you say the OH's is clearer check out the first one he took...

The route is a very gentle incline all the way there, so we stopped a couple of times - just to take some photos you see, not because I needed a little break. 

About half way along the trail we bumped into the usual flash tosser....

                   

......who was just practising his wheely riding!?!?!

After passing the guy who forgot to hire a unicycle we came to the Shaugh tunnel.

It was created by Brunel by cutting straight through the rock and inside its very cold and damp and a little creepy to be honest.

While looking online after doing the route I found a webpage that explains the tunnels horrible feeling.

Eeeek - I'm so glad it was recently fitted with electric lights!

After the tunnel we reached the most difficult part of the route - a steep rocky incline...

....which called for us to get off our bikes and walk.

We weren't being lazy - we were told to see :-)

And after the steep hills we were there!!!! We arrived into Clearbrook at 1pm ready for lunch and a drink at the local pub.

After a quick rest we got back onto the bikes (I'm still sitting on every cushion I can find) and headed back. 

As it was slightly downhill all the way home we were back to the beginning of the trail in no time at all, with the wind blowing in our hair and the sun on our face :-D