Chaos

I've been a bit busy causing chaos. We have decided to get a lodger in September to help pay for Jack's nursery without using up my entire salary. This requires decorating one of the bedrooms, which turned out to be a bit more challenging than expected.

There are beautiful polystyrene ceiling tiles to scrape off,

which revealed wallpaper underneath that needs stripping

Pulling off the border revealed seriously peeling paint

And now all the paint needs to be laboriously scraped off the walls

(this is how the room currently looks)

There is mess everywhere and it feels like it will never end (after all the peeling, scraping and stripping we need to sand, fill and paint ceiling, walls, skirting boards, cupboard). We have decided to call in some back up and ask some friends to come and help us out so that we finish it off sometime this side of Christmas.

Next we need to find a lodger. Preferably a lovely, friendly, non-weird lodger. Let me know if you can suggest anyone.

New shoes

Auntie Rosie sent Jack a present from Oz...

Unwrapping

Havaianas

A little on the big side

And they've fallen off already

New Camera

My very early birthday present of a DSLR arrived this week and I have been absorbed in taking pictures and figuring out how to use it (rather than keeping it on the auto setting the whole time!).

Adventures on ebay

We are having a clear out. A big one. The spare room (read miscellaneous junk room) needs to be cleared, decorated, beautified and rented out to a lodger.

The initial plan was to do a car boot sale but logistics proved difficult. So, my genius plan was to ebay some of the better quality items. Sadly, it was not very successful:

TV stand: 99p

1.7m length kitchen worktop: 99p

Didgeridoo:£1.04

Photo album:99p

Wall clock: unsold

Photo frame: unsold

It doesn't even come close to the amount I spent on the DSLR that arrived yesterday. In fact, it doesn't even come close to covering the postage. :-(

The Best

Jack made this card for his daddy on Father's Day

Tree (with photos)

Just off to sew a tree onto the play house.

And here it is...

And a woodpecker, ladybird and caterpillar (courtesy of Crazy Aunt Lizzie)

And windows too...

Even when you're this cute...

... 5am is way too early to get up and play

Takeaway pizza

We get endless flyers for various takeaways through our letterbox. This one made me laugh.


Have you ever tried a Dippan pizza?

Dreaming

Jack is asleep. I am sat on the sofa with a cup of tea and a chelsea bun.

I am dreaming of a whole day (or maybe 2) at home on my own. I am dreaming of pottering, of being lazy, of sewing. I am dreaming of doing what I want when I want. I am dreaming of not being needed for anything. I am dreaming of some purely selfish self-indulgence.

Back to reality. Jack has woken up. Maybe some other time then.

Hot Orange

A few weeks ago we went to visit Sim's Grandparents for the day. I had tonsillitis and a very very sore throat. My favourite soother was to have a mug of hot orange squash.

Grandpa offered me a drink. I asked if they had any orange squash and if they did, could I have some hot. He said that they did and went off to the kitchen to make it for me.

It tasted a little strange. For a start, it was quite strong (I prefer y squash relatively weak). More strangely, it was quite fizzy. It tasted bizarre but not altogether unpleasant.

How on earth did he manage to create a fizzy hot orange squash? Did he use sparkling water in the kettle? Had it somehow fermented? The truth of the matter was revealed when he made me another one later on in the day. I happened to be in the kitchen as he opened a large bottle of orange tango, poured some into a saucepan and warmed it up on the hob.

As I was just browsing the internet for a picture of a bottle of Tango to liven up this post (seeing as I can't currently upload any photos of my own) I came across this and I thought I would share it with you.

Fabric Printing

I went to a fabulous fabric printing workshop today at Creative Open Workshops. It was great fun and I got to try out screen printing which I have wanted to do for ages. I was surprised by how simple it can be and will now need to restrain myself from heading out and buying all the equipment so I can do it at home. I have already started planning what I can print onto though!

You can check out the photos here (my prints all involve apples). If you are ever in Birmingham and fancy doing a craft workshop then check out their website.

Unfortunately, I can't persuade my card reader to talk to my computer so there are no photos of the last few days. Hopefully, soon enough, they will stop fighting and I can display photos of my fabric prints and of afternoons spent relaxing in the sun with good food and paddling pools!

The Carpenter Girls

When Simeon goes away and Crazy Aunt Lizzie comes to stay it usually results in an adventure of some sort. This week, we decided to fit out Jack's built in cupboard in his room with shelves and a hanging rail. Cousins Joe and Ros looked after Jack while we played with power tools and created a terrible mess.

The kitchen became our workshop

The first shelf with the hanging rail already attached goes up [Note here that we a) attached the hanging rail before putting the shelf up and b) countersunk all the screws. Oh, we're good]

Our success goes to Crazy Lizzie's head

We shortly have to take a small break due to giggling and hysteria

Approval from the Boy

Please be aware that the cupboard interior will be tarted up at a later date with paint, shelf liners and stylish yet functional boxes

We are so very proud of our success

And so is Jack

For Liz C

Playdate

Not entirely fair

Jack has started sleeping until a vaguely reasonable time in the morning. Yesterday he woke at 6.40am. Today, its 6.50am and he is still asleep. Why on earth, I hear you ask, am I awake and blogging. Ahh, herein lies the unfairness. I am awake. And I have been since 5.45am. Not just awake, but awake and with a slightly hyperactive brain. Its racing. I keep trying to quieten it but no, its flitting here there and everywhere so I am officially awake. At least I got to drink a hot cup of tea without interruption.

And now, the beast has awoken.