The first one was the day I cam back from Yarndale.
I'm home! thanks to those that have shopped with me over the weekend I am having a cuppa and will have them in the post this afternoon:) Alan has been busy whilst I've been away..apart from cinema trips with Milly and watching rugby, the house is sparkling and smelling gorgeous. He has also implemented an idea I had for the back of the shelves we are going to put the wool on in the new room. As they aren't going to be against a wall we needed backing that was cheap but would stop the balls falling through. Ta dah!! Perfect solution that cost nothing. We do make a great team
The first day in the studio next.
Good morning! Today's the day we take the first steps into transforming this little room. Budget solutions that will evolve organically as I get a feel for the space. I'll obviously keep you all posted, see you later.
So far so good! Cutting in has been a job I can help with. Although apparently I am a little slapdash! My perfectionist husband makes up for my shortcomings as a painter We started with two half tubs of white paint donated by my Mum. Need to go to B&Q to get a pot to finish off tomorrow. We have paint for the woodwork leftover from our decorating at home. The retro flock wallpaper looks grand with it's new white coat on.
I'm not around online as much..still painting! I am however still open and if you order it will be packed and posted as usual. I've just popped home to pack up some orders for a few local customers. Wool fix over:) now I'm making rolls for our lunch and and heading back to help Alan. Painting should be finished today then it's on to carpet cleaning and a thorough clean down. Ready for shelving to go in on Saturday!!! I am really going to enjoy filling them up.
First coat of Mellow sage on the shelving. There are so many reasons why this room is perfect for the next little step (although it feels like a giant leap!) in the Lusciously Loopy journey. One of those reasons is this shelving. A simple thing but they will be perfect to display products on. With such limited funds we wouldn't have been able to buy/make anything for this wall. I can't wait to play around and see what I can do. I have one idea for decoration that involves Pom poms and a heart oh and fairy lights will be involved.
This man is quite simply amazing. He is spending his holiday painting and cleaning and lifting and shifting for me. He had a spinal fusion operation shortly after we got married (33 years ago) and was told that he was likely to be in a wheelchair by the time he was 40. He's now 56. He lives each day in a lot of pain and is physically limited in a lot of ways. He puts up with me and deserves a medal for that! I had to rest up a bit and as I watched him this afternoon I thought about love and the way different people express it within a relationship. He is a quiet guy, he is incredibly loyal and supportive. Milly is lucky that he is the best Dad ever. Their relationship is so special! Like most people in relationships we have had some tough times and luckily have managed to work through them. Alan shows his love in very practical ways. Every day there are ways he says I love you without words. He does say it as well, but you get what I mean, today as I watched him I remembered the younger me wanting him to demonstrate his love with hearts and flowers. Over time I have come to see all the ways he shows me every single day. I didn't hear him in the past. I hear him now, he's as much a part of Lusciously Loopy as I am.
Before I head out to watch Everest with Milly I thought you might like a look at the entrance of the building my little room is in.
Operation bookcase. Good old ikea bookcases are being built and backed with sheeting. So thankful for the Backing Business grant from Britain's Energy Coast which enabled me to buy them and to have my new website built so far the room decoration and set up has cost under fifteen pounds! Thankful for donated materials and paint. Also a big thanks to the gorgeous George who stepped in with his trailer to help transport the two large bookcases we had at home. He was a star and although he wouldn't accept any money we will be thinking of a suitable gift for him. I need to source an old sideboard that I can paint up and a visit to the auction mart is on the cards this week for that and some chairs. We have been gifted a table that will do for now and will be perfect with a dotty tablecloth on. We hope to start transporting the wool over tomorrow. I have had an idea to add to the cubes in the bookcases so that the smaller balls of yarn stack neatly and don't fall all over the place. Just need someone that's handy with wood. The next thrilling instalment of "The Studio" will be brought to you tomorrow.
The first bags of yarn have been humped into the car and humped up the stairs to the Studio:) It really does feel strange calling it a studio! That's what it is though. No longer a mere room it is becoming my little creative space. On to the post office to drop orders off. This might seem a bit cheesy but you guys are all a part of this space. Without you choosing to shop with me we would have non of this! Onwards and upwards....more yarn to bring in
I had my first visitors to the studio last night. Milly came along with us and then my brother in law came down. He brought this lovely card with him I am going to frame it and it will be part of the decor. I can look at it daily as motivation. I worked late last night. Alan had dropped of another six huge bags of wool before dropping us off. He went to tai chi and picked me up on his way home at 8.30. It was lovely to have a couple of hours there. It was so peaceful. The shelves are filling up and I'm working through ideas of how to maximise the small space for storage of extra stock and all the packing materials. It's going to be a while before I have it how I envisage it. I hope to have all the wool over and to be working from it by the weekend though. For now I am just going to ease myself into the day with a cup of Rooibos in bed and then listen to a guided meditation. Have a terrific Tuesday
The solution I came up with to create a removable and interchangeable shelf for the cubby holes in the bookcases has been refined and simplified by the builder and once he has measured up next Monday night and priced up the materials I should know a price. When i went shopping the other day I couldn't resist these little tea light holders from Home bargains as they have butterflies on them. The butterflies on my logo are symbolic. "Butterflies are a symbol of resurrection, hope, joy, and new beginnings. It is a symbol of rebirth and a transformation of change: meaning out with the old and in with the new." Seems fitting they should be part of the logo and included in the decor of the studio - they will have battery operated tea lights in. Thank you so much for all your kind words and encouragement on here and on Facebook. It's such fun to share the process with you. Night night ❤
Today's scintillating studio instalment. The last of the shelving is up. These required securing to the wall by metal brackets. Typically it didn't go smoothly.We are both tired and a tad fractious..we managed it without bloodshed though. The shelves I can fill on the larger bookcases are looking grand. Before I can finish filling them up I need a hand to create the idea I have to add a shelf which will mean the smaller balls will stack neatly. On the lookout for a handy person who can cut wood for me. The house is a bomb site! I have taken a piece of furniture from the hallway to go in the studio. It has forced us to address the two drawers full of all sorts of nonsense and the baskets of shoes that no longer fit. Well, for now they are in the dining room in a bag;) Possibly get round to that lovely job at the weekend. I have a friend coming round for a cuppa tonight, then a hot bath and an early night is on the cards.
I had a couple of hours in the Studio this morning. The shelves we put up last night just need one more bracket fitting so I couldn't fill them. I am so impatient! I want to get the Rico essentials and creative Aran in those little cubby holes and gaze at the wall if colour. So today I took the Rowan down and I found homes for some of it and then spent quite a while faffing! Playing around with stock to see how I can create an appealing display on the back wall shelves. Not there yet but ideas are forming. I also spoke to someone who might be able to help make the shelf idea I have for the larger cubby holes. He is coming tonight to give me an estimate. Fingers crossed it's achievable and won't cost too much.
A couple of hours well spent. A wall I will never tire looking at. The table was in the room when I moved in and is going to be painted and will have a basket of yarn on and the lamp needs a shade. It was gifted to me. A friend of my Mums sadly passed away and her family have given me a table she used to work on in her craft room and the lamp. Anne was a fantastic quilter and it feels nice that some of her items are here in what I hope will become a crafty place. My mum should be here in a mo so I'll nip back later if I have any more news to share xxx
After waiting in most of the day for a gas man that never turned up I am spending an hour or so in the Studio whilst Alan nips to do the weekly shop. Yesterday Mum visited and she whipped up an inner for one of my baskets to stop the wool from getting snagged:) the basket has been taken from home and the fabric was kindly donated by my sister. Mum has taken another basket home with her to make a lining for it. I have a small space behind the bookcases (in the eaves) on one side where I should be able to store back up stock. It is a tight space and I have an idea that might make getting it in and out a bit easier. It involves a wooden base with castors on. Just need to measure up and find the wood. I might have to buy the castors though. I'm tidying away rubbish and clearing the floor so we can get the table in the middle tomorrow. There you go, another scintillating studio update xx
So, there you are! Now you are all up to date.
I will try to keep you in the loop and pop in to add more news in the next week.
xxxxxx