Yes, I'm still alive

Seems like a long time since I've been around here.

Lots of stuff going on, as usual. 

The parental decorating team came in and worked little miracles. Or in the case of the woodchip, acts of god.  The lovely Caroline, bless her, thought that the picture in the last post was the woochip coming off in beautiful bold swathes.  Sadly not the case, that pic was of the bedroom.  It's horrible, horrible stuff.

Can you spot the differences in the pictures below?

The last one, of course, features a newly skimmed ceiling.  Hurrah for my lovely plasterer Bradley.  He'd said that he'd come over to take another look after we cut away part of the plaster around the cracks, to see what we were dealing with.  On Tuesday I called him and told him that the 'labourers' had removed it all... on Wednesday  I get a call from Bradley to say that the plumber on the job he was at had screwed up, and that he had a free day the next day, did I want him to come over.  Oh hell yeah.  (The waiting for most tradesmen in London, reputable or otherwise is about six weeks during the quiet time - which isn't this time of year as apparently everyone wants their places decorated for Christmas).  Now I've got to take off the last yellow layer of lining paper, according to the two decorators who came around today.  Here's hoping it won't take too long - last thing I want is to loosen the new plaster either but it will have been up there two weeks when I get to steaming the last lot of paper off.  Who wants to come and help?

Have been spending money like a loon - on kitchen appliances and cupboards.  Cross your fingers it all turns up next week when it's supposed to.  My lovely brother is taking a couple of days holidays to come over and accept goods, assemble flat pack furniture etc.  What a little star he is.

Some wallpaper samples have turned up and it seems as if I'm definitely going for robin's egg blue in the hallway.  With gold, perhaps.  Some of the samples baffle me - the one on the left in the picture has about 1/5 of the repeat on the sample, so not that useful.

I adore the Colefax and Fowler Honeysuckle Trail paper, on the right.  Now it just remains to be seen whether (a) I would still love it in six months' time, and (b) whether it could be procured quickly enough.  Though I won't hear for a few days when either decorator would be able to fit me in, or indeed what the quote is which will dictate just how much decorating I can afford (I'm sort of wondering how to bribe Abi into helping me hang this stuff next year...).

I'm trying to be uncommonly sensible in terms of how much I am doing to the flat and what I can spend.  Going for flexible options, mindful that it's more than likely that I will be getting someone in to share the flat in January.  So while the dream of a writing/craft room lives on, it might have to be repurposed (rerepurposed?) as a bedroom in due course - so it's a no to the fixed wall of bookcases.  A room divider

that can be moved into my bedroom if necessary seems a more sensible option.  As I'm sure I've said before, I am going to have to be very disciplined in terms of what I can tote with me to the new place. This makes me break out in a cold sweat as I'm both a hoarder (keep everything) and an accumulator (get the whole set/fabric range/one in every colour/every skein they have on sale) and now is the time to start getting really ruthless.  You know, as soon as I typed that, my head started to hurt. I think I'll need some help with that...

So what are the priorities?

[A] room to write.  A suitable desk.

 

The moggies. I was thinking about a house-warming party on Friday, wondering about dates.  Then I literally stopped in my tracks, as I stomped through the park, as I thought 'WTF am I going to do with the cats if I have a party?'  On previous occasions they hid outside or upstairs.  That won't be an option now if there's people in the house - I'm a bit scared of how they will react.  Soft in the head, I know.

Crafting.  Sewing machines, fabric, notions. Yarn and needles including UFOs that take up bags on their own.

Cooking.  I have such an extensive collection of Le Creuset that it makes me think 'Maybe I should invite some people over for lunch soon and use some of this stuff'.  To justify keeping it all.

Lots of books will be left behind, or hopefully sold.  Only the most precious nick nacks will make the grade.  Clothing selections will be severely scruntinised and shoes will be culled without mercy.  I'm still dithering over the second dinner service though I do expect to take the three tea sets.

Blast.  Do you see the sort of dilemma I'm going to have?

The Liberty 'event' last week was fun, especially as lots of lovely ladies were there - Caroline, Lucy, Jenny, Ting, Pauline, Tash and I'm so sorry I missed Adrienne's knitting afternoon today but I was working, freelancing.  Can't say no to the extra cash at the moment.

Lovely Helen called me last night with an impromptu invitation (beware of the sound) and it was such tremendously good fun!  Amazing how many of the songs we all knew too. 

There's been a little crafting. Another baby hat, but no pics (cat-modelled or otherwise) this time.   Below is a gift for a my bro's friend's son, this is the top.  I can barely say I quilted this, as it's only got the minimum of ditch quilted seams,  Something else to be finished during the next two weeks, along with packing up, moving, working and writing.  It may be a while before I'm back... x

Comments

[Sarah]

My goodness, you've been a busy bee! Everything looks marvellous! I especially love the wallpaper on the far right for the hall - decadent! :)

[Jade]

It already looks like a different flat from the initial peek you gave us....and you're doing it at lightning speed, too. Didn't you just start it all last week?! I love the wallpaper samples you have...can't wait to see the finished product.

[Fliss]

Ooohhh - did you get a cream Smeg fridge? I feel your dilemmas regarding the space and storage issues. Our last house was a tiny two-up, two-down without any storage. The loft was inaccessible and there was no understair cupboard. I found that roller boxes for under the bed were most helpful . We had these wooden storage boxes, which doubled up as bedside tables:

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/97322800

I also had a desk from Habitat where the top section (the desk bit) pulled in and out, so at the end of the day you just had a nice chest of drawers.

[Fliss]

Ooohhh - did you get a cream Smeg fridge? I feel your dilemmas regarding the space and storage issues. Our last house was a tiny two-up, two-down without any storage. The loft was inaccessible and there was no understair cupboard. I found that roller boxes for under the bed were most helpful . We had these wooden storage boxes, which doubled up as bedside tables:

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/97322800

I also had a desk from Habitat where the top section (the desk bit) pulled in and out, so at the end of the day you just had a nice chest of drawers.

[Denise]

Good to see you in blogland again - so whens moving day? Be sure and send me your new address so I can update the ole address book :)

[Ruth]

The flats going to look brilliant! Great floors too, my hall looks like a patchwork too with wallpaper samples. Did you see the wallpaper wall in Liberty? I've been tempted to copy that!

[Thimbleanna]

Boy woman, you've been busy! Poor thing -- I don't envy you having to weed everything out -- but that does have it's good side. The place is going to look great -- love the colors you're choosing. Lovely quilt top too!

[villain]

I know how horrible moving can be, so treat yourself gently during the whole escapade! We've had both that room divider and desk, though in different colors. Had to ditch the divider for the new place, sadly. It was very handy and fit lots of books! Good choices.