Monday 18 October 2010

We're Moving - It's Official

At last we have exchanged contracts on the house we are buying and the house we are selling. To those unfamiliar with the English system this makes the deal legally binding on all parties. Friday was nerve wracking – our solicitor rang to say that everyone was ready to go with a date of 24th November for moving day. We’d already said we couldn’t make that date as we will be in Harrogate helping to set up the Wessex exhibition.
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So then there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing before we settled on 18th November. By then it was past four o’clock and we thought it was too late to move the deposit money that has to accompany the contract, so we were very down. Suddenly, around 4.30 came the call to say that it had all gone through. Phew!
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It’s good that we have slightly longer than we thought to pack everything up. We should have finished the December version of Workshop on the Web and, more importantly, uploaded it to the site. In view of horror stories about broadband installation at new addresses, this is pretty vital. We are going to try the mi-fi system as a back-up. This is something like broadband on a dongle but, from a gizmo the size of a mobile phone, you can have internet access for several devices. So, not only my iphone, but also the laptops should run on it. As my free year of web access on the iphone is almost over, I hope that this will be the answer for that, too. It turns you into a mobile wi-fi hot spot, which has amused the grandchildren who will, no doubt, be pestering for the password.
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The longer gap means that I can do some new stuff for the Harrogate show. I made some ‘Sillybird’ brooch cards for Ally Pally which sold out very quickly, so I shall make more.
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They are ideal when you want something more than a card but not quite a present. I make them from silk carrier rods, which are quite stiff, and gives them a feeling of substance.
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By the time all the hand-stitching is done and the brooch back and silly legs are sewn on, they take quite a time to make, so at £10 a card, they are not particularly cost effective. I am in the process of leg-stitching with the ones shown below.

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However I love making them and I bought some more of Mulberry Silks (http://www.mulberrysilks-patriciawood.com/) lovely silk threads for the next lot. If only I could bring myself to open the amazing packing! Particia’s colours are so wonderful that I usually take a photo before I use them and keep it in my colour schemes notebook.


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I have not been good about answering comments lately – life has been rather hectic. So thanks for keeping the comments coming – they really do help in times of stress:
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It was interesting to hear how many of you have been in the same boat, moving wise. It’s a terrible system and we often think that the Scottish system – where an offer is binding- would be better. Friends say that this has its drawbacks as it is not so flexible when buying. I do love the description of limbo-land as that is just what it feels like.
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Su – I bet you were amazed at the show if it was your first visit – a fantastic experience.
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Heather, you are right about us needing recovery time and I do think that having the full four weeks will be a life saver. We will have to leave our new house to go to Harrogate but the house-sitter is looking forward to a change of scene – and she will love the nearby walks.
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Garnered Stitches – it was good to meet you. It was so funny at the show, when demo-ing the use of the pasta machine as a printing press, finding out how many people had redundant machines languishing in kitchen cupboards – it appears that most are only used once! These folk were so pleased to find an exciting new use for their pasta makers that we sold loads of books. In fact, so far, the book is going brilliantly. Thanks so much for all the lovely emails you’ve sent about it.
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julie, I keep trying for the small j but Word changes my capital at the beginning of a sentence. I’ll change this one in Blogger.
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I guess Robin has answered the question about staying in one house – in the end you can’t move anyway. I swear that I will never move again – there are only three people in our chain and most of the queries were sorted in the first few weeks. However I think the delay was meant to be. Had we moved earlier we would have had the whole of the WoW issue to prepare as well as all the work involved in the Harrogate show. At least we should be a little bit sorted by Christmas.

12 comments:

Karen Hurrell said...

Congratulations on your exchange of contracts and good luck for the move. But have you told Smudge yet?

I will have to try your idea about taking a photo of packs from Mulberry Silks. I have had a pack for many years, still unopened!

Best wishes
Karen

Heather said...

Great news on the house front - what a relief for you both. At least once Harrogate and WoW are sorted you can draw breath before Christmas is upon you. Is it too early to wish you a tranquil and restful New Year?!! I love the 'silly birds' and would snap one up if I saw them. They are such fun, most unusual and very attractive. Mulberry Silks are totally irrestistible, but I have to unpack them straight away or I'd never use them.

Wabbit said...

Hooray for you on finally having things set! While I long to move into a larger home, I'd dread the prospect of packing up and then unpacking. Lately, I've been envying your energy.

Each time I look at packs of silks, I just cannot choose one over another! I will simply have to win the lottery so that I could have one of each. Looking at their extensive range, it had better be a large jackpot!

Good luck on the move!

Margeeth said...

Interesting. In the Netherlands, where I live, you can either sell or buy a house without having to buy or sell another house. Before the financial crisis, people first bought a new house and sold their old house later. Now, most people first sell their old house and then buy a new house. The contracts are binding, but the buyers (not the sellers) have 3 days to change their minds after signing the contract. About five weeks after signing the contract, the buyers have to make a deposit of 10% of the prize they are paying for the house they bought, the rest of the money is paid when the deeds are transferred. Then our government also takes a 6% of the selling prize in taxes.

Kate said...

Good luck for the house move! It's a very anxious time and not one I'm keen to repeat. Its funny, my DH talks about 'if we won the lottery' wouldn't you want to move to a better house? But in my heart I find it hard to agree!

Do like your bird brooches! Will look out for them at Harrogate.

Julie said...

Wonderful news on the house move. I'll keep everything crossed for you that moving day passes well. I,m going to K&S at Harrogate so I'll see you there. I love the bird brooches too.

Diane Kelsey said...

Good Luck with the move! I am about so move rooms within my house for my workshop and that is daunting enough. Lucky you with all those silk threads.

Robin Mac said...

Gosh, do you have to sell and buy on the same day in the UK? I am glad we don't have that stress here in Oz. Even though I am definitely staying put, we have been throught the trauma of house hunting with our kids - that is quite enough. So glad you are sorted with the contracts now, I agree with Heather - can we wish you a peaceful New Year? I love the chicken brooches. Cheers, Robin

gilby said...

Congratulations on the house front and i hope things go well on moving day.

Sharne Gregory said...

So glad that at last your move is at last sorted out. I hope your packing and move goes smoothly.

Maria D said...

Congratulations on finalizing your home purchase. I'm glad that at least that phase of your life is over.

On another note. I GOT my book; Mixed Media New Studio Techniques today!!! I LOVE IT.

thanks again for being such an inspiration!!!

Amanda Sheridan said...

Came across this today and thought of you - very sophisticated 'swoopy pics'!
http://berglondon.com/blog/2010/09/14/magic-ipad-light-painting/