Post from the Hut

It's happened. We're here and we're so happy.
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It all went so smoothly - we had heard such horror stories but the guys made it so easy - almost fun. I did buy Marks and Spencer cookies which they carried off to their lair in the van, but when they packed my kitchen, they also packed the lid of the biscuit tin which hasn't been seen since!
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Not much time - I'm just grabbing a moment between the locksmith and the electrician to show you the new pad. Thanks to Fiona, who was wonderful, we got settled and (almost) sorted very quickly. We got the key to the new place much earlier than expected so we left poor Fee, like Cinderella, mopping the floor while we went with the movers to the new place.
This is the view from my sitting room at the front of the bungalow.
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This is how it looks inside.
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The view from the back, over the vegetable garden. Will I have time to grow veg - possibly?

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We have a vine on the garage wall. Will I make wine - unlikely?
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A summerhouse. Will I sit - certainly. Possibly with a glass of wine not made by me!

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This is the back. The patio doors belong to our bedroom.
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There is a little dressing room and a bathroom off the bedroom.
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Needless to say there is a computer in there, too. It will not look this tidy for long.
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Clive has his desk in the sitting room. He had to be upgraded to a better class of desk.
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For me this is the best bit - my workroom. It has patio doors to a tiny hidden courtyard where I can dry things and burn things and stamp on things to my heart's content. Well, I can when I've been to Ikea and got all the fittings.

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I have glossed over the main bathroom and the kitchen, both of which need urgent attention. We begin with the bathroom in early January. However most of the living space is well painted and quite easy to live with.

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I like the up u rose verification - very apt and we do feel quite uplifted - just as well as we are off to Harrogate tomorrow to set up the Wessex exhibition at the K&S. The house sitter won't have Smudge to keep her complany but she is very excited about all the lovely walks here. Although only a mile from the old place, it is right on the edge of town, so lots to explore.

Moving - part 1

Well, the moving experience has certainly improved since the last time we did this twenty-six years ago. The large van turned up early this morning (the day before moving day). We thought that they were just going to take a few boxes but they are planning to move as much as possible today so we can have a clean up. That will save time tomorrow. We'll have beds, sofas and the telly, so not too much like camping out.

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The weather is horrible with driving rain, but they have a catwalk, which they run up at a great rate. They are being very careful with all the furniture.
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Very nice lads, too. They are getting on with it quickly and our only role is to make tea and get in the way.
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It's good to be able to have a clean up today. We'll save our energy for the new place tomorrow.
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There are even portable wardrobes - straight in with the clothes, on their hangers.

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I thought I would feel sad but I'm really keen to get into the new abode, especially as the dishwasher is out of action.

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I liked all the comments and I'm ahead of you with the cookies and chocolate. The emergency box is full of them - and I've got a spare kettle. My reading material, wabbit, is going to be kitchen and bathroom brochures. So glad you find our books good for eye-candy.

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Next blog will be from the new home - nicknamed The Hut after a Celtic prayer about a hut in the wilderness, suitable for hermits. It's not quite the wilderness, but on the edge of it. We've just found out that our new next door neighbours have chickens. Now what will Smudge think of that?

What Would You Take?

Well the watchword here is KBO, as Churchill would have said. Many rooms have been completely demolished and look sad and bare, with just a pile of boxes in the centre.
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We have been struggling a little as we've both had the most awful colds and Clive developed tendonitis in his foot (due we think to a new pair of M&S shoes). However, we are feeling better today and have allowed ourselves a little shopping trip. I have been buying goodies for the emergency moving box (cookies, snacks and sweeties) while Clive made more sensible purchases such as curtain hooks and screws. It will remain to be seen which is more useful!

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My workshop is one of the rooms that has gone and the pile of boxes is enormous. I have decided to pack all my immediate needs into two of these cabinets on wheels which will go straight to my proposed workroom. They are not really as wonky as this - just an interesting camera angle.

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I don't expect to be able to get at anything in boxes for ages so this will have to be my entire materials store. What to pack? What would be your priorities?
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Apart from a nucleus of threads (all my machines are travelling in the car to make sure that the Bernina is accessible) plus silk carrier rods, chiffon and felt, most of the stuff is arty.

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Here is a typical drawer. inkAid, gesso, molding paste, crayons, pencils etc. spray paints, sketch books and so on. Jane Wild said it would make an interesting design and stitch exercise to see what could be made from the contents. Perhaps that will be my first assignment.

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Thanks for the comments.
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Amo - I think somehow it is easier to move the whole house than just to relocate one room. It's good for de-cluttering.
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Diane is referring to the dishwasher packing in the villa in Italy earlier this year. It was not big enough to take all the crockery and cutlery for each sitting but Clive did his best.

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I'm a bit worried about my sanity, Robyn, if you're only just recovering from the trauma of three years ago! I don't see how you can resist the lure of a purpose-built studio. You can keep your diamonds and pearls - new studios count for much more.

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Only eight sleeps to go.

16 sleeps to M Day

The move is getting closer. I thought the time would drag but it is rushing past alarmingly quickly and packing is in full swing. I am responsible for packing up my workroom while Clive is only responsible for all the rest of the house. Guess who is winning!

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Me.

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The other side of the room shows that I have made a start.



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In my defence, I am trying to finish the last of the work for the Harrogate Knitting & Stitching Show. I have made some more work for the cradle - this one with an Egyptian theme.

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The piece below is a study of some lilies which were manipluated by using the displacement map in Paint Shop Pro. The design was then transferred to felt by printing it out on tracing paper and then stitching over the main design lines before tearing away the paper. The stitching is very heavy and solid. This is how I do the faces for my icons, Kerry.

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I have made lots more 'Sillybird' brooch cards but boredom forced me into an experiment with silly owls. They are fun but take longer.

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The fun thing is seeing what happens to their legs when I put them in the cards. They all run in different ways.

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Had a smile at the tence/tense, Heather. You may notice a box of sweeties in the workroom - an excellent antidote for stress and tension!

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Quinn - that's a great title but will I be able to part with my Patron Saint of Relocation? I had planned on putting a price on her for the show but I fear she may now be needed at the new abode. Another NFS.

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Val - copper foil?? Festival of Quilts??? I can't remember last week let alone August. Was it the foil that you iron on to Fusible Webbing (from Art Van Go or Ario) or the very fine real copper (Oliver Twists).

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Margaret - yes we do really need our broadband. BT can't even tell us the phone number - we hope to keep our current one, but they say they can't promise. we are only moving one mile down the road.

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Thanks scooter for the good wishes. Off to empty another shelf.