New shelves, and ensuing chaos!

I lightheartedly dubbed 2024 the year of the shelves, and while we did get quite a few shelves up then this year has seen us tackle almost as many shelves (though I’ve not actually counted). My craft room cupboard was always on the list to have some relatively narrow shelves across the alcove to make use of the space - and I commissioned MOH to make three shelves from the large shelf that came out of our built in wardrobes (more on those another day I’m sure).

He duly and promptly made two and a half of those shelves, which sat mostly undisturbed under our stairs. But this is where it all went wrong, while I was waiting for the actual installation (and I’ve been pretty patient even if I do say so myself) I decided I needed a fourth shelf.

I think by this time MOH was very much of the opinion that he should get these four shelves on the wall PDQ in case the four grew to five, and so on.

So when I spotted this in my craft room, I knew we were in business…

Bring on the shelves

Like anything once you start and get the first piece up, it flies by - and thankfully that was the case here even after a small hiccup when the pipe/wire detector decided it needed a new battery and we actually had a spare so work could continue, phew.

Somewhere along the way one of the shorter supports went missing, or was never cut, or whatever - but now that we’ve spent some time sorting out the garage so there’s actually space to move, MOH was able to quickly cut a new/replacement one - it’s purposefully on the inside of the cupboard, but one day it’ll get painted I’m sure.

Load them up

And aren’t they great?

They are only about 70cm wide by less than 20cm deep - though you’ll not be surprised to learn that MOH was provided with more detailed measurements than this! - but have really made a difference to my craft room. For comparison they offer a similar amount of space as four extra cubbyholes in my Kallax units, which is a lot of new space, but the space is linear so its easier to store and access smaller items.

The only issue was that as I moved things around, and onto the new shelves I realised that the spaces I now had in the Kallax cubbyholes should more usefully be filled with things I use more often. So these four shelves prompted an almost entire room reorganisation, which meant that for a day or two the room mostly looked like this.

But it has got better, and I can even see the carpet again!

I even found things that I had forgotten about, and things I didn’t even know I had - like a small bag of felt squares, which was handy as I’ve seen a small stand-up Christmas tree which uses felt which I want to try and make, so that’s a result.

My four new shelves are fully loaded now, and everything has its place - it’s so nice to have everything, such as my threads and patterns, together. But don’t tell MOH as I’m already lining up a couple more shelf installations around the house, he doesn’t need to know about these just yet, and I promise I’ll break the news to him gently!

The fourth (and last) of our black and white pictures

Here’s the final post in this series, which follows more details on why we chose the first, second and third photos as part our series of four black and white pictures. As you know the first two images were of holiday memories, and the third was prompted by where we used to live, so it seems only right that the final image was of our new location. It’s also the only photo not taken by me in the series too.

MOH took this photo of one of his regular bike rides, it’s a place we drive past often and so it was a bit of a shock to see the field full of water that first winter we were here. We were already a little bit more shocked than we thought we would be by the weather and its impact on the area around us, and I remember thinking how much hardier these country folk were, much more than us townies and questioning if we’d made the right decision to move.

But to give you an indication of how grim it was, and how much of an eye opener it was, there’s very little difference colour wise between the colour and black and white photo. There’s definitely some mileage in the ‘it’s grim up north’ saying, but it’s also true we’re glad we moved here as there is so much more it offers us.

The black and white photo loses the place names on the sign, but I think accentuates the pot hole - which like many places is sadly a way of life right now. We’ve learnt that here though they draw a yellow circle around them, we’re not convinced this is to highlight where repairs are needed though as often the yellow circle wears off and needs replacing too! You’ve got to laugh though…

So the final image is a good reminder of our first winter in our new house, and I think complements the other images in our series of four black and white pictures, each of which includes an element of nature. Together they make a great and impactful display in our bedroom of our now not quite so new house!

Strike a pose. Vogue

It’s been a while since I shared my initial plans to create a space to craft, and while it’s worked out well there have been some additions and changes along the way. The pegboards have been excellent for storage in a space that otherwise wouldn’t have been used, and even though they’re in a cupboard it’s great that they keep things so organised.

But actually the biggest game changer has been the additional desk top - and space that provides - that we added earlier in the year. I don’t know why, but now I just seem to get so much more done and without moving piles or stuff, or projects as I like to call them! Maybe that’s why…

I’m still very much liking the plain white walls, though a couple more things have found their home hanging on the walls here - there’s the colour wheel plate which is already up, and I plan to add a picture which I brought back from my travels, or more precisely from my stopover in Singapore way back in 2000, underneath it.

I thought I was done picture wise.

But it turns out I’m not.

As soon as I saw these at my sewing group’s recent stash sale I knew that some would end up on the wall in my craft room. But how many? I guessed three would work, as I think things in odd numbers always look better. But which three? Eventually I narrowed it down and left with these three images from a vintage Vogue pattern catalogue, thought to date back to 1949/50, and I couldn’t be happier.

Each of them makes me smile for many reasons, and not just for the illustrations which in so many ways reminded me of those I shared from the Biba exhibition recently, but also for the memories of flicking through pattern catalogues in shops which have long gone; The Button Shop in South Norwood High Street and Allders in Croydon are just two that spring to mind.

1 The Jacket Dress

This was actually the last of the images I chose, and it was chosen to balance colour-wise alongside the two-piece dress further below, but that wasn’t the only reason. I’m not so good with jackets, and have few in my wardrobe, though I did fall in love and buy one last summer, and I’ve worn that precisely, once!

But as the text says ‘the jacket-dress is a staunch friend of the busy woman who is in a whirl of activities thoughout the day’ - maybe I just don’t have enough whirl to my activities, though of course with this I would!

2 The One-Piece Dress “Easy-To-Make”

Ah yes, the ballgown which is labelled as easy to make. Yes, I’m sure it is if you’re an expert sewer, and maybe that was the market when the catalogue was published. However I loved the drawings, and was quite taken with the pink version, and the tiny waist.

Looking at the sizing table though, and another indication of how things have changed. A size 14 with a 32 bust - today’s size 14 is usually a 38-40 bust.

3 Two-Piece Dress and Detachable Apron

Indeed, it’s what my wardrobe has been missing! Not. This was the one the first caught my eye. The style of the dress itself is hardly dated at all, but the idea of having an ‘apron overskirt’ is a whole other world away isn’t it. It’s a glorious part of history though, and I know all of the illustrations will look great on my wall.

The stash sale itself was a really friendly and sharing event. Everyone was keen to see everyone’s purchases and new treasures. These illustrations drew some admiration, and I got talking to two older ladies who shared that their mothers had ‘done the housework in their Sunday best’ as that’s what was done then, so the apron would have been a useful addition. One lady recalled how her mother used to have a bath in the afternoon, after the housework and before cooking dinner for when her husband arrived home.

I was speaking to my mum shortly after and recalled the stories above, mum retold a story about her nan always having her best underwear on when she went out, even if that was across the road to the shop, just in case she got run over. It gives a lot of credence to the old adage doesn’t it? Anyway, onto framing my pictures.

Framing them

My plan now (or well soon) is to get these custom-framed, as they’re not a standard size so it’s not as simple as just buying a frame, or as cheap! We’ve had some artwork framed since we moved here, but sadly the shop that did this (and did them very well) has now closed, though they recommended another shop in town, so I’ll have to check that one out.

My thoughts are to have a very simple, thin frame. Ideally I’d like a metal frame but I don’t think my budget will stretch to that (but I’m happy to be proven wrong!) so my second choice will be a metallic coloured frame - I’m nothing if not resourceful! But we’ll see. I’ve also worked out that with a narrow frame, all three can hang side by side which is my preference.

So it’s a watch this space, but in the meantime every time I see them I can’t help but smile and think this is the best £3 I’ve probably ever spent.