And breathe...

Ahhh - it's a lovely feeling when a few of the things that have been hanging over you are finally done and dusted, and you can slide into a slightly more sedate pace of life and have a bit of 'what-I-want-to-do' time, rather than 'what-I-need-to-do'.

Last week, aside from actual work and a longer than usual stint at the charity shop I now volunteer at, I needed to clear out my sewing room, in preparation for our visitor, who arrived yesterday and thankfully was able to lay her head to rest somewhere other than on a possibly pin-infested pile of fabric and trimmings!  The attic study now looks like a bomb has hit it, but it has been a useful way of having a bit of a sort through, getting rid of a few bits and pieces that realistically I know I will never use.

In the midst of tidying, I was overcome with a need to improve the look of the rather lack-lustre chest-of-drawers in the sewing/spare room.

The first major problem was finding somewhere to put all the 'stuff' that had accumulated on its top!  

Next came a bit of sample-pot painting - Craig and Rose 1829 paints in Swedish Blue and Morris Blue, and  Crown Le Petit Palais paint in Lavender (though it actually is a pink, which is what I wanted), and some new drawer pulls from a sweet local shop, Unique Chique...

Then the top, which had some damage that wouldn't sand down and re-appeared whenever painted over, was given a hotch-potch of Tilda 'Flower Garden' papers...

(Trimmed with lines of washi tape.  Nothing at all to do with the patchworked paper edges not quite meeting up!)

All that was then required was to varnish it all, and find new things to put on top!

Needs a bit more, I think!

At least this way, I can't put half my ongoing projects, assorted tins, screw top lids and plastic containers awaiting transformation on top!

In the midst of all that, the new patio doors arrived for the eldest Miss U-t-B's flat, and in spite of my having said I would not be helping with this job, I ended up doing so.  We needed to get it done pretty quickly - Miss U-t-B's baby is due next Wednesday, and as she is planning on having the baby at home (birthing pool picked up from the nearby village of Hurtmore (oh dear!) a week or so ago), I was concerned that the moment we took the old doors out, she would go into labour and they'd be having a rather draughty time of it!

Fortunately, Mr U-t-B seems to have missed his vocation as window fitter extraordinaire, as he whipped out the old doors quicker than you could say 'Jack Robinson'...

... and with only a modicum of help from me, got the new ones in.

Maybe I shouldn't mention the fact that once in, they took ages to adjust so the darned things would close and lock!

But after fish and chip supper and the onset of darkness, it was finally done!

If you were around here last autumn, you will,of course, remember the shed we built.  Well, that Mr U-t-B built whilst I tried to act the part of builder's mate.

Then...

And now...

(The climbers survived!  Now I think of it though, I can't see any signs of the vine. Maybe we pruned it a bit too hard...)

I couldn't stop myself from entering it in the 'Shed of the Year' competition at readersheds.co.uk.  If you want to take a look at it and all manner of other sheddy creations, do hop over to our entry, vote for us, then take a look at the others...In that order...