A busy 2013

Yet again I am 3 weeks into January before I get to wish you all a Happy New Year.  

It's a bit strange this year as everyone around me is making the usual resolutions of loosing weight and getting fit, as I get ... fatter and lazier.  Then again if there is one time when you do not have to worry is if you are 30 weeks pregnant!  I will start my health kick in the Spring when the time is right!!!

So looking back on my goals for the year just gone, I am actually quite pleased with how I (WE, must credit Mr P, Little Miss P as well as family and friends) have got on.

2012 - Goals Achieved!

Learn how to cover a lampshade

Build and maintain a healthy vegetable patch

Make a log shed

Learn to bake

Plenty of mini projects with Pop's

Landscape the garden bit by bit

Frame photos and create a photo wall

Not Quite!

Organise more storage solutions (just started this in 2013)

Introduce lots of colour (the nursery will be the first place to start)

Probably won't bother!!!

Recondition second-hand furniture (not sure about this one, not sure I have the patience for painting)

I am actually quite impressed I have to say.  While I have achieved 70-80% of last years, I am also amazed at how many other projects and skills I have taken on.  Keeping this blog has enabled me to track every step of the way and it is not until you look back that you realise how much and how far you can come in just 12 months.

Bonus Goals

Learnt to crochet

Fell pregnant 

Organised a roman blind workshop 

Well 2013 is definitely going to be a busy year.  As the 3 Little Pigs become 4, I am really looking forward to seeing our house come into its own.  I can already feel my nesting instinct kicking in and can not wait to continue to make our house for life a home.

So what is in store for 2013?

As always I must remind myself to be realistic about how much I can take on, especially during my last 2 months of pregnancy, manage my career, as well as spend time with and love my husband, a nearly four year old girl and a baby boy.

1. Create and sell some of my creations at a local craft fair
2. Complete a granny square blanket
3. Make a patchwork quilt
4. Get better at baking
5. Complete a photographer course
6. Learn how to use photoshop elements
7. Sort my blog design out
8. Stop swearing 

Nice to see you again

Xxx

Garden - The Vegetable Patch

I can not tell you how happy I am with our vegetable patch.  Now we have never grown a thing from seed and to think that we have had such a variety and consistent supply of vegetables throughout the summer, from only a few packets from the garden centre.  Well we will most definitely do this again next year.

I would like to recommend a vegetable patch to all my friends and family.  It takes up as little or large space as you have the time to manage.  You do not have to have a large garden as many of the crops can be grown in plant pots and containers (we grew potatoes in bags).

I have loved the way Little Miss P has been involved right from the beginning, helping daddy build the raised bed frames, preparing the soil, sowing the seeds, watering the seedlings, watching them grow, harvesting and of course the best bit, the eating!

I did a lot of research beforehand, as I was very realistic about the time we would have available to commit to the vegetable patch.  We chose vegetables we loved to eat, as we thought this would motivate us to nurture, but we also picked seeds which could be sowed straight into the ground.  We do not have a greenhouse, although at some point I will no doubt mature to the point this will be on a birthday wish list (I asked for a potting bench this year!)

We have had an 80% success rate in our first year, isn't that amazing (we think so!)  One failure (carrots) and one disappointing crop (didn't get as many potatoes as we hoped for).  Apart from that we have had a constant supply of multi-coloured radishes, yellow zucchinis, beetroot, spinach, lettuce and spring onions.

Now as we harvest the last of the crop, we can begin to prepare and plan for next year.

Nice to see you again.
Xxx

Garden - The Log Shed Makeover

When we moved house we went from having a garage and a garden to shed to no storage at all.  So when I discovered this neglected old tool shed I was so pleased.  I knew straight away what I would use it for if I could bring it back to life.  I can not deny this was a project that many times I wondered if it would be worth all the effort.  It was really hard work, scraping, sanding and painting.  I think it was definitely worth it.  What do you think?

Before and After

• One green, rotten, roofless, old tool shed

•        New hardwood roof sealed with felt

• Scraping and sanding, but not to hard that it falls apart!  

• Three coats needed in the end!

• New base, with paving slabs

• In position

• Logs in 

Nice to see you again.
Xxx

Garden - The Big Landscape

This post is long over due.

We were so lucky to have moved into a house that is fully decorated, so that has left us all our time to busy ourselves with the garden.  I have become slightly obsessed, I even have 'Gardeners World' on series record!

While I was babysitting my beautiful baby nephew the other evening, I took the opportunity to sort through all the photographs I had taken at so many different stages.  This was so rewarding as it profiled how much progress we had made.  We have come so far but as always I would like to go much further.

With the indian summer upon us, after a little weeding and de-heading, I took the opportunity to sit, relax and enjoy the benefits of all our hard work.

I hope these pictures show how far we have come.  With a little help from our family.

Nice to see you again.
Xxx