Hello. There is the most stunning sunset tonight, but it will be gone in a few minutes. Strings of orange slowly sinking, with parts of the blue sky visible behind it, and dark clouds hovering yet hardly moving at all. Now the orange is turning to red as it drops below the roofs across the road. .
So, what have I done today. It was time for Mr frogs makeover. I put a very pale green undercoat on him first. I thought I might leave it that colour but it looked a bit boring, so I thought why not jazz him up a bit. This colour is called Positively Purple, it's a Dulux tester pot, it looks blue on the photo, but it is purple. I found the easiest way to paint it was to put the wheelie bin in the middle of the lawn with an upturned pot underneath him. He is at the right height, no bending, and I could walk all the way around him, reaching all parts, with very little effort.
The mat he is sitting on is a bit broken round the edge, but it doesn't matter, can't complain, it was free. I painted his eyes, yellow. .
While I had it on the brush, I painted Mrs Tiggy's eyes as well.
Who says you can't have a purple frog and a green hedgehog, ha ha.
Snacking today was two kiwi fruits, a nectarine, with a splodge of plain yogurt.
Look, I've got runner beans, yippeee. A kindly reader put some dried beans in a goody bag parcel she sent me. Thank you, and now I have beans to eat.
These are doing really well, £2 from Aldi.
And I have a few of these pretty flowers in the beds. The bulbs were from Poundland.
How are you all doing with the walking? Only five more days to the end of the month. The target for the eighth month is 666 miles, and I am on 650. I doubled up today and walked six miles. Might have to do that again.
I'm struggling to keep my eyes open here, so I'd better sign off. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.
Hello. I've got some pictures sorted out for you, and to keep a record on my blog about the time my shed won the best Budget Category in the Shed of the Year. I could not show you this one of me and George before because I have my rosette pinned to my bag, and it would give the game away. I did so enjoy hugging him, now I'm not so sure which one is more huggable. George is taller, I like tall men, but I like William's cheeky grin and floppy hair. I bet George would look nice with a beard, he should give it a go.
I've made a little video to thank everyone who voted for my shed.
Next are some photo's I took from the TV screen while Paul backtracked and paused the recorded programme.
Someone asked about the William picture. I was asked to do that by Plum Pictures the film company, they thought it would be good fun. I didn't want to do it because I am not very good at faces, I am more a landscapes, trees and flowers stitcher, but I said I would give it a go. I have added some stitching but it needs a lot more. If it gets finished it won't look like William, because I can't do faces. I am thinking of making it into a 'Wanted', poster, more of a joke that a portrait.
The ones with the blue button at the bottom of the screen are those that Paul took with his phone.
I must say that the Summer House/Beach Hut looks magnificent on a large flat screen. The colours were dazzling.
And this is what I won. A plaque which is now in my kitchen front window for the time being until I can decided where to put it permanently. Note the red lettering, I am customizing it. The dark letters are a bit boring, a touch of paint will brighten it up.
A perfect rosette in pink.
And a mug for my morning coffee.
Ooooh William, I didn't know you cared.
He's gone, I am alone once more. It was nice while it lasted.
That's it, it's all over.
Cheers, thanks to Janet and Paul, my best friends in the village.
When I stood on the stage at the end as George was about to announce the overall winner I knew it wouldn't be me. I built mine in about six weeks, some of them had taken a lot longer, and had a lot more work and detail in them. There were far better sheds than mine. West Wing was a very worthy winner, I loved his eco shed with the secret door. So pleased that Oliver's shed on the allotment won his category. I liked Povero, the artists massive shed with all his artworks. I liked the home made sheds the best, those that had been built from scratch by one person.
What next? Oh, I'll find something else to do. I've got four spare doors out the back and two pieces of poly roofing plastic, might build an extension. I'm pleased that so many people have been inspired by my 'have a go', outlook on life. It's true, you don't need loads of money to have a good life. The only limitations are those you impose on yourself. Have a go, and let's see more ladies in Shed of the Year, next year.
Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Have a nice weekend. Toodle pip
Hello. Hugh Fearnley Whotzisname is on the warpath again with another programme on his War on Waste. (Available on iplayer for 29 days). He certainly knows how to fight battles with big corporations which don't want to listen . He goes on the warpath with a megaphone, on the top deck of a double decker bus in London, yelling at the customers who dare to cross the threshold of one of the big coffee shop chains, spreading the message that the cup they are lovingly nursing is not recyclable.
I don't get this walking around with a cardboard cup of coffee. Don't people get a drink at home before they leave? Don't they get one at work, it's easy to put the kettle on. Don't they get a lunch break where they can sit down for ten minutes in a cafe? Don't they know that there is such a thing as a flask to carry a hot drink in their bag? Are people so addicted to coffee that they must have one close by in case they suddenly keel over with exhaustion?
Millions and billions, and trillions of coffee cups are binned every day. The plastic coating on the inside means they cannot be recycled. There is only one place in the UK which has the facilities to do this, and none of the big coffee chains send their waste cups there. New ones cannot be manufactured using recycled cardboard, they have to be made from brand new trees. Such a shocking state of affairs.
If you do have a used coffee cup you could always do what I did with this coca cola cup I found on the street in the gutter. Turn it into something pretty. I did this for an exhibition at the Arts Centre a few years back, I still have it.
I watched the shed programme last night on catchup at 9.30pm, my very brief appearances lasted nano seconds, blink and you missed me.
Right, got to get off this computer and go to town. Run out of Ultima cat food again. Think I'll take the trolley and load it up. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.
Hello. Not long now to wait for Cuprinol Shed of the Year coming on the telly.
It will start on Friday 29th July at 8pm on Channel 4. There will be four programmes over four weeks. Each programme will feature two of the eight categories, four sheds in each category. At the end of each programme two winners will be announced.
My summer house/beach hut will be on the last programme scheduled to go out on Friday the 19th of August, so we have a bit longer to wait. At the very end of the last programme the overall winner of Shed of the Year will be announced.
If you watch all the programmes you will see me popping up in the audience, this is what I was wearing.
During the four weeks I will be publishing some of the photo's I have of the two filming sessions, so watch this space. It was fun to do, lots of fun ahead, not long now to see the results.
Enjoy your Sunday. Thanks for popping in. Thanks for all your comments on the health post, worth going back for another look because new comments came in this morning. Toodle pip
Hello. I found these chairs in a skip last week, people moving house, they didn't want them. One of the seat cushions had a split in it. No bother, stick a piece of black tape over it, then cover them both. Polish the chrome, and they look like new.
The fabric was a dress that my friend gave me. I tried it on but it didn't suit me. It's ideal for jobs like this, it's stretchy so it fits the seats perfectly.
Remove seats, cut a circle bigger than the seat. hem it all the way around and thread elastic through it. Screw seats back on. Will find a new home for them.
I went to the 20 21 Arts Centre today, they have a new exhibition, some amazing sculptures made entirely of felt. I'll post some picture next week.
Off to do my walk now. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
Hello. Look what I've got in the back of my car, four solid wooden doors with all the glazing intact. There is a man doing a house up on the route I walk, he previously gave me some bricks. I don't see him that often because he has always gone by the time I get there, but yesterday I went earlier and he was filling a skip with mostly rubble. I stopped to chat, and have a nosy at what he was throwing away. Well I couldn't let these doors get chucked, could I? There is nothing wrong with them, and surely I could find a use for them. Me being an expert builder with doors, ha ha.
So, they are stored at the back of the garage, covered over with plastic sheeting, until I can think of a project for them. Hhhhmmmm, I have two plastic roof panels spare, maybe I could add a veranda to the summer house, that's a thought.
He also gave me these tall slim metal shelving units. I like these, they could be placed side by side or used singly. They can go outside or inside. I will think of a use for them, or give them away.
I just had to rescue Mr frog and Mrs Hedgehog before they went in the skip. A scrub up and a coat of paint and they'll have a new lease of life, in my garden.
It's been a good day for freebies. I think I'll ease off collecting for the time being, I've got enough projects to keep me going. I am scoffing a plate of steamed veg as I type. I have to get ready to go out shortly, I'm doing a WI talk tonight, got to entertain the ladies. I'll say cheerio for now and we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
Hello. It's a bit blustery today, but as yet, no rain. I have just eaten this happy meal, so I am very happy now. The face is a cheese and onion bake, two in a packet for £1 from Tesco. I didn't bake it, I grilled it. Fridge almost empty again so I'll nip to town this afternoon for a top up shop.
I thought I would get my three miles done early today in case the weather turns nasty. Half way round something stopped me dead in my tracks, a skip was being loaded outside a house, the occupants are moving on. Had to have a nosy. Two chrome bar stools snaffled, and a wooden picture frame. The stools will be cleaned up, seats re covered, and I will find a good home for them. I will remove the picture, it is a bit grubby, sand the frame and paint it for my own use. Quite a good find I thought, I like skip diving. I was reluctant to dig any deeper into the rubbish because there was a strong stink of dog poo, yuk, it was 'orrible.
I need to finish off my walk now, as I made a diversion back to the house to get my car and pick up the chairs. I need to go and do a bit of shopping in town, then have a bath, and tonight I need to be at Radio Humberside studios in Hull for 9pm. No, I'm not on the radio, they are going to link me up with a TV station in Australia for an interview on their morning programme, Sunrise. They originally asked if I could do it at 11.30pm so it would match up live with them, they are 12 hours ahead. I said no, too late, so they are recording it an hour or so before it is due to go out.
Right better crack on, things to do. Thanks for popping in, have a good weekend.. Toodle pip
