Lake View Lounge

At last Lake View lounge is (almost) finished

it has taken a VERY long time.

The upright beams were already there, I put the long beams along the ceiling.

I then put the flooring in. The next job was the chimney. I started with a cardboard template to get the cut out pieces around the beams right. The real thing was made with foam board, covered in plain wallpaper and sprayed white. 

The first attempt was a disaster, the large front piece warped and there were areas where the paper hadn't stuck down properly, you can just see the bubbles, so I made a second one. This time I papered both sides of the foam board to combat warping, and constantly smoothed the paper down to ensure it made contact all over

and added struts and supports at the back to give it more stability.

At last I was happy with it and started preparing bricks made from egg boxes.

I painted the various bits and then cut out the little bricks. It was fiddly but quite theraputic.

Having cut out the bricks I laid them out to arrange them by size and colour and then glued them to a piece of paper which is glued onto the wall of the room for the back of the chimney.

I did the same for the sides but they were glued directly onto the sides of the chimney because I was able to do that at my craft desk. I balanced the back piece so that I could align the back and side bricks in a straight line.

With a tiled hearth and a nice wooden beam mantlepiece

 the chimney was in place.

I love the little log burner

After putting the log burner in place the next job was the cupboards at the sides of the chimney. I forgot to take photos, each cupboard is made up of front, back, side and top pieces, and small pieces for detail.

The sofa was next

starting with these 4 components,

then covered the foamboard with plain white material.

Once again I forgot to take photos of the making of it until it was finished!

I used foam pieces for the cushions, the legs are cocktail sticks cut at an angle and varnished. This was the third attempt! and I'm super pleased at how it turned out.

How cute are these cushions.

I did make some but then saw these on ebay, I love them. 

The TV surround is a piece of card painted black, the image was printed off the web with a sheet of acetate over it, and a piece of card for the backing, and the stand is painted bits of wood. I bought the speaker dock.

I made the candles that sit on the hearth, which was tricky (and possibly dangerous!) by pouring melting wax into straws with a taper inside. I didn't burn myself.

I didn't make the very thin ones on the mantlepiece.

I found a video on youtube to make the log basket starting with a piece of card wrapped around circles cut out from a cereal box

  a piece of hessian glued inside, handles attached then string glued around the side. The logs are real bits of twigs from the garden.

I bought the log burner, the chair and stool, the console table, the coffee table, the lamp, plants, vase, the dollshouse and the rug. I already had some frames and printed the paintings from the web. I will add more pictures, and will make a Swiss cheeseplant. I'm also attempting to make a backgammon board! I've seen one online but it's been out of stock for ages.

The last item to put in place was this lovely crystal chandelier. I bought it at the Kensington Dollshouse Festival years ago with the intention of putting it in the lounge in dollshouse No. 2 - The Mansion House, but the room seemed too small for it so I put it away confident that one day I would find a room big enough for it, and here it is.

I have 3 favourites - the gorgeous little dolls house (I made the Keep Calm picture), the Tiffany lamp and the cat picture in the landing

The top landing was so much easier because I bought all the furniture. I made the HOME letters. The tall bookcase was a bit rough, it needed sanding and refining. It had been around for ages, I can't remember where it came from. I want to make some more books and pictures but my printer isn't working, I might have to get a new one.

Top floor before

and after

Now I'm working on the doors, windows and the roof. I was hoping to have it completely finished by Christmas but I'm not confident, I think the roof will be challenging.

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x 

It's Beginning to Feel Like Christmas

as our village pub switched on their Christmas lights yesterday evening. 

Mulled wine was being served at the door

the pub was beautifully decorated

the choir were singing traditional carols outside

and then modern Christmas songs inside

the tree looked lovely all lit up.

The pub was heaving

everyone was in a festive mood and thoroughly enjoying the evening.

🎄 Be safe and well🎄

Polly x 

St Andrew's Day

St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and the day is a national holiday for celebrating Scottish culture, history, and identity. According to one legend, the Pictish king Óengus II vowed to make Andrew the patron saint if his army was victorious in battle, which was granted after a sign of an 'X' shaped cross appeared in the sky, representing the cross on which Andrew was crucified. The date officially became a public holiday in 2006, encouraging a resurgence of national pride and celebrations involving traditional food, music, and dance.

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x 

Thanksgiving

 Happy Thanksgiving

Stir Up Sunday

This afternoon saw my village hall full of eager people ready for a Christmas pudding workshop. 

We were given a warm welcome with a glass of mulled wine and then found our seats. All we had to take was a bowl, a wooden spoon and an apron, all ingredients and full instructions were provided, with the organisers on hand to help if needed.

First were the dry ingredients

We had a break half way through for tea/coffee and a fun chocolate tasting. We were asked to vote for our favourites. We had a brussel sprout dark chocolate with a white chocolate filling, a tiny teddy milk chocolate and a gold coin chocolate. I voted for the brussel sprout and the gold coin. The results were - the brussel sprout (Aldi) was the favourite, the teddy (also Aldi) came second, and the gold coin (Cadburys) was last.

after the break we added stout, brandy and eggs

and after the flour was added it went into a bowl ready for cooking.

I will steam mine in the slow cooker tomorrow.

Quite a few children were enjoying it too.

The cost was just £15 for what I'm sure will be a delicious pudding and a lovely social occasion. A bargain.

 Be safe and well 

Polly x 

A Good Read

After The War is Over by Maureen Lee

Liverpool, 1945. Three women, firm friends, return home from the war and try to fit back into their old lives. They've been thrown together by the war, and have shared all sorts of good and bad times. Now their old lives seem dull in comparison. But not for long...

The younger women, Maggie and Nell, are both twenty-one and are full of hope and excitement. Iris, on the other hand, is feeling apprehensive about returning to civilian life. At the age of thirty, her only wish in life is to have a baby.

When one of the women falls pregnant it sets in motion a dramatic sequence of events so far-reaching that the three friends' lives will become more intricately interwoven than they could ever have imagined.

I enjoyed this, it's a very good story.

∼ Happy Reading∼ 

Polly x

Poppies On The Pier

Poppies on the Pier is the UK's largest Remembrance art installation, created entirely from handmade poppies donated by people from across the world. 
Throughout November Southend Pier has been transformed into a sea of red as thousands of knitted and crocheted poppies are installed along its full 1.33-mile length.

Each poppy has been crafted by volunteers, from local knitters and crocheters, and from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. Some ladies from my WI and craft groups knitted over 100 between them. 

I visited on Wednesday.

It was a lovely mild day and lots of people walked to the end of the pier but some of my friends have mobility difficulties so we all took the train 

We had fun with the distorted mirrors!

We had lunch, the weather stayed glorious and we had a lovely day.

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x 

A Good Read

The 24 Hour Cafe by Libby Page

Stella’s cafe never sleeps, it’s a venue for the lost and lonely, the early starters, the late finishers and the night owls, everyone is welcome, it’s a place where life can be put on hold at the door. The colourful London cafe is full of interesting characters, many of whom put on a good show of hiding their problems, as many people do, and using the cafe as a haven.

Running the café are Hannah and Mona, best friends, waitresses and dreamers, their small kindnesses make a difference to the lives that they briefly intertwine with, but they long for the chance to leave the café and follow their dreams. Hannah is a wannabe singer and Mona is a dancer.

I enjoyed the book and liked reading about the customer’s stories. I had to keep turning the pages to find out more about them.

∼ Happy Reading ∼ 

Polly x

Remembering

A Nice Place To Sit

I've been working at the hospital for 2 years now and have only just discovered this lovely area right outside the main entrance! I enter the hospital via the car park so haven't really taken much notice of it.

It's a nice place to eat lunch or just sit. I only work 4 hours so I don't always have a break but this morning a robust hot flush sent me outside to cool off and that's how I discovered it.

 So, now and again, when the sun is shining I will head over with a mocha to sit and enjoy the fresh air for a few minutes.

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x 

A Good Read

An Unwanted Inheritance by Imogen Clark tells the story of three siblings and a suitcase full of cash.

When their father dies unexpectedly, siblings Max, Ellie and Nathan can’t even contemplate emptying his house - not least because he spent his last decade curating what feels like a museum, so it is Max’s wife, Caroline, who offers to make a start and finds the suitcase under a bed.

The source of the money is a mystery to them all, and each has a strong opinion about what to do with it. Ellie and her husband James have an expensive lifestyle to maintain and could do with their share of the windfall - James in particular, for reasons he doesn’t dare reveal. Nathan can’t be trusted with money, as the others all know; he’s desperate to get his hands on some (or all) of the cash. But Caroline is the one guarding the suitcase, and she’s insisting to Max that they keep everything above board and take it to the police.

The siblings have always been close. But now, with this money threatening to topple everything they thought they knew about their father and their family, nothing seems certain.

The story is filled with moral dilemmas and explores relationships between the siblings, as well as the couples.

I enjoyed it.

∼ Happy Reading∼ 

Polly x

Halloween

Hall🎃ween in our village pub last night

There were witches - B, me and G

Draculas, brides of Dracula, some mad blood spattered doctors, a ghost, Frankenstiens, cowboys, skeletons

and a crazy guy with a hatchet in his head!

An excellent singer provided entertainment

(I even got up on the dance floor a couple of times!)

Everyone had a great time

∼ Be safe and well ∼ 

Polly x