garden update

as the jubilations and celebrations come to an end (apart from the Paralympics!) i finally bought something patriotic.  picked up this fab deckchair on sale in Argos (£17.99) today and spent a few hours in the garden reading in the sun...till it started raining...here we go again.  its good for the flowers tho.....

my Borage plants, grown from seed, are coming along nicely and i picked some of the lovely blue flowers today and popped them in an ice cube tray - apparantly they have a cucumber flavour so should be perfect for gin & tonics later!

couldn't resist a spoonful

and while the rain drizzled i ran inside to whip up a rhubarb and ginger sort of soft crumbly cake, which i'm looking forward to eating after my bowl of mussels. tonight i am rather spoiling myself it seems!

finally using [yet another useless thing i tend to buy] the silver mussel grabber!

garden update

Rose, pansies & sweat peas straight from the garden

the garden has been enjoing the sun as well...especially my sweat peas....fragrant and beautiful.

found a use for those lovely Pantone candle containers

and just a few shots of the old shed - which I painted last week - next i have to tackle the summerhouse!

painted the old shed (Dulux Seagrass)....and clearing out the summerhouse

decided to add some stripes....

my new pot (wraps round the drainpipe) from Homebase

 meanwhile the little stray (who is pregnant i'm sure now - even though she's only a kitten herself) is getting pretty agile and adventurous...and even ventured up to the backdoor today when i put her supper out - bless her heart. 

can i do it? yes you can!

great wall

the garden is blooming at the moment - have been cutting some lovely peonies and roses lately - long may they last.

my garden variety next to some shop bought!

i also managed to knuckle down and paint the nasty wall the neighbours re-rendered for me - a bit of a struggle on my own and had to be done in two goes...without the help of a tall person i had to resort to a wobbly ladder!

i've started so i'll finish....

all done...

and just before the grey rain-clouds come over!

just need to get the pots in place...looking much better our my side window though

decided to treat myself to a lovely new cocktail (roasted strawberry puree, gin & ginger - yumm!) which is delicious!

home made roasted strawberry puree

all the ingredients for a delicious summer cocktail

 meanwhile some latest mattress spottings....

just opposite the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn

and another one next door...Buckley Road NW6

Bolton Gardens, NW10 - just off the Rise

sent in by Luke - i could actually LIVE here quite happily!

off me rocker

how gorgeous are these fab rockers from oddlimited - i would soooo love to have one in my garden...even if it would look slightly out of place in mattressland...maybe i could make my own version out of abandoned mattresses and a few sheets fashioned into a tent...

wobbly weekend

the two Peter Pans...

Bart & his beatbox!

Tom & Bart...cutest couple!

met up with lovely Bart & Tom, over from Brussells for a weekend in London, on Friday evening for a picnic in Kensington Gardens.  lots of yummy grub from Whole Foods and a bunch of vodka cocktails later we walked over towards Regents Park (Bart drawing lots of attention as he was sporting my vintage yellow Roberts Radio, blasting tunes beatbox stylie the whole way) and for a few G&Ts at the artichoke on Albany Street - such a fun evening but i was seriously inebriated and had to cycle home! it was my 2nd or 3rd time whizzing round the Park's Inner Circle (and thinking how strange it was that there were so many white cars with only one rear light working parked there that night - till i twigged it was the same one every time) and seeing the BT Tower in front of me for the 3rd time that really hit home how drunk I was...oh dear!

spotted on my drunken cycle home - Arlington Road, NW10

on Saturday my mum and I made a trip to Ikea to FINALLY purchase my new kitchen - which should be delivered and installed within the next 2-3 weeks - very exciting.  i also managed to purchase two fab (& very cheap at £20 each) plastic garden chairs...which look more like teeth to me!  and spotted a mattress right opposite my house.

i call it....urban tooth decay...

opposite my front door on Park Parade, NW10

alfresco

 

 

with all the great weather we're having in London i'm feeling inspired by these beautiful  shots of outdoor living and alfresco dining from here and here....sigh.

 

nest

 

wow...check out this amazing nestrest (via lace & tea) - have your own personal hanging pod bird's nest...i want one!

shed-love

i am looking at sheds/summer houses/garden offices.  i desperately need an extra room for crafting, storing and just as a nice little suntrap to sit in during the summer months.  admittedly i am also thinking that various children of friends who come to stay would no doubt love to camp out in one (i might even be tempted myself if i get a nice comfy blow up bed!).  these are the faves i have found so far...decisions, decisions.

1. Windsor gardenroom shed combi
10'1  x 8'2 ft for £979

2. Billy-Oh Huntsman Log Cabin
11 x 9 ft for £999.95  

3. Billy-Oh Brighton Garden Office
11 x 9 ft for £999.95

4. Billy-Oh Paris Garden Office
11 x 9 for £849.95

5. Billy-Oh Sportsman Log Cabin
11 x 9 ft for £849

 

 i am more inclined towards the more contemporary Windsor (1) but it may not actually be large enough...tho it does have that nifty little side shed!  HELP!

shed inspiration

am thinking about a little shed/studio in the garden and this one on stilts is adorable...it is kinda like a tree-house - spotted via studio g

heart hose

from here

shed-love

i am thinking of getting a shed in my garden...something that can be used as a spare room when rugrats come to stay, but mostly as a little craft room to do my doodlings and fiddlings.  check this beauty out (seen via bliss), not technically a shed i know, but the sort of thing i would LOVE...i think however it's more likely to be something like this.