Friday 7 June 2013

Thank you... and a vintage garden tutorial! Not something you come across every day!!!!

Goodness thank you so much for all the entrants to the giveaway - I am genuinely surprised and thank you for kind comments.  I will let it run until next week and then do the Grand Draw! 

 So behind with blog visiting and predict that work will be the priority until August then a little breather.  I got the job that I had an interview for the other week and I was pleased with that as they were interviewing 210 people for a number of posts....a sign of the times.  I have a patchwork of different jobs that only I can keep tally of and understand the differences between....I get a bit mixed up sometimes.

On to matters of a gardening nature today - I take more photographs of the garden than anything else I think and could happily open up a gardening blog!  It is a teeny garden but there is a lot packed into it (there's a surprise...).

 So sometimes you wake up and think: "What I really need today is an nice old cold frame".  It is  funny how our minds work isn't it.  

If today is your day of cold frame needage this is how to make one (sort of - lacking some details that I was not privy to):



 First find an old window frame - I found ours behind a bush in the garden......truth be known we had placed it there our very selves several years previous.....I initially picked it up from a skip whilst walking the children home from school several years before that! Phew!!!  I remember very clearly it being tricky as I had to hold school bags and the children's hands but NOTHING would make me leave this window behind.

Sometimes it takes us a while to get round to making things



 After that bit of effort window foraging take a break and have a cup of cha....because you're worth it




Then gird your loins and sand the aforementioned window frame down (if your other half is not watching avoid this step....sadly other half was watching so I was FORCED to sand....I don't like sanding).

I did not take sanding photographs.


Eye up potential spot for mini cold frame...see....that space J_U_S_T there.  If short on space (cough, cough) just budge a few things up....and then budge up a bit more....keep budging until budging process is complete and no pins can be placed between any items.  Stand back .... take a good look at the space and consider if more budging could be done....one more budge should do it I think...

"To think that only the other week she was spouting on about how she was a 'lah di dah minimalist'...now she is  'Chief Budger Upper' "

 Wait patiently whilst other half goes to the cellar and spends a BIT OF TIME making the cold frame frame (out of a bewildering array of wood off cuts - bits of skirting board, old shed components and skip forages).  Other half complains a little bit about the amount of stuff in the house but you should see his wood collection!!!  Mind you next to water wastage wood wastage is on my list of things that I cannot bear.  You too?  Well, come on round and we can trawl through skips pulling out bits of PERFECT wood - why do people throw it away!  I once offered my services to the council: give me a van for a day and I will garner enough  'thrown away stuff'  to furnish a flat....no takers sadly.

Venture into cellar - pretend not to huff at the delay -  busy yourself  finding half empty tin of paint ready to paint the thing (if other half is not watching avoid the undercoat - sadly other half WAS watching so forced to paint undercoat - I do not like undercoat)

I have no undercoat or painting photographs...because they were NOT worth it..


Search around for a suitable handle for lifting lid to cold frame (note how very carefully I have painted the frame....it takes years to perfect this particular technique...)

Then you do your 'ta dah' moment...


Remember to take quite a few photographs of the same thing as you are so chuffed





Please do a bit of arty arranging....


And a bit more...


"For a teeny garden you seem to have a lot of watering cans........"

Ahem!!!!





These are rescue plants.  Do you do that: rescue plants that are being sold off in B&Q for pennies because they are on the brink of extinction?  Dom bought these pots of scabious home triumphantly - 20p and all they needed was a bit of dead heading and WATER (have B&Q not learnt that yet). I know that some people rescue donkeys and if I had acreage I would be rescuing donkeys too - in the interim scabious will have to suffice









Since making this other half has made some adjustments to design - reduced the drainage 'slope' bit in front, drilled water drainage slots and changed the handle.  I might paint a different colour too....apart from that it is good to go for next year (a bit late for this years seedlings).



Oh dear - watering can'itis...




I have heard that some people have large, expensive, gas fired barbecues....for years we have used this old stove with a bit of chicken wire on top....

I love my Eno....


Seeing the photograph below I think that I will get out a razor blade and scrap some of the excess paint off...maybe other half was right.....


What a great word 'budge' is!

Tra la la
Fiddle de dee
'Budge' is the word of the day
For you and me!

PS: Cycling to work yesterday on my old bike (hard going even on the flat but the bike looks lovely so that's what counts) - I was cycling away from the sea front but traffic was pouring in.  BBC Antiques Roadshow was in town yesterday - finished work and pedalled like the clappers to the venue to check out the queues.  A few thousand had turned up...so I popped home and waited for the children to finish school.  As the venue only takes five minutes for us to walk to we could trot round at our leisure and by then there was practically no queue at all, waited about 20 minutes I think.  Fiona Bruce is unexpectedly tall but apart from that no other great surprises.  We had people that the children recognised from the telly saying that my little item that I took along was very nice (worth about £200 so not retiring just  yet....) and then several others came over chatting about various things.  A bit of fun for the end of the day.  Not forgetting the significance of yesterdays date (which is why the BBC had chosen our locale)  and I would usually visit the Local D-Day museum

54 comments:

  1. I love, love, love, everything...and that is all :-) xx

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    1. Hello - sorry only just realised that I had not replied to the comments here.
      Thank you for calling in and kindness - always appreciated
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  2. *chuckle* We firmly believe that my father in law is part squirrel / part beaver as he simply cannot walk/drive by a bit of timber either!
    I think you and Dom need to do a little telly series...a bit of the Good Life ala La Custards stylee {please no basket dipping craft though}
    Your garden looks amazing
    Nicky
    x

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    1. Now that sounds like a good idea - we love the Good life and Dom is always whistling - the children have always said that he is just like Tom, always cheery.
      Rest assured that there will be NO basket dipping!
      Thank you Nicky
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  3. Nothing would make me leave that window behind either! Love your little cold frame esp. the handle, worth the effort.

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    1. It has taken a while to doing something with it but it looks nice enough not
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  4. The most perfect ever coldframe......if I had an old window, that's what I'd do! Bet you can't do that with an old upvc one! :) x

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    1. Indeed - plastic is just not the same.
      Thank you as always for calling in
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  5. Love the cold frame. Luckily (or unluckily for minimalists) my hubby has more than one window lying around. Another for the to do list. The tea/coffee pots reminded me of a stall I saw recently where the lady drilled holes in stainless steel tea pots and planted them up. I've been looking for nice shaped pots since (no luck yet) but another on the to do list!

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    1. There is always another 'to do' thing isn't there....the list grows daily!
      All the best with the tea pot search
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  6. So pretty!! Love your stories on how to do things!! They crack me up, and so true!!! haha. What a lovely space you have there!! That is a gorgeous window! Have a very happy weekend!!! ps. love your new header too!! xo Holly

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    1. Aww - thank you Holly and thank you for your kind words
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  7. This is such a good idea, I have an old window frame that would be ideal though I doubt I'll get round to doing it any time soon! Do please share more garden photos, Your garden looks lovely!

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    1. I have just popped round and looked at your garden - very nice. Our garden is small but quite purdy - we have builders in at the moment and yesterday they were saying how purdy it was! Who knew!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  8. That's the cutest cold frame I ever did see. My Dad made me a huge cold frame years ago, unfortunately it had to be demolished to get the mini off the top of it that my husband had managed to roll off the driveway... a very long story. :)

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    1. Oh dear - I do hope that you can make another
      We used to have a bigger one in our old house but we had to downsize gardens...
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  9. 'At Home with the Custards' Thursdays at 8.00pm, Channel 4...I'll be watching! EE xx

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    1. Would you please come and do a guest spot?
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  10. Perfectly stylish cold frame - Krusty Whatcherslops would be soooo impressed. Philippa xx

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    1. This made me laugh Philippa - watch this space as I am sure that she will be moving into gardens next!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  11. Congrat's on getting the new job Jenny..
    I love your "make do" cold frame..Fin made me one this spring from skip throwaway's, not as pretty as yours, but he made a good effort bless him.
    the Sun has got his hat on
    enjoy!
    Thea x

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    1. Thank you Thea - fear of the workhouse makes me apply for all sorts!
      I am sure that your cold frame is lovely - this one is very small

      Sun taken its hat off today....
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  12. Lovely ... I am very taken with the rescue plants ... I have an image in my head of them shouting 'Help me, please help me' at kindly gentlemen with 20p burning a hole in their pocket ... wishing you a sunny weekend ... Bee xx

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    1. Indeed Bee - it is a bit like something in the charity shop that is also only 20p....
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  13. Über smashing, that frame and a very entertaining tutorial. I'd love to rescue plants and in fact was in B&Q this week, looking for little plants and indeed there was a bunch of bedraggled and woebegone specimens hiding on the racks ad I was all for buying them but hubby was tres dubious and muttered about 'strange diseases' invading our greenhouse so it was a no-go. Drat.

    Cracking about your new job!

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    1. Thank you wendz - I too am wary of beetles and bugs lurking in strange pots so I inspect them carefully before planting. Bring all waifs and strays my way!
      Thank you re: job - fear of the workhouse makes me apply for all sorts. Daft really
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  14. What a lovely garden - love the cold frame. Rescue plants - I never bother as I don't hold any hope of reviving them but I think I will change my mind now. Good luck with the new job. Liz xx

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    1. Thank you kindly Liz - water is often all that is needed!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  15. Your cold frame is beautiful!!! prettiest I have ever seen. Congrats on the new job too!

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    1. Thank you for kind words - it turned out well
      May have bitten off....
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  16. Well now, that must mean that you live in my neck of the woods! I grew up in Havant, all my family live in the Portsmouth area. If only I'd know Southsea was so good for skip treasures, i'd have moved back home years ago!

    The cold frame is both beautiful and clever, and so much better than the piece of tat I bought in b&q this year for way too much money. x

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    1. Dear Gillian - I have not been to Havant for a while but here is a post about someone who works in a charity shop there!http://thecustards.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/if-you-dont-have-southend-tea-toweland.html
      There is rubbish...I mean quality items...to be found everywhere!

      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  17. Clever you Jenny. The cold frame is fab! I once fashioned one from an old drawer and a bit of plastic, it looked hideous, so much so Tony popped out one weekend and bought me a brand new one.Truth be told I think he was embarrassed by my makeshift one!! Still I wasnt complaining.I think your garden looks great, it is something like what I would have expected-full but full of beauty!!

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    1. That sounds a great idea Anne - I am angling for some shelves to be put up in the garden to I can really bring the inside out!!
      Thank you for kind words (builders are repointing the house at the moment so not so nice today!)
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  18. Your garden looks as delightful as your home. The cold frame looks amazing. I will have to start looking at for all windows now! I heard bits of the Antique Roadshow on Radio Solent I was wondering whether I would suddenly hear you showing one of your great finds!
    Sarah x

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    1. Thank you Sarah - that is sweet of you. I shall keep all windows I spot so if you ever need one...
      AR was a bit of fun and only round the corner as you know
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  19. My dear Jenny what a superb post,your beautiful cold frame quite bought a tear to my eye and your garden is just gardelicious!!The blue paint is my favourite colour and that handle,beautiful,congratulations on the new job,you're one in a million,not just 210!And to mention the FAB.Antiques roadshow at your end of post how exciting!Also one cannot have enough watering cans old teapots jugs etc in ones garden!!I do so look forward to your posts,I don't get out much you know!!(Only jesting!!)Have a great weekend hope it's a sunny one,'bye for now Pam.

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    1. Dear Pammo - sorry for the delay in replying. I do like a watering can and many of these came from the dump at our old allotment!
      Have a lovely holiday
      best wishes
      Jenny

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  20. Oh I'm in love with your cold frame and I too rescue plants. Our local Homebase sells off wilters every Thursday!

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    1. I love that you call them wilters - I may have to adopt that phrase if I may
      Thank you for calling in
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  21. Another plant rescuer here, which is ridiculous really because I suspect my garden is smaller than yours, I end up giving most of my restored flowers away. Love the cold frame!

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    1. It is difficult to see them there just in need of water isn't it. Our garden is smaller than a Chelsea show garden...
      Thank you for calling in Annie
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  22. Coldframe envy.... it's wonderful and so you Jenny. Love your collection of watering cans along with your rescue plants which look very healthy now :)
    x

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    1. Thank you as always Barbara - I have some other watering cans...little children's ones... oh dear...
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  23. The cold frame is great, I do love the blue of that and your chair - painting I can do, gardening, not so much!

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    1. All sorts of odd bits of paint used here and there. Gardening is time consuming but worth it I think
      Thank you for calling in
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  24. Love all the blueness of your garden, and the coldframe is wondrous fair!! Have to laugh at all your fun comments - what a delight it is to visit you this morning (6:17 a.m. here in Hawaii)! Aloha with hugs, Ann

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    1. Aloha Ann - how lovely of you to call round
      Thank you for kind words
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  25. oh i love this, you are inspiring and had a little chuckle as well...of course you need at least 78 watering cans especially for a little garden x

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    1. Hello and welcome - indeed (I may have 79...ho ho)
      Thank you for calling round
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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