My Creative Space

Hello again! I've been very excited at the prospect of making this post as it's about something dear to my heart which I've never mentioned before - my shed. It's popped up in the background of many of my garden photos over the last year. Here it is last May looking jaunty and blue in the sunshine, bunting gaily hanging along its windows. What you can't see and what I didn't mention is that inside it was a rather different story. I'll explain...

I used to make and sell jewellery and textile items at occasional craft fairs and online. All my craft equipment was stored in rooms around the house (mainly our bedroom and the dining room) and I when I wanted to make something I got everything out onto the dining-table and then cleared it away before we ate meals. With three children/teenagers in a busy house it wasn't ideal and I longed for a space of my own where I could keep and leave everything out without having to pack and unpack. 

The idea gradually came about that I would have a shed in the garden, a place where I could store my things and have everything to hand when I needed it. So we bought a shed with windows and a workbench along one side, tucked away in a corner of the garden that had been a rather dark patio behind the garage. I painted the walls bright blue, added some unused shelves, an old chest-of-drawers and a couple of chairs. I hung up bunting and had a lovely summer sitting in my little creative space making things (sadly no photos exist of it back then as it never occurred to me to take any!). However, as autumn arrived the shed became cooler and damper, so we decided to move some things back indoors - it would have to be a summer work space.

When the spring came I moved my things back in but after some stormy weather, water started to drip from the ceiling. Over time my shed became a mildewy, damp and leaky storage area and reluctantly we had to put it 'on hold'. With three youngsters growing up fast, it had become a low priority. However, this month we have finally had my shed repaired, re-roofed, vented and insulated. We've also had electricity put in, and a little heater which will help to reduce condensation. Here it is after all the repairs and insulation, dry at last!

You can see my tins of paint lined up, ready to be used.

I couldn't wait to get some colour on the walls and three coats of paint later I'm very happy with the result - a lovely pale blue. The colour's called 'Sky', and I find it so uplifting; definitely a happy colour for me. It's a much lighter shade than the one I originally painted it, and I think that most things go with it. I also found a carpet off-cut which we've had for a while and I tacked it into place, cutting it to fit.

I moved the shelves, chest-of-drawers and chairs back into place. Then bit by bit I carried everything back in again from the four corners of our house. The weather has been wonderful this week with warm sunshine and very blue skies, and it's been a pleasure to be out in the garden working on my shed transformation. At long last it's ready to use. Without further ado, here it is - ta dah! 

I am delighted to have my creative space back again and am so, so pleased that everything is in one place. I do feel very lucky indeed. I took these photos this morning in wonderfully warm sunshine, and have put up a swooshy, dangly door-curtain which keeps out bees and other flying visitors. The shelves now house my craft materials and equipment, and on the wall is a home-made gingham notice-board.

Below you can see Miss Blossom, my dress-maker's mannequin who used to display my crocheted brooches at craft fairs. I named her after Cassandra's mannequin in I Capture the Castle, my favourite novel.

The view from the window takes in the garden and bird feeders hanging on the cherry tree.

Here it is against that halcyon sky - what a perfect day! It makes me very happy to think that my shed is back in working order and that the spring and summer still lie ahead. I can't wait to sit out there with a nice cup of tea, pootling about and being creative.

Clover certainly seems to approve.

 I hope you've had the chance to enjoy some sunshine and find some creative space of your own this week x