Totally plastered ...

After a busy week myself with one thing or another, constantly saying "tomorrow i'll go down to see the plasterers at the cottage",  - they were so quick in plastering Crafty Cottage that they had finished before I had The Chance (excuse the pun!) .....

It's looking great, and all we have to do now is wait for things to dry before we can crack on with things!

Bedroom ceiling

Bedroom view to front

  

Paul and I called in this morning, to take a few measurements and to see how things were looking.  When we  arrived home, Rob my "shabby sheek" man arrived to paint the dressing table, - before and after photos below:

Top already sanded, but will give you an idea of  "before"

"After" - although the stool will have William Morris Strawberry Thief Fabric eventually
(even caught Rob in the mirror !)

  

Work scheduled for next week will be fencing to the garden area, and finishing off the riverbank.  With the stud wall for ensuite to be built next weekend hopefully.

Looking forward to making a start on the garden, which will take inspiration from

the Arts and Crafts "white garden" at Hidcote.

-S-

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Pre-plastered ..

Saturday ..... another great day weather wise, - and Paul had arranged to meet up with Max and Tom down at the site to get as much prep done as possible to help the plasterers who are due next week.

Once my lovely B&B guests had enjoyed breakfast, and headed off for the day ("Hello Melanie & Paul :-)  I hot footed it down to the red telephone box opposite Sheep Street, spun around a few times and turned into "Blog Woman!"

Once at Crafty Cottage, the camera came out and I am very pleased to announce it is now beginning to resemble a real house now just as much on the inside, as it does on the outside !

The Lounge

The Loo

It's great to see the place really starting to take shape now,  - and the sun was pouring in through the window ... things couldn't have been any better!

   

When I arrived, everyone was upstairs placing insulation between the ceiling beams, two further beams have been added more as a decorative feature to frame the all important chandelier ! ... 

It was hot, and very dusty up there, - so I felt another trip to the Campden Pantry was in order (sorry Butty's, but you were shut!)  to get coffee and cakes!  .... after a short coffee break work continued upstairs so I made a swift exit feeling decidedly "in the way" and not wishing to hinder progress !

  

Things outside looking good too,  -  the new riverbank wall looking great so far...

 

Looking forward to calling into the cottage again next week for the plasterers to pose for a photo! :-)

I had parked my car on the High Street.  Campden is quite busy again today and walking back I called into the Town Hall, where Campden Market was in full swing, (held 2nd Saturday of the month) saw a few friends, had a nice chat etc...  even bought a jar of Chilli Jelly "homemade by big Jo" .. yum yum

for future reference,    next dates of the Market :

13th July

 10th August

 14th September

 12th October

 9th November

 6th/7th December (Christmas Market)

I'm hoping future guests at Crafty Cottage will visit the Campden Market and stock up on lots of locally home made goodies to enjoy during their visit.

-S-

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Sun, Stone & ..... Stags !

What a beautiful day!  the sun shining and for once, ...at last ..  we have had a lovely bank holiday weekend! ...

Once our lovely B&B guests left after a hearty breakfast, to further their travels around the UK, - Eilis and Matt heading towards Ironbridge,  and Suzette and Jim onto York  - Paul and I drove off in the direction of Cotswold Reclamation, - Little Rissington, - a mind boggling world of old and new stone, and all sorts of things to inspire us with the decoration & finishing touches of Crafty Cottage!  ....  this is my kind of place :-)   .....

.... perhaps we should change the name to Skyfall ??!

I want the lions, the pillars .... I want I want ! .......

      

I just had to relax, and kneel on the nearest table :-)   !

We were supposed to be looking for stone to finish off the top of the river bank wall,  undecided about things my mind couldn't help but wander away from Cotswold Stone options, and inside the Aladins cave of bits and pieces!  -  not too much Arts and Crafts it has to be said, - but nevertheless I did enjoy browsing around the different bits and pieces they had on offer.

Content with having just had a look around,  we decided to head off back to Chipping Campden, - to The Eight Bells for a sandwich and a pint!  ..... when we left the pub, the day was still glorious so we decided to head off to Dovers Hill a week ahead of the Cotswold Olympicks http://www.olimpickgames.co.uk/  .

It was a bit windy on top of the hill but it was a nice brisk walk mingling with the sheep !

  

Another great day,

Hopefully work continuing on the Cottage later this week.

Will keep you posted !

  

Today's blog dedicated to 

George who appears to be a regular follower of our Crafty Cottage blog

- it was nice to meet you in Joels the other night !

no doubt, - see you again soon !!

-S-

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Sure is some fancy dresser ...!

Rob, my lovely shabby sheek man came round today to tackle the oak dresser which I recently acquired "Flog it" style!  ...  for weeks it has been gathering dust in the garage, - and each time I have passed it en route to the chest freezer,  I have grown to love it more and more !!

I just had to take BEFORE and AFTER photos :

"Before"

"After"

Rob, - you are so clever ... it's lovely!

click this to visit Rob's facebook page

I know exactly where it will be placed in Crafty Cottage, - and can't wait to decorate it with lovely china !!

- ... meanwhile at Crafty Cottage..... -

The River Bank rebuild is coming along nicely,  - ... looking good guys!

Although, according to Paul the stonework is a lot higher than this now, - this photo was taken yesterday!

Today's blog is dedicated to

Nancy & Jane!
it was lovely to meet you both

thank you for your interest in the cottage

-S-

Messing about in the river !

Just got back from the cottage, - Paul and I had popped down to make a few decisions on plumbing and electrics - what was going where again etc!  -  this also gave us a good opportunity to take Max and Tom a coffee each (& cake of course!) for a well earned break as they had been down re-building the river bank most of the day.

.... and it's looking good :-)

 

 

The weather today is getting better and better,  - after a slow start, the sun appeared - and hooray, another dry day! which is great for the guys and doesn't hinder their stone laying.

Max holding the wall up !

Paul and I walked to the "One Stop" (120 steps from the front door of Crafty Cottage!!)

where the necessary daily paper & weekly lottery was bought!  -  handy tho for future guests at the cottage to buy provisions if they happen to run out of milk, bread, ... or heaven forbid wine!

- will be keeping you up to date with things of course! -

-S-

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It's electrifying!

We couldn't have chosen a better day for ARC to come to the cottage to begin "first fix electrics" ..... as it poured with rain for most of the day !  .. 

Things were happening pretty fast, and by the time I got down to the site there were wires all over the place ! ... coming out of the walls, and hanging from the ceilings...

Local electrician Paul Hopcraft was doing an excellent job (as usual!)

and I made him stop and pose for a "blog photo" !!

Other works were going on too at the site,  -  the trench for the gas supply had now been filled in, and a temporary gravel pathway now leads up to the cottage door, and to the rear of the other cottages.  

Repairs to the river bank wall were underway, but such a miserable damp day weather wise, - I was glad to head off home to search the internet for lighting ideas!

Will of course be keeping you posted :-)

-S-
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Apples & Pears now in plaice !

Paul and I managed to grab 10 minutes to zap down to the cottage - for me it was the first time i'd seen the staircase in situ, - very pleased it looks great!

It also gave us the opportunity to start planning electrics, - where to put what, and how etc....

Decisions made :  where TV going downstairs & upstairs ! (always a priority for Paul :-)
where to put the washing machine and dishwasher (sadly, always a priority for me :-(

Outside it's all dug up again, - with the gas being sorted out at the weekend.   - nothing much to report so just leaving you with some photos of the progress.

The perfect ceiling for a chandelier :-)

Landing window

Discussing where to put the bed !

Paul planning on spending some time at the cottage over the weekend hopefully, and fingers crossed Trude can visit on Monday to measure, - we may even have to discuss curtains over another pub lunch :-)

Will keep you posted !

-S-

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