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Thursday 28 July 2016

Kitchen and Bathroom Renovations

We moved into our home five years ago this Autumn. The house is big with large gardens but the kitchen is tiny. For a family of seven things were tight in the kitchen with two double floor units, 3 single floor units and one wall cabinet. We had to combine our washer & dryer and then all we had room for was a fridge freezer. The kitchen is accessible from the lounge which means that one wall in the small lounge can not be used due to it having two doors on it and then access to the electric/storage cupboard. I've never been happy with the kitchen layout and when I saw that my area was listed for a new kitchen I initially thought that due to the kitchen only being five years old that we would not be listed for a new one. So when we were offered a new kitchen and bathroom from the council we were rather happy. 
The kitchen in 2011
When the contractors came I was itching to be able to design the kitchen to make the best use of the space we have. I didn't think we would get much say with it being a council house, I thought we would get to choose a colour from a small selection and that was that. How wrong was I. Whilst talking to the design team they said we could have what we wanted(within reason of course) so when I asked if the door to the kitchen could be moved to the hall they said yes, no questions asked. Moving the door creates more space in the lounge and changes the kitchen into more of a galley kitchen.
We selected our colour choices, opting for ivory doors with an oak block worktop(I have dreamt of this kitchen for years). The flooring we have gone for a dark grey colour. I think a lighter colour would have looked more aesthetically pleasing however, from past experience light flooring does not look its best after it has be trodden on a few times with mucky feet from the garden. The vinyl floor tiles we currently have are a nightmare to clean and never come up nice after scrubbing and using a steam floor cleaner on them.  
With the kitchen chosen all that was left to do was wait and de-clutter the house. When speaking to the council they said it would be after Christmas before the kitchen would be fitted. Then a surveyor came knocking on the door to inform us that it would in fact be done in a few weeks, coinciding with when the children break up from school(talk about bad timing).
So with a rush of de-cluttering and finding places for everything out of my kitchen and bathroom I have been rushed off my feet. We have set up a small kitchen area in my hallway(thankfully the hall is large) and yesterday the contractors came to make a start. 

Day One
Kitchen and Bathroom Rip Out Day

We were warned prior to the work starting that when they rip everything out, back to the bare shell of the house it will not be a pretty sight. Due to the house being a pre-fabricated house and not a traditional built house the bare shell looks bad. I was actually eager to see how my home is built. The house shakes in strong winds, during the summer they are like greenhouses and in the winter they are as warm as a static caravan. But the sight that I was met with when I returned home yesterday was not as bad as I envisioned. I can now see why the upper floor creaks with every step. The small wooden baton on top of the metal floor joists creates the creaking noises. The insulation is not at its best either but considering the houses were not built to last they are doing pretty well. 


The bathroom is the same as the kitchen only if I stand on the bath(like all normal people do) I can see right outside and into the eaves of the house. I am sure the birds that were nesting there are not impressed and we will have a flurry of creepy crawlies move in but only one week to go before it is sealed back up again.

Today as I sit in waiting for the plumbers to arrive I shall be browsing online and making a shopping list of new items that I would like for my new kitchen. I think the only thing that will get me through the next few weeks of renovations is coffee and lots of trips out to burn off the children's energy.

Friday 8 July 2016

Hobbycraft Teepee Play Tent

A while back Hobbycraft kindly sent us a Teepee Play Tent for review. The teepee comes ready for you to decorate however you or your child wishes to do so. The only things you need is some materials and a little bit of imagination.
I pulled it all out of the box and inserted the wooden poles and tada it was up, in my living room I might add. Inside is where little lady spent the next few hours after collecting every stuffed toy she owns for a private tea party. I stared at the blank white canvas from the outside, little lady stared at it from the inside. Little lady wanted to paint handprints as shown on the box, little T recommended doing a minecraft theme but mummy2five won when I pitched my idea. I wanted a woodland theme. I pictured hedgehogs, foxes, owls and rabbits. Being a little bit crafty I had all sorts of materials and wool that allowed me to create a few little animals. But I wanted a special touch so I decided to look through clothes that had grown too small or baby clothing that I had saved from when the children were little. 

After creating templates I got to work cutting into the clothing whilst recounting great memories  from when they wore the clothes. A snip here and a stitch there and we had an owl. A little while later and Herbert the Hedgehog was created. Next was the rabbit and flower. I had found some bee appliqués and sewn a line of stitches to show where Billy the busy bee had flown from.

I had created two scenes and realised I had nothing to make a red fox out of so I am waiting for little lady to allow me to cut into one of her orange tops to create a red fox and a red squirrel. Trying to persuade a five year old that has somehow inherited your own stubbornness is no easy feat. 

In the mean time she wanted to play with her new teepee so out in the garden it went. Her and her two little cousins love it. Their own little den where their imaginations can run wild. It is one of the first thing little lady asks for me to pull out on sunny days. I am sure it will provide her with years of fun whilst providing me with great memories of the clothes she once wore.


Whilst I patiently wait for my daughter to lose a bit of stubbornness I made some bunting and a pillow for her teepee. Maybe I should admit defeat and buy some material for the fox.


The teepee is 140 x 120cm. The canvas comes plain ready for you to decorate however you wish and the quality of the canvas is great. I was impressed with the quality especially with the teepee only being £35. When your child is not using the teepee it is easy to fold up and store upright in a shed or even inside the house which is where ours is stored on rainy days. I would recommend the Hobbycraft teepee to family and friends, we loved decorating ours.

Disclaimer: I was sent the teepee for review. All opinions and images are my own.