Shed Building Plans: spring

Showing posts with label spring. Show all posts

Early Spring Garden

We've had such an early spring this year - I LOVE it!! I was able to get out and begin my new beds and landscape plans at the beginning of April. I still have a long way to go, but this photo-heavy post is full of my new plants and plans!

Early Spring Garden

In the Spring Garden

It seems like forever since I've been in my garden, but Spring has returned!!!! Every weekend has been rainy so last weekend and this weekend I darted in and out between rainstorms to get the work of cleaning up the yard done. Come visit with me!

In the Spring Garden

Spring Cycling Update

Well warmer weather has finally come and its about damn time. The cold was starting to effect my mood. But all is good now. The days have gotten longer and Ive been out a few times on my bike and even back to steady commutes on the Ti General Purpose bike.

The winter seemed extra long this year not only because of the bitter cold but late last year I upgraded a couple of my bikes rider interface components and hardly had a chance to enjoy them. I was anxious to put some time on the Brooks B67 and really test it out so when the first warm day came around I took off on the bike trail. I did encounter a few icy spots but most of the trail was dry and I logged 33 miles in two and a half hours.

My Brooks saddle continues to amaze me. It just seems unbelievable that a bike seat can be so comfortable. I hit the trail after two months of not even touching a bicycle and sat for hours with absolutely no discomfort. Dont worry though Im not giving up on the recumbent.

I picked up some new tires during the winter for the Ti GP bike. These Michelin slicks are a tenth of an inch narrower than the old rubber I was running and much lighter. My old tires were durable yet heavy and made the bike feel sluggish but as the years past I just got used to it.

1.40" equals out to about 36mm and on my old 26" mountain bike rims they seem to be a perfect balance between comfort and speed. Im happy with the ride quality and the snappier acceleration from lighter tires is very welcome. They are folding bead and only set me back about forty bucks.

When I got the Bosco bar I wrapped the exposed alloy with old fashioned cotton bar tape. The tape has a little strip of adhesive on the backside just like modern bar tape to hold it in position. I learned that back in the day cyclists would mix up a little shellac and coat the tape once their bar was wrapped. At first I liked the cloth look and just left them as is.

After some time went by I noticed the cotton was starting to fuzz up a bit and maybe starting to lighten just a touch. It was staying tight but the more I thought about the shellac the more I realized it might be a good idea to slap a little on the tape. At the local hardware store I picked up this little pint of premixed clear shellac. Nice! I didnt even have to mess with the raw flakes and denatured alcohol.

I used a foam brush to dab it on. At first the cotton really soaked it in and once dried the appearance hadnt changed a whole lot. After a few days I put on a second helping and the wrap picked up a little more gloss. Now it look great but best of all the the fabric wont fuzz and those wraps will definitely stay tight.

Its been raining all week but the weather is looking up for the weekend so Ill be out there for sure.

Spring Cycling Update

Two New Rose China Necklaces Hurry Up Spring!

Hurry up Spring...were getting antsy here in Pennsylvania!

In the meantime, here are some Spring-inspired roses...

What do you think?

Want to learn to make your own broken china jewelry?

Then check out my new book!

Two New Rose China Necklaces Hurry Up Spring!

The Perfect Commute Show Garden for Malvern Spring Festival 2015

Almost certainly the most shedworkingy of this years show gardens will be The Perfect Commute, designed by Deborah Bird from Beholders Eye at this years Malvern Spring Festival. Heres how she described what looks like a must-see garden specially for Shedworking readers:

"The Perfect Commute is being created for a designer who runs a consultancy from their home. They have allocated a space at the end of their garden for their working area. The design is to be imagined as part of a larger space, sectioned off with a low boundary to demarcate the area from the rest of the domestic garden. It has a sheltered indoor working area in the form of a building being supplied by The Posh Shed Company. This is mirrored by a sunken seating area for relaxing and meeting clients. The garden is bounded by Jacksons Venetian fencing, sat on top of steel gabions which will be backed with natural materials.

"A focal point of the design will be a metalwork sculpture by Paul Margetts, a sculptor from Worcestershire. This piece is called ‘Focus’ and will be positioned in a raised bed and surrounded by multi-stem birch trees and soft planting. Throughout the design, planting has been chosen for year-round structure with an emphasis on spring/summer flowering specimens for the show.

"The design was inspired by a desire to minimize the daily commute, an escape from rush hour queues and the encasement of fluorescently lit office blocks. (Truth be told, it’s me building my own personal fantasy)."

Inspiration for some of the design elements is detailed on a Pinterest page set up by Deborah and she will be writing a blog during the build and run up to the show. The garden also has a twitter page @perfect_commute

I know there are many of you who like a full breakdown of garden details so here it is:

Designer:
Deborah Bird, Beholders Eye, Birmingham, 07931 728 007, beholders_eye@outlook.com
Diploma in Garden Design (Pickard School of Garden Design) | MA in Garden Design (Staffordshire University)
Previous awards: 2 x Bronze Medals at Malvern Autumns Shows; 2 x Silver Medals at Malvern Spring Shows and one ‘Best Border in Show’

Sponsors:
The Posh Shed Company, Eardisland, Herefordshire
Paul Margetts Sculpture and Metal-Work, Belbroughton, Worcestershire
Jacksons Fencing, Ashford, Kent
Nature First, Down Hatherley, Gloucester ----------------------------------------------------

Wednesday posts are sponsored by The Stable Company®, the UKs premier supplier of garden offices and garden rooms. Click here

The Perfect Commute Show Garden for Malvern Spring Festival 2015

Im Hibernating til Spring

Do you feel like that too? I just want to hole up until Spring arrives again!! So since I haven't been able to pull myself together to write up all the projects I've done, please enjoy this photo post of my Sunday afternoon.

My Mountain Ash has been full of robins this fall. It's a small tree but there are at least 10 - 20 birds sitting in it whenever I go outside!

Im Hibernating til Spring

Spring Spruce Up De greening my kitchen

Maybe I do have some crazy disorder because I change my mind so much it is ridiculous. Like when I am at a Cheesecake Factory where it takes me forever to order. Sometimes, it is painful for me to make a decision.

A few years ago, the catalog pages of Ballard Designs and Pottery Barn were full of the bright green and black trend and I thought it was SO cool.

Source: Be colorful.

Source: Apartment Therapy

So, I painted my kitchen bright green (Aubusson vine - Dutch Boy paint) and accented with black and white harlequin and damask patterns. Dont get me wrong, I loved it! But about ten minutes after it was all done - you know that moment when you sit back and look at what you have done and you are SO happy to have the project complete - I looked at my sister and said, "How pretty would this be painted blue". Seriously, I did. I am a "BLUE PERSON". For my sister and Mom, they love green. Here is the kitchen as it is now.

I hate the white ceramic floor but for now - due to financial constraints - it needs to stay. I think I will paint the table completely black and get rid of the brown wood surfaces. Maybe some chair covers for the stools - stenciled for a fresher look for the summer.

Fast forward a few years and I am going to try to spend the next week painting my kitchen blue. I am looking for a very light and airy grey-blue, sky blue, a very soft blue color. I do love my kitchen but it seems so well, black and white. I need some grey areas in my life, and I crave a softness. Here are my inspiration photos (sources can be found on my Pinterest boards):

I love the oversized lantern light!

Such a pretty space - reminiscent of the Somethings Gotta Give kitchen.

I want to paint my patio doors and window sill black! I love this look!

I like this wall color.

I am in LOVE with this backsplash!

Such a pretty room!

Hooked On Houses.net- SO PRETTY!

I have this exhaust soffit in the middle of the room. I think I am going to repaint the ceiling inside it and trim the rest of it out in bead board like the picture below.

I am excited about the change - especially for Spring! I know it will probably take a little more than a week but hopefully it will be one of my quicker projects. As long as it doesnt take me a week to pick out a paint color. :-) But I so know it will. LOL!

Spring Spruce Up De greening my kitchen