Seashell Cottage and the new Florists

We were waiting for the postie this morning as its Bethany's 18th Birthday tomorrow so she was hoping for a few cards to be delivered and I had forgotten all about my new houses. I was expecting them on Monday so just hadn't thought anymore of it, so imagine opening the door and seeing him taking the parcels out the van I was just a bit excited lol she was like its my Birthday how come you get massive presents ha ha!

Anyway they were all unpacked and they have both made it in perfect condition which is just brilliant as I know what a nightmare it is to try and pack them! I have spent all afternoon upstairs playing with them today as I have promised tomorrow will be a dolly free zone! Seashell cottage is just the most adorable house Julie has such a wonderful knack of taking ideas and making them into reality they really are little dreams come true! It fits perfectly in the space and everything about it is just wonderful. I have just transferred the furniture from Seaview for now as I will be reusing most of it, it just needs to be distressed and made shabby to fit the style. But it looks pretty as it is for now. The bathroom is a little emtpy just borrowed the sink and toilet from Seaviews outhouse for now. Having real trouble finding a nice bathroom they are either cheap and cheerful or expensive Reutter I can't find anything in between so will hold out til I find the right one!

The flower yet which is yet to be named is just fab! I have as much fun with that as I have the new cottage. The bay window works just brilliant as it has lights in and a Valentines window display. I can change this for each occasion which will be great fun. The balcony is a fab addition and adds just a bit more detail. It looks so great sitting in the corner it was just such a brilliant thing to get done and I am so glad I asked Julie about my daft idea for just a front of a house lol again she took my idea and ran with it. Its def not a pub as the flower shop suits it just right!

 Hope you like the new village shots they do look so good altogether and have even decided not to sell Crabpot! I was so busy thinking it had to be part of the village I had overlooked it for another idea I had! I was thinking of getting the retreat from DHE to turn into a Christmas shop with Santas grotto upstairs when it suddenly dawned on me that Crabpot was a 2 story building just sitting there waiting for a purpose. I will change the blue paint not sure what to just yet but it will make a lovely Christmas shop! So glad I don't have to part with thank goodness it didn't sell on Ebay I would have been kicking myself!!!

First attempt at shabby chic!

Today I decided to have a go at turning something boring into a shabby chic piece as I am going to try doing this style in my new cottage, I thought I better see if I could even do it before getting too carried away!


I had a little bench I bought when I got my first cottage as I thought it had a shabby chic look to it but the colour never really fitted in anywhere so its been relegated to my spare bits draw. I seem to have gained a bit of confidence with making a few bits here and there so I thought I would have a go at giving it a revamp. I had some nice Fired Earth duck egg blue paint and the plan was to make it into a little bench to sit outside Seashell cottage.

I took the seat part off and recovered it with some nice patchwork fabric I had. I then gave it a coat of paint which when it was dry I gave it a light rub down. Its actually worked really well as the original gold colour has come through giving it a nice effect. I then made a few cushions just to finish it off and I have to say for a first attempt I am really pleased at how its turned out!

Its pictured here sitting on the new outside seating area for the icecream parlour. I repainted the fence in the nice blue paint and took off the grass 'carpet' and laid some wood effect vinyl tile. I marked this out in 1cm sections and drew them on with a black biro. I then rubbed at the lines with a babywipe to take off as much pen as possible so they lines were a bit more subtle. Its given the decked look I was after quite effectively. I have a couple of white wire tables and so I have just ordered some matching chairs and will see what other ideas I can come up with for decoration!

I thought I would also show you a couple of great Ebay finds I have just received. I have been after some chairs for the beach hut for ages and found these yesterday for £3 for the 2 and they look just perfect. Also I got this little brass mug stand with a bell on the top which I thought looked very nautical. It looks great in Lavender cottage just right for when Bob wants a night cap after a hard days fishing!!

Quayside is getting a new florists!

No pictures today just some village news! Been thinking all day about the new pub and just knew it didn't feel quite right. I have looked at the pic just a few times (ok more than a few!) and just could not think of what kind of shop it reminded me of. The pretty railings and style just looked to pretty and the more I looked the more I could see something else but couldn't put my finger on it. Then tonight I was talking to Bethany who just piped up with 'what about a flower shop!' Perfect!!!! It can lovely things for sale outside and lots of hanging baskets and flower boxes. Then each season like Valentines, Easter, Christmas plus things like summer weddings, new baby etc, I can have a different display in the window which will all tie in just perfect with my other shops. What a fab idea! Have so many plans my mind is as usual in mini overdrive and I just had to share the news! Now it just needs a name!!!!!!!!!!!

Babs Boutique has moved premises

Been thinking and staring at my village a bit today making plans for the cottage and the new village pub, although not totally convinced it will still be a pub at the mo not convinced it doesn't look 'too nice' to be smelly pub so am thinking it might be a nice chic seaside B & B but will wait til it arrives and see how it looks in place and its future will I'm sure be obvious to me then!

I moved the Harbour Hut into the village square which then gave me a garden area and that led to thinking it could be n nice outside seating area for the iceacream parlour if I moved it back into Barnacle cottage. This means I could then move Babs Boutique into Sweet Pea cottage which totally made sense as theres more room to spread the stuff out a little and it sits so much better is this cottage with the hairdressers upstairs, plus the window is perfect for a nice display can't see how I didn't think of it before!! I am still loving the bead curtain its one one my most fav Ebay purchases ever and matches the new decor perfectly! This is why I love my village so much its evolving all the time!!!

Hope you like the new look Boutique :-) just waiting on my wonderful signwriter to make me some graphics for the walls etc as we have sadly run of of ink at the mo!

The suspense is over!!! Seashell Cottage is all ready! with an added bonus....The Ship Inn

Well today I got the eagerly awaited pictures of Seashell Cottage I have been checking my inbox all day and they have just popped up! I just love it! Julie has as always worked her magic and come up with the most adorable cottage and I am just thrilled! The planning this one has I'm sure added a few more grey hairs but it was worth it. I love how as the emails fly back and forth with Julie we exchange thoughts and ideas and then she turns the dreams into reality, she really is just so talented. I just love the little seats in the porch, that was one of her ideas and its so pretty! The half glass door will allow for some nice stained glass and the bathroom we had so many dilemmas over looks like it was always meant to be just like that!

I also had an idea for a shop front that will sit in the back of the village square. Theres no room for a whole house as I wouldn't be able to access it. The plan was to make it into a pub with a bay window so I can add a light to give it some life and this has turned out fab! I had to look twice at the picture as at first glance you don't even notice its not a whole house!!

I am a very happy bunny now to start planning the interior :-)

Doing the garden for Seashell Cottage and Angela has a makeover for her Birthday!

Been a very productive weekend in 'Dollyland'! Its great now Bethany can drive as she finishes school at 12.30 on a Friday so she comes home early and we went off this week to get the food shopping done instead of having to do it on a Saturday which is great! That left the whole weekend free and the weather was pretty horrendous Saturday afternoon so we just lit the log fire and cosied up for the day!

Decided to get some work done on Seashells garden as the house is almost finished (pics tomorrow yay!) and it won't be so easy to get in and out of the corner once its arrived so thought I best get on with it! Couldn't decide on the wall so went for fence panels instead which actually worked quite well in making it feel nice and enclosed. Need to make a couple more but ran out of lolly sticks! Then another dilemma what colour to make them as really didn't want to go for the pine but it matched the greenhouse and the decking so in the end the slightly anal like things matching side of me thought that painted just wouldn't look right so stained they are! The 'grass' turned out really well! It was from Ebay for railway or Warhammer diorama but it worked a treat and was very easy to do. The pack at £2.20 was enough to do the whole garden and looks very effective so really pleased how that turned out.

I made the bird table and the veg patch and was going to make the rockery but decided a few little real rocks gathered from up the forest last weekend were real so not much point in trying to make something look real! Just need a few more to give it some height so will be on the hunt next week. The stepping stones are made from egg boxes although not convinced they look real enough but wanted the colour to go with the paths outside the houses so was the nearest I could get, they look ok I guess! Been up there lots of hours this weekend not a bad way to spend a few days! This has been a very economical project as I have made so much myself! The only actual outlay was the greenhouse which was a Sue Ryder bargain at £4.99 and the grass! The bench is borrowed from Fisherman Bob and he needs it back so I either have to make one or buy one! Might just make it as not sure my skills will stretch that far!

Also decided to give Angela a makeover as its her Birthday in a few days and she was looking a little older than her years! Shes now looking much younger and is feeling great! On her way back from the hairdressers she couldn't resist going for another little look at Seaview as she's hoping to exchange contracts this week and will be moving in very soon!!