Decorated Mugs and Upgraded Bin Store

Hello, everyone, and thank you so much for all your kind comments and encouragement after our first post last week. 

Here is D to tell you about one of her activities during the school holidays.

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As I mentioned last week, it has been the first week of the school year. This time, back at school, I moved to a new office with a new team around me. I wanted to do something nice for them to use and enjoy when we returned to work in September.

On one of the sunny days in summer, when it was far too hot to be outside, I decorated some mugs for them. Earlier in the summer holidays, I bought some simple white mugs. I then used acrylic paint pens to personalise them with the first initial of their name and am rather pleased with how they turned out.

I also did one for myself as well.

D x

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The mugs looked lovely, and I'm sure all D's team will enjoy their tea/coffee breaks much more now. 

There are many things I want to tell you about that I did during my own Summer break, so I will begin with the continued front garden makeover. 

Originally, the front garden consisted of a patch of lawn and some block paving for the car. It was boring, and I felt there was so much more I could achieve with the space, so the journey began.

Firstly, some raised beds were constructed and painted grey, which is much better for my back with less bending to do. Then, the scruffy patch of lawn was gradually replaced with gravel and some more plant beds. It now means there is space for two cars if needed without it looking like a car park. 

I was even able to find room for a little watering feature for wildlife.

 

I tried to limit the colour palette of plants to just yellow, orange and purple, which was quite challenging when there were so many lovely plants at garden centres. I had to be very disciplined. Generally, I kept to that plan - although there may have been the odd colour infiltration now and again. I am pleased that there has been something colourful and interesting to enjoy outside every month of the year so far.

 

 

There is also a garden bench where I can sit and take a break and, of course, a wooden bin store to hide those utilities. I wanted to know if we could do more to make the bin store more interesting.

(The small tree in the foreground has since been planted in the garden.)

 

Earlier in the spring, I saw some pictures of alpine beds fitted into the roofs of similar structures, so I asked my wonderful hubby if he could make me something similar. This is the one he made with the alpines planted up inside. Hopefully, they will spread to fill the trays, and so far, they have survived high winds, torrential rain and baking sunshine. 

 

 

This week, I have started tidying up the plants in the front garden and deciding which of them need dividing or moving to other places, as everything seems to have settled in well, sometimes too well - like the weeds which have also grown like crazy.

I do a little in the garden most days, and it gives me a lot of pleasure to see it developing. I even managed to grow a crop of runner beans out there :-)

We both wish you all a good week and look forward to seeing you again soon.

B x