A bad case of the "Tidyits"

There was nothing urgent which needed doing today, so I began to tidy up, starting on the dresser in the hall which was bulging with maps and packets of photos from the pre-digital era. That took about an hour and a half, but resulted in the cupboard being half empty afterwards. Some stuff burned, or put out for the charity shop, and the maps put in a little tin trunk my husband blew the dust off for me. During the clearout I found this beautiful vintage embroidered picture which I brought from a stall in Carmarthen Market a few years back and had "lost". I need to sit down tonight and resew the back together as it had been done with wool which wasn't strong enough.


Anyway, we then looked out a suitable frame for it, and fortunately this one had glass in it already, so with a bit of spit and polish it will be looking quite nice. I don't know how much this would be in an antiques shop, but it stands me in £5 maximum (there was a price tag of £3.75 on the back of the picture, but I'm sure I only paid half that for it). The frame was one from a job lot at auction.



Then in a sort of desultory fashion I began tidying a few books. This then turned into a huge tidy up resulting - so far - in 8 boxes of books to go to auction - ones we bought 2nd hand many years ago, have enjoyed - or ignored - and which need rehoming. We have tried taking a few to the local Car Boot Sales but no real interest. People don't seem to value books much hereabouts - apart from the local Antiquarian bookseller and he likes to buy cheap and sell dear, which is I suppose what business is all about really. There are about as many books again in the Morning Room, but I have pulled them out of our big old bookcase and they are in piles on the floor, so that's tomorrow's job. I idly flicked through a couple of books I intended to put on e-bay and in "Plants of Herefordshire", my eye fell on the words "SMART-ARSE"!! Good grief I thought, a misprint? But no, it is a local name for the Polygonum aviculare or Common Knotweed. Love it!


My OH also, at my insistence, made up a collection of picture frames we have no need for. They were surplus to requirements having been bought a few at a time at auction when we needed one of a particular size which was in that Lot. I'm not mad on gold frames and prefer them to be oak. We have a houseful, bought on the cheap and polished up.


I had a rest around lunchtime to make some Double Chocolate Chip Muffins for our son. They have double cream in as I had some to use up, and Nutella spread, and are scrummy.


Here are my winter projects, prompted by a thread on Creative Living forum. http://creativeliving.10.forumer.com

Below is a beautiful carved chair with Berlin wool work upholstery. I will have to be so careful removing this hand-sewn covering and equally careful replacing it again too.

As you can see, it's a lovely chair, but a tad saggy around the derriere!

I also have a set of 6 of these Victorian balloon back dining chairs to reupholster, plus 2 others which will make a harlequin set of 8. The first one will see me with my upholstery book in one hand as it's been SO long since I've done one, but I shall soon get into the swing of it again and it's such a satisfying job, especially tapping the tacks home! I used to go to classes when the children were small - it saved my sanity.

Tomorrow - more "Tidyits" planned - I have fairly got the bit between my teeth now!