TABLE / DESK MAKEOVER

This is the packaging area. At the back against the wall will be some shelving units (probably from Ikea).

I decided to keep this desk as it is practical and will be just the right size for doing all my packaging. I know, it is not very attractive or vintage looking! However,I knew that something could be done to make it look more in keeping with the style of the room and more interesting looking.

I went in search of old magazines and music sheets which were already falling apart. (I don't like cutting them up if in mint condition!)

I placed the music sheets on first to cover the whole of the top of the desk and then placed some magazine pages at random on top. I felt it needed more interest so added some postcards and copies of fabrics. I played around with them until I felt happy with the result.


The word Welcome is placed that way as the table is immediately on the right as you enter the room.


Once I was happy with the layout, a sheet of glass was placed on top. Unfortunately it is slightly frosted but still looks good. The advantage of having a glass top is that it will make the desk easy to clean and you can choose any paper matter, photos or fabric to add underneath it to add interest. Far nicer than that boring brown colour...

The room is taking shape nicely. I bought a vintage glassed panelled dresser at the weekend which will need painting, so another busy week ahead.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Sometimes you have to compromise...

I know that all I have been posting about lately is the move to the new unit. That is all we have really had time for apart from also getting Miss P's new bedroom ready now that I have vacated it. It has been pretty much work, work and work recently. We have not had a day off for a while!

My choice of colour for the workroom room was a calm off white colour by Farrow & Ball called "Pointing". It is a shade that I have used in other areas in the house.


Miss P had very different ideas on how it should be decorated. The emphasis was on getting rid of the "boring old" vintage look and the floorboards! Miss P knew exactly what she wanted, two walls in electric blue, two walls in pink and a bright green carpet.

Being in to vintage and favouring more subtle colour schemes I was somewhat apprehensive at the thought of such bold and bright colours and having a bright grass green carpet instead of painted floorboards. I'll be honest, I was not too enamoured by the idea.

However, I recognised the importance of children having a room that they can feel is truly theirs and reflects their personality and tastes. It would be all to easy for me to go in there and turn the room into my vision of the child's vintage bedroom but it would not be fair on Miss P. It would be what I liked and not what Miss P liked.

I have seen many dream vintage looking children's bedrooms in magazines, books & websites and wonder how many of those children had a say in it?.... Do those bedrooms reflect the Mother's tastes or the child's?


Miss P adding her personal touch


This is fun!




After a first coat and I have to admit that it is looking better than I imagined.

I will post the final look when the green carpet has been fitted on Wednesday.

It is Alan's birthday tomorrow and we will be having our first day off in ages. I am looking forward to taking him out for a much deserved lunch at a nearby pub.

Have a lovely weekend!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Moving in

Moving in began yesterday. One of the first things I did, was to buy some flowers to make the room look more homely.
Transferring boxes over from home to the unit was slow progress as I was on my own. However, things sped up today as Alan has taken a few days off to help me carry the heavier things, put some shelves up, curtain rails etc... So grateful for his help!


My old workroom was packed with boxes and furniture ready to go.


Thank goodness for the van, it made the job much easier and faster than yesterday.


Another load


After school, Miss P was keen to help out.


That Ikea bookcases were heavy! Despite a broken nail or two and a bit of back ache, I enjoyed the moving process. Each time something left the house, it felt very satisfying.


The unit is just a few miles away from home, only a short drive down in to Shepton Mallet.




As the boxes, bags and furniture poured in to the unit, I wonder how I ever managed to stock all that at home in our sweet but small cottage!

We worked until just before 19.00 hours and then went back home to eat a much needed "cottage pie".

Tomorrow the work continues....I need to decide where some of the furniture will go. I don't have all the furniture yet, I still need to buy a sewing table, a sofa, a large vintage rug, a dresser, clothes rails and more Ikea storage units for the packing area.

I think we'll sleep well tonight!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

New carpet for the unit!

Well it seems like the carpet business is doing well right now as I had trouble finding someone available to fit a carpet in my unit. At first, I thought that I may have to wait until the 11th March which really was no good to me as my moving in date is tomorrow 1st March.



However, I eventually found someone who had a slot available due to a cancellation. The carpet was fitted today and here it is....


Well, what do you think of it? Cheerful? Bright or downright garish?


Sorry, I couldn't resist imagining the look on your faces when you saw the first picture :-)
I went for something a lot more conservative and neutral, far more suitable. Not what I would have chosen for home but perfect for the unit.


Miss P and I turned up at the unit at 9am so that we could let the carpet fitter in.



We went back at 17.00 hours and this is what it looks like now. Far more cosy looking.
I can't wait to start bringing everything over. I am still in the process of deciding where everything will go.


Alan has kindly taken 3 days holiday starting as of Wednesday in order to help me move everything over, put up shelves, move furniture around etc...Busy week ahead but will keep you posted!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Packing is underway!

This is what my old workroom looks like right now. We are in the middle of clearing it out. I haven't been able to show you photos of it before as it has always been so full of stock and cluttered... not very photogenic! Not the ideal conditions to work in either, I like everything to be in it's right place and easy to find. I couldn't be as organised as I wanted to be with stock overflowing around me. In my opinion, not the way to run a business!

My parents will smile at this, as they know that it is quite typical of me, I really must have the right conditions to work in! (I take after my Father there). The right conditions for me means having plenty of space to work in and plenty of storage, quiet surroundings, I like working alone, no pets or children climbing over everything or borrowing things. I am sure I could come up with a few more but that's plenty for now :-) After all I don't want to be selling things covered in cat fur or paw prints! A move to new premises makes good sense.

After having worked in this room a while, it didn't take too long to work out that it would not be big enough for my working needs. I liked the feel of the room but it was not practical!


Today we have started packing in earnest and it feels good!


Josephine will be going to the new unit too.






The shelves are beginning to look bare.


We have temporarily cleared the little reading area under the stairs to make way for all the boxes.




Getting fuller


Over the half term holiday my two nieces are coming over to stay with us so it is vital we empty the workroom and have all the boxes organised BEFORE they arrive, otherwise it will be chaos!

For those of you who have asked, the unit is not a shop. It will be my studio and will store all my mail order stock. However, you will be able to visit me when fully settled but it will be strictly by appointment only.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

NEW UNIT - UPDATE

Thank you for all your positive comments! Just the kind of encouragement you need when you first start up! I went to have a look at the unit today to see how they have progressed with the work and so far so good! I worked out where plug sockets needed to go and tried to form an idea of where everything else would go.


My sewing table will be by the window.

The room looks so much brighter than before now that a wall has been put up on the right and the room as been painted white.


After speaking with the electrician and Landlord's agent, the carpet man arrived to measure up the room (615 sq ft). I then went to to the carpet shop to look at samples of carpets. You've guessed right, it is going to be costly! :-( No escaping that...all part of the setting up costs.



On the left hand side at the end is likely to be the stationery/packaging area


Room as you walk through the main door, there will be another door at the end of the room on the right.


This is what it looks like on the ground floor (my unit is on the first floor). As I mentioned before, the Anglo Trading used to be a brewery. The building has kept a number of its original features and has to as it is a listed building. That is partly one of the reasons I wanted to have a unit there.

Tomorrow it's back to working on my new website, wording of terms & conditions, Welcome page etc....

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Moving out....

I am aware that I have been absent for quite some time. Life has a way of keeping you busy...

It seems ages ago now but I hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year.

Just before Christmas, we went to France to stay with family. The plan was to go on to Belgium to attend a family Christening but due to heavy snow then ice, sadly we were unable to go.

In recent months, much of my spare time has been spent working towards my goal, opening an online shop selling vintage goods, handmade items and other things. I am finally getting closer to it.

As some of you know, my workroom is at home. It is filled with vintage textiles, home wares etc...or should I say overflowing...that would be more accurate! It's not just my workroom that has stock, it's the loft, the landing and our bedroom. Not a good way to work and not fair on everyone at home. So, after a lot of thinking and talking about it, I came to the conclusion that I would operate a lot better by moving all my stock away from home and rent somewhere else instead.



I have found a storage/workshop unit in Shepton Mallet. The unit is a shell at the moment but the landlords are converting it. My estimated moving in date is Tuesday 1st March 11. I will keep you posted with the progress!

The unit is in an old Brewery


It doesn't look inviting now but once it has been worked on, decorated and carpeted it will look a lot better. The ceiling is a little lower than I'd like but having compared this to other similar sized premises, over all this is the better one . The room will be around 600 sq ft (55 sq mt), plenty to get started with.

At last, everything will be in the one place. Stock will be easy to find and photograph. I will have more room to sew, design, package orders and will be far more organised. It is a big step to take but one I feel sure will pay off in the long run. We will regain space in the house and Phoebe will have a bigger bedroom...my old workroom which she has always liked.

My website should be ready within the next few weeks....As you can see, a lot going on...

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

P.S: I will have a neighbour I know, Becky from dots and spots who also has a unit there. Becky's business has grown so fast that she is in the process of moving to a bigger unit within the same building.