Beauty lies in it’s usefulness..

I have just been writing a blog for the Homestyle Argyll web page and as I am now in a writing mood I thought I would carry on writing and do one for Needlesmiths.
Since coming back from Warwickshire, and getting better from horrid English virus-y thing, I have been working hard getting sorted in my cabin studio.  I have had a MAHOOSIVE clear out of fabrics, and yarn.  Having discovered that our local Mary’s Meals charity shop will accept my scrap as well as the good stuff & clothing there have been several drop offs there.  One or two runs to the tip for things I simply couldn’t do anything else with.  So: 3 boxes of velvet & wools plus 2 large bags of stuffing to a friend; 10 bags of scrap, 6 bags of clothes/fabric pieces, 5 bin bags of yarns, 4 boxes of ‘bits’ to Mary’s Meals and according to my dad you wouldn’t really notice any difference!  Cheeky wotsit!  But as I can now see the floor I know that there is a big difference, & I haven’t quite finished yet.  I need to empty some drawers as I think they have woodworm and so needs to go out, but, the drawers are being replaced by shelving and the shelving has to go to Perth before I can use it in the Cabin!

On one of my trips to the tip I came back with a teeny bureau, at which I am sat as I type.  It is not a thing of beauty but it is a thing of immense usefulness and so therefore is very beautiful.  It is a circa 1960’s domestic bureau with a display shelf with sliding glass doors and a storage shelf behind sliding wooden doors – might have to take those off as I’ll forget what’s behind them! -  and the folding down top section with pigeon holes and it even had its key.  Tucked into the pigeon holes were a set of dentures, a medical pink eye patch and two large divan bed screws!  I did a little squeak when I found the teeth, dad has taken them for ‘stock’.  I am in no doubt at all that they will turn up in a piece of artwork at some point in the future.  This is what he did with a previous pair …..

​Titled ‘No-where is safe’...

Back to my afternoon & my little bureau.  I have set it up in the corner of the sitting room end of the Cabin and although it faces the wall, I can look out of the window to my left at the view down our valley towards Kilmartin glen – on a fine day, you can see hills (& two wind farms ☹).  If I faced the window I wouldn’t get anything written for gazing at the hills, birds, sheep ambling past….  I can’t get wi-fi in here, which although can be somewhat frustrating, as I have to wait until I get home to upload anything, it does mean that I don’t, won’t, Can’t, waste time on Facebook et al. so, this wee distraction free writing zone is perfect.  I’d love to get back to my novel.... maybe one day…. soonish …   
I have hung a small blackboard above the desk and my large pinboard is now also hanging up instead of being balanced on the back of the sofa and occasionally toppling over onto Rosie.  

​I have already filled the pigeon holes with things that I tend to lose up here and have found the perfect use for the lovely ‘Jamie Oliver’ small glass jars with pastel lids that my cousin gave me, they tone perfectly with the blue enamel caddy & the little flowered J&GMeakin vintage mug pen pot – too small for cups of tea and too pretty to move on.

I have also bossy-ed mum and dad in to opening the Studio Barn & the Annexe for the season.    It is so easy to sort things out when the sun is shining, stuff can be dragged outside, dusted off, or a new location found.  What a joy it was to sorted fabric whilst standing on the decking at the back of the Cabin.  My deadline for organisation completion & Barn opening was Sunday 10th June.  And we made it, just.  I took the ‘Not’ sign off at a little after 3pm!  OK so no-one has made it up the hill yet but if they do they can see the Barn in all its organised glory.  My Cabin got to 75% done and will be finished once the shelves arrive.  For the rest of this week I will be concentrating on some lampshades especially for the Game fair and doing a commission for two table lamps to be sent out to Spain… Needlesmiths International!

More anon xx