Making merry was in order ~ hurrah ...

This week I have been garden obsessed! I have made it my mission in life to bring some kinda interest to our patio area before I get carried away with something else, blink and its winter again ~ dull. (previous postings/before pics here & here)  

Last week I had made a start and by the end of the week my tiny lil patch of prettiness looked like this ...

Well, that was until the Garden Trading warehouse sale came along. Eeeek, an 'oh so very exciting' and most welcome event ~ !

I went along armed with a wish list of things I hoped would be there going cheapy cheap along with good intentions not to stray off said list. I was first in the que and felt virtuous as the line of people got longer and longer. I strained to see what bargains had been put out ready to be snapped up and reminded myself over and over 'stick to the list, oh a cake tin, nope just stick to the list, oh a ..... noooo, stick to the list".
Finally 10am came and a poor young chap with trepidation and fear in his eyes was sent to open the gate, as soon as the key turned we all surged forward.
I entered the yard with a fast walk but quickly broke into a full scale legit when I saw others behind start to overtake me. I hadn't waited for an age with no coffee and bad hair for nothing! I accosted the same poor chap who had just opened the gate and who was running even faster than us but for different reasons, and shouted "excuse me, please can you put sold stickers on this, that, that over there, this here and oh that too". Poor thing! This was clearly a great call though as my 'omg, it's here reduced and it's on the list' items were secured and I was the first to pay, get loaded up and leave. I drove off with a large smile and stuff clattering away in the boot.

So, what bargains did I bag?

These my friends, and what some beauts ...

Not one but two of these lovely Bistro sets. Yay!
These were top of my list and I really didn't think I'd be lucky enough to get one so to get two was a highlight and a possible warehouse sale personal best for me?!

They are being sold for £125.00 each on the garden trading website and I bought each set (a table and two chairs) for £20.00 ~ eeek.

link to Bistro set 

 

 Here is the other table waiting to be filled with loveliness.

 Then on to this lovely rattan planter. 

 It retails at £34.00 for a small size and mine is anything but small but I paid the tiny price of £5.00.

link to it on website here.

Then onto a bird house (here in situ up high away from cats and other pesky predators)

 It is on the website for £16.00 and I paid £5.00

Link to it on website here

Then I bought these three for £5.00 each.

They aren't currently on the website but I'm sure they must retail at much more than a fiver?

Same applies to this basket, it's not on the website but I only paid £5.00 for it.  I have painted black ready to fill with logs and put in our grate.

 

 and here it is in situ...

 

and finally posh hand cream for £2.00

 Our 16 year old (and just about to collapse with rot) table is now relegated to being used for decorative purposes only.

 

Now ... on to free stuff! Yep, **free** :D

 

As much as the above is an absolute bargain and a great way source brand new desirable gardenalia, it can soon work out expensive if cash parts hands for everything.

Bring on the free stuff!

 

Oh how we'd love a fire pit, but oh how we're so not paying a fortune for something to burn wood in (even if it is pretty). After a quick "hum, time to think outside the box" moment I came up with the idea of an old fire basket. Thanks to my lovely aunt and uncle, here is our quirky fire pit-cum-basket. A few logs and scrunched up paper on a summers eve and jobs a good un!

 

Then on to plants. It can take an age for plants to turn from tiny into established, frankly I haven't got the patience. I want full on plant now.

So, I trawled For Sale/free ads and found these pots of plenty for free. A quick trip and a drive home with a small forest in the boot has sorted the lack of plant situ out. 

 

Within the space of two weeks our patio area has been transformed  from this ...

 

 

To this ...

 

 

Ta dah ...

 

 

 

 

Sweet peas surrounded by fossils and pebbles collected on family days out.

 

It's really starting to come along nicely and its now more a case of picking things up as and when at our leisure and, most important of all sitting back and enjoying our new and improved pretty patio area x

 

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Have you come across a site called:

Room envy

 

It's a continuous blog roll of photos featuring lovely rooms and gardens one after the other. All styles and tastes are covered and it really is a treat for the eyes.

 

When you next have a quiet mo, grab a cuppa, click on the link above and then sit back and swoon.

 

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My fav photo taken this week is this ...

 

 

It's not the best composition in the world but it's a 'real' image that I stumbled across whilst on a farm looking for the toilet. This gorgeous rocking chair and discarded shawl is an insight into time spent relaxing after a busy day, a glimpse into the owners world.

 

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This week was our primary schools May Day celebrations and making merry was in order ~ hurrah.

 

Our children skipped around the May Pole weaving their ribbons in and out to make patterns such as a single and double plait and spiders web.

 

 

The village May wagon.

 

 

Such big smiles on the children's faces was a visual display of what fun they were all having taking part in such a lovely village tradition xx

 

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Well, that's it for this week, until next Sunday bye y'all xx