Today I shall be Mainly...

[Marilyn]

Tough decisions to be made...any decorator worth their salt would say to keep walls and carpet neutral and put the wow in with coloured quilt covers/curtains etc that can be changed.
Captain's beds are wonderful ( I always wanted one for my son)...but maybe they don't look terrific when you are only 3 feet tall? A bigger bed takes up valuable floor space with no storage.
Happy decision making!

[Tizer]

Our ceilings are brilliant white matt (we hate dim rooms) and the walls are Orchid White matt. Curtains are bright colours and there are lots of colourful prints hung on the walls (especially of Cornwall!).

[Stanley]

My kitchen needs decorating! Our recent problems have precluded any items like this but there is a chance now! Following Tiz's comment, brilliant white for the ceiling and Mongolia for the walls.....
Today I shall be back in the shed.

[Sue]

Our ceilings are brilliant white matt (we hate dim rooms) and the walls are Orchid White matt. Curtains are bright colours and there are lots of colourful prints hung on the walls (especially of Cornwall!).

And mine too. The lounge has some paintings of lilies that I did, in reds and purples...oops perhaps thats where Erin got her colours from...and I have cushions to match. I think most of my rooms are white or magnolia, with the kichen being a very light grey. I have to have white ceilings otherwise I find the room oppressive.

Maz, luckily Erin has a double room to herself, the spare room has a folding single. The furniture is all white or light coloured too, and its a very sunny room. Adam has a week off work this week to set about the transformation before Erins birthday on the 8 th.

[Marilyn]

Paint is cheap ( I think) for the transformation it can bring...and you can change it easily if it doesn't work.
I have painted more rooms than most, I think! I have moved house a lot!

[Tizer]

We used to choose Magnolia but more recently in the last house and now in this one we switched to Dulux Orchid White. The Magnolia is essentially white with a touch of pink whereas the Orchid White instead has a touch of cream. It's a `sunnier' colour and suits our needs - we like plenty of light and sunshine!

In the last few years we got hooked on buying these prints of paintings by Louise Rawlings from the Whistlefish shops in Cornwall. You can buy them online and the shop sells other artists prints too. They are on canvas stretched over a light wood frame and so light they only need a small nail to hook them on the wall. Louis Rawlings prints The prints cheer us up every day in these stressful times!

[Sue]

Fun pictures Tiz.

[chinatyke]

Here is a tip. Buy only white coloured acrylic emulsion. Acrylic is the normal type of emulsion paint. Then colour it yourself using artists acrylic paint. You can buy artists acrylic colours at any art shop in tubes that cost about one pound (here) for a 75ml tube. Burnt sienna gives a warm magnolia and raw sienna gives a yellower magnolia. Use bronze yellow for creams, and Dioxazine purple for purple shades. Artists colours have excellent light fastness and hence can be used to give pale pastel shades without fading. Use sparingly, a little goes a long way! Wherever possible I use tints that are made from a single pigment, you can find this information on the manufacturer's website.
Just finished painting my apartment using self mixed colours.

[Marilyn]

Cheerful little prints, Tizzy.

[Stanley]

I like the prints as well. My problem is that I am no longer safe painting up high or above my head..... I shall get a man in to do it! Support local traders in hard times!

[PanBiker]

Not invigilating mock exams, school is shut. Probably put my boots on and go out for a play round the lanes.

[Marilyn]

Ha! You sound like a 12 year old, Panbiker.
I shall be sitting on a back wall, skirt tucked firmly under my legs, and I shall wave innocently as you pass (because boys are such weird creatures).
Remember when life was that simple?

[PanBiker]

Indeed Maz, I don't jump over the bigger stiles like I used to though.

[Wendyf]

You're legs will get chapped Maz, haven't you got any warm trousers!!

[Marilyn]

I didn't think of that Wendy.
But I won't be there long...I need to take a basket of Apples to my Nan's...and help her with Apple Pie.

[Wendyf]

Watch out for the Big Bad Wolf!

[Marilyn]

Oh...I have met him!
Don't worry Aunt Wendy. I can take care of myself...I shall send him off with a flea in his ear.

[Big Kev]

... working from home, using the word 'working' in the loosest possible sense

[Tripps]

I've heard it referred to as 'shirking from home'

[Big Kev]

I've heard it referred to as 'shirking from home'

There are many variations

It's nearly lunchtime, fortunately the pub has free wifi...

[Stanley]

I shall be keeping warm and spending time in the shed. Bugger the gas bill! Crombie, many skins and Damart balaclava are doing their job well!

[Sue]

I feel a sewing day coming on, I spent yesterday afternoon sorting my fabric, I filled three bags of off cuts and contacted the local school to see if they wanted them for craft. Today I should have a sewing lesson but it means driving down into Rochdale and up the opposite side of the valley to us. We are on a bus route but Maxine isn’t so the road may be impassable. I shall get Bob to drive. I abandoned pilates yesterday, the road was treacherous at 5.30 pm and Rochdale chaos after a recent blizzard. Roll on Spring.

[PanBiker]

Probably going for another walk. School was open today so we rocked up at the normal time. Exams officer had not made it in from Ramsbottom along with quite a few more staff and students. So we hung around in a fairly depleted staff room for a while. Boss got in at about 9.30 but it was already on the cards that the school would shut. We were sent home just before 10.00. About another 2 - 3 inches of snow had settled in the hour and a bit that we were out. It will refresh the fields for an afternoon romp, We have a big pan of home made soup to go at for lunch, might put a few dumplings in it to set us up for walking.

[Wendyf]

It's quite extreme up here Ian, with large drifts hiding dangerous features like rocks and ditches! I would stay low level if I were you. We have just got back from an expedition to the pump house in ouŕ neighbours field to check that the lightbulb connected to a thermostat is working ok. The pump we have now is a submersible one, but the original one sat in the pump house above the tank and the water is still pumped out that way before it goes into the plastic pipe underground. A bit of a weak spot in the system when we get freezing cold for more than a few days.
All working well so far!

[Stanley]

If you look in What attracted your attention Wendy you'll see I had a bit of a frost emergency. I think I have cured it. I hope your water system keeps clear!