Us at the Leigh Folk Festival

Catherine, Sian and baby Scarlett... our god daughter... at a festival who's name escapes me. nice cider.

The Back of our flat. Left to right: new trellis, Catherine in planter box I made, pile of dismantled pallets and far right is the beginnings of the shed I am making out of pallets.

Catherine's Quilting

Another Quilt made by Catherine. For our friends Rob and Vic who are expecting their first baby shortly. I helped with the pattern.

Catherine's Quilt. Many hours have gone into this and many more I suspect. Looking amazing.

We have owned this table for a couple of years now. Looks like it's from the 60s perhaps... certainly very similar to the old eames coffee tables. Once painted (most probably by students) a cheap black... I have stripped the paint (first with paint stripper... but got a better result with orbital sander and different grades of sandpaper) and tried to restore it to something more alike it's original state. Very satisfying. At first I fooled myself into thinking this could be a new hobby... but looking back I have chosen the simplest shaped object... anything more complicated would make me wince.

us & friend

Sarah (who has recently given birth), Catherine and Nick. Sunset in Leigh-on-Sea.

fledgling tasmania (in Leigh)

We don't get any sun in our backyard (a patch of concrete capable of housing two cars) so we have invested in an army of ferns. they remind me of home. Double win.

Wood Planter

Me and my pallet. This is my planter made from scavenged wood.

In an effort to save money I took a locally dumped futon base that folded into 3 and a pallet. My advice for maximising your scavenged pallet... measure and cut the wood while pallet is still intact... you'll break everything trying to deconstruct it first.

Cost: just the nails.

(click image for larger view)