Balconies and Boats

It suddenly feels like summer here - I'm sat in my favourite spot - on my balcony. 

Cane chairs - secondhand shop $50 for three.

Table - op-shop $30 for the table and two chairs.

Kicking back with a glass of wine and a breeze in the trees - priceless.

We picked up our big impulse purchase at the weekend....

Yep - we bought a boat.
It started with that fatal phrase, 'Let's just go and have a look at it...'
I should know better - last time I fell for that one we came home with a puppy... (I got suspicious after we drove for three hours to look at said puppy...)

This time however, I quite fancied looking at the boat as the sun was shining and the seller said he'd take us out for a sail.

Yep, it's a sailing boat.

And no, we can't sail.

But we've got a book so we should be OK...

Busy...

I'm pretty busy at the moment with personalised boat and beach hut orders - I'm very grateful for them, and I do enjoy making them - especially when they include extra little details - like these three above!

However, this busy period coincides with the Easter holidays, so I'm getting a bit stressed juggling orders, bored children who just want to go to the park.. and my part-time job....

So, I've decided to stop selling boats and beach huts on-line directly - they will only be available through the lovely Interiors@Tides website... and hopefully I can find a good balance in life!

(Can you tell I have a low stress threshold.....!?)

Coastal Christmas!

If you're looking for a bit of Christmas shopping inspiration this weekend, have a look here at the lovely Interiors @ Tides website - full of gorgeous coastal inspired gifts and decorations.

Have a great weekend :)

Boat (grave) Yard

Today's Boats

Just finished these two personalised boats - remember, you can order your own here!

Today's Boat

This boat's in the post today - order your own personalised boat here!

Interiors@Tides

My personalised boats and beach huts are now available to order through a fantastic website called interiors @ tides 'a coastal inspired collection of design led giftware, home accessories and furniture to enhance and complement the look of your home.'

The site is full of gorgeous seaside-y gifts, home decorations and artwork, well worth a browse on a summer's evening!

Quokka?

Today we went over to Rottnest Island on a friend's boat and met some friendly quokkas.

And had an ice cream of course :)

A fleet of boats

I've just packed this fleet of boats up to send to the Forge2 Gallery for their summer exhibition, Festival
I'm very happy to have my boats included in such talented company as the fabulous Aardvark and Andy Povey
It promises to be a bright and breezy exhibition, so if you're in the Northampton / Oxfordshire area, pop in and have a look!

Le Petit Bateau

Sold a couple of these little boats this week - they can be personalised and painted in any colour you desire!

I'm working on a couple of new products this weekend, if I get any time that is...
The boys are running around the garden in pjs and wellies (and one woolly hat..) so I'd better get going,

Have a great Bank Holiday weekend!

Boats, and more boats

This is now hanging in my kitchen window - my mum made it using one of Bill's drawings as a pattern - he's very proud of it, and it looks lovely with the sunlight coming through.


And this is the Radiant Queen -

'Hello! I've been looking at the wooden boats and wonder if you would be able to customise one for a friend's birthday on April 23rd? She owns a dive boat named Radiant Queen and it will be her 30th birthday so ET 30 would be the required registration. '
Sheila, Orkney

The Radiant Queen defied the volcanic ash and arrived in Orkney on time -

'She is perfect in every detail. Thank you Elli, from a very happy customer x'

And here's the real Radiant Queen - available to charter for diving in Scapa Flow, more details here.

Titchy Boats

In between trips to the tip this weekend, I started making these little boats - they're pretty titchy, biggest one is 20cm long, and made from the off-cuts from my bigger boats (very efficient there!) I'm going to put them in the shop this week some time...

Boats and Beach Huts

Diarmuid

Just posted this boat off to Scotland - hope I spelt the name right!

Charlie and The Hut

Now available in my Etsy shop

(*** Just sold Charlie!***)

New Etsy shop!

I've now got a shop on Etsy - click on the link above to buy my products in US dollars!

Lazy Daze

I've just posted a custom built boat to the lovely Jo of Lazy Daze Crafts - we met at a craft show in Chipping Norton a couple of weeks ago, and I'd just sold the boat she had her eye on.

All my boats are unique and each have their own personality. 'Paloma' (with the white bunting) is for sale in my Folksy shop, and was also featured on the UK Handmade blog this week.