I lose! =D

I will take stuff away for you and resort it into stuff to let go and stuff I can use. The let go stuff may well be offered to school for art classes.

I've been in there folks. Crowded doesn't begin to cover it! Makes my

10' by 12' sewing room look empty, and you've seen pix of that! One day soon it will make the most delightful quilting studio, with a large central cutting table, neat storage and light from large windows on two sides.

Covering the floor isn't an issue. Paint the boards a nice cream to go with the rest of the room, and we can slowly hide areas under rag rugs and the like. Once most of the small stuff is out, we can paint half the floor and let it dry, then move things and do the other half.

It is a fully fledged, lined and plastered room, built as servants accommodation when the house was built. Unfortunately, while Nel was ill, the restoration and convertion of the space from teenaged boy's black retreat to light and airy sewing room ground to a halt, and moths and dust have taken their toll.

I wish I was both closer and less frantically busy this summer. But I think I may be able to persuade Alan to drag me north for that week or so in August. :) Only if you are up for it, mind, love. Don't let me bully you! I can do all my bullying down here on the planning committee!

Thanks, Kate and Pat,

II've spent another couple of hours up there this afternoon, but it was very dark and gloomy in there. At least it has cooled down somewhat. I THINK I have tamed the last piece of yardage. I have a box of scraps and a surprising number of empty plastic storage chests. I really didn't have as much as I thought I had; especially of the leftovers from the curtain marathon.

Kate, your patterns and fabric come to three extra large shoe-boxes and a couple or three bin bags. Supportable, I think and movable in your car. There may be a little more as I get to putting stuff away, but the main problem seems to be (as I had feared) that everything has got _dumped_ up there as the last room in the house. The room may be large, but the storage has been very haphazard, and therefore taken up far more space than it deserved.

I really can't do the painting and decorating. I just can't face it. And the cupboards need some extra shelves put in. However, over the next few days, I'm going to drag DH up there to help me drag stuff downstairs (the stairs are very steep with little headroom) and then I shall size up how I'm going to put the stuff back. Once those decisions are made, and there is less furniture and garbage, I might be able to see the wood for the trees.

And yes, Kate, (or anybody!) come when you like, you're always welcome, and not just to subdue the cupboard trolls! We might even have a trip to Bombay Stores, the new exhibition at the Quilt Museum, the Moors or the coast.

I've just discovered that they are not taking my Driving License away, so have car will travel.

Take care, and thanks for the support. I badly need it. I am so easily overwhelmed these days. I still can't believe I've sunk so low.

Nel (GQ)

That sounds eminently shiftable. Move it into the guest room rather than keeping it in the sewing room, and the whole thing will look more manageable.

I know. That's why I think we could help there.

Alan can come primed for shelf erecting ans we can then paint the insides of the cupboards.

Those all sound wonderful.

Yay! Were they threatening to again? Seems like driving was one of your safe places and activities, and taking that away somewhat bonkers!

Don't fret. I also have decorating projects I'd like to get on with, but the house is full of weddings and I can't have paint and silk in the same places!

"Kate XXXXXX"

Ah yes, what a provocative combination, almost as provocative as home-dyed lavender silk and computer ink. ;->

U.

Um... Yerse... Shhh! ;)

As I said at the time, if I could have indulged in a little manual strangulation by text message, I would!