Snow Stopped Play...For a While Anyway...

Pretty as the snow is, it couldn't have come at a worst time for me really...Hubby and I had booked a van for this weekend to deliver all my stock to the shop. By Thursday we could see that the snow was here to stay for a while, so we reluctantly had to cancel (I've re-booked for mid-week next week) The shop is on the Market Place with no traffic going by, only pedestrians, (although it is OK to drive on for deliveries) - so even if we managed to get all the way to Shepton Mallet, the chances of us getting anywhere near the shop with a van would be remote.

Youngest has had snow-days from school since Wednesday, so has been at home.

And Hub had to take our eldest daughter to Heathrow airport on Wednesday, for an early morning flight out on Thursday to Montana, U.S.A...Where I'm sure they cope far better than us with their huge snowfalls and minus temperatures!

Anyway, yesterday I finally made it over to the shop for the final push before moving stock in.

Lights were put up...

And shelves were too...

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Leaving plenty of room on the walls to display the vast array of framed prints and paintings that I have in stock.

I spent a couple of hours on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor and now it looks like new. I was then able to unroll the large rug that has been stored in hubby's office for the last few months. It's a gorgeous 1930's carpet, a little frayed around the edges, but even more beautiful than I remembered when it was unrolled onto the floor.

Its pretty floral design is just my style, and a real novelty for a girl who doesn't have a single carpet in her house! ;-)) I can't stop walking on it!

Then it was time for the more fun and faffy bits! - always the best part of a make-over, isn't it? - doing all the twiddly bits and playing!

I cut an old lace tray cloth in half to create little pelmets on the front doors. I stitched a channel along the top and threaded them onto tension wires.

For the larger windows to the side I used a heavy appliquéd net bedspread to make two false curtains and pelmets.

It was very tatty and full of holes, making it uneconomic to repair, so I bravely took the scissors to it and again stitched channels across the tops of each panel.

Hooks were screwed into the wooden frames, so that the curtains could be scooped back...

and held in place with a silk rose.

I was looking to create a romantic style, to reflect the feminine stock that I like to offer for sale, but not to obscure the windows too much, so that I can use them as display areas.

By this time the evening was drawing-in, so I had to take a few photos in artificial light.

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The final task for the day was to hang two c1950's rose printed curtains - one to screen the kitchenette and one for the fitting room.

The colours in the fabric match the paintwork throughout the shop just perfectly...a very happy accident, as I just happened to have this pair of curtains and have used them in the past in my daughter's bedroom.

(Fitting room below)

So, fingers crossed that the snow that is forecast for later today doesn't come to much, and that I will be able to move stock in later next week and be in a position to announce an opening date for all of those who have asked when it is likely to be.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and keep warm!

- Our chickens recommend only having one foot on the snow at any one time, to try to keep warm! They are NOT impressed by the white stuff at all!!

Niki x