We moved into our flat about a month and a half ago now, and it's starting to feel like home. It's just a little flat in a converted Edwardian house, but it has lots of windows and a lovely view of the downs. 

I have been busy improving the walls and painting them white which is a big job so I have been doing as much as I can between work and children.

Here are some pictures of when we first moved in, and some are of mid-woodchip removal...

(this is my room before I began work on it)

moving in day disco.

We discovered a cherry tree and wild strawberries outside which the kids love to pick everyday (ripe or not).

Living room chaos

Kids room chaos

Bathroom not too bad.

The kitchen is very new but I'm planning to paint it.

I have zero budget for anything as I have to pay a lot to make the communal stairwell fire compliant (a very long story), so just paint and elbow grease.

I am changing the door handles though! what a difference it makes straight away. The doors are original.

I hope to hire a plasterer to skim over those artex ceilings one day, but it will have to wait for now.

It was so relaxing to get the living room all stripped and painted white. I really love the light in this flat.

I started work on my tiny room, I'm just pleased to finally have a place to put my own bed after a long very time. 

The walls underneath the paper was even worse in this room.

I was using a steamer which was very effective.

We have a very tiny balcony too, which gets the afternoon sun.

I will add some more photos when I start to get some of the rooms done. The living room and bedroom are pretty much finished, just putting up some shelves and lights and that's it. 

Next I'm doing the hallway and then bathroom and bedroom. I'll do the kids room last because they've had enough disruption to their lives for now, and it's okay as it is for a bit.

I have been working on my business too, and organising a new workspace. It is so amazing to have a proper place to work. So I am working from home and decorating simultaneously, but I have also been washing off the paint from my skin in the sea which has been glorious.

Happy summer to you all!

Two good things happened recently, we got our flat! after a very long wait (I'll post more about this very soon). And the second is that at long last summer has arrived here in the UK, and we have our camping things out of storage! It felt so good to be outdoors and in the sea.

We stayed at Grange Farm, just down the road from where we live. It was only for the weekend because school on Monday, but we wanted to make the most of the short heat wave that was occurring.

It is a working farm campsite, with an amazing playground with real boat and tractor to play on. The kids love it here.

I'm not sure what is going on here, but it was keeping them quiet so...

our tent is getting way too small for the three of us!

The campsite is on a cliff edge with its own beach access.

We also had some adventures at our favourite spot at Totland beach too...

I am very busy stripping wood chip wallpaper and filling and painting the walls of our new place, but I will try and put some photos up soon so you can see what it looked like before. It is a small flat but has a nice feel about it and a beautiful view across the Tennyson Downs, I'm sure I can make it a nice home for us. I'll keep you updated.