Progress on THE SHACK (part 1)

So not sure if I've mentioned before but I have a CRAFT SHACK at the end of my garden. It's my equivalent to the bat cave, man shed or craft room, if you will. It has a bit of a story to it...

It's named in homage to my Grandad Leo...

Here he is with my Nanny...The Scarff's, my mam's parents. 

They have both had a huge influence on my life and at their house my Grandad built his SHACK about 55 years ago. It consisted of two buildings that joined together across the bottom of his garden. One housed The Glasshouse where all manor of gardening things happened & grew. The other was always The Workshop with the added addition of a drum kit which is how I remember it when I was growing up. I remember my uncles in the later & my Grandad pottering about the glasshouse usually managing to find us kids several jobs, which I might add we loved doing because he never made it seem like work. 

So you see it's only fitting that my craft space, my heaven (even if it is a messy one), my room at the bottom of the garden be called The Shack!! As it's where I potter about...I'm very lucky too as mine is a lot more substantial then the one my beloved Grandad built, although his IS still standing even if it has now become a run down ramshackle. 

My dad (Granda Pat) & The Sparks (my hubby) with help and lots of advice from my brother, Mark (he has his own office at the bottom of his garden) built The Shack over the course of about a year, finishing it last summer. (Please excuse the semi-naked workman figure of my father lol it was very hot) 

It was a labour of love and done on a budget that gradually increased as my plans for it changed. It's footprint is bigger then I intended (10ft x 14ft, slightly bigger then the traditional shed I was picturing in my head lol) All thanks to my dad as he knew I'd need every inch of it as it's already bursting at the seams. 

Leah helping with the roof timbers. 

With its 2 part cement base, timber frame, reclaimed window & door, foraged lights and radiator but a state of the art roof (I kid you not!!) just to keep it airtight and water safe so no constant worries about paper becoming damp, it should last well over 50 years. It is heated & has super lights so there are very little overhead shadows which is great when working on crafty projects late into the evening. It only needs a small step at the front and a new pathway leading up to it which will both be summer projects. The grass has become very water logged and slippery under foot due to the wet English weather this past winter and constantly threading up and down on it since the shack was finished has done it no favours either! 

So that's it for this first part...more of my SHACK story and photos next time. 

Thanks for reading

Slan 

Txx