Chalkboard Paint and a Scooter Cupboard

Busy times at the Picket Fence Household. School holidays ended and school went back yesterday. A big part of me is sad because I love having my brood about me, another part of me is grateful because I think I need the enforced routine that comes with school to get things done. My world has become a little more complex this week. Some dear elderly friends have become in need of support, they are both getting a little foggy and we have only just realised how foggy. They have no family, just us and so, to keep them living independently, we are incorporating their world into our Picket Fence chaos. Frequent daily visits and support are going to be the order of the day. I'm grateful to have them in my world, I love them like family. I'm just not quite sure how I'm going to fit it in with four children, and a not so Picket Fence Job. It's do-able, I just need to get myself organised. I do know that this silly little blog keeps me sane :) I'm grateful to the funny world that is blog-land yes sir indeed!!

This is the cupboard on our back verandah that we use to store scooters and surfboards, hula hoops , skateboards . All that stuff that needs to go somewhere but is difficult to place. Note the taped up broken lead light window stage left. Waiting for the glazier. Ahem , a little too much Picket Fence enthusiasm and a tennis ball......the joys ! (My walls in the above photo are not this colour ... I took this on my iPhone and its an odd instagram filter )

 This is how it looks after a coat of blackboard paint.

 Now they can draw all over it to their hearts content. Unleash their inner artist and perhaps ...play less with tennis balls on the verandah :)

 On the subject of inner artists...I am collecting supplies for lino cutting. I haven't attempted lino block printing since primary school and I thought it might be fun to do with the Picket Fence Children. I envisage making some cards and maybe some personalised bed sheets. An owl or perhaps a tug boat...we shall see.

 New bedspread for Miss Teen Picket Fence from the op shop. Score ...I swept the 8 million pairs of tried on and discarded clothes to the side for this photo. The reality of parenting teenage girls is the concept of a "floordrobe"

 Yes, I'm STILL in the process of painting the inside of the house. The school holidays have made this near impossible so the paint brushes have had a January respite . I did however realise that many of the curtains around my freshly painted windows weren't necessary and in fact added to the clutter I'm trying to reduce , so I pulled them down ...and cut them up....

 And turned them into cushions  instead :)

I'm working on decluttering.... but I found this tin yesterday. Patina to die for and containing nozzles from an old Tala icing set. Love it.

Oh and yes still trying to practise with my camera. This shot I took is one of my practise shots....seconds before Master Picket Fence tipped a plastic cup of water all over me.  Hmmm, Picket Fence Chaos...Just how I like it. What have you been up to ? Is school back in your household ? Are you grateful for the routine or are you whizz bang organised all the time ?