A sweet recipe - the making of a bee-hotel

INGREDIENTS

1 hot sunny Sunday afternoon
1 almost teenage lad who hasn't had enough sleep
1 old and practically unusable chest of drawers
Left over roofing felt and roofing tacks
2 hammers (one is NEVER enough)
Odd nails and tacks and screws - just in case....
Pine cones, twigs, old festive wreaths, canes, scraps of wood and sticks
A fairly good temper - the longer the better
Several breaks to make tea/search for tools/drink tea/search for more tools/make lunch/cuss
Camera
A willing and patient husband

METHOD

1. Have the brilliant idea of turning a scrap piece of furniture into a bee hotel
2. Turn on the laptop and being absolutely blown away by all the gorgeous insect-hotels and bee homes being made out there
3. Decide that combining the making of a similarly gorgeous bee-hotel and the entertaining the yawning almost teenager improves the already brilliant idea
4. Press gang long suffering husband into carrying the unexpectedly heavy chest of drawers
5. Follow said long-suffering husband picking bits of wood and plants as the chest of drawers starts to collapse as he struggles with the weight
6. Set up in the shade on the lawn
7. Find at the back of the drawers are many stones and pebbles (which explains the weight)
8. Still feeling inspired, start dismantling the unit, ignore any bits that inexplicably fall off 
9. Keep removing loose bits and remind oneself that this is a form of recycling as well as entertaining Youngest
10. Wipe beads of sweat off brow - Did I mention it was a hot and sunny Sunday afternoon?
11. Attempt to fix loose bits and panelling - try to jolly along Youngest son who is still yawning and muttering things under his breath.
12. Step back to 'admire' progress only to see the drawers have collapsed
13. Grit teeth
14. Make lunch
15. Eat lunch
16. Ask Youngest in bestest lovingest mummy voice to fix the drawers 
17. Find him the hammer
18. Pass him the nails
19. Tell him how to do it
20. Wipe away sweat trickling down brow
21. Suggest we move into the shade again
22. Realise that long-suffering husband has noticed that all is not going to plan and has come to help
23. Grit teeth (again) and accept all help
24. Cover the now repaired (and slightly less wonky) unit with roofing felt....find that you don't have enough tacks
25. Get Youngest to start filling the first drawer
26. Find things to put into the bee hotel
27. Find you don't have enough things
28. Find more things
29. Start filling the second drawer
30. Finally feel like it is all coming together
31. Hang up both drawers and tuck the unit in amongst the plants
32. Step back
33. Smile.

 Unit about to have the roofing felt tacked on, 

Youngest rebuilding the drawers and filling the space with pinecones

Youngest's finished pine cone filled drawer, 

hanging behind a Rambling Rector rose

My attempt to fill the second drawer. 

Now residing within the hydrangea petiolaris (climbing hydrangea)

 Filling the empty drawer spaces with recycled festive wreaths

saved each year for... well, for anything really!

The chest of drawers hiding near the pond in amongst the flowers. 

The roofing felt looks a bit too new for my liking 

so I have covered the top with pebbles, terracotta pots and sea glass.

So - that was my Sunday. It was filled with more than just this, there was friends and girlfriends, there was sleep-overs and walking, there were silly cats and hot cats and cats playing in the greenhouse. 

How was your weekend?

Did you get up to anything creative?

Did you cuss and grind your teeth and something you were trying to do?

I must, before I finish, say hello to some new bloggy friends that have popped in and left some lovely comments. Hello to Joy from Joy Jinks Creations , Tails from Swallow Barn and Bethany from Pretty Little Fibre Co.