New additions to Cabinmaster show site

Cabinmaster have added several new buildings to their Nottingham show site including a photography studio, crafts room, therapy room, teenage den, and family entertainments room to make a total of 20 cabins of all shapes and budgets. The company's newest type of cladding is the Cedral weatherboard, available in a variety of colours and which requires very little maintenance (as well as keeping its colour).

The show site at The Rose Gardens, 251 Toton Lane, Stapleford, NG9 7JA, is open every day from 10am until 4pm, and is also available by appointment outside those hours ( 0115 932 8888 or info@cabinmaster.co.uk). -------------------------------------------------
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A Chelsea Flower Show garden for a writer

Another garden to look out for at this year's Chelsea Flower Show is The Writer's Retreat Garden in The Great Pavilion which features a shepherd's hut writing studio. Among those working on it is friend of Shedworking Mark Diacono from Otter Farm and greenhouse/conservatory specialists Alitex. Here's what Mark says about it:

Pennard Plants have been inspired by my books - particularly A Year at Otter Farm and The New Kitchen Garden - to create a garden where a writer might feel creative, surrounded by the sounds, scent and view of an edible garden. Not that it's a regular sort of edible garden. The space is 10m by 10m, an Alitex greenhouse [a Mottisfont model, 2.6m x 4m] forming the productive focal point, and a Riverside shepherd's hut where the pen meets paper. The greenhouse sits in a summer meadow, planted to draw beneficial insects to pollinate plants inside and out. In this more traditionally productive part of the garden is a fence of trained fruit, plus salads and herbs; the greenhouse itself full of Mediterranean favourites.

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Pottery collection inspired by Dylan Thomas's mug

We wrote about the mug the other day (and I now use one for my breakfast coffee - it's a lovely object and would strongly recommend it) so were delighted to see that Valley Mill in Swansea is now stocking an entire range of Ebsworth Pots stoneware inspired by it. A nice buy for any shedworker. -------------------------------------------------------

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Garden office awning

A nice idea from Radiant Blinds. Here's what they say about it:

Home offices are a popular addition to the garden. It order to try and keep cooler in the summer our client opted for a folding arm awning. It is operated by a wireless remote control motor and comes in over 50 different frame colours and hundreds of options for the fabric.

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Writing studio inspired by shedworker Cornelia Funke

 We've written about garden office champion Cornelia Funke before on Shedworking and here's a lovely writing studio which also functions as a guest house and library commissioned by her from New Frontier Tiny Homes. They call it, appropriately, The Cornelia.

Its 24ft x 8.5ft, with high vaulted ceilings and clerestory windows, lined inside with reclaimed barn wood and as well as a dinky desk, also has a kitchen, bathroom, and bed. You can see a whole gallery of photos at the New Frontier Tiny Homes site here. ------------------------------------------

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Jizz - new poetry collection from John 'Shedman' Davies

A supporter of Shedworking from the beginning, John 'Shedman' Davies has an excellent new and selected collection out from Kingston University Press called Jizz (a term used by birdwatchers to describe the overall impression of a bird from various features such as posture, size, and location - in the US the book will be called 'Nest'). As with his previous works, John includes shed mentions but landscape also provides a major focus as does everyday life. Our favourites are Gardener's Question Time ("Astride the shed, he pulls the roof felt up") and Walden Life, and it's good to see old favourite Maximum Shed in there, which is worth the cost of the book alone. Another triumph from Shedman and a must for all shedworkers' bookshelves.

Here is John below in full performance flow.

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BBQ huts

A nice piece in the Daily Mail by Tessa Cunningham about outdoor cookout cabins looks at five examples which could also double up as garden offices for some pleasant shedworking including the one above from Arctic Cabins. Here's a snippet of what Alex Flynn (pictured) says:

I never expected to pay £9,000 for what amounts to a wooden hut with a barbecue inside. All I wanted was something to fill the space at the bottom of our quarter-acre garden where we’d felled a tree. A pergola with a few climbing roses would have done. But last summer we went to an outdoor equipment show in the New Forest, and saw a display by Arctic Cabins. Their cute little shelters are handmade in the UK using Arctic pine, and come with snuggly deerskins on the five bench seats. Danny [her husband] was instantly sold and, when he assured me we could afford a 10-metre cabin, I jumped at the chance to indulge my love of cooking outside.

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Major new funding for Men’s Sheds

 The Australian Government is providing funding to 90 Men’s Sheds across the country to support the mental health and overall wellbeing of Australian men.

Men’s Sheds will receive grants totalling $395,000 under the ongoing National Shed Development Programme to help them buy tools, maintain sheds and host community activities focused on men’s health issues. There are three categories of grants – for purchase of tools and equipment, community projects and training; for building maintenance and development; and for health improvement activities.

About a third of Men’s Sheds will use this money to run community activities or events focussed specifically on health issues affecting men, some in partnership with local allied health services.
They may be awareness-raising events or providing education and training such as first aid. These activities will be aimed at men in the wider community, not just members of the Men’s Shed.

Although mental illness affects both men and women, men are less likely to seek help. In 2016, the rate of suicide among Australian males was more than three times that of females.

This funding is part of the total $5.1 million that the Government is providing to the Australian Men’s Shed Association to support Men’s Sheds over the three years to June 2019.


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Bringing the garden into the garden office

An interesting build for tourism specialists Evolable Asia in Ho Chi Minh City designed by  07 Beach and Studio Happ to provide a relaxing environment conducive to working by incorporating garden-like indoor green spaces elements including plant-lined walls, 'turf' carpets, and gazebos. According to Evolable: "The lawn mound works as seats at an event, lounge to relax and meeting place in an intimate atmosphere.. The undulating lawn ground and living plants stand up from it gives a sense as if being in a park or a field."

 

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Urban shedworking

Spotted just off Savile Row in London by the eagle-eyed Guy Boulton. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master: garden offices and studios to fit any size garden. Top quality contemporary or traditional buildings.

Dylan Thomas' Writing Shed as wall art, t-shirt, duvet cover and drawstring bag

Photographer Steve Purnell has turned his smashing shot taken through the window of the famous writing shed in Laugharne and turned it into all manner of things to buy at his Redbubble site here. ---------------------------------------------------------

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George Bernard Shaw's writing hut as you've never seen it before

Last Float around the writing shed @nationaltrust Shaw’s Corner Playwright, politician, philosopher and wit George Bernard Shaw lived in this Edwardian villa for over 40 years from 1906. When he moved in, he was at the height of his fame. @thebrightesthour like @petermckinnon just for fun and to entertain the children. Thx guys the children are super hyped about this #composite pictures #portrait #FoodPhotographer #photographer @photographers_unitedpro #family #identity #humanstoryies #humanencounter #petermckinnon #float

A post shared by Samuel Hauenstein - Swan (@sam_bronx) on Apr 12, 2018 at 1:00am PDT

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Pamela Butchart: (Secret Seven) Shedworker

One of the nicest people in literature - @Pamela_Butchart new Secret Seven author. Her shed is better than my flat! https://t.co/XpKcwuMwfu pic.twitter.com/60MxMGn5PM

— Jonathan Whitelaw (@JDWhitelaw13) October 18, 2017

Dundee-based author Pamela Butchart already has more than a dozen novels under her belt but the next one is especially keenly-anticipated since it is a continuation of Enid Blyton's Secret Seven series which she has written in her own writing shed. Here's what she told the Scottish Sun about it:

“It took me until the age of 34, but I finally got a garden shed just like the young detectives... Growing up, I always lived in council tenement flats and all I ever wanted was my own garden and Secret Seven shed... But the shed I use now is a bit pimped up. It has underfloor heating and all of my Secret Seven books are lined up.”

The Mystery of the Skull is published in July and you can see lots more photos of Pamela in her shed - including some ginger beer - at photographer Michael Schofield's site here. -------------------------------------------------
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Working from home is less stressful: New report

 New research conducted from Canada Life Group Insurance suggests that shedworking and working from home generally offers a far less stressful work environment than more 'traditional' approaches.

The study indicates that nearly 10 million workers suffer from workplace-related stress and anxiety - most importantly, a third of workers in cubicles and open plan offices are regularly affected by workplace stress compared to one in six of those who work from home. Moreover, more than three quarters of people who are offered and take flexible working options say that their productivity has increased as a result.
 

“It is important to keep in mind that not everybody operates in the same way and being flexible with your staff can often mean creating a better working environment and increased engagement," said Paul Avis, Marketing Director of Canada Life. "For example, flexible working not only has the benefit of improving work-life balance but can also have a positive influence on overall employee health. People want to give their best, but we are all leading increasingly busy and “always-on” lives. Allowing employees to fit in time to exercise, drop off and collect their children from school or start/finish earlier or later can make an enormous difference to productivity. It also demonstrates that employers care about their staff and are prepared to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach to ensure employees work at their best, which can only be a good thing for companies."

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10 free pairs of tickets to Grand Designs Live to give away

Shedworking has teamed up with Grand Designs Live to give you the chance to claim one of 10 free pairs of tickets, worth up to £34 each, to the UK’s leading contemporary home show Grand Designs Live at the ExCeL, proudly sponsored by Anglian Home Improvements.

This inspiring event, presented by design guru and TV broadcaster, Kevin McCloud, at ExCeL London from 5 –13 May, will see an array of new exhibitors, features and stages alongside established favourites.

To claim your free pair of tickets head to www.granddesignslive.com and use the code SHED2018 before April 16.

Terms and Conditions:
Tickets can only be claimed online and cannot be claimed by any other method. Tickets are available for use on 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th May 2018 only. Tickets cannot be exchanged for cash, are not transferable and cannot be duplicated. There are only 10 pairs of tickets available which will be issued on a first come, first serve basis. Once all tickets have been claimed, the code will no longer work. You must print your own tickets and show them at the entrance to Grand Designs Live on the date you have chosen. Failure to print your tickets could result in refusal of entry. In the event of any dispute, the show’s organisers, Media 10 Ltd have the right to refuse admission. Call the ticket hotline on 0844 854 134. ------------------------------------

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The Cooking Shed

Owned and run by winner of BBC1's Yes Chef! Regan Anderton, The Cooking Shed runs shed-based cookery lessons in Kent for adults and children, as well as private dining experiences.

All ready for a lovely family to come and learn to cook a fish Keralan curry together #familytime #learningtogether #curry #fishcurry #keralancurry #cookeryschool #bromley #westwickham #hayes

A post shared by The Cooking Shed (@thecookingshed) on Jan 13, 2018 at 5:35am PST

The Cooking Shed launch day from regan anderton on Vimeo. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master: garden offices and studios to fit any size garden. Top quality contemporary or traditional buildings.

Moving to Somerset and need a garden office?

Then here's the very thing. On with Lodestone Property for £615,000, the five-bedroom Bridge Cottage in Henley, Langport, is a lovely former river keeper's cottage dating back to the 1750s. Best of all, the outside space includes a garden office with a mezzanine sleep area, electricity, wifi, and marvellous rural views (not to mention a log storre and another shed for tools/bikes). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday posts are sponsored by Garden Spaces, suppliers of contemporary garden buildings, offices, gyms and studios, many of which do not require planning

Viking Bauhutte workshop and artist's studio

Viking Bauhutte - Workshop/Studio from Garden #shedoftheyear

Photographer Chris Walter has come up with what must already be in the running for Shed of the Year 2018. He uses his Bauhutte - inspired partly by Noggin the Nog - for a variety of things but especially for designing and building cameras. It has running water, full electrics and an antique Norwegian stove, but there are also many lovely touches such as the dragon handles (below).

The whole build is inspired by a Ben Law design with curved shingle walls and roof and wood roundel covered doors. Plenty of the construction material including insulation has been recycled from other buildings. And the term 'bauhutte'? Here's Chris's explanation:

The name Bauhutte comes from the middle ages when all the craftsmen and artisans would stay in a shed on site - the Bauhutte - and discuss their building and design ideas and drink tea (or mead). This idea of keeping art, design and craft together was revisited in the early 20th century when Bauhutte became Bauhaus.

I also like his idea that there is a Norse guardian of workshops called Bloki... -------------------------------------------------
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How do I get wifi in my garden office?

 No apologies for returning to this subject which is always close to the hearts of shedworkers. A nice roundup of the possibilities from Garden Room Masters which gives a brief rundown of the most popular ways of ensuring you stay online in your garden office. In short the options they look at are:

* Using your home power lines with Devolo (strongly recommended by the Garden Room Masters team)
* hardwiring via an Ethernet Cable (good, but you need to dig a big trench in your garden)
* wifi booster (may be tricky depending on your garden office insulation)
* point to point
* Point to Multi-Point

Well worth a read. The whole post is here.

Image courtesy Garden Spaces ------------------------------------

Sunday posts are sponsored by eDEN Garden Rooms. Stunning, bespoke high quality garden rooms, to suit your unique space and style