Project Home & Why I've Been Away From the Blogosphere!

I had moved in to this house 8 years ago with 10 years worth of my own belongings and into a home that my parents had been in for almost 60 years and never thrown away.....ANYTHING.
I mean anything, every receipt for the house, every card received, every magazine with an 'interesting article' it was here in these 3 bedrooms and a loft with little room for a postcard let alone another human and a child.
The sorting started almost immediately and never stopped. With no car it was hard work - 3 skips filled and sent away and numerous friends hired and used for trips to the local dump, eventually space was appearing. Then Mum became more incapacitated and needed more care, I became more depressed and little was done for a long time. Neighbours made complaints but never offered help (easy to do when you are on the outside of a problem) and it made things worse. Mum's last few months were made miserable by varying factors. I eventually got a car and for 3 months we had a real family again, being mobile and cheering ourselves up; then she died.
I have to thank the interfering - for making me realize that life isn't all about appearances and having a heart is a huge factor. I would rather ask a neighbor if I could help than ever just poke my nose in and be an interfering ass. Karma is a great thing!
I couldn't decorate unless Mum was in hospital or respite as she had COPD and couldn't cope with dust and paint, so it was never going to be a real possibility and it made me sad. This house was not a home anymore but a real weight on my shoulders and a memory of what used to be such a wonderful residence.
If you have ever read any previous posts you may have come across my competition entry for Hilary's Blinds earlier this year.
At the end of that post I set myself a project and that is where I and this blog have been for what seems like an eternity! I have immersed myself in paint, wallpaper and old furniture and just knuckled down to doing up my home a room at a time.
There were rules! I was not allowed to buy anything new with 2 exceptions bedding and flooring. Everything I used had to be upcycled, blagged, won or a review item. I had no idea what a huge task I had set myself.
SO!
Over the next week or so this blog will be full of DIY - on the cheap-skate!
I have products to review, products that I love and just want to rave about and ideas to share....
I am getting there, things are looking like a tunnel that has a very bright LED at the end .... and I'm loving it.... 
Stay TunedL