My Sheddie: Anne from The Vintage Tea Shed

My Sheddie: Anne Hindle

Self Build/Off the Shelf:
M shed is off the shelf … Or more precisely out of the rafters of the wood store at Jewson’s Blackpool when my hubby worked there. It was the last one and was covered in pigeon poo as it had been there that long.

It took a lot of power washing to get it clean. It cost £50 and came as flat pack. Hubby put it together for me. I wanted a shed after watching Shed of the Year on TV … I asked hubby if I could have one … He said he had just the thing. I prefer old and imperfect against new anytime. So it was perfect.

Why have you got a shed:
having watched shed of the year I loved the fact that a shed could be a creative space. I always wanted my own space to be creative in and with … So it was an ideal project. I use it for crafting; reading; listening to music; having somewhere quiet to go to; drinking tea, coffee or wine depending on the time of day or day of the week.

Describe your shed:
I am a very visual person and I love pretty things so to be able to decorate it with vintage items, charity shop finds and items from my own collection and ultilise them to make them functional was just fabulous for me. I have a stall in a local antiques emporium and the owner saw my shed and immediately said “it’s just like your stall” … Yes it’s just an extension of me.

It is tea themed as I love vintage teapots and tea sets and the colour scheme is pastels. I love going to vintage tea rooms so again the use of teacups to keep my crafting bits in seemed ideal. There is lots of bunting, tea caddies as storage pots, fairy lights and other pretty things. I added the armchair and display cabinet as I wanted it to feel homely.

Who are your shed inspirations:
I don’t know that I could say that one particular shed or group of sheds inspired me. I liked the budget category as I love second hand finds and reusing and recycling and the shed itself ticked all the boxes.

I love the budget shed category entries. The real budget ones built on a shoestring. I don’t think there has ever been a shed that I didn’t like in the whole of the competition .. I just love seeing other people’s creativity … I find it all inspiring.

Sheds I like are:
I particularly liked the artist shed who was also workshop category winner last year.

The Retro Retreat
Taxi Shed
Dorothy’s Romany Vardo
Mermaids Cottage
Betty & Bear Studio
George Bernard Shaw’s Writing Shed
The Boat House

Future Shed Plans/Anything else:
I am not really sure, I guess just some simple projects really. I haven’t really the space for another shed as much as would love one. So at the moment I am just enjoying my shed as it is.

I wondered about putting guttering along the front running to a water butt … I can use the water to clean brushes, equipment etc.

My next mini project is to replace one of my vintage display cabinets in the front room, which my youngest son smashed a glass panel in, and use it outside. I am going to take all the glass out, sand it down and paint it with exterior paint (Cuprinol Sweet Pea) to match my shed. It will sit along side my shed and I will use teacups and teapots as planters and fill it with colourful plants and flowers .. this will have to be after lockdown unfortunately.

I guess it’s a reverse of bringing the outside in .. bringing the inside out.

How did I find out about Shed of the year:
After watching Shed of the Year on TV the first time it was on … I was hooked.

What words would you use to sum up sheds?
A shed is a blank canvas that can be turned into anything at all … All you need is imagination and a helping hand … Having a shed is the best thing I ever invested time in.

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