Clearing Out The Gardeners Cottage

After four months away, I’m finally back at the gardener’s cottage to begin a much-needed clear out. My main goal for this visit is to organize the space so I can set up and photograph 30 different vignettes that will serve as the reference for my upcoming book, The Tale of Pip and the Gardener's Cottage. It’s a bit of a sentimental journey as I go through years of collecting—from my cherished Spode china to vintage trunks and even an old English-made bicycle that needs some love. I'm joined by Debbie, who has been helping me keep things organised (a tough job, I admit!), as we decide what comes back with me to Spain and what stays here for the cottage's future. It’s wonderful to see the cottage tidy and "posed" for the illustrations, and I can’t wait to share the progress of the book with you all. Chapters 00:00 Back at the Gardener's Cottage 01:40 Assessing the Chaos 02:40 Meeting Debbie: The Task Ahead 03:30 Packing the Vintage Luggage Trunk 04:40 The English Bicycle & Restoration Plans 05:54 Future Plans for the Cottage 07:13 Sorting the Spode: Tea Sets & Egg Plates 11:00 Victorian Superstitions & Vanity Sets 12:50 Selecting Kitchen Essentials for Spain 14:30 Antique Spode & The Indian Sporting Scenes 16:50 The Mystery of the "Quartered" Sandwich Plate 19:55 Closing the Trunk & Final Preparations 22:00 One Last Look: The Mugs & Breakfast Cups 26:00 A Tidy Cottage: Ready for the Book Illustrations 27:50 Plans for Madrid & Final Thoughts