Kate Brush - Gateshead

Well, Brushers, it's been a while hasn't it? Here's a quick update on what's happening with Kate Brush at the moment.

The business has been 'asleep' for some time now. Restrictions, lockdowns, and a key worker partner have meant I have been unable to work when my kids are off school, and I have also needed to be quite picky about what jobs I can quote for, to ensure the safety of my clients (and me too).

As a new business I have missed out on all grants and payments, which has made life a little tricky for the last 10 months. As a result, I have got myself a temporary job, working from home, so I can be with the kids and experience the joys of homeschooling once again! This means that Kate Brush can continue to rest her brushes while I slave away over a hot laptop and mark Maths worksheets in my breaks! Oh the joys! 😂

I hope to bring you more information about the business as lockdowns ease but in the meantime stay safe and be kind to yourself. I'm pretty sure you are doing a great job.

I've included a picture of the sea because I love visiting the coast and know how much I will miss going during the current lockdown. Little did I know that this would be my last time for a while... xx

Good evening Brushettes.
Further to tonight's speech from the Prime Minister I would like to clarify that I WILL NOT be returning to work tomorrow, even if my work is considered 'construction'. The government have failed to convince me that going back to work is the best action to take at the moment, especially coming into your houses and putting us all at risk. 'Staying alert' is not a helpful instruction, as I am unsure how to 'stay alert' for an invisible virus. I also have children to look after which I will continue to do, at home, until I am sure it is safe for my kids, their friends and their families to go to school.
I know you will all understand my decision, and those who are my friends may also recognise how much I am biting my tongue at our terrible situation, which has been greatly exacerbated by our government's actions!
Please keep yourself safe and I'll hopefully see you on the other side.
Kati.

Hey Brushiers, there's not much decorating going on here but my littlest one and I have been thinking of ways to thank all the key workers who help us day to day. Here is today's project for our refuse collectors.

Hey Brushiers! Just a quick note to let you know that I have put my brushes away for the time being.

I am afraid that because of Covid, I currently won't be able to come out to do quotes. I will still be responding to messages though, so if you would like to be booked in for a quote (whenever this oddness blows over), let me know and I will add you to the list.

In the meantime, stay safe, stay away from each other, wash your hands and see you on the other side!

Brushettes! Don't know if you've noticed but today is World Book Day, the one where your reluctant-to-dress-up child wants to go as a video game character and you are desperately trying to find an example of them appearing in a book! So, here is my child. They cut up a cardboard box and painted it with my Frenchic furniture paint (Blackjack) to make a Minecraft Enderman. Bosh, job done.

My child is using my furniture paint to decorate a wooden spoon for World Book Day. I'm trying not to panic. Or interfere.

Hey there Brushettes! Just thought I'd tell you about another wonderful local small business. Rachel has been running her successful music sessions for little people in Durham for some time now, but she's a Low Fell lass and is now starting a new session in Gateshead. I used to teach with her and can say she is an exceptional musician, singer and group leader. She has a wonderful rapport with small humans (and their parents!), and she even writes her own songs!

If you have a small person that you take care of, you can't go far wrong taking them to Rachel's Musitots sessions. I only wish I had a little one to take along to her sessions...

Check out Rachel's page, like it, share it, use the service if you can, and support our brilliant local businesses!
https://m.facebook.com/musitots/

MUSITOTS MUSITOTS is a preschool group introducing parents, carers and their children to live music!

Hey Brushiers! If any of you are tuning into ITV1's Vera this evening (8pm) keep a look out for this front room. I had the pleasure of reinstating it back to its former self after the production company turned it brown for a witness/suspect/victim/. It was also filmed on my road so I'm very excited to be watching this evening! Tell me if you spot these walls!

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful Brushelves! May you have a colourful and peaceful festive season. Love to you all.

(I've been making these lovely chalkboards for the littlest people in my life. They're personalised according to their favourite colour and have their names painted on too. Hope they like them. 🤞)

Well hello there, Brushettes. Dame Brush here! After a long, hard week my holiday has finally started! The family and I have been to see Snow White, 'the little panto with the big heart' in South Shields. It was silly, slapstick, quite rude and exceedingly wonderful. Such a great way to start the Christmas break!

Speaking of which; the hall, stairs and landing I worked on this week went from drab new plaster to 'snow white' too! Phew, I think I deserve my break! (Please don't say, 'Oh no, you don't!)

Hi again Brushragettes.

Today I couldn't see the wood for the trees!

Hi Brushragettes!

I've voted today. Make sure you do too!

Hey there Brushettes, just thought I'd show you a wallpapering job I finished yesterday (just wallpaper, no paintwork on this one). All walls prepped, lined and papered. I especially love the map wallpaper! In fact, I brought a piece home for my kids to see.

Well hello there Brushketeers! I've been working on prepping and painting some doors and their frames this week and thought I'd show you what a difference it makes.

From yellow to 'hello!' ('Hello!' Pics are first, btw.)

Brushettes! There's another wonderful small business I'd like to tell you about.

I met Sarra a month or so ago. Like me, she used to be a teacher but decided to leave the stresses and strains of the busy classroom to build a new cleaning business. It's not easy taking the plunge and starting over again, but when I've spoken to Sarra, she is so happy to be doing a job she absolutely adores, and she gets total control of her work life to boot! I know some of her clients, and they have talked about how wonderful she is at her job, how much she enjoys her work and how clean their houses are after she has spent an hour or two working her magic.

You might be looking for a cleaner for a one-off clean, or a couple of hours every 2 weeks. You might not be looking for a cleaner at all! But here's how you can help: LIKE her page, LOVE her posts, SHARE her details with your mates. Support and love your local small businesses!

Thanks, Brushettes! Xx

Evening, Brushiers. I've had a lovely week with some great friends. I've loved doing this room. Partly for the cosy, sumptuous colour but mostly because I got to do that dark ceiling! I've been wanting to do this for ages and now know that my own house is going to feature a darker ceiling at some point soon!

They also have three lovely, soft mutts who gave me the most enthusiastic welcome every day this week. It's great to enter your workplace feeling like a proper celebrity! 🤣

Hey there Brushiers! As a new business, I've noticed how important 'word of mouth' can be in getting established and drumming up business. I have also noticed how many new businesses are being set up by women who, just like me, are searching for a new purpose in life, a different way of working; who are stepping back from the employment rat race and finding another way to provide for their families. These are friends of mine, women I admire from afar, and brief acquaintances who are taking risks, leaving their previous careers behind, and finding a new way of being 'happy'. And I love them for it. So I'm occasionally going to use this page to shamelessly plug their businesses and skills. Find them on facebook, LIKE their pages, 'wow' their work, use their services if you can, tell your mates. Love and support your new, local businesses.

The first business I'd like to tell you about belongs to my friend, Amy. Amy runs Proactive Massage, based within Life Gym in Low Fell. She used to be a primary teacher but retrained as a sports masseuse and is brilliant at her work. I have had a couple of sessions with Amy and she works wonders, eases my aches and pains, makes me feel comfortable and really knows her stuff. She absolutely loves what she does and isn't looking back. Please LIKE her page, support her in any way you can, tell your mates, and love your local businesses.

Hey there Britches! Like your new name? There's a reason for that! There's been a 'Brush' and 'Ditch' mash-up!

I've really enjoyed collaborating with Vicki from Hoes & Ditches this week. We've been painting a fence for one of her lovely garden design clients. Bad weather has put the project on pause for the moment, but we're so pleased with our progress so far. We'll be back to finish it off when the weather invites us back! If you don't yet follow Vicki's business, search for 'Hoes & Ditches' and give her page a 'Like'. Support and love your local traders!

Hi Brushers, I hope you have a happy weekend planned! Just thought I'd share this small project with you. These brand new MDF cupboard doors now look lovely and smart after a couple of coats of Sandstone Satin cupboard paint. If you need anything like this doing, get in touch. I'm happy to come and have a look, give you a quote and get you booked in! Enjoy your weekend, everyone. Xx

Hey there, Brush Gang! I've had a shocking commute this week; it's taken me all of 40 seconds to get to my job every day. I've been 'reinstating' (proper telly term) a property used for filming popular north east detective drama, Vera. It was originally taupe all over, including doors, woodwork and radiators. I think this new scheme is much brighter, and my clients are really pleased. Which means I am too!

Ahem, *puts on best Loyd Grossman voice* who lives in a house like this?

The answer may surprise you.

Hi Brush Gang! Earlier this week I had the pleasure of spending a day doing 3 feature walls for a brilliant family. The kids chose their own colours and made their rooms their own. They're over the moon with the results. Get in touch if you'd like me to come to you for a quote. You can also book me for single days at a time if you need help finishing a project.

Well this has been a labour of love! A scrape, a complete strip (oo-er!), a sand, a clean, a prime and a lovely colour. Phew!

Goodbye boring old garden table and chairs!

I've been revamping my own garden furniture and I love it! I used Frenchic Furniture Paint. Their new limited edition Al Fresco colours are wonderful, and perfect for outdoor furniture. I chose Steel Teal (table) and Serendipity (chairs) for this project. They go on brilliantly and look amazing! Oh, and I also had a little help from The Brushette too! What do you think of our work?

I'm happy to quote for jobs like this, weather depending of course!

Been stripping this week (I know, I know, I've heard all the jokes! 😂).

I'll be back to paint when my clients have had some work done. Watch this space...

Hey Brushers! I've just finished this brilliantly nautical bathroom with a very pricey paper all the way from The Windy City. As my client said, 'You're gonna either love it or hate it!' I really love it! What do you think?

A sparkly new kitchen makeover for a North Shields flat. The original paint was peeling from the plaster, so I papered the walls before painting. I think it looks lovely now.

Instead of literally watching paint dry, I've taken my lunch break away from work. This is 2 minutes from where I'm currently working. I wish I lived near the sea!

So this is interesting, Brushers! Anyone fancy the 'drippy' look?! Makes cutting in a lot easier!😂

I took advantage of Mr A. Brush being off with the kids to finish a job today. From fresh new plaster to smart new colours, and a newly primed, painted and papered over wardrobe space too. I can't wait to see pics when the carpet, and furniture are all in.

A recent job on a large hall, stairs and landing. That's a denim colour on the feature wall, which looks really striking. I always like it when clients send me pics after they've put pictures up and have furniture in place. It makes such a difference.

Here's something a little different from my usual malarkey. We have new raised beds in our garden and I need labels for my herbs and veg. I love how the colours pop on the slate. Let's see how long they last! Bit of culture there for you too!

This stuff runs in the family! My (not so) little brother gave this beauty a mini makeover the other day. Looking well smart, Bro!

I'm just doing the ceiling in this living room today, so I've created an arrangement that Dexter Morgan would be proud of!

Sometimes, decorating a room means so much more than just a freshen-up or change of look. This was one of those times.

This week I have a 'watcher'. Handy with a pasting brush, mind. 😉

Hey Brushers! I've been doing a kitchen/diner and a bedroom for my lovely clients recently. See if you can spot one of my fluffy helpers - she's handy with a brush!

Choices, choices.

Earlier this week, I sanded, filled and painted the lounge walls of this lovely Tyneside flat. The paint shade is 'Monogram' by Craig and Rose and I think it looks so striking and absolutely stunning in this large room. Let me know what you think, Brushers. And thanks to my lovely clients for letting me share the end results, you've got style!