Things Have Changed Around Here, Learning the Truth, Composting & Decorating

[@valarya]

I think the windows/doors should be the same color as the windows/doors on the main house - for cohesion. I love the blue you picked; it really freshens up the space! 💜

[@JoannaLouise200]

Totally agree 150% ~ the blue is amazing...it works perfectly whatever the intensity of daylight :)

[@DamarisDarby]

My husband is a Tree Surgeon - they often can’t get rid of wood chips, call a local tree surgeon and ask them to dump a load on your driveway next time they have a load - you’ll save a fortune. Best done in winter as you can avoid the leaves they end up shredding in summer 😊

[@KatrinaMargaret]

Hiya 👋 We're down on The Lizard and hubby Ian built me a 3 phase compost bin a couple of years ago as we hadn't had any success making our own compost using plastic compost bins or bags. Concentrate on filling one of your 'bins' per year. After the first one is full at the end of the year (we use Jan 1st as our change over date as it's easier to remember), cover it with something thick to help retain the temperature and just leave it alone to 'cook'. Then start using the second 'bin' for the second year and again, the following Jan 1st cover it and leave it to 'cook'. You now have one empty bin to start using, one that you've just covered, and the exciting thing is the bin from the first year having been left to 'cook' for 12 months is now ready to use 😍 We've just last week started using our first homemade compost from 12 months ago. We filled our first oak sleeper raised bed (just built by Ian) with our very own compost and it is wonderfully rich and completely rotted. You must follow the simple rule of layering the contents of the bin - one layer of green (grass cuttings, veg food scraps etc) then one layer of brown (cardboard, shredded paper, dead branches etc). This ensures the compost rots properly and doesn't smell. You'll be surprised how quickly the compost pile sinks using this process, which is a sure sign that the contents is 'cooking' well. The last 2 years we've shredded all of the Christmas trees used to decorate Helston town centre shops (Ian volunteers for the charity that decorates the town every year), and added those to our compost pile as well. The compost from the first bin was so rich and fully 'cooked' that last Autumn we used the compost bin to directly sow pumpkins in it which then grew out over the edge of the compost bin and covered one of our front lawns - the neighbours' children loved watching their progress until they were harvested and we gave several of the away to neighbours and friends as well as having plenty to decorate our own property 🎃 Hope this helps, feel free to message me if you need any more advice 😘 Katrina xxx

[@cantocant2346]

Roxie's smiling face!! I love her!

[@caa18]

Thank you for speaking up about your anxiety. I'm sure it's scary sharing it to strangers but for me personally, I say most of these things I'm hearing you say so learning how you talk to yourself is really helpful 🥰

[@Hjertehjemme]

Fill one compost to the top and leave it for 3 years. Fill the next one the next summer, and so on and so on. After 3 years the first one will be ready! 🌿☀️♻️ We only have one compost «place» - so we leave it only for 1 year and then use it half broken down - with some soil on top. Works well! 🌿👩‍🌾

[@Marie.A.Mcleod]

I love how much you love your dog, animals truly are wonderful ❤❤❤

[@suziechristman9771]

Yay Maddie! Navigating life chaos with your adult mind, but hanging onto your Maddie heart. ❤️ Proud of you!

[@_indigorising]

I love how peaceful & calm the UK seems 🥰 Your home and garden are super beautiful!

[@jvgl2024]

I find huw Richard’s on KZbin amazing for helping with gardening and compost. His new book also looks great!

[@MadeleineOlivia]

I have his book but need to subscribe to his KZbin! Thanks for the rec!

[@amxranthine]

Match the windows and doors to the ones on the house, consistency always looks good!

[@juliahaveland7936]

Thank you for your lovely vlogs and chats to the camera! 💗Your content really resonates with me and your videos make me feel calm and happy. ☺Just a little message to say I appreciate you.

[@nancyesposito1020]

I think I watched that same video about the blue zones and how gardening is what they have in common for physical activity! I'm all for that! Definitely get the hot air popper then you don't have to use any oil and you can just flavor it with whatever you want! So easy and tasty! Love seeing the setup for when you do the shorts and the Instagram and Tiktok shoots. Thanks for sharing your process it's very interesting and inspiring! You are so organized! I'm having a health anxiety meltdown right now so thanks for the reminder me to try to control my anxiety!

[@MadeleineOlivia]

We got the air popper! Thanks for watching and the lovely comment :) You’ve got this! Health anxiety is no joke!

[@missykemp3957]

So much wisdom in how you spoke about anxiety. ❤

[@rebekah3483]

Hello there! I hope you're both well! I'm excited to see what you're going to be up to in here!

[@JoannaLouise200]

I love it that you change your outfit with the filming of different recipes (and why not!) ~ it makes me smile so much. Maybe it's a new phenomenon in the vlogging world, and could be called 'dressipes' :)

[@emeliasoderlund]

thank you for your reminders

[@MadeleineOlivia]

❤️❤️❤️

[@katyss9128]

Ask a tree surgeon if they’ve got any wood chip. They put everything through a chipper and then often have a big pile of wood chip somewhere you might get for free or at a reasonable price. Better for the environment than buying plastic bags of imported wood chip which comes from who knows where and a sustainable way of recycling wood chip from local trees.

[@sophiachalkley9839]

Yes! Call them because they are so happy to drop chip if they are working in your area, will likely save them time or money paying to dispose of it. I work for a Tree Surgery company x

[@northwoodfalls1403]

My brain does the same thing. Occasionally it hits me so hard that I literally feel it’s so hopeless and out of my control that i want to burn the house down and walk away and start again elsewhere. It’s truly an awful state to be in and waiting for it to pass is challenging but with practice of mindfulness and gratitude and truth telling, it’s gotten easier.

[@SteffaniesJourney]

Put cardboard down on the grass and put the wood mulch down over top of it, or put down weed barrier 1st. You don’t want to put that down on top of the grass alone, it will still grow through the wood mulch. You need to kill the grass with the cardboard or weed barrier. Happy growing!

[@jessicasinclair1547]

With the compost...move all the stuff that hasn't broken down to the bins further down until you get to the useable compost. Use that this year before you add anything to that pile then start a new pile in that section and don't add anything to the other two piles to let them compost and be ready for next year. You need to turn the compost pile a couple times a year and make sure that it doesn't dry out completely. The piles should heat up enough to kill off any seeds, or at least affect their viability.

[@stadknit]

Shouldn’t they also mix the compost with the soil in the beds to make it less strong? Isn’t it strong like fertiliser now? I have a warm compost and this is what I’ve been told to do. Also, lots of turning to let air in to increase heat to kill weeds, prevent bugs and disintegrate the waste faster. All those worms are excellent!! 👌🏻

[@kathyjakary7269]

Yes, it needs to be mixed into the original soil!@@stadknit

[@crystalh1402]

A great way to create aisles between the garden beds is use brown shipping boxes with no plastic ink etc as weed block and top with wood chips to keep them in place

[@its.rachel.hickey]

So sorry about the lost footage!❤ I vote to match the office windows and doors to the house (either white or off white, I forget which you said).

[@TB-ky7de]

Yes too the house !

[@chizzler2248]

Too adorable that Roxie!! I am the same with to-do's I need to step back and take it easy. I totally get it.

[@chelseaadams995]

That orzo recipe looks delicious!!!! ❤

[@lucyadams9884]

Hi lovely lady. I grew up in North Devon, I miss this part of the world - your videos take me home each week. Thank you 😊 I just wanted to say - the most effective thing that I have found for instant anxiety removal… is a cold burst in the shower. If you start with just one minute and work up to the time it takes to wash and get your hair clean - you will ‘be’ so in the moment. I wouldn’t let others know to start with - that would put pressure on, maybe start when the weather is warmer but honestly, it helped me. Sharing an idea only xx

[@kimberlymerritt1682]

I love your positive outlook when things go awry and how you actively take control of your thoughts. Life is life. You're making lovely lemondade out of lemons, and the house and garden are a lifelong joy to tend to, mistakes and all. Looking forward to the next one.

[@Optimist788]

I feel painting your doors and windows off white will be complimentary. Sorry for going off topic but I encourage you to keep your divider between the lawn and vegetable garden. It creates rooms and interest within the space as a whole. I live in the Pacific NW and we talk about our weather it seems constantly as well 😂 TYFS❤️

[@kasiapetruk6730]

Office door definitely white/off white. It would be very cute with the sky blue walls and, as others mentioned, consistent with the main house next to office. Also, I love the nails, it is like the spring has come! so lovely to see that styling.

[@kirstenfaulkner5344]

For wood chips, we discovered that we can get them for free from tree trimming companies (they give you their waste essentially). That’s in California, so it may not be the same, but worth looking into for some savings.

[@e.m.j.spiekman3471]

Learning the truth - beautiful. Thank you for deciding to share such valuable lessons

[@jennifertoliver9546]

Oh Roxy! I miss my Decker and his big black rubber nose, mostley his unconditional care and love! Ooh I like the table that way Have a long table 10 plus feet with brass yardage markers, I still can't fit it into our victorian 5 bed in TO but hope to someday!

[@Howtolivealife123]

Hi with all those beds you’ve got you could just dedicate one or two to squash - they need space to sprawl so if you raise them from seed indoors & plant them in the beds when they are a few inches tall then you don’t need to worry about the soil/compost being too fine a tilth (which you do for seeds) and they’ll just sprawl over the beds and don’t need alot of care beyond weeding a bit & watering. The good thing about them is that they will store over the winter. Butternut is good, crown prince & Hokkaido are all good, tend to store well & great for cooking. You could definately use a couple of beds this way & get a good amount to keep you going through autumn & into the winter.

[@Pixief13]

I agree with others matching the windows and doors to the house 😍 I’m not vegan but the meals you make always look delish! Your channel is very much a comfort channel 😊

[@sophiawitkowski1082]

Loved this video also loved how you were talking about being more positive I really need too do that I am soo negative soo thank you for that thank you for sharing xx

[@rosalindhaydon9058]

Maddie, you were talking about our brains can play tricks on us. This is something that has come up in a book I’am reading at the moment.This book is an international bestseller which has made it’s 25th anniversary edition. The author is Susan Jeffers who wrote “feel the fear and do it anyway “ as well as many others. The book gives you the insight and tools to vastly improve your ability to handle any situation. I have found the book easy reading, practical, and has inspiring accounts throughout it. While reading it I have to say I learned a lot about myself and it’s proving to be very helpful as well as encouraging. Hope this can be of help to some. Thanks for everything you share with us, for your honesty, insights, projects, fun hubby, and gorgeous dog.

[@gracem30]

Thanks for sharing about your anxiety. That’s a very insightful and helpful observation about our mind telling us things that aren’t true.

[@Businedu]

You never miss 🔥

[@Dontletthemdullyoursparkle]

Thanks for talking about anxiety and feeling overwhelmed. I have anxiety. I have got better at managing it over the years bjt its so relatable what you describe. I start thinking about all the things i need to do and i get so depressed and overwhelmed it almost males me feel frozen and i wont do anything. I am better now actually at not getting frozen. Its just trying to always focus on one little bit at a time. I loke the idea of doing one room at a time but in reality i do s.all tidying and decluttering of each room so no room is wver looking perfect or finished. Theres always small piles of clutter in each room. I am trying to get better though and i really appreciate someone else talking about anxiety, overwhelm, pms, etc. So thank you xx

[@shopcookeatwi]

Loved this video and just adore that dress on you. Thank you so much for visually introducing me to how great mushrooms are to where I could no longer resist buying and cooking them! I bought a container of crimini mushrooms and cooked them really well in butter. Some of the pieces were nice and crispy. They did not have the taste that I remembered in my head that made me queasy thinking of them. They were delicious! I need to get used to the texture still, but tried eating a bite of them when I also had a piece of pasta on the fork and that went better. Thank thank you Maddie.

[@kelseydean3137]

I can relate to the anxiety talk/our brain playing tricks. I’ve had anxiety for most of my life. Generalized anxiety, OCD/health anxiety, panic etc. I talk a lot like you as well 😆 I’ve come A LONG way with my anxiety struggles and i do the same thing-where I call out my brain for lying to me/trying to convince me of lies. It can be extremely helpful and gives us the power back. Thank you for being so open with these things. It’s so important to talk about 😁

[@Moraymakeup]

Hi Maddie, I think with your compost you need to decide whether you are using a “hot” or “cold” heap technique. We composted for a few years before rats (yep) decided to nest directly under it and we spent a lot of time making sure the heap reached the correct temperature. You also need a good mix of “green” and “brown” materials…. See good ol’ Charles Dowding for more on that. Definitely chip any bigger bits of wood too. Also, alongside putting flowers in your beds, you could consider a bed full of beautiful willow such as Midwinter Fire that you cut back every year. You can use the willow to make your own wreaths, garden obelisk etc. or use in flower displays. Lovely winter colour too….or you could see it to a local basket or wreath maker x

[@andrealiberadzki5375]

I had an anxiety day last Monday managed to get to work but in-between I took to my bed something I would never do I just knew it was best for me - I live next door - joined to a horrendous neighbour which causes terrible anxiety been enduring for 17 years seeing your beautiful home in Cornwall fills me with hope that eventually I will get to Cornwall your home & everything your making it into is amazing - I know you are always busy & planning but also please enjoy stop look around & take in your achievements ❤

[@julietyler8864]

Sorry about the lost footage, still a great, very enjoyable vlog. Love the colour of the office, the windows would look nice either in the same colour as the walls or to match the house ones ❤. Roxy is completely adorable 🥰 x

[@Grimfango]

Slightly darker blue for the woodwork than the exterior colour would look amazing. Either that, or same as the house.

[@ericahempenstall7405]

I made your lemony leek orzo with rice instead because I couldn’t find orzo and bean burgers and it was delicious 😋 thank you ❤

[@flibbertygibbette]

What a change to the office! I would definitely say make the doors and so forth the same color as the windows on the house. It'll help everything fit together. With the three bin composting system, you are meant to start by filling up the bin on the left, turning it really well and regularly to help it compost faster. Then when that's full and really going you move everything from that bin to the second bin. It's important that you not add anything new to that second bin pile at that point, just turn it regularly so that it can aerate and cure. You then begin filling up the first bin again with fresh material. Then when the second bin has cured and everything is truly well and rotted, you move it to the third bin, where you keep your finished compost that you can use in the garden. When the first bin is full, you then move that into the now empty second bin to cure while you're using the ready compost in the third bin. Then you start filling up the first bin with fresh waste again. It might be helpful to get an electric wood chipper to break down small branches. Most can handle branches up to a couple inches in diameter and it makes quick work of them. You can sprinkle those chips onto your wood chip paths and also put the chips into your compost pile.

[@flibbertygibbette]

What I'd do with your compost bins at this point is pull out all the fresh stuff on top into a wheelbarrow and buckets (or onto the grass, whatever!), take all the branches you can get and either chop them up small with gardening shears, or put them in your brown bin, or if you get a chipper, chip them up small for the pile, and load all the rotted stuff on the bottom into the second bin to cure. Don't add anything new to the second bin after that. Anything new goes into the first bin, as a rule. You'll want to turn both piles really well every 3-4 days to help the decomposition along quickly. After a month or two, if you are vigilant about turning it and keeping things really hot, it'll probably be ready to move into the third bin so you can use it. You want to make sure that compost is fully cured before putting it onto your veg beds and using it for seeds, because if it isn't finished curing it can burn seeds. Also, you don't want compost to be damp but not too wet, it can be helpful to put sawdust or dry organic material to help keep the heat up and the decomposition going. A tarp over the pile on really rainy days can help keep it from getting too wet. I'd be interested to see you turn one of your beds into a hugelkultur experiment! That's something else you could do with all the branches.

[@davidthescottishvegan]

Another fantastic vlog beautiful Madeleine and good to get the decorating and gardening done. It is unfortunate that you lost some of your vlog footage. Love 🥰 the vlog and love 💕 Madeleine & ❤ Alex.

[@lotimol3288]

Yes the changing of clothes and your pretty makeup is so much nicer 😊

[@lorimcmichael5846]

Definitely match the house for the windows! Everything is coming together so nicely! Looks great

[@suzettebristol3683]

I like cream for the door and windows. Today I made your loaded fries recipe with the mushroom and walnut mince. Even my husband loved it! It was amazing.

[@irismeeow]

11:10 the music ❤

[@chrissiehart22]

Maddie I think cuddling out spaniel is essential! It's the best medicine I've ever had.xx

[@borisreeves2704]

Lovely compost your plants will love you x

[@francineh.7825]

Oh I hope you find your memory card! I always try to be grateful as well but this week has been hard, so it's been a bit difficult finding that gratitude. I like the paint colour a lot and my thoughts are a warm off white would look really nice but if you want a strong contrast I would use a beautiful brown as opposed to black.

[@chocoholly12345]

That blue is GORGEOUS on you.

[@lomset9494]

Hello from Japan, I watch your videos regularly Maddie and I’m currently travelling and currently on the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hiroshima 🤘🏻loving the gardening content. Can’t wait to be back in the Uk in May when it’s warmer. Love the blue for the office walls.

[@sonniarichardson2507]

I found it helpful to make a list of all the projects that need to be done. As you get them done, scratch them off, it's so satifying. They become small bites of accomplishments. However just remember as a homeowner you're house is never done 😂 so you can't be too hard on yourself.. ❤

[@kaltespopcorn4087]

10:26 off white!

[@irismeeow]

love your eye makeup at the beginning of the video :)

[@mansoor3159]

Very Very Helpful Video Madeleine 🙂🙂❤❤❤

[@pandapaw46]

Sorry about the footage that sounds so frustrating! I like the vlogs being regular day to day stuff including work!

[@michellehooper661]

I would go off white with the woodwork/doors. Love the blue, looks so nice. Poor u re lost footage! Must have been so annoying. Love Kallo also - I like the beetroot ones so nice! Have a great week ❤

[@emma5698]

I think painting the windows and doors off white would look lovely, but a bolder/quirkier choice might be a pastel pink or some sort of ice creamy colour pop to add something a bit different. Could look amazing or awful depending on various other factors/circumstances!

[@stampingmomentsbyjennymoor2581]

We grow courgettes in our compost bin that is waiting to mature. We cover the top of the bin that is waiting.

[@kertmelinda]

You can make popcorn in a paper bag in the microwave, you don't need any oil!

[@mandymullett1615]

Think off white would be really complimentary x

[@heatherread6058]

Always frustrating losing anything. I lost a key and months later found it in a coat pocket. The weather had changed so there was no need to wear the coat until it cooled down again so my suggestion is to check all your pockets. From South Australia 🇦🇺 ❤

[@glennwing4214]

Maddie, you have enough raised beds for a market garden! If you plant them all, it's going to be overwhelming. Depending on how many households you plan on supplying, try starting with 4 to 6 beds for you and Alex. And maybe another 1 or 2 for each extra household of 2.

[@simple.d_vlogs]

We’re travelling to Cornwall quite often your videos feel so familiar ♥️ thank youuuu, thank you for uploading! :)

[@calichrist1790]

Some seeds are better sown directly in the ground because they don’t like to be transplanted. Also some plants go into shock when transplanted and it slows down the growing and production 😀

[@sharonlong8177]

Also a 🪴 plant pot on the bottom step either side - that’ll look cute ❤

[@lanageorge5865]

If you layer grass clippings or leaves with your compost it will be more effective. Also, if you don’t have access to a wood chipper, you should cut down the branches into much smaller pieces. Small enough to move with the dirt in a shovel. One bin should be empty. One should be full of dry grass clippings and leaves. The other should be your ‘active’ compost. As you add to your active compost, cover it with leaves and grass clippings. On a regular schedule transfer your active bin to your empty bin, make sure it’s not dry. If dry, add a bit of water.

[@briangenny8670]

Hi Maddie, the compost looks wonderful and so many worms I’m sure you’ll have a great spinach!

[@michellelynn190]

I personally would do the windows and doors white with a tint of the color blue you used. Itll just make it blend better with the office. Or you could paint them a shade of blue darker than the one you used. But thats if you dont mind it being its own entity, apart from the house.

[@inespimenta617]

Your videos in general, not just vlogs are between the most calming and relaxing ones. Always stay feeling better after watching them. About content I think duplicating it is a great away, not only for you but also for us who don't follow you in all social medias so we don't miss on things that would be otherwise only found somewhere else. The windows and door I think it should be same has the rest of the house, so it would like match a bit and not look like something else entirely

[@sharonlong8177]

Can do a couple of beds just on herbs Maddie ❤

[@samwright8599]

I'm not sure when you do the compost thing but I'd be interested too when you find out. Xx

[@s30123]

Maybe a swatch on either side would help ? One side blue and the other the off white. I'm biased to say paint all blue since it's my favorite colour 😊

[@jangriffiths8013]

My Mom used to always say: "There's a place for everything, and everything in its place". Why: we were 9 people in a small 3-bedroom flat!

[@LaFarmhouse]

love the dress🌿🌷

[@MaikaRose]

same! any idea where it's from?

[@alexadavidson6227]

Maddie, many landscapers/arborists will sell wood chips cheap or use a third party company that will give them for free to consumers. In the US the company is ChipDrop. They deliver truck fulls at a time but it is free because arborists would have to pay to get rid of the excess wood typically. Also, have you considered under cabinet lighting where you auger is to give you better lighting? I have ones on Amazon I love and then you could cook wherever you wanted! ❤

[@andrealandsburg]

I also think you should match the colour of the frames with the main house..😊

[@ukaly1]

You are a lot like my son, who is 40. He over-thinks everything down to which shoes to order out of two pairs. I told him to close his eyes and point or ask his 3 year old son to pick them out 😂

[@audreysutherland4739]

Roxy ❤ The best distraction 😊

[@nml1930]

Love the blue sweater Omg i thought u had a bat in your dressing room So relieved it’s a bath Such a nice lot of worms for😊 your garden

[@cathylynnpietranton]

Maddy paint doors off white. So far it looks really nice.❤

[@susanschuler6714]

I love you holding you Roxy. I take "tension tea". Celestial seasonings. I helps me a great deal.

[@Infinitepossibilitiesat56plus]

You sometimes can get free wood chip from a local tree specialist

[@edmundguschelbauer5615]

windows and door in black 😊

[@michelleosullivan8054]

Think you should carry on with colours of windows on main house

[@quiet_the_mood]

The hunting season is over now (1st Oct - 1st Feb). Hurrah! Popcorn and kallo corncakes on repeat here too :) That dress is you👌

[@carolineholland4178]

Your compost is looking fantastic, look at all of those worms!

[@jofarrell4488]

Nothing more exciting than seeing all those red wrigglers chowing down in the compost! x

Maddie, celebrate your wins

[@hannahx212]

45:57 Yup climate change is (one reason) why I'm choosing not to have kids. So many climate scientists state we're pretty much past the point of no return, why would we want to subject future humans to that

[@flgirl9128]

No worries. This too shall pass......

[@rebekah3483]

Check the vacuum cleaner! It might have been sucked up!

[@CharlotteThieryWeetman]

I have never tried it myself but I have seen videos of people cooking popcorn in a pan using a tiny bit of water instead of oil!

[@staceytaylor1502]

Do your Aborists in England give wood chips away? It can be free here in the US from those sources. Just a thought.