For many people, the idea of spending lockdown in a tropical paradise sounds like a dream.
But when Michelle Fallon found herself stuck in Malaysia after the introduction of travel restrictions in March, there was only one place she wanted to be: at home in Roscommon.
“It was actually raining more so than sunny,” laughs Michelle, who had taken a few months out back in January to go travelling in Asia, but spent the last 37 days of her trip unable to leave the confines of the house she was staying in due to government orders.
I was looking at Instagram and everybody was decluttering and decorating and baking
“There is nothing better than being in your own house. And what was driving me crazy was I was looking at Instagram and everybody was decluttering and decorating and baking and I was just like, ‘Oh my God all the things I could be doing in the cottage!’”
Indeed, only that she had “three spools of thread, a packet of sewing needles and three fat quarters of fabric”, Michelle jokes that she would have lost her mind. And when she was eventually able to fly home to Ireland at the end of April, she was never so happy.
“I literally got out of the car and just kissed my front door!” she sighs.
Like many old farm cottages, the house had become almost a store for machinery and farm supplies
Home for Michelle is “An Teach Bán”, her granny’s former cottage in Corbo, Co Roscommon that she has lovingly restored since 2005. Back then, Michelle was working as an IT trainer in London, but after being “gazumped three times” while trying to buy a house, took a leap of faith to move home and set up her sewing and craft business, Michelle Made This.
“I just thought, ‘A lick of paint and it will be fine,’” she recalls. “And then I came home!”
Like many old farm cottages, the house had become almost a store for machinery and farm supplies. “Sheep dip, calf nuts,” Michelle lists. “It was being used as a shed.”
With the help of her father, however, the two-bedroom cottage was brought back to life and has since hosted Michelle’s business, which includes one-on-one sewing classes for adults, holiday craft camps for kids and much more.
Current requirements around social distancing have meant that the business has had to evolve, with Michelle now in the process of moving her classes online, and trialling initiatives like a ragdoll “sew-along”. She also hopes to make use of this time to fulfil a long-term ambition to write a book about home-making, given the reaction from the public to posts about life in the cottage on Instagram @michellemadethis
Because for Michelle Fallon, home is definitely where her heart is. Here she shares some of her favourite spots with Irish Country Living.
For further information, visit
www.michellemadethis.com
Day dreaming
Day Dreaming: Michelle Fallon has been spending sunny afternoons social distancing in her garden hammock. \ Michelle Fallon
I bought this hammock in Lidl last summer and extended it with some jute rope on either end to hang it off two fence poles. It’s covered with a crochet throw that I bought in a charity shop a couple of years ago for €7, along with cushions I’ve made myself.
Accessories like the candelabra are finds from charity shops or car boot sales over the years. I like to go out in the afternoon to lie in the hammock for half an hour when the sun is in that part of the garden and it’s literally just to be in peace. It’s so important, especially these days, when we are being bombarded with information and working online.
Al fresco
Al Fresco: Michelle upcycled an old wooden box and a bicycle wheel for this al fresco area. \ Michelle Fallon
Until recently, I just had an old table and some plastic chairs here. During my self-isolation, I made this bench using an old wooden box and palette that I had in the shed from when I bought tiles a few years ago; though the top of it is actually off an old bench that broke. I painted it up and made it more comfortable by placing pillows under a throw. The “chandelier” is made out of an old bicycle wheel painted white, hanging up with three dog leads that I bought in a €2 shop! I used old yoghurt jars and wire to make tea light holders and the fake peonies are from TK Maxx.
Breakfast in bed
Breakfast in bed: The perfect way to start the day. \ Michelle Fallon
I bought this tray years ago from Heatons (now Brand Max) and the polka dot cup came from TK Maxx. It’s resting on an eiderdown that I’ve had since I was a kid. One of my favourite things to have for breakfast is rhubarb baked with orange juice, a tablespoon of brown sugar and a little water, which I then mix with
granola, natural yoghurt and sometimes,
a crumbled up digestive biscuit!
Say it with flowers
Say it with flowers: The floral-inspired bedroom at Michelle's cottage. \ Michelle Fallon
I’m always asked where I got the wallpaper for my bedroom. It’s called “Millie” by Wallpaper Direct, but unfortunately, it’s been discontinued. I bought the bed locally from McNulty’s Furniture in Roscommon and the bedside drawers are actually the bottom of a dresser that I hand painted with roses. The lamp was a present from a friend and I did the painting on the wall myself.
From the kitchen table
From the kitchen table: This second hand farmhouse table is the heart of the home \ Michelle Fallon
I bought this table in a second-hand shop in London for £135. I had just bought a house with my boyfriend at the time and I always wanted this table because I had said I always wanted six kids; like The Waltons! But I later broke up with the guy and the table came with me. The whole kitchen here was planned around it and I have had more laughter here with friends, I’ve had the
kids around the table doing sewing classes, I’ve set up my business at that
table… it means the world to me.
A warm welcome
A warm welcome: A front door painted in "cinder role" and a stencilled doorstep create a warm welcome. \ Michelle Fallon
While my house is called “An Teach Bán”, my front door is painted in Farrow and Ball “cinder rose”. During my self-isolation after returning from Malaysia, I painted the doorstep using two tins of Aldi chalk paint that I had at home. I painted a square in grey first and then used greaseproof paper to trace the polka dot “hello” stencil, from a door mat that I already had. It was so cheap and quick to do.
The pantry
The pantry: When it comes to cooking, Michelle likes to have everything to hand. \ Michelle Fallon
I sourced the top of this dresser from Clarenbridge Antiques; the bottom half is on the other side of my kitchen. When it comes to cooking, I like to have everything to hand. I think you are more experimental when you have everything out in front of you. It’s the same with craft. Anyone who boxes away their sewing machine never takes it out!
Read more
Country Life: Living a crafty life in the country
Wioleta Kelly: 'You are your only limit'
For many people, the idea of spending lockdown in a tropical paradise sounds like a dream.
But when Michelle Fallon found herself stuck in Malaysia after the introduction of travel restrictions in March, there was only one place she wanted to be: at home in Roscommon.
“It was actually raining more so than sunny,” laughs Michelle, who had taken a few months out back in January to go travelling in Asia, but spent the last 37 days of her trip unable to leave the confines of the house she was staying in due to government orders.
I was looking at Instagram and everybody was decluttering and decorating and baking
“There is nothing better than being in your own house. And what was driving me crazy was I was looking at Instagram and everybody was decluttering and decorating and baking and I was just like, ‘Oh my God all the things I could be doing in the cottage!’”
Indeed, only that she had “three spools of thread, a packet of sewing needles and three fat quarters of fabric”, Michelle jokes that she would have lost her mind. And when she was eventually able to fly home to Ireland at the end of April, she was never so happy.
“I literally got out of the car and just kissed my front door!” she sighs.
Like many old farm cottages, the house had become almost a store for machinery and farm supplies
Home for Michelle is “An Teach Bán”, her granny’s former cottage in Corbo, Co Roscommon that she has lovingly restored since 2005. Back then, Michelle was working as an IT trainer in London, but after being “gazumped three times” while trying to buy a house, took a leap of faith to move home and set up her sewing and craft business, Michelle Made This.
“I just thought, ‘A lick of paint and it will be fine,’” she recalls. “And then I came home!”
Like many old farm cottages, the house had become almost a store for machinery and farm supplies. “Sheep dip, calf nuts,” Michelle lists. “It was being used as a shed.”
With the help of her father, however, the two-bedroom cottage was brought back to life and has since hosted Michelle’s business, which includes one-on-one sewing classes for adults, holiday craft camps for kids and much more.
Current requirements around social distancing have meant that the business has had to evolve, with Michelle now in the process of moving her classes online, and trialling initiatives like a ragdoll “sew-along”. She also hopes to make use of this time to fulfil a long-term ambition to write a book about home-making, given the reaction from the public to posts about life in the cottage on Instagram @michellemadethis
Because for Michelle Fallon, home is definitely where her heart is. Here she shares some of her favourite spots with Irish Country Living.
For further information, visit
www.michellemadethis.com
Day dreaming
Day Dreaming: Michelle Fallon has been spending sunny afternoons social distancing in her garden hammock. \ Michelle Fallon
I bought this hammock in Lidl last summer and extended it with some jute rope on either end to hang it off two fence poles. It’s covered with a crochet throw that I bought in a charity shop a couple of years ago for €7, along with cushions I’ve made myself.
Accessories like the candelabra are finds from charity shops or car boot sales over the years. I like to go out in the afternoon to lie in the hammock for half an hour when the sun is in that part of the garden and it’s literally just to be in peace. It’s so important, especially these days, when we are being bombarded with information and working online.
Al fresco
Al Fresco: Michelle upcycled an old wooden box and a bicycle wheel for this al fresco area. \ Michelle Fallon
Until recently, I just had an old table and some plastic chairs here. During my self-isolation, I made this bench using an old wooden box and palette that I had in the shed from when I bought tiles a few years ago; though the top of it is actually off an old bench that broke. I painted it up and made it more comfortable by placing pillows under a throw. The “chandelier” is made out of an old bicycle wheel painted white, hanging up with three dog leads that I bought in a €2 shop! I used old yoghurt jars and wire to make tea light holders and the fake peonies are from TK Maxx.
Breakfast in bed
Breakfast in bed: The perfect way to start the day. \ Michelle Fallon
I bought this tray years ago from Heatons (now Brand Max) and the polka dot cup came from TK Maxx. It’s resting on an eiderdown that I’ve had since I was a kid. One of my favourite things to have for breakfast is rhubarb baked with orange juice, a tablespoon of brown sugar and a little water, which I then mix with
granola, natural yoghurt and sometimes,
a crumbled up digestive biscuit!
Say it with flowers
Say it with flowers: The floral-inspired bedroom at Michelle's cottage. \ Michelle Fallon
I’m always asked where I got the wallpaper for my bedroom. It’s called “Millie” by Wallpaper Direct, but unfortunately, it’s been discontinued. I bought the bed locally from McNulty’s Furniture in Roscommon and the bedside drawers are actually the bottom of a dresser that I hand painted with roses. The lamp was a present from a friend and I did the painting on the wall myself.
From the kitchen table
From the kitchen table: This second hand farmhouse table is the heart of the home \ Michelle Fallon
I bought this table in a second-hand shop in London for £135. I had just bought a house with my boyfriend at the time and I always wanted this table because I had said I always wanted six kids; like The Waltons! But I later broke up with the guy and the table came with me. The whole kitchen here was planned around it and I have had more laughter here with friends, I’ve had the
kids around the table doing sewing classes, I’ve set up my business at that
table… it means the world to me.
A warm welcome
A warm welcome: A front door painted in "cinder role" and a stencilled doorstep create a warm welcome. \ Michelle Fallon
While my house is called “An Teach Bán”, my front door is painted in Farrow and Ball “cinder rose”. During my self-isolation after returning from Malaysia, I painted the doorstep using two tins of Aldi chalk paint that I had at home. I painted a square in grey first and then used greaseproof paper to trace the polka dot “hello” stencil, from a door mat that I already had. It was so cheap and quick to do.
The pantry
The pantry: When it comes to cooking, Michelle likes to have everything to hand. \ Michelle Fallon
I sourced the top of this dresser from Clarenbridge Antiques; the bottom half is on the other side of my kitchen. When it comes to cooking, I like to have everything to hand. I think you are more experimental when you have everything out in front of you. It’s the same with craft. Anyone who boxes away their sewing machine never takes it out!
Read more
Country Life: Living a crafty life in the country
Wioleta Kelly: 'You are your only limit'
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