Rustic Cottage Co

🏡 I’m Back in Donegal! 🇮🇪

We spent Saturday heading back across to Donegal with the car packed to the roof… and when I say packed, I mean packed! 😅

We somehow squeezed in tyres( don’t ask 😂) a fridge, luggage, tools, supplies, and everything else we seem to move backwards and forwards between England and Ireland.

When I walked through the door for the first time, back in Donegal, I was completely speechless.

The progress the new back door and walls finished. John thought I wasn’t happy, but the truth was I was overwhelmed. Shocked. Stunned. Excited. It finally felt real.

In this week’s video, I take you on a full walkthrough of everything that’s changed, and show what John got up too last weekend while sharing my first reactions seeing the cottage again.

🎥 Watch here:

https://youtu.be/M5lypF2aNI8?si=Ymi4cxJ9CYzoRaI3

💛 New videos every Thursday at 6pm

🏡 I’m Back in Donegal! 🇮🇪

After six weeks away, I’m finally back in Ireland.

John drove over to England to pick me up on Friday, we spent Saturday with family, and then headed back across to Donegal with the car packed to the roof… and when I say packed, I mean packed! 😅

We somehow squeezed in tyres, a fridge, luggage, tools, supplies, and everything else we seem to move backwards and forwards between England and Ireland.

Our cottage still isn’t finished yet. We have no kitchen, no hot water, and no heating… but honestly, it feels like a little adventure. A bit like camping in our own home. 🏡💛

When I walked through the door for the first time, I was completely speechless.

The bedrooms, living room, and hallway have changed so much in the six weeks I’ve been away that I genuinely didn’t know what to say. John thought I wasn’t happy, but the truth was I was overwhelmed. Shocked. Stunned. Excited. It finally felt real.

In this week’s video, I take you on a full walkthrough of everything that’s changed, and show what John got up too last weekend while sharing my first reactions seeing the cottage again.

🎥 Watch here:

https://youtu.be/M5lypF2aNI8?si=Ymi4cxJ9CYzoRaI3

💛 New videos every Thursday at 6pm

It’s all happening at the cottage and I still can’t believe this little abandoned cottage in Donegal, Ireland became part of our story 🇮🇪🏡

What started as an old family cottage sitting empty for over 25 years is slowly turning into the peaceful home and future we’ve both dreamed about.

There’s hard work, chaos, long-distance travel, setbacks, laughter, beautiful scenery, and moments where we just stop and look out the windows in disbelief at the views around us 💛🇮🇪🏡📚🪜🎥🖼️📖💛

If you’re new here or want to catch up from the beginning, you can start the full renovation journey here 👇

🎥 YouTube Series
🔗 https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEDQUh3020r0nSkiMqfEIEHM-YqFHRVKo

And along the way, we’ve also been capturing some of the incredible scenery around Donegal for our little Etsy shop ✨

🖼️ Rustic Cottage Co Etsy

https://rusticcottageirl.etsy.com

Have you ever dreamed about starting over somewhere peaceful?

Book 📚🙂

https://amzn.eu/d/0gNZewEE

The countdown is on now, and I’m so excited to get back to Ireland. 💛🇮🇪

I can’t wait to get stuck back into the cottage renovations and see all the progress that’s been happening while I’ve been away. Every trip back feels like another step closer to turning this little cottage into the home we’ve dreamed about.

But it’s not just the renovations I’m looking forward to.

Donegal gives me a sense of peace and tranquillity that I’ve never found anywhere else. The countryside, the sea, the quiet roads, and the slower pace of life always seem to calm my mind and spark my creativity.

After publishing my first book and being so proud of the response it has received, I’m already looking forward to working on the next one over the summer. There’s something special about sitting outside in the sunshine with the sea and countryside wrapped all around me, letting new ideas find their way onto the page.

Available on Amazon
Journalist… Nope. Writer.

https://amzn.eu/d/0gNZewEE

A few more days, and I’ll be back where my heart feels most at home. 💛🏡

Last week in England counting down the days to be with John in Donegal at our home🇮🇪🏡

This week’s video ended up being a huge one for progress…

✨ rough-in electrical finally completed
✨ insulation boards finished
✨ new windows installed
✨ plastering preparation underway
We went out for dinner a few weeks ago and sat next to this beautiful fireplace a little too much for our place but nice to use for inspiration, what do you think?

New video 👇

https://youtu.be/l8P9GI5hU-I?si=Jnh6vNe0L6wRwBlb

New videos every Thursday at 6pm 💛

This feels like one of those weeks where we are starting to order items and it’s all happening at once.

We are looking for stone cladding in Ireland to give a stone fireplace look similar to the photo. Does anyone know where we can order it from in Ireland?

The plasterer has arrived and has been making incredible progress, and we’ve had deliveries turning up too.

Now I’m wondering…

What am I actually going back to? 😳🏡

One week to go 💛

🎥 Watch this week’s video here:

https://youtu.be/l8P9GI5hU-I?si=Jnh6vNe0L6wRwBlb

💛 New videos every Thursday at 6pm

🏡 We’ve been busy working on plans for the cottage and making more decisions than I ever imagined!

One thing we’re looking at right now is barn doors. I love the rustic cottage feel they can add, but I’m still not completely decided. 🤔

What do you think?

❤️ Love them
😐 Not for me
💡 Depends where they’re used

While we’re making decisions, John has been making amazing progress on the cottage here in Donegal, and it’s incredible to look back at how far we’ve come already.

See our progress so far 👇

https://youtu.be/l8P9GI5hU-I?si=Jnh6vNe0L6wRwBlb

💛 New videos every Thursday at 6pm

What are your thoughts on barn doors? Would you use them in your home? 🏡🇮🇪💛

This feels like one of those weeks where everything is happening at once.

I’m busy packing and getting ready to head back to Ireland 🇮🇪, with bags and boxes everywhere, while John is over at the cottage working away and getting things ready for my return.

The plasterer has arrived and has been making incredible progress, we’ve had deliveries turning up, the car is going to be packed full of all the things we’ve ordered, and after six weeks apart we’re finally down to our last week.

Now I’m wondering…

What am I actually going back to? 😳🏡

Every time John sends me photos, the cottage seems to have changed again.

Not long now 💛

🎥 Watch this week’s video here:

https://youtu.be/l8P9GI5hU-I?si=Jnh6vNe0L6wRwBlb

💛 New videos every Thursday at 6pm

Last week in England and I cannot wait to be back with John in Donegal at our home🇮🇪🏡

This week’s video ended up being a huge one for progress…

✨ rough-in electrical finally completed
✨ insulation boards finished
✨ new windows installed
✨ plastering preparation underway

New video 👇

https://youtu.be/l8P9GI5hU-I?si=Jnh6vNe0L6wRwBlb

New videos every Thursday at 6pm 💛

It’s hard to believe that only a few months ago — around Christmas time — we were just beginning this journey renovating John’s granny’s old cottage in Donegal, Ireland 🇮🇪❤️

At the time, I thought we were simply rebuilding an old home.

But somewhere between the quiet roads, the sea views, the long evenings editing videos, and the slower pace of life… something in me slowly started to change too.

For the first time in a very long time, I finally had the space to create again.

To write.

To think.

To imagine.

And somehow, sitting in our little cottage surrounded by the Irish countryside, a story slowly became a real published book 😳📖

Honestly… seeing people actually buying and reading something that only existed inside my head not long ago feels surreal, emotional, exciting, and slightly terrifying all at once 🫣❤️

I’m genuinely so grateful for all the kind messages, comments, reviews, and support from people following our journey and this completely new creative chapter of my life ❤️

It means far more than you probably realise.

Donegal didn’t just give us a renovation project…

It quietly gave me back a part of myself too.

📖 Journalist… Nope. Writer.
Available now on Amazon 👇

https://amzn.eu/d/0iLidBL6

🎥 Our Donegal cottage renovation series:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEDQUh3020r0nSkiMqfEIEHM-YqFHRVKo

💛 New videos every Thursday at 6pm