Crafty Corner

Finally we sanded and waxed the old school desk I won on ebay back in May - you may have gathered there is nothing rushed around here :)

I have wanted an old school desk for a long time. Specifically a double one. Last June, I missed out on a beautifully restored double desk that was local to me, when it went for £54.....I was on holiday and this was over my maximum bid.....not by much I have to say.....I did like it a lot...but what was I thinking!!

Since then I have had a saved search in ebay and nothing else came up that was local enough or nice enough. This one was not too far, and had a very low start price......because it was in a bad way...it had been well loved by the ladies 3 children and was full of biro, paint and stickers.....Its not as old as I would have liked probably only 1980's but its a double desk and the eighties are vintage now anyway lol!!

I forgot to take before pics as the sanding was a kind of spur of the moment thing...but trust me it had been very well loved!!

So we gave it a go...we said if it didn't come up well we would paint it (something else on the 'to paint' list so I did cross my fingers!!) and, its not perfect but we are very pleased with it.......

add a shelf we had bought an age ago and forgot about (too small imo but it'll do!!)

a hanging rail and plastic cups from Ikea (also bought in May!!)

and voila - a crafty corner for 2 little boys.

Not bad for £5!!!!

I lined the insides with some polka dot wallpaper - badly as you can see!

And that is phase 1 of sort the playroom complete...phases 2, 3 and 4 to follow, mostly involving toy chucking so has to be done during a child free hour or two!!

The home organising is going well, the house still feels clean and tidy and I am finding just as much time for crafting too...

Speaking of which, another advent calendar update...

Pockets now hemmed at the top and positioned how I want them so just embellishing to do now then stitch them on, which will be done on the machine.I hemmed the pockets with a running stitch in metallic gold thread...its horrible thread to use so doubt I will be using it in the machine, the metallic fibres kind of separated from the thread, meaning I had to start again a few times..

This message was waiting for me when I walked through the dining room last night.....from my eldest son.....Are todays kids really so dense that they ask for permission to do all the things we did behind our parents backs...I'm waiting for the mum I love you can I go binge drinking message lol!!!

Much as I am pleased the blackboards are used for lovely messages and enjoyed getting all those kisses...I still said no!!!

pink sewing box

the sewing box - started here....finished during May half term but just plonked in spare room and forgot about!! Need to cover a lampshade to go on top of it.

Painted in Cath Kidston, Nursery Pink and drawer lined with CK antique roses wallpaper (thank you Wendy for the piece of white, knew I'd put it to good use xx!!)

The inside is painted with CK apple green...I bought that with the plan to paint my freecycled (last year, really must get a shake on!!) dresser, but it is far too green!!

So thats one thing off the to paint list painted - lots more to go!!

tickED

...off the list.
The little cabinet is painted. I decided on LA duck egg, as there was some in the shed!
The handle is from Homebase and though its quite big, sticky outy big, its pretty so its staying!(not showing you the inside as I've made a right hash of papering it! It will be redone I think. But will see how I feel when its up and got our stuff in)

My painting mojo has returned..so I'm hopeful that the freecycled dresser will get painted before the end of the summer!! The sewing box table wotsit is primed. And have ordered some paint from here.
I was going to use F&B dimity, and I know that the CK paints have had mixed reviews from people who have used but I thought I'd give it a whirl. And they are bargainously priced - even accounting for postage. Thank you to the lovely rasp for that link. x x x

a good idea.....

It seemed a good idea after the little chaps had been put to bed to get out the paintbrushes.....but my energy levels are not great after being up since 4!!
But - at least I'm achieving something!!
This manky ex- bathroom cabinet in a tasteful bottle green colour was won and collected by myself a few weeks ago. (for the princely sum of £3.20!!)

It has sat in a corner of my kitchen for the last *ahem* few weeks waiting to be painted. It will go in our new bedroom for perfume/aftershave so they don't have to be on show....except my LA perfume as the bottle has an atomiser on and it makes me smile :)

At 7.30pm it looked like this...the blue stripe was my tester paint - its too blue so won't be doing it that colour. Now it looks like this...primed and ready for me to decide what colour.......that could take some time but at least we are one step closer!!!

While the primer is out I am painting some thrifted picture frames and thinking about painting my new - long coveted - purchase.

This tabley/box thingummy (is it a sewing box?? who cares I like them!!) was outside a junk shop in town on Saturday...I had never really noticed the shop before, amazing considering its 2 doors away from my fave charity shop. I was walking so arranged to go back this morning to collect. I got it for £4....very pleased with that :).

I'm going to use it as a sewing box in my spare room where it will double as a bedside table. I know exactly what I am doing with this one, F&B dimity with a blackboard paint panel at the front - lined with CK wallpaper.

(It was being displayed with the lid up and when the shop man saw me looking he ran out of the shop to tell me 'its a table look - the hinge goes down!!' - really wow! I thought you just left the lid up ;0!! )

My doing mojo is slowly returning, maybe these stools could be finished and sold??

(not to mention the freecycled dresser sat in the playroom in all its dark brown glory lol!!)

I've been sewing a little...can't show you though as they are for my pay it forward gifts, and freestyle swap..also some good thrifting but ditto as thats for a forum swap!!

Decision made - no more painting tonight - I am such a lightweight!! I got some great chick lit from the CS at the weekend....so I may fill my head with fluff (girls starts story having been dumped - girl changes career and moves to country - ex trys to come back but girl torn as has fallen in love with local vet/architect/doctor - girl lives happy ever after with vet/architect/doctor - the end!!! Or variation on this theme lol!!) Sometimes only chick lit will do :)

Table Revamp

Last summer we bought a stripped pine table on ebay. It was a bit minging on top, but with a bit of elbow grease and a few coats of Ikea Skydd Oil its done us ok. It was always my plan to paint the legs cream and distress them a la Laura Ashley but in true me fashion I didn't get round to it!!
This is how it looked pre sanding and oiling......

And today armed with 2 metres of this, a staple gun and the CK catalogue's ' how to cover a table with oilcloth tutorial' .... I now have a covered table. It was both easy and peasy to do. Its not as neat under the table as I'd have liked...but who see's it?? And I suppose I could have pleated the corners a little 'finer'....but I am really chuffed with it. :)

And the fabric was in the sale so I have done my massive table for about £14.....I would have liked the same fabric as in the tutorial (box floral aqua) but the other half didn't like it and wanted spots... so thats saved him nearly £30!!

I now have to get rid of the 2 freebie wicker chairs we have been using as the other half says if he has to listen to a fidgety boy make them creak one more time he may throw something!! So I am off to a couple of junk shops tomorrow to see what I can see.
The chairs I tarted up last summer....

have had a new lease of life with oilcloth on the seats...and they look great with the new table top. Rubbish picture , taken at night!

I've now got the urge to cover another table.....its so effective and much easier than I thought it would be.

Here are the pics of my (almost) finished hallway. I say almost as the curtain needs hanging, I need to put up pictures and I need to but a shelf of some description for above the pew. I've decided instead of buying something just because the decorating is finished I will wait. From experience I know this will save me money as well as months of 'why did I buy that' ing!!

First of all before - or inbetween!(before was inherited lemon and blue 1980's wallpaper) Last Christmas, whilst the loft conversion was being done we decided to get the walls skimmed while the plasterers were in the house....so thats nearly a year with pink plaster on the walls. **cue lots of sympathy**

And for some reason, this is the only pic of the hallway pre being done...which doesn't show you much - apart from the dark spindles and staircases and bare wood cupboards (built 2 christmases ago!!).

And now, lots of white paint, 2 rolls of Cath Kidston Antique Rose paper and some beige carpet later.

Ta Da!!

A tiffany lamp on the built in shelves, and something you may recognise Mary Poppins :)

The light fittings were from Next. I wanted chandeliers but the height was an issue as the other half is 6ft 2 and didn't fancy clonking his head every time he walked through - to be honest I probably wouldn't have let this minor detail stop me getting chandeliers had the coat cupboard not been able to open out!!

Like I say still bits to make it more homely, but I'm loving it. The CK paper still makes me swoon when I walk through the hall!!

And here it is with its Christmas finery on.... (baubles from lidl hung with gingham ribbon and bunting was extravagantly from Laura Ashley)

The sun is still shining...

I'm going to stop looking at the weather forecast.....all week it has promised rain, showers, storms etc and all week we have had blazing ('too hot' moany kinda blazing!!) sunshine...!

Its a new experience - having good weather in the school holidays - a good experience! We have had lots of picnics in the park and lots of playing in the garden...

As my parents have been visiting this week - I haven't had many chances to play in my new workroom!!! I have so many things I want to try and do (I say try because the artistic creative gene bypassed me somewhat...) but not enough time to do them.....

After speaking with my mum this week though I am determined not to be so eager to run before I can walk in a crafty sense. I think I'm too impatient which compromises the quality of the things I make...this blog can maybe become a record of how I get more proficient??

I started this blog to be a platform for the breastfeeding support I do....it hasn't done its job properly lol!!! My fault - I start to write about breastfeeding but then I get anxious that I will offend non breastfeeding people.....so I change the post....ridiculous I know!! Think I need to work through those issues first!!!

Below is a pic of the end result of the makeover of these chairsThey were primed, got 2 coats of F&B breakfast room green emulsion, a coat of clear wax (they need another!) and I re covered the seat pads with some curtain fabric which I think came from Dunelm Mill....

I'm pleased with the makeover although I won't be offered any jobs as an upholsterer anytime ever!!! ....

Schools Out....

..for summer!!

And summer it has been today on the east coast - fabulous - long let it continue please!!!

The school hols go much quicker when the weather is at least dry. I don't mind the school hols - no clock watching - no mad morning rush (I'm not a morning person and I get up with the bare minimum of time!) but I suppose I'm fortunate that the eldest go to their dads for part of the break so I do get a breather!!!

Today my 3yr old went to the kindergarten he will be attending in September, he stayed all afternoon - without mummy! After the initial hissy fit - he had a great time and can't wait to go back! (Good job says I....I'm looking forward to the peace lol!!)

So I made myself busy...

In the last 24 hours I have started painting stools....

lacey the 1st one is dedicated to you xxx

This one is F&B breakfast room green- and I painted one in pale pink for my workroom which I may or may not decorate....

I also found the time to pick up a couple of chairs for my new dining table....

£2.50 each !!!! There were 3 but I just got the pair (now I'm fretting that the other one is left behind and I could use it in...well somewhere....!!)

As I type they look like this..

All primed and ready to rock!!! (Note:- using quick drying primer in blazing afternoon sun is not wise!!!) Please excuse the weeds :)

By Friday I want them to look splendid in breakfast room green - round my table as a surprise for my other half!!! I figure if they are complete before he gets home from work he can't be annoyed with yet more furniture turning up!!

I have to recover the seats too so here's hoping I don't run out of time.....

I seem to have my painting mojo back so perhaps I can do the other 24 stools this weekend!!!

work in progress...

....the spare room - back bedroom - workroom...call it what you will it still isn't finished!!!

But something is....this shelf..

now looks like this,

this is after 2 coats of primer and undercoat and 2 coats of Laura Ashley eggshell in Duck Egg. I love the colour and the paint was a dream to work with but I think it needs another coat as in some lights it looks patchy!! But on the whole I am pleased with it. But man its big....its well over a metre wide and tall!! Should be able to fit lots of my treasures on!!Once I'm 'in' the room properly I can play about with the shelves a bit!! I just grabbed the nearest things - it won't ever look as empty as this again!!

The rest of the room has 2 days this weekend to get finished - I have booked the carpet to be laid on Monday so a certain somebody has to pull his finger out lol!!

Jobs outstanding are curtain pole to be bought and put up, blind to be put up, missing skirting to be painted and fixed in place, boiler cupboard needs wooden trim round door and the door needs hanging!!

I have every faith in him - he has worked very hard as this room was a shell, it was my eldest's bedroom when we first moved in and all building work we have had done has intruded into and altered this room - it was a mess!!

I'll come back and show you when its done - hopefully won't be long!!

Table Talk!

I have long disliked my dining room table and chairs - it was a bit modern for our house and I bought it on a whim when we first moved here 3 years ago.

So I have been looking for a pine table that was both big enough and cheap enough to keep everybody in the house happy!

I won this on ebay his week.....

It needs a bit of work.....and it has been scrubbed and sprayed tonight to get rid of the remains of its previous owners dinner (yikes - I suppose it comes with the territory with vintage previously loved things??)

But look how lovely those legs are....

Be even better with a light colour paint on the legs and frame - distressed I thought. Then a good sanding and rewax on the top.....

We like this table...

But even in the sale its still nearly £500 more than ours cost!!!!

We still need chairs for it but I suppose I could raid our loft for a few of these......

Love is....

...the man in your life telling you that you can buy another cupboard because the one you bought is a pile of crap!!!

I hate my cupboard....it has been resanded, and it has had 2 coats of emulsion and looks better than it did before but the paint is just soaking in or something and it just looks dirty..starting to think i bought a load of rubbish!!!

Ok Plan C...3rd coat will be eggshell - I'm thinking F&B Lulworth Blue (I've been to Lulworth and don't see the relevance of blue...perhaps someone can enlighten me!!) will try the water based eggshell methinks.

Plan D is landfill!! Not even freecycle...I wouldn't want to offload it on some unsuspecting soul!!

Mr Dolly would live in a very tidy, minimalistic, furnished like a page in the Next catalogue kinda home without me in his life, he humours me and is learning to love the treasures I bring back to our home....so I know he must really love me not to say 'I told you your cupboard was shite!!!'

So bored with this cupboard - more posts soon, on interesting things like.... how many stools can you fit in a renault scenic!!!!

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside....

Today at the car boot I was lucky (!?) enough to grab this for £3...(The blonde bombshell was extra!!!)

It needs a lot of work - paint and a new seat canvas (this is that shiny slippy nasty fabric!) but I've been eyeballing deckchairs on ebay and I think I've got a bargain.

Finds today also included

4 glass candle holders (I bought 2 lead crystal ones too but got them home and didn't like them so they are added to our car boot stash) - £1.70 in total for the 4.

a lovely round glass jelly mould for £1 and a 2 tier cake stand for £2.

I also got a couple of toys for the baby for 80p that I am currently trying to dry out properly as I overdid it with the milton I think!!

Apart from the trip across town to the boot sale, I've done nowt but sit on this here computer!! I won 26 stools (don't ask!! ) on ebay yesterday, and the seller is yet to make contact. I got an invoice with a £50 courier charge on but the listing says collection welcome - and thats what I want to do!! I have emailed but as yet no reply...I'm not well known for my patience and I really want to organise it as I need to go with no children so I can fit them in the car!! Fingers crossed I will get a response soon - watch this space for news on what someone might do with 26 stools!!!

Remember the cupboard I messed up? Well my lovely OH has sanded it back today so I can go for round 2 - with emulsion this time!! Here it is half sanded - you can see the hideous paint on it! Not the look I had in mind!!

I've one completed project this week..

from this....

£1 from the charity shop

to this

I'm really pleased with how it has turned out - its painted with dulux willow tree emulsion on the legs and flag wax in antique pine on the top.

Hope everybody is still awake - apologies for the mammoth post. Think I'll have to post more often so I don't have to blather on for so long. X

hello x

Hello!

I'm still playing around so may take me a while to get into swing of things.

I plan to blog about my 2 fave things - my home and breastfeeding, however you'll probably get long rambles about the other triviality that is my life!!

Monday seems a good day to start - the weekend is over and I am fresh and raring to get going on my half finished projects and ideas.

We spent an hour or 3 out in our garden yesterday - its a work in progress like everything else around here!! Planted some pots and made a trellis to eventually disguise my wheelie bins. I bought a plant trough in a charity shop last wk - for £1 -

its had a couple of coats of antique grey paint and is now patiently waiting for the plants to grow in it.

I never get true thrifting bargains - most, well all, of the charity shops in my town are overpriced and full of tat, and the big car boot is full of traders and people coming back week after week selling the same stuff! So I had almost given up looking - but i went into a smaller non - big name charity shop, and got lucky - so I know where I will be going in future!

Many thanks to the girls over on the shabby chic forum who helped me with my pictures - much appreciated x

Be back soon :)