Retail Therapy!

thanks for the lovely comments from the previous self indulgent moany post!!
It is always hard to leave the baby's behind and go back to work, I was like this last time but when I'm being realistic I have to think at least I will get a lunch break a break time and actually use this as some "me" time,
and I wont be spending how many hours a week covered in sick and food and all sorts!!!!!!!!
( but on the flip side i will have to be wearing a totally naff uniform and blouse urgh!!)

Today the baby had to go for a little visit to nursery to get himself used to the place without mummy being around, the little beggar didn't even flinch when we left or hold out arms to cry for me or anything.. I'm not sure if I'm suppose to feel relieved from this or a bit put out!!!

Whilst he was there me and hubby ( who had day off work!) walked into town as the nursery isn't far from it, it was actually really nice not messing around with prams and children and we could actually walk next to each other holding hands, it was like we were courting again!!!

anyway we decided that a touch of retail therapy in the charity shops was needed, I got a few nice bits

I bought this sweet little teapot jug thingy for 10p yes that's right 10p.. !!!!!!!!

its quite small really so sits nicely on my dresser ( this poor dresser is going to end up collapsing under the weight of all the things I'm buying for it!!!)

from the "proper charity shop" i say proper as their prices arnt trying to out do Selfridges I got this little tray cloth.(what are the charity shop prices like were you go.. do you find them getting pricier by the day!). its got really lovely pretty edging, and its really well made I thought I might make a nice pillowcase/cushion cover with it here's a close up of it but it doesn't look that good as its a bit blurry!!

its doesn't come across in the picture but its a really pretty pink not washed out as some of them can look i think

I found this lovely picture it was in a real tatty frame but the colours just jumped at me, I love all these old vogue style pictures, It needs to be in an ornate frame, probably something some a bit art deco really.. I shall have to keep my eye out !!

this is another buy for my bathroom when I finally get round to doing it as I think it has a bit of a Parisian feel to it and i am using cath kidstons "Paris rose" wallpaper so sticking with that theme!!!

then finally a bit of Pyrex!!!

I'm not really a fan of Pyrex normally I find it a bit depressing to look at ( how can Pyrex be depressing i hear you ask.. i just cant explain it!!) but this to me is different it must be the colour.. Ive not seen any in this lovely turquoise colour before and it has such a pretty snowflake design on, I'd love to get hold of a bit more in the same style as it really is lovely.. well car boot season is starting up again now isn't it so I'll just have to keep an eagle eye out!!

so there you have it.. oh and when we came back home there was my ebay material waiting for me so I can now make some more cushions for the living room, the hubby hates cushions and is silently fuming that I'm making more.. but they are so nice to look at don't you think!!!

right im off to try and get some sleep whilst the baby is napping, have been up since about 5.30 and am feeling rather tired!!!

A Week Today

A Week today I will just be coming home from work, finishing my first shift back in work after nine months...
I have been on maternity leave after having my baby in July and its now only one week away that I have left until I go back!!!
I really don't want to go back, I have so enjoyed my time at home being able to potter around the house,do housey things, go into town and have a mooch round the charity shops being able to have a look at all the lovely blogs on here and spend HOURS ( while the baby was asleep of course!!) just going round peoples houses enjoying their ideas via the world wide web!!! and best of all Just enjoying being off work!!

now my work isn't really stressful, I'm a receptionist and I work with lovely people but its the thought of the 9-5 or in my case 10.30 -7 day at work,
I'm going to have to get myself organised this week.. there is lots to do..

My kitchen ceiling needs painting
The boys chest of drawers needs sorting out
The whole house needs a good spring clean
Bathroom cupboards need sorting out
My wardrobe needs sorting - mostly winter clothes going back in attic and some summer clothes being brought down in the hope that it will get warmer!
Sorting out the baby's childcare, taking him for his little visits to get use to nursery
Ringing the Child tax credit people to ask them for a little bit more money to help pay for said nursery!!


I then have to set some routine for morning times as we will have the two baby's to get ready and get to playgroup plus get us to work
I know we will do it and perhaps this is what I need as I don't think Ive had much of a routine since I was off.. but I really don't want to leave my baby!!!..
Him and me are like little buds.. we never spend any time apart, my 2 year old is such a daddy's boy so I do feel like I have my own little mate as well and I just know that putting him in nursery 3 days a week is going to break our little bond that we have at the minute..
but needs must.. bills must be paid and for now this is what we have to do..

sorry about the long rambly post but I feel so much better writing this down!!!!

what sundays should be like

I have always hated Sundays, I don't know why,maybe it was the fact that no were was no shops open, imagine that now no Sunday jaunts out to ikea etc!!!

nowadays its because its the end of the week and everything seems to need doing, washing, ironing, going to see the in laws, so the fact I cant stand this day seems to be enforced every week

well not today.. !!

it wasn't a real special day or anything, it was just the feel of the day,

had a really nice chilled out day mainly eating cake and drinking cups of coffee,

oh and i managed to paint the key holder that i bought yesterday,honestly home base quick dry satin really does do what it says on the tin.. it only took about an hour to dry, we were going to put it up tonight but couldn't find the things to hang it up with..that's a job for the worker tomorrow!!!

had a lovely tea of spaghetti and meatballs and garlic and tomato sauce with garlic bread all made by hubs washed down with a large glass of rose,

then after baby's went to sleep, i got out my sewing machine and made a cushion using some nice fabric i got from globaltex fabric off ebay, i think its really pretty so Ive ordered some more as i think it goes lovely in my living room without looking to matchy matchy with my wallpaper

don't want to go down the route of everything matching. what am i ..living in the 1980's!!

then Ive just had a lovely bath and read my book in bath . aww what luxury!!

so all in all its been a lovely day.. and the fact that the sun has shone all day has really helped.. long may Sundays like this continue..nice and chilled and me actually enjoying them!!

,

china posies and keyholders!

well today has felt like a very long day! when your rudely awoken by your two year old at silly oclock in the morning it does tend to set the scene for the day !!

I had a late night last night I went up to my sisters house to help paint their dining room, they've just tounge and grooved it all and its just going to be plain white but with a new england style with accents of reds and navys im just jelous thinking about it, gorgeous!!

so as you do, paint brush in one hand and a glass of rose in the other, it did prove to be a late night! but babys and toddlers dont really seem to worry about that do they!

so we started the day off with a big fry up at my sisters and then a walk into town with her and my mum plus 2 babys in prams and my 5 year old neice and had a look round the charity shops!!!

i got a lovely china flower posy which takes me back to my mums dressing table when i was young, she has said that she will have a look and if she can find it i can have that one aswell..oo i hope she finds it!!!..

ive put it on my dresser at the minute, it looks really sweet and the colours are lovely i think somtimes they can look a bit naff but i think that depends on the colours!

then in the junk shop a bit further along, i came across this little number !!

it is missing a piece of mirror were the hole is but the lady in the shop said she does have it at home so will bring it in and leave it behind the till for me so i'll have to keep going in and reminding her!

im going to give it a little paint (ofcourse!) probably in an antique cream and then put it on my hallway wall it will be a perfect place to hold my keys as im always losing them just as im on the way out aswell

heres a little close up of the shelf like bit at the bottom

it was only £3 aswell and there was a little card on the back saying how it was handcrafted product so thought that was quite sweet!!

came back home and ordered some fabric off ebay to make some cushions for the living room, its lovely so cant wait for that to come, ( is it wrong to get excited about material!)

hubby made us home made burgers and chips, sorted the babies out, my youngest baby is teething so is lying in his cot with bright red cheeks at the minute, so im thinking we are going to be up a lot tonight with him..anyways if it gets really bad and he wont settle down I'll put him in his pram and get on with my painting.. multi tasking dont u just love it haha

Nearly there!!

Hi all !

Ive managed to nearly finish the dresser that I bought on Tuesday, all I need to do now is put the handles on but they need some washer or something to make them fit, that's the technical bit that I don't have anything to do with , so waiting on the hubby to get on with that!!

I really am pleased with it, there was a point when I was painting it and it just looked really scruffy but its come up nice in the end, it fills the space lovely, and makes that end of the room seem a lot brighter than before,

I wouldn't say it is dressed how I want it, in fact it looks a bit rubbish but I'm going to be now on the lookout for a lovely tea set and also I want a red gingham lampshade on a cream lamp base which I think would look sweet on it,

well here is the before shot, it was a little bit dreary for me! the varnish was really strange as well sooo thick and it was almost Burgundy in colour, oo and the drawers had cobwebs in them with spiders eeeek!!!!!!!

and then here is the after shot!!

I used the left over bits of my cath kidston wallpaper for the inside panel of the doors, I think that makes such a difference to it, I love this wallpaper though I think its really lovely and it feels like its been hand painted which I don't think it has but it has that effect!!!

as you can see the handles are not on yet but here's a pic of them, I bought these from Homebase the other day I got 2 pink and 2 white ones I thought 4 pink roses might look a bit much!!

so that's that, I keep coming past it just to have a look at it !!!

well this afternoon I went to look at a house, its a 6 bedroom detached house that's been on the market for absolutely ages and ages!!!..I didn't tell the hubby as he would only say "what is the point!!" so me and my sister went up, its soooo beautiful ( well it could be, it absolutely stinks at the minute!) it has such potential and sooo full of character I have already moved my furniture in and decorated every room, there is no way we could afford it but a girl can dream cant she!!

my sister has said to go in with a really cheeky offer ( well Phil and Kirsty tell you to don't they!) but I think what I would offer would be beyond cheeky.. oh but I could so see me and my family living there and me finding homes for lots of unloved furniture that needed my comfort!!!!!!

so Im going to spend the weekend trying to persuade my hubby to have a think about it!!!!

Hang out the Flags!

hi all

well I have been reading Country in The Town's blog and she has a really good tutorial for beginners like me especially on how to make bunting, ( so if your'e reading this thankyou for that!)

so last night my hubby went out to see some friends, the baby's had finally both settled down and there was nothing much on TV so I thought Id give it a go, It wasn't that hard to do, just a little bit fiddly when sewing on the binding,

I'm quite pleased with it and think I might have a go at making some more!!

it took me about 2 hours though I was starting to get a little bit bored with it but that was probably down to me being a bit pants on the sewing machine still ha ha!!

i used some red polka dot, a bit of stripe and some left over rosali material and then for the backing just plain cream, its really good for using up left over bits of material isn't it, I think I'm going to make some for my two nieces as I have some lovely bits of pink material that I don't know what to do with.. might have to have a few more goes though before I start giving them away!!!

Ive put it on my dining room mirror as I don't think the mirror is in keeping with our room now so want to kind of shabby it up until I see one I think will go with the style !!

yesterday was a good day as well for charity shop bargains!..oooo I'm sooo excited about this, i bought a dresser for £10!!!!..hubby is going to pick it up for me this morning.. so i can make a start on it, I have already got the paint and new handles I cant wait to make a start on it, so once its finished I'll take some pictures for you to have a nose at.. only trouble is now I'm going to have to buy even more things to put on it!!!

****UPDATE*****!!

the hubby has been and picked it up from charity shop and dropped it off so in between getting baby to sleep etc Ive managed to get on a couple of coats of undercoat and a coat of the satin, its looking OK

here's what it looked like when he dropped it off before, it was a little bit depressing for me!!

I cant wait to see what it looks like when its all done dont worry I'll take more pictures!

oh and I picked up a lovely Jug and Bowl yesterday for £3 that I'm going to put in my bathroom.. Ive been after one of these for ages, but they are usually to expensive or a little bit to big so I was pleased about getting this,

Dish of the day!

I like Dishes! what says you.. 

I'm not talking about the david beckham kinda dish but he is lovely aswell.. I'm talking about the type you see on a charity shop shelf and you make a beeline for it, hoping that the woman in front of you doesnt go for it at the same time as you will be ready to rugby tackle for it !!!

I am hoping over the  next couple of weeks to find a few more plates as i have a little bit of wall in my dining room that I think would look perfect with a little collection on, I currently have two ..so not a great deal but its a start isnt it, im looking for pale greens with pinks/red roses design on them so I shall keep you informed of "The Great Plate Hunt!!"

I love this little plate its got a really pretty curly edge that looks a bit like lace and on the back its got Handpainted by Edith which I thought was really sweet!!

this one is pretty to , obviously a bit more subtle than the other one.. this only cost 20p so was a complete bargain!

I love these two serving dishes I love the flowers on the edge of the little bowl, I'm never sure what I could serve in this probably some nuts with a gin and tonic perhaps but the bigger one is great for veg when your having a roast etc and want somthing a bit more special!!!

(hmmm I'm just imagining a nice crisp G+T now with a little bowl of honey roasted cashews think I'll send hubby to shop on a mission!)

when I bought this one I thought it was actually the same pattern as the two but its nothing like it at all.. must be the baby brain that I have!! but it is similar in colours isnt it and I just love the little house picture of it.. wouldnt we all love to have a little house like that.. even if its just at the weekends.. couldnt live to far in the woods need my charity shop fix atleast once a week!!!  

          

                                                                  

    what makes me sad is my mum had a welsh dresser full of gorgeous big plates when we were kids but then the whole black ash furniture came into fashion sometime in the 80's and it all went.. these would have looked perfect in my house now...were are they now if any of these plates want to come forward I would be happy to give you a decent home again !!!

Well I'm off for now, hope you have good weekend I'm hoping to get to Homebase they have 15% off this weekend thats lots of paints that could be bought for future projects!! 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

A few of my favourite things

well I thought Id take a couple of piccies of things around my house that I love.. 

none of them were new when i bought them  which i guess is why i love them all the more,  

( do any of you ever sit there and go round the rooms in your head saying "got that from a charity shop, got that from carboot sale!!" or is it just me ( perhaps i need to get out more ha!)

anyways i think its the little things that make up your home isnt it,

when we first moved into this house 2 years ago i didnt have half the stuff that i have now, im sure we'd be a moving nightmare now but hey ho i'd just have to get a lot more boxes!!

well this is my little wall corner cabinet with some of my fave polka dot china in.. i love it

I was going to paint the cupboard but i think the wood works quite well with the pale blue that one of the walls is painted in, 

i might change my mind but for now its staying wooden!!

Aha ..here we have come to my collection haha!!.. well im working on it atleast.. its my johnson brothers collection of Greencloud and Goldendawn, i love the pale pastel colours of these and the shapes all lovely and round, i know there is a pink version aswell but im not sure what thats called.. i did have the little green jug in my kitchen but i think it looks nice alongside the yellow so it has a new home!

these little plates came from a carboot sale and

only cost me 25p for the four so i have a spare one!

they are so pretty and i love the colour combination  they are on the wall by my sink so i always smile when i look at them! ( smiling at plates am i going mad!!!)

my butter dish which is rather large so im thinking it might be a cheese one instead, i love this the shape of it reminds me of frills and fairytales!

It started with a kiss !!!

hello testing testing 123 !!

well I have been reading all the lovely blogs that are out there now for about a  year and I thought I might give it a go and do one myself,

how interesting it will be or even nice to look at will remain to be seen but we'll give it a go hey!

I have always loved shopping in charity shops and carboot sales, love having a look round junkshops and flea markets seeing that peice of furniture that you just know will look gorgeous once its had a lick of paint and a bit of love!!

to be honest I've always thought i was a bit strange that I as a youngish person  didnt want an ultra modern house with clean lines instead I've always wanted "alcoves!" and floral cushions!

So its been really nice and refreshing to find this little blogging world and the shabbychic cafe forum which is full of people with similar tastes and interests 

I know how you all love seeing pictures of houses etc so I will try to post some of mine as soon as I work out how to do it!!!

So here we go hopefully the first of many posts.. some rambling and some wordless hopefully with loads of pics!!!