Tuesdays thrift & an award!

well the sun is shining .. it feels so lovely on your face when your'e walking.. if i close my eyes and not look at the bare branches on the trees i could almost think it was summer

however it is still not warm enough for a sleeveless short jumpsuit that i spotted a girl in before

( and how come these girls all have smooth brown legs and brand new summer outfits on when its still March!!)

it is i have to admit beautiful to be out in the sunshine.. it made me feel that motivated that i even took the baby to the park.. a very rare occurrence for me.. i hate the park.. i hate the constant lifting them up on to the slide.. and then running round to the bottom to make sure they don't go flying off.. i hate the muddy grass and the fact that when its time to leave they normally start kicking up a fuss lying in the muddy grass and i end up in wrestling them into a pram...

but it was alright today!!.. i even managed an hour.. now that's a good mummy don't you think.. usually its fifteen minutes and that's their lot!

anyways to reward myself for my park visit, me and the bubs popped into town before just to have a mooch.. i came away with a few things!

i think the sun was making me aim for brighter things.. as i picked up a flask type item ( it is designed to keep your drinks hot or cold but its got a pushy button not a cup for a top so don't know what you call it!)


but i just loved the bright pattern .. it came with the original box which shows off some more funky patterns..


i love this bird one i think i would have that one as well so might have to have a mooch on eBay for something similar!

i love the little pictures on the back and how very politely we are told it keeps our brews .. "any way you wish!!"..


kinda loving the girls yellow flares in this picture!!

then this bangle which is very like the striped pattern on the flask thingy isn't it.. i need some jewellery for summer time and this would definitely brighten up a dull outfit!

then i picked up ( or dropped actually oops) what i think is jam pot..


a big strawberry!!.. when i lifted the lid out dropped the spoon and broke on me.. stuffed that back into the pot hoping no one would notice.. the lady at the till did.. but gave me 50p off !!!

I'll just have to get the superglue out later !

then these two little glasses.. the red one definitely is a candle holder..but i think the blue one is just a little dish.. but that's going to be a candle holder to.. i love popping tea lights into any old thing.


so there we go.. a nice bright day.. can you believe i haven't got any pegs.. ( i seem to have lost them all since last year how mad is that!) so have not been able to hang my washing out.. a trip to asda should rectify that.. as clothes just brought in off the line has to be one of the best smells ever!!!

well Ive won the from the lovely http://prettyatheart.blogspot.com blog a Liebster Blog award!!

( if you haven't already gone checked out this Lady's blog please do .. its lovely full of lovely pretties and room makeovers.. its great !!)

Thank you for thinking of me in your nominations lovely.. just wondered though what does Liebster mean.. is it a bloggy term that Ive never heard of or is something so obvious that Ive showed my true thick colours!!

so the rules for this are that i have to link it back to the blogger who awarded me and then pass it onto other lovely blogs who have under 300 followers but I'm sure most of you lovely bloggers already will have received this by now.. ( and if you haven't .. you can now!..) so for anyone who reads my ramblings well you deserve an award just for that anyways.. so take it for yourself and stick it on your sidebar.. go on you deserve it!!

i love all the blogs that i read, i love blogging i really do.. i very rarely buy housey mags these days as all the beautiful blogs out there really do fill my nosy, creative, inspirational needs so i think you all deserve it !!

that may not be the rules to the award but hey its allowed!!

weekend haul

i had a right haul this weekend and i didn't step near a shop all weekend.. spent Saturday at the park with the children and yesterday i wasn't feeling very well so spent all day in my pj's ( even missing out on a roast dinner .. that's how ill i was feeling!) ..

but somehow have still managed to accumulate a great little amount!!

first off i was given lovely bedding from the hubby's gran.. Ive already changed the bedding so i could put this one on my bed ...

now even though i have a blue bedroom i don't normally go for blue bedding ( apart from the rosali of course!) but it looks so pretty.. i love the pleated edging on this and the little beads on the flowers.. very pretty..

and then there is this lovely set.. a lovely cornflower blue with the prettiest little floral pattern and lovely edging..

then my mother in law rang on Saturday night asking if i wanted the cupboard that's in her hallway.. (did i ever.. have been lusting after this for ages..!!) so off went the hubby yesterday to pick it up..

I'm going to give it a pretty vintage paint job!!.. and i think i might change the handles but i love this cupboard.. i love the shape of it and since I've been together with the hubby i have always wanted this cupboard as i could see it all shabbied up!!.

then came a few more surprises.. all this lovely glass ware..


now you just cant beat a good clear out can you and even better if the stuff that's being cleared out comes in your direction!... i love that people know i will have their stuff.!!

i love this pineapple dish..


and then this dish which reminds me of a punch bowl was the hubbies grans... great grans... a proper antique .. will have to keep this somewhere very safe..

i think its two fishes holding the bowl..


Ive tried to show you the detail on it but as this camera is like a child's camera its not come up very well...

a few more pretty dishes.. one that is probably going to go in our bedroom for little trinkets..

and a trifle bowl and nice dishes for salads when we have guests..

next we have some fairy lights..


i lurve fairy lights and its very handy as the ones around my fireplace have finally given up the ghost and Ive really noticed the difference so i am going to put the white cable ones around the mirror and find a home for the others somewhere!!

then my sister popped round with a bag of clothes, she was having a little clear out and gave us these little numbers!

so all in all.. i don't think Ive had a bad weekend do you!!

hope you had a good weekend to and were able to enjoy the spring sunshine that we had. if you got into a certain spot the sun was warm it was lovely!

FRIDAYS FROCKS

this weeks Friday frocks for me is very reminiscent of the 1940s land girls look with a twist!!!

my bright teal midi length skirt that doesn't look very bright on the pictures due to my pants camera that I'm having to use at the minute!..

the material is quite thick which is great as its still rather nippy isn't it. and because of the weight of the material it is slightly a-line with two kick pleats in the front as well which is most flattering when you're having a jabba the hut day!

charity shop £3.99

i love this blouse not only has it got the sweetest pattern

but its got floaty little sleeves and a peter pan collar.. what is not to like about it ..

and i love how the teal in the blouse really matches the skirt..this is a primark blouse via the charity shop £2.99

add to this a little vintage cardi £1.49 navy blue with the cutest buttons..

teamed with a little belt from Primark already tied in a bow £2.00

add some cute little navy shoes with the sweetest bow on the front.. also primark ..bought these last year.. think they cost about £12..nothing to expensive!

oh and while this post has been a sponsored by primark outfit .. I'll finish it off with a rose pattern ring from primarni itself.. £2.50. goes with everything i have to say!!

i always get compliments when i wear this outfit.. i think its the colour of the skirt which really is bright and cheery and its a very feminine outfit i have to say.. but i do always feel a bit like i should be holding up posters with the slogan "dig for victory" or something along those lines when i wear it !!.

My first commission

My First Commission ... haha . I sound like I'm Elizabeth Emmanuel or someone being given the commission to design the royal wedding dress don't I!..

actually who is designing the wedding dress for Kate.?

. i loved wedding dresses when i was younger and constantly was drawing them.. perhaps they want to have a look back over my designs.. puff sleeves and rose buds featured heavily on my designs then!!!

anyway were was i .. oh yes .. i was asked by a friend to make for her kitchen windows blinds, which would be similar to the one i made in my kitchen..

which is fine when you are making for yourself.. i can live with wonky edges and diagonal hems.. but when its for someone else you do actually have to make a bit more of an effort don't you!!

so i took myself round to mumsys at the weekend and made a start under her watchful eye!!

i was using this pretty Clarke and Clarke fabric that was bought from eBay..

my kitchen blind is made up of two different types of fabrics but because this already had the spot background i just doubled up this fabric as i think it would have looked to fussy!

it was a bit slow going at first, made a few mistakes like sewing the two pieces all the way round and then realised because i had sewed it on the inside there was no way of turning it inside out!!..

but got there in the end, its been so long since Ive made anything that i felt all over the place and because i was making it for someone else i think the pressure got to me!..

i had to sew one part again as all the writing on the end hem was showing..silly little things like that but like i say we got there in the end!

so i made two .. one that is 120cms wide and one that is 90cms wide

here is the 90cms one .. it is bigger than my window but its just for an idea really ..

i added some white ribbon to hold it in place.. and the hubby cut two pieces of beading to weight the blind down as well..

here's both of them on my bed.. just have to give them an iron as they have become a bit creased!

so i feel so much better since Ive made them.. Ive realised the right way to do them and think i will feel much more confident about making them again...

small things

well my heart skipped a beat before.. the door knocked... a white florists van was parked outside and there stood before me was a man with a big bunch of flowers... how lovely.. what a lovely surprise... ooo have i got a secret admirer.. (were did the hubby get the money from to send me flowers!?)...

but then he uttered the words... "excuse me love.. is it OK if i leave these here .. your next door neighbours not at home.. "..

aww well never mind !!...

so Ive brought them in and the only safe place i can think to keep them is in the corner of my cooker.. stop grabby little hands from pulling them over and wreaking them!!

my heart is in my mouth now as i just know what my kids are like and they are bound to want to investigate something new in the house..so i cant wait to hand them over!!

I'll just have to make do with the £1.50 fake flowers i bought yesterday from the charity shop...

oh and I'm loving this little candle holder that cost me a massive 25p ...

whats the saying small things amuse small minds!!!...

the lion the witch and the wardrobe

well freecycle came up trumps for us the other day (again!) .. Ive been saying for ages we need more storage in our bedroom.. the poor hubbys clothes were squashed to death as my coat collection was slowly taking over his wardrobe, and i didn't even bother to iron his shirts until he actually wore them as they always got creased anyway!
now obviously there was no mention of me getting rid of these coats.. * you cant have enough coats...can you mum!?* we just needed more cupboard space..
had a look on the ikea website and saw one that would fit the alcove space £101 it would cost so we thought we'd just save up a bit..
a few days later up popped an offer post from my local freecycle. for a wardrobe, for exactly the same size..

so off went the hubby to pick it up from the lovely lady who had offered it..

i think he was trying to get into my good books as a few days before we had that tv put in our room didnt we and then as its a little tv/video ( video... we are so retro arnt we!) .. he'd got boxes of old videos off my sister so these were all over the bedroom i was not a happy bunny!


anyway its fits in rather nicely and initially i was going to paint it as i paint everything wooden give it a pretty vintage shabby chic slapdash paint job !.. but to be honest i quite like it with the blue walls of my bedroom and also it matches my bed so i might keep it like that for now..

got some blue flowery boxes to hold the wretched videos .. i mean no wonder DVDs were invented they are so much thinner and don't get in the way!!



the massive box of friends videos are now stashed in the bottom of the wardrobe!!..

so the rooms had a bit of move around and Ive put the little table that was in the other alcove which has now been taken over by a chest of drawers and tv (mmm no comment!) Ive put this in front of the window for now.. not sure how long it will stay there but for now its got a little home!




so now i have both of the ikea pax wardrobes ( extremely roomy wardrobes!!) all to myself


to be honest they so need sorting out.. its actually bursting at the seams at the minute .. but I'm waiting to do my autumn winter/spring summer change over so I'm not that bothered at the minute.. but there's a lot of wardrobe space for me now Mwahhaahahaa ( evil laugh) which just means that's even more things to look out for in the charity shops and on eBay..
once its all nice and organised I'll give you a little tour inside!! ( this blog gets more rock and roll every day i know!! )

so got thinking .. the lion is the hubby for his bravery in letting me turn the house into a floral patchwork quilt.. and take over all his wardrobe space.. obviously im the witch ( but a nice one!) for turning the house into a floral patchwork quilt and taking over all his wardrobe space and the wardrobe.. well enough said !!!

FRIDAYS FROCKS

when i first saw this weeks Friday frocks advertised on eBay it initially reminded me of Florence Welch from Florence and The Machine.. you know all floaty and Lacy and a little bit whimsical ..

( not actual pic of me in dress but fabulous Flo herself!!!)

oo don't you just love that word .. whimsical.!!

so anyway back to the dress..

so yes this is an eBay number £8.99

it is actually shorter than i thought it was .. i did think it was more maxi in length but its actually more midi.. which i find is quite a hard length to pull off if you don't want to look like Great Aunt Mavis on a bus trip with her friend Joan from the Post office..!!.. i.e you want to attain to the vintage style without adding a vintage age to you!!.

added a thin plaited leather belt from Primark £1.00

and wear thick black opaques to give it more of an edgier look.. if cream and lace and bows can actually be called edgy!

teamed with my vintage Bertie leopard print shoes .. charity shop £2.99

i love the little cone heel on these and even thought they must be how old they look modern ..

now as its still rather chilly you cant be walking around with exposed arms and shoulders so Ive put my little vintage velvet jacket that i won on eBay and because the seller hadn't said it was velvet or even velvet effect so no one was bidding on it so i got it for £3.99.

.i love the ribbon edging and the big gold buttons.. and its lovely and warm so what more do you want from a jacket

add a leopard print silk scarf .. charity shop 50p

tied in a nice pussy bow for that lady like look!!..

oh and a nice big slouchy bronze coloured bag £1.99 charity shop .. when i got home i found a pound in its pocket so really only cost me 99p!!

anyways enough about me.. were are all these Friday frocks that i was promised.. i feel like a bit of a billy no mates here come on get your frocks out!!

**** i know a few of you have said you want me to photograph myself in my outfits.. at the minute i am feeling like a right heffer.. so wouldn't want you to be put off eating!!.. promise as soon as the needle on the scales starts moving to the left i will take pics.. just don't feel confident at the min!! ****