Anyone fancy a cuppa?

Does anyone remember I bought these little vintage teacups a few weeks back?

Well I finally got around to doing something with them...

A little soil, a little moss and some teeny tiny crocus bulbs. Hopefully soon they'll peek up through the moss to come and say hello.

Sentimental fool

Does anyone out there remember my post about a year ago, about my dining table? When my friend heard that I had bought my flat, she knew that I would be very short of furniture and so very kindly offered me her old dining table. Now to everyone out there, this may just be a table and chairs, but to me it means so much more.

Firstly, after breaking up from a long term relationship and having to move out of the home we owned together, this act of kindness really touched me. I wasn't actually alone after all. And I'd just like to say that the little cloth in the middle of the table was given to me by another lovely friend of mine at around the same time. I felt truly blessed, and still do.

Secondly...when I had the offer accepted on my flat I was told to expect a 4 week turnaround. It ended up being more like 4 months, and in the mean time I spent hours painstakingly sanding and painting the table and chairs. It sounds bizarre to say it, but this dining suite and the company of the (then...!) friend who let me keep and paint them at his house really kept me sane. It was the first time I was doing something just for me.

All this waffling does have a point...I promise...

On Saturday I lined up a table top sale trawl with my Mum. Three different places in three different parts of town. After being barged around by elderly ladies and large handbags, I nearly gave up and went home before the final sale.

But no, instead I ended up coming home £20 worse off, and with another dining table and 4 chairs.

"Why?!" I hear you cry. Well, I've offered to cook Christmas dinner for my parents and brother, and including myself and Bry we make 5. Not ideal for a 4 seater table. And then there's the friends I've promised to return the dinner favour to...together we make 6. So it made sense. This table fits the chairs under beautifully, so actually takes up less room than the other.

I've given my 'old' chairs a new coat of paint to freshen them up, and have added two more (the wheel back chairs were dark brown, and came with the 'new' table).

And of course the table got the 'Dimity' treatment.

But the point to my ramblings at the top of the page is that I'm so reluctant to let me other dining table go. Am I being ridiculous?

My ex now rents our old house out. The other day I checked the place over for him, and seeing all our old furniture left there for tenants to use (and dare I suggest, not care for?!) made me feel very peculiar. All these furniture pieces hold memories for me...where we got them from, how they fitted into our lives...and my dining table is having the same effect.

But I live in a small flat. There is only one of me and the occasional guests. I really do not need two dining tables. But...but....but....oh dear.

Please tell me I'm not the only sentimental fool around these parts?! Should a dining table mean so much??

I applaud anyone who has read this far. I'd really better go and get tidying so that I can show you a photograph of the rest of the workspace, with dining table in place.

And finally, I'd like to say thank you for all the very kind comments on my previous post :)

Before and afters

I tend to be a very fanciful person. If I get an idea in my head, I'll run with it. Usually without much thought or planning.

Which explains why I really struggle to remember to take 'before' photos. I'll be so set on the end product and getting there just as fast as I possibly can, that I forget all about the comparison I love so much.

And with that in mind, I have a ridiculous lack of 'before' photos of my office.


The photo aboev shows the fireplace and the wallpaper, but other than that the only photographs I have are 'in progress' - at least you can see the carpet in this one!


So the wallpaper came down, and up went a fresh new skim (can you believe that Bry taught himself to plaster?!).


The 'Victorian antique pine' (trade descriptions, anyone??) surround got the good old Farrow and Ball 'Dimity' treatment.


Followed by the Laura Ashley treatment.


As you can see from the photo above, everything is still upside down and disorganised. I'll pop back later to tell you a bit more about the chairs in the photo above, and hopefully I'll have some full room photos to show you shortly!

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend, and it's not too grey and miserable where you are!

Project Maths

A tin of red gloss paint from my brother's crazy-bright apartment...

PLUS a chair from Ebay for 99p...MINUS the nasty old fabric...

PLUS Cath Kidston scraps from the lovely Mary Poppins PLUS a bit of sewing...

PLUS a bit of inspiration from Squint...


EQUALS......



A fancy new chair for my office.

What do you think?

Busy Busy Busy

It seems like an age ago that I had something to show you. But after a couple of weeks of 'cracking on with it' I feel like I have lots that I'd like to show you.

But it's late and I'm wrapped in a quilt on the sofa trying to keep warm. So they will have to wait until tomorrow, and I shall begin to tell you a story.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin...

A few weeks ago I put a plea for help out into the world wide web. But what was my plea for? Well, it was for some scraps of Cath Kidston fabric that contained the colour red. I wasn't fussy about any design in particular, but the colour was certain. And the purpose was top secret.

The incredibly lovely Mary Poppins came to my rescue.

Can you imagine how thrilled I was when I received this fabulous package?

There was lots of red for my project, but also lots of other lovelies for me to play with.

So the package went and sat in my office, on top of my part finished project. And it sat there a little bit longer. And occasionally I'd look at all the gorgeous fabric and then I'd put it away again. I felt apprehensive and couldn't find the confidence to begin to finish my making.

But yesterday something happened. I became brave and I forgot that I was scared of my project and I sat down at my sewing machine and I got it finished.

And now I'm proud of what I have achieved...a phrase I've not felt able to use for a long time.

And soon I will take some photographs and fill in the blank pages of the story...

I got the blues...

I've had lots of busy weeks - the 'proper job' is keeping me on my toes at the moment, I've not had much energy for projects on the side and Sunday morning lie-ins have been much needed. But the last car booty I went I went to threw up some lovelies. The tea set above is so cute - even the saucers have a yellow flower in the middle. I love the shape of the cups.

And, in keeping with the blue theme, I picked up these vivid little side plates for 50p the lot. The colours are so bright and gorgeous. They make me smile every time I look at them.

And all this chilly weather has had me thinking dirty C thoughts...these little teacups are going to form part of my Christmas gift projects. I shall share in a few weeks!

In the mean time I'm planning a spot of DIY, a very exciting project which I will post a little more about very soon, and an early start tomorrow to see what treasures I can find!

Anybody recognise this?

Mmm....that's right...Ikea Rosali aka Ms Kidston bedding....

I spent last weekend visiting my big brother & his lovely lady in Manchester. When bedtime came, this is what greeted me. Needless to say they didn't understand my excitement...apparently it was a 50p bargain bin purchase and only comes out for guests. And no, they weren't willing to let me take it home.

I could have cried!

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