Wicker Chair Upgrade

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Why oh why did nobody tell me sooner about the wonders of spray paint?!

I bought this wicker chair for Darcy from a vintage emporium (see blog post and pictures of it HERE) for about £15 and whilst the colour is inoffensive, it didn't look very special in my living room.

Add a can of spray paint and some elbow grease and wowee, wowee, brand new chair. 

Before you spray, it's best to lightly sand (or get your little sister to do it for you, heh heh), wipe off any dust and debris and take it into a well ventilated space. 

The spray paint I used was from a craft store and under £10. Be sure to check the label to see if it is suitable for the surface you are using it on, ie. wood, metal etc. 

I decided to leave it at one coat but if you wanted a completely covered look, with no natural wood colour showing through, I would go for two. I prefer the shabby chic, slightly aged effect. 

The chair now fits perfectly into our lounge which is where we spend the majority of our time. Darcy feels very special to have her own little place and if we decide it doesn't work for the space anymore, it's small enough to fit in lots of other nooks. 

This was such a fast, affordable project that I am now continually on the hunt for new things to paint. I have been doing more and more projects around the house lately and can't wait to share a full tour with you soon. 

This last tour I did was Darcy's room whilst I was pregnant (link), so I am well overdue!

What do you like to do to spruce your rooms up? Have you done any projects lately?

To find new ways to stalk me or learn about my discloser policy, click HERE. 

Ultimate Advertiser - It's A Blondes Life. Click HERE for more info. 

Toodlepip!

xx

Mothering Sunday

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Firstly, Happy Mothering Sunday to all those Mummy Bloggerinos out there, I hope you had a really pampered lovely day :)

My day was happy, sad, frustrating and exciting- that's a lorra lorra emotions non?

As you may have noticed from my lack of "I've had a baby" posts, I still haven't given birth. I never, ever thought I would be one of those women who go 2 weeks over and I'm gutted. I read that Mylene Klass (who's book I LOVED) had her first daughter Ava, at 36 weeks and 6 days and had hoped I'd be similar. She has since had her second daughter Hero (thoughts on the name?) and so I bet she had a busy Mothering Sunday.

Anyone care to guess the weight of Baby Glitter when she's born? I reckon about 5 stone.

My second stretch and sweep (shudder) clearly hasn't worked, nor has vigorous birth ball bouncing, pineapple (despite being allergic and my lips and mouth swelling up a fair bit!), walking, bumpy roads in the car and rudeytudeycoupletime, so I have been booked in for an induction this week. I'm uber nervous but know I can't go on like this a much longer!

Clearly, this was the frustrating part of my day, that I sttillllll don't have my Baby Glitter to cuddle. Amazingly though, she managed (with perhaps a little help from Mattmoo) to bring me croissants, nutella, and orange juice in the fancy glasses (does anyone else have glasswear that they save for special visitors and are too frightened to use themselves?! haha) annnddd a really nice card thanking me for being so comfy and womby. What a clever fetus! Also, my chum Charly dropped a card through my door from Baby Glitter, which I thought was really sweet of her to think of me. This, was the happy part of my day.

What was the exciting part then Louise? Well chummies, we went to one of my favourite places ever (prepare to think me very lame)...IKEA!!! I love, love, love wandering round IKEA. Matt and I play 'Fantasy Home' and we pretend the little show rooms are in our house and I pop in to visit him in his snazzy study or he pops in to my kitchen for a hearty stew hahaha. Today we bought this goorrrgeous big chest of drawers, primarily for my obscenely large makeup collection and I'm so impressed at Matt for assembling it all. We also bought a bedside table in a similar design and a big print that will go in out front room that we are redecorating and are going to be terrifically pompous and call the 'Sun Room', mwahaha. I'm super excited to organise all my makeup into this- would you like to see pictures once it's done? I won't put any up unless you ask because I don't want to be a poncy show-off.

Sad part of the day. Well, if you have been reading a while you will know that my Mum died of cancer when I was 7 and Mothering Sunday is always a day I think of her a little bit more than all the other days. I know people always say lovely things about people who have passed away, but she really truly was a very special person. She did so much good for people and brought a lot of joy to the world.

Here's just one example to show what I mean. When I was 4 or 5, Mum and Dad went on a little trip to Moscow so see the sights and soak up the culture (I didn't go). Whilst there, they met a family which was a Mother and her 2 young daughters. They were living in extreme poverty in awful accommodation and life was a misery. Mum and Dad came home from their trip but my Mum couldn't shake her meeting with the family. She wasn't sure what she could do to make a huge change but knew she wanted to do something. By now it was December. She flew back to Moscow, found the family, went to some kind of Embassy (my Dad will know the exact details if you really want to know) and Mum refused to leave until she had to forms she needed to bring the Mother (Elaina) and her 2 daughters (Katya and Marsha) back to the UK. They came and stayed with us for Christmas and I remember how amazed they were at EVERYTHING. When we went to Tesco for the Christmas shop, Elaina was gobsmacked because she had never seen a place with so much food as she had had to queue for hours just to buy the basics. The family had a brilliant Christmas with all the trimmings and presents but then it was time for them to go back to their real lives. My Mum couldn't stand it and helped them sort out visas, a job for Elaina, school places for the girls and a place to live with furniture, clothes, toys, the lot. This kind of thing wasn't unusual for my Mum. Perhaps in another post I will tell you more of her crazy amazing adventures. Last I heard (about 10 years ago), the Russian family were living in happily in London. I'd love to find them and get back in touch.

Hmm that was a bit waffly but I just wanted to demonstrate the goodness she did. I miss her everyday and wish now more than ever that I could pick up the phone and say hello or get in her clapped out white astra and go shopping with her. I wish she could touch my bump and feel Baby Glitter kick, come with me to my antenatal appointments and then cuddle her grandaughter.

I know people say "she's looking down on you" and I don't disbelieve this, but it's not the same as really being here. Now that I have Baby Glitter to make Mothering Sunday special, I feel a lot more at peace with it all, so this is a positive indeed.

So that's it for my little update. In other news I have a few Lou's Reviews to post, we had our first BBQ of the year yesterday (the best bit was when Matt said to me "I'm just going to the loo, if the flames get too high, put the lid on it", ummmm no, I'm not a fire fighter and I'm a walking whale!), Mindycat has gone nuts and has taken to licking the cushion of my bedroom chair (most unsavoury of her) and that's about it really.

Seeing as I'm giving birth this week (cripes!!), I perhaps won't be on too much, but rest assured I will be back and won't forget you- don't forget me either please!!

Toodlepip!

xx

I likey likey

Aloha Bloggerinos,

What happens when you're looking for interior ideas and you have 20 minutes of spare time? Weheartit gorging is what! Here are a few of my favs.

Enjoy.

I'd like this last room to be BGW's, very lovely.

Did any of you English Rose's watch 'Upstairs, Downstairs' this week? I LOVE the use of colour in that home. If only I was brave enough for bright aqua rooms!

Toodlepip!

xx

Home Corners: The Hallway

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Crikey Mikey it's been a busy week! Sorry I have been a bit lacking and just done short posts, I have been rushed off my feet, which I most unusual (I like to take life at a leisurely pace you see).

I gave you a little vote the other day and lots of you seemed peachy keen on having a Home Corners post, so that you shall have! I hope to do more of these too.

I decided to start with my hallway because that is the first thing you would see if you came to visit me, so it's like you are on a little virtual visit now :)

If you were to walk down my stairs, this would be your view (minus the Mindycat maybe!). The chair was brown up until about 2 months ago, when I could stand it no longer, sanded, wiped, painted and reupholstered (yes, I reupholstered that bad boy) and made it a lot more contemporary.

The picture frame closest to you is a pressed flower arrangement that I did with my Mum before she died, when I was about 6. I painted the frame to match the chair so that I ties in nicely.

The mirror is from ye olden times (only the 1950's actually) and belonged to my Gran, who has also sadly died. Gee wizz I sound morbid don't I?! I'm not, just that this little corner has a lot of Mummy/Granny things in it.

A little close up for you.

I love the simplicity of this chair, with a tiny bit of detail to make it individual. I made that little scented heart myself and thought it would look pretty there. If you would like one, let me know and I can whip one up for you for £3.20.

So on the little shelf I have a glass of peacock feathers (have I mentioned my peacock obsession? naaahh), a paperweight my Dad bought me years ago that I enjoy the colours of, a picture of good old gran and a little green glass dish with mula. I like to think Gran is guarding that little tray of coins. I don't know who from but I enjoy that she has a shelf role. Yes, a role on the shelf. Weird I know.

Here's the other side of the hall with a much longer shelf. The little shelf only has a phone on so not much to snap there! Pretty picture from Daddio, purple tealight holder, new IKEA vase with freshly cut flowers from the garden and mahoosive candle.

Do you like the sign we have? Ahhhhh.

The best flowers are the free ones you get from the garden.

Hmm can I just say, I despise the wallpaper. The old biddy who we bought the house off had EVERYTHING in a different wall texture. We've got most of it off but the hall needs work. Slowly slowly catchy monkey.

This is the hall from the stairs with both sides in. Those hearts on the door are on the other side and they say "welcome to our home". I shall show you some time :)

Halls are such an important part of a home but often not appreciated. I love mine so much. It gets all the evening light and I regularly change it about.

In spirit of my "homey" mood today, I went with a friend to Home Sense in Northampton- Penny Blossom- THANK YOU for introducing me to such a treasure trove. If I don't buy those silver drawers in the entrance, I may die. Fact.

Hope you liked my first Home Corners post! Where next?

Toodlepip!

xx

Abby's Giveaway- My Dream Dressing Table

Aloha Bloggerinos,

As promised, this is my entry for Abby's other giveaway (she is doing two), which is to describe your dream dressing table.

When I saw this competition the other day, I just knew I had to enter and here is why:

When we bought this house in Summer '09, we were handed a little plastic box full of keys. There were keys to the front and back doors, the windows and the garage BUT, were there any keys to the shed I hear you ask? NO!

A year went by of us never going in the shed or knowing what was in there, until one day I could stand it no longer! I went down to that shed and did something very unladylike and quite thuggish.......I bashed the lock in. To be precise, I bashed the lock in with a stone toad garden ornament that I found in the bushes!! Honestly, I never thought my life would come to the day when I was bashing in my OWN shed with a stone toad but there we are.

I stepped through the broken door to be greeted with spiders, spades and a beautiful wooden dressing table!! The glee!!! All of a sudden I felt a project coming along. I would refurbish this little gem!

Me and my chum Jess hotfooted it down to Wilkos, bought paint, brushes and medium sandpaper (as recommended by Grandad) and we were away!!

With a bit of tarting up, the old (and free I might add) dresser came up a treat! It was missing a draw but using some sturdy card, I created a little shelving area for things like GHD's, magazines and other general bumf. Eventually I plan on making a little curtain to hide it all.

On my dresser I have my mirrored jewellery box (would you like to see what's in it? Let me know because I took photos just in case), a few hair flowers, my current obsession Viva La Juicy perfume and Moisturiser and a crystal bowl full of nail polishes- soooo girlie!

As you can see, I don't have a mirror on it, but that is because we have mirrored wardrobes so there is not need- more space for pretties.

This is a new addition to our room so I'm sure it will change an evolve with the things I put on and in it, but for now, this is it.

I love this soooo much because I think the green really compliments my pink bedroom, it was free (aside from the wilkos bits), it is vintage and when I look at it I feel a real sense of achievement for transforming something so pretty.

Have you ever done a project like this? I have transformed a few more pieces in my home, should I post about them or are you all about the makeup?

Toodlepip!

xx

Yippeeeeeeeeee Yin Yin!

Whilst having elevensies (is this not the cutest thing that older people say? "Elevensies"- for those not in the know, it is the art of having a little rest around eleven, usually accompanied by refreshments of some kind), anyway, whilst having elevensies with Mindy (the picture was too brilliant not to post), I heard a rather ghastly clatter from the porch!

Grabbing my mobile and pre-dialling 999 in case I was about to meet some sort of madcap attacker (I'm easily frightened as the Fiance will vouch for when he makes me jump!), I headed nervously to the front door to investigate the commotion.

There on my mat, alongside the dull bills and junk mail, was a gloriously big brown package with familiar neat writing. Dashing back to the lounge, and to Mindy who wasn't in the least bit alarmed by all the drama, I tore open the package and discovered the most fantastic cushion! My friend Yin Yin Lau is training to be an architect and is very chic and cosmopolitan. To those that don't know her, they would suspect she lives for expensive shoes, cocktails and her career. But oh no chummy! She has a secret. She is a closet knitter!!

She knits baby blankets, cute cardigans, little hearts which I would absolutely love (hint hint Yinners) and as I have pleasantly found, fabulous cushions! The wool she uses is very carefully chosen from everywhere from John Lewis, backstreet Liverpool shops and even New York! Wowza! I know so much time and effort will have gone into her creation and a lot of care has been taken. She chose my favourite colour and I think the little knitted house was because I have just moved into my first house.

I now feel compelled to send her an equally (it'll be tough) fantasmic crafted item and hope that she will send me something back and we can make a bit of a tradition of this craft swapping!

So YinYin, if you are reading, this is your first official review and I shall happily give you 10/10 for style and 10/10 for creativity! Thank you so much!

Toodlepip xx

Love in November

On a recent visit to my friend's home I was drawn, like a magpie is to shiny things, to her fireplace. Pride of place was a set of lovely ye oldey looking blocks, spelling out the word "Love" and I thought they were too fantastic to not snap!

So please enjoy this picture of Love.

Toodlepip xx