Stripy goodness!

First of all thank you so much for your lovely comments on my sons room. I find it really hard to get stuff he'd like as he's getting to that age where you can't brainwash him... My daughter on the other hand can't be brainwashed either, but she loves everything I love at the moment - roses, flowers, pretties! Much easier to think about stuff she'd like but then of course I feel like I need to keep it kinda equal.

Today I've had a really good day. I was working so it was my day off from looking after the kids and I normally love my day out, I get the bus so I can stop off in the big town centre and look round the charity shops. Today was the day of the summer fair in the village a I work at so I decided to go in earlier than normal to look round otherwise it would have finished when I got there. There wasn't much there although I got a lovely Westie dog soft toy for my dog mad daughter for 10p. But I also spied in a room off the main church hall a treasure trove of goodies. On further inspection it seemed like it was a charity shop that was obviously run fairly informally and was open on Sat and Weds mornings. It was great in there, the type of place with no pretentions and loads to look at. I managed to find a candy stripe single sheet which was on my main list of things to find and look for in CS's and some vintage embroidered tray cloths. Just noticed the one I picked up wasn't finished though, maybe a project? I also got a few buttons, but of course I can't find them now at all :( On going to pay the lady spotted some nail varnish on the sheet and said I could have the sheet for free. It might come off and if not I might just applique a heart over it or something.

After that I went to work (I work with my dad at his newsagents) and he asked if I wanted to go to an Open Day at the Asda Warehouse with my mum. So I ended up doing very little work and was chauffered to this open day sale which had loads of old Asda stuff being sold cheap. And I mean cheap! Alongside some cheap cereals and washing up liquid I got 2 enamel tea/coffee caddies, a pale yellow teapot and some stripy storage boxes for the kids rooms. ALso picked up a few kids things for Crimbo. I couldn't get too much more as I had to haul it all home on the bus but the whole day (inc the CS and fete) I didn't spend more than 10.00.

Anyway, a quick pic -


(ugh my pics on here are terrible. Must try and sort out proper camera and stop using the phone!)

I'll try to get some pics of the curtains tomorrow, still haven't had chance to hem them yet.

Curtains and a boys room

Well I've nearly finished the curtains in the kitchen, just need to hem and they're done. It's too dark to take a photo though at the moment. I do love them and really glad I treated myself to the LA fabric.

I will share some pics of my sons room at the moment. I hesitate to say that anything in my nearly 9 year old boys room is chic, most certainly shabby!! But I have been trying to collect some vintage aeroplane bits and bobs for him to add to his room.


This is his bed, it's one of those high sleepers so blummin hard to get a photo of! You can maybe make out the aeroplane bedding that he has. I was so happy to get this from ebay, for the grand total of 2.99 including postage, in actual fact it cost the seller 2.70 to send it and I felt so bad for her that I paid her a couple of quid more. I couldn't really see it well on the listing but took a chance. On getting it it had all the British WW2 planes on it (and named so I could learn!!), not made up drawings (iykwim) but actual drawings of the actual planes. My son loved it!! You can see the pictures a bit better here, although it is a shoddy pic!!!


When we went to an aeroplane museum the other day I saw some of the RAF ensign flags hung up and thought they'd look great in his room and so had a search on ebay for one. Managed to get a huge one (5ft x 3ft) for about 4.50 including p&p.


Some framed prints I've managed to pick up in CS's, need to find a hammer now...


And finally some bunting I made for him and more prints, this time of old cars, his other love. Some of it was from some old bunting we'd been given years ago. I took the less girly ones (they have stars on although not really clear here I don't think) and added some gingham to make a little string for him. (Reminds me, I still need to re do the rest of it for my daughter). I did it before I decided to do a vintage aeroplaned theme type room so I might try and make some other triangles to tie it all in, maybe some UJ's?

union jack

Gosh this was hard work! But I really like how it turned out so I guess it was worth it. My husband really liked these when we were wandering around a shop somewhere, debenhams maybe, so I thought I'd have a go at making one. If I could have chosen fabric from scratch I'd have gone for a more darker blue to give it a more vintage feel to it if you know what I mean. Actually my hubby would still like another for on our bed so maybe I'll keep a look out for some fabric that is just right.


I managed to ride the waves of fate and picked up some of the Laura Ashley heath green fabric today and also found out there was a LA shop within 4 miles of me. Hmm, not sure that is a good idea!! Mind you I didn't buy anything else, all just a bit too expensive for me I'm afraid.

Right, best get on with some more stuff!

Fate?

I did do a bit of ramble the other day about why I like CK and LA fabrics and designs so much especially as they are just way out of my price range really. I didn't end up posting it as I saved it, wandered off to do other bits and bobs and forgot! But anyway...

I decided I wanted to get some sage green gingham or check fabric to make some light curtains to bring a little bit of colour into our kitchen which is, you guessed it, a symphony of beige too ;) I got a nice sample from John Lewis but that was waaay too expensive really. I'm awaiting a sample of the Heath Green gingham from LA as I like the look of that too and it's a bit more reasonable.

But what's this? A 25% off everything event at LA this weekend? Must be fate, and on the weekend of pay day too :OD

I shall endeavour to take some photos of recent crafting going on here, well me finishing another cushion - a Union Jack cushion that my hubby was after. Was tricky and a lot of work but I finished it today.

A symphony of beige!

Well I finally finished my crochet ripple blanket like Attic24's. Nothing like it in terms of colour but I used her tutorial on how to do it. No mine is much more muted colours. I do like it very much, and as I have made something useful out of my ever growing stash of wool then all the better.

It's also made me feel so much more confident with my crochet. I am a real beginner, and crochet patterns still look like gobbledy gook to me so a tute that holds your hand all the way through was brill!

I need some colour in my house though, it's desperately needed. We live in a rented house and although we could decorate we haven't so far. We're thinking of painting two alcoves pink in the living room to cheer us up a bit. It's all so drab, magnolia walls, beige carpet, dark wood fireplace, and old cream leather sofa. The living room is also North facing and so is cold and dreary at the best of times. No I think we need some colour.



And so to introduce to you my next blanket in progress! Yay a granny square blanket. I love the look of these, so cosy and homely. I loved looking at the blankets on Little Jenny Wren's blog and had been meaning to learn how to do them. Here's the start:

Should be sew easy!

Well I always think sewing should be easy. What I forget is that I have absolutely no patience when it comes to measuring and cutting and getting it just right. Or I think I know exactly how an envelope cushion will work and so sew it up and hey presto... er um... well it didn't quite work!

That's what happened when I decided to do a cushion cover made from some Laura Ashley tea towels. It sat looking sorry for itself until I decided to redo it today and thankfully it worked this time!

Here it is in all its glory next to a cushion I made right the first time (phew! am learning just a bit then!). They just need some sort of embellishment - a crochet flower maybe? The patterned cushion is for my daughter who absolutely loves dogs and animals. I scoured ebay for some fabric that caught my eye and found this print which I think is Moda pampered pooches or something. I adore it anyway. Especially the little scottie dogs, and I've now got a request to make a stuffed dog that I saw on a site somewhere. I think I bookmarked it. Oh here it is :) I think she overestimates my abilities!!

More sewing! I made this pillowcushion for my son (excuse my daughters sandals!)
He's kind of a bit old to be pushing much a vintage style on, he's nearly 9. I've been trying to think of something I'd like his room to be (of course I have to be happy with it!!) and realised that actually he has vintage likes already - planes and cars. Sorted. I also found a fantastic duvet set for him on ebay which has old WW2 planes on which he loves. Seems like it's coming together then. I'd like to crochet a RAF circle cushion too. When I get that done I'll get some pics of the room :)

I'm enjoying this!

Getting lots of inspiration from reading lots of blogs and also from the Shabby Chic Cafe. Such a lovely forum there. I've even signed up for a swap and am really excited to create some bits and bobs for someone else. Good to get my brain working at ideas.

There is a car boot that has just started within walking distance of my house and we headed down there on Sunday. Not lots there but the weather forecast was bad and for a first week I think it was pretty good. The kids enjoyed spending their pocket money and getting more for their money than in a shop. I enjoyed finding a pretty cute teapot. Actually my OH and the kids spotted it. I think I might have passed it up but for 1.50 (argh where is my pound sign??) and for the fact they all loved it I got it. As a family we're quite into Route 66 and old cars and stuff so this actually fitted lovely for us as a family.

Just posting another pic of a jug that wasn't quite so loved by my OH (actually he hated it!) which I got at the CS. I think it's fab and just what we need to help the kids drink more water!


The house sorting is coming along well if still a little slowly. We just have way too much stuff :O( I'm getting close to finishing my crochet blanket, and trying really hard to get it done before starting anything else. I do have a bit of sewing on the cards though, hopefully have some pics soon.

It'll get worse before it gets better

Ugh. Been decluttering and rearranging rooms. We have too much stuff that is junk and need to streamline it so much! It'll be worth the hard work I'm sure, but the going is tough.

I have my heart set on a vintage, country feel in the home now. I've been thinking about it lots lately and all through different fashions I've always been drawn to floral prints, old style houses and simple country styles. I've always loved old childrens books with nostalgic covers, old tins with character and houses where you can spend ages just looking at things and not get bored. I've never liked modern styles. I think I know now that this is my style and I need to follow my heart and get the house looking just how I want it.

I'm going to have to write some lists so I can keep track of my ideas!

I mentioned in my last post that I am crocheting a blanket. I am really quite proud of this and although it won't be as big as I'd like I'm sure it will be a welcome addition to our blanket stash! I am over halfway now but here is a picture of how it was a couple of weeks ago to give an idea of how it's going to look.
It will have 6 or 7 repeats of the pattern and you know, for a first go at crochet I think it's not bad! I'm hoping to do a granny square one next after that :O)