Car booty

Well we did it. Somehow we pulled off the impossible. We all managed to get up, ready and down to a car boot sale for an 8am start on Saturday. Wow. I just really wanted to go and nosey as I haven't been to one, not that I can remember anyway. I had been looking for some vintage- style photo frames for our new bedroom - sadly I didn't find any, but I did find these cute little polka dot planters for £1 and a similar cream one with a handle for 30p. So cute!





Gareth wasn't too impressed, until he found a stall with a few CDs and records he liked but didn't have in his 600-strong collection. Yet. But at 50p each I wasn't going to moan. And we also found these gorgeous little Mini Mode wellies for Alex, brand new for £1. He has been wearing them proudly for most of the day, bless him!




So what else have we done today? Gosh, what haven't we done?! Feeling all motivated by being up and out so early, we came home, made a cooked breakfast, tidied the kitchen, tidied the garden, made trips to the local household recycling centre, mowed the lawn, swept the driveway, tidied and hoovered out both cars, washed both cars, washed the windows and front door and now Gareth is running his parents to a Proms in the Park event. And we had time for a little play too. Phew! I was exhausted.

And this weekend I'll be doing it all again, except I'll be getting up even earlier to go sell at a car boot sale. I have been inspired by Gareth's cousin doing so well selling at one last weekend and because our house contains so much old stuff we just don't use, need or even want. So it's all going - if I can drag myself out of bed at 4.30am on Sunday, yes, 4.30am!!! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Busy week... as always!

It has been a busy ol' week! Phew!

First off, the baby show went off ok, we met lots of lovely babies and children, and sold a couple of sessions to some lovely new parents, so it was worth all the hard work and stress leading up to and on the day. And it was quite cool, if not totally weird, to check out my old high school 12 years after I last graced it with my presence.

(I'm the one in the middle, black cardigan, standing in front of our big tv!)

Then last Sunday I sent the husband and kids packing, off to the in-laws for the day, so I could get on with stripping... wallpaper that is. I finally managed to be off with the old and on with the new in our bedroom, and later said husband came home and put the new bed up, yay! In fact, the whole room is nearly done now, it just needs a little paint touching up (still), the blinds hanging (actually I need to finish the second one tonight) and for me to pick up my new dressing table stool on Sunday. I can't wait. Thank flip the end is in sight now after so long! Pictures to follow very soon :)

What else? Ooooh, we went to see Toy Story 3 on Wednesday, just me, hubby and Harry while a friend sat Alex. I think I was the most excited out of the three of us, and I wasn't disappointed. It was fantastic! Although a little dark at times, the toys spent the entire movie, it seemed, wandering from one peril straight into the path of another (I won't give too much away though because you have to go see it for yourselves, kids or no kids!)

I also managed to whip up two knitted mug cosies for Harry's teacher and teaching assistant, which I then filled with chocolates, wrapped with cellophane and finished with a pretty ribbon, to say thank you for helping him so much during his first year in school. But did I remember or even have time to take any photos? No, don't be daft! So I'm afraid this blog post is going to have to remain photoless today, sorry, I know it has been a week-long wait too.

Anyways, I am off now to get creative, I am feeling the urge! So hopefully I might be back with something that will satsify a little better tomorrow! Fingers crossed ;)

N xXx

Twit twoo

Just popping on to share a photo of this cute little fell that I have somehow managed to knit up in an evening-and-a-bit.

His name is... erm, well actually he doesn't have a name yet. I'm not feeling very inspired today. Anyone wanna help me?! If you have anything at all please leave me a comment. :)

Or if you'd like to make your own little owl (and it is a really quick and easy pattern with lots of photos and step-by-step instructions, so ideal for beginners) you can buy and download the Ravelry pattern here.

So, tomorrow is the baby fair, which means I really must get off here and sort out the final preparations, despite feeling totally and utterly rubbish today. I have no energy and could only just manage sewing up my owl.  Hmmm, this could take a while!

And in case you were wondering, no, I'm not much further on the bedroom decorating front. I was meant to be wallpaper stripping and papering today, but, well it didn't happen. I have done a few little odd jobs here and there, which is about all that can be done with my two boys under my feet. Oh well, maybe in another lifetime it might actually get finished and then my ghost can share some photos with you. Sigh.

From crap... to scrap

It has been a crap, trying day. Harry is being an absolute nightmare at the moment and today he excelled himself. Our house is a mess because for every room I tidy he trashes at least two more. Every time I turn my back he is rifling through, moving or ruining something else of mine, like my jewellery, my cosmetics (and never the cheap stuff) and today my baby box of irreplaceable memories. And Alex, because he idolises him so much, joins right in. I could just swing for him right now.

But seeing as we had such a good day yesterday for Gareth and his dad's birthdays (yes, they share the same birthday, this is both a blessing and a curse, actually, just a curse!) and to try and cheer me up on this rubbish day I sat down for some much needed scrapping while Gareth watched the boring football, yawn, zzzzz. And I finally got some Hipstamatic photos scrapped, hurrah!

























I had been wondering how to use those cherry papers for ages!

I also made these lovely gift vouchers this week for Saturday's baby fair - really looking forward to that. It's at my old high school though, and I haven't been back in 12 years (and I couldn't wait to get away back then lol!). Yikes!













Right, I've had enough of today, bedtime me thinks. Back soon.

xXx

And on, and on...

Project bedroom continues. Yeah yeah, I know, this is getting pretty boring now, yawn, and I'm just as annoyed it's not yet finished. Nowhere near in fact. One child-free day is all it would take me, but where the hell do I find me one of those?! I guess the slow progress is my own fault for wanting to make so many of the contents!






Anyway, that leads me on to this picture, my gorgeous new fabric, which I have already sewn into a Roman blind for the room. One down, one to go. I love it, it's just the right colour, the roses match the bedding I bought and it was only £13 for the two metres I needed, plus a couple more pounds for the wooden dowels, hooks and string, hurrah!

I also had a whizz round a fab trade place about five minutes from my home called Country Baskets this week. It sells everything from fake flowers and decorative home items to gifts and some craft stuff. It was heaving - thanks to a coach load of pensioners arriving just before me (how did they all become card holders?! Lol!) - and i was nearly late for collecting Harry from school, but it was worth it as I got these all for between £2 and £3.






Wooden 'Love' word to hang.





Ceramic heart to match my other purchases.






And this gorgeous plaque, which just hits the nail on the head with the sort of look I'm trying to achieve.

I also got a fab duo coat hook with little crystal ends but forgot to take a photo. But then I hope to be showing you pictures of the finished room soon anyway (that'll be the day, eh?!)

Back soon with pictures of some pretty gift vouchers I've handmade for next week's baby fair. :)

xXx

Sneak preview

I don't often make cards any more (I just don't have time to, sigh) but this was a special occasion that deserved a special card. Alex's childminder passed her driving test at the weekend, on her, erm, well I'm not entirely sure how many attempts it took her as she stopped telling me after the third, bless. So a huge congratulations to her and I hoped she liked her card, which I kinda cobbled together late last night.

Still chipping away at the bedroom refurb, slowly. It is taking forever with just little bits being done here and there when time, and funds, allow. I was starting to run out of enthusiasm for it, but then I spotted the price tag on this lovely wire mannequin jewellery holder in the window of a PDSA shop near my mum's house. I had seen it a couple of weeks back and decided to wait until I had more spare cash, and today it was down to half price! So I just had to snap it up to match the larger version I have hanging on the back of my door (see my earlier post).

And here a few more of the little details that will feature in the finished room.

  

These are sooooo cute! From Wilkinson.

Another Wilkinson purchase. It was white but I painted it using the same paint I'll be using on the woodwork, a lovely metallic pinky cream.

These were a random find in Morrisons, tealight holders to match the little birdies.

These (I got two) lovely faux orchids (I'm not allowed real flowers in our bedroom because Gareth's hayfever is so bad, booooo) were an Ikea special - oh! I think there's a sale on, I might have to go back!

These are cut out silhouettes of Harry (top) and Alex (bottom), which we had done on separate occasions in Walt Disney World, Florida, at the same little stall in the Old Town area. They have been stored since we got them (Harry's about three years ago and Alex's in February) and finally I have found the perfect place where they match the decor, next to the new mirrored wardrobes (did I mention those took six hours to construct?! Yikes!) My mum has the replica copy of each (you get two - the other is a mirror image, which we also had framed), as well as ones of me and my sisters and my niece on her landing. So they remind me of my mum's home. Here they are close up.

Harry

Alex

It's amazing how true a likeness they are! I wish I was that talented - the staff members who can whip those up in less than five minutes are amazing.

Right. Off to continue sorting out afore mentioned bedroom - there's still clothes and junk that need sorting/storing and I really really need to start on the wallpaper stripping and hanging. Gah.

Back soon!

N xXx

Show and tell

Today has been a show and tell kinda day, as my lovely friend Rachel said - and I agree. We haven't seen each other in a while so had lots to show and tell each other. I saw her lovely crocheted blankets and cute knitted toys (you can see these on her blog - link on the right -------> ) and I showed my knitted bed runner so far. It's really coming along and I got a bit more done while there, although my hangover from a long awaited and much needed night out didnt fill me with enthusiasm. Bad Natalie. And then she helped me sew my fab Cath Kidston fabric bag project that cane with the fab Sew book. Thank goodness she did too otherwise I would have made a right pig's ear of it! But it looks good and I love it lots :)



















So what next? Hmmm, well Rachel's toys got me to thinking I could really do with a couple of cute toys for the baby fair I'll be doing in a fortnight. Although I'm leaning more towards making them in fabric for speed and ease, but on the other hand I have seen some gorgeous knitted patterns too. Decisions decisions! Considering I have so much on lately I know which I should probably go for!

xXx