All Things Shabby Chic

Spring Cleaning

2009-03-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

For the last few days i've had a real blitz through-out the house. I've still got a long way to go; Things like cleaning the blinds and skirting boards and sorting out every nook and cranny of the kids rooms. But here's some helpful tips and advice for those of you also starting with the Sping Cleaning.

Enjoy *smiles*

Great Cleaning tips

When you dust, start at the top and work down.

Take all your cleaning tools, avoid unnecessary trips back and forth.

Clean as you go! It takes a lot less time to remove new dirt than old.

Leave baking soda on carpeting over night will absorb musty odors

Make a checklist of chores to get organized first.

Wash walls from the bottom up, to avoid streaking.

Use old socks as mitts for cleaning difficult wood work.

Wash small knickknacks instead of dusting.

To removing heel marks , take pencil eraser and rub them off.

Don't mix cleaning products. Ammonia and bleach are toxic.

Remember common cleaners such as windex and comet meet this don't do rule.

Allowing cleaners to set for several minutes will ease the cleaning job.

Interior Walls

Wall cleaner, mix 1/2 c. ammonia, 1/4 c. white vinegar, and 1/4 c. baking soda to 1 gal. warm water.

For cleaning textured walls use nylon socks instead of a sponge or cloth to avoid leaving material chunks behind.

To dust wall paper, tie a dustcloth over your broom and work from the top down.

To remove pencil marks & other non-greasy spots from non-washable papers, use an art-gum eraser .

To remove greasy spots or crayon, apply a paste of cleaning fluid and fuller's earth and cornstarch. Let the wall dry and brush off residue. Repeat the treatment until the spot is gone.

Exterior Walls

Use a water hose to spray the outside of your house. This will remove siding cobwebsand dirt.

Textured siding ? Attach a car-washing brush to the hose to remove dirt.

Windows

Make your own spray cleaner. Fill a spray bottle with 3 tablesoopns ammonia, 1 tablespoon vinegar & the remainder with water.

Dust blinds by wrapping a cloth around a ruler. Spray cloth with a dusting spray and run the flat end across each blind.

Shine windows using old newspaper.

Clean windows on an average temperature, preferably overcast day to avoid streaks.

Dry windows outside in one direction then inside in the other direction. If you see a streak, you will know which side is the ofender.

To clean window sills, pour diluted rubbing alcohol on a cloth and rub the entire surface.Then dust off the sill with a clean cloth.

Bathroom

Rubbing alcohol can remove the dull haze from mirrors.

Use rubbing alcohol to remove spots from bathroom fixtures.

Glass shower doors will sparkle if cleaned with white vinegar.

To clean the shower, use a solution of 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 cup ammonia, and 1/4 cup baking soda added to one gallon of warm water.

Lemon furniture oil will remove water spots on metal frames.

Rusty tile marks can be removed with kerosene.

Running the shower on hot for five minutes will steam the dirt loose.

Grout need cleaning? Wash with 2 tablespoons chlorine bleach in one quart of water. Dry thoroughly, then apply several coats of lemon oil. Let dry one hour between coats.

Dull walls will shine when washed with vinegar and waterand plished with a dry cloth.

Lighter fluid will remove most stains from porcelain sinks and bathtubs.

Kitchen See Kitchen 101

Pour club soda on counter and clean with a soft cloth, rinse with water then wipe dry.

Baking soda or club soda will clean and shine stainless steel sinks easily.

Remove stubborn water spots from a stainless sink with a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol.

Spots on stainless steel also can be removed with vinegar.

Rub stainless steel sinks with lighter fluid if rusty .

For a sparkling white porcelain sink, place paper towels across the bottom of your sink and saturate with household bleach. Let sit for 8 hour & rinse. Never use bleach in colored sinks.

Refrigerator

An open box of baking soda will absorb odors for a month or so.

A few drops vanilla extract on a piece of cotton placed in the refrigerator will eliminate odors.

Wipe refrigerator with vinegar to prevent mildew.

Use your vacuum on the front of the coils and motor to remove dust and dirt

Appliances

Stop yellowing of white appliances. Mix 1/2 cup bleach, 1/4 cup baking soda and 4 cups of warm water. Apply with a sponge and let set for 10 minutes. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

Wax large appliances with car wax to make them shine and to remove small scratches.

Wood Floors

Floor cleaner is a solution of 1/2 cup of white vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water. Damp mop with a mop squeezed nearly dry. It is safer to mist the mop with the cleaner than to apply to floor. Do a section at a time and throw an old towel on the floor and scoot back and forth with foot to dry and prevent streaks. Standing liquid from mopping, spills, and pet accidents can damage floors.

The greatest damage done to wood floors is from grit. Mats at doors are necessary to collect grit and it's important to keep these clean. Frequent dust mopping in high traffic areas to collect grit is the best prevention. This should be done based on the amount of traffic, which may require dust mopping several times a day in an active household. The brush attachment of a vacuum can be used (no beater bars). Felt and furniture protectors should be installed on furniture. Never scoot furniture on wood.

Put a piece of waxed paper under your dust mop. Dirt will stick to the mop and the wax will shine your floors.

Use a paper bag over spilled candle wax then lightly iron

Removin Stains

Water Stains

Rub the spot with No. 2 steel wood and rewax. For more serious water stains, lightly sand with fine sandpaper, clean the spot with No. 1 or 00 steel wool and mineral spirits or floor cleaner then refinish and wax.

Cigarette Burns

If not severe, the burn can be removed by rubbing with steel wool moistened with soap and water.

Heel and Caster Marks

Rub vigorously with fine steel wool and floor cleaner. Wipe dry and polish.

Ink Stains and Other Dark Spots

Use No. 2 steel wool and floor cleaner to clean the spot and surrounding area. Thoroughly wash the affected area. If the spot remains, sand with fine sandpaper, re-wax and polish. Stubborn stains may require that you replace the affected area.

Chewing Gum and Wax Deposits

Ice until the deposit is brittle and crumbles off. Pour floor cleaner around the stain so the fluid soaks under and loosens it.

Alcohol Spots

Rub the spot with liquid or paste wax

Vinyl Floors

Sweep then damp mop using a gallon of water and a dash of dishwashing detergent.

No-wax floors eventually need waxing, this will help to prevent further deterioration.

Cleaning Carpets

To clean dry spots, loosen soil and vacuum away prior to moistening it.

When taking out stains, always use a white cloth.

Wax dropped on carpet or upholstery? Set a clean, absorbent cloth over the wax stain and hold a hot iron on it. Then remove the cloth.

Coat mildly greasy stains with aerosol shaving cream, use a hair dryer to speed dry. Then vacuum.

Sprinkle a greasy stain with baking soda, cornstarch or talcum powder. Leave on at least 8 hours, then vacuum.

Did you know that Bounce, the stuff you use in the dryer has many cleaning uses?

Eliminates static electricity from your television screen. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling.

Dissolves soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a used sheet of Bounce.

Freshens the air in your home. Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang one in the closet.

Prevents thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce to eliminate the static cling on the thread before sewing.

Eliminates static cling from pantyhose. Rub a damp, used sheet of Bounce over the hose.

Prevents musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing.

Freshens the air in your car. Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.

Cleans baked-on food from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in the pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agents apparently weaken the bond between the food and the pan while the fabric softening agents soften the baked-on food.

Eliminates odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket.

Collects cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.

Eliminates static electricity from venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resetting.

Deodorizes shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight so they'll smell great in the morning.

Cleaning Marble "MARBLE IS TRICKY, USE AT YOUR OWN RISK"

For heavier stains on marble, take three or four cakes of Ivory soap, cut them up and dissolve in hot water until you have a "slurry." Paint this on the marble and let it sit for five days or so. If the gunk starts to dry during that time, wet it down. At the end of the period, wash it all off.

To remove lighter stains, sprinkle salt on a fresh cut lemon. Rub very lightly over stain. Do not rub hard or you will ruin the polished surface. Wash off with soap and water.

More Handy Hints

Sealed envelope - Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a knife

under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed.

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Use Empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat

and you can write on the roll to what appliance it belongs.

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For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn

dishwashing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't

refreeze.

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Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in

baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is)!

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Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE)!

rubbing alcohol on paper towel.

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Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S Pads, I immediately take a pair of

scissors and cut each pad into halves. After years of having to throw

away rusted and unused and smelly pads, I finally decided that this would

be much more economical. And now a box of S.O.S pads last me

indefinitely! In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get sharpened

this way!

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Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen

peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood. Works

every time! Now, where to put the body?

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Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for

inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks.

Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don't wash

windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably

streak.

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Spray a bit of perfume on the lightbulb in any room to create a lovely

light scent in each room when the light is turned on.

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Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will

smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels

and linen.

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Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3

hours prior to burning.

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To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the

flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt

and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!

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To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or

two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a

boil on stovetop.

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Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in

tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.

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Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will

keep for weeks.

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When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the

corn's natural sweetness.

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Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your

forehead. The throbbing will go away.

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Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future

use in casseroles and sauces.

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To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area And

you will experience instant relief.

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Ants, ants, ants everywhere . . . Well, they are said to never cross a

chalk line. So get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or

wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.

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Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still,

leaves a lovely smell to the shine.

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When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to

tweezers or a needle Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, then

pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.

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Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer. Clean a toilet. Drop in two

Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush. The citric

acid and effervescent action clean vitreous China.

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Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet,

fill with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.

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Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and

immerse the jewelry for two minutes.

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Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka

Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).

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Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer

Tablets down the drain followed by a cup of White Vinegar. Wait a few

minutes, then run the hot! water.

Tips taken from http://www.debra4homes.com

What's that smell In the air?

2009-03-05T12:50:00.000-08:00

Ok.. This is it... I can't hold back on my excitement any longer.

SPRING!!

Nobody can deny how refreshing the colourful buds of flowers are after a long and miserable winter. Even in the rain, the smell of the air on a spring morning is one to cherish.

So away with the dull colours and out with the light and bright! Mix patterns of floral design with bright stripes and ginghams. Never is there a season that welcomes the aged, worn look of chic-shabbiness better than Spring

I hope you enjoy this little collection of images i've found and uploaded for your inspirational needs. It's been some time since i provided them, and i forgot how much i missed searching for them.

Happy Spring Bloggers!

Something for you to read...

2009-02-07T01:09:00.000-08:00

So as you know, i was lost in the virtual world of Second Life for quite some time... I became so absorbed, i lost my real life self and struggled to do pretty much anything else online.. And sadly i neglected All Things Shabby Chic.

I uninstalled and deleted Second Life (for the saviour of my mind) and have decided to put that energy into writing a short novel based on the experiences and lessons learned there.

This place, for those of you who never found it, was a surreal and enhanced way to live any life you could imagine. At some points it was to be noted and reminded that there were real people with real feelings on the other side, but the roleplaying was sometimes so real that you only had concern for the character and not the controller.

I've decided to keep my story on Blogger, and would love it if you would all check it out.

It may just be a game, but to me, it gave me some sense of who i am and what directions in life i want to take. So despite leaving me with insomnia and a lack of social life, i enjoyed the last 4/5 months more than i'd like to admit and met some of the most incredible people i'll ever know.

Once Upon A Time

Say What? AN UPDATE?

2009-01-18T16:00:00.000-08:00

... *pokes her head around the corner* ...

Hi hi.. I'm here *waves* Sorry it's been such a long time since i updated. I got sucked into Second Life and all other online activity came to a stop.. I feel terrible for being so neglectful. I suddenly thought that some may start to worry why i hadn't made an appearance for such a time.

It's been a real low few months for me. I've been sucked into hibernation. My last house project was back in the summer and my precious carpet now has ketchup stains. I stepped into Laura Ashley just after Xmas to spend my new gift card.. And i stepped straight back out. I lost the buzz and i blame this grotty weather. However i'm awaking from this 'coma' and feel all ready to start planning for Spring. YES.. I am eager for winter to end *sighs*

Let me know what you have all been up to, although i am on a major blog catch up right now.. I've missed you all so much. I've missed the new ideas and the excitement and everything else that goes into the passion of making home the absolute expression of all of you wonderful people.

*Hugs all around*

Lea

Blog Give-Away Winner... and update

2008-10-10T02:57:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post, to let you know the winner of my blog giveaway has been drawn. (Drawn by my lovely husband)

*Drum Roll*

And the dear blogger to win is, Claire, over at Serendipity Loves New York.

Thank you all for taking part,

Lea xx

{Insert ramblings.... }

May i also just say a big thank you to Sian for my bag, and let her know i'll sort payment out this week... An updated blog of my bag and lavender bag to follow as soon as broadband is set up...

{Insert More Ramblings..}

We got our phone line at long last... BT decided that we didn't actually need to pay £150 deposit. So phone line will be connected and live on Monday 13th October... Our 1st year marriage anniversary hehehe...

Short Good-Bye

2008-10-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

Hello, just to let you know, i won't be updating until the end of the month. Since moving here, we had to cancel our BT line, therefore losing broadband. So i was delighted to discover mobile broadband. But unfortunately i only get 3GB usage a month, and having downloaded multiplayer programme, 'Second Life', i used it all up lol.

The draw for my layout giveaway is being done tomorrow, and i will work on that for the winner, but that is all until the new monthly usage starts.

I am trying to get a BT line again, however the £130 connection fee is terrible, but the fact they also want £150 deposit is even worse. We simply can not afford it at this time, and im very upset with them.

Enjoy October, and catch up with you all as soon as possible xx

French Chic

2008-09-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

There is no denying that when it came to style, France got it right. I would like to tell you more about it, but i've been researching now for 3 hours and it's coming up close to 1am. So i cheated and copied and pasted a very brief description.

Along with Milan and New York, Paris is sometimes called the "fashion capital of the world". The association of France with fashion (French: la mode) dates largely to the reign of Louis XIV ^[26] when the luxury goods industries in France came increasingly under royal control and the French royal court became, arguably, the arbiter of taste and style in Europe.

The most beautiful movie i have ever seen is with no doubts, Marie Antionette. The palace alone was fascinating to see on screen. My husband has been there. I'm incredibly jealous, but he has promised to take me for our anniversary next year.

Her gowns, shoes, fans, furniture, friends and lifestyle was so glamourous. The colours so rich and full that i almost felt i could reach out and feel the texture of their clothes.

I have tried to capture a french feel in my home, but i have a long way to go. I found a shop on eBay though this evening, and i got incredibly excited over the cheap prices.

Clickie

The above two imagesa are previews of what they sell. Incredibly stunning.

French Furniture Inspiration

Autumn Ideas

2008-09-28T04:44:00.000-07:00

Autumn is my favourite season. I love the warm colours, the sweet scent in the air and the cosy feel of the heating being put on after summer. I was looking for some ideas for decorating the home, because why only decorate at Christmas?

Perfect for your outside areas... I could sit there and read all day.

Use pumpkins to decorate vases and ornaments.

This wreath is so beautiful, and hung on your front door, it will give visitors a warm welcome.

Perfect table decorations for dinner parties and romantic nights in.

A nice way to decorate your side units and hall tables.

Have fun with decorating champagne flutes and wine glasses. Or why not your coffee and tea cups?

Great for mantle pieces.

Use vintage style tins and boxes to display rich coloured bouquets, indoors or outdoors.

Luxury Autumn Themed Interiors...

By the way, thank you ladies for your input on what sort of style to go for with my Daughter's bedroom. I think the second from last image was the winner, and we will be using that for inspiration :)

Lea xx

Elegant Girly Rooms

2008-09-26T15:10:00.000-07:00

When we moved into our house, Madisyn was Dora crazy, but in the short months we have been here she has decided she no longer likes Dora as much. Which is a shame because her entire bedroom is kitted out with Dora. I told Ash this before we designed her bedroom, but he insisted she had the room she had begged for. I gave in and forgot about the ideas i had for decorating it. But now she doesn't like Dora anymore, i see this as an oppourtunity to decorate the bedroom in a way that will grow with her. I have so many ideas though, and can't make my mind up. I love these pictures i found this evening. They are classy and classic, but still girly and fun.

Circle of Blog Friends

2008-09-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be nice for there to be a community of blog friends. I created this poster today, hoping it would work it's way around and bring our circle closer together.

(Copy and paste the following in your blog post)

You've been Blog Friend Tagged!!

Send this poster to another blog friend, and let them know they are thought of... If you recieve this poster, then send it on again...

Display your poster proudly in your sidebar, and watch as we become a circle of blogging buddies.

All Things... Colourful?

2008-09-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

When i picture in my mind a shabby chic home, it's automatic i think of 'antique white' & 'powder blue', with the occasional 'french grey'. And what lovely colour combinations as well. They give your living space a calm and light atmosphere.

But with the dark winter nights coming and the lack of sunshine through-out the day, i think it's an exciting oppourtunity to inject some colour into our home.

I love how old fashioned this is, but how much of an impact it gives. Our bathroom right now is so plain and boring, with it's all white suite and white and blue tiled walls. It's clinical and lacks warmth.

The bright colours on this chandelier gives off enough colour to bring a focal point in your living space. Matched with coloured cushions and white walls, you instantlly injected colour into your shabby chic home.

Using these bright damask quilts and cushions, you can give your bedrooms a burst of colour

Perfect finishing touches for any room.

Next time you find amazing furniture at a junk shop or carboot just waiting to be painted a delicate white, opt for bright pink instead to create a stunning feature in your home.

Absolutely adorable kitchen/dining areas... It really kicks off the vintage vibe!

Colourful damask feature walls are really popular at the moment. It's a quick an cost effective way to give your rooms personality and lot's of colour!!

All these colours, patterns and texture gives you a sense of luxury... Just like a hotel suite... There are plenty of places to get fabrics like this at real low prices... Dunelm is perfect for bargain interiors like these above.

Ridiculously shabby... But oh so chic!! I've seen several sofas like this recently in magazines and online and just can't get enough of them. They are so bright and loud, but would fit perfectly into any shabby chic scheme.

And finally, these 3 living rooms are just perfect inspiration to achieve a colourful shabby chic home. Intense with colour, but still tranquil and calm like the traditional whites and blues.

Layout Whore!

2008-09-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

I designed another new layout for All Things Shabby Chic! I'm so bad... I promise i won't change it again for a while though. I got really excited over my last one, but i love this one so much more.

Anyway, enjoy again lol,

Lea x

Cats in dresses...?

2008-09-24T05:35:00.001-07:00

I looked at Matilda and thought to myself "I wonder if people really do put their cats in clothes...?"

Well it turns out, that yes they do, and they also dress them in accessories and wigs too. I thought i would share with you all what i found when satisfying my curiosty... (Pssss... The last one is my favourite lol)

Asking for help... Giveaway!!

2008-09-22T13:35:00.001-07:00

Please link to - http://alldesignschic.blogspot.com

For a little while now, i've been making my blog layouts and putting them up for sale for £5... Which is great, because when i researched, most of them go for £30 onwards. Some even as high as £100 for a package.

I would love to be able to make such great money doing something i love so much, but i also know not everybody can afford to pay such money for web design. So i have kept my layouts low in price but complete in package.

Can i ask for your support in advertising what i do, and give you this banner for you to upload to your blogs and link mine? Everybody deserves a nice bloggie home :-)

Thank you kindly,

Lea xxx

Edit to also say...

All of you lovely people who add my banner will have your name put into a draw for a chance to win a pre-made layout (of your choice) for free!! Please comment to apply.

My Bedroom

2008-09-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

So i finally have bedroom photos to update with. I am still not finished here though because the other end of the room, which i felt no point photographing, needs fitted wardrobes.

The first picture is of my balcony doors. I rarely use it, but i love napping with the doors wide open.

Who is this?

2008-09-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

We have a new addition to the family.... She's incredibly cute and small... But she doesn't yet have a name... Meet our new kitten...

(I apologise for the awful picture quality. My phone camera doesn't work well at night time.)

She has truly made herself at home. She has spent most of the time curled up asleep with us, but during her time awake, she has done nothing but explore. She's only 6 weeks, but she needed a home. I think she's happy so far.

Any name suggestions would be awesome. We just can't decide on one.

Welcome baby cat...

New Layout

2008-09-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

What do you think? Fitting for Autumn? I love it so much. It's warm and cosy... perfect with a cup of tea on a chilly afternoon.

I always try not to be so clique with colours and seasons. Olive green, warm pinks and golden yellow would be my usual choice for this time of year. But i couldn't resist the chocolate like colours.

I have also decided to start making blogger layouts for people to buy and use. I have one collection already. Not sure how much they will cost, but i can assure you they will be cheap because after-all, i'm the queen of bargains.

Hope you enjoy the new look. Feedback would be great.

September Award

2008-09-13T11:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, so i didn't update with my photo murals... just yet anyway. My photo source is out of battery, but i'll be on to this week.

However, i do have an update.

I haven't done my featured blog for a long time. Mainly because i switched computers

and i no longer had the template i made to make the awards. However, i have made an entirely new one, which i hope looks just as fun.

I'm presenting this award to The Vintage Kitten. I absolutely fell in-love with her blog a week or so ago and love how brave she was with decorating her bathroom. Her blog's a great read and one i feel should be recognized for it's charm.

Be sure to visit!!

Rambles

2008-09-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

Good evening.

I have plenty of home photos to update with, but i didn't have access to the photos this evening, so instead, here's a picture of all my favourite parts of downstairs. I really love the colours of my front room/diner. The blue is pulled together by the small detail in the sitting area's wallpaper. Most of the furniture is second hand and freshened up with paint. I worked out the total cost of my home and trust me, you don't need to spend hundreds in the highstreet shops. You can find so much at second hand stores and carboots, which is a bonus for the environment too.

Click to enlarge.

Updated news in my life consists of...

- The enrollment on an interior design course.

- An A in my first counselling assignment.

- New wallpaper in my kitchen, and the feature wall will no longer be pink next week. Photos coming soon.

Also... A question.

Has anybody got a place in their home with a collection of family photos? It's something i've been doing in two seperate areas. One in my front room for my wedding photos, and one in my hallway of the kids with me and Ash.

I shall be uploading photos of these tomorrow. It would be great to see other people's.

Well good night.

Lea xxx

Pink..

2008-09-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

*Gasp!!*

I painted a feature wall of foxy pink in my kitchen hehe... I am not a fan of pink, but the idea was possessing me and it had to be done. It isn't finished yet, because i'm going for a boutique feel. I'm on the hunt for black wallpaper with white polka dots for the other walls and white gloss tiles for the floor. I also want to use crystal design handles for my cupboard doors. Now i get to re-accessorize. It's so different to the rest of the house, but i love it.

Here are some updated photos of Madisyn's 'Dora' bedroom. The pictures don't show it's true prettiness though :-(

And finally, i'm really proud of myself because i recently handed in my first assignment for my counselling coursework, and passed with an A. Sadly though i left it a while and now have 6 weeks to finish the other 3 assignments. I'm going to be very busy for the next month.

An office

2008-08-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

I had a slight re-arrange today and managed to make a corner in the dining room end of the house for my 'office'. And i love it! No more is the unfinished chair taking up all the space. I moved it into the bedroom, and actually finished half of it. Kudos for me.

Anyway, it makes for a nice space to finish my home learning course.

The table was £4 from a car-boot. I painted it white of course. The chair in the corner with the blue cushion was £30 from the second hand store and one of my favourite buys.

Makeover and crafts...

2008-08-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

What's this? A makeover!!?? About time heh! I finally made over the table, chairs and wall unit... And what a transformation. If you scroll down, you'll be able to see photos of the furniture before. It really has transformed the room.

The new picture above the chest of drawers was made from an old brown mirror frame and a gorgeous wallpaper sample.

My younger sister has came to stay with us for summer, and today we sat down with Madisyn and our family friend chris to do arts and crafts. We had lot's of fun and made lot's of mess whilst we were at it!

This is what i made for Madisyn's bedroom door. Doesn't she look beautiful!

Showing off!!

2008-08-03T02:53:00.000-07:00

Ashley got me a present yesterday...

It is an absolute beauty of a machine!! And so much faster than my laptop. It's strange getting used to Mac, but so far so good. There's no big box either. Everything fits perfectly inside the monitor. And see that little white thing above the keyboard... that's a media controller lol. how cute.

I still haven't touched a cig. Though i felt like it this week. Only because i've had multiple ulcers from giving up. I was told it was an infection at first, but i went back scared i wouldn't breath much longer from the swelling on my tongue. They told me it was just ulcers. JUST ulcers... I've wanted to pull my hair out and stomp my feet, I'm in so much pain with my JUST ulcers... I feel a bit better today though lol.

I've also had constant pins and needles. Apparently it's the blood circulating better. I preferred it when it struggled to.

I'm longing to visit a carboot, but my carboot buddy, Rachel, is in France, and i promised not to go until she's home next week. So whilst she is sunning herself on the beautiful coast of France, i'm not even able to enjoy the hustle and bustle of a good old windy carboot! Pfft...

Lea x

Baker

2008-07-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

Madi made bread!! I'm ashamed to say, it was some few weeks ago, but i never got around to updating about it. She went on a playschool trip to a windmill and all of the children baked their bread. I'm so proud of her. She really enjoyed it too.

Other news, i still haven't had a smoke. I haven't used any patches for two days either. I can't use my inhalor to help, because i have an oral infection that's incredibly painful so i have literally done two days cold turkey in a week. No cravings still, but i do feel a little lost sometimes. I miss going out for a satisfying fag after i finish something around the house or after a meal.

I hope you are all enjoying this ever so summery weather. I know my son hasn't. He has screamed day and night, and scratched at his poorly exzema till it has wept. Madisyn hasn't been phased by the sticky heat what so ever. In fact, she's all for prancing about in her swim suit and smothering herself in sun cream every hour.

I on the other hand have just wanted to pull the duvet over my head and stay asleep all day for the last two. Stupid mouth infection, irritable baby, a grumpy husband (who also hates the hot weather) have all really made my M.E harder to cope with.

Anywho, will speak to you all soon.
Lea xx

Patches

2008-07-24T04:53:00.000-07:00

Afternoon my darlings. Today has been the start of something very special. For me anyway. I went to the give up smoking clinic yesterday, got my self some patches and today gave up! So far everything is going well. I woke up at 9am, and stuck my patch to my chest. So far i haven't had a craving but i do keep having slight anxiety attacks. Buttered crackers are helping. I was almost smoking 30 a day, so this is really a big thing for me already :) To distract myself, i have painted my front door and a chair. I've noticed my painting skill has became alot worse since moving into the new house. Hence why i dare not start on my beautiful wall unit just yet.

Anyway, moving on. I had some fun on Flickr the other evening. Here's what i made using their fun photo tools. A cute trading card and a pretend magazine cover. Oh to dream!

I'll be updating my feature of the month for August in the next few days, so if anybody has a unique blog to recommend, then just drop me a message.

Have a lovely day,
Lea xx

Photos, Poorly Husband & Fifi...

2008-07-20T11:42:00.000-07:00

I have finally taken updated photos of the things i have done around the house. I still need to paint the wall unit in the dining area and re-upholster the arm chair near the window. At the moment it's just covered with a red blanket, but i have started to cover it in a lovely blue fabric. The first picture is of the hallway just next to the front door and in-front of the stairs. It's all starting to come together. I have new updates in Madisyn's bedroom and our bedroom, plus kitchen and bathroom, but my camera is playing up (as you can see by the dodgey photos.)

Also, thank you for the supportive messages regarding my husband's assault. You'll all be pleased to know, he made a full recovery, but now he has suspected food poisoning. Isn't he having a fantastic month!

It's Madisyn's last day at nursery tomorrow and Tuesday. She has two fancy dress parties to attend and for one of them she shall be dressed as Fifi lol. I will update with photos because we did a dress rehearsal today and she looks so cute and funny.

Also thank you for the awards i recieved. I shall make an update on that asap.

Hope you are all enjoying your summer. Even though the weather has been terrible and all of the carboots keep getting cancelled. But instead lets enjoy warm cups of tea snuggled in our favourite blankets watching our favourite films.

Take care readers,
Lea x

It's been far too long...

2008-07-11T01:57:00.000-07:00

Oh wow, what an absolute long delay in an update. Firstly, let me apologise. I hate knowing i have kept you all waiting for an update. I have so many amazing bargains to show you, new make overs and i recieved my Swap Challege gift yesterday, that's just so cute, it deserves it's own post.
I will spend today taking photos and uploading all of the pictures and shall update this evening.

May i also use this post to talk about my husband. Unfortunately last week he was assaulted by four strangers on his way home from work. Thankfully he is ok now, but at the time he was in a bad state. When he arrived home, i honestly thought he had been stabbed because of his many cuts and bloody face and shirt. He hadn't been, and i am still shook up over what could have happened.
It opened my eyes to what sort of world we do really live in. People do get beaten up innocently, and many people are killed. We think it will never happen to those we love, or us, but it can and it does. Everytime i look at my husband now, i breath a sigh of relief that he is ok and cherish every moment i'm with him.
We should all make a special note of telling those we love how we feel. Not just husbands or wives, daughters or sons, sisters or brothers, but even our dearest friends.

Speak to you this evening,
Lea x

Madi goes to nursery...

2008-06-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

It was Madisyn's first day at nursery on Wednesday. I was so proud of her. Here's some photos we took just before leaving to go. Look how excited she is lol. She couldn't wait to get in and start playing

Better Pictures

2008-06-06T15:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, it took longer than i expected to get a good update of the house in it's very almost finished state. I have taken bigger and more detailed photos for you.

Lazy-Bones!

2008-06-02T12:22:00.001-07:00

I am so so so sorry i haven't updated for a while. Too be honest, i'm just being lazy. I have plenty to update about, i just haven't got round to taking the photos of certain things yet. Updates that will be coming in the next couple of days will include -

* Photos of my new dining table and chairs.
* A photo of the lovely May swap challenge gift i recieved from the wonderful Diane.
* Some updated photos of the house, and much bigger and better ones too!
* Photos of the new pictures i have made.

So there are a few photos that need taking and a few projects also lined up to be getting on with. But i am achey and tired and decided to laze around this evening.

I had a hard day with the children yesterday, which reduced me to swaying backwards and forwards on the stairs crying about a spot on my bum that made everything so much more difficult. Oh the pity! Mum was here ina flash to console me, bless her heart. "Pull yourself together!"
It has been difficult though. The kids have a giant community garden to share which is wonderful and the neighbours are all wonderful people. We have even shared wine outside on the patios in the evenings which has been lovely. And next door, the woman couldn't be any kinder. She's fantastic. But her 4 year old son seems to have it in for 2-3 year olds. So Madisyn and a few other little ones are getting picked on and kicked, and pushed and punched which is such a shame because other than the one boy, everybody plays perfectly. I don't want to upset his mum by telling her to sort him out. The other parents are sick of it too though and it's not fair that our children can't play in peace.

Well, i will be back with photos in a few days. Most likely tomorrow.

Take care all,
Lea xx

I've Been Tagged

2008-05-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

..by Sian (the monkey lol) at Lavender Hearts.

The rules: I have to answer 6 questions about myself. At the end of the post, I then tags 6 people and posts their names, then go to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they have been tagged and asking them to read my blog for the rules. Then, I must let the person who tagged me know when I've posted my answers.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

I was then starting out at high school i think. I would have been around 11. I don't remember much else to be honest lol.

2. 5 things on my to do list today?

- Put the washing away
- Wash up after lunch still
- Have a purely relaxing hot bubble bath listenning to Mariah whilst imaginning all the new things i'm going to do to the house.
- Start working on the plans for Madisyn's 3rd birthday next month.
- Pace the house depressively wishing for Sky Digital back. Because by that point i'll have nothing left to do other than watch tv. And we are now without Sky.

3. Snacks I enjoy?

Absolutely love buttered crackers. I'm addicted to them! And packets of frazzles. Yum!

4. Things I would do if I were a millionaire?

- Hire an assistant or two to help me around the carboot sales to carry all my bargains. (Yes i would still carboot shop because i LOVE it.)
- Re-subscribe to Sky.
- Donate a large amount of money to Addenbrokes' children's intensive care unit and the air ambulance (because they saved my Daughter's life.
- Donate to maternity units and fund more midwives to train.
- Spend lot's of money on living life like a posh, spoilt cow in a new house on the beach drinking champers for breakfast and eating horrible rich food for my many lunch dates with important people.

5. Places I lived?

I spent my whole life living in my Mum's childhood home, in King's Lynn, Norfolk. We both lived with my Nan ever since i was born, moving out occasionally to rent only to come home again to my Nan. Sadly she passed away and Mum bought the house. We carried on living there until i moved out with my husband, but we came back again because we couldn't afford it then. Now we have bought a house and i've been here for almost a week lol. I have lived in the same part of town all of those times though.

Right, now I have to tag 6 other people but i can only find 3 that don't seem to have been tagged recently lol.

Allsorts
Creating Something out of Chaos
Dancing on a Blade of Grass

2 makeover pictures!!

2008-05-27T05:31:00.000-07:00

I feel quite impressed with myself. I haven't even been moved into my house and i've had time to do a makeover lol. This Bureau was £20 from the Ad Trader newpaper. I thought i saw potential and was really excited about it. Then sadly, i started painting it white and decided to sand down the drawers for a different effect and it went terribly wrong.

But my Mum came to the rescue with the suggestion of doing it the same as my coffee table and chest of drawers (which can be seen in the next set of photos) in the wood glade green paint and the laura ashley wallpaper. I like it much better now, thankfully because it nearly went in the skip.

I loved this chest of drawers. I got it from a second hand shop for just £15.

2008-05-25T05:17:00.000-07:00

I really don't understand why whenever i upload photos to blogger, the size is always so small even though i have selected the large image box. If anybody has any idea how to stop it from being resized so small, please let me know.

Anyway, here i am *WAVES!!* I'm back online with my shiny new mobile broadband. And it's great not having to pay out for a phone line just so i can browse the web. It's cheaper and wireless too!!
We finally moved in 3 days ago, but still had no carpets until late the day after. But after a long and stressful week, we are all settled into our new home. And i've even found time to take photos and upload tem here too heh!!

Please click the photos to see bigger photos :-)

This is the living room slash dinning room. I've used Erin and Kimino wallpaper from Laura Ashley on opposite sides. My bargain rolls of £1.50 each out of the last stock bin in store. I'll be eventually getting a new table and chairs for the dinning end.

These are the bedrooms. I haven't uploaded a great photo of ours, but you can see the Oriental wallpaper which was another Laura Ashley bargain.

And finally just 3 photos of the toilet (because i used Laura Ashley wallpaper again lol), the kitchen (which is going to stay modern) and the hallway, which again has Laura Ashley wallpaper.

A quick hello!

2008-05-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

This is just a short update inbetween moving. I'm so tired lol.

I'm sorry i have no exciting pictures to update with, but i want to wait until everything in the house is in place before i do hehe. I have load's of new furniture to show you too.

Today the kid's carpets were put in, and the living room and downstairs toilet are both wallpapered beautifully. Curtains are all up, kicthen is ready to be used and so is the bathroom. It's just the rest of the carpets and furniture left to do now.

I'm so excited that everything is coming together so amazingly. I really hope you like what i have done with the decorating.

Will update again soon.

Thank you for all your good lucks and best wishes.

*Hugs*

Lea x

So Excited!!!!

2008-05-15T04:25:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we pick up our keys for the house!! I can't believe after almost 4 months we are finally completing. I thought it would be nice to post some pictures of the house up because i've done nothing but go on about it, and also, you can see it as a blank canvas before i shabby-chic it all up. The house is one of the first Millenium Villages that are being made all over the country. It's an all eco-friendly community. The patio leads out onto a huge community garden, which will be fab for the children because there's a park, and only residents and their guests have access to it. I haven't put up pictures of the kid's bedrooms because they are pretty much the same as our without the balcony. We also have a downstairs toilet, which i'm actually really excited about lol.

I'm so excited today though and don't know what to do with myself. I've brought down most of our packed things, and now it's just waiting for tomorrow to come. I'm going to the carpet shops tonight to actually decide for definate what carpets we want. We are on such a tight budget though, so it won't be anything wonderful unfortunately lol.

Anyway, here are the pictures. I hope you like it.

I am really sorry about the awful quality of this image. For some reason Blogger would upload it far to tiny, and using Photobucket, it enlarged it slightly and made the pixels all fuzzy. Nevermind, you get the idea of how it looks lol.

Inspiration

2008-05-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

I found these pictures on my favourite magazine, Ideal Home's website. They are so beautiful and the exact look i'm hoping for with the new house. Of course, mine won't be no where near as beautiful, especially my dining area lol, but it's great inspiration. The colours are so light and beautiful.

One make-over...

2008-05-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a new makeover... And a boring one too. I also put less effort into this than i usually would into a makeover. But i'm glad because it's left it with a shabby look. The wood is still showing through in the ridges and on the corners, but only very slightly, giving it an instantly worn look.

This was £3 at the carboot sale... It's going to look lovely as a plant holder in my hallway... when i move in hehe..

2008-05-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

Here's just a few pictures from Sebastian's party. Unfortunately, Ash was rubbish at getting pictures of all the children playing... But the one's we got of Seb and Madisyn are so cute, i don't even care lol.

A quick update...

2008-05-13T09:24:00.001-07:00

I have so many photos to update with, but i'm so exhausted. It's been one of those crazy weekends, where you feel you haven't really done anything more than usual, but you're absolutely zonked.

It was my son's birthday party on Sunday. My Mum's small terrace house was packed with at least 30 people, and hyper-'ate-far-too-many-cakes'-children. Of course there was a giant mess afterwards and obviously some bug floating in the air; because now my children are sick as dogs and covered in snot.

It's now Tuesday, and i think it's safe to say both myself and my husband are recovered from the event. Better news is, we got our completion statement yesterday.

We officially move in to our new home this FRIDAY! Isn't that terrific... Though we are not organised at all. Our current bedroom is completely full, from floor to ceiling in second hand furniture i've painted up and boxed of new house things. Our original things are not packed yet.

I got some awesome things from the boot sale Sunday morning by the way. I will update with photos, in time, but for now, here's a list.

- A very tall stand up mirror (£2)

- A table with built in magazine rack underneath (£2)

- An occasion table, that's straight at the back, and curves in a semi circle around the front (£4)

- One of those small, but tall tables that holds a plant or something (£3)

- An already painted blue small table (£2)

- A huge pretty canvas picture (£1)

- A very pretty antique looking lamp (£1)

- A shabby chic rug (£3)

- A rug, vanity table toy and fleece blanket for Madi (Total, £7)

And a couple of small things like picture frames, picture, book etc. But they arn't as exciting.

It was a very good car boot sale :-)

I will more than likely update with photos this evening when my poorly babies are asleep.

Take care,

Lea xx

Happy Birthday Sebastian Lee

2008-05-09T14:44:00.001-07:00

It was my son, Sebastian's 1st birthday today and what a wonderful day we all had too. Sebastian was born at half past 8 in the evening, at home on the couch *gasp* lol. And since day one has filled us all with so much love and joy. It's his party on Sunday hehe...

More Made Over Bargains

2008-05-09T14:34:00.001-07:00

Some new makeovers for you... Remember my bedside cabinets i got from the car boot sale? £1.50 for the pair. So far, i have only made one over.

And my dear coffee table for £12 from the charity shop. It was reduced from £16. Sadly, as posted before, the glass smashed. But i'm going to get some more, so not 100% finished yet.

Wallpaper used was in the bargain box in Laura Ashley for £1.50 a roll.

I'm sorry the picture quality isn't great...

Smash!

2008-05-08T09:51:00.001-07:00

I have a headache! And so does the glass top of my new coffee table i was half way through painting...

And it's really peeved me off because i was so excited about putting some gorgeous Laura Ashley wallpaper underneath it. That's not going to happen now. Though the paper is wipable, it may still be possible, but it won't look as nice.

I am not looking forward to clearing this mess up...

Better news, it's my son's birthday tomorrow. His first one in fact. So tomorrow will be a better day, i hope lol.

Three new Makeovers!

2008-05-07T11:28:00.000-07:00

I've had a busy day and a half painting these 3 pieces of furniture. Hope you enjoy my small transformations. I used a creamy satinwood paint of all 3. The fabric used for the stool believe it or not was just a simple yellow pillowcase i no longer use. I will more than likely change that as soon as i find something i like better. Not sure if you remember how much i paid for each bit of furniture but all 3 them together cost me £9. How amazing is that lol!

Fantastic Carboot Sale Finds...

2008-05-05T13:01:00.001-07:00

I had a fantastic day today. My mum took me and the kids to a giant carboot sale out in the countryside early afternoon, and i got some real bargains, of course lol. It was absolutely packed and took what's usual a 20 minutes drive, 1 hour because of all the traffic. The weather was perfect as well.
We ended the trip with ice cream and chocolate cake and a beautiful little winebar and then came home for dinner. Whilst Mum cooked, and Ash got the children ready for bed, i started painting one of my new finds and gave my new table another coat with some new satinwood creamy paint.
Also, the yellow gingham fabric in the background of the images is a tablecloth i got today for £3 hehe.

Here are the pictures of my new buys.

The jug was £1.50 and the gravy bowl was £1 for two. I gave the other one to Mum.

This was £1

Again, £1, though i'm not sure i like it lol.

£2, and i've started painting the base this evening.

Can you believe, £1.50 for both! The edge is a very pretty groove and i'm going to paint them duck egg and replace the knobs with crystal styled ones

£2 for the entire set. They are for my cabinet.

Altogether these three items came to about £2

And finally, £2.50 for the set. Though one of them doesn't match, but i love it.

Picture Frame Makeover

2008-05-04T11:51:00.000-07:00

I had fun painting this photo frame from QD, for £5. I also added some left over Valentine's Day wrapping paper behind the photos to mount them. It's for my Daughter's bedroom and she thinks it's beautiful lol.

Before

During

After

Shabby Chic Forum

2008-05-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

I recently came across a wonderful forum dedicated to shabby chic. It's got tons of inspiration, ideas, fun and even a monthly swap challenge.
The members are a great bunch and incredibly talented/creative. I recommend if you haven't already joined, that you do so soon.

Also, for all of Shabby Chic's current members, i made a link button for the forum. Just copy the code at the bottom and add it into your layout in the HTML page element.

<a href="http://www.rotoview.net/forum"><img src="i19.photobucket.com/albums/b182/leamadzt/scbutton.jpg"/></a>

New Fan Banner Update

2008-05-03T15:18:00.001-07:00

For all 'Ideal Home Magazine' fans, i have made a new fan banner. It's just there on the right and free to use anyway you like.

Enjoy.

My First Makeover!

2008-05-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to post about this because this was my first ever make over. I'm really proud of myself to be honest, because i saw how many wonderful makeovers other ladies have done and thought it would be truely impossible to come up with something decent. But i think it worked brilliantly. This bookcase cost me £7 from a charity shop, and the paint was left over paint in the cupboard. I'm so pleased.

Before

During

After

New Finds!

2008-05-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

I am so happy with these finds. The total for all of this, plus another gold framed mirror was £40 from a second hand store. My husband absolutely loves the arm chair because he's been harping on about having a 'throne' chair for so long. I'm thinking of getting it re-covered, but Ashley likes it as it is.

The chest of drawers and small table will be painted white with an antique finish. I'm so excited about them.

I will upload after pictures when i finally get around to painting things. I can't wait to move this all into our new home!

Graphic Fan Banners

2008-05-02T05:55:00.001-07:00

If you look to the right, i've made 4 fan banners that are for you to use as you please. I have many more to make, but for now there's Laura Ashley and Cathkidson fan banners. They are free for you to save and put on your blog or anywhere you wish.
I don't require a link back, but it would be nice, so others can find them too. If anybody has any special fan banner requests, then drop me a comment and i'd love to make one for you.

Enjoy fan banners.

More Bargains

2008-05-02T04:45:00.001-07:00

Some new buys i got yesterday. I also got a load of furniture from a brilliant second hand shop 5 minutes walk from my house. That's getting delivered at four today, so i will post up photos then.

I am absolutely inlove with this lantern. It's got the same glass panel on all four sides and it's got a round hook so you can hang it. I'm going to put it in our new bathroom because i'm a sucker for candles in the bath. I think it will add a beautiful touch. It was a real bargain from TX Maxx at £5

These pictures are so adorable (£5 each). The first one will be in my son's nursery because he has a bright nautical theme and the second doesn't have a home yet. I'm thinking my kitchen, but there's not much wall space.

Bargains...

2008-05-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

I was eager to start posting up my bargains for my new project; moving into a new build house. But most of my things are packed up in boxes. My new furniture hasn't arrived yet so i can't photograph those, so these accessories are my first addition to this blog.

This clock, (£12) is one of my favourite impulse buys. Believe it or not, i found it in Matalan. It's got the perfect shabby chic look to it, and it was a real bargain too.

These soft furnishings were also from Matalan. The bed throw is gorgeous and was a great buy at £15, and this long cusion came in a pair at £16 for the both. They are going to look brilliant in our new bedroom.

Another proud buy of mine are these vases. They all came from a charity shop, and the total cost was under £10. The flowers i have used are from one of the flower arrangements i made for my wedding.

Welcome

2008-05-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to All Things Shabby Chic, a blog dedicated to my new obssession. One that seems to be taking over home-makers all over the world.

I want to use this space as a showcase to all my shabby finds, furniture and collections. I hope to inspire many other 'Shabby Chicas' and share the excitment of bargain finds and beautifull re-painted furniture/home accessories.

Thank you for stopping by.