Happy Days

Over the last couple of evenings whilst the Horror has been in bed I have been creating THIS!

It is part of my 99p ebay table and chairs which actually came from a few doors up.This is the original post about it. I have painted 2 of the chairs that match and are at the table. However I have a few painted white wood chairs and I really wanted to do something different with the last 2 chairs. So I bought some gloss paint in Scooter Red, and after 2 coats of primer applied it. The cover on the seat pad is not permanent its just a poly cotton and will be replaced when I get a upholstery version of it. It will do for now though. The chair is now in the Horror's bedroom, with his bunting, union jack picture, & everything else british themed!

This morning I was delighted to discover that I was the winner of The Patchwork Heart Give Away! I only just worked out how to use the side bar. Heather has a lovely blog and I do always read it, so I was delighted to be the winner. I can't wait for Mr Postman to arrive!

Tea Sets

How many tea sets do you own? Do you use them? I have two and never thought about them until I went to move some stuff out of the garage and found the box they are wrapped in.

These are my two . I have only used them once. The blue one is a Royal something or other and the pink one is nothing I've ever heard of. Too be honest though I am not bothered who's made them, I like pretty colours, and the right price at the car boot! Where else would they come from!

So, the buring question, do I get more? How many do you have, & do you use them?
(back to Big Brother!!)

Bargain Heaven

I went to the local Car Boot yesterday with my Mum! After him in doors saying never again, along with my heavily pregnant sister joining him, I did contemplate going alone. That was until my mum rang up on Saturday night saying they were coming up and how about us and the kids go car booting and the lads play golf. YIPEE!

We got there at about 10.15am and at 12.45pm I had to ring my dad to see if they'd finished golf as we couldn't fit everything in the car!! AHHH! I even had to borrow extra money from my mum, and this was all after my sister said..."Bet you come back with nothing". Now, I am not sure if its my Mum sees more than me or she brings good luck, but I always get loads when I am with my Mum. This weeks happy objects are...

A white wicker magazine rack, to put all my dribbled on copies of Ideal home, Homes & Gardens and Good Homes. House Porn to me! It was a quid, and is to be resprayed.

I am not sure what this is? A man was selling a load of camera items, some really good stuff. Unfortuantly none digital. He asked how much I wanted to pay for the box and after lots of bartering I got it for £2. I don't know what I wil do with it, its lovely. I promised the man I will cherish it.

A lady was selling off her china. I got the teapot for £1, to add to my collection, and a Alfred Meakin floral plate, not photographed. It's been used. I like Meakin. Granny Vintage heaven.  I have just had a cuppa in the love raspberry Toile china cup. I love toile. That was 50p.

I got this wooden tray for a pound along with a seagrass basket which I am using in the bathroom for loo roll. Not quite sure that to do with the tray. Think a light sand and some clear satin varnish. I am thinking it will look nice with my new plant pots I painted pink. Only prob is, child is currently sat in the tray. How long until its broken??

The best buy was a bookcase, but it's in the garage. I saw it as soon as I got in, asked how much it was, and said I'd see if it still was there when I'd finished. It was, and I got it for less than half the price. The lady said her ex hand made it for her! We were stuck then for getting home as I'd bought a play kitchen for H, and mum had bought a highchair for her house!! Luckily dad & co weren't far away and we squeezed the rest into their car.

This weeks tasks are to paint a old chair RED, and to finish off my first ever cushion cover! If I could cut straight I would be good at making things!

Bags of Creativity

Last week whilst having a few spare hours after a getting up from a night shift I decided to make a book bag. I have a few of them that i have bought from shops instead of getting a carrier bag. I just used one I had as a template and made a bag. As you'll see I am new to sewing and struggle with the machine at times, just because I haven't got a clue! But, I managed to make this...

(Don't be spooked by the picture, that is my 18 month old on the wrong side of the stair gate!)

I have had the material for a while, I was planning on covering a chair with it. But I have no idea really how to cover the arm chair, and the material is not a very good quality. I need to get the insides a bit tidier and then I may be able to make one for a gift. They are better than carrier bags!

On sunday I managed to get to a carboot sale, not my usual one in Sedgefield, which I am really tired of. I went to one in York, which was much better quality, cheaper to get in and I got lots of lovely things for a grand total of £8.50. My favourite being this teapot.

When I first saw it I thought it was Emma Bridgewater, my heart skipped a beat when she said £1, it wasn't. I love it all the same though. I also bought some plant pots, some cream and and some terracotta. I am planning on doing something creative with them and the stars on the teapot have inspired me. I love stars, I even have one tattooed on my foot.

I don't know if I'll make a carboot sale this week, my OH has vowed never again, he hates them, and I have amassed a load recently. There's always ebay though!

Family Weekends

I was so pleased when this weekend had arrived as I had been busy working for the two previous ones. I work 2 weekends, then have 3 off. I don't know where the August weather has gone to but we managed to have a summer sunday. Saturday was all about food shopping, and a rare few drinks out with a friend. Sunday started off with a hangover, and a carboot sale. I was really excited about the boot sale as I hadn't gone for a few weeks, but it was rubbish. It was so busy, and there was no treasure. I bought H a fisherprice aeroplane, which was a bargain, but no use to me! In the afternoon we went to Seaton Carew and walked to Hartlepool to the Tall Ships. My cousin lives in Seaton so we had a nice BBQ at his when we walked back.

This week I bought some felt that I saw in the Pound Shop and made these.

I also made some black ones and they have been hung on the wood behind the curtain pole in our bedroom. They were very easy to make. I am not sure how much I like them, they look ok. My whole house isn't right, is so higgledy piggledy. So need to move!! Maybe soon.

I have been thinking about my collection of blue and white pottery. It seems everyone collects blue and white! I think its why I am finding it hard to add much to the collection. This is it so far.

 Lets hope the carboots this weekend bring a smile to my face a bit more!

Bunting and Union Jacks.

In between two busy weekends at work I have managed to get my bunting finished and make a union jack. I love the bunting but am not that impressed with the Union Jack!

The bunting was really easy to make. I borrowed my mum's cutting board and rotary cutter, I must purchase one for myself as I think I am going to be making a lot of bunting. I am thinking its a great present for friend's children.

I cut out triangles using a cardboard template, using a cutter. I did the bunting double sided, using a zig zag stich, and then trimmed off any excess fabric. I then sewed the flags on to some piping, as it was all that I had. I need some thick ribbon or bias binding to make the rest.

To make bunting, I found that a cheap polycotton matterial was much easier to use that cotton, as its stiffer, and its cheaper. The striped & large spot material was only £1.99 a meter from Boyes. As I had lots left I then made this...

I used a rectangle of the navy spot, and then cut out strips using the cutter again. I think however that the white would look more effective just being white, and its not wide enough on the vertical stripe. I think I will get some white poly cotton and use that instead. Only problem is I've given my the cutter and board back to Mum. I do have her sewing maching now though. We just couldn't work out Doreen's old machine, and I think mum actually broke it trying to show me how it worked. So I now have the use of a new simple machine! Its fab.

That means I have even managed to finsh off my patchwork quilt, backed on to fleece to snuggle with on winter nights. I have ened up bodging it when sewing it on to the backing, the corners are a mess, so I need to sort them out. Though its just for me and it looks nice apart from bunny ear corners, think I should have trimmed them before stitching. Oh well you learn from your mistakes, that's what teaching yourself is all about!

I just want to say a BIG thank you to my new followers and the comments I have got. It makes me so excited when someone comments!