Simple things...

Hello my lovelies! Well, we've enjoyed a long weekend here in the UK, and it has been a lovely, lazy one for us! Life has become so hectic, and I have to remind myself sometimes that I am not a hamster on a treadmill! It is important to stop. Yes, stop. Climb off. And  take the time to smell the flowers...

So this weekend, we did just that. We made time to enjoy the simple things...

Leisurely cuppas...

Reading...slowly...without having to look at a gadget screen...

Relaxing to some good tunes...

We had cosy lie-ins, walks in the sunshine, BBQ's, family movie time by candle light...

And a little car boot thrifting! The whole family like a bit of car booty hunting, from the youngest to the oldest. I do try to teach the kids to have an attitude of re-purposing, re-using, and that 'new' doesn't have to mean 'never been used'! In this life so much is disposable, and people's attitudes are rather wasteful! I do think that we need to learn from our elders who believed that it was important to 'make do and mend'. And if you have a keen eye, you can find some really useful, beautiful treasures when thrifting. I did find a few this weekend!

This very pretty Cath Kidston teapot and creamer...I cannot believe it was no longer needed...

This cheery retro salt and pepper shakers...A 50p bargain for both! I kid you not...

A blast from the past! These quirky tumblers featuring the Asterix and Obelix cartoons. I grew up reading the cartoons, and watched it on the tele too, so this was most definitely a nostalgic purchase! They are originally from Germany, and were Nutella containers! I thought the kids would enjoy drinking from these! Best part...I had set out on the morning with 'tumblers' on my wish list, as we very much needed to replace some following breakages!

Three days have proved this...If you stop, and take time to enjoy the simple things, it restores a little sanity where chaos and the word 'busy' can cloud your mind...I hope that you too can find the time to enjoy the simple things...

Blessings

Let the music play!

Wowzer...Where has that last week gone?  It's just whizzed by in a hurry! I had eager intentions of keeping up a regular schedule here in Blog Land, but have just not managed it! But, it's been a wonderful week full of blessings! We were very fortunate to have the Watoto Children's Choir visiting from Uganda, and had the privilege of having a few of the children stay with us in our home. It's wasn't a first for us, and we were giddy with excitement at the prospect of having these young ambassadors staying with us. The children are all rescued orphans who have seen and experienced more heartache in their young lives than any person should ever have to endure. But, thanks to the ministry of Watoto, they have all been given hope and a future. You should hear them sing! They travel all over the world, so if they're ever in your neck of the woods, don't pass up the opportunity to go and see them. It will change your life!

So, at the end of such a wonderful, busy week, we have spent the weekend relaxing at home. Summer is finally winking at us with the promise of warmer, happier days, so it was only fitting to squeeze in the first proper visit to the boot sales! And I didn't come away disappointed! In fact, I hopped, skipped and jumped excitedly towards my car with my loot which to me felt like Christmas morning! I have been keeping my eyes peeled for a long time for a lovely record player, as I already own a few vinyl lovelies that were just chomping at the bit to belt out a tune. Well, today was my day...Just look what came home with me!

Now, for all you vintage purists out there...no, this is not a vintage piece. But, it is tippety-toppety marvelous!  It plays CD's, tapes (hmmm...yip, now THAT is retro!), radio and of course vinyl records! It does everything that I could possibly ask it to do, and more! So, the kids and I have spent the afternoon listening to 'The Sound of Music', and a record from 1967...'Jungle Book'...and of course a little bit of Doris Day!

Apart from striking gold with my newly acquired musical friend, this girl's wardrobe is singing hallelujahs too! Not one, but two tickety-boo pairs...Brand spanking new, and only a few bob!

As well as this Twiggy number...

And for my crafty soul...lovely Cath fabric and ribbon...just a few pennies later! Sigh...

What a super thrifty day! The best part of it all...this thrifty soul is singing out loud! I managed to sell off an old chair that we all just kept tripping over...lovely as it was it had to go! So, my new found bargains were funded by the chair! Happy days!

Hope your weekend has been restful, joyful, and full of blessings too!

Tania ♥

Now, for all you vintage purists out there,

Kitchen snaps ♥

Hello my lovelies! I hope life is treating you all kindly? There is not much to report on this side...Sometimes the mundane tasks have to take priority over more exciting ventures of the creative kind. Like, cleaning the oven, degreasing the kitchen, and scrubbing floors! The 'heart of our home' was under a bit of strain, and in serious need of some TLC and de-grubbing! So, needless to say there hasn't been much time for any creative pursuits. But, I did manage to sew this little fella...a cheery little kitchen companion.

Whilst all is spiffy and tidy, I thought I'd take some snaps to share...

Freshly laundered tea towels...

'What's the time, Mr. Wolf?' Dinnertime!!!!

Fresh flowers ♥

Tea break? Don't mind if I do!

Loving paper straws right now...

Tins...and more tins...slightly obsessed with tins...

All fresh...♥

Blessings 

Tania ♥

Oilcloth...yay, or nay?!

Oilcloth. What is your opinion on it? I personally love the stuff. I can't say I always have. Years ago I would have shuddered at the mere thought of a 'plastic' tablecloth! Now, don't get me wrong...Nothing can replace a beautiful, soft, tactile linen cloth, but when you've got three young kidlets who seem determined to spill and wipe sticky fingers on every surface at every opportunity, one has to be practical! As soon as the very lovely Ms Kidston launched her range of gorgeous, cheery oilcloth, I was hooked! Not only was it practical, but in my opinion pretty fabulous! Others soon followed, and a wide selection of fabric prints are available in oilcloth these days. I always have one on my kitchen table. The kids can play with Playdoh on it, and it saves my dear old oak table from ruin. But, I don't like a tablecloth that sits awkwardly. As oilcloth is stiff compared to fabric, it doesn't drape as well I think. It looks a little unfinished if just cut straight on the edges. So, this is what I do with mine...

Once I've uhm-ed and aah-ed, and chosen my brand new bit of plastic cloth, I bring it home with a cheery hop, skip and a jump. I draw a scalloped edge all around it, grab my trusty scissors and cut! And now it looks a little more loved...

No sewing...No fraying...
Ready to enjoy!

And, if you have a little left over, you can put it to use somewhere else. I made a little jacket for my hand wash dispenser. It sits very tidily next to the sink...(Didn't like the supermarket logo on the bottle, so thought I'd cover it up!)

So, what's the verdict? Are you a fan or not? Would love to hear from you! 

Tania ♥♥♥

Home Sweet Home Tour part 1...

If there is one thing that can keep me tied to the old laptop for hours if I'm not careful, it's the immense supply of beautiful, inspiring images of homes across the globe! I have over time, added a quite a few pictures of corners of our home to the vast Internet pool, but I've been meaning to compile a more encompassing home tour. So, I'm finally taking the leap and focusing all my efforts on getting each room organised, re-freshed and ready for the camera lens. After all, I want to share it at it's best! I think the main incentive for doing this, is that I can tackle the house, room by room, nook by nook, cupboard by cupboard, in order to get it ship-shape again! So, come along and wander through our home with me, as I show you around.

Today, we'll start off in the kids/guest bathroom...

When we moved into our home at the end of 2005, the bathrooms were in serious need of a fix up. They were dated, shabby (no chic to be found here!), and the tiles were coming off the walls. This is how we lived for sometime, until we could scrape the cash together for a re-do...

Once we had it tiled, hubby did all the plumbing himself, and then I played house by choosing and adding the finishing touches. The bathroom as I'll share it with you now, has had another mini-makeover this week. I have added some colour to the very neutral backdrop. I have always tried to strike a balance between keeping it child-friendly, but also grown-up, as the children have to share it with guests/visitors. I found this hard, and as a result it lacked warmth and personality! I think it suffered an identity crisis! It looked safe and a little boring for my tastes for too long...beige, beige, and more beige! So, here we go...Let's take a peek inside...

First things first: New, fresh face cloths in some yummy colours to inject a bit of fun...

And finally 'Hope' can anchor somewhere a little more permanent. Since I made her she has been moved from room to room, not quite fitting in anywhere. I think she'll sit nicely in the new bathroom...



A little touch of vintage childhood nostalgia? This fabric is one of my favourites, so I made a little decorative towel and added some lace...



Do you remember the thrifted letters from the Car Boot Sale? Well, they've also found a home...(I thought the word 'Dream' is also suited to the bathroom, not just the bedroom. After all, I dream up a lot of new projects whilst relaxing in the bath!)

The picture was a quickie I made to add to an Ikea frame...Here it is up close...

A bright little corner now!

An ode to dame Vera Lynn sits in the corner on the wall. It's from a song I love, a song that encapsulates an era in history that is forever edged on the pages of history books, a time that changed the world...



A must in any bathroom...flowers. I adore fresh flowers, but I'm not ashamed to admit that sometimes I even like artificial ones! Sorry. I have teamed up both for a fresh look, and have sprayed the silk ones with linen spray for a lovely fresh aroma in the room...

In my favourite Cath K jug for the windowsill...

Kalanchoe planted in a vintage style tin to sit on the bath edge...

Roses...always...

A few finishing touches...

Re-purposed pot plant holder...

And so the bathroom is looking a little more cheery! And the kids have given it the thumbs up!

So, one room down, many to go...
I hope you enjoyed this little tour. Till next time my lovelies!

Tania ♥♥♥



Bits and bobs, and wire...

For the last two days I have felt a little out of sorts. This normally happens when I get swamped with all the jobs I need to do, and I feel completely overwhelmed. It's frustrating knowing what needs to be done, but not quite knowing where to start. So, as per normal, I ignore mundane jobs and do something a little more creative. Yesterday I decided to strip a lamp of it's very shiny red shade. I originally bought it because I liked the base, but the shade was a little on the loud side for my taste! Instead of making a fabric shade, I tried something completely different and used wire. I used the original framework, and attached wire to it, and I'm quite pleased with my new quirky lamp. It now has pride of place on my sewing desk.

The plus side to a lamp like this as opposed to one with a more traditional shade, is that it gives optimum light fot all those late night sewing projects!

Whenever there is a new addition to my work space, it prompts me to have a good old tidy. So, a little more order at last!

A few vintage treasures...(oh, and a bit of Cath for good measure!)

...okay, maybe more than just a little...

A little shelf in our bedroom did undergo a little tweaking too...

Some vintage sewing cotton reels sit alongside a vintage tape measure, ruler and hosiery elastic, and a little boat called 'Hope'...

I used to love paper dolls as a little girl, and not much has changed! The Tilda cupcake pin cushion was one of my very first attempts at sewing.

A few more thrifted treasures and other knick-knacks...

All dusted, tidied, for now...

So, a few little jobs done, but many more to tackle! Until next time me lovelies!