Sunday 26 August 2012

Holiday Countdown

First of all I must apologise for not blogging for the last few weeks. I have been so busy with visitors and work, and  am now preparing for my holiday.

I did get the two bedside cabinets finished and they have both sold now. Painted one in Old Ochre, and the other in Paris Grey and finished off with ageing wax.


 
I have been looking for a new dining room table and chairs for myself, and managed to find one that was just the right size last week. It seems MAD me buying shaby chic furniture when I can do it myself, but I fell in love with this set, and had it delivered yesterday morning.

 
There are 6 chairs and the table extends. I am really happy with i ! My friend Julia moved house last week and had a really nice table she had no space for so she kindly gave it to me. It goes really well with the new dining set :0)


Celebrated my birthday recently too, and went to Ashcroft Park for archery and air rifle shooting. It was brilliant fun, would highly recommend. They are near Uttoxeter. My son Jamie came down for the weekend and we had a fantastic time!


  Now I am counting the days down to my long awaited holiday. Flying out to NY on Thursday for 3 nights, then flying down to Miami where we pick up a rental car and do a mini road trip round Florida. I will post a bolg when we get back and let you know how it all went. I had such fun booking all the hotels. Here are some pics of the ones we wil be staying in

The Solita Soho Hotel, New York
The Atlantic Bay Resort, Tavernier, Florida Keys
Circa 39 Hotel, Miami Beach
La Casa Del Mar, Fort Lauderdale
Naples Courtyard Inn
Bayview Plaza Waterfront Resort, St Pete's Beach
Best Western Lake Buena Vista, Orlando  


I have loads of shabby chic projects to get started with when I get back, still have that shed full of stuff!!
Will need to get it sold to pay for my holiday!



Sunday 22 July 2012

Happy Days !!

Sorry I didnt get round to blogging last weekend. I had a really busy one and had a big wardrobe clear out. I listed a lot of clothes on eBay and the listings all ended this evening and managed to sell most of them. Now comes the part I hate, wrapping them all up and taking them to the Post Office :0(  Any that havent sold I will put in a box for the car boot sale I am going to do with my friend Sandy once we have enough stuff to sell.

Also finished off the dressing table and listed it last Sunday so that sold tonight too. It is being picked up by Courier some time this week. Replaced the handles with some pretty ceramic ones and I am really pleased with the finished result. The trifold mirror looks really good on it and painted in the same colour makes a nice set.


Had another busy weekend this week. Went to see an early showing of the new Batman film in Newcastle with friends, then went for a really nice lunch at Revolution. tried a French Canadian dish called "Poitine", basically chips, cheese and a topping. I had creamy garlic mushrooms, and my friend Rich had peppered steak. Nice to try something different !


Had a wander round the shops after lunch and got some cool bargains in Laura Ashley Sale.
This morning was lovely and sunny so we went to Hanley Car Boot Sale. Picked up some cool stuff but also got my neck sunburned!! Ouch !! Got this cracking wicker mirror, which is approx 2' high. Not sure whether to sell it or keep it for my spare bedroom.

Also got 2 nice Ercol style chairs that I am going to paint ( I now have a total of 10 chairs waiting to be painted!!)


and 2 bedside cabinets that also sell well on eBay. Managed to start painting them today and will hopefully finish off through the week

 Painting this one in Paris Grey

and this one a soft cream colour. Also picked up a pretty little wooden shelf unit. Not sure what I will do with this one yet.


This pretty Trinket Box, which is lined with red felt and has a mirror inset into the lid. I have listed it on eBay today so will see what it goes for. It looks quite old and I am not sure what it is made of, feel quite heavy, like bakelite?


Had some lovely news this week too, that my eldest son got engaged while on holiday in Rome :-)
I am so excited for him and can't wait to see him in just under 6 weeks when we go across to New York to start our Summer Holiday. Better get some more furniture painted and sold so I can get to the big NY Wedding in 2014 !!


Also got my other son coming down to stay in 2 weeks for my Birthday. Planning a really fun weekend with Archery, Air Rifle Shooting, Cinema and a Birthday meal out at our favourite local restaurant - Buffet Island :0)
So, a very happy time just now, and our holiday to look forward to.

Take Care, and have a great week !!

Sunday 8 July 2012

It was Andy Murray's fault......

I had planned to get loads of work done today, but sat down just after 2 to see Andy Murray walk onto Centre Court. I hadn't planned to watch the whole final but I was hooked after the first couple of games!


Did get cracking after it had finished though, and finished off the mirror I have been working on this week for a friend at work. Turned out really nice in the new Annie Sloan colour - PURE (white)



The big grey sideboard was collected on Thursday evening, and the buyer also bought the big gold coloured mantel mirror, which was nice. I am finally clearing some space in the conservatory now.
I am almost finished the dressing table, just got to paint the top and add another coat of paint to the drawers. I picked up some nice drawer knobs in TK MAXX yesterday so may use them for this one. I will post some pics next week when I get it listed.



Tried to go and see Spiderman in Crewe yesterday but they had made an error on their online booking and we were booked to see 3D instead of 2D. We wondered what was happening when everyone started putting on 3D glasses ! We got our money back, plus free guest passes to come back :-)

Even though the weather forecast was for rain we decided to still go to Hanley Car Boot. Not as many cars as usual, but still very busy, and picked up a few things, a nice clock, a mirror to paint, and a couple of shabby chic aprons to sell on eBay




 and yet again......it didn't rain, well not until about 5pm.

I sold the Polka Dot jug I showed you in last week's blog to a collector in Switzerland. Made a nice profit on it too. Been a busy week at work too getting ready for the big office move on 4th August. I sent the order off for the 10 x giant canvasses yesterday so really looking forward to getting them back. Took a few more pics this week mostly down at the Middleport Pottery.


 As I have not managed to get much work done today I will probably do some in the evenings after work this week. I have a nice coffee table to paint, and another bedside table, then I will start on the furniture in the shed. 

Have a good week, and please leave me a message if you visit ! Thanks

Monday 2 July 2012

Painting, Photography & Holidays!!

This week I was asked by a colleague at work to shabby chic a large mirror for her. I thought this would be a good project to try out the new Annie Sloan paint colour I bought - PURE. It is much whiter than Old White, and I really like it!


Sorry I dont have a good pic of it (at the back on this one). You can also see the dressing table I am painting in Old White. I should get it finished and listed next weekend and I have painted up a mirror to go with it. I will post pics of the finished projects next week.

Good news is I have a bid on the Paris Grey sideboard on eBay. The auction ends midweek so happy with that. We headed out on Sunday morning to Hanley car boot sale, but it was a dreary cold, wet day and there were not as many stalls as usual. I did pick up this pretty little polka dot jug.

I did some investigating when I got home, and it is from a local pottery here in Stoke on Trent. It is Empire Ware - Polka Dot design, and is 8" tall. These were made round about 1954-57. It is in really good condition so I am hoping it will go to a nice new home

I also bought a beautiful Overmantle Mirror, which I also have listed on eBay
I could have bought more furniture but I really have to concentrate on painting up the items I have already

  I work full time as a Senior Administrator at the UK's leading Mental health charity - Rethink Mental Illness. The service I work for is called Healthy Minds Network. We are based in Stoke on Trent, and treat people with mild to moderate depression with CBT based self help treatments. It is a fantastic place to work. We are currently moving to new office premises and my boss has given me free reign to order some new furniture and jazz up the office space. I have been out with my colleague Hayley taking photographs of local potteries and heritage sites, and we plan to have them blown up onto A0 size canvasses to decorate the Board Room, offices and hallways. Thought you might like a look at some of the wonderful sites we have close by.

Canal behind Emma Bridgewater Factory

Gladstone Pottery Museum, Longton

Gladstone Pottery, Longton

Old Pottery Kiln at Longton
I have always loved taking photographs, and studied photography as part of my design course at college when I was younger. I signed up for a Flickr account on Yahoo at the weekend and hope to post some pics on there soon. My husband says I have too many hobbies, but I just dont see how that is possible !


Can't believe it is next month that we head off for our Summer holiday, will be nice to head off to the sun as our summer still hasn't materialised yet in the UK ! 
First stop, New York for 3 nights. The last time we visited was for Christmas in 2010 and they had freak snowstorms which left snow over 2' deep! It will be nice to see it in the summer. We then fly to Florida for the rest of our break :-) starting with 2 nights at The Atlantic Bay Resort in Tavernier near Key Largo

Atlantic Bay Resort, Tavernier

 I will write a holiday blog with loads of pics when I get back, we are just so excited. We leave on 30th August for 2 weeks.

Hope you have a good week, and please leave me a comment if you visit. I have noticed that most of my webpage hits are in the USA. I would love to hear from you!




Sunday 24 June 2012

June already!!

Sorry I didn't get time to Blog last weekend. Had the in laws down from Scotland and they are hard work (Ha Ha, only put that as they will read this). 

It's been a busy week at work, and I have been too tired to do any painting in the evenings. Also had to go and have my eyes tested yesterday and choose some new glasses, which I am looking forward to getting in a couple of weeks. So today is the only day this week I have managed to do any "shabby chiccing".
Painted up the big two drawer chest I bought last year on eBay. Got quite used to having this in my lounge, but decided it was time to give it a makeover. 

Painted with Annie Sloan Old White, and decided not to distress as it is quite a plain design and I think it looks better without. I put the original crystally knobs back on, and I will wax it, then dress it up as a piece of  girlie bedroom furniture. Might put a mirror on top, will see how it looks.

Also painted this nice mirror I picked up at a car boot sale. The previous owner had painted it silver and the paint was starting to chip off. Gave it 2 coats of Annie Sloan chalk paint and looks fantastic now.
 Listed it on eBay tonight

Also painted the frame of this pretty embroidered picture, and lightly distressed. Also on eBay now.
I started painting up a nice tri-fold mirror I also bought at car boot sale. It was a mahogany coloured wood, and I have painted it in Old White as I may put it with a dressing table I want to paint soon.

I was so annoyed that I didn't get to a car boot sale today. The weather forecast said heavy rain so we decided not to bother, and it was beautiful ALL day.....Grrrrrrr
The Paris Grey sideboard has still not sold yet. It was originally listed for £120, but I now have it on eBay at £90 or "best offer". I think I will just keep relisting it till the right person comes along.

I sold the small bedside cabinet this week and it was collected this evening, so I am gradually moving all the furniture I have stored in the conservatory. Then I will start on the shed full of stuff !!

10pm now. I love it being so light in the evening now, it lets me work later on a Sunday
Had new business cards printed this week too, really pleased with them as they have my email, eBay ID, blog link etc. They are great to hand out to buyers !

Have a good week
Can't believe we are half way through the year already!

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Jubilee Weekend Part 2

Well. I have been really busy!
I managed to finish the sideboard I bought last weekend. I decided to try out the new Annie Sloan dark wax I bought a while back. I read some blogs on how best to use it and decided to mix it half and half with clear wax so it wouldn't go on too dark, and it has worked really well. Decided to give you a walk through with captioned photos of the transformation. Now I am just spoiling you!
Anyway here goes........ starting with the "before" pic

Previous owner has painted with gold paint

Turned upside down to paint legs etc easier

Masked off mirror as couldn't remove

Lightly distressed with medium grade sandpaper

New half & half wax applied

before and after wax easy to see here

applying wax over 2 coats of Paris Grey

Just the drawers left to do

drawers now painted. You can see the change in colour with wax

All done! Listed on eBay now

What a difference, wish I had space for it !
Not only that, but I also finished off two bedside cabinets

before
after
3 drawer cabinet
I also managed to finish one of the desks that I was painting for that local businessman I told you about. This is the desk and mirror I painted for him.

I had agreed to sell to him for £50, but I am sure I could get more than that on eBay.
I have loads of other smaller projects I have been working on too, and my conservatory looks like Dagfields....AGAIN!


Bought 2 of these nice wooden plate racks at the car boot sale last week, so have listed on eBay. They could do with a coat of paint, but are not too bad so decided just to sell them without painting.

I got some nice feedback on eBay this week from the person in New Zealand who bought the Belle Fiore trinket box from me. It arrived safely 10 days after posting and he is over the moon with it.

Well, back to work tomorrow after the lovely long Jubilee Weekend, at least there are only 3 days left

Have a great week!