• Creating the Vintage Look
    book review - tutorial - upcycling - vintage - What I'm reading

    What I’m reading: Creating the Vintage Look

    October 30, 2013 - By 

    A new book recently landed on my doormat which combines my love of upcycling and home-making. Creating the Vintage Look by Ellie Laycock encourages you to discover how to make unusual and unique homeware through 35 gorgeous step-by-step projects. What I’m reading: Creating the Vintage Look Upcycling is about taking something old, vintage, treasured, or possibly even broken and giving it a new lease of life by trying it into something new. It’s a thrifty way of decorating and enhancing your home that avoids waste, but is also stylish, and Ellie Laycock shows you how you can make truly beautiful…

  • upcycled pallet wooden planter
    being green - crafts - garden crafts - handmade - upcycling

    How to upcycle a pallet into a planter

    July 8, 2013 - By 

    I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client. A couple of weeks ago we were left with a wooden pallet after the children’s playhouse was delivered. I knew I wanted to keep it and upcycle it and, after a quick search on Pinterest, I decided on upcycling the pallet into a planter for the garden. We have a lovely garden but there are no flower beds. I’m not particularly green-fingered but I thought it would be fun to…

  • crafts - playing - tutorial - upcycling - vintage

    Ikea doll bed makeover

    June 27, 2013 - By 

    It seems an age ago since we were lucky enough to come across a really cute little wooden doll bed on a recent charity shopping spree. It was quite big but we managed to get it home on the bus, just! We paid £2 and when we got home I realised it was from Ikea and actually retails at £14 so I felt quite proud of our bargain, especially as Little Sis has been playing with it even since. I knew I wanted to personalise it for her so the first step was to give it a wash, a quick…

  • book review - crafts - handmade - upcycling - vintage - What I'm reading

    What I’m reading: Vintage Revised Jewelry

    June 13, 2013 - By 

    Moving house has helped me re-discover all of my lovely crafty items which have been packed away during the whole house moving shenanigans. Everything is slowly coming together and I have a long list of things I want to make. A couple of weeks ago I was sent a copy of Vintage Revised Jewelry by Co-Co Nichole Bush to review. I’ve been reading through the 35 projects and already want to try so many of them. They combine my love of recycled treasures and handmade which is a brilliant match for me. Divided into four sections the projects cover Vintage…

  • vintage clock tin
    upcycling - vintage

    How to make a clock from a vintage tin

    June 11, 2012 - By 

    In case you haven’t guessed I have boxes of vintage treasures picked up from car boot sales, jumble sales and charity shops. I *try* to have a project in mind before buying anything as we are rather pressed for space in our little terraced house. How to make a clock from a vintage tin One of my favourite collections is vintage tins of all shapes and sizes. These were the first thing I collected and I can’t resist picking up unusual ones when I see them. My latest project used one of the vintage tins found beneath our stairs which…

  • crafts - handmade - Kids crafts - Recycled crafts - tutorial - upcycling

    How to make a cork sail boat

    July 27, 2011 - By 

    Edward is used to boats as we often travel by car ferry or catamaran to visit family on the Isle of Wight. Last week we managed a couple of trips by boat which Edward loved. He really enjoyed holding on to the side of the boat and looking over the side. He’s always loved water play and our weekly swim sessions so this was a great crafty project for us. Looking around the house we had limited supplies so I thought we would make a cork sail boat, reminiscent of the boat in which Julia sails to the island. Sadly…

  • Christmas - daddy - handmade - Recycled crafts - sewing - swaps - tutorial - upcycling

    Vintage blanket cushion

    December 9, 2010 - By 

    We decided to go home for a few days! My husbands’ health is improving so much quicker than last time that we’ve decided to return home for a few days before Christmas. We miss being a threesome, miss our cats and doing our own thing although we are incredibly grateful to my mum for letting us stay with her. On Saturday we’ll be getting on the ferry and heading back to London. I am so excited as I’ll be able to attend the Julie Arkell workshop on Sunday too. Vintage blanket cushion Today I finished a cushion for my youngest…

  • baby - Cath Kidston - upcycling - vintage

    Nursing chairs

    October 11, 2010 - By 

    When I was pregnant the magazines I read were full of expensive nursing chairs. I began to believe that I wouldn’t be truly happy as a mother if I didn’t have an expensive chair and matching footstool to rest my weary body on. Fortunately I found an antique Lloyd Loom nursing chair in need of some TLC at a recycling centre. It had been painted many times and the original cover was a little threadbare but I knew it would be perfect for our nursery. After some careful sanding, re-spraying and re-covering it now looks like this! I covered the…