Vintage Pleasure

Finding Treasure

 

 

At the minute we are having pretty major works done on the house. Including a new roof which means emptying the entire contents of our attic storage space. For a pack rat like me you can guess that's no easy task!

 

 

One of the perks has been finding long stored treasure that you find now fits in perfectly with new colour schemes. Like this 1950's poodle cushion. One of a pair that were still in their original packaging. Very kitsch and look perfect next to my Oooh Betty cushion that deserves a whole post of it's own.

A Little Bit of Change

I'm such a stuck in my ways kind of girl when it comes to decorating. I am definitely not one of those people who is constantly coming up with new decorating schemes. Over the last year or so though the dynamics of the household have changed. With Lily moving out to university we have a had a change around in the bedrooms and with that came the opportunity to redecorate. They are still works in progress but I promise photos and info very soon.

Another room getting a bit of a facelift is the playroom. I think I have mentioned before but this room has to work really hard. It's where my girls do their music practice, homework, watch TV, craft etc. The walls are very neutral as there is a lot going on in there!

Not anymore though as we now have the lovely Mini Moderns Pet Sounds wallpaper! I knew as soon as I saw this over a year ago that it would be perfect. In fact the roll of paper has been sat under my desk for almost a year. I had always hated the fireplace as it was nasty yellow pine and knew the paper couldnt come up until I found the right colour to paint it. Then one morning I had a brainwave to paint it black so glad I did. I love how it pops againts the wallpaper now. 

It is also a perfect backdrop for some of my favourite treasures like Grandma's Dala horse.

Anyway still lots to do in the room. It needs a major de-stasthing and new shelves building. That wont be happening for a few weeks and first of all we are having a new roof!

So I'm off to dream about attic room renovations. Just imagine huge velux windows, lots of white with pops of colour and natural wood. Sound good? Have a look at my Attic Renovations Board to see what I mean.

Childhood Treasures

Whilst scanning some old photos I came across this one of me aged about 7 months. Got to say I love that cot bumper...Mum why didn't you keep it?!

It got me thinking about childhood toys and the memories they conjure up. See that white bear on the right  with the polka dot bow? My Auntie Kath bought me that along with a white rabbit. We were inseparable back then and still are today really.

 

They might not sleep with me every night anymore but I do see them every bedtime. They are displayed in IKEA box frames at the top of the attic stairs,just outside the little girls bedroom.

I treated them to a little vintage wallpaper because they deserve it. I smile everytime I see them and they hold such sweet memories.

I wonder which toys will hold the same charm for my girls when they are my age?

A Little Corner

Hubby treated me to a new camera recently and I'm still trying to get used to it. I am finding things that don't move much easier to handle. Like this little corner in the sitting room.

 

Just a few things grouped together that all hold fond memories. The butterflies were bought, from a butterfly sanctuary, in France whilst on holiday many years ago.The little gold mirror my husband bought secretly for me whilst on holiday in Spain and the red glass candlestick was a Christmas present from my girls. So more objet d'amor that objet d'art.

A Step Too Far?

In the last post I mentioned that my hubby is usually quite tolerant of my vintage decorating tendencies.Well I think maybe I have gone one step too far.

I wanted to soften the light in the sitting room to make it feel cosy over the winter. Sorting my vintage bits ready for a New Year de-stash I came across some some mis-matched vintage lampshades. Problem solved. Or so I thought!

Hubby is not so sure. We agreed that they can stay up for Christmas and hubby has learned to live with them aslong as he doesn't look up!

 
I think I like them.I know that I really like their reflection in the mirror most.

What do you think about them? A step too far?

It's All Tif's Fault

Well she's always flaunting her perfect little stools!

 So I found one for myself.Then took a shockingly poor photo of it ,with a flash, at night ,because life is too short for me to wait for the ellusive perfect light at the minute.That original cover is so kitsch, I think.All soft and fake fur like but perfect for the playroom and washable.The most important thing for a soft furnishing to be is washable.It cost me £5 and has been used everyday since.

I knew you'd ask for a close up of the blankets.They spend most of their time wrapped around little girls but when they are not they make the perfect guinea pig bed. Have you seen how cute those IKEA guinea pig softies are? Too cute.

A Woman's Perogative

So a few months ago I picked up some floor paint on sale.Just enough to do the playroom floor.It's been bare wooden floorboards for well over 18months.It's such a big job to empty that room.The room that contains all my fabric, all my girls art supplies,a big games cupboard,numerous bookcases,a piano, a sofa etc etc etc.The room that would be horrendous to empty.We did get a guy to quote for the job of sanding and painting and the price was okay but I just could not face emptying the room as he insisted.Could not face it.

When I picked up the paint I realised I could do it bit at a time,moving furniture as I went. I did a test patch and loved it. So found a tin of emulsion in the garage to use as a base coat and set to.

 I soon realised that I liked the base colour better. Like I said a woman's perogative to change her mind.Right? I then had to find a way to seal the emulsion because of course I need to be able to clean the floor.I found an ideal floor wax thankfully.

I did a test area of the wax and it seems to be wearing well so hopefully I'll get the rest done soon.Well soonish. It's on my list. My very long list. I bet you have one too? I'd love to know what's on yours? 
 
 

Finally I can Post

I have been have such issues with Typepad that posting has been impossible.The pages were taking forever to load and then not even properly.So frustrating.

Anyway when I set out to write my post at least a week ago I had a head full of things to say.All witty and entertaining of course. Now? Well my head is empty of everything apart from a post yum-yum and cup of coffee high. So I'll just go straight to the photos.

I am pretty certain the jist of the post was going to be how I like my bedroom to to be my little tranquil haven at the end of an always busy day. It's decorated in much more subdued tones than the rest of the house and is also much more clutter free.

The bed is between two doors.The one you can see leads to the landing. But it's the one on the other side that is one of my favourites parts of the room. As I love the view through into the dressing room.

 I actually just love the fact that I have the luxury of a dressing room really.It was a bedroom but we didn't need it.We did toy with the idea of making an en-suite but if I'm honest I don't like en-suites.I hate lying in bed and hearing...well you know what I mean!

I've uploaded some more detailed photos to my corners set if you want a nosey.
   

Inspired by Pip and Blair

I love it when the little pieces of cyberspace we share collide and spur me on to actually do something. A few months ago the lovely Pip's home was featured in an Australian mag.As luck would have it on of our 'blog fairy godmothers' the lovely Aline was in Australia at the time so I cheekily asked her to pick me up the mag. Which, being the lovely lady she is, she did. Not only the mag but also some sweet little koala bear clips and a boomerang.Oh how my girls love their 'blog fairy godmothers'!

 

When the mag arrived  this photo really took my eye and I realised that I needed more cushions for the playroom sofa.A whole heap of ecclectic cushions in fact.All mixy-matchy and fun.Not too much thought about them all looking right together.So I set to and made a few.

I have admired from afar the 'union jack design fetish' that seems to be everywhere but have never sucuumbed until now.I thrifted a length of unused tea-towel fabric and washed it and washed it and washed it until it had faded slightly. Then I used some of my Prints Charming fabric stash and handstiched on some detail.The intention was to use it to display all the girls collected badges but...well lets just say they don't make for a very comfortable cushion!

Then the lovely Blair blogged about her stash value quilt and I was so taken with the technique.I knew however that it would be a long time before I'll get around to making a whole quilt.So I just made a piece big enough for a large cushion cover.It's backed in a thick cotton waffle that is actually a baby blanket.So combined with the quilted front the cushion is so snuggly.

The other couple of cushions are made from my vintage fabric stash. The sofa looks and feels much more inviting now. It even makes the upholstery look a little more pleasant.The sofa is an Edwardian drop arm one that was a birthday present from my hubby. We are going to have it recovered in a bluey-grey velvet. Umm... I must ask hubby when that will be!

 

On A Quest

I'm on a quest people. Not one of 'the utmost kind' like Tif but still one that's very difficult to achieve.

That is the quest to have a clear kitchen table at all times.

I don't know about yours but mine becomes the dumping ground for anything and everything. Mealtimes come and the 'piles' are shifted to one end to make room for the plates. Well I've had enough.No more.A clear table must be achieved everyday before the evening meal.

There are exceptions to the rule.I would be quite happy for my table to look like this any morning. Memories of a great night with friends where we enjoyed a bbq and stayed outside until the early hors.Hence the pile of blankets!