Lovely Ribbons, Scarlett Ribbon ...

On Sunday morning, we woke with good intentions of spending a day in the garden, painting the cupboards which I showed you earlier.  The skies looked a little grey and threatening so that idea had to be put on hold ... however, I had a bee in my bonnet about some miraculous paint which I'd heard about, so it seemed the ideal time to try it for ourselves.  Me, Steve and Millie set out for the Lake District, about an hours drive away. This was our destination ...

Scarlett Ribbon, a delightful little shop, nestled in the lovely town of Windermere.

It is a delightful treasure trove of all things lovely ... and the sale was in full swing!

The shop is set out very cleverly, making full use of the space available, but with a feeling of space and calm. It sells clothes, accessories, greetings cards, toiletries, jewellery and lots of very lovely things for the home.

Millie, having a bit of a browse ...

 

But this is what our journey was about ... Annie Sloan Chalk Paint! I had heard great things about this product, so quizzed the lovely lady in the shop, and she assured me no preparation was required! No sanding, no priming, just load your brush and paint! Definitely my kind of product!

Lots of lovely, unique colours to choose from, so I was like a child in a sweet shop ... I finally selected four colours; Old Ochre, a rich, creamy colour; Provence, a deep turqouise; Paloma which is a grey/lilac and Antoinette, pretty in pale pink.  I also bought some soft wax which seals the paint and protects it.  I didn't buy any of the dark wax used for deepening the colour and ageing/distressing, as I use Briwax for this. I also bought the book which tells you all about the paint and how to use it, with loads of lovely pictures and ideas for projects.

The paint charts are very clever too, they are actually hand painted so you know what  the actual colour will be when you paint - some charts are very misleading and the finished product looks nothing like the colour  on the chart, so choice can be a bit hit or miss.
  

 The paint can be used inside or out, on plastic, stone, brick, concrete and metal  ... my head is bursting with ideas, and believe me, if it stands still for long enough, it's going to get a coat of Annie Sloan!

Loaded up, we said our goodbyes to Scarlett Ribbon and had a little potter around Windermere, This little sign was above a wine shop, I thought it was perfect ...

 But I was itching to get started with my new find, so we travelled home, had a Full English (late) Breakfast, then set to! Steve took Ruby for a walk (it takes exactly an hour) and instead of lugging all the cupboards downstairs I took this little beauty outside. 

It's one of the chairs which makes up my Ercol 3-piece cottage suite. In my front room, which I showed you the makeover of last time, I always thought there was too much wood and it needed softening a bit.  I know some people will think it sacrilege to paint over classic furniture, but I like to give things a modern twist while retaining their old charm.  I bought the suite last year for £45 from a charity warehouse, but probably lots of them just go the tip ... that is sacrilege!

By the time Steve got back from his walk I'd painted the chair.  The paint glides on and dries almost immediately so you can touch up straight away, without having to wait hours for it to dry before you can give it another coat.  It took one coat and then just a few dabs to cover any obvious gaps.  I waxed it with the soft wax, then took a cloth and rubbed the briwax on.  It took less than 2 hours from start to finish ... miraculous stuff indeed!

I don't normally paint as it takes so long ... sanding down, wiping, priming, then about 3 coats of paint ... it takes days and I'm far too impatient for that.  Not any more though! Hopefully today the sofa and other chair will get done, then I've got a bookcase lined up (pale pink I think), kitchen cupboards, metal garden furniture, Millie's bedroom furniture ... the list is endless!

Tomorrow I'm off to Leeds to see my boy, and hopefully Cath Kidston too!

Hope the sun shines on you this week,

Love, Claire xxx

Summertime ... and the living is easy

During the dark, grey days of winter .... sorry ... summer, I've had lots of time on my hands, so on my days off, when I'd normally be pottering around the garden, skipping about doing summery things, and going off on jollies, I've been confined to barracks, and been finding fault with my surroundings.  When we moved in 5 years ago, the house had basically been done up to sell, but not done up very well! (New bathroom suite, not fixed to wall or floor; wooden flooring fitted but with no gaps, so every autumn it rises alarmingly in the centre; front room decorated but 80's Artex left in situ .... oh dear, I could write a book!)

This is the front room, which we just painted cream and then didn't really do much else.  It's a south-facing room, and while on sunny days is really bright, in winter seemed to lack a little warmth.

One Friday morning two weeks ago, I got up, went straight to Homebase (I stock up on my Farrow & Ball paints when it's 15% off weekend ... this is Thriftwood, after all!) and spent about an hour umming and aahing over the colour chart. I went home, cleared the first area to be painted, and started (I don't mess about, I just do it ... purists please close your ears!)  The first four images are of the room before I attacked it.

I do think it lacks warmth, even though I brightly accessorise ...

 I haven't a clue what that is in the left hand corner of the above photo ... there's nothing there! And it's definitely not my thumb which is the usual explanation! Ideas on a postcard please!

This is the transformation ... even though the colour is not bright, it just seems to make everything blend in more.  I chose French Grey from Farrow and Ball ... I love the chalky finish their paint gives, and it even subdued the Artexed wall. It was painted in a silk finish before, and I think that just highlighted the problem. I can't even see it's gorgeous ripply bumpiness on this pic ....

A change of curtains ... not new, given to me by my cousin when she moved home.  I snapped them up even though they had been in a damp conservatory and were very mildewy.  I hung them on the washing line, sprayed liberally with Dettol Mould & Mildew Remover (excellent stuff), left them for a while and then machine washed them.   Good as new ... bet she wants them back now!

A bit of Elmer going on here, I think ...

Sofa part of Ercol cottage suite (£45), oak bookcase (£30) ... pictures cost pennies from car boot sales ...

Lamps £1 each, shades 50p but revamped by me.

Artex rearing it's ugly head on this wall above.

Flowers on mantelpiece from my garden ... I am actually growing wheat! We think the only explanation is that the corn in spilt chicken feed has germinated ... Haha, I could make my own flour!

This morning my friend came round, and I was telling her about my home made furniture polish, so I made a bowlful and gave my old pine cupboards a treat.  As the room gets a lot of sun, the wood does become dry and parched, but this is the ideal remedy.  Simply pour some cheap olive oil in a bowl, add the juice of a lemon, mix, and apply to your furniture.  I usually put one lot on and leave it to soak in for a while, then apply a second lot and buff.  The lemon juice cleans the wood and the oil feeds and shines it. It makes the room smell lovely too, and is a lot more rewarding than a spray can! Ruby liked it too ... she was following me around licking it, yuk!

 I don't really buy cleaning products nowadays, I just use lemon juice, vinegar, and an awful lot of bicarbonate of soda.  Kinder to your purse, but also kind to the planet!

 More garden flowers ... the poppies are everywhere this year ..

And below, six little lovelies waiting to be transformed! When I did the last two vintage fairs, I don't know if you remember, but I sold a couple of cupboards me and Steve had renovated.  At both fairs I received orders to make more, so have been going off on my thrifty travels amassing cupboards ...

They've been sanded and given a coat of primer at the weekend, but unfortunately rain stopped play, so hopefully this weekend, we'll get them painted (or Steve will!) and then I can titivate! That's the bit I love best ... hopefully my commissionees will like them! Will share them with you when they're done.

I'd just like to end by saying thank you so much for all your lovely comments on my last posting ... it certainly seemed to strike a chord with you all.  I'm going to Leeds next week to see Jacob before he goes away to France to work for the rest of the summer ... hankies at the ready!!

Hope the sun shines for you this week,

Love, Claire xxx

Flying the Nest

Google

Was just putting things back to normal in my front room, after the weekend's decorating, and found this, tucked in the corner of my son Jacob's degree, and thought I'd share it with you. It's that time of year again, when young adults all over the country are graduating, leaving the comparative safety of University life where they know that home is only a journey away ...

Mother, any distance greater than a single span
requires a second pair of hands.
You come to help me measure windows, pelmets, doors,
the acres of the walls, the prairies of the floors.

You at the zero-end, me with the spool of tape, recording
length, reporting metres, centimetres back to base, then leaving
up the stairs, the line still feeding out, unreeling
years between us. Anchor. Kite.

I space-walk through the empty bedrooms, climb
the ladder to the loft, to breaking point, where something
has to give;
two floors below your fingertips still pinch
the last one-hundredth of an inch...I reach
towards a hatch that opens on an endless sky
to fall or fly.
By Simon Armitage

Jacob tore this poem from a book and handed it to me when he graduated from University last year, and was about to leave home properly and stand on his own two feet.  I cried.

Love, Claire xxx

THE GOOD LIFE

I don't want to harp on about the weather, but this year our vegetable plot has suffered badly.  Weeds have taken over because of the rain, and most things have grown so rapidly they've gone too seed before their time ... we are still learning (I don't think you ever really stop) but it is disappointing when all the planning, digging and really hard work, doesn't quite pay off. Thinking even Tom and Barbara might be a bit ticked off ...

However, yesterday was a lovely day and I wanted to make a completely free meal, being a thrifty soul, and this is what I got when  I ventured forth, trug in hand to collect the bounty ...

Eggs from my chickens, lovely new potatoes, radishes, spring onions, peas, kale and rhubarb.  I made a spanish style tortilla and we had stewed rhubarb swirled into creme fraiche (alright, I bought that!).

Please don't think I'm being smug and taking all this for granted, I do know how fortunate we are to be able to do this, but I do urge everyone, no matter how big or small your garden (mine is only a smallish patch next to the house), to try and grow a few veg as the taste and quality is just amazing, and totally different from anything you buy in a supermarket. For the price of a few packets of seeds you can amazing food on your doorstep, and if you're lucky enough to have an allotment, can share seeds and produce with other allotment holders.  

I had great visions of how my vegetable patch would look, a bit Mr McGregor's garden, with a touch of Vita Sackville-West, but it somehow hasn't turned out like that!  Next year we are going to lay membrane between the raised beds to stop the dreaded weeds, and put gravel on the top, so it might look a little more orderly.

Can you see Marilyn and Audrey looking a little disgruntled in their run? They are waiting to be let out into the back garden, on account of delicious vegetables growing which they can't wait to shred to pieces.  It's really funny, because during the autumn and winter they have the run of the whole side and back garden, but in spring and summer have to be ushered into the back.  After this has been done a few times, they know the drill and just trot happily into the back garden, seemingly oblivious to the cabbages they could be digging up!

The big and blousy Marilyn,

Florence, the one remaining of our 3 original rescue birds, once the henpecked, now leader of the pack!

Had a lovely evening visiting one of my oldest friends (as in, length of time I've known her, not age!) who has just returned to Old Blighty after living for about 30 years in Israel, so me and Millie had a catch up with her and her children.  I've seen her every summer since she went and the years just fall away as we chat about our school days and teenage years.  Can't believe it's 40 years in September since we met for the first time on our first day at secondary school.  She's only here for a couple of weeks, and then starting a new life in Brighton, so hopefully will be visiting her there too, can't wait to see all the lovely vintage treasures that seem to abound in Brighton.

Have also been busy painting and titivating front room, so will share those pictures later with you.

Have a fabulous Sunday, and hope the sun  shines for you!

Love Claire xxx

OH, WHAT A NIGHT!!

Firstly I'd like to thank all my lovely followers and readers for your lovely greetings on my last post ... I do love all your comments, they mean a lot to me!

I've got a bit of a mixed bag for you today, but if I don't show you what I've been up to, I tend to lose the photos, or just not use them, and the reason I blog is because I don't keep a diary or journal, so this is my way of remembering what I've done and when.

On Sunday morning (my Wedding Anniversary) I treated my husband to breakfast in bed, (he was off work on Monday, so we spent the day together then!) then went to a local marine museum where they were holding a vintage fair.

It is the pop-up one which I normally attend, but as I was busy and had prior engagements, sadly couldn't have a stall.  I FORGOT MY CAMERA!!! It was lovely, but I will try and get back to the museum as they are holding a 50's exhibition, which was very nostalgic.

In the afternoon, after watching the local carnival, which passes my house, I met my little sister and we went on a coach trip to Manchester ...

Not a great picture, but liked these windmills, more picturesque than the ones in our town!

Town was very busy, as crowds were gathering to watch the Euro final on the big screen.  We had a meal and a drink nearby, in a big gazebo called the Summer Bar and Kitchen ... I meant to take a photo of my meal, but was so hungry didn't remember until too late! Then a leisurely stroll to Manchester Arena to see ...

Ooh, it was fabulous! Frankie apparently is 78 years old, but you'd never have guessed ... he performed for over 2 hours with the Four Seasons, they are to the left of the photo and have weathered really well, and none of them looked over 25!

Am getting a bit technical, and have even videoed it for you ... hope it works!

Walk Like a Man ...

Big Girls Don't Cry ...

and Rag Doll ... sorry didn't get to record December '63 as was on my feet making a show of myself!

Had a lovely evening with my sister, and got home just after midnight, so wasn't too bad!

Just been to Aldi to do my food shop, and the range of flowers were amazing today! I always buy my weekly flowers from Aldi as I find that they last really well and are a fraction of the price you'd pay in a florist.  Today I got a large bunch of Nigella (Love in a Mist) ... I love their ethereal, feathery beauty and like them just on their own, but I had so many that I thought I'd team the rest up with these gorgeous Aliums.  I like the way this photo's turned out ... it wasn't anything I did though, it was an accident ... wish they all looked like that!

Wishing you all a week of randomness too!

Love, Claire xxx