A Bit of TLC For The Kitchen

Hello my lovelies!! How're you doing?

This past week we gave our kitchen work tops a bit of a overhaul. We had the kitchen in nearly five years ago now and I still love it, but the oak butchers block work tops were looking sorry for themselves.

Getting them oiled was all a bit of a rush before they were installed and so they weren't as water resistant as they should have been and had gone all black and mouldy looking round the taps and sink area. No amount of scrubbing would make them look better and it made me dislike the whole kitchen.


I got a quote to have them replaced with some engineered stone or granite -£1800!! The whole kitchen only cost £3500 in the first place.

I lay in bed and suddenly had the idea that perhaps if we sanded them, stained them and varnished them it would hide the damage (I don't know about you but I often have fantastical ideas as I am falling asleep but 9 times out of 10 they are ridiculous in the light of day - this was one of the rare good ideas!!)

I emailed Ronseal and to ask if any of their products would be food safe and they advised me to use their Colron Refined Wood Stain and either Quick Drying or Diamond Hard Varnish.

Once we got to Homebase we saw the sample of the shades and realised that we could perhaps skip the staining part as the varnish came coloured and the Dark Oak in the satin finish (so not too shiny) looked perfect.

We gave the tops a quick sand with 80 grit sandpaper using an orbital sander then went down to 180 grit to give a smooth finish and then slapped on the varnish. We chose the Quick Drying and I'm pleased to report it had virtually no smell and was touch dry in 20 minutes. Two coats was all in took:

How good do they look? I wish had a close up before to show you - you can see it if you zoom in on the pics in this post - not only has it hidden the horrid mouldy looking bits, but the whole surface just looks better, a nicer colour and more nourished (despite oiling it always looked "dry"):

As you can see in the above pic I've been making bunting again!! Mr G is not impressed, but I love it!!:

I used some scraps of Cath Kidston Fabric and sewed it onto the lovely Sass and Belle ribbon the boys bought me for Mothers Day.

Now Mr G and I keep walking in and saying "I can't believe how much better it looks" and "Why didn't we do it before?"!!

In other news I've been feeling a bit under the weather the past couple of weeks or so - I managed to crack my tooth clean in half and had to make a dash to the dentist. She thought she could save it and so filled it with some semi permanent stuff but it has been giving me trouble - feeling ouchy when I eat and I've been having headaches which set my health anxiety off a treat.

It's still not great, I'm going back this week and I think I'll just ask her to whip it out!!

Also, I've finished my first ever crochet blanket and will ta dah it next time!!

Hugs,

S x

 

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Tea And A Random Natter....

Hello my lovely ladies, I have been trying to blog on and off this afternoon, but I dripped some of the below cuppa on my laptop (which is already on it's last legs) and the keyboard then did the most random things - putting in six letters and numbers when I just wanted a letter "U" and all manner of annoying things. So I am now on Mr G's laptop.

You've gotta love a Tunnock's Teacake....

I still haven't worked out how (or even "if") I can upload blog pics on my iPad - maybe I need to look at the mobile blogging apps?

This is a mixed post of randomness - first of all before I forget, if you look in my sidebar to the right you will see links to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest - I added them weeks ago and kept forgetting to tell you. If you're on Pinterest do let me know in the comments as I'd love to follow you too - I am *addicted* to it!!

On Saturday Mr G and I ventured forth to do the grocery shopping - whilst we perused the aisles of Morrisons I was touched by something very mundane and silly. I was looking at wash powder when Mr G tapped me on the shoulder and said "Here, I've got your favourite softener" and put it in the trolley:

Do you know, I thought that was so romantic?!! That Mr G knew which one was my favourite!!  I was really touched. I told him so and Mr G just rolled his eyes, but I wouldn't have thought for a minute he would have known as I confess I have no idea what his fave car wax (for example) is!!

Isn't it nice to find special moments in the hum drum daily chores in life?

This week we have been looking at a holiday. We haven't had a proper holiday since the year before my Dad died (2008) and we all went to France for a week. 

Before that we were spoiled as my Mum had a villa in Catalonia, Spain and for four years we had had many happy times there:

Casa Araminta - (so named because it's long been my Mum's fave girls name and she thought she wasn't getting a grand-daughter. Then my Sis had a little girl and she is Evie Araminta - Mum calls her by her second name....)

Gosh, looking at these makes me miss it - we love, love, loved it there....

Sadly, after my Stepdad had a stroke (which thankfully he recovered  from) he and Mum made the decision to sell it.

Last year we didn't go away on the basis we would try and get to Florida this year. We have never been to the USA and we want to go before the boys are too old.

However, looking into I don't think that's going to be possible as it's just so expensive. I really don't know how anyone can afford it. We thought by September this year we could save about £3500 to go and I am staggered that that wouldn't be enough.

We're looking at a minimum of £2000 for the package of flights/accommodation (I've looked at doing villa/flights separately and that's even more!!) and then passes for Universal Studios/Busch Gardens/Wet 'n Wild/Kennedy Space Center are a further £1000, that's before car hire and spending money!!

How do people afford it? And as Mr G says, even if we could we'd baulk at spending £5000 for a holiday.

So, we are now looking closer to home and have more or less settled on a little static mobile home in a private olive grove on the Greek island of Zakynthos.

Yesterday, I bought fabric:

At just £4.25 per metre I bought a half metre of four kinds - they really had a lovely selection, I could have gone really mad in there.

I've also ordered some cowboy print FQ's from eBay as I want to make a little baby quilt for a couple at my stables who are expecting their first baby together - they ride western, have a bow top wagon and love all things cowboy so I thought it would be perfect.

Phew, I think that's all I have to report for now - thanks so much (as always) for reading....

hugs,

S x

Quilts and Questions....

Hello my lovely ladies!! I hope you have had a nice weekend?


Before I tell you about mine, I'll start with the questions - iPad or laptop? 


My laptop (or laptopamabob as   Aleksandr the meerkat calls them - I laugh every time he says it!!) has been playing me up the last couple of days and I fear it is on it's last legs. 


I really fancy an iPad but want to make sure I don't make the wrong decision (and we Librans are not good at decisions at all!!)


I use my laptop for general surfing, shopping online, eBay, blogging and reading blogs, watching Netflix and sometimes BBC/ITV players. 


Those of you with iPads, can you do all that on it? I have an iPhone (Which I love and which I can do all that on) so I am assuming an iPad is a bigger version?


My Sis got an iPad for Christmas and she says she is not that impressed, and that several of the websites she has to go on for uni will not run. 


Mr G is wanting me to try and check as best I can that I'll be able to do all I want to on it before I sell everything on eBay that isn't nailed down to raise cash for one!!


Also, I do a lot of surfing at night laid on the sofa, is an iPad a pain if you are reclined?!! I rest my laptop on a cushion on my (not inconsiderable) tummy and the keyboard is at the perfect angle for typing and I don't have to hold the screen as I guess I will with an iPad?


Incidentally, that's why I have been a bit absent from commenting on your blogs, I am reading on my iPhone (which is a pain to add comments on as is so small) and when I can wrestle Mr G's laptopamabob off him for 5 minutes (and thus don't have time before he wants it back!!)


Now for the weekend, my Mum accompanied me on a coach trip run by my quilting group to Ardingly Spring Quilt Show. I had a few pennies saved so was looking forward to admiring all the quilts and getting a few bargains.


The quilts were amazing, but a whole different animal to what I think of when I think of a quilt, these were quilting combined with machine & hand embroidery, applique, beading and all manner of other textile art.


Here are a few of my faves (iPhone pics so apologies for quality):

Aren't they gorgeous? I'd love to have a go at doing a wallhanging like the foxgloves and the robin, which were made of tiny bits of fabric freeform machine embroidered onto the quilt. It was like painting with fabric.

There were lots of trade stands and I got a couple of bits including some lovely FQ's:

A bobbin saver because I am fed up of them being tangled in a jam jar, this donut thingy is made of rubber so holds them all nice and tightly and you can see at a glance what you have:

And a pattern for this bag, which is hand pieced, so something I can do in the evening in front of the telly:

Yesterday,  we went to stock up on paint and stopped by The Chesapeake Mill to have a look around, it is a beautiful old building on the river stuffed to the rafters with vintage, secondhand and shabby chic goodies - I bought some vintage thread and gorgeous wooden reels (which I have forgotten to photograph so will have to show you another time).

The afternoon was spent sulking in our bedroom because Mr G and I had one of our yearly huge rows - the cats are eating out of a cereal bowl because I threw their proper cat bowl in the general direction of Mr G before I flounced off to cry. 

Naturally, it's all forgotten now. We never go to bed on a row - why do that when you can stay up and fight?!!.... ;0p

hugs,

S x

Giveaway Winner, Flowers, Fabrics and Randomness....

I hope you're all having a good week?


First of all I have the results of my little Blogiversary giveaway - I used the random number generator thingy and it came up with 11, which means Sharon has won. Now I don't have any contact details for her so I am hoping she'll check back soon and drop me a line.


My spring bulbs from Lidl have burst into bloom this week.


Narcissus:

Hyacinths (not scented though):

And I couldn't resist taking pics of this pretty little orchid:

A while ago we rescued it and two of it's companions from the discount trolley at B&Q where they looked very sorry for themselves, they were £2.50 for the three of them and so far they've all flowered.

My stepdad got me a little footstool to refurbish but I haven't had chance yet as everyone has taken a shine to it:

You see that mucky looking line on the floor? That's from rug tape, the type that stops your rugs from sliding about. The rug has now gone but we can't get the blasted tape off the floor - so far we have tried white spirit, nail varnish remover and two types of sticky stuff remover. If anyone has any ideas how to get rid if it they will be gratefully received?!!

I finished another tea trolley for Fugly-To-Fabulous yesterday:

See, more glue on the floor? I usually Photoshop it off!!

I went to my quilting group on Friday and Wendy helped me make my quilt sandwich (quilt top, wadding and backing) and over the weekend I hand tacked it. I am now ready to quilt it!! Hope fully I'll have it completed to show you next week.

In the meantime, I ordered some fabric to make quilts for our boys:

Their room has a Union Jack theme so we went patriotic with the fabric!! I now have to choose patterns....

W is off school with a cold and so I am going to curl up on the sofa with him and watch "Flight Of The Navigator"....

hugs,

S x

My First Quilt....

Hello my lovelies, I hope you are all having a nice weekend?


I am sat surrounded by the smell of slow-roasted pork shoulder, it's rubbed with a paste of coriander, fennel seeds, peppercorns, lemon and garlic and smells seriously gorgeous!!


On Friday I attended my first session of the quilting group I mentioned in my previous post. Any apprehension I had about attending on my own had been eased by the lovely welcoming emails I had had all week from Wendy, one of the founders of the group.


A warm welcome greeted me from all the ladies and they delighted in telling me I was the youngest and therefore "the baby" of the group. As someone who is approaching 40 this year, it was music to my ears!!


Wendy showed me the instructions for the quilt I was to do as my first, a simple one made from nine FQ's of fabric- I chose an assortment of Tanya Whelan fabrics with a little CK thrown in, in shades of pink, blue, red and white.


The ladies showed me how to cut accurately and I chatted, cut, drank tea, cut, ate cake, cut and made new acquaintances (hopefully soon friends).


I finished cutting my FQ's when I got home and soon had this:

Yesterday, each row was sewn up and then sewn together to make a block and when I had done them all I arranged them out on the bed to see how I wanted the completed quilt to look. As I did this I realised I somehow had 10 blocks not 9 - which meant I must have started with ten FQ's - I mean I *know* I am bad at maths but I can usually manage to count to 9!!

So, the leftover one was put to one side and I sewed up the blocks:

What looks like plain red actually has white pin spots & the "plain" white has tiny flowers....

Typically for me I am not loving the colours :0/ - I don't think I should have used the red -which looked nice when they were folded FQ's but not so much now. 

Although, looking back at the quilt I used as an example on my previous post the colours are similar:

It now needs a border (I'm going to do a 4 1/2" border in plain white) and then I have to make a "quilt sandwich" with the backing and wadding before pinning, tacking (yuck) and then machine quilting. Wendy has kindly detailed everything I have to do for that to keep it all flat and so on, but I think I am going to be a chicken and wait until the next meeting on Friday.


Next Sunday (15th) there is a Quilters & Fabrics January Sale at Farnham Maltings at which (I am told) you can get some bargains so Mr G is going to take me up there. Then at the end of the month Mum and I are going to pop along to Ardingly Spring Quilt Festival where there will be lots of fabulous quilts to admire as well as trade stands.


In other news, there maybe a little bit of change coming here to shabby chic HQ as well, will tell all when/if I know more later....


hugs,


S x

First of all I have completed the cupcake panel for the giveaway:

Don't forget to enter here by leaving a comment - the giveaway runs until 13th May.

I hope you have all had a nice weekend? 


We had a pretty quiet one (as usual!!) on Friday I had to give in and go into Portsmouth (I hate going into Portsmouth!!) to get my eyebrows threaded as I was beginning to look like Dennis Healey!! 


There is a lovely Indian lady in Debenhams who does it and she is fabulous, the only person who can ever make my pale caterpillars look like beautiful arches worthy of any celeb!!


Whilst I was there I naturally had to pop into Fabricland and I made a couple of purchases:

The red t-shirting is to make another maxi-dress and I also got these to make skirts:

You'd think at 38 I'd be past ice-cream and skull prints wouldn't you? But I'm not. I still wear my hair in pigtails too....

On Saturday we went to Petersfield and had a mooch around the charity shops and the "Smelly Book Shop" - this book shop is a rabbit warren of floor to ceiling bookcases with all manner of "smelly books". I was delighted to come around a corner and find my boys:

I had to take a picture with my phone as I was so pleased to find them as absorbed as I was - in fact it was Hubby who decided he'd had enough first!!

We had dinner with old friends on Saturday night which is always really good fun and then I spent much of Sunday sewing as Hubby was out racing his radio controlled cars.

Today I had a little mooch around the garden.

The clematis is starting to flower:

Isn't it a gorgeous colour? Mother-In-Law bought it for us last year, she also got us this aquilegia:

Which has self-seeded and produced two of these:

Isn't that amazing? I love "free" plants.

This one was a cutting from MIL as well, not sure what it is (I'm rubbish) but it's pretty AND pink:

As you can see we go for the wildlife look in our flowerbed - plant it and let it do-it's-thing - I'm not one for trimmed and formal which is just as well with Hubby's attitude to lawnmowing!!:

What did you get up to this weekend?

S x

PS Don't forget the giveaway - there are only a few entries so far which is a bit disappointing for me but good for you as you have a good chance of winning!!