Take one table and a tin of chalk paint

This quirky little table is one of the newest additions of clutter  furniture I have on my ever growing list of things to do! Personally I wasn't sure about it, but Chris took a liking to it, I think it was it's description of "bar table" that drew him to it!

 

Well today I have given it it's first coat of chalk paint! I am thinking of painting the inside uprights a nice toning colour but not 100% sure yet.

This morning I have also somehow accumulated an old tea trolley and some candle sticks!!! LOL
Going to be one very busy ol' lady!

Adele
xXx

Furniture revamp and a chalk paint obsession!

Oh dear, we had this mad, mad idea that this year it might be the time to claim the summerhouse back from it's play house/junk storage state. Chris pictured it all set up like a bar, but I had imagined more of a shabby chic tea-room stylee!

I persuaded him that it was impractical to store alcohol and glassware at the end of the garden and it would be far better to make up our drinks and relax in the summer house in comfier chairs, rather than perched on a bar stool!

Since then I have had a bit of an obsession and now, my recently cleared garage is now full of old bits and bobs of run down furniture in much need of a new lease of life.

After an absolutely awful night of torrential rain, howling winds, lost roof tiles and my daughter being poorly....I am now making the most of a short burst of sunshine and have moved a few items from the garage into the light of day of the conservatory.

Oh dear, I may have bitten off move than I can chew. This chair is part of a 3 piece suite. I am now worrying if in fact I CAN make this look good enough to actually want it,  even if it is only to go into what is basically only a large shed at the moment!

I can make basics like curtains, but never tried any upholstery before! EEK!

I couldn't resist a bargain, not sure where it's going to go yet though.

Right, I am at home with a poorly child, and eagerly waiting the arrival home of Chris, with another can of Chalk Paint so I can get started.

I will keep posted on my progress...or the lack of it!

Adele

xXx

MORE Stampin' Up swap cards!

Last night I sat and made up a few more cards from the Stampin' Up swap. I feel quite guilty, it's a sort of lazy crafting really but it has really got me motivated to de-clutter and organise my craft room. It's gonna take quite some time but hopefully it will by worth it.

Here are my "Cheat's Cards!"

The first is from a kit designed by Fiona Whitten

The second is a slight adaptation of a design by Valerie Brown. I decided to emboss the backing card and ink the edges. Love these shells from "By the Seashore!"

  My last is taken from a design by Elaine Smith, using the "Six Sided Sampler" stamps!

Sorry about the quality of the pics, I went out into the conservatory to get the best light, but it was freezing out there! I didn't hang around!

Right, I had better stop playing now and get some work done! 

Bye for now!

Adele 

xXx

Copy Cat cards from Stampin' Up swap!

I wanted to give my February List a bit of a kick start, so I cheated!

This afternoon I have made up another 2 cards from the Stampin'Up Swap I took part in last Summer.

It seemed criminal to have the card kits just sitting there, and making them up has been really enjoyable although I have found it weird working to someone else's design if that makes sense. I have made a few little subtle changes, but nothing much.

The first card is taken from a design by Elaine Smith and uses the lovely Flower Shop Stamp set, wording from Lacy & Lovely Set. Colour are once again from In-Colours 2013-15.

The next card is a design by Christa Joyce. I really enjoyed using the banner and heart from the Heart a Flutter set.....I can see this one going near the top of my next order. I de-stressed and inked the edges a bit .

Thank you for your inspiration ladies....

Things to do in February!

My list of things to do to aim for in February!

Ahem! Yes, I know most of them have been carried over from last month but that's life. After feeling groggy and achy for 5 months and getting no help from my doctors, I put myself onto some vitamins and have changed my diet slightly by trying to include more mood lifting and energising foods! At long last I start to feel better, then I somehow put my back out. Been in agony and started seeing an Osteopath last week. 

Hey, ho. That's life! Got a lot of catching up to do, in so many areas of my little life!

Crafty Things!
Make 2 Christmas cards
Make 2 male Birthday cards
Make 2 female Birthday cards.
Finish boot cuffs
Write up 3 knitting patterns

Other things 
Work out an exercise plan....and start doing it!!!
Finish decorate living room
Get back into Blogging!! (At least once a week)
Find floor of craft room!    
Start a holiday box! 

Optimistic about my list this month....well, it's got to be better than last month's achievements!

Bye for now!

Adele.

xXx

Not my usual style.....

BUT, I have made a card! 

Way, way back last Summer I took part in a little swap with a group of lovely Stampin' Up ladies. We all designed one card and sent everyone else in the swap a kit to make up. Since then, I have done very little crafting and my creative mojo is still well and truly AWOL. 

Somehow on Monday, I managed to put my back out and have been shuffling around the house feeling sorry for myself. Yesterday I had the mad idea to get creative but due to the complete lack of organisation in my craft room I thought it would be a great idea to actually make up some of the card kits I had just sitting on the side!

Here is the first. A slight adaptation of a card by the lovely Rachel Booth.

It uses Stampin'Up products;
Stamp Sets: Tape it and Love Labels,
Punches: Artisan Label, Decorative Label and Circle 1 3/4 and Itty Bitty Shapes Pack
Linen tread, rhinestone and inks from In Colours 2013.

Please feel free to contact me with any enquiries, you can see the fab range of products by clicking the link on the side bar of my blog.


This card meets the criteria for the latest challenge over at Crafts by Carolyn. Please pop over and join in the fun, challenges and chats. A lovely friendly forum!

Bye for now.

Adele

xXx

My first attempt with Chalk Paints and wax!!!

Back in September I managed to win an old school deskfrom the 60's from Ebay, which unfortunately is still sitting in my conservatory waiting for my to complete it's revamp! But at the same time I also won two, large gold framed mirrors for a bargain price. Having the Chalk Paint and wax left over from the dask re-vamp, I got to work.

Our downstairs toilet is North Facing, with quite a small window, so it is quite dark. We also had a small mirror in there which Amelia couldn't see into, so once I had  painted one of my bargain mirrors, it seemed the ideal place to put it.

It does look rather oversized but I actually quite liked that. It reflects light from the window and has really helped brighten the tiny little room!

I have tried to angle my photo so that you cannot see where Amelia has drawn love hearts all over my door! LOL. One of these days we will get around to taking the door off it's hinges, sanding it down and sealing it!
ONE DAY.............................I may be able to show you the revamped desk too!

Bye for now.

Adele.

xXx

New Year, NEW ME!!!!!

I haven't blogged for many months, September saw us trying to settle Amelia into her new school. Hopefully progress has been made but she is still missing her old school dearly! She now gets homework, or should I say WE now get homework, as she is a long, long way from the independent learning the school talks about.
It's just more things we need to schedule into our lives....somehow!

It's been a long hard struggle for a few months. My health has really suffered and apart from the day to day basics in life, I have done very little. Crafting has been non existent, in fact I can hardly get in my craft room, let alone be creative in there!

I am not sleeping well, have been full of aches and pains, lower back and joint pain, felt flu like since the beginning of October but MRI results are clear. Doctors are putting it all down to stress so things NEED to change as I don't want to live my life on painkillers.

I am setting myself some smaller challenges rather than New Year's Resolutions, breaking my goals down into monthly chunks which will hopefully seem more achievable.

My list for January!

Crafty Things!
Make 1 anniversary card
Make 2 Christmas cards
Make 2 male Birthday cards
Finish boot cuffs
write up 4 knitting patterns

Other things 
Sort out garage (enough to use treadmill again!)
Work out an exercise plan
Decorate living room
Get back into Blogging!! (At least once a week)
Finish reading the book I started in August!  
Find floor of craft room!    
Load software for wireless printer onto laptop.

I will finish with some positive waffle about the wonderful time we had last Friday. The Kent Wide Down Syndrome group organised a trip to the Panto down at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury. We had a little pre-show party where the main members of the cast came around to say hello to all the children. Hopefully, as you can see from the pics, Amelia was truly in her element! She had photos taken and got her Programme Autographed.  I cannot praise them enough, they were all so fabulous with the children!

 

Right, got a very busy day head of me IF I am going to achieve anything today!

IF I am going to keep to my little goals, I should be back again soon with another waffle blog!

Adele

xXx

Exploding Box for Baby's 1st Birthday.

Last weekend saw the celebration of my Great Nephew's First Birthday and whilst on holiday, we picked up a tiny little handmade figure that I thought would just sit perfectly into one of my exploding boxes. Unfortunately I didn't get it finished in time so it was a bit late, but I really didn't want to rush making it.

I kept the colour neutral as my attempt at colour matching proved harder that expected.

This little box meets the criteria over at;

Crafts by Carolyn TTC- September
Totally Gorjuss- 199 Texture
A Card a Day
Oldie but a Goodie - Embossing. ( Loads of older stock, ribbon, embossing folder, heart stamp)

That's all for now. 

Adele

xXx

My mish mash card!

I cannot believe I am saying this, but my "Baby Boy" was 14 yesterday! As usual, I logged in to lastminute.com and made his card the day before. I had no idea what to make him, my latest Stampin' Up craft stuff is spread over the dining room table, more on a small desk in the front room, and my craft room so full of clutter, I am hardly able to get in there, let alone actually sit and craft. The situation has been worsened because I have supposedly tried to craft downstairs during the school holidays....but failed miserably.

Considering I had bit and bobs scattered all over the house, and that I was running short of time, I had this mad idea of making a sort of pin board card using some of the things I had in front of me! It didn't turn out too bad and although it is a bit out of my comfort zone, I thought it was quite apt for a 14 year old boy.

This card meets the criteria over at;

Crafts by Carolyn- TTC Make your own embellishment.
ABC - No flowers
Oldie but a goodie - Embossing
Card a Day Challenge.

I will be back again soon with another exploding box, best get on as it's party time today!

Adele

xXx

Our adventures in Devon!

We are already half way through our holiday, the weather has been hit and miss. One minute we have
 had our feet up, drinking cider and sunbathing...the next curled up on the sofa under a throw and watching the flames on the log burner. Whatever it throws at us we are trying to just make the most of it and relax.

The cottage is lovely, the garden gate opens onto a little wooden area, over a little bridge and out onto the farm land where Chris and Jack have been playing Chess while Amelia and me have been saying hello to the chickens. Once passed the Chess and chickens it open out onto a field where we play cricket or take a leisurely walk alongside the stream or around the lake.

We are eating and drinking far too much, but hey ho, what are holidays all about?

Reality will hit us far too quickly.

Adele 

xXx

Stampin' Up Blog Hop!!! Hoppin' Along!

Well hello!!!

I hope you are enjoying the "HOPPIN. " You should have come along to my blog from SARAH.

Now please be gentle with me, this is my first ever blog hop.

Now anyone who "knows" me will know I often have to put my crafting to one side, while my hectic life takes over. Well I have been panicking over this card for a few days. My crafty mojo is obviously on it's Summer Holidays and that is never a good time to try something a little different from my usual style! 

(If I actually have one that is!) Eventually I took inspiration from an example shown on page 119 on the New Annual Catalogue.

I am trying to keep things simple!!! First I made up my card by embossing a layer of white card stock using the gorgeous Beautiful Baroque Embossing Folder. Then is stamped  a band to go across the card; I used colours from the New IN Color Collection 2013-2015.

I used;

 Coastal Cabana - lattice design from Summer Silhouettes, Butterfly, Pappillon Potpourri

Crisp Cantaloupe -Travel Journal, script

Pistachio Pudding - Viola's Lace.

I added depth and detail by distressing the edges with Baked Brown Sugar.

Other products used;

Linen Thread

Simply Pressed Clay & Blossoms Mold.

Right, enough of my waffle, ready to hop on for some more ideas and inspiration.......hop over to 

VERONICA!

Thank you for hoppin' by.

Adele

xXx

Playing catch up crafting!

I cannot believe that we are already two weeks into the Summer Holidays and I am still hardly getting a moment to myself. I have tried to catch up with a few of those little jobs that keep getting pushed to one side in the manic day to day routine of term time. 

I thought I'd finally take time to share one of the cards I made last month for one of the teachers. I was pushed for time (as usual) so I kept it really simple and very similar in design to the little canvases I made up.

I used SU cardstock from the new In Color Collection, Coastal Cobana. Love this colour, I can see me using it so much. I then simply stamped images randomly using Summer Silhouettes. I took a very deep breathe and cut a length of the scrummy Ruffle Stretch Trim and added a few small brads for a bit of detail.

Today I have been making little flower embellishments using the Simply Pressed clay and molds...please come back and visit tomorrow when I can show you my first card using these dinky little lovelies. I am also taking part in my first ever 

STAMPIN' UP BLOG HOP!!!!!!

Adele

xXx