~Renovated chairs~

More painting and renovating today.  Two of my chairs were on their last legs :)  They needed replacing before they collapsed.  These 2 lovelies came free from family - good quality solid dining chairs, just very worn and old. Cue me donning my Summer Outfit again - no not a Boden nautical holiday ensemble, but a pair of paint spattered shorts and t-shirt. The season's must-have outfit don't you know!?
Here they are... 

I think they were 'Old Charm' or something similar. I used a coat of primer as they were so dark, then 3 thin coats (so no drips!) of trusty Farrow and Ball eggshell in New White.

 

 

The 'drop-in' seat pads were covered in a neutral twill fabric I had already using my staple gun. No sewing required.

 

 

I know I've shown this before, but here is my dining area, with furniture acquired relatively cheaply and renovated.



 



 Green chairs - Ebay, M&S solid quality chairs, 4 for £30. Painted in F&B Cooking Apple Green
Table - Ebay, cost £50 but was a state. I gave it a good sand and painted the legs in F&B
Dresser - gifted from a friend, just needed a few coats of paint
Vintage ceramic chicken - £3 car boot sale

I am also linking to Frugal Queen's room renovation post yesterday. I hope more people feel inspired to re-purpose rather than buy buy buy. I've always tarted thing up because I've had to make do and mend rather than buy new.  However, I like the process too,  and rather than resenting the fact I can't afford expensive painted furniture from Laura Ashley or Barker and Stonehouse, I feel blessed that I can turn my hand to most things.
I'm now off for a shower to scrub the paint splatters off my legs :)

~I ♥ Vintage Knitting Needles~

Anyone else obsessively fond of colourful vintage knitting needles?
I have a lot of old knitting needles...mostly AERO metal ones from the 70s and 80s from my Nana and other family members.  I have also tried to get 'with it' and use bamboo needles - I like the look of them but I'm not a fan of actually using them.
How can you not like the gorgeous 1950s colours of these beauties...

 

I've seen loads at vintage fairs and on etsy for between £2 - £5 a pair, but mine are all charity shop finds - the kind of local treasure trove charity shops run by Nana's are the best, you know what I mean I'm sure  :)
10p to 50p a pair that's all...
I found some more today in my local shop for 10p a pair, which are currently soaking in fairy liquid.

I also found this vintage sizing tool at a vintage fair in York for 50p

There are modern variations of this for sale in most craft shops for a couple of pounds.
Have a lovely weekend x
It's raining here but the garden needs it!

~Car Boot finds~

After a very busy week, which ended with a job interview that was a bit scary  :)   - just a quick post to share 2 finds from last week's car boot sale in the village...
Firstly this lovely double duvet set, Cath Kidston-ish for £2 and it's like new. Very pleased with it for a spare set.

And this lovely kitsch Babycham (?1950s) deer for 50p. She's just looking around

for somewhere to live...

 

... can you see the cross look on her face because the drinks table
                                 is full of Gin, not Babycham?

 

~More painting of furniture~

I visited Hornsea again last weekend for a wander in the sea air on my ownio and did my run of the charity shops.  In a second hand shop I picked up (literally) a solid 1960s chest of drawers - loved the size and shape of them and the fact they were on legs. I got them for £18, with a framed floral picture thrown in for free. I hate haggling - but it did work!
The handles and the vintage wallpaper lining the drawers are currently for sale on ebay (link in my sidebar). Waste not want not and all that!

 

The handles after a good polish

 

Vintage wallpaper

Next stop was the vintage style interiors  'A Lovely Little Shop' on Market Place which sells fabric, Sass and Belle goodies, painted furniture and vintage bric-a-brac. After chatting about paint and furniture renovation, the lovely lady there put me on to this product...

...a chalk based additive by Molly's Paintbrush for paint which means you can use up all your flat emulsion bits and bobs and make your own chalk paint. I think they sell it on ebay too. It comes with full instructions of quantities to use - I'm using it to mix up small amounts which I store in plastic takeaway boxes with lids.
I've used the powder with leftover emulsion to mix up this shade of blue/green for the drawers...

I will hopefully finish it this week and share the end result and what it's been like to use.

~Thrifty Jam Label Kit~

Thrifty tip of the day for all you jammers and preservers...
Kirstie Allsopp has a new preserving and baking range (fingers in every pie it seems) in Lakeland, and this kit, featured in this month's Prima is a hefty £9.99...

From Lakeland see http://www.lakeland.co.uk/18053/Kirstie-Allsopp-Jam-Pot-Labels

However, why pay more than 99p, yes 99p? This lovely kit is from Home Bargains (store locator here)

~Charity shop finds~

I'm just having a sort out and photographing some things to put on eBay - which makes me think I must get with it and upgrade to a decent phone to take my photos with, as my digital camera is on it's unreliable last legs. I though I'd share a couple of bits I've found lately from charity shops.  I've not been looking in very many in recent weeks as I am trying to simplify my life.  Therefore it follows I must sell some things - the 'one in one out' principle at least!
This lovely pink glass vase was £1.50 from a charity shop in Hornsea

I'm loving the pink china and glass thing at the minute.  I do have some Grindley Petalware cups and saucers already, and I spotted this gorgeous art deco shape Wedgewood Blush Rose jug for £3.50 again in Hornsea

...and finally, this pair of glass candlesticks for £2.75 in Selby British Heart Foundation in Selby

I needed a new pair as I broke one of my others trying to clean candle wax off it.
Have a lovely weekend x

~I ♥ Standard Lamps~

There's sometimes a nice fuzzy frugal feeling of satisfaction when you've found (via car boot sale, charity shop, auction, hand-me-down)  an old object because you like it, then spot a similar item in a magazine for loads of pennies.  Maybe a bit of that feeling comes from my sad inner craving for validation (see, I knew it was nice/valuable/fashionable!) but it does please me, however that my vintage or retro finds are 'on trend'. I spotted this beauty in Woman & Home February issue p159...


Orla Kiely Lamp £400
Image from Unique and Unity
http://www.uniqueandunity.co.uk/lighting/OKFLTSACPCR.html

.





..And it reminded me of my version - an original mid-century lamp a friend gave me when clearing his parents house.  It's teak and brass.  It needed rewiring and a new baton holder (parts approx. £3) and a new shade (£9.60 Dunelm)

A lovely standard lamp with a bit of history.  (However, if anyone would like to buy me the Orla Kiely version, of course I would accept!)



~Car Boot Sunday and catch-up~

I've been very remiss with  blogging lately, I think because there is complicated family stuff  going on here - my mind is so occupied and befuddled there is no room for any creative thoughts at the moment.  Trying to stay positive and looking forward to the 6 week hols to spring-clean my head!  Maybe it's the weather too; I find the normal going to work and doing housy stuff is difficult - it's too hot for me, I end up like one big grumpy, sweaty freckle!
On a positive note, L's 18th Birthday vintage tea party in the garden went well.  The weather was so hot it was 'cracking the flags' as we say in Yorkshire.  Haha I have to say that although some tea was consumed, the tipple of most was Pimms and some homemade elderflower cordial. I'm such a ditz at the moment I have deleted all my photos of the party, the garden and the cake without uploading them to the PC.
L then went to Amsterdam with 10 friends for 3 days, which I found hard as I do like to be in control of everything. She had a fab time and is back now :)
I got up early today and had a quick drive to the local car boot which has relocated to a new venue, but isn't half as well attended as before.  However, as well as a bright red showerproof cagoule for Small Dog, I found this polka dot terracotta jug for 50p...

I'm imagining this lovely jug at some point in the future on a seaside windowsill filled with daisies!
Also a white pottery chicken for £2...

 Bye for now, enjoy the sun and see you soon. x

~I ♥ Standard Lamps Part 2~

Remember my standard lamp from eBay? The one that turned out to be faux mahogany and faux working order...

It's had a sand down, a coat of (substantial) undercoat and 3 coats of paint.  I mixed some paints I had already to get this mushroomy beige colour which has a nice matt eggshell finish...

It's the result of Craig & Rose 1829 Chalky Emulsion in Deep Sung Cream

plus

Farrow and Ball Estate Eggshell in New White

It had a good result and the paint is a lovely texture and finish.

What about the vintage lampshade project? I have to admit defeat on that score. I watched several online tutorials and looked at kits, then I bought an old shade and stripped it down. I ordered some self adhesive vinyl from eBay and set to work with my precious vintage fabric piece. Unfortunately it didn't work out - what my son would call an *epic fail*.

I shall consign lampshade-making to the same place that my crochet-fear resides. 

Well, I can't afford £50-£80 that handmade shades are selling for, so I gave in and spent some pennies (£10) on this shade from TKMaxx, then added some ricrac braid and a bobble trim. 

The shade is probably a tad too small, but I'm quite pleased with it anyhow as it looks nice with my new wallpaper.

~Charity Shop finds~

How lovely to finish work on a Friday and know it's a Bank Holiday!  I went to the hairdressers after work to get my colour done and popped into my favourite charity shop - it's an 'old lady' type of shop (which is infinitely preferable, more interesting and cheaper than a rebranded posh type with laminate flooring).
First find in the bric-a-brac boxes on the floor...

 ...a Washington pottery large bowl; cream colour with 22kt gold pattern.  This is my new fruit bowl!
I then went inside and had a rummage for vintage patterns- none that appealed today as they were all 1980s batwing and shoulder-pad hell rather than 1960s - but I did find this vintage cotton braid trimming (perhaps for a lampshade?)

"A pound for 'em both love, is that okay?"
"Oooh yes, ta very much"
There are still bargains to be found out there, keep the thrifting faith!
I'm off to the seaside this weekend to spend some quality car-booting time with my Mum, so hopefully will have more to share next week.
Have a lovely long weekend!

~I ♥ Standard Lamps~

My Mum has a talent at sniffing out great things on Ebay and this week she managed to find me a Standard Lamp (minus the shade) for less than a tenner.  They're much sought after at the moment and I've been on the lookout for a cheap one for a while. Sod's law that when things get popular, the prices and bids go mad on auction sites and I didn't want to spend much. It was a collect-only item, just 10 minutes down the road.  This weekend I'll be giving it a coat of paint from leftover F&B eggshell that's already in the garage, as I can't afford the Annie Sloan paint I would like.

Though listed as 'mahogany' and 'in full working order',  it was in fact painted dark brown gloss and didn't work. Never mind, it has now been rewired and got a new plug...

Mahogany?  I think *not*!!

I will now be scouring the charity shops and car boot sales for a swanky vintage shade that I can tart up.  I'm thinking down the lines of these shades by Leeds-based Two Material Girls. 

~Cosy & Thrifty Door Curtain~

Yesterday I managed to get my door curtain up with the intention of saving energy through the colder months. Apparently draught-proofing your home is a very efficient way of saving appoximately £55 per year, as well as then being able (hopefully)to turn your central heating thermostat down, which could save an additional £60 per year.  See the Energy Saving Trust website for tips here. 
We live at the top of the street, in a slightly elevated position and get the cold air whistling through the keyhole and letterbox, despite having a modern solid front door. Our thermostat is in the hallway too, so hopefully it won't kick in as often as it usually does in winter.
So here is my thrifty version of a door curtain...
Rather than spend on a posh 'portiere' curtain pole that lifts the curtain out of the way, we used a wooden batten (local woodyard £1) fixed to the wall above the door, painted to match the wall...

...and fixed the curtail rail (simple rail approx £5 from Wilkinson) to the wooden batten - a good idea as door curtains are so heavy.
 I'd kept a look-out in charity shops for a suitable sized curtain (approx twice the width of your door) and found this one a couple of months ago for £4. The curtain is a heavy brocade, yellow/gold striped, fully-lined, and already had suitable header-tape.  As the drop was only 170cm, I added a border and additional lining at the bottom.  I already had the Laura Ashley striped linen fabric and lining. Make sure the curtain 'puddles' on the floor a bit so it acts as a draught-excluder.
Here's the snug hallway now; I promise you it's instantly warmer and looks cosy too...

 During the day it can be kept out of the way and it's easy to pull to the side if you need to open the door.

Altering an existing curtain is a good way to learn how curtains are made too, for future reference.
Keep warm and have a lovely weekend x

~Half-term catch-up~

It's half-term, which means time off work for me to catch up on stuff at home. 'Stuff' being household jobs like dripping taps, leaking radiators, overgrown garden needing putting to bed and an ironing pile the size of York Minster - you know the score. Plus household appliances going *kaput* all at the same time.

I am now also on a mission to make as many gifts as possible for Christmas, in the name of much-needed thrift, but also in the name of being grateful for all that we do have. We do not need big and unnecessary material spending - just time and a smidgin of love.
So, do you remember this pile of wool bought at a local car boot sale?...

Well, I taught myself to knit in the round using 2 sets of flexible needles in the Summer.  It was fiddly at first, but just remember  to use 1 set at a time - one is your working set and one is your sleeping set.  Detailed and excellent instruction to be found in this book by Loani Pryor...
Once again I am knitting wristwarmers; but these little beauties require no sewing up.

1 working set, 1 sleeping set - half the stitches on each set

A finished pair of these lovely wristwarmers finished

off with some vintage buttons...

The pattern for these wristwarmers is a lovely one found via Julie at Little Cotton Rabbits here
See you soon, keep warm x

~Charity Shop Find and Tea!~

I know all us thrifty types have had a moan about charity shops that have had a retail make-over (usually involves installation of laminate flooring and a dubious 'vintage' rail) with their bizarre pricing structure and lack of real bargains.  However, in my usual *glass half full* way, I don't believe they're all the same; I have discovered the best finds are found in independent, local charity shops.  My latest thrifty find was from one such place, which I will share so long as you keep it quiet!
'It's Donated' is an independent charity shop that is absolutely packed full of treasures and well worth a visit if you're in York.  It's in 'The Groves' a residential area near St. John's Uni and the Hospital.  I think it's closed on Wednesdays.

Image from www.192.com

It's Donated, Lowther Street, York, North Yorkshire YO31 7NB

  01904 689689 

 I bought a book, a vintage piece of children's fabric and this  Bodum Assam Tea Press, in great condition, £2...I'm so pleased as new ones cost £24.

At my Macmillan event my friend S bought me this loose leaf tea from a gorgeous shop in London...
So tonight I'll try my  lovely Earl Grey Blue Flower tea from Camellia Sinensis www.camelliasteahouse.com which is a tea room and retail shop off Carnaby Street.
S is a very accomplished lace-maker, crocheter (is that a word?) and knitter.  Here is one of two tea cosies she donated to my Macmillan raffle...

Tea cosy expertly knitted by friend S. which was a raffle prize at my
Macmillan coffee morning - sadly I didn't win *sob*

(Oooh and another couple of good charity shops in York are the RSPCA one in Gillygate and the Salvation Army one on the corner of Gillygate, opposite Lord Mayor's walk...)
Back soon hopefully, as life is a bit manic,
Take care x

~Car Boot Sale thrifting~

What a glorious Sunday morning to get up early and indulge in mine (and my Mum's) favourite pastime - the Car Boot Sale! As I've mentioned before; this local car boot is a good one, moderately-sized and held monthly between April - September, run by the Rotary Club. Look at the lovely blue sky at 8am!

There were about 10 rows of sellers - it's held on a grass field next to a plant nursery about a mile from my house.
This morning's finds include these very old glass baubles for my kitsch Christmas tree.  The little vintage elves are apparently Swedish...

Sorry to mention the 'C' word in late Summer, but they were a good find for £1.

Also I bought these 1970s stacking cake tins, which I remember being a fixture in my

 early 1970s childhood kitchen...

Originally there would have been 3 of them, but they are in good condition ( and Made in England!) Another good buy for £1.

I must away into the kitchen and attend to my pickles and preserves...

Enjoy your Sunday! xx

~Caravan Trip to Castle Howard~

We had a lovely few days away in 'Chateau H' at Castle Howard...despite the rain, the copious amounts of duck and goose poop and the mosquitos... All was cosy in Chateau H though with homemade chilli and chocolate brownies...

There was absolutely no mobile signal - not good when your daughter is at Leeds Fest and you're a nervous wreck!    Saturday night and early morning we had torrential rain and lightning, and I felt sick with worry thinking about poor L. in a tent and no way to contact her.

Next day we went into Malton and rang L - who was fine of course, but we do take our mobiles for granted I think...I was happier then and felt up to a Charity Shop reccie in malton and came away with this BHS lamp from the Hospice Shop (PAT tested and good to go for £3)

I think a table lamp is a cosy essential in a caravan.  With every trip we think of something that we need - this time it was a decent breadknife, a measuring jug and some insect repellant...
Lakeside Holiday Park is literally at the side of the Great Lake, so of course you'll get mozzy bites and woken up by the ducks at early o'clock, but it was beautiful.  This is the view when you ascend the banking of the lake and look across...

Photo borrowed from Mark Denton Photographic (www.markdentonphotographic.co.uk)

A lovely walk at dusk, lots of ducks and ducklings, moorhen and geese... Dogs weren't allowed around the immediate lake, though quite a few people ignored this, which is annoying. The touring site has a forest feel, which was a bit dark in places and our pitch was a bit waterlogged in the awning space. I think it teaches you to be a bit more assertive when booking - next trip I will ask for a sunny pitch that's not near a pedestrian thoroughfare.

We were opposite the shower block, which was modern and ok cleanliness wise, our only gripe was there is no shop on site, but there is a farm shop, deli and bakery up at Castle Howard itself.  A nice touch was when the ice-cream van came round, and also the delicious fish and chips from Pickering in a mobile van on Saturday night...

 We got reduced tickets into Castle Howard which had a family day with archery, cycling, climbing etc.
OH and J had a go on a 7-person conference bicycle up and down the drive at great speed, past the Atlas Fountain and the house itself...

Photo from internet 

My camera ran out of charge or I would have taken loads more piccies.

Lakeside Holiday Park
Coneysthorpe, York
www.castlehoward.co.uk

~More thrifting finds~

...Following on from my last post, my recent finds have also included these 3 beautiful brooches from the same lady at a car boot sale.

I'm not sure I can part with the cherry brooch, but I will probably be selling the strawberry brooch and the pink flower. Aren't they pretty?

~Thrifting Finds~

I'm not enjoying this muggy, oppressive weather which just leaves me feeling sticky and moody! I've decided I'm definitely a Spring and Autumn girl.  This afternoon and evening I've been in the garage continuing the painting of my dresser, but I thought I'd share some recent thrifting finds...
A couple of vintage 1970s cellular blankets...this pink one's wool and is destined for eBay...

...but I'm keeping this blue one, which I got for £1.

  Some Sirdar Sublime and King Cole Merino Wool for £1 at the Car Boot Sale.

Vintage book about York printed in 1951, 10p at the Car Boot Sale.

Woods Ware tiny cup and saucer (50p car boot sale) for my expanding utility china collection...

I know often we thrifters have slim pickings, especially at the charity shops, but there are still bargains to be had, especially at the less regular boot sales.  I think there are more householders having a good declutter, rather than the regular boot sale traders.  I could have spent a lot more, there was a pre-war teaset and a bevelled mirror I fancied, but I only went with ten pounds!