I Try Temu For The Very First Time.

I said I wouldn’t get sucked into Temu, but after being bombarded by ads I gave up just to see if it was any good, well, I have to admit I am now hooked!

Orders over £10 are free and unbelievably parcels arrived via Evri (not my favourite delivery company admittedly) within a week!

My initial order was mainly for Christmas brooches, with the idea that if my mojo doesn’t return, what else could I find as small fairing gifts from Iris and Bertie to give to their lunchtime supervisors, kitchen staff, Breakfast Club etc. for Christmas instead.

I ordered quite a few, with fingers firmly crossed as these snowmen only cost me 98p each. I can’t believe the quality and how well made they are and most importantly, the pins look like they will definitely not let them down. 

I will then pop a brooch into one of  these 7cm x 5cm, burlap, drawstring bags (£5.99 for 50, which works out at about 12p per bag)  with perhaps a chocolate snowman or two and then get Iris and Bertie to give them out on 1st December so that everyone has one to wear on their school lanyards etc. for Advent and hopefully beyond.  I need to add something to the front of the bags to jolly them up a bit, I’m thinking a wooden Christmas button (?) and when I do, I will post the result on here, on a Monday, at a later date.

Iris is absolutely panda mad at the moment, so I also added these little trinkets to my first haul.  The pocket hug will go in her backpack on her first day back at school and the necklaces put away for those days when she deserves a little treat or put in a cracker at Christmas. The pendants are lovely, the chains aren't the best quality, but more than enough for a little girl to wear.

As a family, our very favourite animal of choice is the capybara, don’t ask me why, but they are always the animal we seek out first when we go to a zoo etc. and spend most time oooooing and ahhhing at. So what can I say? A pack of huge stickers with the potential of adding to cards and tags plus a badge that will be put on a small 4cm x 4cm canvas and easel for Tom, as he is the pottiest about the creatures.

The stickers (including another panda set, not pictured) were ordered to see how big they actually were. To be honest, I didn’t really read the bumf, so was really expecting something of a teeny weeny nature, boy was I surprised, they are mahoosive, as you can see when set beside a pen! I will definitely be ordering more varieties to cover all seasons, because every child I read with, in school on a Wednesday and Thursday is always desperate for  Mrs Geddes sticker!  Well, these have just upped the ante and are well worth reading another couple of pages for!

I was also curious about the quality of Temu’s socks, as the prices seemed ridiculous, so I ordered one of the prettiest but cheapest set I could find.  Again, I am impressed, I thought they would be all “thready” inside, where the colours change and join up, something I’ve caught my toes in, in the past, when wearing other patterned socks, but these are smooth inside, so hopefully, no snagged toe nails. I’m not sure how robust they will be, they seem OK, and I really like them. I have since ordered a pair of a Skeletor design (from He-man, don’t ask) for Tom to see what they are like.

I will also definitely be ordering some more of these small treasure chests, now I have seen them in the flesh as it were, to put a few more “fairing” gifts together. They are a perfect fit for two Ferrero Rocher chocolates.  How cute would they look as a place setting on a festive table.  I may add a few flat back gems here and there, but I love them and will now be perusing the shop shelves of other things to put in them, small bath fizzers, chocolate coins etc.?

I was also interested in the large capacity tote bags, always useful when out and about …….. but were they that big?

Yes, wow they were, folding flat into a wallet type shape!  This one was £2.48 and again I cannot quibble over the quality, which certainly cannot be described as flimsy in any way, so impressed that I have since ordered a few more, a couple for me and the others as stocking fillers. The designs are delicious and cover all sorts themes and interests of the user.

I ordered a few more other bits and pieces which will hopefully feature in the future as part of a crafty idea ……..

…… including these 3.5ins, wooden, bauble shapes (£3.59 for 20) which I am hoping to use as part of this years Monkey Christmas card/fairing, if I can get them to co-operate in an unseasonal festive photoshoot!

My only tip when buying from Temu is shop around for the best price for what it is you want, prices do vary quite a bit and seem to change continually and if there are multiple choices of design and colour, check very carefully that you have ticked the right option.

Anyway, as I have said, I am very impressed. I have a couple more orders to come and I will share anything that I think is particularly good. I have ordered a t-shirt for Iris and Bertie to check their quality, as I have ordered a couple of adult sizes from Ali Express before for Halloween and the material is dire, a cross between nylon and polyester, OK to wear as a joke or for a one off occassion, but not for, how shall I put it, best! 

Bedroom Change Up

Buoyed by my little hall makeover, I then decided to do something with my bedroom, there really wasn’t anything wrong with it, I just wanted more colour as a comfort for the long gloomy months ahead, all the white made it feel fresh, but cold.

So……. I started with the original 60’s/70’s fish eye mirrors above the bed, which were originally painted black when I bought them from a couple of charity shops and Malvern flea, for no more than £4 each. I re-sprayed the middle one yellow and I liked it, so then decided to spray the other two pink. 

However, despite spraying on to a white base ……….

……..the colour came out decidedly purple, compared to the pink on the lid, this might have peed me off if pink is what I had set my heart on, but as purple was also on my colour palette I carried on spraying with gay abandon!

I thought I may have better luck using the same colour on the other silver mirror I had on the side wall, but again it came out very purple, but again I could live with it!

Next, the bit I was dreading, painting behind the bed in a deeper shade of teal to the other three walls, using paint I already had. I HATE painting, no matter how small the space ……..

…..and even though it didn’t look all that different, it still took three good coats to get an even colour!

Not all that much work to be honest, so within a day I was ready to put it all together.  I had already bought plain mustard, purple and teal bedding to give me the option of making a subtle change or two when washing day comes around, taking colours from the £8 crocheted charity shop blanket I beat Marc to when we went shopping a few years back in Worcester, let’s just say, he still hasn’t forgiven me!

The patterned cushion covers came from Temu and cost just just £1.89 each, which I think work with the blanket as a contrast (?)  The cushion inners cost me £3.00 for the two, from my favourite Evesham charity shop.  They came with pristine M & S covers, which I was able to donate back, so win win all round.

On the mirror sconces I hung all the worry beads and dingle dangles I’ve collected over the years from all our various Greek Odysseys. 

The only thing I need to change up now is the lamp (Ikea), another bargain £6 charity shop buy, so it owes me nothing.  I want something a little more exotic, multicoloured and most likely, Moroccan in style, I’ve got one in my Amazon basket, but I’m currently holding out until I go to Coventry and Poole in the next month or so, just in case I stumble across something really different on my charity shop shopping expeditions, fingers crossed!

Seasonal Brooches From Ali Express

A few seasonal brooches today  from Ali Express, some I have bought for Advent presents to wear from the start of December, a small tranklement instead of a Christmas card. The others will probably be framed rather than being worn, to reflect the interests of the people I am giving them to.

This stunning and quite large enamel and rhinestone pumpkin is for me to wear when I am listening to readers in school during October and a little into November, to look a little seasonal, but not obviously Halloweeny, so as not to offend anyone, as it is quite a church orientated school.

These brooches will be among the others Iris and Bertie will give to their non teaching members of staff, lunchtime supervisors etc. in school. What other Christmassy themed presents could you buy at these pocket money prices?

They are really put together well, all stones present and correct which will hopefully last for the month of December at least. The pins, which I always check out first, also seem very robust.

This is my absolute favourite, just look at all the gems and for just £2.03?  This is one will definitely be framed, I just need to source some small, shadow boxes frames (Hobbycraft, The Works?) .

These two dangly brooches are also destined to be framed.

I have no plans for these enamel affect  cats just yet, I just wanted to see the quality, which certainly did not disappoint.

So, that’s my little haul. I particularly like Ali Express for all their kitschy religious bits and pieces, which are hard to find anywhere else at such reasonable prices.  It’s always been on my mind to make a Mexican type shrine/niche and Ali Express would my first port of call for all the little Mary’s, medals, beads etc.

I Discover ………. Iron Orchid Designs – Ginger And Spice

When I last stayed with Marc at the cottage in Worcester, he introduced me to the wonders of Iron Orchid Designs and had me spellbound watching various tutorials on YouTube on ways to use them, I was hooked. 

https://ironorchiddesigns.com/

However, when I got home I put most of the ideas to bed, as they seemed to be more appropriate for furniture type projects I might have liked to have a go at, if it weren’t for the space limitations of The Towers, although mirror frames, boxes and vases are also a few other options of many,  but then, what does he go and do to me ……..

……. only sends me one of their new release, limited edition, Ginger and Spice moulds, knowing how much I love a good old gingerbread man! I was speechless! So, after ordering a bucket of Crayola Model Magic, air dry foam (only because I’ve used it before and liked it)………

……… plus a pack of white Fimo air drying clay for good measure, I spent the next evening watching more tutorials, so I was sure I wouldn’t cock up too much, when I finally had a go myself.

You are supposed to brush a little cornflour into the moulds to help them release easily, but as I didn’t have any. I used talcum powder on this one occassion as I was impatient to get started, it seemed to work ok though.

The mould tell you how much clay you will need to fill each shape and also has a raised edge round each shape, which, when you tidy up round them leaves no straggly bits round the extracted shape. They have thought of everything.

The detail is unbelievable.  The candy canes and wrapped sweets were a bit fiddly due to the shallower depth of the twisted part of the wrapper and the shape of the cane, but I got there in the end, leaving them to dry for a day or so before I was ready to paint them.

https://www.yorkshiresittingpretty.com/collections/iron-orchid-designs

Iron Orchid products are not cheap, the moulds cost around £26.95 each. I’ve added a link above to a UK company that appears to have a good range (including Iron Orchid air dry clay), however I must stress that I haven’t actually purchased anything from them ……. as of yet!

I was going to put everything together to make a wreath, however what I have doesn’t look right, so I think I need to pop into The Works and see if they have anything among their wooden plaques etc. or perhaps I might find a frame or something of a suitable or interesting type nature on my charity shop travels.

Happy days Marc …….. look what you’ve started!

Heads Up – Halloween Hits Home Bargains

Just a couple of things today, I nipped into Home Bargains, and lo and behold they got their Halloween stuff out, now I really don’t need anything, but it would have been rude not to look …….. and yes, I caved in and did make a couple of considered purchases ……..

I mean, how cute is this sweet jar …… for much less than my usual cup of coffee when out and about in town, it had to be mine for just £1.99 and I’m sure I’ll think of something suitable to put in it, jelly spiders etc. when Iris and Bertie come over for their annual Halloween sleepover.

I quite liked these stacked pumpkin ornaments for £2.99, but there is only so much I can store in my small flat, which, let’s be honest, will only be seen/come out for one month of the year, so I think I can manage to resist these, but I thought the price was really good.

I will however l admit to sneaking a little ghost planter into my basket (£1.99) and may have to go back for a mummy one too, they just made me smile   …….. I had two of the pumpkins from last year, so I may as well make up a set!

The Works have some interesting stuff too, however I don’t plan on doing much Halloween crafting this year as I have enough bits and pieces leftover from previous years to give as fairing gifts, so again am seriously resisting …..for now …….

…….. however I did buy some of their false eyeballs (pack of 12 for £1.50)  as I thought they might sell out pretty fast …. but goodness only knows what I’m going to do with them ……….

Revamping The Towers

Although I am not in the mood to make any fiddle farty tranklements at the moment, with the autumn slowly creeping onwards and the dark nights closing in, I wanted to add some pops of colour to The Towers without going to the expense and upheaval of redecorating completely …… so to get me started I thought I would tackle a small part of the hall that was looking decidedly a little lacklustre.

I’ve never really liked the darkness of the clock ……… so decided to spray paint it yellow, but after two cans of bright yellow, it didn’t really work …….

…..the colour added nothing and it just looked even more disjointed than ever, instead bringing everything together with a pop, aghhhhhhhh!

I’d toyed with the idea of Decopatch in the past, but didn’t want the flat to turn into Decopatch Towers, but rather than look for yet another paint colour, I decided to give it a whirl, as I already had all the stuff to do it for free (sort of) sticking to papers that had blue/turquoise in them.

Within the first five minutes I knew it was working and then within an hour and a bit it was done, followed by five/six good coats of quick drying, clear varnish over the next two days.  I am thrilled.

I finally felt like I am getting somewhere in this small area and can’t help but smile every time I look at the clock.

I now need to varnish the shelved unit, I had it chalk painted, but am not impressed, as it has chipped in places.  I am going to go over the chipped areas with the leftover paint and then varnish it with a clear, mat varnish, which might (?) perk up the colour a bit too.

The 10p dark wood, charity shop candlestick is destined to be painted pink and the large £3.99 (Salvation Army) candle stand potentially purple, with a large, trailing plant (?)  I also think it needs to be on a square block to make it a little higher, so I am currently on the look for something suitable, not sure what, but I’ll know it when I see it, for just the right price!