Object Of Desire

…… it’s been ages since I have done an “Object of Desire” post, however, I have “sort of” been taking an interest in furniture of late, working out what my style is, and I guess, if I could,  I would like  to embrace my inner bohemian ……!!!

…… and be very, very bold!!!
So, when I saw this dressing table in the window of the Sue Ryder shop in Evesham it was love at first sight!!!

It was in a bit of a state …… and I understand it’s not everyone’s cup of tea ….. but it’s everything I have ever dreamed of in a dressing table!!

I just love the little cupboards and drawers on either side of the mirror …… but at £245 it was not exactly a bargain …..

Oh well, I have set the bar high for myself and I first, I really need a house to put it in …… and then, would I be brave enough to paint it fuchsia pink or turquoise ?????? I hope I would ……. but It’s good to dream anyway!!!

Wooden Heart Tags With A Charm

These white, wooden hearts with a very useful eyelet came from the wedding section of Hobbycraft, they cost £3.00 for a pack of 12 ……

…… but I managed to pay just  £2.25 when they  were in a sale, which works out at about 16p each.  http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/white-wooden-heart-with-eyelet/596019-1000

They are part of my stash that needs to be used up and I thought what could be any quicker to do than tags!!! I am always nervous when I handwrite straight on to something and these were no exception.  I used a black fine liner pen, but made sure I gave the ink ample time to dry before fiddling anymore with the heart.

I was just going to add the red ribbon, but got to thinking that I also have a pile of silver charms that need using up too, so added, in this instance a bee,  attaching it to the eyelet with a jump ring.  When I start my “conveyor belt” of tag making,  I will vary the type of charm and the ribbons, to give a variety of choice, when I come to sell them.

I’ve experimented a little with the packaging (the tags might get put away for a while and I didn’t want to risk them getting grubby) and decided to keep it very simple using a piece of dark blue card in a cello bag.

Iris’s First Birthday Card

This card is A5 in size and is made using a hand cut, white linen effect blank.

I can’t believe a year has passed and it was Iris’s first birthday yesterday, it’s like she has always been with us  …. and this, is the card I made her.

I can’t believe I used a whole packet of stickers on it ….. once I started I just couldn’t stop, but I think I got away with it in an over the top, first birthday type way!!!!

The stickers came from Tiger, my favourite shop when I go into Hammersmith, when I stay with Marc.  We are usually in there for an hour plus …. going over everything and discussing at great length a products possible crafting potential!! Anyway, as I am being very frugal these days, I only bought one pack, where in the past I would have bought at least 5 (usually more), spending just £1 ……

The glittered, self adhesive letters came from a Papermania Christmas range about three years back and match the gingham background pattern perfectly.  I’ve also added a very small gold/yellow gem at each end of the bird’s “banners”, for even more glitz and my usual faux stitching, doodling and scattered three dots to finish the design.  Happy Birthday Iris!

Summer Time Heads Up ……

If you are thinking about making small bags of sweets together for summer fayres etc. popping into Poundland might be a good idea as they have some nice “seaside” themed sweets.

If I was still at work, I would definitely be putting a “Happy Holidays” fairing together for the staff I worked with ……. might be an idea for the little ones to give to their teacher without breaking the bank …..

I would get them to draw or collage a seaside picture on one side of a postcard, with a “Happy Holiday” message on the back and then punch a hole in the corner, threading one or two of the dummies on a ribbon through the hole to attach to the card. Simples!

http://www.poundland.co.uk/food-and-drink/sweets-and-snacks/sweets-mints-and-gum

Dino Poop Party Favour Jars And A Makeshift Dinosaur Door Wreath

Following my post on Friday, about my 10,000BC/Dinosaur Leaving Party, I thought I would show you the favours I made for my guests as a little memento.I’ll be honest, I wanted to find a way to use up a box of jars I had gathered from various poundshops. All came in packs of four (£1), so at 25p a jar, they were/still are a bargain.

I will also admit that I made them in rather a rush, leaving everything to the last minute ……  I know I could have put them together a little more “professionally”, so, if I wanted to make them again to sell, I am going to add what I “coulda,woulda,shoulda” done in this post as well …….

Firstly, I filled the jars, trying to keep costa down with Tesco Everyday Value Midget Gems at 25p for 175g bag, from which I could fill one and half jars …… But, if I was making them to sell, I would fill them with something like Toffee Crisp or Twirl Bites, Chocolate Buttons or Carmel Nibbles (all Poundland) to make them look ….. erm, how shall I put it, more realistic!!!!!!

On top of each jar lid I glue gunned a small dinosaur …. some I got at the village Easter Fayre for pence and the others, came from The Entertainer, reduced to £1!  If I was doing them again, perhaps I would cut a circle of dolls house/model makers grass or some self adhesive Vivelle to add a little more “realism and detail” …. but this would be an added expense if you don’t have that sort of thing amongst your stash.

And lastly, I could have used my Stampin’Up punches to make the jar labels a little more elaborate …… but just for this occasion I made do with simply printing out “Dino Poop” and then punching out, before adding a quick dollop of glue to stick them on each side of the jar.

On my front door I simply added the dinosaurs that were left over to my twig wreath, which is also decorated, all the year around with two sets of Poundshop battery operated lights.

It did the job!!!!

How Very Remiss Of Me – Pictures Of My Leaving Party

I can’t believe that it’s just over four weeks since I left work ….. and do I miss it ….. well ….. erm …. in one word,  “no”!!!!!!

I left on a Friday and by the Monday it all seemed like a million miles away, it was hard even imagining my ever being there, it felt quite strange, but on my last day I remember thinking I just want to be gone ….

……. I didn’t even shed a tear, which only served to tell me that I really was doing right thing and with hindsight (what a wonderful thing), I should have done it in July last year as I had originally planned to do.

I do miss my circle of friends, and perhaps a little of the gossip, ….. but it wasn’t a happy place and I know other people have made the same decision.

But ……I had a party and forgot to share it with you …… so here they are.  The theme was 10,000BC and Dinosaurs …. why ….goodness only knows …… but everyone dressed up which made it soooooo hirarious!

I’ll let the pictures tell the story …..

…… but I feel I need to say that not one sip of alcohol was quaffed …..

……. all the hilarity was fuelled by great friendships … 

…… to spite adversity

….. as a relief from stress …..

…… and a mahooooosive sense of fun and mischief.

I have promised more parties when I am settled and in a routine …… so we can all catch up ….

….. but I think you can see from the pictures what a fabulous night it was and a perfect way to end one chapter in my life to start an exciting new one!!!!

A Little Bird Told Me …… Card

This card measures 4.5ins x 4.5ins and is made using a white linen effect, hand cut card blank

I am not sure about this card ……. I think it’s one that I will have to revisit.  Using a felt self adhesive bird sticker I got from Michael’s in Las Vegas on my holiday of a lifetime holiday two years ago ……. I don’t know if the gingham really adds anything to the design ……. it is very less is more already  ….. but in losing the gingham and leaving the bird and the writing, I don’t think much will be lost …….. ??????

Lovely Memories ……. And My Pound Purchase From The Three Counties Showground Flea Market With Marc And Rick.

As you may have seen, if you read my monkey blog, I stayed with Marc and Rick in Worcester recently to  celebrate Marc’s birthday and to watch Eurovision together for the first time, after our mahoooosive disappointment when despite coming up with a weird convoluted story as to why I was going to be late for work one morning  ……we failed to get tickets for the real thing when tickets sold out in 20 minutes flat!On Eurovision Day there was much competition between me and Rick as to who was going to have the very comfortable, motorised armchair for the evening, in the end Rick resorted to using dirty tactics, staking his claim by laying out his towels and his bathrobe on said chair, but in the end …. I got it!!!

We had so much fun, and I have never seen or heard Marc laugh soooooo much and soooooooo loudly at the sight of me sitting on the garden bench in my dinosaur onsie, talking to three monkeys!!!  He howled, he may have even cried …… but it was a perfect, unforgettable moment!! 

One of the highlights, apart from Marc’s humungous black cherry and chocolate trifle which included some sort of alcohol in every single layer ….. including Baileys in the cream on top, which will stay with me (and my hips) forever,  was a trip to a “flea market” at the Three Counties Showground, my idea of absolute heaven ……

…….. and we got to see them filming Bargain Hunt, which was such a bonus, as I have always wanted to have a go!!!

Anyway, I said that I had £5 burning in my pocket and I wasn’t leaving until it was spent and it was only at almost the last stall that I spent just £1 of that fiver ….. on a tiny child’s garden chair ….. when the man said “You can have that for a quid” ….. my pound was out in ten seconds flat …… well ….. the chair was riddled with woodworm on not so close inspection …… but it didn’t matter as I knew exactly where the chair was going!

The chair also needed a little work at the back which Marc set about sorting for me when we got back …… with the aid of his trusty Jeweller Maker toolkit and was then duly painted green, in an effort to suffocate some of the woodworm!!!!!

The chair is now in my garden (well away from any other wood) ….. perhaps I need to sort/arrange a few more pots around it ……..but that will come…..

…… and every time I look at it, it will bring back so many memories of my lovely Bank Holiday in Worcester with Marc, Rick and The Girls!!!