Good things come to those who wait...

Time has flown by! I have now entered in to my final year at Uni! This is where it all counts!! So I have been very studious..but sadly that means little crafting! However, I've been searching for a vintage sewing machine for some time but something's never been right- it's in too bad a condition, it's too overpriced, etc. But... I have just received a gorgeous one, which has my partner's surname on it ("Jones") and it's just perfect, given to me by his mum! I am sooo over the moon! 

Isn't she wonderful!?

Quick crafts!

So, I've had two gifts recently; the first being stamps and the second a dozen crotched coasters! I set to work trying to use them in a creative way...I hope you like what I've done with them!

With the stamps...apart from stamping anything and EVERYTHING in sight...I painted this little wooden frame, cut up a few envelopes from the post that morning and put it all together.

Ta-dar!

VERY simple, but I like it!

Next, with a bunch of crotched coasters I set about doing two things: making bunting and decorating a jar.

For the bunting, I grabbed some wool and crotchet a simple chain stitch, attaching a coaster every 35ch.

Very pleased with the results! Not sure if it should just come out at Christmas?! But for now it's staying up.

The jar I wanted to jazz up holds my stash of embroidery thread and bits of ribbon/lace etc. I simply measured a piece of ribbon to fit the jar and stitched it to the coaster. Easy Peasy.

Hope everyone has a great bank holiday!

Car-boot beauties!

Another sunday morning sifting through other people's 'tat' to find some marvellous treasure! Great morning rummaging-came home with all these lovelies for less than a tenner!






And my fave pick of the day, this wonderful Kodak Retinette! Takes 35mm film- so vintage but practical! Always the best! Loaded it up with some film and I've started snapping away! Can't wait to see how the roll comes out!

Isn't she a dream?

So...I ranted about the floral chair...and thanks to my (perhaps obsessive) need to go in the charity shop preeettyyy much everyday-this beauty greeted me.


I'm picturing it transformed with a lick of cream paint, a little distressing and a tad bit of bunting.
If you look closely you can even see the cut-out heart detail along the dresser...swoon. An added bonus was that I got it for £30 cheaper than the asking price- and the boyf likes it! Great day...now I just need to go in more charity shops to fill the shelves.

Uh-oh.

Furniture...

So as previously posted, me and the boyf will be moving in together in the near future- we have a date in mind and have been starting to collect some bits and bobs together...well...mostly me hoarding car boot junk in my room, but you get the idea! I popped into one of the local charity shops this week and spotted this arm chair.

Now, I'm in two minds about it...I love it, well actually I just mostly love it, but then there's a sliver in me that thinks, maybe that's a little TOO floral?! I just don't know...but it was £20...and my money was CERTAINLY burning in my pocket! So I sent a quick snap to the boyf for his judgement (wow! Technology is awesome) and lo and behold he replied "I couldn't live with that. You need your eyes testing." Darn. Oh well...I think I'll have to compromise with a few floral cushions instead of this beast.

Maybe moving in together isn't the best idea?

Painting a Poppy.

My dad’s a wonderful oil painter and I’ve been steadily getting more and more curious about the craft. So I’ve been attending a class on a Saturday morning, and have just finished this, not-much-bigger-than-a-postcard, poppy!



I’m very pleased with it, and am planning to give it to mum as a pressie. This evening I’ve been getting stuck in to my next painting...a little blue tit. Wish me luck...I’ll pop up a post when I’m done!

Car-boot beauties!

Haven't been to the car-boots in a while...as previously stated, I've been busy..and maybe hungover! But I spotted these lovely gardening books on Sunday.



I can't wait for a garden of my own! Pouring over these beautiful pages will have to do, for now! I also picked up a very plain wooden cutlery tray for 25p at the boot sale.



Nothing much. But then I painted it with a little grey emulsion...and ta-daarr! A jewellery tray...yep, for 25 pence!




Hurry up weekend! I'm desperate for another rummage at the car-boot!

In the post...

So, it's been a while...I've been on my jollies, I've been saving pennies and I've been knuckling down on uni work so I haven't posted in quite some time! Apologies!

As I previously stated, I won Caroline's, at the lovely Cream teas and Crafternoons give-away...and look at the goodies that came through the door!


A lovely cath kidston fabric bag, a needle case and a dainty tissue holder! So lucky, and so very grateful! Finally Caroline's "thank you" card is in the post now...better late than never, huh?!

Yay!

Just a quick post to share with you all that I've won the lovely Caroline's first blog birthday at Cream teas and Crafternoons! Hurrah! As I was telling Caroline..this is the first give away I've won...and it's my birthday at the weekend...perfect timing! Thank you very much Caroline..I'll do a post on the goodies asap!

Hope you're all having as good a day as me!

Crotchet, curtain rings and cabinets!

As you can see, due to uni work and going on my jollies (Cornwall and Isle of Man) I've been a very bad blogger...and have quickly (well, maybe not that quickly) tried to rectify this by jotting down a post before the month ends! P.s. Apologies for the terrible pictures- they've been taken using my not-so-great phone!

Since I've now finished my second year of uni I've thrown myself in to crafting! As previously blogged, I've started crotcheting granny squares, and they're not going too badly to say I've taught myself thanks to the wonderful resource of youtube!



I've also been inspired by the wonderful blog by Ella Masters, by crafting with curtain rings! Her post illustrates how to transform the meager curtain ring into a necklace. Using her idea, finding 12 curtain rings in a charity shop for 20p, and discovering some old floral and peach bedsheets, I set to work and have made some bits to go up on the bedroom wall!



My knitted patchwork blanket is progressing steadily...




And my lovely mum, whilst wandering in cornwall discovered a tiny little craft shop...and proceeded to buy me this gorgeous knitting bag to store my wool and needles in! Aren't I lucky?!



And, finally (!), the most exciting news of all, me and the boyf are finally going to be living together very soon!!! So, in all the excitement, we, perhaps hastily (but it was such a bargain we couldn't refuse!) bought a corner unit! We've sanded it and it's had its first coat of paint on...so updates on that will appear over the next few weeks!



I can't wait to move in with him! In no time at all I'll be growing strawberry plants, baking and knitting whilst watching "Some like it hot!" Yay!

Hello Crotchet!

Beautiful pastel crotchet hearts!

As you know I've started knitting...but friday night I became extremely bored of revising and decided to watch a few youtube clips to learn how to crotchet a granny square! I must say- even if I do say so myself- they're pretty good! (photos to follow) But as I was browsing the web I came across this beautiful image and free pattern and am hoping to give these a whirl soon!

Car-boot beauties!

I am THRILLED with my purchases on Sunday at the local car-boot! Bought some lovely picture frames, a couple of necklaces and a golf rack (for the boyf!) But my BEST bargains of the day were these beauties...

Gorgeous typewriter in full working order...(LOVE the colours!)...just need to get myself some ribbon! And how much was she? £2!!!

Original 1950's Diana camera in its box... £1!

Coronet 'Week-end' Camera...£1! Although I'm struggling to find out what film this camera takes. The guy at the car-boot gave me some 126 film free with it, but he wasn't 100% if it was the correct film? Any ideas anyone!?

Beautiful Brownie camera! Was REALLY chuffed with this purchase...my mum, knowing my love for vintage finds and my knew passion for photography, kicked herself when she realised she threw away her first camera, the brownie. Now I have my very own, and mum can't wait for a go on it either! Bargain price...50p!

And finally, a classic Coronet box style. Isn't she beautiful?! Again, just £1! As you can imagine...I'm SO pleased with my car-boot finds...although I fear this may begin an addiction to sunday morning car-boot sprees...my purse isn't going to be happy!

Look at my treasures...

A little trip to the local Antique Shop and look at the beauties I found! Vintage faux-snake skin black handbag £4; 6 beautifully patterned coasters and holder 50p; Dainty bird necklace £2; 3 vintage postcards 20p each; Amazing embroidered hand mirror £1! Very happy thrifter indeed!

Moo...

Over the Royal Wedding Weekend a few of the girls from Uni popped down into my neck of the woods and off we traipsed to Chatsworth House(One friend did confuse this with Chatsworth Estate, but I reassured her we wouldn't be spotting Mimi anywhere!)Of course, while we were there we HAD to visit the Farm! Hurrah! Here are a few snaps of the piglets, lambs and a GORGEOUS brown cow I wanted to take home!

Bloomin' Marvellous!

With all this lovely sunshine the blossom's are really starting to come out, aren't they? Just a couple of pictures from my rounds of the lovely blooms!

I love...

TEA TOWELS!!! At the minute I keep coming across so many gorgeous tea towels...and I can't get enough of them! Mary Fellows has particularly caught my eye with her quirky and vintage inspired collection...they're too lovely to dry the pots with!