a little bit of this and that !

Don't you find that some of the little changes you do, make you smile as much as bigger projects.

I am working on a couple of larger things at the moment but I'm so pleased that I finally......

 

found something to put in this trio of pots. I have had them for at least 15 years, and most of the time they have been empty.

Sometimes I put cyclamens in them, but I wanted something more permanent and when I was dusting I put the coral in one and thought 'that's it' - I just went with beach stuff, the coral, seaweed and a bit of rusty metal.

 

 

They look cute on the metre box shelf with other beach finds. I also swapped the birdcage for my new mini greenhouse and put some books, a plate and a couple of Noritake coffee cups inside.

 

 

I've been looking at the shiny brass of my chandelier for ages and finally.......

 

 

put some white paint on it (I'm now wondering whether I should have tried to age the brass !?!) and gave it a pale blue silk bandage, because all chandeliers need bandages !

Anyway, white or aged brass, I'm just happy with the piece of silk I found in my stash, because it suits the dining room.

 

I also finally took the plug off my driftwood lamp, fed the wire down the back of the cabinet, and re-attached it.

 

You can see it coming out the front in this picture. Trust me (I didn't think an after shot was necessary!), it now goes down the back and into the plug socket that is actually inside the cupboard.

It only took me seven months to get around to this - not bad huh !

 

I found the one thing I'd been looking for, to finish off the styling of my new cabinet..................

 

 

Amaretti biscuits to go into my little cheese dome/cloche. I love the little green and blue papers, perfect for my buffet.

 

And the one thing that is really really making me smile is changing the door on this bathroom cabinet from this.........

to this.........................

 

I'm chuffed to bits, because I changed the door myself.

I took the door off and the laundry bin section, and bought new hinges that matched the top section, and then spent a couple of hours re-fitting the door. I had to take it off once and start again because I learnt something..........you have to attach the hinges to the door first, then fit the door to the frame.

Some of you are shouting at me 'I know that'. Well, I didn't and now I do, and it fits and hangs straight, yippee.

 

All these simple things make me smile (not the dusting, or the plate sitting on the bin), because a little bit of this and that does you good !

 

 

 

 

 

 

my new cabinet

I really felt that my new cabinet needed something large on it, like a lamp.

I also envisaged a narrow shelf above it, the sort I've seen on other blogs. I was sure TKMaxx would have what I was looking for, so when my BFF visited recently we went to Homesense in Chichester. I found the perfect shelf almost immediately for £5.99.

 

And painted it white, distressed it and hung it up the same day !

 

 

The only large lamp was £250.00 and even if I could have afforded it I wouldn't have bought it, so I kept hunting round.

 

When you go with your bff who has different taste to you, you have to make sure you don't get swayed. Dear Pandy kept pointing out loads of things (that I'm so glad I didn't bring home), but I spied something large, something that I knew would work, and something I was so pleased I brought home with me, coz I love it.

 

 

A bottle drier/hanger thingamajig. I'm guessing that it's not authentic, but it sure looks old and industrial to me and fits in perfectly and it was only £16.99.

 

I just put a couple of jugs, mugs and cups on it, it seems to look better not over filled.

 

It's turned into a bit of a buffet I guess. There's a wooden tray with old tablecloths, some napkins and an empty cheese dome (I will find something to go in it eventually). The basket is filled with natural stuff, shells, sea weed and pine cones. The little pansy print I found recently for £2, I just love the colour, though it hasn't photographed well.

 

 

 

 

I shopped my house for other pieces, my faux bonsai and my favourite tea light holders now have pride of place on the shelf. The oval plate belonged to my mother, the Christmas turkey was always served on it. It's funny how I always thought it was huge as a child, now it seems quite small.

 

I feel like I need something bigger on the wall, but the idea I have means adding something else to my ever expanding 'to do' list, so for now it'll stay as it is.

 

I'm so pleased I bought this cabinet, it really seems to suit my little house.

 

 

And what's even better, I have more storage. One can never have enough places to put 'stuff' !

 

Linking up with

Make it pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House

Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays @ Coastal Charm

Knick of Time Tuesdays @ Knick of Time

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

The Scoop @ The Farmhouse Porch

Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Treasure Hunt Thursday @ From My Front Porch To Yours

Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here

Inspire Me Link Party @ Liz Marie Blog

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

Be Inspired @ Common Ground

Shabbilicious Friday link party @ Shabby Art Boutique

Silver Pennies Sundays Link Party @ Silver Pennies

 

a few quid, some wonga or extra spondulies # 3

I have a list a mile long of things I need for this house. Top of the list is a rug to cover the threadbare carpet left by the tenants. Then there's the chair I desperately want recovered, because I can't bear looking at the topiary tree fabric any more. Then there's this and that and a lot of other things.

What I didn't need was an extra piece of furniture to go along my only free wall downstairs. I always loved this tongue and groove wall, with nothing in front of it except my tree at Christmas. I have never even hung anything on it because with so much stuff everywhere else, I felt I needed the blank space.



This is my blank wall, with the understairs cupboard that has a pebble handle, and oops, there's the hoover cord !

So what do I go and do. I buy something I don't need, but that I fell in love with.

I bought this..........

It's odd how the paint has chipped off everywhere except the middle section and the door on the right.

A very chippy, shabby old cabinet, with a marble top and great details. I went and looked at it three times to make sure I loved it enough, and to check the measurements. It only just fits between the architrave of the hall door and the understairs cupboard.

I love the carved detail on the front and on the corners, and the escutcheons are really pretty. I even have the original key, although unfortunately the lock mechanism is missing on the right hand side.

I cleaned it up, and scrubbed the marble top which was really dirty and covered in candle wax.

 

Then I had the best task, shopping my house trying to find stuff to put on it !

 

I tried this fake plant, which looked great, but then I missed it being on the table under the mirror.

 

The view through to the hall.

The view from the hall - this side doesn't have much chipping either.

 Then I tried my storm lantern with candle and driftwood, but I missed it off the dining room table !

 

 



What it really needed was something large, like a lamp, something I didn't have.

Which meant only one thing - I needed to go shopping !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And if you're wondering, the cabinet was £135, which means that I have spent about £180 so far (if you've been following along). And my last little bit of shopping (that I will show you next time) only took the total to about £200, which is only just over half of my overtime pay, so I'm still not feeling guilty about my little splurge..........