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

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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..........

a few quid, some wonga or extra spondulies # 2

So carrying on from the previous post, I spent some more dosh !

I was given a unit for my bathroom and it gave me a few ideas of how to give the bathroom a slightly new look without the expense of a whole new suite (which would be quite costly seeing as how I would love a small wall knocked out, a new shower, bath, toilet and a marble topped double sink unit !!).

 

This is the unit (next to my rather shabby old shower) with a pull out dirty linen basket. I seriously need some storage in here, so I'm going to change it (hopefully) and paint it to meet my requirements, but I spent some Wonga on the two baskets. One for the top to give it some height, and the smaller one that will hopefully display prettier things, when I'm done (although it doesn't look like it in the picture, they are actually the same colour).

 

 

In the same shop I also picked up the round mirror (yes, unfortunately I do have a yellow bath). The mirror has fluted edges, and I'll be painting it white ! There are also some letters sitting on the chair, that I'd been eyeing up in the shop for a while. They were on sale, so I picked up B.A.T.H.E. and when they're painted I hope they look good hung vertically beside the cabinet.

 

This little haul cost me approx. £30, so at this stage I wasn't quite done spending my extra spondulies !

 

I just thought I'd take a look in T K Maxx. I found nothing I really needed, nor seriously wanted, until I walked past three women engrossed in a few shelves of reduced stock behind the shoe section. There on the top shelf was this.....

 

 

a miniature greenhouse, on sale for £8.00 !!! YIPEE, and just missing a little handle.

I wouldn't have spent the original £24.99 it cost because I didn't love it enough at that price, but £8.00 is perfect for a thing I don't need or potentially have space for !

 

So now, my total spending was less than £50.00, but..........

it still didn't stop there, and I went LARGER, much larger, but I'll show you next time.............

 

And please don't hold your breath on the mini bathroom makeover, because I can't seem to focus.

I'm still working on the front garden, the back garden and a potting bench. I have big plans for my hall, my bedroom and I keep fussing about in the guest room too - ahhhh, if only I didn't have to work 5 days a week !!!

a few quid, some wonga or extra spondulies # 1

In case all this is just gibberish to you, what I'm trying to tell you is that I'm feeling a bit flush !
I have a few extra quid (pounds) in my pocket and it feels good.

When you've got some extra wonga the best thing to do is go spend it !

Definitely don't go and get yourself some new winter boots because both your pairs have holes in them !

Don't go get yourself some badly needed under garments (because let's face it, in my case there's no-one to see them anyway !).

Don't save it all for a rainy day because that day may never come !

DO go spend some because - RETAIL THERAPY IS GOOD FOR YOU !!!

The first thing I spent my spondulies on, was a load of plants, but more on that another day. Then I went straight down to the largest charity shop I know.

It's a massive warehouse that once housed an environmental project, hence the backgrounds painted with green rolling hills !

The small items are arranged in colour co-ordinated sections, red, green and blue although it's a bit unnecessary when one needs to look at everything !

 

But it not very cheap, so I left behind the two plates below, even though they are the willow pattern with gold detail, and I do love a bit of blue and gold. One is priced at £5 and one at £7 - YIKES !!

 

I also love these old scales, but I have some and these are extortionately priced at £25 (about $40) - super YIKES !

 

 

There were two of these gorgeous chairs at £35 each but again, I think that's too much, and I don't have the space anyway.

 

I nearly came home with the candle sconce sitting on the chair, but I wasn't loving the shape.

 

So what did I buy - well I got these two lovely Wedgewood soup plates, that I don't really need, but hey they are in perfect condition and only cost £2.50 for the two.

 

 

This cute little dutch dish, that cleaned up really well and is now a spoon rest for when I cook.

 

This metal planter, because I can't resist 'feet' and handles. The plastic flowers got thrown out and I think it'll get a makeover, although I quite like the little hand painted detail.

 

So what do you think, I didn't go too crazy did I, but the best is yet to come !

Yes the spending didn't stop there. More on that next time.

 

And the reason why I'm feeling flush, well I had a bit of a promotion.

I didn't particularly want the responsibility or the extra work load, but I seriously needed a pay rise.

Basically the head chef left and I was offered his job, so I took it.

I don't have his chef-ing skills, because I'm not a professional but I'm trying to keep up his standard.

It also means that I don't have his wage, but my wage has gone up enough to make a difference, so it's so nice to have a few extra sheckles to spend.

 

I've also been doing, and been paid for, a lot of overtime, so the retail therapy takes the edge off my aching limbs !

 

mini local tour

Moving back to my own house took me away from the sea, but to a much prettier part of the town. Although I am surrounded by streets full of very similar terraced houses, I actually like the bay windows and wooden porches and not very far away there are some wonderfully old period properties.

a few of the terraced streets

 

Like many English towns, there is a cricket green here. A triangular grassed area for the singular purpose of providing a place to play cricket, in the summer months. Traditionally, a cricket match would have been followed by a proper afternoon tea with cucumber sandwiches, cakes and scones, served at the cricket pavilion.

 

I live near Broadwater cricket green. It's not the prettiest green but it's a nice place to walk the dog, and if the pavilion is in use, they leave water bowls out for all of us canine lovers.

 

The rather plain cricket pavilion is on the right.

On the south side of the green (and too near the road for me) is this really pretty cottage. The road runs by the right hand side, and unfortunately it's overlooked by those ghastly looking block of flats, but isn't it pretty with the wisteria and roses over the porch.

 

 

Walking away from the cricket green past the very uninteresting local shops, you come to Broadwater Street East, which is the oldest street in the neighbourhood.

 

 

I found this old picture on the internet and although there is no date, I think it is early 1900's, the view is almost the same, just a wider shot.

 

 

And that last little house is for sale ! You can view the details here. It had been used as a shop with maisonette above, but it's teeny weeny inside, and I don't think I'd like to live...............

 

 

by the graveyard ! Would you want to spend £109, 950 on this ? that's about $165,000 or 1250,000 Euros !

 

 

 

On the opposite side of the road from the Churchyard, are my favourite houses, I'd love to take a sneak peak inside.

 

The first one has a lovely shade of grey/green on the doors and window frames, off set by the bright white (though I'd have to pull up all those weeds).

 

The next one is much smaller, though it has a beautiful arch over the door, that in my opinion desperately needs a climbing rose !

 

The third one is just gorgeous. Again it's set back from the street and I love the pretty porch, the wisteria and rhododendron.

 

Past this little row of houses are two much larger properties with high walled gardens.

 

The first would be the ideal property for me, because

 

if you go around the back

you'll find a double garage with an artists studio over the top !

Well that's what I've decided it is ! Wouldn't it be perfect though, the staircase leads up from behind the walled garden, to an extension that could be used as a green house, and inside there would be a little kitchen, and maybe even a bathroom..................................

The other house I have admired many times is on the opposite side of this road and could be used in a period drama (if you took away the signs, road markings, tv aerial etc.). It's a beautiful Regency property, with the original sash windows.

Can you see the rose arbour over the path. I'd love to look in that garden, let alone the house. At the back is another large walled garden where I've spied the top of a gorgeous looking conservatory.

 

They both have views over the church, and if the sea were 5 minutes in any direction, I'd happily have either of them !!!

 

And maybe you're thinking that I took these pictures on a rare sunny day in the UK, but actually we've been having a heat wave over here and the poor cricket green, no longer looks so green !

 

 

I think that's enough spying for one day, have a great weekend,

Fiona xx