Ikea Hacker

Okay so I'm really excited about this post! I haven't written a blog for what seems like ages - I guess the creative juices hadn't been flowing! But with Christmas out the way, the sewing machine has come out and already a few birthday pressies made which I will blog about at a later date.

I rarely make things for myself, but after seeing an image on the internet I had to give it a go. I desperately needed a set of small wooden drawers for the office, to house general bits like scissors, tape, pins, you know the kind of thing. It was also important to me that it was old.

I hunted around looking at boot fairs, flea markets and charity shops but they were either too small, too big or far too expensive; in the end I picked up this set of drawers from Ikea.



So its not really what I had in mind, certainly not old, however the size was perfect so I set to work. I had seen images online of people 'pimping' up these Ikea shelves, and as they were wood they were ideal to paint or decorate.

  


My first concern was the holes on the front of the drawers, I wanted to fill them in, such a simple solution dawned on me... to turn them around.

I then raided the shed and found a tiny tin of Ronseal quick drying wood stain in Rosewood; so after sanding down the edges to give them a more rounded antique look I started applying the varnish. I did give it a light sand between coats to disguise the brush strokes. The more coats I added the deeper the colour and the older it looked so eventually I stopped at four.

I was going to add small round wooden knobs distressed in the same way, however as they were for the office I went for finger pull handles which also meant I could slip in small pieces of paper. I bought these off eBay they worked out just over £1 each as they came from China.

I cant take full credit for this blog as the idea was pinched from an image I found online. However I think they look old, especially with the dove tail joints and the rounded edges.

I'm really pleased with the finished article; It sits proudly on my office desk. I don't think they scream Ikea and they fit in well with our old office desk. The drawers are already filled with tape, pens and general office stuff that is best hidden away.

I'm not a fan of Ikea furniture and generally shy away from it, however this was a great buy at £15 plus a few pounds for the stain and finger pulls.

I'm going to head back to Ikea and see what else I can find to pimp up.

Butterfly Artwork

Once a year a few of the girlies and I jump on a train from Somerset and head to London for what has now become an annual tradition. At the end of March we don our comfortable shoes in preparation for an epic day ... an 8 hour shopping spree!

Ironically we are all country girls born and bred and as it was pointed out to us by a perfect stranger, we choose to leave the comfort of our rural lifestyle and head up to town in search of country products we could probably source cheaper on our doorstep!

.... The country Living Fair



True to form we were there on the opening day as the gates opened. It was heaving with hungry shoppers hoping to pick up the perfect cushion to add to their ever expanding collection. I was very inspired and excited to see some really talented designers and artists exhibiting such beautiful pieces of artwork, textiles, ceramics and more. There were some beautiful gifts and displays to get your creative juices flowing, however I was disappointed by a fair few stall holders selling items that were obviously not made or sourced in the UK, and a familiar sight of repeated items throughout the exhibition. However...

I was inspired by a stall - Cissy Cook Designs

She creates 3D artwork of butterflies in flight set within a deep shadow box. One of my friends fell in love with her work and was tempted to part with £660 for one of her larger pieces.

Of course this got me thinking ... surely I could produce something similar at a fraction of the price!

So I set to work ...

I started by simply using Google and was amazed at the amount of images I came across of people either selling their work through websites such as notonthehighstreet.com, bloggers and even Ikea! It appears that cutting out butterflies and mounting them on card has become a bit of a phenomenon!

I have four christenings over the coming months and I thought this would make a lovely and personal gift.

I hope to think I have not 'copied' any of the designs I have come across but have taken inspiration from all of them and created something that I feel will be a treasured gift for my friends children.

To make it even more personal I chose a blessing or poem to stick to the back of the frame. These were my four favourites....

Wishing you many smiles and happy times to come
May life’s adventures be exciting and sweet
Filled with love from the friends that you’ll meet
You’ll soon grow up for time does fly
So cherish each moment as it goes by
From crawling and walking
To toddling and talking
There’s no knowing what you’ll do next
There’s a threshold to cross and a wide open door
And a wonderful world for you to explore
Sleep with the moonbeams and play in the sun
Let your life be a long one and filled with fun
May today and tomorrow and all days hereafter
Be days that are happy and filled with your laughter.

Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen has been proven by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.
 Do one thing every day that scares you.Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind...the race is long, and in the end it’s only with yourself.
 Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
 Keep your old love letters; throw away your old bank statements.
 Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what to do with your life….the most interesting people I know, didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.
 Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary...whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either - your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.
 Enjoy your body, use it every way you can...don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, its the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.
 Get to know your parents; you’ll never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
 Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography in lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.
 Be careful who’s advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.
 But trust me on the sunscreen...

May God bless and keep you always, 
May your wishes all come true, 
May you always do for others 
And let others do for you. 

May you build a ladder to the stars 
And climb on every rung, 
May you stay forever young. 

May you grow up to be righteous, 
May you grow up to be true, 
May you always know the truth 
And see the lights surrounding you. 

May you always be courageous, 
Stand upright and be strong, 
May you stay forever young. 

May your hands always be busy, 
May your feet always be swift, 
May you have a strong foundation 
When the winds of changes shift. 

May your heart always be joyful, 
May your song always be sung, 
May you stay forever young, 
Forever young, forever young, 
May you stay forever young.

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and bends you with might that the arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the Archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as the Archer loves the arrow that flies,
so the Archer also loves the bow that is stable.

Cupcake Stand

My daughter had her 4th birthday today; and in true British style it rained, heavily! I had this idyllic image that we could put up the bell tent in the field, and allow Ruby plus 17 more screaming kids to play freely in the field kicking a football, bouncing on the trampoline and playing with the bubble machine. I had no back up plan and even suggested to Ruby and her sister that we postponed the party! This was met with a barrage of insults. So I moved the party inside pushed all the furniture against the walls and braced myself for the carnage!

Whilst picturing a 'Darling Buds Of May' style party with kids playfully blowing bubbles and sitting crossed legged scoffing home made cupcakes I gave some thought to Ruby's cake. I wanted to make cupcakes as her favourite bit of any cake is definitely the icing and seldomly did she even get the sponge part. I also wanted to present the cupcakes on a pretty vintage stand. I could have easily borrowed one from a friend but whilst mooching through Pinterest I came across a lot of home made ones and in true style I decided to have a go!

The main aim was to make one for less that I could find one in the shops. I managed to do this and although I had a few of the bits I needed I spend less than £8 on the rest.

So here goes.....

I started by buying 3 of those cake plates that you can pick up for around a £1 from any kitchen shop. I had some decoupage paper and glue already that I bought earlier in the year from The Country Living Fair from these guys - http://www.thedecopatchplace.co.uk however you don't need to buy specialist paper or glue - you can use all different kinds of papers or even paper napkins cut up. The glue is very similar to PVA and can work as an alternative although you may need to water it down a little.

I I cut up my sheets of paper and simply glued them on both sides of my cake plates and also added glue to the top this acts as a varnish and dries very hard.

To create the central column I did have to rack my brains - I wanted something decorative and not to thick - I came up with the idea of a spindle from a staircase, costing me £3 from B&Q (I did ask a carpenter to cut it for me into 4 inch lengths). 

I painted the columns and wooden door knobs with a brown paint first - I chose an oil paint as I found some  in the kids art drawer. After it dried I added 2 coats of a white emulsion and rubbed it back with some course sandpaper.

I used small tacks and hammered it together - where I couldn't do that I used strong all purpose glue - 

and Voila .... 

I'm pretty sure Ruby enjoyed her party...and cupcake!
And the great thing is it can be used time and time again and in the mean time look pretty sitting on my sideboard!

Home Made Elderflower Cordial

Elderflower cordial encapsulates the British summer, it is so quintessentially English, and so easy to make!

My children are so lucky to have the opportunity to really understand where their food comes from. My eldest especially takes a keen interest in picking berries from the hedgerows to make crumbles, as well as collecting the eggs from the chickens and picking the fruits for jams and chutneys. They love nothing more than 'raiding' the veggie patch, hunting out the ripe raspberries and strawberries. They have also taken a keen interest in the vegetables, it is rare these days that the vegetables even make it to the kitchen as the girls love to sit and shell the peas, eating them straight from the pod!

So when I asked for help hunting out the Elderflower my eldest jumped at the chance. I Googled a recipe and with a pair of scissors in tow we went on the hunt. We didn't even have to leave the front garden before we stumbled upon a tree full of Elderflowers, letting off such a distinct smell.

The recipe I found couldn't have been easier. It did call for citric acid, although after trying in both Tesco and Boots I gave up and decided not to add it. It is needed to preserve the cordial for longer however I knew it wouldn't last long in our house so I wasn't worried.

30 Elderflower Heads
1.5 Litres Boiling Water
1kg Caster Sugar
4 lemons, sliced

Add boiling water to sugar and stir to dissolve.
Throw in Elderflower heads and lemons and stir.
Cover with a cloth and leave for 48 hours stir when you remember.
That is pretty much it - I then strained mine through a muslin and transferred it to a bottle. If you were wanting to preserve the cordial (up to 3 months) you would need to add 50g citric acid and sterilizer the bottles.

What could be better than sitting in the garden on a hot summers day clinking glasses of cold refreshing cordial mixed with still or sparking water with buckets of ice.

Elderflower flowers between late May and June and can be found growing on headrows, fields and in my garden!

Pimp My Ride

So I waited with baited breath this half term, were we going to have a good week with fab weather so the girls could spend the week outside in the garden, maybe a few days camping or the beach, or was it to be a total washout, of course it was the latter! But I am still trying to be optimistic and look forward to the summer ahead!

We have bought all the gear, the new bell tent, the 'new' retro pots and pans plus of course the abundance of bedding, but I am now preparing to take the girls to a 3 day music festival. In the past we have frequented Glastonbury year after year and left our mark. However we are going to have to do things a little differently as we have girls in tow. We have picked the Farm Festival as it's cheap, local and kids are well catered for with their own camping space and plenty of activities to keep them busy, including: magic shows, crazy golf, a young disco, bouncy castle and craft tents.

I would say that generally they are both good at walking, that is until daddy gets involved; both the girls know that when daddy is around if they press the right buttons he will give in and carry them everywhere especially Ruby who often sits on daddy's shoulders pulling at his ears to direct him left or right.

This got me thinking, what if we could take something with us for the girls to sit in when they had had enough of walking, but would also double up as a solution to enable the grown ups to stay out until the wee hours. One year we took a wheelbarrow to Camp Bestival but this seemed to raise a few eyebrows, maybe because my husband had taken it straight off the building site so the dust and wet cement were truly authentic!

Of course the first point of reference was the internet for inspiration and after a quick search I found a perfect and cheap solution, a heavy duty garden cart.

I bought one online and waited with great anticipation.

The festival isn't for a few weeks so I have time to come up with a design and 'pimp' my cart. I do feel some pressure however as 2 other friends have also bought the same cart and so we have taken it upon ourselves to turn it into a 'friendly' competition to see who can come up with the best design. I assumed I could win this hands down, as being married to a man who knows his way around a power tool I'd have the upper hand. Little did I realise at the time he had diminished all responsibility and had no intention of helping!

Again I turned to the internet to find some inspiration and was amazed at what I stumbled upon.

People really do take this seriously! The pressure is now on but I'm up for the challange and looking forward to getting started. So watch this space and hopefully in a few weeks I will be able to share some pictures of our new toy!

Farm Festival - Gilcombe Farm Bruton Somerset - Adult weekend tickets for Friday 27th & Saturday 28th July are priced at a recession busting £40, including free camping and parking, with kids under 12 going free. With profits donated to charities Pratical Action, Somerset & Dorset Air Ambulance and The British Stammering Association.

Just thought I would add an update from our weekend away at Farm Fest. We were truly blessed with the weather, the sun shone on us all weekend and the kids had a fab but very tiring weekend!

The cart proved to be a huge success!

Just about room for 2!

Us mums!

First Attempt At Dress Making

I've spent years making things here and there but until now have never dared to try my hand at clothes making. I still don't feel inspired to have a go at making clothes for myself; but I guess my inspiration has come from the girls - making clothes for the children seems like a fun idea.

I remember (not with fond memories)  at school having to make a pattern , cutting it out in calico first, sewing it by hand before ever being let near a sewing machine. Briefly touching on clothes making 20 years ago I guess has stayed with me and given me the basic principles (very basic) of dress making.

I decided to break myself in gently and make a simple dress for my youngest Ruby. I took another dress she had and planned on drawing round the front and back separately to give me two patterns. The only problem was that searching around the house I couldn't find a piece of card large enough. So I had to make half a pattern this was done by literally drawing around half of the front and half of the back.

With this stage complete I realized my lack of planning ahead had bought me to yet another stumbling block. I didn't have any scraps of fabric large enough to make a dress so I rummaged through my linen cupboard and came across a duvet cover that I rarely used and thought might work well plus it was blue, Ruby's favourite.

I folded the fabric in half, placed my pattern along the folded edge. I then drew around it adding an extra 1.5 inches and cut it out. To make the back of the pattern I did the same.

Once I had my two pieces of fabric I turned in the edges around the neck and sleeves, sewed them as well as down the two sides.

Using the other side of the duvet cover I made a pocket and contrasting hem.

This dress couldn't have been simpler and if you look too closely you can easily tell it is 'homemade' but I'm proud of it.

The dress was huge on Ruby but my eldest, Niamh seemed to like it !