other peoples junk

Ok, confession...so I said to myself I wouldn't take anymore junk until I had completed all my to do's and found a place for all the items waiting for a new use in the shed!

I swear  I walked past this for the last week and yesterday evening....have you noticed it's getting dark earlier? Sorry I'm side tracking...

 I took it, off the street, it was calling me saying "hey, I'm still here, take me with you!"

So yeah I took it off a heap of what looked like someones moving out junk.  So just to prove I've not got a problem with collecting trash this is going to be something really special, a chandelier type structure.  Definately not a 30 minute project but something lovely hanging above my table for the coming cozy autumn/winter months...

There is so many possibilities...

remodelaholic.com

tipjunkie.com

via curbly.com

I've got to say I peed my pants a little when I saw that middle image, tiny plants hanging in jars, oh my goodness!!!

Watch this space ;)

Browsing for bargains

Popped along to the shops today for the usual bits (nappies, wipes....yawn!) I'm getting better at stocking up now rather than running out of baby things and having to improvise.  For example, toilet roll and Mummy's moisturiser to clean Nelly Nova's bottom, sorry baby! Is that a fourth child thing? Where we're not as 'on it' as with our firsts? (Double sorry Nelly!!) Maybe it's a good thing we're not neurotic nutters once more babies come along, surely just going with the flow of things makes for a more relaxed child rearing experience, yes I believe I'm sticking with that story when she asks me in later life why I haven't filled in her baby book or can't remember as many 'milestones' as her oldest sibling ;)

On my travels had a quick stroll round River Island, probably to remind myself that there was a time when I was buying cool jeans and high footwear as opposed to baby vests and school blazers.  Came across a little sale corner and picked up some shoulder pads and a cross stitch graffiti pattern, all for a fiver! Cool huh? Now I just gotta find the time to sew in the shoulder pads to a cardigan I picked up that is a bit 'shapeless' and get cross stitching!!

30 minute project!

The times I've heard people say they just don't have the time to make things or find things when I'm asked where stuff I've made or sought out has come from. Rubbish I say! To prove it I will post simply simple (thats not a typo, these will be simpler than simple I promise) 30 minute or roundabouts things to make or do for busy people! Everyone likes making things, getting messy and having fun it's just we as adults forget this sometimes... remember the pride you had as a kid when an adult praised a finger painting you took some time on, well who's to say you can't get that feeling as a twenty something, thirty something, fourty something gluer and painter?!

Personally I love the shock when people find out how cheap things can be found or made for, why spend spend spend when there's no need?........

Magazine Holder Revamp

1. Take a dreadfully boring basic magazine holder, some wallpaper sample (yes, it's free!!) and some scissors and glue.  Trace your magazine rack shape out on the back of your wallpaper sample.  Cut out all the pieces with nice sharp scissors. (sorry it's hard to make out where I traced in the photo, look carefully!)

2. Carefully apply your glue to wood and spread evenly making sure its not gloopy (you'll get a lumpy finish!) and edges are covered otherwise it will peel.  (I used my kids PVA craft glue and pinched an old paintbrush to spread it, don't tell them!)

3. Line up your wallpaper cutting and smooth onto wood, making sure there's no creasing or air/glue bubbles. Apply each wallpaper cutting to its correct side on magazine holder.  

4. Voila! My first (blogged) 30 minute project! So excuse any steps my baby brain may have missed! Don't they look nice?