Straw Love Heart Wreath

Before I start I would just like to mention this is my 50th Post never thought I would reach 10 I obviously am a busy girl...

You all know how I like to change things up a bit and put my mark on originality well I found this straw heart that I purchased from Ikea two years ago this was before stores started to sell shabby chic straw hearts, I thought it was the bee's knees if I remember correctly it was a few pounds.

So I decided to paint it as I am frankly running out of things to paint in the house I am always eyeing things up thinking to myself can it be painted with chalk paint. Anyway here are a few things that I added a long the way.

I cut a small section from the garland It was hanging above my head and was screaming at me to be cut a little. I added a touch of Annie Sloan Original to calm the leafy stem as it was too green for my desired look, once dry I began to paint the straw heart. This was a bit of a trial practice run for the big Christmas Tree I am intending on painting, talk about splash back I then reverted to filling a empty spray bottle with chalk paint and water and had a good spritz in between the straw pieces what a mess. I then reverted back to using the brush it covered well.

I added a soft beige/pink ribbon around the centre and trimmed a piece of lace from my lampshade! yes I always end up taking bits and pieces from other finished creations I am impulsive, Its ok though the lamp isn't bare just yet. So I cut the lace trim in half and tied it either side of the centre to add a feminine touch.

Once the roses were dry I then attached it to the centre and wrapped it around to cover the ribbon and lace.

And Voilà one large dusky romantic straw wreath. 

I am really pleased with the results it didn't take me long either just a lot of chalk paint to wipe up from the kitchen surface  

So it just goes to show that Annie Sloan chalk paint is so versatile and its also addictive.

I love these pictures.

I decided to hang the wreath in the centre of my curtain pole but no doubt it will be placed somewhere else in the house next week.

Hope you all have a fab weekend.

Love Tracy

Did you know?

That you can charity shop on-line.....If the answer is yes then where on earth have I been. I have been having a nosey and came across these two websites. There are other charities on-line but they tend to sell their own designs in their gift shop. My charity shop looks great as you can search all stores for specific items instead of traipsing through pages upon pages of tea cups and Wellington boots. I do feel they are a little over priced in comparison with general second hand shopping and it kind of takes away the thrill of walking into a store and scanning the shelves for treasures but its something to think about if you are unable to leave the comfort of your own home.    

Oxfam

My charity shop

I just wanted to share this with you all, its been a exciting day for me today I went out and purchased a pair of roller boots....I decided to re live a childhood hobby. I had a whiz around our private parking area and loved every minute of it, I am actually considering Roller Derby well not just yet but once I regain the confidence.

Take care all

Tracy x

Paper Roses

I bought two sets of Rose Paper Garlands a while back and thought it would be a great idea to show you many ways of using them. One was in pink and the other a cream they are not vibrant and look somewhat aged and very shabby chic. I wanted to do something different other than draping over a mirror or a headboard so here a few ideas.

Here is my chandelier very basic but never the less pretty. 

Oh and the net curtains are new I bought these a while back but decided to put them up and let the sunlight in, I want to get my hands on a pair of Rachel Ashwell curtains for winter but they are so expensive to buy on ebay I wish Target delivered overseas or had a online store "sad face".

Ikea net curtains.

This is how I have the paper rose garland draped around the chandelier I can hear alarm bells HOUSE FIRE!!! the fire service would have a field day in this room. As long as they aren't touching the bulbs I am sure they are safe, I have seen plenty of Christmas garlands hanging off light fittings so why not roses. 

They don't have to be neat as you can see I have thrown these on they are a little fiddly. 

The cream rose garland I have draped over the top of the dresser I love the romantic feel that they give to the room.

I used Antoinette and Original chalk paint by Annie Sloan mixed and painted this light shade I now use it as toilet paper holder but you can fill a bird cage with these roses and maybe add a few fairy lights and it would look beautiful.

I added the roses to this candelabra its rather full jam packed with paper roses but you can always cut the garland to size. These are for sale on ebay I found them cheaper there rather than online stores you can usually pay £9 each for these garlands. They are flexible and easy to manipulate to frame almost anything if you are looking for something smaller I know Primark sell a head garland they are great for twisting around candle holders ect.  

I would like to say a big hello to all of my new followers its not easy finding an audience when you first start out, it was only a month ago when a friend on here pointed out that my blog was not even visible to the world so I am learning. Thank you for all your lovely comments it means so much to me I hope you are all having a lovely week. 

Tracy x

Is it Christmas yet?

Is it Christmas yet?

You are thinking is she serious.......

Yes because I want to chalk paint my Christmas tree!

I am not sure whether its been done before but I want to have a go because lately

I am a bit crazy like that laughing out loud.

Usually around this time of year I have look on ebay and online for cheap decorations and I decided I want a cream theme something less green but I don't want to go out and buy another tree just yet.

All of you chalk paint addicts out there do you think its a wise idea?

I picked up this round table cloth yesterday thought of  Christmas this is what set me off my mind is always wandering.

Also purchased these Verona 32 piece cutlery set I will keep these tucked away for a special day.

I often buy items that I will keep for a special occasion or a guest visit but nobody really comes to stay as we live far away from family and friends. 

I love the detail on the cutlery set they look heavy but are so light weight.

I found these pastry forks in TK Maxx they were only £3.99 bargain!. I wont be using them for pastry's only cake :) 

I came across this door matt from a follower over at pretty at heart I had to go out and buy it, its such a sweet design and only £3.99 from B&M's I just hope nobody is silly enough to walk away with it. Because I live right in the centre of Manchester anybody and everybody walks along our street, the other day I had noticed a neighbour had put a summer wreath on their front door I was muttering to myself "hmm it wont be sitting pretty on your door for long". Last year a landscape gardener drove around Manchester literally digging up random gardens and stealing plants my neighbour re planted the next day and came home to find it gone again. Its such a shame that it as come to this but I guess if I lived in the country things would be different. 

Hope you are all ok and enjoying the holidays I promise not to mention Christmas again till December the 24th. Tracy x  

♥Sunny Saturday♥

♥♥♥ Love Strawberries ♥♥♥

Lazy weekend so far just the usual's catching up with the domestic side of things and enjoying the sunshine today it makes a change from the amount of rain that we are having here in England. On a brighter note I picked up these strawberries today they are premium Sottish strawberries so the sunshine must be at the top of the country. I have not mentioned in my blog before that I am on a weight loss journey I joined Slimming World last year as I piled on the stones with having Eason I am 2lbs away from gaining my 3 stone award I will have to upload some horrendous photos of me in a before and after. I often have my version of Eaton Mess which consists of  a large amount of strawberries a crumbled up meringue nest and fat free Greek yoghurt its simply amazing.

♥♥♥ Eaton Mess -the calories ♥♥♥

This evening I am switching off the computer and heading to bed with Fifty Shades Of Grey.

I am not one for trending I tend to wait until the hype is over before I jump on the bandwagon but at £3.50 Asda were practically throwing these books at my head. I cant remember the last time I actually sat and read a book I hope to be fixated. 

Eason hates the camera I thought I would share a few faces to my post for a change.

♥

I hope you all have a lovely weekend it feels like yesterday since I last said it.

♥Tracy♥

x

Filling in the cracks

Oh my days seriously I have never sanded so much in all of my life I went a bit crazy with the wood filler and not only have I wood filler stuck to my fingers and nails but abrasive sand paper burns all over ouch! I guess its the price you pay for a silky smooth table. Its taken me two days to get it level and all filled in so that is where I have been for the past few days. 

Here are some pictures of the table with huge cracks.

In action.....

Sorry guys I don't always look this messy when I sand "honest" I had to pose for this picture I was told off for sanding too fast hence the camera couldn't keep up with the speed. Look at those white knuckles! the fake tan was clearly rubbing off.

Sorry this isn't the best quality of photo the flash was playing up. So I managed to sand all the excess filler from the surface and all cracks had vanished. I am now in the process of painting the table I will keep you up to date on this project. Hope you are all well. 

Tracy x

Vintage pretty

On a Monday we usually hit the shops and spend the day visiting different parts of Manchester we have lived here seven years and still have not managed to explore the little areas linked to the city. I wondered into my usual spot Tk Maxx and scanned the shelves I swear I must know all of the stock that they have in all stores I need to get a job in one of the stores but that could be seriously dangerous. I picked up some vintage themed fairy cases I put them in my basket and took them back out then in again I couldn't resist I am sure I will use them at some point.

How cute.

I headed to the glass wear section and spotted these! you all know my weakness for glass domes, cake stands and anything to do with cake.....

I saw two ladies walking past them and commenting on how lovely they were I picked one up noticed they were £4.99 each then swooped the other one and placed them in my basket "nobody was having them" I get very possessive in these shops, like a child who wants all of the toys not just one. I think it all started when I once found a whole table of Cath Kidston plates and bowls ect for £1.99 a large group of  ladies saw me pile a few into my trolley next thing you know they had completely cleared the whole table of everything so I started to panic and just threw random things in like jugs and teapots just in case I wanted them, when clearly I didn't. The funny thing about this was I left all of the items I didn't want close to the till and low and behold they grabbed them all. So this is my excuse for spoilt obsessive behaviour. 

I need to start looking at a larger display cabinet because every week I just push it that little bit further.

Hope I didn't bore you with more cake related items. 

Think Pink!

You may of noticed that I have had a revamp on my blog I have decided to keep it bright, basic and a bit less floral I guess its good to have a change, I will be adding more more bits as the days go on. On to other news I took my paintbrush to Eason's toy box well I say toy box it was a old laundry basket I tried to stay away from the plastic bright boxes and opted for something that didn't look out of character in my front room. I mixed the two chalk paints that I previously used on my chandelier. 

I managed to take a picture of it before I went wild with the paintbrush.

It was all painted and dry within 30 minuets.

So my partner wired up the chandelier whilst I was asleep this morning and it worked...

I was so pleased here are few pictures of it in action.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend. x

A bit of a pickle

I have to apologise for the mess of the blog! you know when you start messing with things and half way through there is just no going back? I have got myself into a bit of a pickle.....

Three arm chandelier

Picked up this three arm chandelier today in a charity shop for £2 I am not sure if it works yet as the lady in the shop couldn't tell me, I really hope it does as i have had a right faff painting it.   

 I painted the whole chandelier in "Original" Annie Sloan then added "Antoinette" in areas, after it had dried I then sanded the whole piece then waxed with clear and dark. Then decided I wasn't pleased with it so white washed it with "Original" again. Due to me waxing it prior I completely forgot that wax and water does not really mix so its hanging above the window this evening to dry out.

 

Its hard work painting pieces like this as its so fiddly and hard to reach those bits underneath. I will sand it tomorrow and clear wax the beauty. Please pray for me.....and hope that it actually works. Pictures to follow. Have a lovely evening.

Chalk Painted Chairs

 She returns.

I decided to paint the kitchen chairs before I tackle the large table full of cracks. I purchased Annie Sloan paint in "Original" I was going to buy the "Old White" but unfortunately they had sold out! I was happy to stick with "Original" as it was a close match the colour originally. I wanted to keep the clean look so I decided against distressing and finished off with clear wax. 

I contacted Amy over at Maison Decor for a bit of advice on the rattan back of the chair and Amy came up with the idea of washing over the rattan with Annie Sloan watered down. I did this and the coverage with Annie Sloan is perfect even watered down. I went for the block colour "Original" all over the chair and I must say I am very pleased with the end result. 

Thanks to Amy x

Sitting pretty in my overgrown garden, I had to laugh at myself as I had to go shopping in the afternoon and left the chairs in the garden. I had terrible visions of them being stolen it would of been just my luck. 

I think I will run up some seat covers this weekend a little frill is in order.

Eason helping mummy... as you can see Mr Tumble was more interesting.