Lavenderhouse

Teal sofa and other shopping!

 

Out there in blogland I know you understand how exciting it is rummaging through charity shops.  I buy loads of my clothes from charity shops.  The other day I realised the most expensive item of clothing I was wearing was some new tights from Oasis (I draw the line at second hand undies etc - urgghh).  This week has been a good week for finds, including a fun red monsoon skirt which I am wearing today.   I was really pleased to get another cream coat, which looks so summery.

This teapot caught my eye.  At £1.50 I thought it would make a great little plant pot.

 

As you know, I spotted a lovely new teal coloured sofa in my favourite charity shop.  As charity shops go this place must be top of the pops as it will sell anything, including electrical items.

Whilst I type this I vaguely remember a comedy show that had a sketch about some women running a charity shop and they were constantly finding vibrators in amongst all the donations they had been given.  They had a big box of them out the back of the shop!  I bet most charity shops have been given everything at some stage! Sorry if this has offended you but I remember it really making me laugh!

For those of you who skim this text I would like to point out that my favourite charity shop does not sell vibrators! 

I think seeing this sofa at Libertys in January definitely inspired me. 

I also bought this trim at the Country Living Fair from the Deckchairstripes company.  This company has the most amazing fabric.  They were selling bunting at the fair but it had a couple of brown flags in the packets and I do not do brown.  So I bought some tea towels and am going to cut them up to make my own bunting.

 

Unfortunately, I cannot get a good photo of the colour of the sofa as my kitchen is tucked away at the back of our house (briliant on a stormy night not so good for photos though!).

Do you think I should add the bobble trim to the sofa?

I really love stuff from the 60's and 70's so this candlestick in turquoise had to be snapped up for 75p.

Yes, despite the mounting - spelt that wrong originally and included the word mountain - and it does feel like a mountain of house work to do, the sun is out and I have been very lucky this week with my thrifting so yeah!  Not everyone's cup of tea - sorry to all those shabby chic lovelies out there.  I like to potter down that road sometimes but fear becoming an old lady too soon so steer back to the brighter side although I am always in love with all things CK!  See you soon .... eat your lunch outside today!

Kittens and Country Living Fair

Where do I begin friends?  My weekend was set to be a very hectic one.  My best friend, who I usually go to the Country Living Fair, had to go to a Christening so my bi-annual trip to CL Fair was going to be marred by her absence.  However, she will be pleased (as she is my best friend) and hopefully so will you, that I managed some power shopping.  From feeling yukky, like so many other bloggers, I suddenly realised that actually I can get quite a lot done in a short space of time.  Hopefully, I will remember this when I am in a blind panic about the Vintage and Handmade Fair on Saturday!

The weekend started with dinner out with the Mums from my son's class.  He is in Reception.   One little boy stated to the teacher he enjoyed being in Rejection class - oh dear!  Hopefully, it isnt that bad.

Then on Saturday we drove to London to visit the Queen.  No, we didn't we went to visit our kittens!!!!!  Pasha is having kittens about getting kittens.  She cannot wait.  Hattie, the human Mum, has sensibly said that choosing will be done at the time of collecting (less than 2 weeks and counting).  Who the heck would you choose?  They are all heavenly.

Look how teeny weeny they are.  That is my husband's hand. 

I sorted the dining room out for Christmas......... no, I didn't!  This is a lovely little cabin they had at the CL Fair. I thought some of you who did not make it would like a peek inside ....

Just makes you want to write your Christmas cards .........

Sunday was complicated by Pasha having a sleepover.  By the time we had collected her and driven to London it was 1.00 pm.  The CL Fair closes at 3 pm!!!  I actually had a great time and power shopped.  It made decisions easier and I did get a lot done in short space of time.  Louise, I just want you to know, that I did really miss you though! 

I would do show and tell of what I bought but most of it was presents for certain little people.  So only a few pictures.  I did buy these lovely fairy lights (type = Antique Lily).   They can be bought on line from dotcomgiftshop.com  I bought quite a few lovely bits from them - polka dots red napkins, polka dot red doilies  mmmmm I think I feel a theme coming on for the Christmas table. 

The other thing I have been keen to get is a small old rocking horse.  Imagine my joy when I found this little chap on the Caroline Zoob stall.  He was quite expensive but a brand new one would have been too, without all that great vintage charm. 

The bright light you have been able to see outside your windows today (joke) was my halo, as when we got home I sat in bed (how very Steptoe & Son) and wrapped lots of presents up. 

On Saturday we also went to the Designer's Guild Warehouse Sale.  We had to be back here again for 3.30 pm so did a power shop there too.  I managed to buy 25 metres of fantastic material at £2.00 per metre.  I just need to wrack my brain about creating curtain panels for in our bedroom.  We have to replace our windows in our bedroom as currently when the wind is gale force (remember we are right on the seafront) it sounds like there is a referee blowing a whistle in our bedroom!!!

So had a great time, getting lots done.  I need to concentrate on the Fair this weekend now.  I nearly have it all organised ................

Added later:-  Does anyone have any ideas for names for the kittens.   We are probably getting two boy kittens.  Current favourites are Rafferty and Ferris (as in Ferris Wheel or Ferris Bueller's Day Off film!)

Posy Lavender Bags

I love to read Posy's blog.  She is completely in to vintage and shabby chic.  This year my lavender has been ruined by the strong breeze on the seafront here and the constant rain so I was very pleased to see her selling some of her lovely lavender bags.  I find lavender very restful and supportive too, if you know what I mean.  I treated myself to two bags.  They arrived today and the packaging looked like this:-

The lavender bags are beautiful and smell gorgeous.  I look forward to putting one occasionally on the radiator to get the full effect of the lavender.  I am hoping, as usual, to last out until November before I flick the heating on.  I am not so sure if we will last that long this year. 

I am so lucky I am away this weekend being creative.  I am going on a Janet Bolton course.  I can't wait to stitch all weekend long, drink good wine and peppermint tea and eat food cooked by somebody else.  Where I stay I always try to help out as much as possible, but the lure of sewing is a distraction!  (Sorry to you know who!) 

Do you know what, for a brief while, I thought that without the children being around I would have nothing to tell you.  In fact, I am having to pace myself.  Love to you all and have a great weekend. 

Brighton & Shopping

On Saturday I went to Brighton shopping with my close friend, Louise.  We never run out of anything to talk about.  We met in the morning and shopped without dropping!  We had lunch at Bills and supper at a Tapas bar, including two jugs of sangria.  It all felt very continental.  Then we sat on the beach waiting to be picked up by my husband who had been looking after Pasha, Skyla and Jasper and my friend's daughter too.  They had all been to see Kung Fu Panda and had gone to Ask Pizza for tea  Thank you Louise you are like a sister to me!
Sunday, was a very grey day and the children and I pottered around the house.  Then we spent some time on the beach.  The children braved the sea again. 

I will blog my shopping when I have some more photos as we were able to potter round Snooper's Paradise (a great antique market) on Saturday and I bought a lovely old fashioned book and a great retro coffee pot, not to mention the two new necklaces, lovely stationery, some lovely melamine cups etc ..........

Shoe Shoe Baby!

I have always loved dressing up.  I wear make up every day.  I love making and wearing jewelery.  I always wear a corsage.  I never wear black and love colour.   BUT I hate shoe shopping.  Since seeing the latest 'Sex in the City' film though I have tried to change this.  It didn't exactly influence me but I got my pathetic selection of shoes out and was not inspired.  We live right next to the beach so crocs are fantastic - good for walking along the prom/beach, good for rock pooling etc etc  I have quite a few pairs of them because I do co-ordinate them with my outfits but really it was time to make an effort!  I hope you approve of my latest purchases - hurray for sales!