Thrifty Review

Over the past year I have amassed a HUGE amount of stuff!! And all gained from my most favourite kind of shopping, THRIFTING!

After a recent trip to the sales with my mum it re confirmed to me that I really don't like shopping in the norm anymore. Mass produced, same looking stuff everywhere and sometimes at extortionate prices. No that definitely does not do it for me. What I get excited about is popping up to my local high street and visiting each and every charity shop along the way. That feeling of just not knowing what is going to be in there is truely exciting. Then once the weather warms up a tad Boot Sales appear on my radar along with Antique Fairs.

Now most of the things purchased at the above mentioned venues are bought with the grand intention of upcycle/recycle/repurposing them, yeah right! After looking through my piccies on here I've come to realise that the finishing part is a real weak point of mine ;o)


Just look at all this fabric that I have yet to cut into. The velvet curtains are getting the chop soon as I need new cushions for my sofas.

Rather large collection of frames, that huge one should have been a giant pinboard by now! Do use the chalkboard in the kitchen though.

Have yet to knit anything with that gorgeous pink wool. Am just starting to learn freestyle embroidery so will be making use of the threads and hoop.

Now these are things that I do use all the time, probably because you don't have to do anything to them ;o)

The table is in use but needs painting, I love using the clothes horse and the towel rail. Must paint that rocking chair, it is just too cute.

Wore the the red dress a lot this summer, well it was late summer wasn't it.

Bit of a mixture. Cookbook stand is a godsend in the kitchen, my most used purchase! The gorgeous pillowcase went to my Aunt in America to use for her handmade christening gowns. And I can't make mind up whether to use the bedding or turn it into something else, oh the decisions to be made!

So after looking at all this stuff, and believe you me this is only half of it, I realise I really must try harder to make use of these things next year. Some before and after posts would be nice wouldn't they! xxxx

PS - Did you notice I've learnt how to do a collage, woohoo!!

A look back at 2009 in pictures

Do you know what the best thing about having a blog is? You get to look back over the year and see what you have been up to ;o) I do have a paper diary but my blog has all the pictures, some of which we forget about over time.

Anyways if you don't mind indulging me I have picked out key ones from each month of 2009. Oh and you may notice that there are no thrifty ones in there, that's because I think they deserve a post of their own! ;o)

JANUARY

My Nigella Sponge!

Pink Petticoat challenge

FEBRUARY

Kittie cuteness!

Remember all that snow!

MARCH
Mother's day card

New home for my pins

APRIL
A thank you for my bookcase

I challenge anyone not to love this cake!

Friends 40th

MAY

Pretty bedspreads

Lots of dresses!

Spanish beach huts

JUNE

Fabric card

Pink Petticoat challenge

Another 40th!

JULY
Beautiful English beach huts

More thank yous

Cute little Ella

AUGUST
August Colour

Girly cupcakes

August Veg

SEPTEMBER

All wrapped up

The bunting I still haven't sewn up!

My first corsage

OCTOBER
It's a date

Finally got my sofas

Quite a few of us got this!

Gorgeous felt from Paper and String!

NOVEMBER
American wedding

Sister love
And more snow!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog over these past 12 months and indulging me. I hope you all have a lovely New Year and here's to 2010!!!!

Cheers everyone! xxxxxxxxx

It was a lovely day

Seems like a long time ago already! It catches me out every year how quickly it all flashes by. I'm already thinking about getting the decs down and spring cleaning the house!

But before I do I wanted to share a few pics of my day with you all. It was mostly about the cats, isn't it always in my house;o)

My lovely pressies from Santa. Wasn't I lucky! All the things I love, yankee candles, perfume, sewing books (can never have too many of those), girlie films, spotty tins, and the most kitsch recipe journal for my kitchen, I love it.

The real stars of the day! The two boys were going wild over a catnip ball I got them!

Alfie managed to nick it off of Morgan eventually!

Then Morgan got it back and totally destroyed it so no one else could have it ;o)

Miss snotty knickers didn't come down from her bed until well into the afternoon.

How darn cute is this! My mum's cat Ginge asleep with the new puppy my sister and I got her! Well we were cheeky children, we have been trying to persuade my mum to get a puppy as she could take it for walks and would be good for her but she won't have one until the cats have gone. So for christmas fun we got her this toy puppy, a bed for it and a calendar!!

Thanks for popping by xx

MERRY CHRISTMAS BLOGLAND

I really do appreciate all your lovely comments received over the past year and look forward to many more in 2010. xxxxx

It's Christmas Eve Have a Happy One!!!

I know I've been a bad blogger but this time of year there are soo many other things to be getting on with that writing posts has to go on the back burner. I am sure there are many of you out there with the same predicament.

This stuff slowed me down, love to look at it but boy am I rubbish at walking about in it. I wasn't born with the daredevil gene in me, that truly went to my sister!

However to stop me feeling really bad I have snapped a few piccies of my decorations and cards to share in the spirit of Christmas.

After watching Kirsty's Homemade Home I had to give the salt dough a try!

It was so much fun.

I decoupaged them using some lovely serviettes I got from Waitrose.

The fireplace.

This jolly Santa was rescued from my local Charity Shop, he is soo squishy and soft.

My angel that sits on my tree. She was made by my Aunt in America completely from scratch, her body is porcelain and all handpainted.


Why is it soo difficult to photograph your tree! It looks really pretty in the flesh, honest!

Some sugared fruit, which after doing realised I was meant to whisk the egg whites slightly, oops!

A selection of cards, these ones were made using my new stamps from Martha Stewart.

More Martha Stewart using red and green.

Had fun cutting up my paper stash to make this bunch, my snowmen look a bit fat in the face!

More paper cutting.

The gingerbread stamps are definitely my favourite, as are the inks by Whispers.

And this was my favourite paper cutting one.

My fiance's card, normally struggle with men but this came easy.

Wowee!! That was a long one ;o). I do hope you have not nodded off by now! Thanks for popping by at this mad time of year and here's to the most fabulous Christmas and Happy New Year for us all!!

See you in the next decade!!! xxxxxxxxxxx