New TV cabinet

The large argos TV cabinet which has the TV and pre-view thingy on it has been annoying me for some time (in fact I don't know what came over us to get it really!) it's too large for the corner and has a jutty out piece that is a waste of space. So in my many forrages into charity shops I picked up this cabinet for £2.00

 It has a in and out shelf probably for the old top loading videos so you could slide the video out. Didn't need that so after a bit of unscrewing of awkward bit out it came. I have to say it is very well made and on casters, always a bonus. After liquid sandpaper, 1 primer, 3 undercoats and 2 top coats it eventually covered all the 'wood'.

Side view which I have done in a folksy style and is brighter than the photo makes out. The top coats is Laura Ashley and the same paint that I used for my large bookcase (still got half a can left as well)

I have painted the drawer,side and top with this fake bamboo style. The top has just this on as the tv will be perched on it.

With the drawer.

Tis a shame that my camera doesn't seem able to pick up the brightness of the colours. In fact in real life I don't know whether to 'knock' the colour back a bit with an 'antique' wash. Will see if I can live with it or not! It's funny how, when painting, I always clench my teeth with concentration which I don't realise till I've finished! Doesn't seem to happen with other projects. I wonder if it's because with paint you can't undo it but have to re-paint the whole lot if a booboo is made.
It does need a coat of varnish on next but will leave the paint to set properly before that's done.

Lovely fabric

Look what dropped through my letterbox this morning. Fabric to linger over! They are so lovely and bright in real life and not what I normally go for, but, there must be a break from red at some point! I will be making a quilt probably in the winter months so need to decide what pattern to go for and what colour to do the sashes, maybe a very pale green or cream as I think white might be too stark. Anyway it's not going to be cut out any time soon so plenty of time to decide.

I purchased all this lovely loot at www.jackiesfabrics.co.uk/store and cant recommend it enough. There was a sale on and so I took advantage of that and got some other material as well, which will go towards future projects.

I

Here is some of it laid out. I don't know which one I like the best!

Yummy

I had two crusts that were languishing in my bread bin, so not liking waste, and the birds still have plenty of insects (and loads of food from neighbour) I crumbled it up and added an egg and milk/water mix and 4 small

windfall apples.

Next is a handful of rasins, nuts and a few shakes of mixed spice

 Give it a good ole mix up and Bob's your uncle a very nice bread pudding.

Cut into wedges it gives head honcho something to take for lunch that will stick to his ribs!
The only thing that I would have done differently was to put in more mixed spice. All the ingredients were store cupboard items. Total cost.....hmmm about 2p a wedge. (the oven was on anyway so that was a by product)

Rita the Rock Chic

Here is Brenda the Biker's cousin, Rita the Rock Chic! She shares the same sense of fun with jewellery and has a 'tattoo' on her leg of flowered jewellery. She has a 'leather' waistcoat with painted fire, lots of earrings necklace, girlie red bling bracelet and a beanie hat.

Side view. Trying to show the 'tattoo' on her leg.

And the back view of her Rock Chic jacket

Like her cousin Brenda she is a softy really and likes nothing better than cuddling up with popcorn and a good film!

Little Len Sock Monkey has been made up from a pair of 'leopard' type spotty socks. He looks nice and cosy with his winter wear on!

Quirky Village....down your way

I have been busy the last couple of weeks working on this commission for a nice lady over on the shabby chic forum. I was sent a series of photos which were important landmarks to the recipient. The school, where she got married and the family shop and house, and also a little blue van were a must. So I let rip with my imagination and this is the result. Whilst it is in transit I always get nervous in case it doesn't match upto what the person thought, fortunately she loved it!

Some close ups


                                                          Family home/church where married

                                                                  The school and butchers shop

                                                          Family shop and van

                                                More houses and park


So that is the Quirky Village....... 'down her way' It took over a week to make but was a joy to do and I managed to fit all the important subjects in. This picture is 16"x12".
One of these days I will make a picture of my village and cottage for myself!

Sockies and onions!

Introducing Cheeky Charlie who is very friendly and would like to say hi to everyone.

He's already for the coming winter with his hat and scarf and has a little bag ready for sandwiches and cake!
(he is for sale at the moment email me if interested)

On a completely different note, let's talk onions......

Never having grown them before I was delighted that they actually grew! They are quite big (but I don't know what is normal for homegrown) One of them weighs 395g (14oz) so a meal in it's self.....onion soup anyone haha.
They are now in the shed drying out (hopefully I  have done it right and they wont go mouldy). The carrots that were in the same patch are also huge. The lady who used to live here had animals so it must be some manure still in the ground that's helping them along. Not had much success with cabbages/caulis tho. Apart from the caterpillars lunching on them they never did grow very much, although there are a few hanging on so maybe they will overwinter.....or be wild rabbit fodder!

a p.s. to add that when Head Honcho came home he told me I shouldn't have cut the long leafy bits off but to leave them on for them to dry and then plait to hang up. When I was cutting them off I was thinking should I do this but I only had meself to ask at the time, so, I gave them the chop! Oh well, next year I will know better. I have put them in one of those 3 tier wire planters which does the job perfectly, as none of them touch each other.

Li'l Miss Rose

Not been blogging for a while as there hasn't been anything to report!
 But that's not to say I've not been busy tho. I've been making another sock monkey...can see the
bottom of the sock bag now!

Also been making a commissioned 'Quirky Village' which is nearly finished so maybe a reveal will happen in the near future.