Monday, September 28, 2015

Feeling Stuck... But Also Postive Changes ♥

These past few weeks have been hard for me, not only have I been feeling very unwell but I've also lost my mojo for blogging. Now don't get me wrong, I haven't lost my passion for blogging at all, writing and photography are two things which I enjoy immensely in life, but at the moment I just feel stuck, stuck in this rut of not knowing where to begin with writing a post or having no inspiration to pick up my camera. It's been so frustrating for me as I have some things which I really want to review and share with you all and I've also been wanting to get out and capture the essence of autumn on camera... but instead I'm just stuck, I just don't have the energy at the moment.

Perhaps I burnt myself out with my desire to reach one million page views. I worked so hard to reach that huge milestone and I sometimes think that was the cause of my feeling like this. I was so caught up with reaching a daily stat goal, getting my posts promoted and was spending so much time on the internet that I feel like I missed out on 'real life'.

There have been some amazing blessings to becoming stuck with this little blog of mine, the most important and special being that my son and I are as close as ever. He no longer witnesses his mother staring at a screen for hours on end and I think he's rewarding me by inundating me with cuddles, kisses and falling asleep on my lap on more than one occasion. I've also been able to enjoy other pastimes in my life instead of feeling like I have to sit and work on the blog all day. I've almost finished another Lorna Byrne book 'Stairways to Heaven', one I had begun and neglected because I was working so hard to reach one million page views... I've made the time to chill out, enjoy a bath and just switch off from social media - the latter is probably the most important thing I could have done for myself.

I now find myself having no desire to turn on the laptop, I can go days at a time without wanting to turn it on and to be honest, feeling this way is so refreshing, I no longer feel like a slave to the internet. In fact, if I'm completely honest social media makes me feel quite sad because it is, in reality, not a bit social at all. I've spent the last few years of my life focused on pastimes which centered on 'virtual people', people I had never met but who somehow had a huge influence on my life, well I'm happy to say that I no longer care about the opinions of people I've never met - unless I consider them a close friend of course, and believe me that's rare because I don't trust or make friends with people too easily.

Sometimes we need to become stuck to reflect a bit and realise that we're immersing ourselves too much in something, that we're neglecting things in our lives and that we need to make some positive changes. Becoming stuck with this little blog of mine has really been a blessing in disguise and it has made me reevaluate what I want to do with this blog.

The mind really does work in mysterious ways, don't you agree?
Share:

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Four Years ♥

Today myself and Jacek celebrate our four year anniversary. Four years. For me that's such a long time and this is officially my longest relationship ever. I love this man, not only is he my partner but he's also my best friend and I know that's so cliche to say but it really is true. Some days he's my only source of adult company and I think it's amazing that we still make each other laugh as much as we did when we were just friends and work colleagues.

This day also marks the anniversary of the day we first met - simply a coincidence and not something we planned by the way. We first met when I began a new job and Jacek was there. He was a totally different person then, quite uptight, was rather rude to me I must say and immediately took a dislike to me when I asked him if he was Australian - he quickly informed me that I had "the wrong continent". Overtime though, we began to get to know each other more and more and quickly became friends. We had tons in common and got along really well, even though we were both with other people we secretly liked it other but never admitted it...

The day we admitted we liked each other was one of the happiest days of my life. I remember jumping around my room in happiness like a little girl hyper on fizzy drink and sugary sweets! Fast forward through some ups and downs, smiles and tears, we're now as strong as ever and are parents to a beautiful little boy.

Sometimes it hits me - "oh my God, he's Jack from work", Jack being what I used to know him as... but now he's most definitely my Jacek, the man I love and who I'm going to spend the rest of my life with. He's such an amazing man - hard-working, caring, thoughtful, loving. He takes care of me like no one else ever has and I swear I've hit the other half jackpot because he loves doing the cooking, cleaning, ironing, washing - he's a Godsend! He listens to me go on and on about blogging, makeup and other crap I know he really doesn't care about but he pretends to show a genuine interest anyway, I appreciate that pretense!

This guy came all the way to Ireland from South Africa and I always believe that we were destined to meet - that's the old romantic in me.

No doubt, lots more adventures are in store for him and I throughout the rest of our years together and I can't wait for all the memories we're going to make together from here and now.

Happy four years my love.
Share:

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Carboot Sale Bargains | Makeup & Beauty ♥

I really do love a good carboot and two weeks ago I decided on a whim to go to the carboot sale in Carrigtwohill - which turned out to be huge! I actually thought there were too many stalls there to have a proper look - I had Tyler Lee in tow - so I just gave quick glance at each sellers table and knew what I was on the lookout for, makeup and beauty products! Now I really don't need anymore makeup or beauty products but I can never resist a bargain and a carboot was the perfect opportunity for picking up some good finds.

I've never tried any Illamasqua products before but I've read countless good reviews on the brand so I couldn't leave these behind. I picked up the Illamasqua Powder Blusher which is white in colour so it's perfect for highlighting the face. It had never even been used, although there was a chunk gone from the top corner so I think it may have been dropped but that didn't bother me. I also got the Illamasqua Liquid Metal Eye Colour in Electrum, which is a gorgeous gold shade which is really creamy and which actually reminds me of the Maybelline Colour Tattoos. I haven't used this yet but it's a lovely shade for autumn. The two of these were €6.

The lady who I bought the Illamasqua products from also gave me a free blush, the P.S. Love Blusher from Penneys which is a light peachy colour that's very natural looking and I've actually worn it everyday since she gave it to me.

I also got these three Soap & Glory products. I've been a Soap & Glory fan for years and when I saw these three products, all unused, I had to pick them up because I know I'll use them up. I got the Soap & Glory Heel Genius, which is actually amazing! I put this on my feet every second night and it makes them super soft. I also got the Soap & Glory Flake Away Scrub which I love and will use in the shower because I love scrubs. The last Soap & Glory product I picked up was the Soap & Glory Hair Supply which is a product I've never used before but hopefully it'll work wonders for my hair because it's in need of a little TLC. These were all €4.

I really love Urban Decay eye shadows so when I saw these two, both in a gorgeous blue shade with flecks of green and gold called Shattered I had to pick them both up. Neither of them had been used and they were only €3 each - a complete bargain considering they're like €19 from the Urban Decay counter. I've already worn the shade and it's really lovely.

Finally, my complete and utter bargain find of the day came from the very last stall I went to. I found these ten genuine MAC eye shadows for just €2.50 each! The lovely lady I bought them from even threw in a free one for me. She was selling a lot of makeup on the day and told me that her daughter was a makeup artist and was just clearing out her kit. Some of these shadows had never even been used and the rest only very lightly so I was really happy with these finds. I picked up the shades Pink Venus, Freshwater, Creme De Violet, Aquadisiac, Flashtrack, Hepcat, Moon's ReflectionBig T, Bitter and Melton Mauve - the latter three are the ones which hadn't even been swatched. I really can't believe that I picked up 10 genuine MAC eye shadows for just €20! They're usually around the €19 mark each so this was probably the best carboot sale bargain I've ever found.

Have you ever picked up some amazing makeup and/or beauty bargains at a carboot?
Share:

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Costless DIY Armchair Upcycle | Pastel Inspired ♥

My love for upcycling has grown in leaps and bounds ever since my shabby chic chairs upcycle. I currently have some projects on the go and am really enjoying transforming something old, worn and not too aesthetically pleasing into something beautiful, stylish and injected with a new lease of life.

This armchair in particular was one of the ugliest pieces of furniture I have ever laid eyes on. It was so dark and dreary with its super dark wood and dark velour upholstery in a horrible old cottage design, it was the complete opposite of my style when it comes to furniture and I was keen to make it over and into something pretty. Whats more is that I was able to make this upcycle completely costless by using materials I already had around my home. Making something beautiful for free is always a great feeling, especially when you're delighted with the results, just like I am with my chair.

I choose to upcycle this armchair in a pastel theme as I wanted to include it as part of my Popsicle brief for for my Graham & Brown ambassador role, a role which I have since given up but I was thankful for the inspiration it brought me.

The paint I used was Disney's Cinderella's Perfect Pastel, paint I left over from another project and which actually turned out to be a lot lighter than I expected but still lovely nonetheless. I chose not to sand the chair before painting and just set to work straight away. This chair eventually had to have six coats to transform it from super dark to the very light colour you see above and whilst it was tedious (I chould have chosen to use a spray paint which would have been a lot quicker), I think the end result was totally worth it. When the last coat has been applied I was really happy with the colour, it's so pretty and combined with the stripy seat covers, it has a real beach hut vibe to it I think and that's a look I love.

I was going to buy fabric and have my Nan make some cushion covers for the armchair but it was all getting a bit expensive and extra work so I looked for another solution. I had a single duvet cover in the hot press which was doing nothing - we have no single beds in our house and it is such a pretty design that I felt it was a shame not to put it to use so I decided it would be perfect for the armchair. I simply popped the two chair cushions into the duvet, propped them up on the armchair as they should be and tucked in the sides and middle to make it look seamless and fitted - it was as simple as that! What's more is that you can actually sit on and make use of the chair and the duvet doesn't move or pull - I've put it to the test! What's even better is that if the duvet gets dirty you can simple take it off, wash it and put it back on quickly and easily again.

I then used a cushion I had for the Graham & Brown Popsicle brief to prop on the armchair, this is the Dream Cushion, just as a finishing touch but as someone who has a love of cushions and many of them in her bedroom, I could have used any of them to prop on the chair too.

I absolutely love the transformation of the armchair, the pastel theme is absolutely perfect for it and I love how the pink stripe on the duvet matches the pink of the paint perfectly. I was delighted to be able to complete this project with no cost at all. Everyone has old discarded pots of paint, duvets and cushions lying around their home or in the shed I'm sure, so why not put them to use and make something beautiful?

This chair is now in the cottage next to my parents house and it suits the cottage vibe very well I think. There is a rocking armchair to match this armchair and I shall be upcycling that sometime in the near future too, although I'm not too sure whether to do it the same as this or completely different, what do you think?

Share:

Friday, September 18, 2015

Bepanthen | The Perfect Skincare Brand For Your Baby ♥

During Tyler Lee's short lifetime I've used a plethora of skincare products on him, picking up a new product on each shopping trip we had in the hopes of finding something that would work for his nappy rashes - something which he seems to suffer with frequently and something to cure his dry skin. The poor boy inherited his father's sensitive skin and we have to be very careful about what we use on it. One brand which we always find ourselves coming back too and use on a daily basis with him is Bepanthen.

Tyler Lee is not yet potty trained so we are still using a protective ointment on his nappy area during each change, Bepanthen is our ointment of choice. There's a reason why tattoo artists tell you to use Bepanthen to help heal a new tattoo (and believe me it works!), the healing properties of Bepanthen are better than any other nappy ointment I have ever used on my son. Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment doesn't contain any fragrance, preservatives, colours or antiseptics, making it perfect to use on even the most sensitive of skin. The ointment forms a breathable, transparent layer protecting against irritation and rubbing, whilst the pro-vitamin B5 gently aids natural skin recovery.

To celebrate the launch of the newly re-designed Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment Packaging - it now has a flip top cap instead of a screw-off one and is more squeezable, meaning it can be used with just one hand, perfect for those with very wriggly little ones like myself - Bepanthen very kindly sent Tyler Lee a box of goodies to enjoy. I love receiving boxes of surprise goodies like this, especially when they're for my son because he enjoys digging into them so much and seeing everything which has been sent for him. Bepanthen sent him two of their newly re-designed Nappy Care Ointments, their Baby Moisturiser and Baby Sun Cream, two of their cuddly Bepathen friends and some super fun Munchkin bath toys. They all very kindly sent me a White Company candle (which smells amazing!) and a 'yummy mummy' tote bag. It's safe to say that we love everything we were sent and are so thankful to the lovely people at Bepanthen for our goodies!

As the summer was shockingly bad here in Ireland we sadly didn't get to use the Baby Sun Cream - we had no sun! But it's been put away and shall be used next summer to protect my boy's sensitive skin. It has SPF50+ so it's perfect for protecting babies and little ones from the harmful sun rays. I've used the Bepanthen Baby Moisturiser on Tyler Lee's skin ever since he was a baby and it's perfect for keeping his skin moisturised and soft. He is prone to getting dry patches on his arms and legs and the Baby Moisturiser really helps to clear them up quickly. I've also used this product on his face and as it's so gentle for baby's skin it didn't have any negative effects on his face, if anything it made it feel super soft!

I really can't recommend Bepanthen enough to those who are expecting or have a new baby in their life, or even those like myself who have a toddler who isn't yet potty trained. They really are such great skincare products and the fact that we've kept repurchasing them throughout the last two and a half years just goes to show just how much we love the brand and that it works well for Tyler Lee's skin.

Are you a fan of the Bepanthen range?

*We were very kindly sent a box of Bepanthen goodies for the purposes of this post, as always all thoughts and opinions are 100% our own*.

Share:

Tan Suede Slippers From Dotty Fish ♥

I was recently asked if I'd like to review a product from the Dotty Fish range of shoes and slippers for babies and toddlers and being a lover of all things kids fashion I of course said yes! I was wanting to get Tyler Lee some new slippers anyway as the colder weather has now arrived and the ground floor of our house only has cold wooden and tiled floors - no good for his little feet and he never leaves his socks on!

The slippers which caught my eye the most were the tan suede slippers, with their gorgeous soft suede material and super snug fleece lining I knew they'd keep my boys feet warm and cosy during these colder months. The slippers also have a suede sole which makes them perfect for wearing on wooden floors - no slipping or sliding!

I love these slippers on Tyler Lee so much, they're actually quite stylish and remind me of those ever popular moccasin shoes all the hipster babies and toddlers wear. The tan suede slippers look especially lovely when he's wearing his leggings, they've just such a cool look to them and I almost wish he could use them as outdoor shoes too.

I'm really impressed with the slippers and with how affordable they are, they're between £8.99 and £10.39 depending on what size you want, which really is quite reasonable. I got them in a size 3-4 as Tyler Lee is a size 8 and I thought the 2-3 may have been a bit snug, I was totally wrong though because the sizings are on point and the 3-4 is a little bit too big for him, but as us Irish mammies say - he'll grow into them!

Overall, I'm really happy with the quality of the Dotty Fish tan suede slippers, they look great and they most importantly they keep Tyler Lee's feet warm, just like they're supposed to.

*We were sent the Dotty Fish tan suede slippers for the purposes of this review, as always all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own*.


Share:

Thursday, September 17, 2015

My Reading Experience With Psychic & Medium Emma Kinsey ♥

I have always loved having psychic and medium readings, my experience with them beginning when I was about thirteen or fourteen years old when I went with my mam to one of her readings and decided I'd like to try it for myself. I've encountered some hits and misses with claimed psychics/mediums over the years, some being fantastic, some being awful and some just being a completely fun experience that I enjoyed with friends. Now I know there are probably a few skeptics out there - my other half being one - but I really do love all things spiritual and I think if you see them as a fun experience rather than facts or prophecies set in stone then there's no harm in partaking in and enjoying them.

When I was asked if I'd like to have a reading with psychic and medium Emma Kinsey I immediately said yes. I was rather excited about the prospect too as I have a lot of different things going on in my life right now and thought it'd be fun to see if any of these things would be brought up and whether or not some insight into the future of these things would be discussed by Emma. It's also been quite some time since I've had a reading so I was looking forward to experiencing one again. My reading took place over the phone - a reading experience which I had never had before but I really enjoyed it, it was far less nerve-wracking than sitting with a stranger in a hotel room - a scenario of almost all of my previous psychic/medium experiences. It was great being able to talk to Emma from the comfort of my own home, so a big thank you to Emma for accommodating me.

I don't want to divulge too much into what Emma told me, as I'd like to keep some parts private, but there were some things which she got spot on and other things which have left me thinking, puzzled and in search of more information. I did my best not to divulge too much information about myself to Emma during the reading because in the past I found myself guiding people to the answers they were looking for about my life and felt as though I was sharing far too much - I never know when to stop talking!

Two people from the spirit world came through to Emma during my reading with her, the first being my great-grandmother, who seemed to want to speak to me in respect to my grandmother (her daughter). Emma was able to tell me my own grandmothers name and to be honest I was delighted to be able to be told names instead of just an initial as it was much easier to understand and made me feel a lot more confident in Emma's ability. The other spirit who came through was my grandfather and once again Emma was able to tell me his name. She also was able to tell me my stepdad's name (and it's a hard one as it's a double first name) and a health issue which he suffers with. I'm not going to lie, I was quite disappointed that my grandmother didn't come through to Emma as I miss her so much and would have loved to have had a message from her.

Emma gave me lots of months by ways of dates of birthdays and anniversaries, some of which made sense and some of which have no relevance to me as of now, but that's not to say that they won't in the future. I was also told of a possible house move - something I've wanted for quite a long time now, a move for myself into video clips/television - am I going to be vlogger in the future, who knows! She also told me that what I do now would basically turn into my career and in this case I think she means blogging - professional blogger perhaps? She was able to tell me about my vivid dreams, something which I've been experiencing for quite awhile now and told me that I have some spiritual tendencies myself, something which I've been told a lot. Although Emma didn't speak about Tyler Lee or any other children I may have, she did tell me that I would have two children, a boy and a girl... only time will tell on this one, but wouldn't that be lovely? (It has now come to light that Emma was wrong on this one seeing as I have two little boys).

A big thank you to Emma for her reading and the lovely insights she has given me. It was a great experience to have a reading with her and I would highly recommend it if you're also into all things spiritual and love getting readings as much as I do.

*I was given a reading by Emma free of charge for the purposes of this post, however, as always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own*.
Share:

My Dream London City Break ♥

Yesterday the news broke about the newly named #BL16 (formerly BritmumsLive) and all us parenting bloggers went into a spin dreaming about visiting London once again, attending the conference, meeting our fellow bloggers and seeing all the sights of the city. I'm not going to lie, I'd love to visit London again, Jacek and I had a great time there back in June and it was lovely to have a break away together, however, this time around I'd like to do things a little differently...

Firstly, I wouldn't fly into Standsted, it was too far away from the heart of London and it meant that we had to take my most dreaded form of transport ever - bus, the worst thing I could imagine for my travel sickness. Instead I'd opt for a leisurely flight to Gatwick where we could simply hop on the Gatwick Express to get into London. No messing around, no bus taking, just getting on with our city break and being able to enjoy every moment.

I'm not going to lie, our accommodation last year was pretty grim - we're talking stained carpeted floors, a very dark room with a broken window and a very inhospitable bathroom *shudder*... This time around I'd go for something a lot more luxurious, I mean a dream city break to London wouldn't be complete without somewhere beautiful to stay now would it? Rosewood London offers a stunning accomodation choice for those wanting a luxurious element to their stay in London. Rosewood London is an ultra-luxury High Holborn hotel that combines English heritage with contemporary sophistication in a central location. Set in the heart of the city near Covent Garden, the City and West End theatres, it is an ideal base for business and sightseeing in London - both reasons why I would be in the city. Although the rooms do cost considerably more than the accommodation we had last year, I'd rather pay more for a nicer experience, one that Jacek and I can enjoy and remember for years to come. Their rooms offer so much in terms of making guest comfortable and are designed so beautifully - just look at the pictures above and that bath! It's the stuff that dreams are made of.

We sadly didn't get to do much sightseeing last time we visited London - battling the crowds on Oxford Street on a Saturday as if I was Richard Ashcroft in the Bittersweet Symphony video doesn't count - so I'd love to visit all the sights, go on the London Eye, see Buckingham Palace again and get some pictures of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The last time I went sightseeing in London I was only fourteen and was there for a Busted concert (remember them!), so seeing all these things with my other half in tow would be absolutely lovely.

As we'd have to stay in London for two nights - simply because I don't want to be rushing around again (a dream London city break has to be leisurely of course!) and because #BL16 is now a one day event, I think it'd be great to go out somewhere nice for dinner and then go to a West End Show. I read a post recently about a blogger who went to see Memphis in the West End and loved it. I haven't been to the theatre in years so it'd be a dream to visit again in one of the most acclaimed theatre cities in the world.

So there you have it, my dream London city break, as well, of course, as spending the day socialising and learning more from my fellow bloggers at #BL16. It's not often that Jacek and I get away together and get to spend some quality time as a couple so relaxation, luxury and making lifetime memories together would be the key to my dream London city break with him.

*Pictures c/o of Rosewood London, Jetsetter and 99TravelTips*
Share:

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

I Can't Get No Sleep... | My Natural Sleep Saviours ♥

As of late I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping. I toss and turn, can't get comfortable, I'll get to sleep for about twenty minutes and then will wake up suddenly feeling as if I haven't even been asleep at all. I don't know if it's because I just can't relax or switch off or if it's because I'm developing something more serious such as insomnia - seriously, being away at half two in the morning when you need to drop your child to pre-school in the morning is just not good.

I've gone in search of some natural sleep saviours, things which will effect my mood and mindset rather than my body, if you get me. I don't want to take sleeping tablets or anything like that, I want to unwind, get ready for bed and fall asleep by using natural methods and remedies. I'm sharing some things which have worked for me, things which I actually already had around my home and hopefully this post will be of some help to other poor souls out there who also can't get no sleep...

I now try to get my bedroom 'sleep ready' and as relaxing as I possibly can before bedtime. I think that candles are one of the most relaxing elements you can have in a room and I've been burning my Lavender Yankee Candle* before bed - lavender being a scent that is proven to help you relax. The scent of lovely lavender filling the room really does give such a relaxing atmosphere and one that helps me drift off to sleep. I used to burn the Lemon Lavender Yankee Candle wax tart melt for Tyler Lee to help him drift off to sleep and it really worked, this is what inspired me to get my own lavender candle lighting and I'm so glad I did.

Keeping with the lavender theme, I actually invested in a lavender filled bag when I visited Jersey Lavender Farm and this was one of the best things I could have bought for my sleep troubles. I keep the bag under my pillow during the day and by the time I get to bed the scent has infused within my pillows. I also rest the bag on my face for a couple of minutes so that I can get the scent of lavender before I fall asleep, it really is so relaxing. I also have a little lavender pillow, which I also bought in Jersey Lavender Farm, which I place under Tyler Lee's sheet in his cot, it helps him to drift off to sleep too.

I find that one of the most relaxing things I can do at bedtime and which actually does tire me out is reading a book. Even better when I'm reading my book by candlelight. Right now I'm reading Lorna Byrne's book Stairway to Heaven, I'm working my way through all her books and have just one left after this one. Nothing like reading about angels to make you have sweet dreams!

We were sent the lovely Lullaby Star Cube for Tyler Lee a few months back and we use it every night to help him get to sleep but I've also begun using it too. It's such a lovely product and I find that the sea sounds help me drift off to sleep, it seems to have a pattern within the sound which just relaxes me and makes me super sleepy. As well as the sounds it also projects colour-changing stars onto the ceiling which creates a lovely, relaxing ambiance for bedtime too.

I also sprinkle lavender oil on my bed sheets a few times a week. I have to be careful not to put too much as it can be quite overpowering but it's lovely to have the sheets fragranced with lavender. I also sprinkle the lavender oil on Tyler Lee's sheet and blanket and tell him it's 'magic' he actually giggles as I'm sprinkling it, so sweet. I also add the lavender oil to a hot bath if I'm having one before bedtime, it really does put you to sleep instantly!

Finally, one beauty product which has worked wonders for me, not only when it comes to my skin but for helping me get to sleep too is Lisa Heeney Soft and Smooth Face Cream with Apricot Kernel, Rose and Neroli. This is a bespoke product which was made especially for my skin and the aromatherapy oils within it have worked so well in helping me relax and drift off to sleep. It's a fabulous night-time moisturiser and I'd be lost without it. You can read my review on my bespoke Lisa Heeney products and information on where to buy them here.

These are my natural sleep saviours. All are things which I had around the house and it just goes to show that even us adults need a little bit of a bedtime routine. Do you have trouble sleeping? Do you have any other natural sleep saviours which you can recommend to me?
Share:

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

One Million... ♥

Well it finally happened, this little blog of mine reached one million page views, two years and six months since I first begun it. Reaching one million has been my ultimate goal for the blog since it turned two and I'm so happy to have achieved what I wanted, much sooner than I anticipated too.

Jacek even got me a cake to celebrate the achievement and mark the milestone - which is a huge one for me as I could have never envisioned anyone but myself reading my blog when I first began writing it way back on March 27th 2013. I thought this was very sweet of him, he's so thoughtful and he even got my favourite - strawberry and cream with plain sponge - yum! Tyler Lee couldn't wait to have a slice, cake may just be his new favourite thing! Could we possibly have replaced the ice-cream phase with a new cakey phase?!

I feel like I can relax a bit with the blog now. I was so obsessed all summer with reaching this goal of mine and I actually don't think I have anymore goals for the blog at the moment. I'm just going to keep doing my own thing and sharing all that I love with the world.

I'd like to say a very big and sincere thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my blog. I means an awful lot to me to know that people are reading my musings, thoughts and general ramblings, so thank you so so much!

Now I want some more cake... !
Share:

Monday, September 14, 2015

DIY Upcycled Chairs | Shabby Chic Inspired ♥

This was a project I had been wanting to do for quite some time now, having been inspired by the lovely Emily on her wonderful blog The Nest and her gorgeous chair makeover. I was so eager to get going on this project, my only problem being that I had no furniture to upcycle... or so I thought. My parents house is full of old furniture and bits and bobs to makeover and give a fresh lease of life to, not least these two old chairs that once sat at the kitchen table. They were scratched to high Heaven, had drips of green paint on them and were long forgotten, hiding in the cellar amongst the cobwebs.

I firstly washed them down, I also used some disinfectant to given them a thorough clean. As I was using a chalk based paint for the blue chair and a spray paint for the pink I didn't have to sand the chairs down - yay for being able to get straight to painting, which was oddly very therapeutic for me! I have to admit before I go on that I have never painted anything before, except for the fence in the garden so it was quite a new experience for me and one which was my mother was so surprised to see me doing, she in fact said - "I thought I'd never see the day" in response to me painting my chairs and being so enthusiastic about it.

The paints I used were Valspar Spray Paint in Rose Sugar Satin (pink) and Rust-Oleum Chalky Finish Furniture Paint in Duck Egg (blue). I hand-painted the blue chair which did take some time as the ribs on the legs and back took some going over to cover them completely, the pink chair was done in half an hour though as the spray painting was so quick and easier, I also love the finish the Valspar Spray Paint gave, it was so smooth and looked perfect.

For the pink chair I used some angel and flower designed stickers and paper that I had for years, having been sent them by a woman in The Netherlands. Anyone who knows me knows that I love pink, angels and flowers so this chair really is a tribute to all I love. On the blue I used an old floral print envelope, unfolded it and cut it into a diamond shape. I also used some strips of the same pattern to decorate the top of the chair. I stuck all these pieces onto the chairs using a mixture of water and PVA glue..

When the chairs were completely dry - I gave myself two days for this project, I painted them with clear varnish, making sure to give a couple of coats on top of the added designs to keep them in place. I absolutely love how the chairs turned out and as you can see from the above picture the change was huge!

I love the new shabby chic look they have and think they really are rather pretty. The pink one now sits in my bedroom, covered in floral print cushions and the blue one sits in the flat next to my parents house and is perfect for the cottage vibe it has.

I really hope you liked this post and my chairs and that you may be inspired to upcycle something yourself. I know I just can't wait to get going on my new project and you can be sure that I'll feature it here on the blog once it's finished.

Share:
© Dolly Dowsie | All rights reserved.
Blog Layout Created by pipdig