Charity shop finds!

I love charity shops! The awesome finds, the untold stories of the little knick knacks you find in them....I could think of nothing better than spending hours looking through charity shop after charity shop (Op shops for my Southern Hemisphere readers) trying to find hidden gems. I am yet to brave the clothing side of charity shops although I have found a few great bits, I am more for the housey treasures at the moment.

I visited one of my favourite local charity shops yesterday and whenever I do go there I usually find something or other I just simply must have! This time was no exception and having only spent £2.70 (bargain!) I walked out with a small collection of goodies.

I am more than a little obsessed at the moment with crocheted doilies and when I found a bundle of 3 small round ones and 1 long, quite large rectangular one for only 20p (!!!)... well as you can imagine died and gone to doily heaven jumped to mind!

 I have been looking everywhere for a small dolls bed for my daughter but have not yet managed to see anything I liked the look of or that was suitable, until....out jumps this wooden magazine stand, woot woot!I removed the middle bar of wood and gave it a good clean up and I will easily be able to paint up and make into a little cot-bed for her baby. She got it out of the bag and started playing with it pretty much as soon as we got home, so it gets the seal of approval from her.

Baby seems to approve!

I also spotted this cute little guy and for some odd reason just had to have him. I am not a collector of ornaments/weird animal toy things but this was so cute and fuzzy and strange I couldn't leave it there. I have no idea what it is or who made it, but you never know in years to come it may become a collectors piece worth millions HAHAHAHAHA wishful thinking!

I love this weird little bunny thingie-ma-jig!

How cute is he!!!

This weekend we have decided to brave what ever the wonderful English summer throws at us and get up early and go to one of the local boot fairs. It isn't something we have done as a family but I am really looking forward to seeing what bargains we can dig up, my husband has been well trained in bargain upcyclable furniture spotting so here's hoping we find something great! And here's hoping it's dry!!!! Watch this space.

Are you a charity shop/boot fair fan too? What's the best bargain you've found?

Well I hope your Tuesday is going well- off to do some house work now....it never ends! Thanks for stopping by.

xx P xx

Pretty shoes tutorial... OH how I love Mod Podge!

 It is so great when you wear something that people comment on asking where you got it, commenting how lovely it is etc etc. It is even nicer when you can proudly say that "I made this!"
I LOVE shoes and have "several" pairs in my wardrobe! I love quirky, different, pretty, one of a kind shoes (ala- Irregular Choice,Rocket Dog, Jimmy Choo) but unfortunately could never afford to own a pair as they are so expensive... sob sob!
Not being one to let a little thing like no cash stop me from owing something everyone would comment with jealousy on, I decided to make my own shoes! I am a Mod Podge junkie (if it sits still I'll mod podge it!) and knew it would be the perfect to use for shoes, I had used the outdoor one on a few other projects so knew it was amazingly waterproof and durable. After pouring over sites on handmade, fabric covered shoes getting inspiration I grabbed the glue and some scraps of material and got to work.

These were the first pair I made. I started with £4 shoes from Primark in an odd brown colour. I used different scraps of fabric and leather and added felt balls and felt leaves to the front. I get masses of complements from people when ever I wear them... I really love these shoes.

 These were my wedding shoes- but when can you ever wear white satin shoes again??? I covered them using torn up tissue paper and covered them with several layers of Outdoor Mod Podge to keep them weather proof. I haven't worn them yet, not too sure what outfit to match them with? 

I thought I would share a tutorial with you on how I created my latest pair of shoes.

Step 1

Get an old pair of shoes. These can be newly purchased shoes or old ones you no longer use, it doesn't matter either way, in fact charity shops are great for cheap shoes cause it doesn't matter what they look like to begin with. Mine had flower decorations on them that I simple snipped off.

Step 2

Trace out a template of you shoe onto paper. I used tissue and laid the shoe on to the paper and roughly traced round it. You don't have to be too accurate as you'll trim the excess off later anyway. Then cut your template out of fabric, like you would with a sewing pattern.

Step 3

Cover shoe in Mod Podge (I used the Outdoor type ) and place fabric on top and move about til it fits well. I then pushed the fabric into the rim of the sole with the end of my unpicker, but anything with a small sharp end would be fine.

Snip little tabs into the fabric round the instep of the shoe and glue down. I held the tabs down with mini clothes pegs but again clippy anything will do.

Step 4

Repeat the steps for the back of the shoe. I didn't cover the heel on this pair but have with previous shoes.

Step 5

When the glue has dried completely trim the excess fabric off using a very sharp craft knife (it goes without saying please take special care when using sharp knives!)

All trimmed up

  

Step 6 

Now decorate! The sky's the limit here so go mad! I used lace, ribbon and small wooden hearts with super glue to stick them on to make sure they didn't come off. I finally gave them a couple of coats of Outdoor Mod Podge to make sure they were weather proof.... and here they are!

Looking forward to being able to wear these as soon as the weather warms up...whenever that may be!

Hope you are having a great Wednesday where you are.

xx P xx

Oh Mod Podge how I love thee!

My lovely "new" sideboard

It’s been a while- not had the get up and go to write anything it seems. I have been busy renovating tho and have just finished a beautiful sideboard for our conservatory. I trudged through the heavy snow we had a couple of weeks ago to our local secondhand dealers and found it hidden in the back of the shop- did my best Kirsty Alsop bartering and got it for a song! I am so pleased with how it turned out and am such a believer in restoing old things rather than buying new! I love the wallpaper samples I have used on the inside too- thanks to a dear friend who shall remain anonymous for forgetting to return them to the uber expensive decorating store many moons ago and to my lovely husband for rescuing them from her skip.Will be using them again on the newly painted conservatory walls (when I finally get them finished!)

I love the way the new sideboard displays my tea-set. I finally have a lovely place to show it off!!!Very proud of myself!