Friday 27 July 2012

Wallpaper Whimsy Part 2

Ages ago here, I droned on about this roll of wallpaper:



Isn't it gorgeous? A mere £1.50 in a charity shop. I decided it was "the one".

The plan was to wallpaper our downstairs loo with it.

Allelujah! I've finally done it!






My handy tip to you all is to remember to allow for the repeat in the pattern. I started off allowing for the repeat but soon forgot and ended up with two strips which were too short for the wall. Mmmmm, quel un idiot..................Remember, dear readers, only having ONE roll of wallpaper means there is no margin for error.  Fortunately, I had a teeny amount left over with which I managed to cut into shape and stick down in the relevant places. There's nothing quite like a botched job I find.


But I'm not lingering on the botched bits because they're really not that obvious and, luckily, the too-big-for-the-room-but-who-cares IKEA light does a very good job of distracting the eye. Non?



Before I go, Mr J and P emailed me a link to this William Shatner vid on YouTube with a note saying it's "unfathomably weird". By jingo, Mr J and P is actually right.  Bear with it, it's truly bonkers (especially around the 3 mins 18 secs mark).

Enjoy......xx




Thursday 5 July 2012

Literally the most gorgeous cushion ever.

My charity shopping exploits have been very limited recently.  Actually when I say "very limited recently" I really mean "completely rubbish all year long and I've barely bought a thing and it's not fair."  Cue stamping of feet and sulking.

Last week I found myself in posh, well-to-do Fulham, west London.  My old stomping ground, in fact.  Not that I'm posh and well-to-do.  Not by a long chalk.  Big, expensive houses, leafy streets, and from what I remembered, posh looking charity shops.  I wandered into one which was a charity shop even when I lived in Fulham (I left home in 1983!).  It was delightfully higgledy piggledy and stuffed with ermmm... stuff and reasonably priced AND I actually bought something.  Whoop whoop!  Cue mass hysteria.

It's literally the most gorgeous cushion ever.  I nearly fainted with joy when I saw the back with its delicious vintage/retro fabric.


The front is the most darling patchwork combo consisting of cutesy folksy fabric featuring traditionally dressed Dutch girls (I think) and apples and pears - swoooooon:


a geometric vintage/retro fabric square:


and cute little owls.  But no ordinary cute little owls.  Hell, no!  Cute little TAPESTRY owls:


OMG, look at the whole cushion in all its cute cushion glory *squeals*:


What did I tell you?  I was right,wasn't I?  The most gorgeous cushion ever.  And all for the princely sum of £4.50.  Which I thought was quite reasonable seeing as inside the cushion cover is a brand new John Lewis duck filled cushion pad which alone costs £8.

I love thee oh wondrous cushion.  Thou art perfect in every way (despite the lack of pompom trimming or ric-rac embellishment).  *Buries head in cushion, sighing contentedly*........



Umm, yes, where was I?  Oh yes, a WHOLE post about ONE cushion cover....What am I like?  Careful what you say, you cheeky readers!

I'll love you and leave you and hand you over to Mr J and P who'd like to do a little piece.  If you've got a couple of quid spare, we'd love it if you could please donate........but, really no pressure......

Mr J and P:

There's nothing small or insignificant about my piece, missus (phnarr, phnarr!). Anyway, I'll be putting my best foot forward with my friends, Paul and Karen, to take part in the CRY Heart of London Bridges Walk on 15th July to raise awareness and funding for the Cardiac Research in the Young (CRY) charity.

Paul and Karen, whom I've known since schooldays, were devastated when their son, Tom, died suddenly last June, aged just 25. Tom, who had recently become a father, had learned just months before that he had a heart condition but it was hoped it wasn't likely to have a huge impact on his life. Sadly, Tom collapsed and died without warning. Following Tom's death, doctors have found other family members also have the condition and they are now being monitored and tested.

Paul and Karen became aware of CRY's work which helps support bereaved families, partners and carers and also drives medical research on cardiac conditions in young people. Please help prevent further tragedies by supporting this great charity and sponsoring me in the CRY Heart of London Bridges sponsored walk.


Please give as much or as little as you can.  Here's a link to my giving page


Further information about CTR can be found here

Thank you.