We've been trying to get on top of our house a bit more lately and jolly up the faded bits.
In reality it's a battle that will never be won completely, but that's half the fun of a lived in family home.
My first promise (which I failed to keep last year) was to decorate Miss Millie's room.
For a whole week I painted like a demon. Sometimes the girls helped me too, but the man of the house kept away from the painting as he's just no good at it (or is that a ploy?).
There's lots of things still to be added as we go along, but the room itself is finished and my girl is thrilled with it.
For a few years she's had her eye on this shelf that I found one day at a beach junk shop.
It travelled on my shoulder, across the river onto the boat ferry and has sat waiting for a wall to be hung on ever since.
A dab of flamingo pink paint completed the job and some scrappy dingly dangly bunting for a colour splash.
For Millie the best bit was arranging all her nic nacs on her new shelf.
There used to be a huge unused French Armoire in this corner. The corner wall had become black from damp and so the inside of the Armoire smelt so musty. It was a big job sorting those walls out and made me so happy to make it white and clean again.
Miss Millie's room is the largest bedroom here. A big L-shaped room full of light and cosy as it's above the woodburner.
As this part of the room needed to breathe, it seemed the perfect spot for a desk. That meant going off desk hunting as Miss Millie's old desk was a lift lid school one that was far too small for a high school girlie with tons of homework.
I convinced her that a formica table would be so much better than an Ikea job and then hoped the one I'd seen months ago was still in the shop. Big result it was still there and she loves it so a big win.
Between the nook that her bed fits in and the desk side is a gorgeous fireplace that was all faded white paint. Black railings paint brought that back to life and a quick and easy lampshade kit meant I could make her a new shade from fabric she chose from my stash.
Looking at the chair reminds me I need to recover that too.
Alongside the pink paintwork to offset the white Miss Millie chose turquoise to update her bookshelf. When we finish clearing the garage (this weeks major task) we'll be able to get to the old wardrobe I've promised her. I plan to paint that the same colour.
On top of her bookshelf is a very very special piece of artwork indeed. A few years back now I asked Vanessa Caban (the artist who used to blog at do you mind if I knit) if she could make one of her papier mache creations for Millie's birthday based on a photo and her adoration of sheep.
Miss Millie has called sheep Betty's for as long as I can remember so this sheep is elderly and called Beautiful Betty. A while back I was asked by a lovely lady to make a couple of Leaping Hare brooches for her. She told me later on that one was for her friend the illustrator Clara Vulliamy (Shirley Hughes daughter) as she knew I loved her work. I then told her about reading the Hughes poem of the elderly sheep Betty in Olly and Me to our girls and how that had ended with us shouting "hello Betty's" to each field of sheep we passed. Now our tale and how much it means to us will be passed back to her.
I love when life moves to connect even the smaller pieces together.
Miss Millie has called sheep Betty's for as long as I can remember so this sheep is elderly and called Beautiful Betty. A while back I was asked by a lovely lady to make a couple of Leaping Hare brooches for her. She told me later on that one was for her friend the illustrator Clara Vulliamy (Shirley Hughes daughter) as she knew I loved her work. I then told her about reading the Hughes poem of the elderly sheep Betty in Olly and Me to our girls and how that had ended with us shouting "hello Betty's" to each field of sheep we passed. Now our tale and how much it means to us will be passed back to her.
I love when life moves to connect even the smaller pieces together.
On the radiator are pictures and hooks still waiting for me to get my drill out again.
The fly a kite print I bought a while ago from Jane at Teawagontales fits the room and my youngest girlie perfectly.
While one of my friends Sasha's creations dangles merrily alongside.
The main problem we have in Miss Millie's room is storage. Although her room is bigger than her sister's she just has lots more stuff.
I thought an Ottoman would solve the problem perfectly, not that I expected to find one the first week I headed to the car boot in search of one.
Turning a corner I saw exactly what I was after and for peanuts as the woman hated
it and wanted rid of it quickly.
The next day I got to work on it.
Sadly the fabric on the top was all ripped and stinky so no saving that. I was really generous too as I covered it in what I had left of my favourite ever Heals fabric. A generous slap of bright pink paint and bashing in upholstery tacks and I was done.
The other great bargain for her room were the M & S pink curtains which I got at the fleamarket in Southwold a couple of summers ago for £3. This room has been planned for a while you see.
So just a wardrobe to sort, pictures up and bunting to be made and I think I've finished.
My other plan before I go back to work was to finally get our larder decorated. For eight years or so it's languished being useful but hidden out of sight.
One whole day of paint throwing and a bit of double sided sticky tape to hold the stripy curtains in
and Punch and Judy's Palace was ready to take its rightful place showing off in the kitchen.
It's just a bit shorter than it should be as when I dragged it through (being too impatient to wait for my man to get home) the legs fell off!
I just love it so much. There's a bit of larder love going on over in Instagram world too.
After a bit of chat back and forth, I was inspired to make some tiny sausages and bunting for my larder. I'll show you if you like once they're all done.
I'll be back sooner than I have been for a while to show you my latest makes.There's a coat that I've nearly finished and I'm so excited by it.
Bye for now.
Loving what you're doing there my dear, all good and colourful and happy.....having been banned from anything in the slightest 'vintage' from Eldest Beas room I have persuaded her on the virtues of crochet flower garlands and crochet blankets.....keep chipping away, that's my motto! ;) xxx
ReplyDeleteI live next door to Vanessa and will suggest she pops by to see her creation in situ. Lovely room!
ReplyDeleteAll bright and gorgeous - love it! Miss Maisie must be over the moon. I love the larder, too. Have a great weekend x
ReplyDeleteA wonderful room indeed! The shelf bunting is lovely, and looks just right. Love your new larder too, shame you lost the legs, but you can't tell!! xx
ReplyDeleteYour daughters' room is gorgeous! I love all the pink in it and the turquoise blends in. My favourite part of a re-do when I was young was also arranging the things on shelves. Actually, that still is my favourite part! Love the colour of the larder.
ReplyDeleteCan I move into her room? I love it! x
ReplyDeleteGorgeous post from start to finish Mrs Bun!
ReplyDeleteLoving all the things you have done in your youngest' s room it looks so bright and cosy a perfect den to relax and do homework in. I think I remember when you revealed the gorgeous papier mache artwork I remember Vanessa' s blog too another wonderful colourful world to visit.
Love the larder to so bright pretty and cheery in your kitchen.
Looking forward to your next post and your coat reveal.
P x
What a fabulous room, so colourful and the sort of room that anyone would be happy to spend time in I should think. And I thought I recognised Vanessa's work - such a shame we don't have a blog from her to read any more. Thanks (to you and Miss Millie) for sharing these photos. Lucky girl to have such a clever mamma!
ReplyDeleteLove love love all the colour! Well done - I would love to have a room like that even now (and I am somewhere between 50-60 LOL)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful room, would have loved it as a teenager.
ReplyDeleteI know I say this every week but I LOVE YOUR HOUSE!
ReplyDeleteIt's so beautiful and full of love.
And what good taste has your daughter got!
I spied a picture of Little My, my heroine!
X
What a riot of love and colour! I sorta giggle to imagine you dragging old cast offs through the town, but it's exactly what I would do too. My children are usually horrified and roll their eyes at the "junk/treasures" I find but it doesn't stop me. And I wonder at that name for sheep because forty years ago I called then Betty Baa Lambs......your home and hearth sound divine, thanks for sharing the laughter.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you have decorated your daughter's room, just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAnne xx
big well done to you...bet your arms ached after all that work?....lovely job...fresh and cheerful...xxxxx
ReplyDeleteNot surprised you're pleased with it, it looks wonderful! and I love the papier mache sheep, isn't it lovely to be able to go mad with children's bedrooms, even minimalist me loved decorating my son's bedroom when he was younger. x
ReplyDeleteYour room turned out truly lovely!!!
ReplyDeleteNow I am going to tell you a little secret that I learned oh so long ago..........if you allow the paint to dribble off the roller...onto the handle....down your arm ..off the elbow and onto the floor...you will never be allowed to paint again...TRUE STORY...
The waiting and all the hard work really has been worth it ... it all looks great! M x
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love their rooms! Ah, to be young again :) Actually, I still do my room so I can see all the things that make me happy and some are from when I was very young. One of the perks of being single again.
ReplyDeleteOoh its wonderful..
ReplyDelete.You made me smile with your impatience and the little larder cupboard legs... :) hehe Brill
that's one of my very famous tricks.. It truly scrumptious all the very same..
Hugs Maria x