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Tonight, I'm having a bit of a play about in the blogging scene! I'm so new to this so please bear with me! I've found this Bloglovin page and it asked me to paste a link to a new post, so that's what I'm doing :)
I'm itching to get some software downloaded so I can have a play with my templates and make my blog more exciting to look at!
Monday, 30 December 2013
New Years Eve-Eve & my Autumnal painting.
It's New Years Eve-Eve!! I've said it in my last blog post but this time of year always makes me think about what I'd like to do around the home. My goal for 2014 is to make as many home furnishings as I can and introduce some reclaimed furniture to our collection, once it's got the Annie Sloan treatment!
The picture above is one I painted back in Autumn. My favourite trees are silver birch and after seeing a similar picture in a famous retail catalogue, thought I'd have a go at painting myself. My mum gave me three huge canvasses and I had some acrylic left over from the dino room.
It took me an afternoon to create this and it now hangs proudly in my dining area. Now I've just to think of subjects for my other two canvasses!
Xx
What I'm all about!
I've written my first set of DIY blogs (which I hope you enjoyed!) and realised you don't know me from Adam! So this post is dedicated to you getting to know me! This is all about setting the scene and waffle.....lots of waffle so be warned, but hey, it gets it all over with ;)
I'm Carrie. A 31 year old stay at home mummy to Jake and Liam and partner of Craig. We live in a humble, suburban home in West Yorkshire and have Bobbin and Thimble (cats), Patch the goldfish and at the moment a tank of Aqua dragons and a Hawk Elephant Moth chrysalis (I'll probably blog about this in the future!).
I love all things nature and outdoorsy and completed a degree back in 2006 in Geography and Environmental Science. I love how I can look at certain formations - whether it be earth, rock or clouds, and know the science behind it. I can't look at mountains and valleys the same and trips to the beach often involve discovering fossils, sedimentation layers and finding the wave cut
platform! Sad I know, but hey ho, it's me!! I'm a self-confessed science geek, even though I failed my A'Level Chemistry and Biology with terrific ease! I am thrilled to bits that my eldest son is following in my science-y footsteps!
After having my first son Jake and finishing my degree (he came along in my GAP year!) I've felt a bit lost. I never had the chance to take that dream job in my chosen career. I went straight into motherhood and to be honest, felt useless and like I'd wasted my efforts on my degree. To some extent I still feel like that but then think of the depth of knowledge I can offer my children about
their surroundings and how it all formed.
When Liam came along 5 years later, I still felt a little lost but had started to find myself and what I enjoyed most - crafts! I've dabbled in card making, silk painting (not successful at all!), cross-stitch (erm......I got very bored by this!), jewellery making and in 2011 I found cupcake/cake decorating.
This new found hobby flourished into something more. It began to grow into a viable business providing me with the independence I yearned as a stay at home mum. I could help provide at long last and as daft as it sound, even if I only made £5 profit, it felt pretty damn good!
In May 2012 we moved home with our boys. Feeling settled, we found the opportunity to start creating the perfect living space for us. We rent so it's hardly viable to knock down walls, build new features etc. We have to work with what we've got and to be honest, we're pretty damn happy with that at the minute.
I don't know why, but this time of year always sets my mind on fire wit DIY projects and can't help but feel excited by what we have planned. 2012 saw us adjusting to our new home, 2013 brought about some re-decorations, much needed storage solutions and a playground for the boys. I'm hoping 2014 will bring us a new kitchen, let us finish the garden, decorate the hallway and sort
out our shabby, rotten front door surround!
I plan to dust off the sewing machine (once I get it back from mum!), buy myself some knitting needles and teach myself how to knit again. Jake was given a guitar for Christmas so may even try teach myself how to play that!
Whatever this next year brings, I hope it is filled with love, health and happiness. The rest is secondary xxx
The happy couple!
I'm Carrie. A 31 year old stay at home mummy to Jake and Liam and partner of Craig. We live in a humble, suburban home in West Yorkshire and have Bobbin and Thimble (cats), Patch the goldfish and at the moment a tank of Aqua dragons and a Hawk Elephant Moth chrysalis (I'll probably blog about this in the future!).
 |
| Liam in his homemade snail costume! |
platform! Sad I know, but hey ho, it's me!! I'm a self-confessed science geek, even though I failed my A'Level Chemistry and Biology with terrific ease! I am thrilled to bits that my eldest son is following in my science-y footsteps!
Mummy & Jake
After having my first son Jake and finishing my degree (he came along in my GAP year!) I've felt a bit lost. I never had the chance to take that dream job in my chosen career. I went straight into motherhood and to be honest, felt useless and like I'd wasted my efforts on my degree. To some extent I still feel like that but then think of the depth of knowledge I can offer my children about
their surroundings and how it all formed.
When Liam came along 5 years later, I still felt a little lost but had started to find myself and what I enjoyed most - crafts! I've dabbled in card making, silk painting (not successful at all!), cross-stitch (erm......I got very bored by this!), jewellery making and in 2011 I found cupcake/cake decorating.
This new found hobby flourished into something more. It began to grow into a viable business providing me with the independence I yearned as a stay at home mum. I could help provide at long last and as daft as it sound, even if I only made £5 profit, it felt pretty damn good!
In May 2012 we moved home with our boys. Feeling settled, we found the opportunity to start creating the perfect living space for us. We rent so it's hardly viable to knock down walls, build new features etc. We have to work with what we've got and to be honest, we're pretty damn happy with that at the minute.
I don't know why, but this time of year always sets my mind on fire wit DIY projects and can't help but feel excited by what we have planned. 2012 saw us adjusting to our new home, 2013 brought about some re-decorations, much needed storage solutions and a playground for the boys. I'm hoping 2014 will bring us a new kitchen, let us finish the garden, decorate the hallway and sort
out our shabby, rotten front door surround!
I plan to dust off the sewing machine (once I get it back from mum!), buy myself some knitting needles and teach myself how to knit again. Jake was given a guitar for Christmas so may even try teach myself how to play that!
Whatever this next year brings, I hope it is filled with love, health and happiness. The rest is secondary xxx
Sunday, 29 December 2013
And finally, the soft furnishings.....Dino bedroom #6
There are tonnes of uber cute dinosaur bedding sets out there but each time I googled the theme, I was drawn to the Catherine Lansfield set. Again this was another online purchase and I forget the exact pricing but I bought the bedding set and curtains and could not be happier!
The shades of green and blue in the set compliment Liam's room beautifully and looks like they were made for my project!
Liam's bedroom provides so much more than a place to sleep. It's his space to enjoy, play and ultimately provides the best bedtime stories starring the main man 'Liam the Dino Mad Lad'!
Liam's adventures have included being chased by a playful T-Rex who just wanted some jelly babies from his pocket! A lost Triceratops who couldn't find his way home in the dark until Liam lit the way home with his super duper torch! A tiny Teradactyl leaving the nest for the first time...... I could go on and on with the stories we make up together, I'm sure they bring his room alive and this is what childhood's all about isn't it?
Xx
The shades of green and blue in the set compliment Liam's room beautifully and looks like they were made for my project!
Liam's bedroom provides so much more than a place to sleep. It's his space to enjoy, play and ultimately provides the best bedtime stories starring the main man 'Liam the Dino Mad Lad'!
Liam's adventures have included being chased by a playful T-Rex who just wanted some jelly babies from his pocket! A lost Triceratops who couldn't find his way home in the dark until Liam lit the way home with his super duper torch! A tiny Teradactyl leaving the nest for the first time...... I could go on and on with the stories we make up together, I'm sure they bring his room alive and this is what childhood's all about isn't it?
Xx
Fabulous furniture .........Dino Bedroom #5
The Dino bedroom went down a treat with Liam! At long last he had a bedroom which was as wild as his imagination! He had a 'big boy' bed and a place to put 'his' toys that were accessible. The toy storage also provided a little seat and he quickly learnt to climb up it! Something I'd not thought about!!
We bought the step type Trofast storage system from Ikea, with a combination of blue, green and white boxes (prices range from £1.50 - £3.50) which provided ample storage for Liam's toys! This cost £63. He's sat on a little £5 Mammut stool from Ikea which he uses as his side table amd the bed is our eldest's old Mammut bed.
I find Ikea is unbeatable for affordable storage solutions and can lose hours trawling the Ikea Hackers website! In fact, in the future I plan to build Liam a cabin bed using a Kritter bed frame and two Besta units. I'm hoping this will make good use of under bed storage and provide an area for his clothes. These are currently in a chest of drawers in our room!
Trofast Storage System
Ta da........Dino bedroom #4
Finally my little boys bedroom is complete and I've just to add his furniture and show him his new bedroom for the first time! I'm one very excited and proud mummy!
This will be where Liam's toy storage will sit, a trofast unit which will house his toys perfectly and the tubs match the colours of his room!
I picked up this cute height chart from eBay! My youngest may be growing up faster than I can blink, but I couldn't resist a bit of baby dino cuteness!!
This will be where Liam's toy storage will sit, a trofast unit which will house his toys perfectly and the tubs match the colours of his room!
I picked up this cute height chart from eBay! My youngest may be growing up faster than I can blink, but I couldn't resist a bit of baby dino cuteness!!
We have Mr. T-Rex chasing Terry Triceratops! Brachiosaurs, Stegosaurus, Teradactyls, Rhamphorynchus, plus a few other species I'm sure Liam could name ;) We also have volcanic eruptions billowing plumes of smoke, clouds and the sun, trees and conifers and a few ferns dotted about.
I was very aware of painting such large, potentially scary creatures in a small child's room, so every dino has a curled up mouth to make them look like they're smiling and eyelids to stop their eyes glaring. The huge Rhamphorynchus which flies over Liam's Fossilised name plaque has beautiful long eyelashes to help soften her face!
Lets add some colour..... Dino bedroom #3
With three walls now drawn up, I'm happy to start adding some paint to the walls. I start by painting in the sky, grass and hills, being carefull not to paint inside the dino's/drawings!
Please excuse the quality of some of these photos, I got a little carried away and near enough worked through the night to get the first coats on!
I was so excited to finally get the walls covers with their final coat of paint! I think it took three coats (I'm a perfectionist and wanted to make sure every inch was perfectly covered!).
Once dry I began filling in the details using the acrylic paint I'd bought on eBay. I found this so therapeutic! I realised just how much I miss painting and the space my mind goes into when I've a paintbrush in hand!
Not daring to start painting any of the Dino's, I set to work on the trees. I love the texture the rich brown gave to the trees. It didn't go on evenly, but this
added to the effect and gave the whole mural depth. I'm not sure whether this picture picks it out......
Please excuse the quality of some of these photos, I got a little carried away and near enough worked through the night to get the first coats on!
I was so excited to finally get the walls covers with their final coat of paint! I think it took three coats (I'm a perfectionist and wanted to make sure every inch was perfectly covered!).
Once dry I began filling in the details using the acrylic paint I'd bought on eBay. I found this so therapeutic! I realised just how much I miss painting and the space my mind goes into when I've a paintbrush in hand!
Not daring to start painting any of the Dino's, I set to work on the trees. I love the texture the rich brown gave to the trees. It didn't go on evenly, but this
added to the effect and gave the whole mural depth. I'm not sure whether this picture picks it out......
Blank Canvas.......Dino Bedroom #2
Whoop whoop! A blank canvas waiting for me to do my magic (or not.....I wasn't quite confident in myself at this stage!). Look how boring this space is! imagine it with natural wood furniture a neutral nursery soft furnishings! no wonder our little fella always wanted to play in his big brothers space themed bedroom!
Now then, do I trust my artistic capabilities, dive straight in and draw the images onto the walls or do I make stencils? I'm not sure I entirely trusted my artistic flair at this point, after all, I've not 'painted' since GCSE Art way back in 1999! But, the thought of spending hours making stencils was enough to get my backside into gear and get this baby started!
Here are a few snapshots of my preparatory drawings on the main wall.
I was getting very excited at this stage.......
Start small...they say!! Dino Bedroom #1
2013 saw me create a few 'crafty/DIY' projects with my most memorable project being my littlest's bedroom transformation!!
Liam's room was dull, boring and plain magnolia complete with natural wood nursery furniture that was way too small for our toddlers growing needs and wild imagination. This time last year, Liam was in full swing Gruffalo mode! He had EVERYTHING Gruffalo! So we toyed with creating a woodland themed bedroom. This theme lasted all of 2-3 months when he tuned into an American kids programme 'Dino Dan'.
Liam is full of wonder, intrigue and a true explorer. Forever in the dirt and grime, constantly reminding me never to dress him in white. Ever.
We moved to this house in May 2012 and are very slowly getting there in terms of how I'd like my home to look and feel. There is still such a looooong way to go before I can call it my dream retreat though!
Liam's room was dull, boring and plain magnolia complete with natural wood nursery furniture that was way too small for our toddlers growing needs and wild imagination. This time last year, Liam was in full swing Gruffalo mode! He had EVERYTHING Gruffalo! So we toyed with creating a woodland themed bedroom. This theme lasted all of 2-3 months when he tuned into an American kids programme 'Dino Dan'.
From that day forward, our little explorer was captivated by the awesomeness of Dino's. He watched the programme back to back, quickly learnt some dino names and Rexy#1 became his new best friend!
We knew Liam was well and truely smitten by these pre-historic creatures so went about planning him a Dinosaur Land of his own.
We knew Liam was well and truely smitten by these pre-historic creatures so went about planning him a Dinosaur Land of his own.
We scoured Ebay for wall stickers but found these too baby-Ish for our soon to be 3 year old toddler/pre-schooler. We found some wallpaper murals but these were too scary for Liam's little eyes.
I knew of a company based in America called www.mywonderfulwalls.com whose designs were just perfect. Their stickers and stencils are stunning, but the prices, plus shipping and paint were too expensive for our budget to reach.
Look at this and you'll see why I fell in love with this company! http://www.mywonderfulwalls.com/products/dinosaur-wall-mural-sticker-kit
Look at this and you'll see why I fell in love with this company! http://www.mywonderfulwalls.com/products/dinosaur-wall-mural-sticker-kit
Dino mural
This style was perfect for Liam in every way and I found myself muttering "I could do that!"
So I set about planning the transformation! First up was to source the wall paint and decided the Colours range from B&Q suited both pocket and colour palette
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| Sherwood |
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| Spearmint |
 |
| Sky
I chose the Spearmint for the main grassy areas, Sky for the.......sky ;) The Sherwood - I bought a tester pot and mixed a little of this with the Spearmint to create some hills in the landscape.
|
I then went on to plan the colours for each of the elements within the mural, thinking of complimentary colours that were versatile for the whole project. These were ordered from eBay at £1 per 10 floz. I was a little worried about buying paint online but I was pretty pleased when they arrived and were true to colour! I can't remember the suppliers, but if I find them, I will link them here.
Woohoo.....lots of colours!!
Now the real fun can begin!
I welcome you to my home, my life and my loves!
Welcome, welcome, welcome! Pull up a pew, grab a chair and enrol on a journey with me into the world of blogging about my crafty makes! Yes this is my very first blog so please bare with me - we have to start somewhere right?!
From up-cycling to full room decorating, I hope you'll find my blog as inspiring as I find it enjoyable to write!
Ta Ta do now,
Carrie :) xx
From up-cycling to full room decorating, I hope you'll find my blog as inspiring as I find it enjoyable to write!
Ta Ta do now,
Carrie :) xx
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