Monday, February 11, 2019

Things that make us happy ...............................................

Greetings dear friends & readers

Last week while recovering from some rather major dental surgery along with a pinching nerve in my lower back, 
I decided to take it a little easier & do some things that I enjoy rather than the never-ending list of jobs that constantly goes around in my head

I finished off the Miss Maggie Rabbit that Blackie was so kindly "pressing for me" in my last post

She is a delightful pattern from Alicia Paulson  which I purchased many years quite sometime ago now. 
I always had it in my head to make her up in Liberty fabrics & was thrilled to be able to purchase these from AliceCaroline fabrics

I knitted her little capelet in some knitting cotton that I already had in my stash, but I am thinking now it might look better made up in double knit yarn??


Her boots are all hand stitched in felt ... I enjoyed making her so very much! 😊



No sooner had I finished Miss Maggie than a beautiful package arrived in my mail!

I used the last of my Christmas money from Mum to purchase some gorgeous Greengate goodies from 
Lillians Cottage, who are currently having a summer sale with good discounts!

The next day I sat out on the deck & enjoyed a coffee in my new cup along with a magazine on loan from 
my dear friend Sal.

I had a bit of an idea floating around in my head for an upcycle project
(The Pink Paint is Resene's Pale Rose - a testpot)
The ugly brown veneer tray above was a Hospice purchase ... Sid had been using it to drive his matchbox cars around on & park them underneath but had now moved onto various other "car parks"
I painted it pale pink then lightly distressed the edges.



I had wanted to paint the wooden shelf on the left for quite sometime now  -  I wanted to lighten up some areas of our lounge as we seem to have quite a bit of dark wood, which I find gloomy at times.
 I gave the shelf 3 coats of Newtons Chalk Paint ... Aged White ... in some lights this colour has an ever-so-slightly grey tinge to it, which I love 💗


This pretty pink china above, had been stored away in a cupboard, hidden from sight & gathering dust bunnies.
It had been gifted to me by a dear elderly friend before she went into Resthome care - I loved everything about it, 
the colour, the pattern, the vintagey-ness of it - but I never had anywhere to display it, until now !


I made a sort of tiered arrangement using the shelf, tray + teatowel & napkin from Greengate


I came across this vintage china bowl out in my Cottage - it had previously been used to display soaps for sale
I made up a fresh batch of Cottage Garden potpourri with all the roses I have been drying, & displayed it in the bowl


Really rather ticked pink with my new lightened up corner 💗



Last Tuesday, while Sid slept, I made two veggie quiches using courgettes, tomatoes, spinach & basil from our vegetable garden -   one was for us & the other was for Sid's family.
Next I made an Oaty Ginger Slice before realising I could not eat it due to my dental work, so this was given 
to Alec's family.

Just yesterday I carefully washed, dried & pressed the Linen Cover on my Sanderson Slipper Chair. 
Please tell me friends ... How do they jolly well know when you have done this & Why do they jolly well think 
you have done it just for them ???!!! 😟

Wishing you all a wonderful week wherever in the World you might be,
Take care of yourselves & each other,
Thanks so much for your visits here today dear friends,
With much love & friendship,
Julie & the furry ones x0x0x0x

20 comments:

  1. just gorgeous! love how you have a knack for displaying things & furniture too! (am totally hopeless, know what i like but can never get the look lol)
    they love clean sheets as much as we do lol
    lovely post
    thanx for sharing

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    1. Thanks so much Selina. I love fiddling around with home-related things but often cannot get the look I am after either. I worked in a Gift shop for 18+ years & did all the displays so you think I would've learnt something??!! Have a great week Selina ... thanks for the lovely comments you always leave me Xx

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  2. How lucky is Blackie to get up close and personal to that fabulous chair. Every time my beady li'l eyes spot that fabric, I am reminded how I love it so. You poor dear, major dental surgery (OUCH) and a pinched nerve in the back. Hope you can eat all things soon and that your back is recovering. Love those trays you made beautiful once again. How fabulous that Sid has found bigger and better car parks! Miss Maggie is the most beautiful of all bunnies. She is adorable clothed in all her finery you have lovingly stitched. Love, love, love the Liberty fabric. I had a peek at the store where you purchased your pretties with the money your mum gifted you.....such a lovely store. I don't know if you know but there is also a fabulous on-line store in Australia called the Strawberry Thief who also specialises in Liberty fabrics. How lovely you can now look at your dear friend's china and be reminded of her daily. One must have all one's pretties on show. =) Well......almost all!! Those quiches look rather delicious. Get better soon, dear Julie♥

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  3. Your new vignette is of course lovely, but I'm concerned for Sid, where will he park his cars now? Good baking my friend, I wish I was closer I would have scoffed the slice gladly! Simon did just what Blackie did the other day, only on my my boys freshly laundered boyhood quilts!

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  4. Oh what a beautiful transformation Julie! Love the gorgeous China and that sweet bunny too. Very nice mail indeed.....a cuppa always tastes better in a pretty cup. Animals are so incredible! I never quilted a quilt without a big black doggie nose lying on the corner some how when our beautiful boy was with us lol!
    So sorry for your pain and the dental work xx

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  5. Hi Julie wow love your rabbit she is so cute and love your furniture transformations my friend they are amazing,well done on your beautiful work and i hope your back is better soon,not much fun being in pain xx

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  6. Dentists....ooooooO! :(
    Last time l went to the dentist, she said
    "Your teeth are o.k. but your gums must come out".
    HeHe! Bless!

    Miss Maggie rabbit looks lovely..and guess what l
    had for Sunday lunch yesterday..HeHe! But! But! l
    think she needs a friend..Julie! You can't really
    leave her sitting on her own..! :).

    And the tables look lovely to..the finished pink
    display is nice to..the potpourri sets it all off,
    nicely...! 😊

    Well..best get on just gone seven over here, getting
    lighter in the mornings now..looks like a nice day,
    back to being cold and frosty this week..really hate
    the rain..and Fudge will be here for his saucer of
    milk..warmed of course..and Freddie will be scratching
    at the front door for his breakfast..Bless them!xx
    ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨) ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)

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  7. Hi Julie, wonderful upcycling projects. I love to see what you come up with as they always look wonderful. Love the bunny & your greengate goodies. Such beautiful china, I'm glad you are able to display it now. I feel for you about the dentist. I had to visit mine about 2 weeks back & my mouth still doesn't feel right. Ahh cats the have some inbuilt instinct for sure about things. Hugs, xx

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  8. This is such a pretty and happy post. I adore your rabbit and all of your makeovers, there is nothing like a spot of vintage china for prettying things up. x

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  9. Lovely to see you are relaxing and doing creations for pleasure although it all still looks like a lot of hard work to me! Yes, cats seem to always get the best spot. My cat, Amber, has taken to lying really close to me and then thumping me constantly with her tail if I stop stroking her!

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  10. I enjoyed every bit of this post. Miss Maggie Rabbit is adorable! She is perfect, and so are all your other projects. I love the little table and tray you painted and stacked to make such a pretty display for the dishes. That slipper chair is beautiful. I've been wishing for something like that for my sewing room. How do cats know?? It never fails, does it? :) Hope you are feeling better real soon. Dental surgery is no fun, neither is a pinched nerve.

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  11. Dental work no fun. I love that the cat thought you had done this just for her/him?

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    1. Thanks Kim. You are so right ... its no fun at all! Yes these furry critters think everything in the house is done just for them!! Great life that they lead!

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  12. Love the new header Julie, that potpourri looks amazing! You have created a beautiful display with your furniture pieces and the china. Your rabbit is beautiful. Cats just seem to know don't they and after all everything you do is for them!! Hipe you have recovered from the dental surgery and also that your back is better.

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  13. Hi Julie, I am glad you were able to take time to rest and do something you wanted. I think the caplet looks good and would not do it over. You do such a nice job of making things over and cozying up your house. Of course, that was nice to wash up the chair cover for your cat! They should expect no less! Ha Such pretty dishes to be enjoyed from your friend. Nancy

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  14. Fantastic transformations. Love the pink colour - was that Newtons paint as well? Dental work is scary to me. After not going for about 10 years I had to have some fillings and a tooth out. What a wus I was!!! I love that Blackie scoped out the freshly launder chairs ha..ha.....! All the vintage pices look so lovely on your new display. Miss Maggie looks simply beautiful and it reminds me I have that pattern somewhere.....

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  15. Oh that's no good Julie, hope your dental work has healed and your back is better, love your tray and table redo.
    Your food looks yummy, the veggie quiches especially. Blackie has such good taste now, you taught him well, he might of thought you missed a bit when you were pressing😂 Take it easy, and have a lovely week Julie. Chris xoxo

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  16. I just love your rabbit and your bowl of potpourri and everything else but I don’t think you know the meaning of taking it easy. I do hope you are feeling better. I was sent into hospital a couple of weeks ago. Oh how I detest it. And not even a window to look out.. but I shouldn’t moan. Take care Julie.xxx

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  17. Oh so many pretty things!
    So much eye candy in one post. :)

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