Thursday, March 14, 2019

The Junk Cupboard

Greetings dear friends & readers,

We have a large floor to ceiling cupboard right beside our dining room table where we toss all our junk 
everyday bits & bobs 
We call this cupboard The Junk Cupboard.


Last week The Junk Cupboard got a major clean out ...... personally I blame Blackie for this.
About 5.30 am on Monday morning Blackie bought a mouse inside & did the catch-n-release thing that he is so fond of doing - the little sod!
The mouse went under the door of The Junk Cupboard & there it stayed!

Here is a pic of The Junk Cupboard but the very top shelf - which is not visible in my photo, is full of falling down bags of wadding, broken appliances & 3 shoe boxes of rubbish stuff!
In my rage, I dragged every single thing out of the cupboard & put it in the middle of my dining room floor 
And YES! - the mouse came out too! 😾


Next I furiously scrubbed the cupboard out from top to toe.
My plan had been to paint the inside but I realised - after a good scrub - that the enamel paint my dear old Dad applied some 20 years ago, was still in good repair.

I used the remnants of oilcloth leftover from covering my sewing table in this Post - to line the bottom of the cupboard




I went to The Warehouse to shop for some storage containers.
There are such a wide range available now - & not expensive either.
Containers like the one below that have separate bottom compartments & then a tray that fits in the top with its own compartments - plus a lid!

This sort of container was ideal for all my curtain fitting bits & bobs, screws & other oddments - they could all be kept separate so that when I am looking for something, the entire container doesn't have to be tipped out as has been the case previously.



The white baskets were $4 for a set of 3!  I bought 3 sets 😊 
Then I typed up labels, laminated, & tied onto the baskets.


A friend called in mid way through my clear out.
"Oh - are you Marie Kondo-ing" she inquired.
"No! more like Julie Kondo-ing" I replied .  .  .  I didn't have time to hold each item & ask if it "sparked Joy" in me 😉
 3 large rubbish bags went to the burning hole at the farm, so alot did get tossed out.
I am thrilled with my cupboard now & told The Mr we might have to re-think the name!


Tucked away in the very top shelf was this tall wooden Prim doll below
I looked long & hard at her before I pulled off her hat, hair & her pinny, which had all been glued on.
I gave her a gentle wash  -  I thought she should have another chance at life!

Click on the photo to get a better picture of her
I found a cute remnant of Tilda fabric & made her a new pinny.
Then I gave her some fresh new hair & glued her hat back on


I painted her "shoes" & added some ribbon roses - also a bunch for her hands



She is no longer "prim looking" but I love her little upcycle & she looks delightful standing beside the stand




Speaking of revamps, I have been doing some more painting projects for my local St Johns Op Shop


This mirror above got painted in a pale grey chalkpaint
This pic shows the detailing on the corners which I lightly scuffed with my sandpaper

The cute little wooden stool/table above got painted in Cottage Cream


And this wooden planter box also got the Cottage Cream treatment - I couldn't resist trying my fern in it!

Thanks so much for staying with me through this lengthy post dear friends,
I shall leave you with this photo - taken just now - of Miss Pippi
My friend Sally's 2 fur babies refused to sleep in this basket so Sal sent me home with it last week
Perfect for the Princess that she is 💗
With much love & friendship to you All,

Julie & the furry ones x0x0x0









26 comments:

  1. Hi Julie I love this post and wow how good does this cupboard look now ,I think the cat did you a favour,lol. I love seeing your recycling goodies,well done my friend xx

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  2. Hi Julie, I loved reading about the "transformation" of your junk cupboard - it's such a good feeling isn't it? This week I've begun a sort through and tidy up of our kitchen cupboards, they're not too bad after a major overhaul when we put in a new kitchen four years ago but it's surprising what has managed to "appear" in some of the drawers lol. I hope Miss Pippi enjoys her new bed too xx

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  3. Hello Julie, it always feels great to have a big old declutter....she says needing the same lol!
    Love your makeovers xx

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  4. Your so lucky to have such a big cupboard to put all your bits and bobs Julie, I have jars and tins scattered about everywhere, and yes usually the thing I'm looking for is always found at the bottom. Love all your up cycles, you find the cutest things to paint, and I adore your wooden doll. Miss Pippi looks so cosy in her new basket. Have a great week. Chris xoxo

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  6. Fabulous post Julie & love how your cupboard looks. Those baskets are a fabulous idea. My daughter has been kind of doing Marie Kondo on my house. We aren't bothering with the "joy" bit, just tidying, decluttering, getting rid of stuff to op shops ect. Must say my kitchen cupboards have never looked so good. 😊😊. Love the upcycledd projects. Hugs, xx

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  7. Julie where do you get your energy from, love your post as always ��

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  8. Ah! Bless! Just think Julie if Blackie had'nt
    done what he did..! :). You would'nt have written
    this lovely post..Certainly made me chuckle, as
    it's not even seven in the morning yet! Lemon tea! :).
    I'm sure Blackie had a little plan, he thought the
    junk cupboard was untidy, and need a clear out, and
    a tidy up..it seemed to work out for him..HeHe! And
    you..Bless!x

    The before/after pics look lovely to, working your
    magic on summat old..Mirror..Mirror on the wall..! :).

    Last but not least of course..Princess Pippi!x Love
    pussy~cats in baskets..She looks lovely! :o).
    😸 😺 🐾🐾🐾 😻 😼

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    1. HeHe! I was looking for a poem about cupboards Julie..!
      Found this one..though no mention of Blackie or a mouse..! :).

      I opened the cupboard door,
      and it all came tumbling out.
      All the junk I had saved
      for that proverbial rainy day.
      You know how it is;
      I might need that someday,
      so you store it away.
      Over the years you accumulate stuff
      you are never going to need,
      until you are over run
      with junk you will never use.
      However, I can bet you any money,
      that if you throw any of it away.
      A week or so down the line and you will find.
      You will want something
      from that junk that you threw away,
      so you start back saving
      for another proverbial rainy day...
      David Harris..

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  9. The cupboard looks fantastic. I love having a good clear out and reorganising things. x

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  10. Love the way you've refreshed the doll.Pippi is so cute, that basket looks made for her. Thank you for a great post.

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  11. Great work on the cupboard and Miss Prim looks delightful. xx

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  12. I hate the catch and release. The last mouse miss pops brought in was at 2.30am dead on the bed.

    Your cupboard looks awesome now.

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  13. So....is the mouse no more???? Fabulous revamp of the cupboard, everything looks so neat and tidy now and I would imagine easy to get to. The doll looks beautiful now with her new Tilda garb. You and that paintbrush of yours always work magic...just fabulous Julie.

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  14. i love junk cupboards, there are always some fascinating things in them, great do over there, nicely organised too
    awww Pippi, looks so cute there in her new bed
    hah my Rita does that, drop & release! am sure they think it's hilarious!
    wonderful post
    thanx for sharing

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    1. Thanks so much Selina. I was going to make Pippi a new mattress this weekend for her new basket but I have not had a chance to trace around it as she has spent most of the time IN the basket! I hate the drop-&-release thing that they do .... drives me insane.

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  15. Lovely work, my cat does that every once in awhile and with all the wedding dresses I have n the shop right now not such a good thing.

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  16. your cupboard looks great now. i have a junk drawer in the kitchen. i keep some of my craft/sewing supplies in my walk in closet which could use some organizing but have to wait till my arm heals. your new doo looks great and that is just the spot to show off your lovely fern. your cat is so cute but i would not like the mouse presents! nancy

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  17. Your cupboard now looks so organized! Great job.
    And each refurbished item, from doll to planter, received a lovely new lease on life under your talented and loving hands.

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  18. Love the cat-mouse game. :D :D :D.
    But one thing I must mention that, Blackie and the mouse motivated you to clean up. :D

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  19. The cupboard looks great! As does the revamped doll...........did you catch the mouse?!!!

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  20. I bet you feel so good with the cupboard cleaned up. Do you keep going and looking in it? Whenever I give my sewing room a good clean up, every time I go past I go in and just take in all the loveliness! LOL! xx

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  21. Wow what a fantastic clean up and now it is so organised Julie, no longer the Junk cupboard...what is the new name?? And I am with Leeanne, did you catch the mouse?? The revamped doll looks wonderful as do all the op shop treasures you have given a new lease of life.

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  22. She's a beautiful feline ! Maybe she could catch the mouse!!

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  23. Hi I have seen your teazel hedgehogs and love them we would love to do them with our Brownie unit and i was wondering if you have a pattern for these at all please.
    Sandra Xx

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    Replies
    1. Hi Sandra,
      You will need to email me please as you are coming up as a "no reply blogger" & I cant email you back to explain about the teasel hedgehogs. My email address is stitchedbyjulie@hotmail.com

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