Decoupage Phone Continued...

You may remember while I was away in Japan that my Mum did a post about a gorgeous decoupage phone over at Small Hands Big Art. She mentioned that she had bought a retro phone of her own and wanted to give the 'how to' a try. Well, while I was in Japan I happened to pick up some gorgeous Japanese origami paper, and the other day we decided to give decoupage a go.

HEATH & SAFETY:
In order to carry out decoupage we used a scalpel - which is sharp - and some adhesive - which should not be ingested. I realise this is common sense, but just a heads up.

YOU WILL NEED:

• Screwdriver
• Pretty paper
• Glue - we used Decopatch Paper Patch Glossy Glue
• Scalpel
• Cutting mat
• Brush
• Scissors

1. The first thing we did was take the phone apart. You will probably need a screw driver for this but it will depend on the type of phone you have. Ours came apart through trial and error (to get you started try removing the paper and plastic disc in the centre of the dial - there will be a screw there that can be removed). We decided to only decoupage the main body of the phone and to leave the ring, and hand-set in its original cream body.

2. We then cut up our paper into more manageable squares, not too small though otherwise they will be a bit fiddly when sticking on.

3. The great thing about the glue we used was that you can use it straight onto the plastic, you don't have to prime the surface first. We got our glue from Hobbycraft for £7.99 (but you may be able to find it cheaper online). We painted the glue onto the plastic surface using the brush.

4. Then get sticking! Just keep adding more glue and paper, over lapping the sheets as you go. We folded our sheets of paper over the edges slightly to give a nice neat look. You may have to make some snips in the paper so that it folds around corners without creating creases.
5. Once you have covered the entire area with the paper give the surface a coat of the glue. The glue will act as a varnish and seal everything in.
6. Put your phone back together and you are done! One gorgeous phone!

I must admit that my Mum did all the hard work, I just acted as photographer and annoyed her lots. But she has done such a lovely job. I am really inspired by this I think I may give it a go on some other items....I do have some old suitcases hanging around...
xx

Osaka

This is the last installment of photos from our trip to Japan. We did head through Osaka on our way to Shojoshin-in temple but it was also our final destination before heading back to Tokyo and then flying home.

Osaka at night 

The busy shopping streets

The view from the top of Osaka castle 

The skyscrapers blending into the sky

We spent alot of time around Namba station were there was streets full of electrical shops, arcades full of clothes shops and lots of restaurants. I would recommend going to this area if you are in Osaka.

I hope you have enjoyed my photos. I had the most amazing experience. I think the next destination will be America....maybe the southern belt....
xxx

Supercyclers

For your Sunday perusing I have found a wonderful website that you must all check out - Supercyclers.

Henry Wilson Designs

Newspaper Wood Furniture

Plastic Bag Vessels

As you can see from the images above the site is full of things to inspire you. Now I love the country kitsch look, which a lot of the other up-cycled items out there tend to end up be influenced by. But how refreshing to have up-cycled items that are so grown up and trendy. That seems to be what Supercyclers are all about. So maybe the key to the perfect home is to meld the two worlds together.

Sounds like I have just set myself a challenge.
xx

Before and After: Carver Chair

I confess, I am a bit of a wimp. In order to add to my ever growing stock I have started checking out auctions, but I have not yet plucked up the courage to go in and bid (I know, very pathetic). I am not really a competitive person (probably a bad sign when you are trying to run your own business!). I think I would probably give in and let someone else win. However, I did do an auction the cheats way. Before I went away to Japan I left a commission bid for a lovely carver chair and I won!

The chair was in a bit of a state. The seat pad was torn and some of the padding missing. The wood seat pad was broken. The struts were loose and had come out of their slots. The varnish was dark and scratched. Basically it needed a complete over-haul.

And this is how it looks now, after about 3 weeks of hard work. I hoped that I would be able to strip the wood and wax it, but unfortunately it was too rough underneath the varnish layer so a coat of bright paint livened it up. I then created a new wood seat pad, added some foam and wadding, and covered in a gorgeous embroidered fabric. I have to say I am very happy with the results. What do you all think?
xx

New Item Fridays!

I decided that I needed to start being a bit more organised with the shop, so have come up with a brainwave - New Item Friday!

Every Friday I will be adding a couple of new items to my etsy shop so that I can build up my on-line stock. The highlight of this week is a vintage butter dish with a cute cow design in pressed glass.

For some reason I am drawn to the charm of butter dishes. Why should butter remain screwed up in its thin papery packet? Why can't butter be seen by all? And what could be more attractive at the breakfast table than a vintage butter dish?

Anyway, just a quick one for today. I hope you like the items and I will write again soon.
xx

Shojoshin-in Temple

I'm so busy in the workshop at the moment that I can't seem to get my mind off of sanding, painting, cleaning, scrubbing.... As a slight rest from the work I thought I should give you another installment of our Japan adventure.
We decided when we started planning our adventure that we wanted to stay in a Buddhist temple. We wanted to get a feel for a more traditional Japanese way of life. We ended up choosing a temple right at the top of Mount Koya which has a large collection of temples and an amazing cemetery. The cemetery contains the remains or monuments for all the most important figures in Japan.

The more modern part of the cemetery

A mausoleum 

The older part of the cemetery

The corridor inside the temple leading to our room

In hindsight, choosing to stay in a temple in the middle of winter at the top of a mountain probably wasn't the best idea. The temple was freezing! We did have a lovely heater in our room but the bathroom was at the end of the cold corridor. The best thing about staying in a temple though is the food. It is all vegan and was the best food I think I have ever eaten. Full of flavour and variety, and there was so much of it, I was stuffed.
Ignoring the cold, I would highly recommend anybody to go and experience staying in a temple. You have to get up early for the morning ceremony but it is huge privilege to watch.
xxx

Vintage House Hunting

My life is rather full at the moment. I have quit the day job (brave or foolish? We are yet to find out), I am building my business, I have moved to a new area, I will be getting married to my college sweet-heart in 11 months time and we would like to buy a house.
I have always rented, but I would love to get my hands on a house restoration project. I dream of being able to restore and enhance all of the period features, and finally furnish it with vintage furniture from my shop (furniture that I love but have to sell otherwise it would not make me a very good business women).

Sigh. If you are similar to me, day dreaming of owning your own vintage home, have a look at this website - Wowhaus.

Two bedroom 1930s art deco semi-detached house in North Hayes, Middlesex

They only seem to list houses in the UK (sorry all the international readers!), but you can still get lots of inpsiration. For me, I would plump for the art deco beauty in the photo above - check out the interior here. Not only is the outside geometric chic, but the interior is mouth wateringly vintage inspired.

Kitchen of the 1930s art deco house in Middlesex

Lets be honest. I just want that kitchen.
xx

Restoration: Polish Doll

This project came to me before Christmas but I haven't had chance to tell you about it. It was a lovely little restoration project just before the holiday period. This doll belonged to my client since her childhood. Although I do not know the exact history, a helpful sticker on the base of the foot proclaimed it to be polish. It was made entirely from wood, with painted features, and synthetic hair.

Before Treatment

The doll was actually in a fair condition. Due to an elastic band joint in the legs deteriorating, the legs of the doll had become detached from the main body. Some of the hair was lifting from the scalp and a plait unravelling where the ribbon was missing. Otherwise, the doll was in a clean condition with very little surface damage. I was commissioned to carry out repairs on the legs and hair.

It was decided that the joint would not be replaced with elastic, which may deteriorate again, but with a strip of leather. It was felt that the leather would with stand the movement of the legs for the longest period of time without fraying or splitting. So the first thing to do was remove the old elastic and one of the dowels in the side of the leg. The new leather was entered into the holes and secured with adhesive.

Leather strip visible at the side having been fed through the holes in the legs and body. The leather was then cut.

The hair was also plaited and secured with sympathetic coloured thread, and the hair adhered back to the scalp.

After treatment

I think that she ended up looking great, and hopefully will last for many more years to come.
xx

New Items For The Spring

Hello.
Does it feel a bit warmer today, or is it just me? I'm starting to get those butterflies in my stomach that hint at the change in season. I love it when the seasons change. Pancake day is around the corner, daffodils are for sale in the shops, and I think spring is on its way.

Regardless whether it is my imagination, or spring is coming, I have added some new items to the shop that hint at the changing season. My absolute favourite is this gorgeous table cloth and napkins.

Click here to visit this item in my etsy shop

I love the little strawberry details and soft green trim. I actually don't want to sell it. I want to keep it. Sometimes I just fall in love with things I find for the shop. Sigh.
xx

Lovely

Oh my, I'm all a quiver. I have fallen in love.

click here to visit this item

Click here to visit this item

Click here to visit this item

Is it wrong to love inanimate objects?

Happy Valentines everyone!!
xx

Kyoto

Just to give you another installment of photos from our adventure. After staying in Tokyo we headed on the bullet train to Kyoto. Tokyo in very much like London so I felt very much at home there. Kyoto had a more industrial feel but around every corner you would find a beautiful shrine or temple.

The Golden Temple

Origami cranes all joined together to make beautiful garlands...could this be a decoration idea...

The prayer boards filled in my visitors to the temples - there was even some english ones!

High up on the side of the mountains you got a fantastic view over Kyoto

Just a few little gems to show you from Kyoto. I think Kyoto was actually my favourite out of all the destinations. There was so many heritage sites, they had a huge amount of arts and crafts, and the clothes shops were fantastic!
Next time we will travel to Shojoshin-in temple. See you then.
xxx

Reestore

Hello. I hope you are all having a lovely weekend.
Mine has been spent sanding down chairs and going to a very intense jumble sale (I think I have bruises from all the elbowing). However, I have also found a completely inspirational site. Reestore take everyday waste items and upcycle them into functional and stylish products. Just look at these:

www.reestore.com 

www.reestore.com 

www.reestore.com

I am completely in awe of what they have done....something to aim for.
Off to Bath Vintage and Flea market tomorrow to scope it out for a future stall for myself. Will just have to resist the temptation to buy things...ok, will have to resist buying lots of things.

Will post some more Japan photos on Monday for you all to see Kyoto.
Have a lovely Sunday.
xx

Bussiness Cards

When I first set up the business it all kicked off with a market in Ashbury, Wiltshire, UK. In my mad panic to get items ready to sell I forgot about one vital bit of business kit - the business card. I managed to get a very rough and basic business card together but it has been my aim ever since to re-design it. And I have finally managed to complete my goal.

This is what I have produced:

Front

Back

I have gone for something simple but I hope the sofa silhouette says something about what I do. I know that lots of businesses would get someone in to design their logos, stationery and websites, but I can't resist the opportunity to flex by designer muscles.
I hope you all like it? I have placed the order for them and can't wait to get them through the post. I love getting packages! The next aim is to re-design the website so stay tuned for that.
xx

Buttercup China Competition

Before I left for Japan I entered a competition with Buttercup China - check out their website - here.

One of the mugs from Buttercup China's current range. Sourced from here.

The competition was to design a pattern for one of their mugs for the new spring collection. Due to going away, and being a perfectionist, I created a design but had to enter it before I was really happy with it. But it has been shortlisted along with 9 other designs! I am so pleased!

To check out mine and the other finalists go to the website - here.
They announce the final winner tomorrow so keep your fingers crossed.
xx

We're Back!

Hello! It is so good to be back with you all. We had such a fantastic time away, and I'm so impressed with the fantastic job Mummy Springy Beard did while we were away. I thought I would just share some moments from our trip with you. There was so much inspiration for the shop, but first things first...

We travelled around a bit whilst we were in Japan so I thought I would share a few of my favourite photos from our different destinations. Our first and last stop was in Tokyo...

The beautiful trees near Zojoji temple

Tokyo as we whizzed past on the bullet train

Tokyo Tower. It was so big I couldn't fit in the picture properly, hence the funny angle

Pray boards filled in by visitors and hung up in Meiji Shrine

Obviously I took hundreds of pictures but I don't want to bore you. I will post some more photos over the next few weeks of the other locations we visited: Kyoto, Osaka and Shojoshin-in Temple. Also, stay tuned for inspiration I found in Japan for the home, which will hopefully inspire you too.

Glad to be back, but gosh I have a lot of work to do!

xxx

Tutorial: Industrial Record Cabinet

Hi everyone.
This will be my last post as Kayleigh will be home on Friday. I have enjoyed looking at the posts she has left me, and choosing the things I really like and feel I would like to try one day.  This style won't be for everyone, but I have to say it does grow on you and gives you food for thought. Give it a go and see what you can come up with.  Bye for now....x

So this tutorial is not for the faint hearted, but my god it looks gorgeous.

This tutorial has been taken from the fantastic blog A Beautiful Mess - check out the 'how to' - here. I really, really want a record player, and lots of records to go with it. And what would a record player be without the trendiest cabinet to put it on. I love the industrial look and you could always update the wood with a painted pattern or striking bright colour. If you can't find the metal crates you could always try wooden fruit ones.

I love it. I want one.
xx