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

Tutorial: Orb-lando

Here I am again, Just putting on the last but one post for Kayleigh. They are leaving Osaka and should be making their way back to Tokyo today. Another seven days and they will be home, I am so looking forward to seeing them.
I have just realised that the posts I have been putting on have the date they were created and not the day I am posting them. Sorry guys. Not sure what to do about it, anyway Kayleigh will be back soon, so it will all be ok again. :)
Anyway enough of me. Just check out this amazing chandelier. I love it, and I can see it being done in all different colours, great idea.     

Do you want something stunning and dramatic to be the centre piece of you dining room? Well look no further than the fantastic chandelier, titled by its creator, the 'Orb-lando'.

The creator is Orlando Soria over at HommeMaker. The site is full of stylish interior design inspiration and the chandelier above is just a tip of the ice-berg. For the instructions go - here. The great thing is that you can adjust the size depending on the size of your room, or even spray paint the wire a gorgeous colour to match or clash the colour theme of your room. Myself, I just want to recreate the image above. Strike that, I want that room.

xx

Tutorial: Cyanotype

Hi Everyone it's still Kayleigh's mum. They are having a wonderful time in Japan and as it was Kayleigh's Birthday on Tuesday they spent a few days in the mountains and it's snowing!!
Well! Having never heard of Cyanotype I was fascinated to read this, what a great idea. I will look forward to Kayleigh giving this a go and may even slip in a few of my own things. (I wonder if she will notice), I'll let you know.

I wish I had seen this tutorial before the autumn season started. Over at Craftzine they have a fantastic article all about the printing technique Cyanotype. Check out the 'how to' - here.

Cyanotype is the process where light sensitive chemicals are applied to a material, and then areas of the materials are covered and the whole surface exposed to sunlight. I have previously seen it used on other materials but not on knitting or crochet. I think the effect looks fantastic. If I had known about this earlier my shop would have been stocked full of cyanotype printed knit. Sigh. Never mind, I will store it in the ideas bank and save it for next season.
xx

Clipboard Picture Frames

Hi Kayleigh's mum here. They are still in Japan have moved to Universal Studio Hotel and loving it.
I saw this in Kayleigh's collection and thought Wow! who thinks of these things, this is brilliant, what a great idea for a kiddies room, you could put up their drawings and change them whenever they do a new one.

So I was surfing the net as usual, checking on my favourite blogs, when I came across a tutorial on the blog A Beautiful Mess for a really cute acorn garland. But it wasn't the garland that drew my attention, it was the clipboards behind.

I love the industrial look of arranging clipboards on the wall. Its great for the office to use as inspiration boards, but how gorgeous to have them on the wall with your favourite pictures of family and friends. It means you could print off what ever image takes your fancy, and change them as often as you like. Amazon have some very similar clipboards - here - and even do an A3 size clipboard which looks ace.

Coloured clip boards also from Amazon - check out here

Or, what a great idea for the kids bedroom. Buy brightly coloured clipboards and then change the images on them as they grow.
Brilliant!
xx

Tutorial: Glass Bottle Picture Frames

Hi everyone, you won't need to be told it's Kayleigh's mum.
They are now half way through their adventure and although feeling a bit homesick ( I think that may be for my benefit as I am missing them) they are really enjoying it, I am sure Kayleigh will have lots of stories to tell. Anyway thought you might like to see this post, I think it is brilliant, this is the first time I have seen it and I know Kayleigh has some of these bottles in her etsy shop. I wonder if she would notice a few missing :)

Are you looking for a new and quirky way to frame your old family photos? Do you also need something to brighten up your mantel piece? Well I have the perfect solution for you. Vintage bottles used to frame your family photos.

This is such a beautiful way of displaying your favourite old photos. And if you are like me, it is a great use for all those old bottles that you have lying around. The tutorial was created by Terry John Woods over at yankeemagazine. To get the instructions go - here.

I don't want to come across as a pushy sales person, but if you are looking for some vintage bottles, look no further than my very own etsy shop - Springy Beard.
xx

Tutorial: Floral Suitcase

Hi, Kayleigh's mum here. Have been away for a few days, so though this tutorial on revamping my suitcase seemed appropriate. Have fun.

This tutorial is brought to you from the lovely people at A Beautiful Mess. It is the perfect tutorial to glam up those vintage suitcase you have lying around and can cover a multitude of old marks and damage. So when you next see that old suitcase at a car boot, don't leave it behind, pick it up and bring it back to life.

For the 'how to' go - here. Remember you can choose whatever fabric you want. Start your search on etsy. I would want them for my bedroom, stacked up in the corner, but they would also be perfect for the kids bedroom to store away all their toys.
xx

Decoupage Phone

Hi Kayleigh's mum again, she is having an amazing time in Japan. They have moved from Tokyo on the bullet train to Kyoto......Can't wait to see the photos!!!

Looking through the drafts that Kayleigh has written for me to post. I found this one.....And guess what! I have a telephone like this and would love to cover it. So fingers crossed Kayleigh will bring back lots and lots of paper from Japan.  

On one of my web searches I came across this fantastic idea - decoupage retro phones!

This is a particularly fantastic example using beautiful bright coloured paper from the people at Small Hands Big Art. Check out the 'how to' - here.

And this is going to be a lesson to me. I have seen some of the retro looking phones at car boots, but they have been really marked, well used and off brown in colour. I am definitely buying one next time, and hopefully I'll pick up some beautiful patterned paper in Japan to dazzle you all. Watch this space.
xx