Where its at. (Because I'm "Street" dont you know)

Its a little hectic around here at the moment as I'm trying to set up my own business (in childcare), set up a sideline project (see my new blog), make things to sell (see my new blog) and look for a job in the meantime.  Then somewhere along the line I need to make time for Alex.  So I apologise for the delay in between posts. 
So you get the gist... busy, busy, busy.

Its a funny old time of year at the moment:  not quite spring but not quite summer (doing quite a convincing 'Autumn on some days!)  and thats how I feel I am at the moment - in betweeny.  I'm just desperate to get moving forward properly with my life and have a clear direction again.  Well I suppose I do have a clear direction but I feel like i'm sitting at some temporary traffic lights - you know the ones - you end up sitting looking at a red light for what feels suspiciously like an extremely long time then you convince yourself that the lights are broke especially since there hasn't been any traffic coming from the opposite direction... what if their side is stuck on red aswell... What if (oh horror of horrors) both sides have been sitting and looking at a red light all along..... Then - just as you start to try and find a contact number for the local Highways department - it changes and you feel like a tit (just slightly).  Anyway ENOUGH of the analogies!!

Here are some pictures....

we did some hand and foot painting.  This meant we had to wash up in the sink...

We ate homemade meatballs with spaghetti....

Which necessitated more cleaning up.

My Kitchen is really coming together and I'm loving it in here more and more x

Not much else to report back at the moment.. so I'll take my leave of you.  Bye for now xx

My newest makes

An ex Ikea extendable child's bed bought for 2.50 and painted with leftover paint

I saw the above in our local charity shop for 2.50 (in pounds that is - there isn;t a pound sign on my keyboard???) and I thought that there must have been some mistake.  I, of course, snapped it up and high tailed it out of there before they had chance to change their mind.  When I first bought it it looked like this:

this pic makes it look like it was in good nick but it was quite beaten up

 It had quite a few knocks and some pen scribbles.  I knew that I'd end up painting it but I wasn't sure what colour.. My husband suggested using the beige that we had left from painting the mdf panelling in the living room.  I'd kind of been thinking along the same lines with the exception of using the leftover cupboard paint from the kitchen.. Then I thought: "why not use both" and this was the result - I spent the whole day sanding it down then started with the beige.. It took 2 days and 5 coats.  I'd forgotten that I'd had a horrendous time with the beige when I'd painted the panelling!  Its only saving grace is that it dries very quickly and you can apply another coat after half an hour.  Its a Dulux woodpaint.. needless to say - I wont be buying it again.  In contrast the grey went on like a dream - as it had in the kitchen - only, it took a further 48 hours before it was touch dry (thank god for those 4 day weekends, eh?)  Anyhoo - its done now... almost... I have one or two finishing touches in mind for it and I'll post updated pics when its done... 

I've also made this dresser:

I'd been keeping an eye out for a dresser top/shelving unit that would be small enough to fit on top of the kitchen radiator cabinet.  This was one that I found on Ebay but it didn't sell so I contacted the seller after the auction ended and offered them 20 quid (a fiver less than they were asking for).  They accepted.  I suppose that I could have drove a harder bargain but they were nice people and it was the nicest shelving unit I'd seen.  I'd done a bit of a deal and they got it taken off their hands without feeling like they'd been shafted... Everyone's a winner baby! 
It was a very dark wood originally.  I confess that I was so eager to get it spray painted that I didn't take a before picture.  Here's a closer pic:

 I was really pleased with the way it turned out - I've always wanted a dresser but with the way that the kitchen is laid out we didn't really have room for one in there.

I made Alex an Easter Bunny:

Sorry about picture quality - I still havent treated myself to a new camera yet...

 But the thing I'm all about at the moment is

 

Bunting... Bunting made from children's books.  I've made up three sets of this so far, two of which I've given away as gifts.  The nursery rhyme one above was intended as a gift but Alex is so taken with it that I've had to reconsider.  He just loves looking at it and reciting all the different rhymes.  I've bought lots of binding tape and lots of second hand (and in some cases vintage) children's books to make more.  I'm  hoping to sell it.  Which brings me to my big news... Ive set up another blog that is purely to showcase the handmade and vintage items that I'm going to be selling.  

It's called "Savvy Chic and Folklaw" (do you like what I did there??) Its my intention to mainly sell vintage clothing and homeware with a few handmade nicknacks thrown in.  I'm really nervous about selling the handmade stuff coz I always think "Is it good enough? Is it good enough??"  But if I dont try I wont know will I?.  Anyway I hope you'll follow the new blog as well as this one... check it out.. You might see something you fancy....

Bye for now. Shellxx

Easter and May Bank holiday

Well, its been a little while since I last posted on here and this is partly down to problematicos technicales.. I still haven't found a free way to blog from my ipad and seeing as blogging (or doing anything via the mac mini) requires lots of concentration - I only really do it when Alex is taking a nap.  Getting Alex to take a nap is not an exact science nowadays - sometimes he'll have 20 minutes, sometimes 2 hours and then other times nothing at all.  My getting to sit down and blog is a bit of a lottery at the moment.  But I'm here now and that's the main thing...
These last few weeks have been glorious and I've really enjoyed being able to spend plenty of time with my husband and littlest boy over the bank holiday weekends. 
My eldest boy is currently in on holiday in Portugal and despite the fact that we hardly see him when he's 'home' I'm still missing him terribly.  It was his 18th birthday a couple of weeks back and I have no idea where the time has gone.
We have spent some of our bank holidays exploring the woodlands that surround our village.  We've set off on a couple of occasions with no particular plan - just going wherever our whimsy directs us - I love exploring this way as we seem to stumble on so many little places that we would have no idea existed if we planned out our routes more.  I must take some pictures of the ruined building that lies at the far edge of Windy Bank Wood.  There is a very interesting subterranean room in it complete with bars on the underground window(??)
This Easter has seen Alex at his most entertaining as his personality is starting to blossom evermore each day and he constantly amazes us with his little outbursts and what appears to be an uproarious sense of humour.
I've been feeling terribly creative of late and I've completed several little projects in the last couple of weeks which I'll list in a future post.  I'm thinking of getting a little stall at a craft or vintage fair and seeing if I can make a few bob.. I think it would give me a great sense of achievement and since money is too tight to mention around here at the moment - it may also provide a welcome influx of funds. 
I'll sign off for now and get some shut eye - it is a school night after all..

Night all, sleep tight and sweet dreams x