Unit 82

How exciting!!!



Brackley Antique Cellar is the biggest Antique/Vinatge/furniture Centre I have ever been to. There are around 200 dealers selling almost everything and you can spend hours just walking around and admiring antique/shabby chic and collectable items.

I was very pleased when I got an email from the "Cellar" saying that there was a space available (I was on a waiting list for months, that proves how popular the place is)

I went up there to see the unit and loved it, just the right size and a nice location not far from the coffee shop :)

I have had the unit for around 2 months and every time I go up there I spend couple of hours just changing things around.



This photo was taken on my first day. Lots of pictures on walls (to cover the yellow colour.....yuk!), vintage suitcases, table clothes, blankets, tea sets, place and lots more!

This is few weeks ago when I took lots of beautiful vintage table cloths from France, painted tables in Annie Sloan "Paris Grey" and beautifully recovered, by my husband :) in Laura Ashley fabric

Set of 3 tables also painted in Annie Sloan (just love the paint!)







There are certain things that sell like hot cakes; basket and I had 2 beautiful printers trays which I was hoping not to sell and keep them to myself :) Hopefully I can find few more somewhere.







Also tape, magnets and cards from Dots and Spots which I admire and the colours just look so beautiful on my stand

The weeks fly by and it is going better that I expected.

I will be going to my unit on Bank Holiday Monday. I have many great bits and bobs to take with me. I will also take more photos to post on my blog.

You should visit if you are passing Brackley and don't forget I am Unit 82 :)

A bit of painting and decorating

I have finally found some time to finish few things.
My brilliant dad wallpapered our daughter’s room. I absolutely love the Circus wallpaper from Cath Kidston and the light from Laura Ashley.

This weekend we will be paining the walls and choosing carpet. I cannot wait to have it all finished!
I am also very happy with the 1930’s display unit which I painted in Annie Sloan’s Duck Egg Blue and used Cath Kidston (AGAIN!) paper to cover the back. The unit has been in my husband’s studio for months now and I finally finished it.

I distressed the top a little bit and waxed the whole unit.

I love dressers. I already have one at home but one from the garage after makeover looks so much better so I might find a bottom for it and swap it :)
I painted it in Old White and by Annie Sloan and used lovely fabric by Laura Ashley. It would look brilliant in our cranberry dining room.

I love the country, English look

I still have lots of furniture that we want to use in the house but I need to paint them first so there will be more blog posts about it very soon.

So Exciting!!!

Do you remember my blog post about the furniture I painted using Annie Sloan paint?? I sent few pictures to Your home magazine to the “letters from our readers” section. I was amazed to receive an email from the editor saying that they would love to use my story and pictures. At that point I did not know which photos they chose and what the prize would be. Since January I was hoping for my letter to appear in the magazine and there was nothing....until I received £120 Focus vouchers in the post. I knew my letter would be the Star letter of the month and published in May issue!

Just wanted to say a big Thank you to Annie Sloan for the beautiful paints and Karen from my favourite shop Country Mouse for all help and inspiration!

FYI the unit is not painted in Duck Egg.....

Work in progress......

Since we moved in into to our Victorian town house we could not decide which bedroom should be the master bedroom.....1 year and 3 months later we managed to make our minds up.

We got my dad to wallpaper the whole bedroom in lovely Laura Ashley wallpaper called "Wilton".

http://www.lauraashley.com/naturals/wilton-wallpaper/invt/3370326/

The wallpaper can be seen just behind the chair. The room looks great now!

I am proudest of a chandelier I purchased in the most amazing antique place

http://www.brackleyantiquecellar.co.uk/ Brackley Antique Cellar, Northamptonshire

This place is filled with antiques, shabby chic furniture and hand made goodies.

We have not decided about the carpet but the wardrobes will be painted in lovely off white colour (not sure which one yet).
There is a beautiful, French looking display unit in our bedroom at the moment. The plan should be to paint it and keep it in the bedroom but there is no way we can fit all of our shoes, clothes and my bags in this "tiny" unit.

You must all agree that the French style wardrobe (with Annie Sloan's treatment) would look fantastic in our new bedroom :) as well as the Victorian (Edwardian?) chest of drawers!

This is how I imagine our window in the bedroom.....window dressing as per picture from a magazine and fabric in duck egg blue from Laura Ashley or something a bit more expensive (fabric in the middle) :)

I cannot wait to show you all the end result and hopefully this will happen very very soon.

My Home....

While the paint is drying on couple of cupboards I thought I would introduce you to my home.

You will find all sorts in my house. I love all vintage, painted, handmade and cute. Most of my plates come from car boot sales which I visit very often in the summer. I just love rummaging through others stuff and find something interesting that screams "me"! I never look at how much something might be worth only how much I love it!

I have painted most of our reclaimed furniture in Farrow and Ball colours. I love the finish and how the colour changes in different light.

I have recently discovered Annie Sloan paint so there will be more pieces with the lovely French, worn look and a bit more colour :)

We have been living in our Victorian town house for a bit over a year. A lot has changed since we moved in and a lot will change in the next few years (months hopefully). The house is just perfect and big enough for 3 of us and our hobbies :)

We recently extended upwards to the loft and created a design/sewing/craft room. The room is very light and inspiring.

I covered a pine unit with different wallpapers from B&Q. I love the colours! The unit is just perfect for storing all my bits and bobs.

I have recently bought a lovely sewing machine......and made some pictures.......

My house feels very cosy and inviting. I love vintage cushions and crochet blankets.

Over the past couple of years I have collected lots of vintage plates and cups and tea pots. All of them I placed on a dresser in our living room> The dresser is painted in F&B colour and it looks just perfect!

.....and things I cannot live without at the moment :)

The beginning.......

I have had a very exciting week and decided to put my passions on "paper" in e-space.
I have been painting and making since I remember.
I was brought up in Poland and the only thing I remember doing on winter, cold evenings were cross stitch and knitting. I still have some of the pictures I made and will publish them very soon.

In the past week I have been busy painting furniture and trying new paint (to me) made by Annie Sloan. The paint is absolutely amazing and inspiring. http://www.anniesloan.com/

I used to use Farrow and Ball paints and loved every piece I painted but Annie's paint is so versatile.

I painted a desk that we had in my husband's studio
.... picture of before and after. I used Duck egg blue and Old white on the top with dark wax all over (I am still practising it)




I have also found an amazing shop run by Karen called Country Mouse http://www.countrymousehome.co.uk/ and she showed me all the paints and how to use them. She has been absolutely amazing! x

Now I just need to practise........I have also painted one of my pine corner units to display my vintage tins.....this is how it came out......not 100% happy but will be better next time.....




I have more great stuff coming so watch this space :) x