Knobs, pulls or handles

We've been redecorating our bedroom for quite a while, one of the things that has been taking up a lot of our brain cells are the handles.

Our bedside tables are perfect for us apart from one thing, the handles are very awkward to use. About 90℅ of the time I just reach under the drawer and open it that way. So we had talked about the possibility of replacing them and started looking around. We quickly realised that there are 50 million different options, but still we only found a couple we liked.

But finally, we were onto a winner. We decided we wanted a handle with some blue on it. So that it had a burst of colour but didn't look out place. So we headed to B&Q to look at what blue ones they had. And although there were a few that were nice, only one jumped out at us. It was blue but not too much, it was practical but not ugly. And only cost £3.50 each! We didn't have a strict budget, but we were aiming for under £5 each so we were very happy with our find.

My Birthday

It was my birthday on Thursday! And it was definitely one I won't forget. I don't actually enjoy my birthday. My Dad always forgets it anyway. But my husband was determined I was not missing out on my 21st birthday being special.

On Wednesday we headed up to my in laws (approx two hour drive), I spent the entire time coughing just like I have for the last five weeks. I was hugged within an inch of my life and told to sit down and rest (something they know I am a pain about) and was given painkillers and cough syrup. My cough wasn't letting up but we still had a couple of drinks as it got close to midnight to celebrate. Off we headed to bed, where my husband promptly fell asleep and I attempted to bring up a lung.

We got up when our alarms went off and I continued coughing. My in laws were getting worried and we were supposed to be going to London. I wheezed and coughed as my Father In Law got the car started to take us to the station. Unfortunately when we went outside to the car I took a turn for the worse. I doubled over coughing, sounding like I may vomit. I started to cry as I couldn't draw a breath in properly.

My Father In Law shut off the car and him and my husband whisked me inside. They pulled my coat off, wrapped me in a blanket and tried to calm me down. Well apparently I wasn't the only one shaken up as before I knew what had happened I was back in the car being rushed off to hospital. I was poked, prodded and wished a happy birthday. The ultimate verdict was rest, steam, antibiotics and five days to improve or I get a chest X Ray.

We phoned everyone to let them know I was okay and then in an attempt to make me feel better my husband drove off to the local shopping centre (approx ten minutes drive from the hospital) and we bought some bits in Primark, then we got some lunch in Burger King and I took my first dose of antibiotics. And we headed back to my in laws. I was still feeling fragile but my husband wasn't done making my day special.

We have had a lot of cake recently due to lots of birthdays and I really didn't want another one, so imagine my surprise when he bought out my cake... Only instead of a cake and candles it was a stack of Krispy Kreme donuts with two sparklers in it (shaped like 21)! He had bought me two dozen Krispy Kreme donuts!

And I got to play with my present. My husband, his parents and his brother had researched and purchased together the Hudl! In blue (my favourite colour)!! Which is what I'm typing this on and I would definitely recommend it.

For dinner I had more antibiotics and Chinese Takeaway (just like on our first date) and watched Hunger Games.

I still feel like I'm trying to bring up a lung, but I'm able to breathe again.

Budget Friendly, Rented Accommodation Pantry Makeover

First off, let me apologise for the long wait for a post. My blog is just a blog, I post when I get chance as my family are my priority.

Anyway back to business. I know there are a lot of pantry makeovers out their, but mine is a tad different. We live in the UK in rented accommodation and our "pantry" is an IKEA cupboard haha.

Our makeover cost us nothing because we used materials we had, obviously there may be a cost if you didn't have all the materials.

We used:
Glue
Wallpaper
Baskets
And other tubs we had to hand (the glass pots from coffee for example)

I removed the door and hubby tucked that up in the guest bedroom ready to go in the attic, we had decided the door was just a nuisance and so we wanted to try without the door for a while and see how we got on. While he was lugging that upstairs I pulled everything out the pantry and popped the shelves out, gave them a wipe down and measured where we wanted our wallpaper.

I cut the length but not the width, then we were able to place the wallpaper in and fold it to size once we liked the positioning. Then I cut along the folds while my hubby fiddled around with the glue. We started sticking using the screws from the shelves as markers. Once we were past a screw section we'd pop the shelf back in and carry on with the next section.

Once all the actual decorating was done we needed to decide what went where. We knew we wanted two child friendly height shelves to hold the lunch things (the slim fast tub on the shelf is actually full of cheese savouries) and that we wanted tins at the bottom as that way if they got knocked over less damage to toes would be done.

We wanted our baking stuff towards the top, but easy for me to reach. The rest we kind of made up as we went along. We then made sure everything on the shelves were easily accessible. With that idea in mind we took it one shelf at a time starting at the bottom.

It took us under 3 hours including clearing up afterwards. And (in our opinion) looks fantastic.

As I've said before though, I'm not happy unless it's functional for our home and lifestyle. So I waited to post until it had been given a fair chance and I can honestly say it is a life saver. We can see what we have in and when our son or our friends kids want something to eat we can go to the pantry and they just grab a plate or bowl and grab what they want. It has taken so much hassle out of feeding everyone.

Coffee Table Makeover

I've been in love with addicted2decorating for as long as I can remember.
She always thinks of practical as well as looking good and being a mother (and in a small-ish home) that's something I really can appreciate.

Well I happened to spot this on her blog one day

Before

After

How gorgeous is that!?
I've never quite been able to get it out of my head.

You know the Galaxy Minstrels advert (if you don't, click here), well that's me over this coffee table.

Well a while bag we acquired a lovely coffee table. But it really wasn't "us". We're more farmhouse/vintage/cottage. So it never really fit in with us.

We noticed it was looking a tad sorry for itself in some places (we got it for free, so it's been very well loved) and suddenly it hit me. I knew exactly what to do with it!

Please excuse the mess, the weather down here has been a bit dodgy so I had to do this in the house (with windows open of course).

I stuck on a movie, grabbed my sandpaper and set to work. It took almost four hours to sand it back ready (no manicures or wedding rings were harmed in the sanding of this coffee table).

Eventually I got the chance to start painting and was very pleased with the results.

Two coats of paint later and it was done. I left it to dry over night and we should be moving it to somewhere around the house tomorrow. We're just trying to decide exactly where haha.