~More painting of furniture~

I visited Hornsea again last weekend for a wander in the sea air on my ownio and did my run of the charity shops.  In a second hand shop I picked up (literally) a solid 1960s chest of drawers - loved the size and shape of them and the fact they were on legs. I got them for £18, with a framed floral picture thrown in for free. I hate haggling - but it did work!
The handles and the vintage wallpaper lining the drawers are currently for sale on ebay (link in my sidebar). Waste not want not and all that!

 

The handles after a good polish

 

Vintage wallpaper

Next stop was the vintage style interiors  'A Lovely Little Shop' on Market Place which sells fabric, Sass and Belle goodies, painted furniture and vintage bric-a-brac. After chatting about paint and furniture renovation, the lovely lady there put me on to this product...

...a chalk based additive by Molly's Paintbrush for paint which means you can use up all your flat emulsion bits and bobs and make your own chalk paint. I think they sell it on ebay too. It comes with full instructions of quantities to use - I'm using it to mix up small amounts which I store in plastic takeaway boxes with lids.
I've used the powder with leftover emulsion to mix up this shade of blue/green for the drawers...

I will hopefully finish it this week and share the end result and what it's been like to use.

Yarn Shop Day & simple pleasures

Yarn Shop day was Saturday 3rd May - did you visit a wool shop? I did -  I visited Needlecase at Tadcaster, which I've blogged about before. They had a plentiful supply of tea and cake going on, as well as a knitted flowers workshop - however I just popped in to purchase some wool and a pattern to knit for my new niece, expected in July. I bought Sirdar Snuggly in this blue/purple colour and some mother of pearl buttons...

The pattern is a chunky aran type cardigan with bobbles round the yoke

 which I'll do in a 6-12 month size.

 

Jack and I went to give Laura a lift home from the coast and took the dog for a long walk at the seaside.

Hornsea beach - I love it.

Definitely my 5-year plan to live there.

The tide was coming in and the sound was so calming.

Pebbles, pebbles, pebbles...I could look at them all day!

I made this chocolate cake today - just a Victoria Sponge with added cocoa and chocolate chips topped with leftover Easter egg melted chocolate and filled with fresh vanilla cream

It was gorgeous!

 

~Yorkshire Log Cabin Weekend~

Earlier in November, I spent a weekend at the Yorkshire Coast with 7 friends, staying in a lovely log cabin. I've stayed here before, though this time we were in a larger, newer lodge called Skylark Lodge. 

These are serious cabins, with swinky-swanky kitchens and bathrooms plus a log burning stove and a hot tub outside. All of the 2-storey cabins are situated round 2 little lakes.

The interiors are lovely, very nicely done...

Image reproduced from http://www.hornsealakes.com/accommodation/dovetail-lodge/

...and the lodges are just a stone's throw from the sea

and are on the outskirts of Hornsea, East Yorkshire (the home of Hornsea pottery of course).

Hornsea itself has many lovely independent homeware shops, an art gallery and pottery, fantastic charity shops, yummy fish and chip shops, plus a  museum.

One of my purchases was a pair of  Sealake Mohair Cushion Sole Socks made from the wool from local Angora goats kept in the fields around Hornsea mere, an inland lake. They were £12.50 but well worth it: they are sooooo gorgeous and warm.  I have a weakness for fluffy warm socks instead of slippers.  

I have already booked another visit early next year!

~I ♥ all things Coastal~

Our current (serious) 5 year family plan is to move to the Yorkshire coast.  Me being me; I've already started squirreling crockery and other household items for the interior of my cosy coastal retreat. Here is some potential seaside crockery hiding in a cupboard...

The pebble hearts mug is by Tracy Savage at Sugarmouse Pottery in Hornsea, the Mussels mug is by Richard Bramble, and the swirls mug is from Whittards.  The Masons Denmark blue and white dinner plates were from a charity shop in Hornsea (£3) and the teapot, milk jug and sugar bowl were found on eBay. 

Like my friend Anne at Marmalade and Catmint, I also have a coastal-themed downstairs loo.  I think you're allowed to be a bit over-the-top in the smallest room in the house.  I love shells, starfish, beach huts and old seaside postcards...and fairy lights and some reading material so guests don't get bored...

This week I've added some mussel shells collected in Cornwall to a wicker heart for the wall...

This glass apothecary jar is one of three given to me by a friend this week.  I've put pebbles and shells in the bottom and added a candle, I think they make great hurricane lamps.

I've also treated myself to this lovely starfish silver necklace...

Where on our beautiful coast would you move to, if you had the chance?

Have a lovely weekend!

x