Shabby Chic Thread?

Ellidee

AussieLass wrote: »

Ok mock me then. Wait until I've done my spoony creation. You'll all be green with envy and I won't tell you how I did it. :rotfl:

Sorry hun only teasing. But it was the first thing I thought of honest !

moanymoany

About 1975 Uri Geller was on the radio talking people through his 'bending cutlery' thing. I got a fork and did exactly what he said - imagine my surprise when the damned thing bent! :eek:

If you heat up the cutlery you want to bend, WHEN it cools down it should be easier to bend. This is especially true with silver stuff. Heating makes all the little molecules in metal hold hands and go soft -


Back to shabby chic. We went to a neighbouring town today to sort out the HIP for the house which goes on the market next week eeeeek! Afterwards we popped into their branch of TKMax to get a bathmat and some coasters. It is a posher town than ours and the shop had nicer stuff - one of the things I saw was the most fantastic heavy, metal, cream, shabby chic garden table. Tres French, cream and a good size - really lovely and only £34!

Because we will be moving into rented in the interim, and it was very heavy to get back to the car, and it would have been too big for the car, we didn't buy it. I couldn't sleep for thinking about it which is why I'm on here at this hour of the night!

AussieLass

Ok this is where you can see my photo's. My home probably isn't stictly *shabby chic* but it does have elements in it. My house is tiny so I really went for light walls & didn't try to overclutter as it makes it look smaller IMO. Plus we have red soil & a dirt road right outside so doesn't pay to have too much stuff hanging around.

I have a few projects I would like to do. Make covers for the dining room chairs. I've just got cloth place mats over them atm. Also make pillow cases for the divan. Our house is designed for breeze so it's hard for placement at times. I hope you enjoy them.
CM I've included a picture of my BM just for you.

HariboJunkie

Wow Aussie. Thanks for that guided tour. :T

Your home is lovely and airy. I would love an open plan downstairs and you have some beautiful pieces of furniture.

But I have some questions.....

1. Is that or is that not a model of Churchmouse halfway up the stairs?
2. What in the name of all that is holy is a Chifoniwotsit?
3. Where do you hid your green tomato chutney?
4. What is the Piper in the tapestry wearing under his kilt?
and.......5. Couldn't you have removed the pair of knickers from under your bed in the 3rd pic? :rolleyes:

AussieLass

1. Yes.
2. Posh name (french) for cupboard.
3. It's there.
4. Nothing.
5. :rolleyes:

rachelleblondel_2

mary43 wrote: »

Its a real temptation, especially this time of the year late afternoon when front room lights go on............I can't walk past someones window without having a quick glance..................our house faces straight on to the street and other people look in our window............I have a panic if the throws on the sofa haven't been straightened.......................lol

This made me chuckle Mary as it happens all the time to us especially when the cat is in his basket although sometimes I do feel a bit like being the 'angry pixie' (faraway tree fans there).....

rachelleblondel_2

vintagepleasure wrote: »

I love looking through magazines for ideas.I wanted to make a scrap book with all the photos that inspire me rather than keep all the mags themselves.I bought a few old encylcopedia for 50p and tore out half the pages.

I absolutely love this idea and have some 1930's girl's annuals that would be perfect although think I may scan some of my pics as I can't bear to cut up my beloved Country living mags!!!

rachelleblondel_2

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

i cant afford to buy new units, or even new doors to put on there.. so i was thinking of painting them. at the mo they are a dark pine colour.... so i was thinking of a nice cream colour..

has anyone else painted their kitchen cupboard doors ? i was also thinking of removing the doors from under the sink, and putting a little curtain..to start the shabby chic effect ...


also does anyone know where i can get a nice shabby chic feel/look ironing board cover...?

Hi there
I painted my naff looking pine cupboard doors and they look brilliant... so give it a go. A little tip is to use thin coats of an oil based paint & sand with wet & dry between each coat, this seems to have given a much better finish & withstands a good clean when needs be ( I am quite a messy cook!!) you might want to use a primer but I didnt bother....a few nice new handles from ikea.


As for your ironing board, a piece of really nice fabric,(a good cotton works well) turn your board upside down onto the wrong side, draw round it add a couple of inches, bias binding tape to seal edge & give you a channel for some cord, thread the cord through, place on top of your old cover, tighten and away you go....Each time I fancy a change I just add a new piece of fabric and I have a lovely squishy ironing board.....and in a few years I'll have some lovely knackered bits of cath kidston fabric to play with. Hope this helps Rx

triage999

HariboJunkie wrote: »

But I have some questions.....

5. Couldn't you have removed the pair of knickers from under your bed in the 3rd pic? :rolleyes:

I thought Aussies old drawers were out on the landing :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

What a thing to put in a pic!!!!

Lol

Thank you fo sharing AL, you really do have a lovely home and it is not at all small!!! in fact you have a pantry and everything *****green with envy***

COOLTRIKERCHICK

AussieLass wrote: »

I don't know if anybody has seen it done before but I watched Better Life & Gardens (Oz version) on telly last night and they had a great little project to do. Easy & I'm going to try it.

Thought I'd share. It's a sign. Get a piece of timber, not sure of the measurements - I think they just used MDF & paint it. They used a dark green & that's what I'm going to use as our outside trim of our house is cottage green. Get your old souvenior spoons & forks you have. They had to raid an op shop. I've got heaps as my mother collected them and I didn't have the heart to dump them. There in a box in the shed.

Arrange them what you want to spell. She also cut some with some snippers & bent them to accommodate the curved letters. Bang the spoon part flat with a hammer & glue onto wood. I will polish mine first & DH said I should paint some clear stuff over the top so they won't blacken. But it looked really good. I think I'll go to the library as they have the magazines and photo copy that project for the exact measurements etc. It was too quick :rolleyes: and I'm a bit thick. I'm calling our house Our Haven and that's what I'll have for the name sign out on the front verandah. But you can put them anywhere you'd like a sign.

Is that shabby chic or carpy chic?

i seen a programme once where they made a kitchen wall cupboard out of old pallets, give it the old wash/distressed look and bent a spoon a bit and fixed that to the door and used it as the handle, the guy was charging mega money for the cupboard, saying he does one off's so no one would have an identical one.....i bet there are loads round now after peeps watched the programme ...lol...

he also done a kitchen clock.... cant remember what he used for the actual clock, but for the hands he used cutlrey again....


thanks for the tips on painting my cupboard doors.... will give them a dam good clean this afternoon, and get painting tomorrow..

i think i will give making my own ironing board cover a go....as my business is to do with textile recycling i will wait until i get some fabric/curtains/bedding that i fancy and then have a go.... i can also use the same fabric for the curtain for under the sink area... so it will all match....come to think of it depending on the size and the material could even make a table cloth... or if not enough... some place mats... to try and tie the 'theme' in..so to speak...

as for me the idea of shabby chic.... is home made craft items salvaging items and re-vamping them, so the less i can buy the better for me.....( and my very empty purse )

edit.....just found these on ebay......i think the real think would look better....thought i would link to this as were were talking about knives...folks...etc..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KITCHEN-CUPBOARD-DRAW-HANDLES-X-12-KNIFE-FORK-SPOON_W0QQitemZ290206803281QQihZ019QQcategoryZ41977QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem