I'm taking a risk here posting my Mother's Day cards ahead of tomorrow, so if you're my mum or my MIL please stop reading now...
- - - Yes, if you're my mum or my MIL there's nothing to see here - - -
Right, with that out of the way, let me tell you more about the cards I've made.
I'm forever pinning ideas onto my Cards, Wrapping & Tags Pinterest board and so I thought I should check there for some inspiration before I started. And it worked.
You'll need:
Card blanks
Card scraps
A selection of scrapbook paper cut into 1cm strips (or substitute washi tape for a quicker result)
PVA Glue
Printed or handwritten message
Embellishments for decorating
I used scrapbook paper for these cards, but washi tape would produce quicker results.
- Cut a scrap of card that covers two thirds of your card with a margin on each side and at the top.
- In a diagonal pattern stick the 1cm strips of scrapbook paper onto the card*, turning it onto the reverse of the card. Leave under a pile of heavy books to dry.
- Cut out your text and stick onto a small piece of scrap card and leave it to dry under a pile of heavy books.
- When they are dry, cut around your text to form a flag shape at one end, your choice which and then stick this onto a larger piece of scrapbook paper that fills the remaining space of your card blank. Leave this to dry.
- Take the decorated piece of card and stick it onto your card blank, and leave it to dry.
- When both of these elements are dry and flat, stick them onto your card blank and leave it to dry for the last time. The heavy pile of books (or anything else that's heavy) is important as it keeps the card flat.
- Once the card is completely dry, add an embellishment in the top left-hand corner and you're ready to write your message inside.
These cards have do need time to dry as you assemble each element, but if you're using washi tape - which I think would look just as pretty - you can reduce the time it takes to make the cards, but not the effect.
So there you have it, cards for Mother's Day. I'd hoped to be able to take better pictures of them before they went in the post but that didn't quite work out - next time I'll need to factor that in as well!
If you want some inspiration on home made cards, take a look at my Pinterest board - and if you like it, it'd be great to have you follow along.
And that just leaves me to say Happy Mother's Day!
Ideas to update our bedding from Julian Charles
Recently we had guests stay over and while I was making up the futon, I realised that our bedding had seen better days. But as it was just before our guests arrived there was little I could do about it. I guess (hope!) that like much of the spare room bedding out there, it's bedding that has been passed on from the main bedroom, when newer items have arrived there.
Please tell me I'm right, or else I'm going to feel quite bad for our guests, and I guess most of you won't agree to come to stay either...
So when I saw that Julian Charles were inviting bloggers to put together a post detailing how their products would enhance my home, I knew just which room I'd focus on - our spare bedroom which we decorated last summer. The main wall is painted Dove Grey with black wall art and some large modern pictures, so this Ashford Silver Luxury Duvet set would be just the thing.
Photo credit: Julian Charles
I like its pattern, and think the detail provides texture and interest without being overly feminine. And every well dressed futon needs a throw, especially for those colder nights and the Darla Grey Luxury Quilted Throw looks a good match for the bedding I've chosen.
Photo credit: Julian Charles
While I'd love to show you more of the bedding sets on the site, to make my spare bedroom more welcoming for my guests I have to go back to basics. Because a fancy duvet set isn't much use without something to put inside it. And I don't know about you but I think it's such a treat when you stay in a good hotel with good bedding, and that's the feeling it'd be great to reproduce at home for our guests.
So my last three choices would be:
5 Star Luxury Super Soft 10.5 Tog Duvet
5 Star Luxury Super Soft Pillow - Medium Support
Luxury Quilted Pillow Protector - because let's face it, with such fab bedding I'll be having lots of people over and no-one really wants to (or needs to) share pillows do they?
Photo credit: Julian Charles
Photo credit: Julian Charles
Photo credit: Julian Charles
I think if my spare bedroom was kitted out with this bedding I'd be welcoming more house guests, so I'd need one of my many empty notebooks to keep everything on track and make sure I didn't make any double bookings!
And you really can't beat new, crisp bed linen can you?
* This post is my entry into Julian Charles' Best Dressed Interior 2016 competition
Fabulous outdoor planters (and more) from Cox & Cox
Now that the evenings are getting lighter (yay!) and Spring bulbs are bringing colour to parks and gardens, I'm starting to be tempted out into the garden again. I've shared the plans I have for our allotment and my seed order is being finalised, but what about my garden?
I've mentioned before that our garden is a mature one, with lots of shrubs and so it's predominantly green. The challenge I have is to introduce colour to keep MOH from wanting to rip the whole garden out and start again. But because the trees and shrubs are large traditional bedding plants aren't always that successful, and let's be honest sometimes they have that municipal feel, don't they?
I've found though that pots are a great way to introduce colour, as not only can you control the soil (and not dig into a tree root) grouped together they can bring height and interest into the garden.
BIRCH EFFECT PLANTERS, PHOTO CREDIT COX & COX
RUSTY NESTING PLANTERS, PHOTO CREDIT COX & COX
The three above aren't quite what they seem either. They're not stone as you might think, but fibreglass so they'll be easy to move around the garden, even when they're planted. The finish of these emulates silver birch, and I like the texture and age that gives.
GALVANISED FLUTED TROUGH, PHOTO CREDIT COX & COX
Or there's the rusty planters, aren't they a gorgeous colour? For me they also prove that a simple design is a winner too.
Troughs to edge a path
I have a small path alongside my greenhouse and I've been on the lookout for some low-level planters to help soften the edges of greenhouse. But I don't want something so big that it blocks the light to my seeds and plants busily trying to grow in there.
My plan is to grow herbs here so when I brush past I'll catch their scent. Again I'm drawn to the simple design of this zinc trough. They'd look equally good with cheery spring bulbs in too, and as window boxes.
AGED ZINC MILK CHURN, PHOTO CREDIT COX & COX
Definitely not boring
Remember that I said your planters didn't need to be boring?
Well, how about a milk churn - I think it'd look great with some cheery daffodils sprouting from the top.
It'd certainly bring a smile to my face. Although it's too late to plant Spring bulbs now - usually I plant mine in the autumn using the lasagne approach - it's not too late to add some Spring colour to your garden.
You can pick up ready grown bulbs relatively cheaply in the supermarkets and garden centres. My bargain hyacinth last week cost just £1.49.
Or you could think a little further ahead and plan some fabulous summer displays.
AGED METAL BIRD CAGES, PHOTO CREDIT COX & COX
And just because...
I couldn't resist sharing these metal bird cages, while they're not planters as such they're definitely on my wish list. I know though I'll have a job to convince MOH we need them.
Sigh.
His argument, after the what are we going to do with those, would be where would we put them? And he'd have a point. I'd love to say in the conservatory, and to have that kind of conservatory. You know the airy sort that you see in stately homes?
Our conservatory has a little way to go - we're currently using ours as a bike store and general dumping area, so it's a campaign I'll leave until I'm on stronger ground.
But who knows, maybe one day...
This is is a collaborative post with Cox and Cox, but all opinions are my own