Adaliza

I bought these solid oak shelves a couple of years ago and have been meaning to restore them.  They’re very solid and well made but dark oak is not very fashionable and certainly wouldn’t fit into my studio.  Way back last October, I treated myself to a tin of Annie Sloan chalk paint and last week, the shelves and the tin of paint met.

dark oak shelves

Hey presto …

what do you think?

Annie Sloan Versailles

they’re smart and perfect for displaying an ever-growing family of crocheted pincushions (some can even be worn on the wrist)!

Shelves full of pincushions

Did I say some could be worn on your wrist so you’ll never be rummaging around looking for your lost pincushion?

wristband pincushion

a handful of pretty pincushions

I’ve become completely obsessed with pincushion-making.  These all have an insert so the pincushions are heavy enough to stand up (even the ditsy ones) whilst there’s an ever-growing collection of wristband pincushions that will shortly be making an appearance in my Adaliza Etsy shop.

Now, back to the soothing process of furniture restoration and painting.  Having completed the shelves which I have Sooooo many plans for, I decided to visit a local furniture recycling charity shop and I picked up a hideous little stool – orange pine and a disgusting tacked on cotton cover.  The cotton cover removed, a bland woven perfectly acceptable stool seat was revealed – but oh those orange legs …  another hey presto moment …

restored footstool with crochet seat cover

It’s really designed to be seen from the top …

crochet tweed stitch variation

crochet: tweed stitch

footstool renovation project – completed

and there’s another diddy little stool that’s undergoing the ‘treatment’ …

almost finished footstool in Antoinette – palest soft pink

The colour isn’t very easy to photograph.  It’s a soft, pale almost plaster-pink colour.  Very cool pink is how I think I’d describe it – not at all sugary.  It needs to be given a bit of a rub down and a lot of elbow-grease to polish it up with some antique wax, but there’s no rush.  Maybe a little crocheted cushion to sit on the top.

This little stool was at my great-aunt’s house and I have no idea where she acquired it, but I suspect it had some sentimental attachment as she kept very little that meant nothing to her.  I do wonder whether her father made it – I’ll never know.  I hope she wouldn’t mind it being freshened up – now at least, I’ll use it around and about – maybe in my studio or maybe as a prop in photos.  One thing’s for certain, whenever I use it, I’ll remember her and smile – she was a very special lady who I loved dearly.

In other news …

it’s our wedding anniversary today and we’ve had a lovely day.  I trundled off to the usual Sunday morning boot sale and bought a wonderful 1950’s picnic basket, complete with original china and sandwich boxes.  Wow – I’ll show you soon, but it was my present to my man – we’re hoping to enjoy many picnics together this summer when life is more relaxed and everyone is back to full health and mobility again.

This is our mantlepiece today …

Happy Anniversary

I was given a pair of Limoges ‘salts’ – the two little gold ducks.  They have tiny spoons and a lovely vintage box too.  I love them and the day has been rather ‘ducky’ – here’s Flora who said a good quacky greeting this morning …

Hello Flora

happy duck

Hope you all have a lovely, relaxing week.  We’re continuing with our r+r and I’m pleased to be regaining my desire to make things – always a good sign!

Do pop over to Handmade Harbour to see what everyone else has been making – I see someone else has had a very special anniversary over there.  We’ve got a way to go to get to our Diamond anniversary – ours was 29 years today!

Adaliza x