Tuesday 29 April 2008

Catching up

I can't believe it's been over 3 weeks since I last posted, It's not has if I have had nothing to talk about. In the last few weeks I went to Ardingly Antiques Fair, been to several birthday parties, had my twenty-fifth birthday (and got some lovely presents!) and done my first craft fair, so I have lots of lovely things to show you.

Here are my purchases from Ardingly....


Some very useful folding steps for £15, I'm debating whether to give them a padded oilcloth seat so I can use it as a stool as well, what do you think? to cover or not to cover?

This lovely floral enamel bucket I got for £6 after a little haggling

A biscuit tin for a £1, you can't beat a pretty tin


and finally this pair beautiful french marble-topped pot cupboards for either side of my bed, bought as a birthday present for me from my wonderful and very generous parents, thank you mum and dad xxx

I had been looking for a pair of bargain bedside tables for a while now, something elegant, not too chunky, but not too flouncy either, but to no avail, even the re-pros are expensive, and the cheaper ones, the ones with the fretwork design are a little too small, and not very sturdy.

So when mum and dad took me to Ardingly for a birthday outing I was determined to find a couple of nice ones, not necessarily matching, but similar in size.
3 1/2 hours later I was beginning to give up hope as I still hadn't found anything quite right, and at 2pm all the stall holders seemed to have decided to go home early and where slowly packing up. Feeling a slight panic rising in me that I had come all the way down to Surrey for this huge fair and I was only going to be going home with a bucket and a biscuit tin, I stepped up the pace, and I discovered the lovely steps from a very nice lady who knocked a fiver off the price, oh well I thought, maybe it wasn't meant to be, I turned around to look for mum and dad, only to discover these pair of perfect tables. Bracing myself for disappointment, I asked the man how much they where, £250 for the pair - he said, I said - I only have £180 left, he made a call to his man in charge, and eventually said I could take them for £180. Now I had to think - this was much more than I wanted to pay for my bedside tables, but on the other hand they where 1920's, french (with makers label still in the drawer), marble-topped in pale grey, one still had the original enamel pot liner in the cupboard, and they where matching. I decided it was much better to spend £180 on a pair of well-made original tables, than spending £100-£120 on a pair of poorer quality re-pros that might not stand the test of time. I think I made the right decision.


The only thing I wasn't keen on was the buttermilk cream colour they had been painted in, it just didn't go with the pale grey marble, so I went out the next day and bought a pot of pale grey paint, I given them one coat and they look much better, so I will show you an after photo when I get the next coat on.

Well that went on a bit, I shall post some photos of the craft fair, and my birthday presents in the next couple of days to break things up a bit.

15 comments:

  1. Glad to see your back!You came away with some lovely things from the fair bet you are pleased with yourself finding those matching cupboards in the nic of time.Your first photo looks lovely I love your bay trees, the step stools are sweet as for covering them which do you think you would use them most for, for me it would be steps as I'm only 5ft2 so they would be very useful! Look forward to hearing about your craft show and birthday!
    Sarahx

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  2. Happy belated birthday! The new cupboards are fantastic - bet they look great in your bedroom.

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  3. Happy birthday! Love the steps and the cupboards - what a great present. I have the same tin, although mine is a little more battered than yours, but I still love it. Sounds like the fair was a great success. Well done on your fair - any photos?
    Cathy X

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  4. it all looks lovely, amd I am looking forward to seeing the next pics!

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  5. Finally Jess- everyday I click and see those pink snow covered flowers- its driving me crazy! Love the bedside tables- have you told Danny yet?

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  6. Hi Jess, nice to see you back - I think the steps would look lovely with an oilcloth top. The bedside tables are great too - I am looking forward to seeing more pics soon - Natalie x P.S - I asked a question about fabric labels (on another blog) to sew into my handmade goodies and Ziakoko pointed me in your direction as she said yours were lovely, could you tell me where you got yours? thanks

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  7. Hi Jess, completely wonderful finds. You've got to have a proper splurge to celebrate your 25th birthday and what gorgeous tables you've got forever now to remember being a young thing! Grey will suit them beautifully, look forward to seeing them. Lovely to hear from you and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
    Stephx - I'd pop the oilcoth cushion on if it were me. Could you secure it underneath so you can whip it off if you decided to get rid of it?

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  8. Happy birthday Jess,Sounds like you had a great time at ardingly.. I love all your bargains! Those side cupboards are just fantastic..a bargain really when you think about it.
    I have a pair of steps but they are used more as a stool so have an oilcloth top, it's only stapled on underneath..so I'm being biased... Oilcloth top!

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  9. The cupboards were a bargain I think, they'll last you forever.
    Nce to see you back, now I just need to catch up!
    Julia x
    ps. Happy birthday!

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  10. Hello Jess,
    Happy belated birthday.
    Sounds like you've been spoilt rotton and well deserved hun.
    25 I remember being that young lol my head does anyway hehe! my poor body doesn't lol
    Loving all you gorgeous goodies.
    I pop off to the Detling fair every now and then. They are great places to go aren't they.
    Looking forward to seeing more lovely photos.

    Hugs.

    Catherine x

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  11. Hi Jess, Happy belated birthday. Glad to hear you had a good trip out. Great cupboards... so much better having the real thing. Love your bay trees too, another thing we both have in common. Take care.
    xFaye

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  12. Your cupboards are lovely, you are right much better to buy originals that are what you want rather than make do repro's.

    Can't wait to see photo's from the craft fair!

    Hope to pop back soon

    Vanessa

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  13. Happy Belated Birthday and some lovely goodies on show...love the bedside cupboards

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  14. Hi Jess, Steph here again! Just a quickie about forget-me-nots, they are pretty ok to divide and spread about, I've had some from mum's garden and they've flourished and flowered. Apologies if you already know this - you just need to gently lift a clump after flowering (deadhead first), carefully divide into smaller sections then replant. They'll bulk up for next spring (and self seed a lot too) so you should have bigger display. If the clumps get too big they get mildewey in time so they actually benefit from being divided.
    Hope that helps!
    Stephx

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  15. I really like your topiary in the charming pot. I have really enjoyed looking at the photos at your blog.

    Alice

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Thank you so much for making the time to leave a comment. I really appreciate every one (even if I don't manage to reply to them all - I tend to get sidetracked quite easily) and it always brings a little smile to my face when I discover one in my inbox.