tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19541729622420593732024-03-12T21:41:01.097-07:00Life By LoobyLoobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14857830896287136929noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954172962242059373.post-69432392904929846822017-05-07T05:12:00.001-07:002017-05-07T05:15:17.887-07:00We had a baby!Oh hi blog, it's been a while. Guess what?...<br />
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We only went and had a flippin' BABY!!!</div>
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Yup, in January I gave birth to our beautiful little baby boy Hugo!</div>
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The last 4 months have been the hardest but most rewarding months of my life. Having a baby is ten times harder than I ever thought it would be...but I feel like we're finally getting there now.</div>
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The photo above is the first photo we took of him - so chubby!</div>
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He was a whopper at 9lbs 4oz...and due to that many problems arose both during and after labour, but I'm planning on doing a seperate birth/labour post, so I won't go into specifics now.</div>
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I'm currently writing this whilst Hugo naps, so I'm going to keep it short, but really just wanted to say hi and introduce our son!</div>
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Looby xx</div>
Loobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14857830896287136929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954172962242059373.post-61114069160364599842015-09-16T14:26:00.000-07:002015-09-16T14:29:46.686-07:0010 Tips for a Happy MarriageThis October, we will be celebrating our 2nd Anniversary. Yep, we've made it to 2 years.<br />
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It's been pretty quiet if I'm honest. After the hustle and bustle of the wedding, there's been no dramas; I think the most exciting thing has been painting the bathroom...<br />
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I like to think myself and my hubbie have a relaxed and low key approach to marriage, which will (hopefully) make it last for years to come, so I thought I'd share a few tips I've learnt so far...<br />
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<b>Compromise</b><br />
This is the best lesson I've learnt in marriage so far. Is it really the end of the world if his scraggly old teddy has to be on show in the bedroom? Is the world going to end if he likes to eat his dinner on the sofa? No, it's not. Compromise is key.<br />
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<b>DIY</b><br />
It's called 'Do It Yourself' for a reason. We've quickly learnt that my husband cannot decorate. At all. This has lead to some irate arguments in the past. So as mentioned earlier, I painted our bathroom myself and would recommend this approach to decorating to any couple. Find out who has the most talent with a paint brush and leave it to them. I turned the radio up, and painted my heart out for the weekend. Completely. Argument. Free.<br />
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<b>Routine</b><br />
We take it in turns to make breakfast in the mornings and we do the food shop on a Sunday. Without sounding boring, routines can help so much!<br />
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<b>Cooking</b><br />
One cooks and one clears up, that's how it works in our house. It's clear and it's fair. If you leave everything to one person, that person is going to end up hating life. In our house, it's my husband that cooks 90% of the time, simply because he gets home earlier than me. So Chris prefers to cook, and I much prefer to clean up afterwards. Happy days.<br />
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<b>Driving</b><br />
This is an easy one, because it's a well known fact that I'm an awful driver. For long journeys, Chris will drive... (long being more than a 10 mile radius from our house). I'm not a huge drinker either, so I will usually play taxi on a night out. If you both like a drink, I'd suggest sorting out who's going to drive before the event. This way, there's no awkward arguments when he's had two beers and a you're on your third Pina-colada.<br />
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<b>Keeping Things Tidy</b><br />
This is perhaps one of the most discussed marriage topics. How many arguments have you had with your other half about their dirty socks being left on the floor, or who's turn it is to put the bin out. I really think there's a simple answer to this...just pull your weight! We all have that little niggle in our head telling us to "Do it tomorrow..." but I've found it's so much better to just do it and get it out of the way. A try to spend 15 minutes each weeknight simply putting things away, folding up the washing, tidying up the post etc. This way, it's easy to stay on top of things.<br />
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<b>Organisation</b><br />
You're either an organised person, or you're not. You need someone to book the flights to Spain, to check you're not in your overdraft (again) or to keep track of your next dentist appointment. It's important to stay organised. Check your bank weekly, deal with that paperwork now, write everything in a calendar and communicate to each other. Your brain will thank you, as will your partner.<br />
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<b>Communication</b><br />
I can't stand it when couples text each other every 10 minutes....I mean, really? Don't get me wrong, I love to get a text maybe once a day, but you've gotta leave something to talk about when you get home. I also think letting your other half know where you are really helps too! My hubby used to get really annoyed when I worked late without telling him. So now I just drop him a quick text to update him or call him when I'm on my way home. Remember, there's not just you in your relationship. It's also super important not to bottle things up... you should be able to talk to your partner about anything.<br />
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<b>Money</b><br />
This is definitely my downfall. To make cash a little easier, we each have our own bank account which we use for spending and saving, we then have a joint account where all our bills and monthly expenses are drawn from. I update a spreadsheet regularly which tells me how much should be going into our shared account. Chris is very good at saving, and...well, I'm not. If you're both saving towards something, set up standing orders with your bank. This will make sure you save what you planned to. Also make sure you pay for joint items (i.e sofas, meals or holidays) fairly, each paying half.<br />
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<b>Be nice!</b><br />
I hear couples bickering and fighting all the time. Some people can be so nasty! Everyone's entitled to be annoyed every once in a while, but I've certainly learnt to try and think before I speak. Remind yourself why you fell in love with your partner originally. And as Thumper's Mom says in Bambi "If you ain't go nothin' nice to say, then don't say nothin' at all."<br />
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<b>Affection</b><br />
There's nothing worse than that couple at the supermarket checkout kissing and cuddling every 2 seconds, but simple things like holding hands, or smiling at each other across the room can make such a difference. A cuddle solves everything.<br />
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<b>Nagging</b><br />
Just don't do it.<br />
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So that's it. It's a longer post than I'd imagined, but once I started...I couldn't stop!<br />
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Do you have any tips, that have worked for your marriage? If so, tweet me <a href="https://twitter.com/lifebylooby" target="_blank">@lifebylooby</a>.<br />
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Looby xx<br />
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<br />Loobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14857830896287136929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954172962242059373.post-56490765825812808522014-05-02T13:53:00.003-07:002015-09-16T14:28:35.261-07:00We got married!We got married just over 6 months ago on 12th October 2013 at our local church, followed by the reception at Avoncroft Historic Buildings Museum.<br />
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Our photos were taken by our amazing photographer <a href="http://www.mikiphotography.info/" target="_blank">Miki Photography</a>.<br />
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Looby xxLoobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14857830896287136929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954172962242059373.post-70456600043122922482014-05-01T15:15:00.002-07:002014-05-01T15:15:56.946-07:00The May Wishlist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.asos.com/Dune/Dune-Draylin-Shoulder-Bag-With-Tassle-Detail/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3656072&cid=16032&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=9999&sort=-1&clr=Black&affid=5571&WT.srch=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=37383586170&utm_content=&utm_campaign=&cvosrc=ppc.google.37383586170&network=g&mobile=&search=1&content=&creative=24320292261&ptid=37383586170&adposition=1o1&gclid=COPTyPHei74CFVLItAodRXAAhg" target="_blank">1. Dune Bag</a> / <a href="http://shop.mango.com/GB/p0/mango/new/chest-pocket-blouse/?id=23017500_6D&n=1&s=nuevo&ident=0__0_1396361445752&ts=1396361445752" target="_blank">2. Mango Shirt</a> / <a href="http://shop.mango.com/ficha.faces?state=she_006_IN" target="_blank">3. Mango Sandals</a> / <a href="http://www.shopbop.com/skinny-mini-bow-stud-earrings/vp/v=1/1598794089.htm?extid=SE_froogle_SC_uk&currencyCode=GBP&ef_id=oI5PmwcUcyIAAEdc:20140501221340:s" target="_blank">4. Kate Spade Earrings</a> / <a href="http://www.charlesclinkard.co.uk/womens-c1/shoes-c2/clarks-hamble-oak-womens-black-patent-brogues-p9468?gclid=CPGj4OTfi74CFScHwwodeh8Afw#125189" target="_blank">5. Clarks Brogues</a> / <a href="http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/clothing-427/dresses-442/folklore-print-shift-dress-2872780?bi=121&ps=20" target="_blank">6. Topshop Dress</a><br />
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Looby xxLoobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14857830896287136929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954172962242059373.post-36194174647083210622014-04-30T10:14:00.003-07:002014-04-30T12:50:48.546-07:00April Round Up in Photos<div style="text-align: center;">
I thought I'd share a few photos from April.... its been a busy one!</div>
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Afternoon tea break</div>
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New kitchen window display</div>
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Dinner at Miller and Carter</div>
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Morning snuggles with Chester-pants</div>
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Our hotel in York</div>
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Getting a little too excited in Bettys, York</div>
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Simply wonderful.</div>
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Churros at Portobello Market, London</div>
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Breakfast in London</div>
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Madam Tussauds fun with my fave</div>
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Rory Dobner pottery in Libertys</div>
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Liberty heaven</div>
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My first ever Shake Shack, Covent Garden</div>
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Looby xx</div>
Loobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14857830896287136929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954172962242059373.post-90327973223627548542013-08-04T08:46:00.000-07:002013-08-04T08:46:02.392-07:00My Wedding InvitationsBoom. 5 months later....I'm back! And back with my wedding invitations!<br />
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They were a labour of love, and took my best friend and I over 2 months to design, print and assemble, but they are finally done and posted!<br />
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I purchased the pocket invitation and both envelopes from <a href="http://www.cardsandpockets.com/" target="_blank">Cards and Pockets</a> (a US company) and had all the printed items done at work.<br />
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I finished them off with some peach bakers twine and a circular tag.<br />
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And the best part?? Gold glitter envelope liners! Painfully slow to do, but oh so worth it!<br />
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Now I just have to wait for all the RSVPs to be returned!! Eek!<br />
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Looby xxLoobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14857830896287136929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954172962242059373.post-55268628101766630622012-11-01T13:10:00.000-07:002012-11-01T13:12:58.190-07:00What's in my Bag / Nov 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.clarks.co.uk/p/20348076" target="_blank"> Clarks Leather Satchel</a></div>
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My Mom bought me this bag last year for Christmas and I love it. It holds so much of my crap! From left to right....<br />
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<u>Cath Kidston Notebook</u><br />
I write literally everything in this. Shopping lists, notes, wedding plans, to do lists.<br />
<u>My Nikon Camera</u><br />
I always carry this around with me... you never know!!<br />
<u>2012 Diary (Next)</u><br />
I never used to be a 'diary' person. But now I have everyone's birthdays in here plus all events, holidays etc.<br />
<u>Ibuprofen & Allergy Tablets</u><br />
For those kinda days....<br />
<u>USB</u><br />
Super useful for transfering files between my family's pcs and mine<br />
<u>Hello Kitty Pen</u><br />
I bought this in Narita Airport, Japan with my last few Yen! Its lasted me 6 years. It has a little charm on the top which is cute...but pretty annoying when you're trying to write anything!<br />
<u>Smooth Black Pen</u><br />
For when I want to write 'posh' things :)<br />
<u>Samsung Galaxy Apollo Phone</u><br />
The crappiest phone in the world. <i>Ever</i>. Bring on Nov 23rd...upgrade time.<br />
<u>My House Keys</u><br />
I have lots of keys. My house, moms house, dads house...<br />
<u>Knitted iPod Sock</u><br />
From a lovely lady in the US. Her Etsy Shop is <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/onaroll" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<u>iPod Nano</u><br />
A gift from my girlfriends for my 21st. It's inscribed on the back too :)<br />
<u>Cath Kidston Purse</u><br />
Bigger<i> is</i> better.<br />
<u>Rayban Clubmaster Sunglasses</u><br />
Possibly my biggest splurge. I love them very much.<br />
<u>iPod Earphones</u><br />
...<br />
<u>Car Keys</u><br />
I have a classic mini. My keyring is Brum!<br />
<u>Cath Kidston Mirror</u><br />
...<br />
<u>Nivea Cream</u><br />
Couldn't live without this stuff. I need it every time I wash my hands.<br />
<u>Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stain (Rendezvous)</u><br />
My favourite lip product at the moment. I highly recommend these.<br />
<u>Kate Moss Lipstick</u><br />
Pretty impressed with these..they smell like fruit.<br />
<u>Revlon Lip Liner</u><br />
...<br />
<u>Vaseline (Rose)</u><br />
I'm using this loads at the moment...for chapped autumn lips!<br />
<u>Kirby Grips</u><br />
I have these literally <i>everywhere</i>.<br />
<u>Chewing Gum</u><br />
....<br />
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Looby xxLoobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14857830896287136929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954172962242059373.post-4350397663459413562012-07-26T13:58:00.000-07:002012-07-26T13:58:25.854-07:00Cake Cake CakeLast week I went cake crazy. No...it was Chris' sister's boyfriend's Birthday and also my Mom's.<br />
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I decided to try the ultimate chocolate cake for Rhys' cake and it was HUGE. I followed the recipe and yet it kept rising...and rising some more. Together with the chocolate topping (Mars Bars, Maltesers, Snickers, Buttons, melted Dairy Milk and sprinkles) it ended up being about 20cm tall!<br />
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The second cake was a Maple & Pecan 3 Layer Cake with Maple frosting...<br />
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They were definitely the best 'large' cakes I've made yet...even if slightly oversized! But that's no bad thing eh?<br />
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Looby xxLoobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14857830896287136929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954172962242059373.post-30318147865368917592012-05-27T09:24:00.002-07:002012-05-27T09:24:57.058-07:00eBay Purchase: Kitchen DresserHere it is.<br />
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I'm in love....<br />
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I happened to stumble upon this kitchen dresser last weekend on eBay. It was a buy it now auction which was perfect 'cos we needed more kitchen storage pronto! I dashed to the kitchen to measure the gap we had and well....it was meant to be.<br />
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Its a 60s dresser already painted in Annie Sloan Old White paint and has beautiful carved detail on the front drawers and doors. And it fits like a dream.<br />
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I now have a place to store my baking ingredients and our pots and pans! The drawer on the left has been allocated as the 'junk' drawer (you know the one....old keys, batteries, receipts etc.) Everyone's got a junk drawer, right?! The right side drawer is now home to all my fabric kitchen items such as napkins, aprons and tea towels.<br />
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I am SO pleased with it - it couldn't be more perfect.<br />
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I strongly recommend eBay for bargain furniture. It takes a while to sift through the crap / wholesaler listings but you really can find a few gems and at very good prices. I prefer to Buy it Now - as its quicker and I don't have that worrying niggle that someone is going to outbid me!<br />
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<b>A few tips for buying larger items on eBay:</b><br />
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Try a few different search words, for example, for kitchen dresser...Also try 'vintage dresser', 'old dresser', kitchen storage' etc. You'll get different results each time.<br />
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Sort you search results by 'Distance: Nearest First'. Our dresser was only in Solihull which is about 15 minute drive away. Its surprising how close you can be to a few gems. Luckily, my Dad has a van which our dresser fitted into (just!). Make sure you collect your item in suitable transport - with blankets to protect it from knocking against the sides and ropes to keep it on place if need be.<br />
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Persevere. It may take a few days / weeks to find exactly what your after. Keep checking the same searches each week as all listings average at about 1 week in length - so each week there should be something new. Don't expect to find exactly what you want straight away - that only happens on rare occasions!<br />
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Add anything you like or to your Watch List. This makes it easy to compare prices of similar items and keep track of when auctions are ending. I also get emails on my phone to let me know when listings I'm watching are due to end. Although, as I said above, I do prefer to Buy it Now.<br />
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Finally, don't be afraid to ask the seller any extra questions for measurements or extra photos. You're a potential customer!! If you do buy an item that needs collecting...make sure you email the seller straight away to let them know if you've just paid, or if you would prefer to pay on collection, get their address and a mobile number - in case you get lost!!<br />
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Happy bidding!!<br />
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Looby xx<br />
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<br />Loobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14857830896287136929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954172962242059373.post-70963728757668295422012-04-29T07:07:00.000-07:002012-04-29T07:07:56.850-07:00DIY: Painting a Wardrobe & DresserWe were kindly given 2 wardrobes and a dressser by Chris' godmother just before we moved in a few weeks ago. They were a little battered and musty so I decided to bring them back to life with a lick of paint....<br />
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BEFORE:<br />
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How wrong I was.....
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2 weeks later, 5 hours of sanding, 2 tins of undercoat, 1 tin of emulsion and 5 coats of satinwood...I was finally finished.
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AFTER:<br />
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I have a small obsession with Duck Egg blue....the majority of house items I've bought have been duck egg. So I thought well....why not have a duck egg wardrobe too?! I call it my 'feature wardrobe'!<br />
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I decided to paint the insides too - as I refused to put my clothes inside, in case I ended up smelling like an old lady! Little did I know, but the insides actually took longer than the outside..gah.<br />
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After all the work, I am very pleased with them... it was my first DIY project after all. They're definately not perfect but hey ho. The only problem I encountered was that after 3 coats of undercoat, you could see yellow patches through the white...which was a tad worrying...but the satinwood covered them up nicely.
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I finished them off with some scented draw liners and Laura Ashley handles <a href="http://www.lauraashley.com/drawer-pulls/celine-pair-of-clear-drawer-pulls/invt/celineca/" target="_blank">here</a>. We also found a large handle to match for the wardrobe - but I can't find the link to that....<br />
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The existing handles were dark brass which wouldn't have fitted in with the fresh look I was going for. But I may use them on another project I've got lined up.<br />
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Paint used:<br />
<b>Primer:</b> Homebase - Home of Colour - Quick Drying Primer & Undercoat - Pure Brilliant White - <a href="http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=920534" target="_blank">here</a><br />
<b>Outer: </b>Homebase - Home of Colour - Quick Drying Satin Paint - Duck Egg - <a href="http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=741686" target="_blank">here</a><br />
<b>Inside:</b> Homebase - Home of Colour - Matt Emulsion Paint - Duck Egg - <a href="http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=591706" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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Here's a pic of the dresser next to our (huuuge!) new bed:<br />
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See a few more photos on my Flickr <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/79596957@N03/" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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Here's to more DIY posts....Hurrah!<br />
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Looby xxLoobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14857830896287136929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954172962242059373.post-36050682803917562592012-04-27T13:01:00.001-07:002012-05-27T00:14:15.516-07:00Cappuccino & Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Cappuccino and cake in Stratford upon Avon last weekend <3 This was a well needed break from housey tasks. We actually wore proper clothes instead of slouchy pants and hoodies. I also wore make up for the first time in a good 5 days.<br />
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I'm planning a before and after post tomorrow....to show you all my newly painted wardrobes!<br />
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Looby xxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954172962242059373.post-87697590146838731642012-04-25T15:05:00.004-07:002014-05-02T13:59:10.078-07:00Hello there.So I decided to start a new blog. Its kiiiinda a new chapter in my life now....I have a house of my very own...eek! And I'm recently engaged...double eek!<br />
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My aim is to blog about my DIY projects, my life, my baking....pretty much a random collection of me!<br />
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Looby xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0