Scary Faces & Last chances!!

Hello!!
Just a quickie to show you my scary face!!!!!
At the mo on Picnik.com you can edit your photo with a whole host of scary halloween themed effects!!! This is the result....think I would make a GREAT Mrs Cullen!!!!

Also I will be closing the Giveaway a little earlier than planned and will draw a name tomorrow x x
Thanks to all who have entered and followed!! CLICK HERE TO VISIT!!
GOOD LUCK!!!
Happy Halloween!!
Annie x

FURTHER REDUCTIONS!!!!

For one week only!!!!!

Hello!!!
Just finishing up with the photo shoots for the next season of Vintage, Thrifted & Refashioned......I have had the privelige of Working with 2 fantastic designers products, Karen of Tilly Rose and Rose of Victorias Rose Crafts
Heres a sneaky peak of one of our jumpers adorned with a scalloped hat & scarf set from Victoria Rose crafts and a fab felt ring from Tilly Rose

They will be launched in the net couple of days but until then...Pop over to the SHOP to check out the bargains, with Prices starting from £2.99!!!!!!!
Until then...
Big love to all

Annie x

6 WEEKS & Counting!!

Hello!!
Well they have officially started! Summer holidays are here!! The school reports are in, The teachers gifts have been given, the tears have been shed and the 'MUM I'M BORED' phase has def started!!!!
 Thankfully I have these little 10 day old cuties to keep us occupied!!! And loving the fact that we must handle them for a little bit of time every day!!! ( as long as Bumblebee the mummy doesn't mind too much of course)

There are 5 kitties, one set of Grey Tabby Twins, This half white and tabby in the pic above, a White cat with near identical patches to her mummy and a Dark Blue Grey boy with a white belly!
We haven't named them yet as I'm a bit scared of getting too attached before they set off for their new home when they ready to leave their mummy...but I'm sure some nicknames will spring up soon!!!
Please excuse my poor pic quality. I haven't got any pennies to buy a new camera yet so using my phone camera!!
Last weekend My sister had a Rare Saturday off so we jumped on the train to London and pottered around for the day around Covent Garden ( obviously via the Cath kidston Shop which was PACKED!!!) We had Lunch and then bought some Crushed Meringues with Strawberries and fresh cream while we sauntered off to Leicester Square to people watch..
...we then decided to something off the beaten track on a whim!! So spoke to the little tourist info guide there and found a Ghost bus tour for under £20 leaving from Trafalgar Square in an hour!
Booked that and had an iced coffee then headed off to Trafalgar Square where we watched a little bit of street dancing  then took a pic...Hmm looking a bit serious there!!! LOL!!

We then headed towards our pick up point in Northumberland Ave when we noticed that this rather creepy looking chap was staring at us.....

 ( he did actually pose for this one!)

Then this Came into our view!!!! The NECROBUS!!!

Its history is a tad Macabre!
Here's the info from the website.....

Earth to earth…

The Necropolis Bus Company began in the 19th century as a private funeral bus service. The Necropolis vehicles or ‘Carcass Coaches’ as they were known to Londoners were able to convey the deceased, pall bearers and up to 50 mourners (no standing) to the final resting place. Each bus had an onboard conductor/chief mourner and a special siren or ‘mourning whistle’ to warn pedestrians of the bus’s approach. The sound of the whistle prompted gentlemen to remove their hats and bow their heads as a mark of passing respect.

Ashes to Ashes…

Regular service ran until 1967 when a tragic fire at the company depot in South Dulstead razed the building to the ground and destroyed almost the entire fleet of buses. Only one vehicle was salvaged from the ashes and was locked in a storage facility for 40 years. It has now been restored to its original design and is operated by NECROBUS as a sightseeing service in central London. 

Bus to Bus

The bus is painted in the company’s traditional colour of midnight black. The interior seating is arranged in ‘railway style’ for comfort and so that passengers can grieve openly and offer condolences to each other. Decorative features include lamps and window curtains, which were always drawn if a coffin was stored in the vehicle overnight. This is based on the superstition that a departed spirit might be trapped by its own reflection in the glass and would be unable to pass on to the other world.  It also helped to keep the bodies cool in the summer months.

So we decide to actually get on this Bus for a different kind of tour!! I wont spoil it for any of you who might want to go on this fab tour but let me tell you it was one of the Scariest/funniest /Coolest thing we have done in London!!And Under £20 too!!

There was a picture of me and sis with the Bus conductor standing on the back entrance however.....It Didnt come out very well...for some strange reason...........

Well Will be back soon with a reminder about the giveaway...soon to close

Bye for now xx

Annie x

Hello! Opinions please

Hello!
I'm back and have lots of holiday snaps to bore you with soon enough!!! LOL!!!!
Just before I left I was playing with the new template designer and erased all of my background!!! So I took this as an opportunity to refresh my blog with a new design! With some graphics from The Graphics Fairy and some help from this very helpful post....I was able to apply it without having to fiddle around too much with Html codes( such a pain in the bum!)

I cant decide if the design on this blog is hard to read cause of the background...so I'll ask you what you think! This is the design on this blog

and this one is on the blog shop...click here

I'm personally leaning towards the design on the blog shop...but thought I'd get your opinion too!!

Right off to upload some sunny pics from Cornwall ( including Cath Kidston shop in St Ives!!)

See ya soon and Thanks in advance xx

Annie xxx

Storage jar prettiness!

Hello!
As I have been organising my crafting room and making room for Nana to work here too I thought I'd show you some little makeovers....
I'll start with some Ikea Jars prettied up!
With help from this Great blog The graphics fairy I downloaded some labels to pretty up some plain jars that are currently holding my sparklies broken, odd, or just looking for a new lease of life AND a Jar of random tidbits that don't necessarily have somewhere to live!

So here's the before

Then after adding a cross stitch style font title to the label I printed it off and aged it up a bit with brown and black stamp pads and my trusty blender!!!! ( read here for more details)

Bit of glue and careful positioning and VOILA!!! (Shimples!)

I'm gonna link up to The Graphics Fairy's linky party 'BRAG MONDAY' for the first time today and hopefully make more of an effort to do so seeing as the BEST graphics I have ever used has come from there.
And actually probably a few in my sidebar also Metamorphosis Monday , Do it yourself Day, Trash to treasure Tuesday , Transformation Thursday, Show off your stuff Party , Show & Tell Friday
....Have a look at the sidebar for linky parties permanently displayed there, every day theres a whole host of fantastic inspiration at your fingertips!!
Will be back soon showing off an old plate rack bought for £1 that I've transformed into braid, button and ribbon holder!
Until next time
Annie x

The Vintage & Homemade Easter Fair- Part 1

Hello!!
Yes I know I've been Missing but with all the preparing for the big day My plans to sneak preview the stock were pushed back and back until there wasnt even time to take any pictures at home!! So would you like to come to the fair with me?????
( Please dont expect to see any people fom blogland by the way...EVERYONE saw the camera and HID!!!!)

We'll start with my stall ....

Hmm bit jumbly looking butI had lots of bargains to clear!!

Take a closer look...

I had lots of little easter/spring themed pretties 

such as these Handpinted Eggs

Which are available to buy HERE ( also with a multibuy discount too!) 

and this too..

 Only 1 left now so if you wanna grab it click on HERE

Will be adding the Easter cards later too, at £1.50 they are a steal!!

All the shelves bar one sold ( which of course was Fantastic and will clear some space ) but still have a few smaller pretties left but they are all mainly one off originals so If you see something you like then feel free to email me with any questions!!

The Apocathary vignette came home with me ( £6.99) 

as did this metal candle holder ( £3.99)

a decoupaged tin jug ( 4.99)

Shadow box with vintage bike and Vintage milinary flowers ( £5.99)

and this Spring shadow box ( £5.99)

However the Miscellaneous rummage boxes were a hit and also the vintage nursery and ladybird pictures too!!

I have more of these which will be going into my blogshop soon!!

SO  let s move on there are SO many pretty stalls to see yet!!

Lets go to Sharons shall we....

This was her first time at the fair but I think her stall looked Beautiful and her lovley character went down Very well with her customers!! Well done Sharon!

Lovely huh? 

The beautiful large notebook made its way back home with me too!!

Here is Lindsey's stall 

Elsie Sparrow's stock is STUNNING!!!

All set around a vintage bicycle!

Take a closer look!

Now at this point my camera starts to play up so please forgive any blurriness....

Beautifully packaged handmade pretty jewellery from Hannah of   Ivory faces

I think right now would be a great time to go and have a lovely cup of tea and a slice of handmade cake!

Be back soon with more pics and Links

Annie x

COVET...To wish for Longingly.....

Hello,

I just had to share with you something......Something which I have wanted so much for a while now. The Title is a word which has been brought to my Attention by Liz..a most wonderful person who I have been most fortunate to meet through blog land! After she said that she Coveted the Giveaway prizes which made me giggle of course!!!

Anyone reading may know I have a Birdcage addiction...and you may have also seen pictures of these beautiful items in blog land already! They are stunning!

I still COVET them!!....However until I can afford it...I managed to find...

THIS

In MATALAN!!! for £25!!!

I have to say I do love the home ware range there...and the Influence range have got a range by some great designers....this is from Laurence- Llewelyn Bowen influence he has a lot of opulent Black, Mercury, sumptuous accessories, Linda barker is very similar to her website very vintage chic style, Justin and Colin are more kitschy class and Anthea turner range is very pastels and pretty prissy!

If you haven't been recently then I would def suggest taking a trip there soon as there's lots of patchwork style cushions and Lovely tableware for very reasonable prices!!!

Back soon

Annie x

Christmas time in London

Hello!
Thanks for Joining me this Christmas on our annual trip to London! Its become a tradition for Me and my Lil Sis ( yes I will be still calling her this even when we are old and grey!) to take the Day off, wrap up warm and jump on a train to 'The Big Smoke'!!
So we start our day in Covent Garden....this is what you see first as you jump off the Tube...

ITS A HUGE REINDEER!! oh and twinkling too!!

Take a couple of Cheesy pics acting like complete tourists!

Then head off to the beautifully decorated Market where you find some beautiful treasures and little shops with novelty items and handmade pretties....

...like these gorgeous handpainted glass decorations

Heres the link to the Website its called Aramica and has lots of great gifts on there!! Def worth a visit!

Right peeps time to fuel up on Lunch, something hearty we have a long day ahead of us...What better than...

PIE AND MASH!

To be precise the most tastiest chicken and Bacon pie, with buttery mash and Sweet spiced red cabbage...Dont mention Calories..we will be burning those off oh and adding more of them too !!

Now its starting to Snow heavily so we have to jump on the tube and walk to get to..

CARNABY ST!!!

A quick visit to the Mac shop to look at the sparkly make up oh and if you are my sis buy one too!!

Off to have a look in Libertys to the 4th floor Christmas Dept then down to have a look at the cutest Christmas windows!

The theme for this one is defintely patriotic! GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

( I'm a secret big fan of the royals..Tiara envy!)

Feel free to press your nose against the glass for a closer look...or just Click on the pics!!

The Fantastic Mr Fox..

The good old Days.... a British retro feel..

and the British Panto!

I believe these are the 2 ugly sisters?

Right Now off to Hamleys to play with the toys...

The stairwell is decorated with scenes from the magical world of Narnia with trees growing out of the walls!!

And thats my sister Laura that Mr Tumnas is talking to!!

Right now its time for a Gingerbread Latte in Starbucks, resting our legs and relaxing on the squashy sofas in the basement sitting room there away form the hustle and bustle of the Crowd

After playing with a few Glittery Mac Eyeshadows we'll head off down...

OXFORD ST!

How Pretty are those Christmas lights?? Weaving in and out of the odd store we arrive for the finale in...

LEICESTER SQUARE

To find this magical scene awaiting us!!

Can you take a picture of us please?.......

EVERY Branch was lit up..wow

And we shunned the Carousel..as pretty as it was to Scream like Kids and make ourselves ill on the Waltzer instead!!!! HAHAHA!!

We now reach the conclusion of our Day out all we have left to do is the tradition of watching a Christmas Movie..In the past we have watched on the big screen..Love Actually, Christmas with the Cranks, The Holiday but this year we were watching this...

Definately worth watching..its very unscripted and real and we giggled all the way through!!

This is what we came back to....

LOTS OF SNOW!!

Merry Christmas to all hope you join us again next year!!

Annie x