Thursday 7 April 2016

DIY rustic 'scandi chic' farmhouse trestle table

As you know I've got a new craft room! I'm going to show you the room in detail very soon, but first I wanted to show you my new craft table. I wanted a strong, rustic trestle table for my craft room so I went looking for one online. I was flabbergasted to learn just how expensive there are … with cheaper ones starting around £170 and nice rustic vintage ones between £600 - £1000! They are beautiful of course but goodness, that’s a family holiday! So in true AHC stylie I decided to make my own. I'm so happy I did, as the table below only cost me £45. This would make a lovely farmhouse-style or scandi-chic dining table … and it would also be ideal for al fresco family dining as it can be easily dismantled. You could also paint and distress the legs for a lovely shabby-chic look. I might paint these legs, but the character of the bare, aged wood has really grown on me so I'm keeping it 'au natural' for now. 



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Friday 27 June 2014

How to make natural wedding confetti: with dried flower petals


handmade rose petal confetti
Photograph by Binky Nixon


A friend bought me these beautiful roses the other day. It took me right back to drying out petals to make our natural wedding confetti. It was so easy to make, and my friends and loved ones enjoyed helping us too. This was our basket of confetti on our wedding morning - we wanted dried rose petals in red, pinks and orange for our guests to throw. It didn't cost us any money to make, as 6 months prior to the wedding day I simply asked my close family and friends to dry out any roses they were given / or had growing in the garden ... and whenever I, or my gal pals bought ourselves flowers (as we girls like to do) we simply chose roses! Then on my wedding morning, my friends all popped in to see me, tipping in their confetti offerings on the way, it was such a lovely joint effort. Here's a simple guide to making your own dried petal confetti.


At the end of our wedding day, Mark the lovely caretaker had swept the confetti into a heart for us ...
Awwww : ) Photograph by Binky Nixon.


How to make dried rose petal confetti: 

I used mostly roses but there are some others in there too! Lavender, Delphiniums and Hydrangea petals all make lovely confetti too ... and a mix of colours really brings it all to life. IMPORTANT NOTE: Air dried petals can stain if wet so I suggest you use freeze dried petals if you plan on throwing confetti in the rain! otherwise they work perfectly. Also note that while fresh petals look beautiful they can also stain, and wouldn't look as pretty in pictures as they're much heavier and will wilt quickly.


handmade rose petal confetti



1.
When you've enjoyed your vase of flowers and it's looking a little tired, pull all the petals off at the flower head in one go (where they attach at the stem) As doing this petal by petal will take an age!


2.
 Lay a piece of kitchen roll (paper towel if you are Stateside) on a large plate or tray and lay the petals out, making sure they're not too overcrowd or overlapping too much as the air needs to get to them.


3.
Then put them somewhere warm and dry - an airing cupboard is perfect. That's it! When each batch is completely dried out, empty them into your basket (keep somewhere dry) and stick a fresh batch in the airing cupboard!




Photograph by Binky Nixon.


To read more, or see more pics from our handmade wedding click here.

JM x





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Wednesday 25 June 2014

Transforming and upcycling your clothes

You don't have to be a super seamstress to update your existing clothes. Here's a few simple changes that will transform your clothes and give them a new lease of life ...


Beautiful buttons!

 Change them. If you've got a pretty-but-plain shirt or cardigan, update it by swapping it's boring old buttons for some pretty colourful ones ... or even some rustic wooden ones! (which also compliment chunky knitwear).


I love collecting buttons ... and I felt these complemented this shirt perfectly.
They turned this regular shirt into something special and original.


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Friday 6 June 2014

How to press flowers ... using books OR flower press




I used to love pressing flowers as a little girl and nothings changed. They're just so darn pretty! My folks would often take a book off the shelf, sit down for a read only to have their laps completely covered in pressed leaves as soon as they opened the book ... so they bought me a flower press. Now hubby's lap is getting covered in leaves ... so when I saw this in the charity shop I snapped it up. I see them in charity shops ALL the time, so keep your eye out.


So what can you do with the pressed flowers / leaves


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Tuesday 3 June 2014

How to make Elderflower cordial & the 'Hugo' cocktail


Before I learned how to make Elderflower cordial I was often put off by long winded instructions and the general 'faff' that often comes with making your own produce. But I do so love Elderflower cordial so I was determined to give it a try and I'm so pleased I did - It is unbelievably easy to make, there is hardly any faff and it also tastes a thousand times better than shop-bought. I now look forward to making it year after year (as does my family) and once made you can also use it to make scrumptious Elderflower cocktails such as the 'Hugo' which I served at our wedding! I've included the recipe for that at the end too ...


How to make Elderflower cordial



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Monday 7 April 2014

Changing soft furnishings with nature 'Spring summer'


Spring is here! Little creatures are unfurling and so are our gardens. Blokes are wearing flip flops as early as March and we girls are fretting over our pastry white legs. We change our wardrobe and our diet with the seasons so why not the inside of our homes? I can't afford to do much but even swapping my soft furnishings over twice a year (in the spring and again in the autumn) makes the world of difference. Why? because it lifts my spirits and invigorates my surroundings. I feel more in tune with nature and it just makes me feel better.



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Wednesday 2 April 2014

How to disguise and makeover an ugly armchair (in 5 mins)


Now I love my armchair. It's comfy, cosy and sits snugly in my little nook under the stairs. 
But while I love the shape of the chair, I detest the fabric. It may have had its plus points back in its day but today it's dark and a bit too shabby (not the chic variety.)

So until I can afford to upholster it - which I will learn to do (anyone care to teach me? skill for a skill?)
I need to find a way to live with it. I've tried all sorts, from disguising it with cushions to covering the whole thing in a big blanket. That didn't work - it just looked like an obese ghost.
Then I tried this: a simple tablecloth, pinned in place ... and it works perfectly! it brightens the whole room, took all of 5 minutes and required no effort whatsoever. Perfect : )


Before



After


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Monday 10 February 2014

How to make: A simple rustic handmade card.


I've been wanting to have a go at card making for sometime now, so Valentines day was the perfect excuse. (Hubby - there's a good chance you're reading this so act surprised when you get your card!) What I'm going to show you can be applied to ANY card; Birthday, Christmas or Wedding. It's quick, fun and much easier than I thought. My advice - keep it simple. Also when choosing stamps choose something versatile that will work for lots of different occasions. This card might be for Valentines day but it would also be perfect for Weddings, Birthdays or Christmas.

Remember: It might cost a little money initially to get what you need, but once you have it you can use it time and time again, saving you money in the long run.


'You and me' stamp by Noolibird. Note this is a close up!

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Tuesday 28 January 2014

Beginners guide to Polymer clay (Playdough for adults!)


This week my crafty crew and I spent a lovely day playing with grown up play dough! It's called 
 POLYMER CLAY. I hadn't even heard of it until today, but our fab FIMO expert Fiona (you can check her crafty blog out here!) showed us the ropes. I'm always astounded by how easy it is to make lovely things. You can make all sorts - buttons, brooches, jewellery or crockery.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how we made these lovely things.




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Thursday 12 December 2013

Rustic DIY christmas decorations


I am never happier than when I'm decorating the house for Christmas. It's such a lovely time. I make a huge mess, eat loads of mince pies and gradually transform the house into a magical rustic wonderland. I've experimented with various ways of decorating over the years and have found the following creations really bring the house to life, yet they are really easy to make. They would also be perfect for a winter wedding. When it comes to style there is no right way. We just need to create a lovely warm space that reflects us, and the way in which we want to celebrate. I love rustic traditional decoration but hopefully these tips will inspire you whatever your sense of style. 


Natural christmas decorations

Decorating with nature

When it comes to Christmas decorating (or even interior design) I find it's easier to transform one little area at a time. We can use all sorts to make a feature - decanted Sherry or Port and pretty glasses on a tray are a lovely feature, as are nuts in a rustic bowl. Perhaps pick some Ivy / evergreens / berries from the garden and scatter them. Ivy looks lovely wrapped around picture frames. It lasts a long time and dries green, not brown. I've literally covered my house in it.



Christmas pinecone garland

Fireplace decoration

I like sparkle as much as the next girl but the traditional log cabin vibe just says Christmas to me. I bought some really cheap long plain garlands (they're not real) and I simply laid along the mantle, added pine cones and berries. You can add real greenery or sparkle / baubles to it as well. Pine in the house smells wonderful ...


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Monday 19 August 2013

Easy curtain tie backs!

Use a simple lace ribbon or pretty neck scarf to tie back a neutral curtain. Can add a lovely splash of colour and is easy to wash / change with the seasons  (I love lace in summer and something richer and heavier in winter) Now go have a cuppa while you peruse your scarf drawer : )

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