INTERIORS

Creating a Gallery Wall

Hello there!

How are you all keeping? I hope lockdown is treating you well, or as well as can be!  I’m still working away, trying to get the jobs ticked off the never ending list and have now moved onto the hall.

Almost a year ago we had a family photo shoot in a local forest park to where we live. You can see the photos here Autumn photo Shoot (in Collaboration with Cathy Dwyer Our Wildest Days Photography)  I have been meaning to get some of the photos printed out and displayed in Rose Cottage, but I don’t know about you…I never get round to printing out photos!! If you have looked at all the beautiful photos which Cathy took, you will understand how difficult it was to only pick a couple.  I decided the best way to get as many up as possible was to create a gallery wall.

So here’s how I pulled it together…

Firstly, your gonna need:

Photos – I ordered mine from Free Prints (this is an app for your phone)  The size I chose were 12×8.

Photo frames (preferably with mounts) I ordered mine from https://www.framesbypost.com/  I went for size 16×12, black frame with white mount.

Wall nails and hooks

Large piece of paper

Measuring tape

Pen

I started by getting a large piece of paper the size of the wall space I was wanting to fill.  I then measured and marked the middle of the paper.  I used this mark to measure out the placement of all the frames.

I started with the middle 2 frames and placed those first.  Once I measured and had them in position I drew round the frames.  I then did the same for the outer frames.

Once I drew round all the frames on the paper, I stuck the page onto the wall using bluetac.

I then measured how far the hook was from the top of the frame and marked this onto the paper and put a nail and hook there.

The large piece of paper was then removed from the wall and I hung the frames.

When creating a gallery wall, if you would like to create a simple and uniform look like mine, choose the same size, shape and colour of frames.  Also use photos which have a similar theme or colour.

It’s as simple as that! As always any questions please get in touch!

Hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing!

Jill

INTERIORS, LIFESTYLE

Kitchen Lock Down List

Hello there!

Hope you are getting on well with lock down life?! It’s been a bit of rollercoaster over here but I’ve been trying my best to plough on with the never ending list of jobs!  What has really been helping me keep motivated is making lists.  If you follow me over on Instagram you will have seen that I have been going round Rose Cottage making a list of jobs for each room.  This has helped make the whole thing seem more achievable for me and giving me a real focus.  I started with the kitchen; my favourite room in the house and the one I spend the most time in (especially since lock down and having to make approximately 1,652 meals a day!!!).  The list for the kitchen alone was 2 pages long and included things like repainting furniture, defrosting the freezer and deep cleaning the cupboards. The (universal) kitchen lock down list went down a storm when I shared it over on Instagram, so thought I would share it over here too along with a few hints and tips.  So here goes…

  1.  Make a list (or use mine below) of the jobs you want to complete

 

2. Think about your storage solutions

Having the right storage in place in your kitchen can really help you to organise and make the most of the space you have.  Baskets are your best friend, I most use the Curver range (available in Tesco) and use them for food, cleaning products and lunchboxes.

 

I also love the Ikea plastic storage solutions, especially for dog food, treats and cereal.

 

I like to reuse plastic food containers where I can.  The little trays which fruit comes in are great as separators for organising your drawers.  Keeps everything nice and tidy and also reduces waste – what’s not to love?!

 

3. Deep Clean

Here’s what I use and how I clean the following:

Washing Machine

Take out the powder drawer and soak in the sink for 10 minutes in hot water and fairy liquid.  Give the compartment a good clean with white vinegar and bicarb of soda.  I use this little tool – a Sonic Scrubber to get right in there.  Put the drawer back in and place a cupful of white vinegar into it.  Give the drum, door and seal a good wipe down with a damp cloth.  Put a cupful of bicarb into the drum and run on the hottest wash your machine does.

Dish Washer

Top up your dishwasher salt and rinseaid first, then put a small bowl of white vinegar in the top shelf.  Run on the hottest wash.

Sink

Sprinkle bicarb of soda around your plug, add a capful of white vinegar.  Leave for 10 minutes, then wash away with hot water.  Then add a few drops of essential oil for a beautiful smell!

Oven

I am trying to reduce the amount of heavy duty harmful cleaning products I use in my home, but still to find anything as good as Mr Muscle for cleaning the oven.  I always take the racks and spray them outside, leaving them to soak for 30 minutes.

Cooker Hood

Take out the filters and soak in a sink full of boiling water, white vinegar and fairy liquid for 10 minutes. Leave to dry fully before refitting.

Microwave

Place a bowl of warm water and a few drops of lemon essential oil into the microwave for 2 minutes. Wipe down all surfaces.

Descale Kettle

Put into kettle 100ml white vinegar, 400ml water, 3 drops of lemon essential oil and boil.  Leave to sit for an hour, rinse, wipe and reboil.

Tiles and Grout

Using the Sonic Scrubber and some Cif I clean all the grout and then wipe down all the tiles with warm water.

4. Spend time planning your kitchen work tops

I wrote a blog on kitchen styling which has some fab practical tips on making your kitchen work for you!

Read it here: Styling your kitchen worktops

5. Don’t rush it!

You will never do all of this list in a day, make a plan to do it over the period of a week;  This makes it more realistic to achieve.  Plan to tick off a few jobs per day.

Let me know how you get on with your lockdown lists and any tips you have on keeping motivated!

Hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing!