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Styling your kitchen worktops

Hi there!

Hope you are all enjoying the frosty cold weather?…it puts me into full on faffing mode and the latest place in Rose Cottage to get hit is the kitchen worktops! When I share my kitchen over on Instagram I always get lots of compliments on the styling of it so thought I would share a few tips over here on how I put it all together. The tips are nothing too complicated but they sure are effective…

1. Separate your kitchen into sections

Think about your worktops in smaller more manageable areas, rather than as a whole. Concentrate on one area at a time, make sure your really happy with how you’ve dressed it before moving onto the next.

Think about whether the area will be for practical use or simply decorative; or it could be a mix of both! It’s useful to have certain appliances close to particular cupboards eg mugs near the kettle (especially handy on busy mornings!!). Keep this in mind when choosing what appliances you will need in each worktop section. Also most appliances will need plug sockets so give this consideration too!

2. Start with a blank canvas

I always clear the space I am working on before deciding where anything will go. It helps see the full size of the space and will make it easier to experiment with different accessories.

3. Give the area a good clean

Use the opportunity to give the area a good scrub; clean the worktop itself, the wall/ tiles behind and any appliances or accessories you will be using.

4. Think about things you might want to hide

I am not a fan of seeing plug sockets in my kitchen so often use chopping boards, platter plates and framed prints to hide them where i can. I also hide the plugs and leads of appliances using the same techniques.

5. Add height, colour and texture

Setting appliances and accessories on top of chopping boards can help create a feature and add height.

Adding hooks from the cupboards above is a great way to incorporate accessories without taking up counter space.

6. Accessorise, accessorise and accessorise!

The majority of the accessories in my kitchen are Emma Bridgewater, I am a massive fan and enjoy the country kitchen feel they give. Think about mixing colours, textures and sizes when using accessories, adding plants and flowers too.

Have you any great tips on how you style your own kitchen? I’ll love to hear them!

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

INTERIORS

Garden Transformation

Hello there!

Well…..hasn’t this post has been a loooooong time coming?! We have been in Rose Cottage over 3 years now and the outside has been left completely untouched. (Apart from my Dad taking the head staggers with the weed killer when they outgrow him!!!)  We have quite a lot of outdoor space and it has been overwhelming for us to know where to start.  A few weeks ago I decided I needed to start somewhere; I didn’t want to let another year go by without doing anything.  Neither the Hubby or I have any skills in the gardening department, but with some guidance from my Dad I got to work!

When my Grandparents lived in Rose Cottage, my Granda would be out pottering about outside everyday rain or shine.  For his 70th Birthday my parents bought him a greenhouse, which Dad constructed outside the backdoor on top of some old reclaimed brick.  This greenhouse stood proudly there until around 2 years ago, when we sent it off to another home to be loved.  From then, like the rest of the outdoors, it was let go wild!

Before:

I started by weeding and clearing the whole area.  This was a hard graft both physically and emotionally; I was finding little pots and gardening tools I remembered my Granda having in the greenhouse, so it was bringing lots of memories back.  This made me annoyed at myself for letting it get so out of hand, but it also made me more determined to make it a space which he would be proud of.

After it was cleared, I put down some heavy plastic both inside and outside the bricked area to keep the weeds at bay; then white stones inside and large bark on the outside.  I added some slim wooden posts to the fencing and attached solar powered festoon lights on top from B&M.

I wanted to put all the plants in pots as my track record at keeping them alive is not good! (Means I can replace them when needed!) I am also a massive fan of faffing, so can easily move them about as often as I like!!

All the pots and plants were picked up from Home Bargains, B&M, TKMaxx and B&Q.

The table and chairs are from Argos and linked here (its currently on offer too!)

Solar powered lanterns are from B&M.

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I cannot believe I have such a nice outdoor space now to enjoy!  It was such hard work, but boy was it worth it!  Now to sort out the rest!!!

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If you have any questions as always please get in touch.

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

Jill

 

 

blog

Master Bedroom

Hello again!

I have finished another room! – Yipeee!

When tackling the master bedroom, I had a few things in mind.  I wanted it to be a tranquil space where hubby and I could go to switch off from the hustle and bustle of the day.  I didn’t want the walls to be cluttered with fussy wallpaper and floral canvases but everything to have a plain and clean look.  As new parents I felt it was important our bedroom was a place of sanctuary away from the brightly coloured toys which play nursery tunes on repeat all day everyday!   I wanted this to be the room in the house where I could completely relax and enjoy some well deserved ‘me’ time.

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The paint colour in our bedroom is the same colour as the rest of the house.  When thinking about moving into Rose Cottage I didn’t want the hassle or to spend the time deliberating over paint colour for each room individually so I just painted the whole house in magnolia!  I done the same with the carpet and carpeted the whole house the same.  I know to some of you this sounds incredibly uncreative and boring, but to me it creates a flow throughout the house which I love.  I find these neutral colours to be warm and inviting as well as being able to easily match accessories to.

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Bed – http://creations-interiors.com/?page_id=77&cat_id=34&product_id=845

Bedding –http://www.bedeckhome.com/sanderson-fabienne-bedding-silver.html#

Bedside Table – http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/tables/coffee-side-tables/maryd-tray-table-grey-art-90292725/

Lamp – http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/lighting/table-lamps/årstid-table-lamp-nickel-plated-white-art-00280637/

Stars – http://www.thewhitelighthousefurniture.co.uk/accessories/stars-set-grey.htm

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Light Up Heart – B&M

Prints – http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/themotivatedtype/product/nap-queen-typography-print

Frames – TKMaxx

These 2 pieces of furniture were both up cycling projects – they were both dark wood and I painted with Annie Sloan Old White.

Cushions – H&M Sale

Hello Beautiful Banner – https://www.frenchgreylifestyle.co.uk/collections/all

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Curtains – http://www.bedeckhome.com/sanderson-fabienne-bedding-silver.html

Heart – http://www.dunelm.com/product/chalk-rustic-hanging-heart-1000043859?searchTerm=hanging%20heart

Chandelier – http://www.argos.co.uk/product/4324005

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These photos are from our wedding – I got them printed in black and white from Photobox and put them into Ikea frames.  Simple but effective I think!

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Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing!

Jill

FASHION & BEAUTY, LIFESTYLE

Our Wedding Day

As wedding season is fast approaching, I thought I would give you all a little peak into our very special day!

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I met my hubby in the summer of 2010 through a mutual friend – love at first sight is an understatement! We immediately hit it off and from that day have been inseparable! He proposed in April 2012 at his parents caravan which was so lovely as it was a place which he had spent a lot of summers at as a child creating beautiful family memories.  Now this is one of those special memories!

The hubby let me take the lead in organising the big day as he knows how much of a control freak I am!  From a little girl obsessed with dressing up daily as a princess I knew exactly how I wanted the day to run from start to finish.

We had the marriage ceremony at my church where from a young age I attended everything going – Sunday School, GB, Youth Fellowship, you name it, I was there!  We had my minister and Ashley’s minister both take part in the ceremony which made it extra special for both families.

We visited a few different venues for the reception but completely fell in love with The Galgorm.  The room which we picked was perfect for our 80 guests and it needed very little dressing which suited our budget.  My creative side went into overdrive and I dressed the church and venue myself (with the help of a local florist and my very patient and understanding family!!)  By making the centre pieces and a few other details myself it helped keep the costs down and I really loved how personal this made the day.

I based the whole day around my love of lace and bows – this theme flowed throughout the day from the dresses to the flowers, the church and the venue.  I just loved walking into the room and seeing all my little creations and ideas jotted around the place.  This made the stress, time and planning spent in the months running up to the day totally worth it.

So here’s some photos:

The Church:

My yummy mummy and gorgeous sisters:

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I arrived to the church in my Dad’s car – this was his pride and joy!

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I made these little sweet cones for the guests to munch on route to the reception:

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The Reception:

These are a few examples of how I dressed the venue:

This is my bouquet, which I made from a selection of vintage and new brooches:

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This is our beautiful cake:

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I put some diamonte stickers on the bottom of our shoes – mine said ‘I Do’, Hubby’s said ‘Me Too”

The evening:

The bridal party done a routine for the first dance!

If anyone would like a DIY tutorial of any of the bits I made myself for the day or to see any more- please get in touch!

Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing!

Jill

FASHION & BEAUTY, LIFESTYLE

What I’m Loving Lately

Hello there!

As I get asked a lot of questions on Instagram about where I purchase things and what I would recommend, I thought I would put together a blog post on a few things I have picked up recently which I really love! I’m thinking this could maybe become a monthly feature if there is any interest? Sure let me know what you think!  This will be a random collection of items, so hopefully everyone will find something they like too.

Interiors

Firstly, these little metal star tea light holders.  As soon as Homely Rose put them up on their Instagram as incoming stock, I tortured Helen to put them onto the website so I could purchase a set!  When I saw them I knew they would look great hanging from my ladder, especially with candles inside at night time. You can find Homely Rose on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/homely_rose/?hl=en Give them a follow as they have some really gorgeous home interiors!

Next up is this Toast rack from One Vision cnc.  If you follow me on Instagram you will know how much I love Emma Bridgewater.  This company engrave wooden items which compliment the pottery just perfectly.  I purchased one of their chopping boards over a year ago with Rose Cottage engraved on the side and it’s as good as the day I bought it!  So pleased now to have this little toast rack to match.  You can purchase it here: http://www.onevisioncnc.co.uk/oak-toast-rack—engraved–4-slice-39-p.asp

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You can read here: Making my home beautiful with Zoflora! how much of a huge fan I am of using Zoflora when cleaning.  This next little purchase is the perfect tool to use alongside it.  I picked it up from Amazon after seeing it recommended on another blog.  I have been really impressed by this electric device, which makes cleaning small, more difficult areas a lot quicker and easier.  Get yours here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=sr_pg_1?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Asonic+scrubber&keywords=sonic+scrubber&ie=UTF8&qid=1492355786&spIA=B01MT80ROH,B018NZ85D2,B06XS16LDN,B01MQ6GXCT

Baby

The lovely Julie has took the plunge and set up an amazing business selling beautiful children’s items.  Her stock is so different from what you would find on the high street, which is why I really love it!  Here are some items from her website, so please check it out and follow her on Instagram for stock updates.  Her website is: https://daisybelledreams.com

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Beauty and Fashion

So I picked up this fake tan after it being recommended by a local blogger I follow.  I normally stick to what I know with fake tan but this was on offer in Boots so I thought I would give it a go.  I have to say I am really impressed with this tan – the colour is so natural, smell isn’t too bad and develops almost immediately.  Definitely will be using this one if I don’t have time to tan the night before an event.

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And lastly, these shoes!! I ordered these from H&M after seeing a few people/ celebs wearing similar ones.  I wasn’t too sure if I would suit them or if I could style them well, but I am totally in love! I am a huge fan of the metallic shoes which are in fashion at the moment, as they can be easily dressed up or worn casually.  They are also really comfy to wear, which is a big bonus!  Find them here: http://www2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.0474111004.html#Silver

Let me know what your loving lately!

Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing!

Jill

 

LIFESTYLE

Easter Egg Hot Chocolate

Hello there!

I hope you have had a fun filled Easter full of memory making! If you are lucky enough to have buckets full of chocolate eggs you might be looking for other ways to eat them (apart from stuffing them all in your mouth at once!!!).  I made some yummy hot chocolate with a few of my eggs so thought I would share the idea with you!

Firstly here’s the ingredients:

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An Easter egg, milk and marshmallows.

Firstly, pour some milk into a saucepan to heat.

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Then break up your chocolate egg into a mug.

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Once your milk has heated up, pour it into your mug over the broken chocolate.  The warm milk will melt your chocolate when stirred.  OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Then add some marshmallows on top. You could add other toppings like whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, chocolate sauce – whatever you like!

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Then enjoy!

I’d love to hear if you have any other ideas using chocolate Easter eggs!

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

Jill

LIFESTYLE

Putting up the Christmas Tree at Rose Cottage

Hello there!

We are in week 2 of the preparations for Christmas at Rose Cottage and hope you’ve been enjoying the run up so far! On Wednesday we put the tree up and showed this in a time lapse video over on insta stories….if only it went up that quickly in real life!!

We have an artificial tree here at Rose Cottage; Just like I talked about in the wreath tutorial (which you can find here), I like how you can manipulate the branches better and can perfect the overall look in comparison to a real tree. I love this tree as it has different styles of branches and a light dusting of snow.

So now to share some tips with you…

Starting with the assembly of the tree. Put on one tier of your branches at a time, starting at the bottom and working your way up. Every branch on your tree must be touched and fluffed out one at a time. This will help to give your tree a fuller look. Bend the branches up at the ends from the inside out, then point in all different directions to look like a palm leaf. We really recommend you spend time on this step as it’s the most important and will affect the overall look of the finished tree.

Moving onto the lights. A lot of people hate this step, as it can be really time consuming and hard to get right! To make it easier for yourself, turn your lights on when putting them onto the tree. This will help you to see exactly where they are going and if there are any gaps needing filled. Again start from the bottom and work your way up. Go up one side of the branch and down the other, weaving in and out. We would recommend using 100 lights per foot of the tree, eg a 7 ft tree will need 700 lights. Put your lights the whole way around your tree; The lights at the back will bounce off the walls and back into the room. When you finish a roll of lights, run the wire down the centre of the tree to the bottom and then to the plug socket. This will create a neater appearance, rather than wires poking out mid tree! Place a string of flashing lights up and down the centre of your tree to draw the eye in and create depth.

Next put on your ribbon. Wrap your ribbon, one roll at a time from the top of the tree to the bottom. We have used 2 different types – tartan and hessian, just like on the wreath, to tie in with our Christmas theme. Twist the ribbon as you go round, pushing some bits in and pulling others out at intervals. Wrap some hessian ribbon around the bottom of the tree to hide your wires.

Now for your decorations and baubles. Separate your baubles into small, medium and large. Put the larger ones at the bottom and smaller ones as you go up to the top. The more plain baubles are to be used as fillers and put in towards the centre on your tree. Baubles should not be touching the branches below, instead hanging mid air. At this stage you may need to rearrange some branches as you go along. Don’t put all your decorations on at once, put a few on a time, stand back to have a good look, then put some more on until happy. If your bauble string is a bit long, wrap it around the branch a few times to make shorter.

And lastly the focal point at the top of your tree.  We love the illusion of an explosion coming out of the top, so have used some berries and pinecones on sticks poking from the top and sides of the star.  We also added some of these berries on sticks peaking out from various branches around the tree.

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And here it is finished!

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We hope you find these tips helpful in perfecting your own tree and if you have any others we would love to hear them!

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

Jill