Homemade home bargain hunt!

Today, my husband and I, went hunting for a cheap lounge floor and tiles for the bathroom and kitchen. We have a fairly large lounge area and I thought it would cost a fortune to cover in our preferred floor. I desperately wanted real wood  but it is so expensive so decided to go with a wood effect laminate. Looks pretty good and great for a family like us (drink spills, crashing toys and lots of traffic).

 So, I wanted floor like this;

And my husband wanted a floor like this;

In the end we bought this!;

To be honest I do quite like it. And it was so cheap, including underlay and beading it cost us just over £250 for the whole room, which is 28 square feet!.  We bought it all from Homebase. I can't complain and I gave in in the end as when we have a farmhouse in the country I will make the decision then, ha ha!.

We also bought the tiles today as they were also on offer, we managed to get enough tiles for the bathroom, kitchen and separate toilet for £77.00!!!.

biselado tiles Homebase

Let me know what you think of the floor,

 Lauren x

Homemade home; Bedroom 1

We are now just about in week 6 of our refurbishment of our house and to be honest its been a very slow few weeks. 


We have decided to try and finish the twins bedroom before my husband goes back to work from his Christmas break. This is the room that needs the least work. Just wallpaper stripping, re plastering walls and ceiling and moving the light (All the lights in the house are in very strange places so we are having them centred).

 We have also sanded back the wood floors ready to be painted.

Before 

After

 The floorboards sanded back

All ready I feel like the room looks better, especially now that artex ceiling has gone!. Cannot wait to start decorating. Soon as the wallpaper arrives, its going to be the cutest boys bedroom. I have chosen Cath Kidston 'Vintage cars' for the boys room.

Vintage cars wallpaper by Cath Kidston

I think its fits in  perfectly with  my vintage, British theme.

I have picked up a lovely little paper lantern shade, from Homebase, for the twins room. My brother had one when we were children and I love them!. Simple, inexpensive and they look lovely!

2d planes lantern £3.99 Homebase

I  must get some pictures of the furniture bought. A beautiful gentleman's wardrobe and a 1930's chest of drawers that someone has painted yellow, very badly!. I am going to sand it back very slightly so it looks distressed. Fingers crossed the first room will be finished before January 3rd...Watch this space!.

 Lauren x

Here comes 2012!

 We have had such a wonderful Christmas. Spending time with our family, eating lots of yummy food and opening even more presents. As we come to the end of 2011 I can't quite believe how fast it has gone!. This year has flown by, its been a blur of nappy changes, house designing and business starting. Overall...a very successful year.

 My husband and I saw the twins turn one, our daughter turn three, the start of our very first home refurbishment, a royal wedding (Oh I bloody love those Royals), I started a business and probably a million more things. We definitely loved, laughed and cried in 2011 and I'm even more excited for 2012.

 I am a very optimistic person, I always See the glass half full. I'm going to grab 2012 by the horns and make it a fabulous year.

 2012;

 Finish our house!; My amazing husband is working night and day to get our little house ready for March 2012. We have dreamt about our first proper family home since before we were married and have worked so hard to get it. I can't wait to live there, make memories and give our children a childhood to remember.

Poppy starts BIG SCHOOL; Our teeny tiny Poppy, born so premature and only weighing 2lb 5 is starting full time primary school. I am amazingly proud of this little girl!. She brings us so much happiness and even having a scary start to life has proved us all it doesn't matter how tiny or fragile she WAS she is now a strong, healthy pre schooler. GO POPSIE!.

The Queen's Jubilee;OMG this is pretty epic for me!. I love queenie, anything british and anything vintage. STREET PARTY!. Of course I'll be organising a royal worthy street party to celebrate this momentous day. Cannot wait.

Poppy-Lauren Vintage; I hope the business has a successful 2012. Not only the selling and sourcing side of it but the blogging. I love love love writing about my vintage finds, our house and all the going on's in Poppy-Lauren vintage.

Just a few things to think about over the beginning of the new year, no doubt there are going to be a million, trillion things happening. Of course I'll blog about them on the way. Have an happy, healthy Christmas and here's to a perfect 2012 for everyone.

 Lauren x

Christmas wish list.

I'm so excited that its very nearly Christmas!. We are getting there with preparations for the big day and have nearly bought all our gifts. Now, I am the very first to preach that Christmas is not just about gifts. but just for fun I thought I would share with you all some things that are on my wish list. I know I won't be getting any, as my husband and I are making sure every penny is spent on the children and the house but a girl can dream right???.

I would love a Pashely bike...A Britannia to be exact!. As a lover of all things British this suits me to a tea. It comes in red, white or blue (Obviously!) and I can just see myself riding round the village with my bread from the bakers in the basket. See http://www.pashely.co.uk/ for more of their stunning bikes.

 I would like a ton of books but one in particular by John Harrison called 'Low cost living-live better spend less'.
  I follow this gentleman on twitter and love his veggie growing tweets.I am desperate to attempt to grow our own veg and herbs and as a complete novice I think it would come in handy. See his website for lots more fabulous ideas and books http://www.allotment.org.uk/book/

 So, I'm hoping to be doing lots of nature walks and  having lots of muddy adventures with the children next year so I definitely need a pair of wellies. Hunter wellies to be exact. Kirsite Allsopp wears them, so must I!. They have some amazing styles but I quite like the blue ones. Have a look at http://www.hunter-boot.com/

 But all in all, gifts and wish list aside all I really want for christmas is for our children to be blessed and happy, and family, friends, EVERYONE to have a wonderful christmas. I'm looking forward to seeing Poppy's face christmas morning, this is the first year she truly understands. It's going to be magical!. I am so lucky to have a family around me and roof over my head so keep those without in your prayers and lets hope 2012 is a good year for all.

Enjoy the festive season everyone, god bless.

 Lauren x

Homemade home; Week two.

We are in week two of our house renovation. And I'm not going to lie I AM STRESSED!.

The idea of a homemade home has meant, in order to save money, we have been collecting and restoring everything for our house. This has all been happening over the past 18months or so. We have literally collected everything and I had a perfect image of where it all would go and how it would look.

As we have started it seems my dreams have been quite literally been shattered. From realising we can't move the boiler or knock down walls, to the kitchen we saved from a skip that simply will NOT fit into our higgley piggley kitchen. My wet room idea has been scrapped and there is no way we can have a roll top bath. Even the sofas are a bit too big for the long narrow living area.

I feel disheartened to say the least. I knew it wasn't going to be easy but don't think myself, or my husband, knew how stressful it would actually be.

Even with all the planning I feel like we are 5 million miles away from our dream home.

On a happy note the bedrooms are all what I imagined and I am OVER THE MOON that we can have white wood flooring all the way through upstairs. And even better, after a quote for plastering over that horrible artex, we can loose the hideous swirly pattern and have perfectly smooth ceilings.

So, two weeks in, we have an empty shell. A recycled kitchen sitting in the living room that we are trying to fit , which is like trying to put a puzzle together that has all the wrong pieces. The widest corner sofa that takes up half the living/dining area and a bathroom that has been taken over by a water tank.

In times like this the only answer is cake and wine. So if you need me I will be the lady surrounded by desserts and empty bottles!.

Lauren x

Wanted to share some gorgeous images I have been using as home inspiartion today.

Love them all!. I wonder if our house will eventually look like these images?.

Lauren x

A very vintage christmas; The tiger, jam sandwich and a very naughty doll!.

Since the run up to christmas began all I have seen on the television is advert after advert for expensive toys. Literally I counted about 10 in one ad break the other day!. That's quite a demand for parent's!.

The most perfect gift idea, that never gets old or tired, goes out of fashion and wonderful for all ages....A BOOK. They aren't expensive and there is something for everyone.

I love reading to the children. And every night I read a story to them. Pops, being a little older, get's to pick her own book. These are her top three. (As chosen by the little lady herself!)

And I wasn't kidding when I say books never get old, the copy of 'The tiger who came to tea' and 'The giant jam sandwich' are the one's my nan used to read to me when I was a child. Looked after and adored by myself, my brother, sisters and cousin they are still in wonderful condition. I hope we keep them in the family forever!.

The copy of 'Amelia Jane again' I bought from a bootsale for 20p!. It's a 1946 edition and looks brand new. Pretty amazing.

So, instead of a mass produced toy why not buy a book instead?. There are lots of '3 for 2' offers in the big book stores. But, honestly, I would check the charity shops. I picked up 3 christmas story books the other day for 50p!. And the dangerous book for boys for 20p!.

So, read to your children this christmas. Boost their imagination and enjoy those precious moments when they are lost in a story. Magical.

Have a very vintage christmas,

Lauren x

I am all for buying from small independant stores and companies. We all need to support small business's in these tough times. Apart from the obvious thrifting presents, I have been buying handmade from small local crafters.

I very recently become friends with a lovely lady called Lauren who makes the prettiest little tutu's I have ever seen. Not only are they reasonably priced, bespoke and stunning it means supporting a new, small business when buying one!.

I have bought two for Poppy for christmas. And once she's outgrown them I think they make the girliest bedroom decoration.

Heres a little about Lauren;

Set up in November 2011 ...started off my making my daughter a tutu for her 2nd birthday party and then for a friends party and thought this could be a fun idea plus I really wanted do something more creative to accompany my main jobs of being a mummy and working in London....

Over 20 tutus sold already! Love mixing the colours, and putting pretty bows on the back and boxing up lovingly with a cute label!

I also love making vintage style flower hair clips, earring and rings!

Aren't they most adorable thing you have seen??. If you would like more info or to order one contact Lauren at StarsandCupcakes.Do.Tutus‏
http://www.facebook.com/StarsandCupcakesDoTutus


Lauren x

A very vintage christmas;

As part of our very vintage christmas Poppy and I have been making paper chains and jam jar lanterns.

I got this most fabulous idea from a book I have been reading called 'Village Christmases' by Mollie Harris. In the book Mollie recalls her childhood christmases in the 1920's. It is a lovely, sentimental, festive read. And has some great ideas for a vintage christmas from stir up sunday to handmade presents. All from a by gone era.

Pops loves making things and I really try to do as much as I can with her. Even though I'm a terrible crafter!.

Mollie talks about her homemade christmas decorations and the joy she got from making them,

'The day before we made paper-chains with paper cut from any coloured food packets-mostly tea. After we'd cut the strips of paper we stuck them together with homemade flour paste (of just flour and water), then pinned them up all over the living room.'

How sweet is this idea!?. Now, nanny has quite a contempary home and christmas tree, so instead of using bright food packets we used an old book for the paper chain. But, if it had been my house I would have used bright, clashing packets!.
We also got some old glass jars and put tea lights in them. Just like Mollie did. Inexpensive vintage ideas..LOVE THEM!.

Not bad for free and Pops had lots of fun!.


Have a very vintage christmas.

Lauren x

Home sweet home!

We have finally started work on our little house. My husband has been there all day today and literally ripped out everything!.

SO...
Here it goes. This is it!.

Our modest three bedroom 1970's build house. Down a little unmade road surrounded by fields.

View from front bedroom (The twins bedroom).

Fields next to the house.

Church at the bottom of our road.

Prettiest little country church.

The kitchen.

Different view of the kitchen.

Lovely 1970's wallpaper that was hidden behind the old cupboards.

Lounge/diner area.

Different view of lounge/diner.

Look what we found under the stained 70's carpet. Stunning wood stairs!.

Looking down the stairs. Look at those lovely bannisters!. (sarcasm)

Bedroom one. Henry and Ted's bedroom. And we found more gorgeous floorboards under the old laminate.

Bedroom two. Poppy's bedroom.

I am so in love with the floor. =D

Ripping out the fitted wardrobes in the master bedroom.

And they are gone!.

Even more fitted wardrobes in the master bedroom!.

Moudly pink bathroom.

Seperate toilet.

We are so lucky to have found this little gem as it really does have so much potential. What really sold it for us was the area. The house I grew up in backed right on to a country park and farm. My fondest memories are of playing in the farmers fields, picnics on a summers afternoon and bike rides through miles of countryside.

I wanted this so much for our children and when we saw this house it would mean they could do all this and more. And with a blank canvas we can turn this house into everything we have dreamt of.

Over the next 3 months I will be sharing the highs/lows and hundreds of pictures. This has been 19 months in the making. We have been living with my mum for all this time. Saving money, collecting furniture and designing our home.

Here's to our quest for a homemade home.

Lauren x