Pipe dreams.

For those of you that follow me  on Twitter you will know that my dream home as gone up for sale. 

Do you all have one of these? A house that you have always wanted, your perfect forever home.

This is a home that I drive past all the time and long to own. I have loved it from afar and now its up for sale. When I saw the for sale boards outside I just had to see if we could afford it.

We can't. Not in a long shot.

But I just had to share. I have imagined us living there. With chickens,ducks, goats and pigs. An abundant allotment. An apple tree in the garden. Stone floors and a wood burning stove. I have imagined the sunsets over the fields. Listening to the cockerel and his cry. The smell of the wild flowers. 

Like a modern day Larkin family.

Source

You can see the full details of the house here

It says there is planning permission to extend/change the property. I hope the new owners keep its charm and don't turn it into a modern luxury mansion like some of the houses in the area. I love the bungalows traditional feel. It sits right at home as it is. It probably needs a new kitchen/bathroom etc but I would keep the exterior the same. I would fill the garden with beautiful flowers and have a whole farmyard out the back. 

I will need to sell a lot of vintage to afford a house like this but one day...one day...

Lauren x

Homemade home; Kitchen love

Here I am in my sick bed recovering from food poising. It has been frightful. Thankfully I am feeling much better and have some exciting news regarding our kitchen.

 It was fitted at the weekend. What do you think?

I am so pleased with it! It looks amazing. I didn't get my way with the worktops but I think the black ones look nice. So all is well.

 As you know we saved this kitchen and all the appliances from a skip. We did a little research on this allmilmo kitchen and were amazed when we found out a bit more about this German company.

They are a pretty pricey for starters.

This has to be the find of our homemade home.

 Never in a million years would i expect to be able to afford a kitchen like this. With prices ranging from 18-27k (cough,splutter,choke!, Our WHOLE renovation has cost us less than 5k!)

 Something like this was wayyyyyyyyyyy out of reach in the real world. But not in the thrifting world.

Not only did we get the designer kitchen but see those appliances?, Smeg, Kupperbush, Miele, to name but a few, all in all cost us £500! 

We priced the microwave oven, that comes in at £1200 alone. 

And this designer kitchen was due to be thrown away. 

Madness right?

The only thing we couldn't get to fit were the slate worktops, original sinks and a few of  the cupboards.  Aside from spending on a new sink and super cheap worktops I would say this is the bargain of the year.

And I am in love with our new(ish) kitchen. 

Brings a whole new light on thrifty finds.

Lauren x

The great british holiday.

We spent the weekend on a staycation in beautiful Norfolk. One caravan, four adults and three children. And it was fabulous!.

The forecast said three months worth of rain in three days. I was a bit worried if I'm honest, how on earth would we entertain the children?. Thankfully the sun shone and apart from a chilly British wind the weekend went unspoilt.

 We went on country walks, ate ice cream on Great Yarmouth beach, climbed trees, built woodland dens and just spent time as a family. The children have come home with a glow in their cheeks and we have come home exhausted, but happy.

It was perfect.

We stayed here if you want to find out more about caravan holidays in Norfolk. We will definitely be going back! (This is not a sponsored post, we just had a wonderful time).

Back to the grind now my friends, the kitchen is being fitted at the weekend. I am so EXCITED. Cannot wait to share our barganious kitchen. Two years of planning, saving and dreaming is coming to an end.

WOW.

Lauren x

Home envy.

Ikea family live.

Interior inspiration on tap.

If you have never heard of Ikea family live, it is basically a website jam packed with a stunning array of   eclectic real life interior design ideas, from all over the globe.

The easy to find photographs are perfect for an interior porn addict like myself. I can spend hours at a time drooling over the endless supply of real life rooms.

(Doesn't it make it so much better when you know a normal, everyday person has designed them?. The scandi/retro dream is still in reach!).

I just had to share my current home envy. I look at these pictures everyday. They are providing my mantra,

'I will have my dream home'.

Let me introduce to you Anki, Casper, wolf and mus,
 (With names like that of course they are going to have a outrageously amazing house)
And their bright, bold and beautiful home.

Dreamy.

The mind boggling colours, the deer, the kitsch ornaments adorning every room, the painted floorboards, the tee pee, the wallpaper, the kitchen, the garden den, the bunting!!.

LOVE LOVE LOVE.

And now I am totally having geometric print flooring in the kitchen. Thank you to Retro on the net and the vintage scientist for telling me what it was. Now you know why I was asking :)

If you would like to know more about Anki and her home, or want to get your own interior inspiration fix then go to the Ikea family live website here

All pictures are subject to copyright so please ask Ikea family live before using them.

Thank you to Ikea family live and Anki for letting me use these wonderful photographs.

Lauren x

Nobody puts baby in the corner.

I have just had one of those mornings. I'm so sure its the rain. It has been relentless. I want my summer. There has been arguments, short tempers and lots of negativity. I do not like this one little bit.

But you know what, you just got to brush off those blues and start over.

 My favourite up lifter is 'Dirty dancing' one of my all time favourites. The music, the dancing, the dresses, the era!

 My husband took me to see the west end version which coincided with our engagement. One of the best weekends ever!

So obviously it makes me so happy.

 Doesn't this just make you feel good inside. 

Lauren x

The curtain call.

It was a good morning for thrifitng. The sun was shining. I had drunk a large Costa vanilla latte and I was ready to rumble!.

I had a feeling it was going to be a gooden.

Vacco flask and Gaydon Melmex butter dish

1970's lamp

Retro cushions

Not too much just a few little bits to feed my addiction. Then just as I was leaving the boot sale a bright orange fabric caught my eye. Hidden in the HUGEST pile of mix matched linen. I'm not even exaggerating the pile was so big that no one else had even bothered to touch it.

'You can have the whole lot for a tenna love' said the stall holder.

Well I only wanted that orange fabric. (The pile was so big I would have needed a transit van to get it home. Imagine my husbands face!).

 Then, as I started to shift through the mounds of material I found not one, not two, not three, not even four but FIVE, YES FIVE PAIRS OF 1970's curtains!!!!

Oh.My.God.

The first pair I saw are the same print as the Graham and brown trippy wallpaper I blogged about here

And then I found this double bed linen set.

I just love it when stuff like this happens. I still can't believe I managed to get five actual pairs of curtains. All in pristine condition.

This is why I love thrifting.

(Oh and no picture, but I also found a BRAND NEW pair of white converse for £5.00 in my size. Whats the luck of that eh?!).

Not a bad weekend in my books.

Hope you had  a good weekend too?.

 Lauren x



Vintage swimwear for yummy mummy's.

I love vintage swimwear. There is something so beautiful about it. The modest cuts and flattering shapes. As a woman who has been through two pregnancies, one which was twins I realise how important decent swimming attire is.

Once upon a time I could wear a £5.00 Primark bikini and look a million dollars. Well, half decent at least!.
Now its quality over quantity.

I am not as body confident as I used to be. We are going on holiday next weekend and I want to embrace my inner Marilyn and feel confident in the swimming pool. 

Source

How divine are these  vintage inspired swimsuits. They create a gorgeous shape. Are modest but still appealing. Definitely a confidence booster.

Floozie Frost French blue striped panel swimsuit

Modcloth bathing beauty in black

Modcloth room and diving board two piece

Forluna emerald green retro swimsuit

Jemma Jube 'Bonnie' bandeau two piece


I shall be the one by the pool with a floppy hat and mojito!.

For the record I can't actually afford any of these (maybe the frost french one!) but aren't they lovely still?.

Lauren x