Keep calm and carry on and support your local business's.

La senza. Another HUGE high street company has gone into administration. This is not a surprise to many people as everyday in the news we see more and more big business's closing, the country's debt rising and more unemployed people. We are living in a frightingly scary economy, I waked down my local high street the other day and every other shop seems to have been closed. This is a thriving town centre I'm talking about!.

 It makes you wonder if the big companies cant cope how will the small ones?. But the thing is now is the time for a small business to thrive. Customers are trading their big stores for smaller business's. Which can now offer more and more with online shopping, cheaper items and personalised customer service. As a country we need to support our small, local business's as these are what will save this country from financial collapse!.

 I do my job because I LOVE IT!. Therefore I put everything into my work, juggle motherhood and running a family home, and I never tire from it. Which is why I am still open for business and will hopefully go from strength to strength this year.

 I want to help other small business so I am offering 1 month free advertising on my blog. There is no catch. Send me an email at lauren_sutherland@hotmail.co.uk with your business and advert and you can be featured on a new side bar. Hopefully this little step will help other companies drum up business and have a successful 2012.

 Lets all pull together, put our best foot forward, shop local, spend wisely and make Britain Great Britain!.

 

 Lauren x

A little sunshine goes a long way.

Feeling a little spring inspired today, took a drive to the village to see the house and its progress. It felt so amazing. The sun shining, I could hear the most beautiful birdsong. The house was incredibly bright and just had the most amazing feel. It may look a little lacklustre in its exterior appearance but inside it already feels like home.
 The boys room is almost finished, Poppy's room has been plastered and electrics done. And the plastering is now being done in the bathroom.

 I'm already imagining the spring/summer and I just want it here now as I know once Spring arrives we will be in our new home. Been reading my grandads gardening book see here and lots of interior magazines. Imagining the garden parties, lazy summer evenings, bunting and pimms, vintage sandals, long walks, beachy hair. I can almost feel the sun on my skin!.

Sourced from visitalltheworld.com

Sourced from countryliving

Sourced from re-nest

Ahhhhh I can feel those January blues fading already.

 Lauren x



Homemade home;The first coat of paint.

A little update;

Henry and Ted's bedroom has been plastered, the floor sanded and the walls, ceiling, coving and skirting painted. It looks a whole lot better and brighter and its so lovely to see a difference after a slow few weeks. One wall is being wallpapered and the floor needs painting white but I'm sure you will agree, what a difference!.

The wall with the sample paper on has not been painted magnolia, like the rest of the room. The magnolia paint on the walls was just a tub we found in the garage (No farrow and Ball for me I'm sad to say). But I'm very pleased with the results. I didn't want to put white everywhere,

1;Reason being this will be toddler twins bedroom, I'm already being brave using such light colour's. (Eeekk muddy, sticky fingers all over the walls! But I love the colours!).

2; With the white floor the room may have felt a little cold and clinical. I think the magnolia warms it up and keeps the room bright.

 The next room we are going to make a start on is the bathroom. The worst bathroom in the history of bathrooms. It has a HUGE water tank slap bang in the middle of it, we cant afford to switch to a combi boiler so its staying. Right where it is. taking up all the room!. 

The only plus side (I think) is that we can use it as an airing cupboard. So cosy towels is a good thing right?!.

 The roll top bath?. We cant even fit in a decent sized radiator so looks like an ordinary bath, space saving and cheaper.



I had kind of hoped for a bathroom like this Roll top romance.

 But it looks like we will be having something very different. But on the bright side I'm looking forward to hunting for the perfect accessories. Especially a bevelled mirror. And a shelf stacked with books, I love reading in the bath!.

 I look forward to sharing it all with you!,

 Lauren x

 

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

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