Crafty Cupboard!!!!

Finally, I will have a proper crafty cupboard.

I found it in my fav CS on Monday when I dropped of a box for them.

It was expensive for what it is, and I have probably paid over the odds for it but I had to have it!! We picked it up, Lucky it fitted in Gav's car. He wasn't too sure to begin with as to be honest it does need a lot of work, and was filthy.

I washed it down and disinfected it as it looked like it was used in a shed or garage.

But once cleaned it didn't look as bad, it will still need to be completely sanded down, re painted and new glass put in one of the cupboard doors as they don't match at the moment.

It has a fold down hatch with a cold shelf in it, which I think my sewing machine will fit in perfectly.

It also needs some wood work which Gav isn't too sure about but I'm sure he can fix it.

We have had to put it in the spare room where it will live once restored as it looked a little odd in the middle of the lounge.
I looked it up on the Internet and it looks like it was a 1930's kitchen unit similar to a Hoosier cupboard, but who knows!

I also found a real bargain in TXMaxx, I said in an earlier post that my new motto would be Keep Calm and Carry On, and that I wanted the red poster for the kitchen. Well what was staring me in the face as I walked into the home wear department the blue version framed and ready to go at a bargain price of £14.99, the poster alone online is £10 and P&P is £5 so I got the frame as a bonus.

I will be with my family this week for the funeral of Nanna, so I have been looking for a Rhubarb Jam recipe as my dad loves it. It is quite difficult to find in the supermarkets unless you want to buy Bonnee Mamane, which yes I know is lovely but if I can make it myself with rhubarb from the garden it's then a special gift for him.

I found the recipe on the Guardian's website and gave it a go.

450g rhubarb, 450g sugar & 1 lemon rind grated.

Cut the rhubarb into 1inch cubes and put into a heavy based saucepan, pour the sugar over the top and slowly heat until the sugar is dissolved and the rhubarb is soft, add the grated lemon rind. Bring to the boil for 10min's and then pot up in sterilised jars.

It only made 3 jars but now I know it works I will make more.

Well, busy one all round again and an other busy week, might not post again this week but will wait and see how we go.

Don't forget to enter my Giveaway, you still have over a week.

More goodies will hopefully be added from my fav fabric/haberdashery shop at Mum & Dad's.

Have a good one Sophie xxxx

Highs & Lows

It has been a very odd week in the Chez Sophie household, there have been Highs & Lows.

On Tuesday I posted about my Nanna passing away, Low.

My win of Stitchery Pokerys Giveaway, High.

And the start of my Giveaway, High.

On Wednesday I received my Giveaway from Stictcher Pokery, which really cheered me up.

I received some handmade beautiful seaside bunting, a lovely handmade UJ heart, a really pretty handmade heart keyring and a handmade flower broach. I felt truly spoilt and thoroughly cheered up, High.

On Thursday I had a very busy day at work, then Swiss Ball Class, (which I am paying for now !!!) wow my abs are hurting, Low.

Then home to cook tea, 4 massive parcels from Jamie At Home were sat in the hallway and then friends popped over for a drink and catch up, High.

11pm I am sorting through the parcels and packing up the orders ready to take to work on Friday morning, tired Low.

Today up early for work, car full of orders had to put the seats down to fit it all in!!

Long day at work, finished work, dropped off my mother in laws order (not actually mother in law as not married but you get the idea). Coffee and a chat with mother in law & sister in law, then was given some lovely gifts from them for no reason, High.

A Stair Basket - have been looking for one for ages, High.

Lovely, a new casserole dish - fab for crumbles me thinks, High.

And a Jamie At Home Tea Towel from her order, High.

Came home to find a very unhappy Gav!!! Low.

Play Station 3 has died!!! Low.

Has Yellow light of death showing on the front. Low.

Not sure what to say but can liken it to the Lap Top breaking or my Sewing Machine dieing!!

So hopefully we can get that fixed and then he will be happy again.

Gem came round for Chinese Take Away, High.

Dinner eaten time to blog, oh no must put load of washing on so can hang out tomorrow, weatherman says it's going to be sunny!! will believe that when I see it!!

Now Blog................

Thanks for all the messages left on my last post about Nanna, and thanks for entering my Giveaway, and thanks for the new followers, High.

A big thanks to Pomona from Little Cottage Comforts for linking to my post, pop over and visit her here.

Still plenty of time to enter my giveaway, details here.

Well must go to bed have to be up early to go and pick up an old fashioned kitchen dresser type cupboard from my fav CS! (popped in early on Monday to drop off a box for them and saw it, couldn't resist it).

Hopefully going to use it for all my crafting goodies. High.

Well must really go now, bed is calling.

Have a lovely weekend - Sophie xxxxx

Sad times but lots of Surprises, Thank You & A Give Away

This could be a long one, so grab a cuppa if you like.

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days, we have had some sad news in the Chez Sophie household.

My Nanna of 90 years passed away on Sunday afternoon, she had been ill with Alzheimer's/Dementia for a long time and on Sunday she finally slipped away peacefully in her sleep. I have never had anyone close to me pass away before & I don't live near the rest of my family so it has been a weird few days for me. I know she is in a better place now so this post is dedicated to her, she was a wonderful woman, Love You Nanna xxx

Yesterday I had a welcome surprise & distraction though, I had a lovely message from Mummy Boo Bears at Stitchery Pokery saying I had won her Give Away. Wooohoooo.
I'm very excited as I have never won a giveaway before. Thanks Mummy Boo Bear xx

It was a bit spooky that I won a giveaway as I have been planning to run one myself to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all the people who have visited, commented or become a follower of my blog.

I have only been blogging for two months and the welcome I have had from blog land has been amazing, I value each and everyone of your comments, they make may day brighter.

So lets get to it...........

I am following the best practice of other bloggers I have seen running Giveaways,and the following rules apply.

1. UK only I'm afraid for my first Give Away.

2. Leave a comment on this post and you will be entered.

3. Become a follower and you will also be entered.

4. And if you post about "Chez Sophie" to share the Giveaway love you will also be entered.

5. Closing date 4th August 2009 - Two weeks today!!

So you have 3 opportunities to be entered into this Give Away, I will either use the random number genorator or get Gem's to pull a name out of a hat to find the winner. I Will then contact the winner for their details.

I have taken a photo of the goodies so far but will be adding more to it, I may even get the sewing machine out of hibernation and make something too!

Good Luck & Thank you again for all your support over the last few months.
Lots of love Sophie xxx

PS. I got this in the post today from Cowshed, another pleasant surprise xxxxx

I've Been To Lavender House Today

When I heard Emma from Lavender House was having an open house, and I thought it would be a great way to meet a fellow blogger. So this afternoon after my visit to 4 CS's a car boot and a Wedding Make up consultation (haven't told you about my wedding make up artistry yet will post soon)I pootled off to Lavender House. I wasn't exactly sure where it was, but when I saw the lavender coloured house and the bunting I knew I was there.

I parked up on the sea front - Lovely view, and walked towards the house.

As I walked in to the front garden I was met by a lady who welcomed me into her home, I asked " are you Lavender House" and she replied "yes", fab I've met my first blogger. I introduced myself as Sophie from Chez Sophie. We had a chat about who was exhibiting and I asked if I could take photo's "of course" Emma replied. So off I went in to the beautiful home of Lavender house. The items for sale were all beautiful and I could have spent a lot more than I did but I restrained myself.

I bought a beautiful Glass Heart to hang in my kitchen, Two of Emma's Photograph cards one is of the Lavender Fields she went to a couple of weeks ago which I was really taken with. And a lovely pair of Silver Earrings.

I picked up lots of leaflets about the artists on show and as I was paying, Emma saw that I had one of her post cards advertising her felt making workshop, she said she hoped I would come along to one, I would have loved to join in but they are in the daytime and I work full time which is a shame if there was an evening or weekend one I would definatly be there.

Thanks for opening your Lavender House Emma it was great.

The Open Houses event is still running, the open dates are Tomorrow 19th July and next weekend 25th & 26th July so pop along if you live nearby. Sophie xxx

An Evening to Remember

Well what an evening we had last night at my Jamie At Home Party.

I had invited lots of people because as they say in the Party Plan business invite double the amount of people you want to attend and tell them to bring a friend!

Well I didn't expect the turnout I got, 18 guests!!! There was not a space in the Living room left, I even had to bring the garden chairs in. Which was a good thing as the heavens opened just as the party started and we had a massive electrical storm pass over us. I had hoped the sun would still be shining so we could have an indoors outdoors party but we ended up indoors Ce la vie!

I had decided to make Pimms in my new jug which went down very well with everyone.

Alison my consultant was lovely and the party went really well. At the end of the night she told me I had earned £75 to spend on products from the Jme Collection, I was so so shocked I hadn't expected people to buy so much. As a host you earn 15% of your party total. You also earn Hostess points which earn you extra money to spend. I had two of my friends book a party which I will most definitely be attending, this earned me more hostess points which has given me another £50 to spend online. I knew exactly what I wanted to get, so I have spent the first £75 on the Antipasti Platter which is a version of what is used in the Jamie's Italian restaurants,

and more Blue topped kilner jars for my kitchen (as you can see in my Kitchen Make Over Post) I thoroughly enjoyed myself and so did my guests. I am looking forward to the next one at Juliette's and then Alison's and then I will have another one to do some Christmas Shopping!

So fellow bloggers if you fancy a fun night in with exclusive Jamie Oliver recipes, quiz's and lots of lovely home products book a party. If your in Sussex and want a party contact me and I will give you Alison's details.

Now I have to be patient and wait for the orders to arrive!

Have a fab weekend xxxxx

I'm a Winner!!!

With all the excitement of the Kitchen Make Over I completely forgot to tell you that I have won a competition!!!!

I entered the "Cowshed" competition on Cath Kidston a couple of weeks ago, and have thought nothing more of it. You know how it is you enter competitions but never win anything!

Well I had an email on Monday from Natasha at Cowshed congratulating me on winning £250 of Cowshed vouchers via the Cath Kidston competition. Wooooow I never win anything!!!!

Well I emailed her back and I have had a confirmation email that I am the winner and will receive my vouchers in the post shortly, I can use them online or in there Shops/Spa's.

So Mummy and I are going to the Spa for a Day in London.

There products are lovely and you can get free delivery when you spend £30 pounds online at the moment with the following code "JULY2".

Have to go now as my NEXT VIP sale slot is comeing up, Happy Shopping xxxxxxx

Kichen Make Over DONE!!!!

Well thank goodness that is over.
I think I have been high the past few days on paint & cleaning product fumes!!!

The Kitchen Make Over is finished and I am now a happy bunnie.

All the walls & ceiling have been double coated in Brilliant White paint, lovely and fresh.

The dresser tops have been painted white and dressed with my finds, and the Cook book shelf is up after another trip to the DIY store, when did brackets get so expensive!!

I have scrubbed all the cupboards, all the tiles, the floor, the oven even mad Gav remove the inside of the oven doors and anything else that needed scrubbing has been. There has been one trip to the CS this morning with stuff I no longer need and I have 3 more boxes of stuff to go tomorrow.
So here is the grand reveal...............

We have a long galley kitchen so I have focused on one end as this is the more decorative end, less kitchen appliances

Pretty Bule & White plant pot & plant 99p reduced in Co-op yesterday all it needed was some water...This is my bargain of the day, I stopped at the local CS on my way back from the garage and spotted this as I walked through the door £5.00.

My Jamie Oliver Jars full of ingredients, Jamie @ Home party on Thursday can't wait!

My Oxo tin - Friday's Find

My cook books finally have a home

And finally my Glass collection

So this is my kitchen, I hope you enjoyed the journey over the last few days.
Thanks for all the comments and support.

Sophie xxxxx