How To Makeover Your Kitchen....

We're back to that time where I make us all feel

rubbish about our own kitchens.

Is it? Is it? Hmmm?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...

Can't hear you at the back.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....

No, honeypops, this is the time where we can work through

what it is that we LOOOOOVE about other

kitchens and incorporate those ideas into our own choices. Remember?

Shall we get back on track with a bit of

K i t c h e n  D e l e c t a b i l i t y ?

Mmmmmmm?

As a little reminder,

here at Modern Country Style,

we're going through, step by step,

how to makeover a kitchen on any budget....

with plenty of other delightful distractions along the way.

So far, we've looked in delicious detail at:

Step 1: Kitchen Foraging

Before I started doing anything at all to my kitchen,

I look at lots and lots of magazines, books and

online images to help get a feel for what I ♥ LOVE ♥.

Find out here how to stick to what you love.

And love what you've stuck to.

Step 2: Narrowing Choices

Click for the best way I've found to narrow down what I really, reeeeeeeally like, as opposed to what is currently catching my fashion-eye.

My aim is to try and create a kitchen that encompasses

as much as possible of what I love.

And will adore for a looooooooong time to come.

and we're now slap-bang in the middle of:

Step 3: Colour Inspiration

Whether you're starting from scratch or making the most of what you have in place already, I hope you'll be able to glean some lovely ideas and inspiration

from what I have to show you.

I've shared my first choice for our kitchen which was
Farrow and Ball's Blue Grey....(click for Case Study)
but that would have been too much intensity painted all over every wall of as the kitchen doesn't get too much natural light in the winter months.

So, what to do? Find out tomorrow....

Images via Landmark Kitchens, UK

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Cabbages and Roses in the Garden

Hey buttercup,

Idly whiling away hours in the garden

on a perfect Spring day

is my idea of heaven.

Listening to the birds sing.

Feeling the warm air on my face.

I like to gather up

some books

some chocolate

some cushions

a big mug of tea

and make myself a little sanctuary outside the back door.

But how to carry my sanctuary-making equipment outside  without dropping bits here, there and everywhere?

That's the million-dollar question.

{And one thing I will not tolerate is

chocolate dropped on the floor.

That's an opportunity wasted in my book.}

What I needed was a perfect bag to

keep with me for my garden jaunts.

One with a nice sturdy strap.

Fully lined for strength.

Made from beautiful

Modern Country linens.

To keep my chocolate out of the sunshine's warmth.

To protect my books from the dewy grass.

And ta daaaaaaaaaaaaa!

I now have my Bucket Bag made using

Hatley linen and Jolly Stripe,

both supplied generously by

Cabbages and Roses.

Remember, you can make one too.

 It's was honestly no biggie.

You just need to get yourself a copy of

Vintage Home by Christina Strutt

and then crank up your sewing machine, bayb-aaaaay.

It's just perfect

for toting much-needed bits and pieces

in and out of the garden.

Now, as it happens, I do have

an extra chair

an extra cushion

....and even some extra chocolate.

And I fancy nattering the

night away with a friend.

Come and take a pew.

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Home-Made Vintage: Bucket Bag

 In Which I Am Let Loose In Cabbages and Roses heaven.

Hey peeps,

Here's the part I've been super-looking forward to.

The bit where I put the book I reviewed on Monday,

Home-Made Vintage,

through its paces.

It's all very well a book looking all

wanton and foxy and tempting,

but does it deliver the goods?

Can it hit the high notes?

Will it dance the fandago?

Big questions for any craft book.

And here's the thing.

I reckon they can only be thoroughly answered by actually

making the projects in the book.

The only way.

So that's what I propose to do.

I've picked a few of the crafts

from Home-Made Vintage

and I'll be sharing them here.

Yes, just for you.

The first project I've picked out is this:

The Bucket Bag.

(photo from Vintage Home)

I've been enchanted with its

beautiful bucket-y loveliness.

Simple. Elegant. Classy.

{Umm, yeah, no brainer, I'll make it.}

Now, the most important thing with any project is fabric.

Fabric. Fabric. Fabric.

So important.

 And, guess what?

Cabbages and Roses

let me pick out

some of their

g o r g e o u s

linens.

*huge squeal of delight*

After a lot of umming and aahing,

like a little girl let loose in a sweet shop,

I chose the utterly romantic 

Hatley Linen Cerise

for the outer

...and the echo-of-a-deckchair 

Jolly Stripe linen

for the lining.

Both perfect for English Modern Country Style.

Now let's get down to the nitty-gritty.

How did the making of the bag go?

Step 1: Cutting out the pieces.

Once I'd got over the significant hurdle of photocopying

the pattern to 200% larger, it was plain sailing.

Lovely easy shapes to get snippy with.

Step 2: Pinning.

To be honest, I was so in love with the fabrics,

that even this was a joy.

{Am I the only one who's bored stiff by pinning?}

  

Step 3: Sewing.

Once the pins were all in place, this was really easy.

Like beginner-beginner easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy easy.

Are you getting how simple this would be for you to make?

As long as you take extra care

when matching seams, it'll all be hunky dory.

  

Step 4: Pressing.

Your iron truly-ruly is your best friend when it

comes to getting a good finish on projects.

 Pressing makes a gimungous difference.

Even fairly basic sewing can be made to look

Harrods-best with a bit of pressing.

The verdict.....

True bag love.

It's perfection.

I'm thrilled with

the shape

and style

and look

and feel

of My Bucket Bag.

It's even reversible,

which the pattern doesn't let on.

It was like a delicious secret

waiting to be discovered

as a reward for finishing.

So I can have a Hatley bag, with a Jolly Stripe lining.

Or a Jolly Stripe bag, with a Hatley lining.

Even Mr Modern Country approves.

And that's really something.

Bags aren't his bag,

if you know what I'm saying.

 

My Bucket Bag is gorgeous for a few bits and bobs

to pop down to the Farmers Market on my bike,

but equally as gorgeous with a lippy, purse 

and phone for a night out with the girlies.

That's Modern Country Style!

But my favourite use of all?

Well, you'll have to wait until Friday for the big reveal.

Let's just leave it at this for now...

  

I'll be linking with my favourite parties in the sidebar...

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Book Review: Home-Made Vintage by Christina Strutt

 

Aaah, hello again, honey pops.

Welcome back to

Book Monday.

Today's book is

completely scrumdiddlyumptious.

Home-Made Vintage

 by Christina Strutt.

Hmm, that's right.

Of Cabbages and Roses fame.

I warned you it'd be scrumptious, didn't I?.

Yet, you *chose* to carry on reading.

I can definitely not be blamed for any consequences.

{Click here to buy your very own copy.}

The subtitle is 'Over 40 Quick And Easy Sewing Projects'.

And I'd happily make 38 of them.

That's an impressive score for a craft book.

It's separated into two parts.

Projects: theme by theme, and Instructions.

Each page has absolutely deliciously styled photos to

lure you into having a go at each of the projects.

The projects are divided into chapters:

Living Room, Bedroom and Bathroom,

Clothes and Accessories, and Gifts.

 

The writing can only be

described as juicily seductive.

Heaven, if it came in book-form,

might look something like this.

With the to-die-for combo of

juicy writing and delicious styling,

you'll be whipping out

your sewing kit in a flash.

The instructions at the back are clear,

although I'd possibly have preferred

larger drawings for each step.

In order to demonstrate just how irresistible these projects are, I've picked out a couple of the ones that most acted as honey traps...

and I've been a busy little industrious bee.

Shall I show you now?

Er, no.

Because you didn't laugh with enough enthusiasm at my honey trap and bee joke.

I'm sensitive like that. Ha!

:-)

Let's try again on Wednesday, shall we?

{Oh, and if you enjoyed last week's

fashion foray, there'll be more of that

a-comin' your way

...and if you didn't enjoy it

speak now or forever hold your peace...}

All images: mine!

I'll be linking with my favourite parties in the sidebar...

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Style Britannia: Me

Hello rabbits,

Are you well?

Over the last couple of weeks,

I've shared inspiration images of the

lovely Kate Middleton's wardrobe.

And then this week, we broke it down step by step,

to help us get our own gorgeousness together.

{If you want to check it out, it's as easy as 1,2,3!!}

And now, for the practical.

Today I'm showing you *my* take on

Modern Country Style.

Could I be more butterflies-in-my-tummy?

I'm not sure I could but here goes.... 

It's Modern.

The chunky belt slung low over my hips.

It's Country.

The pretty textured embroidery in the tailored blouse

It's Modern Country.

The echo of riding boots and jodhpurs in the skinny jeans and be-buckled knee high boots.

{Oh boots, you're my favourites.}

{Did you spot the cat's tail?!}

Here's a little secret.

I don't know about you but when I'm feeling sad,

I find it hard to pick out clothes to wear.

Sad Me seems to purposefully choose items that 

make me feel the wrong shape or height or size.

So I've developed a cunning scheme to

overpower Sad Me's rubbish clothes choices.

When I come across an outfit that makes me feel zingy,

I write down what I'm wearing in my special Happy List.

Then, next time Sad Me rears her miserable little head,

I consult my Happy list and choose what to wear from there...

and it's usually not long before

Happy Me comes out to play again.

Try it and see.

It works a treat for me.

Boots: Clarks
Jeans: Gap
Blouse: Dotty Ps
Belt: Country Living Fair

I'll be linking with my favourite parties in the sidebar...

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