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How To’s

Seen something you love but it’s out of your price bracket? Ever wondered how to replicate it? Or perhaps you want to make a cushion? Or curtains? Want to gild a mirror? Make a piece of art? I’m bringing my inside knowledge to the fore. If you have a need to know then find it here in my  ‘How To’s’.

How To's, My Kitchen, Outside Spaces

How To Make Supermarket Basil Last Longer

Make Supermarket Basil Last Longer

Contains Gifted Item. Now anybody that knows me will almost certainly know that I am a self confessed serial plant killer. I try so hard to keep them alive. I have no idea how I manage it but ultimately on the whole they die. Usually within a couple of weeks. You may also know/not know my love of all things Italian. The country, the language, the effortless style of the population and OMG, the food. From pizza to pasta, risotto and everything in between. I would quite happily only eat Italian food for the rest of my life. So you can imagine one of the key ingredients that is always available in my kitchen is Basil. Every week I buy a new pot from the Supermarket and every week I throw one away. And that got me thinking, how to make supermarket basil last longer and keep it alive??? Continue Reading…

How To's, Outside Spaces

Kerb Appeal – 10 Ways to Improve the Appearance of Your Home

Kerb Appeal - 10 Ways to Improve the Appearance of Your Home

Kerb Appeal – 10 Ways to Improve the Appearance of Your Home. The common saying, ‘Don’t judge a book by it’s cover’ cannot be said of our homes. The one thing we definitely do when house hunting is make a decision almost instantly based on the outside of a property. How a house looks from the outside not only tends to let us know how well looked after it is but it also gives clues to the inside and its treasures. Kerb appeal coined by many an estate agent over the years isn’t something mythical or unobtainable. If you follow these 10 simple and affordable steps you too can improve the appearance of your home and it’s kerb appeal. Continue Reading…

How To's, Outside Spaces

How To Pot A Faux Tree

HOW TO POT A FAUX TREE

Post contains gifted items. As part of ‘Operation Improve The Kerb Appeal’, and my recent front door makeover I knew that I needed greenery as the final finishing flourish. Greenery softens the edges of a front door making it so much more inviting doesn’t it. My dilemma though was do I go real, or do I go faux?  Anyone that knows me well knows I’m rubbish with anything green. The thought of going down the alive route scares the pants off me!  So you can only imagine my relief at no longer having to procrastinate when Blooming Artificial came to my rescue. They very kindly gifted a pair of Boxwood Single Ball Trees along with two Loft Urban Square High Planters which by the way are absolutely stunning. But having never had such a large faux tree to pot up before I wasn’t quite sure how to do it. Continue Reading…

DIY, How To's, Outside Spaces

Restoring A Block Paved Driveway

Restore Block Pavers

Part of my 2020 wishlist is to improve the kerb appeal of my home. It looks dated. So after spending time repointing all our old Devon stone walls. Which by the way has taken nearly two years to complete factoring in the weather! I am now turning my attention to the front of the house with the aim of improving my homes kerb appeal. To be honest it needs it too. I’ve left all those little tasks far too long. Having painted the front door I’m onto cleaning our driveway. At 23 years old it’s lost its colour. And has weeds a plenty between the pavers as well as numerous stains. So I thought I’d share restoring a block paved driveway with you. An easy how to that doesn’t cost the earth or take that much effort to do either.

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DIY, How To's, Outside Spaces

How to Paint a Panelled Front Door For A Perfect Finish

How To Paint A front Door in the Right Order

Post contains gifted items. Built in 1894 our home needs some outdoor attention every five years or so. Last summer though it quickly became apparent that after living here nearly 23 years some big DIY’s need adding to the ever growing to do list. The front bay windows are looking sad and the paint has bubbled in places, the roof above them is leaking into the dining room, the Devon stone boundary wall (I made a start on repointing this last year) is falling down in places  and the front door is cracked and looking rather less than glamorous. So this spring and summer is operation improve the kerb appeal! Though what at first seemed to be a flick over with a paint brush is quickly escalating to a full 2nd exterior renovation. Today I’m sharing with you my how to paint a panelled front door for a perfect finish. Continue Reading…