Wednesday, April 04, 2007

OK, So What's Your Secret??!!

How do so many of you lovely ladies manage your busy lives and still find time to post on Blogger everyday AND comment on hundreds of posts too? What's your secret?
I have been so busy lately that my blog has not been able to feature in my life. Also, my middle daughter is heading towards the end of her 'A' level courses at school, so needs the computer a lot, to complete coursework and essays. The Easter holidays begin tomorrow, so I shall have to bag my slot on the computer early in the morning, I think, before my teenagers are up and about! Hope the good weather continues....
I managed to buy a huge lot of vintage curtains and fabrics last weekend. It has been wonderful to wash them all and dry them outside on the washing line. It was quite blustery yesterday and they dried in minutes.

I then had to face the acres of ironing!

I love my old wooden 1950's ironing board, but it is very small, so ironing the huge green satin curtain, that is over 5 metres wide, took some time!! Very satisfying to see them all looking clean and fresh again though.

I have covered my ironing board in an old blanket and a pretty vintage eiderdown fabric. If it wears through, I just add another layer of floral fabric with my staple gun!

I also bought a wonderful old Sanderson fabric made into a sofa cover. It is very worn at the seams, so I think I shall re-use the fabric for some cushions....which I shall make when I have the time!!!

30 comments:

  1. Good morning to you, Niki! GORGEOUS fabrics you have! I LOVE Sanderson fabrics - I have a linen pair of vintage Sanderson roses curtains hanging in one of my bathrooms, of all places. Gives it a romantic look. =) We only have one computer in our home, with 5 people sharing it. I do most of my work when 3 of my 4 kids are away at school. The only other time I can use it is after everyone has gone to bed!
    I hope you and your family have lovely Easter holidays!

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  2. Anonymous3:16 pm

    I do it at work. I'm bad!

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  3. Niki,
    I know how you feel, I only started my blog recently and haven't posted in 2 weeks :(
    Working full-time with a family just doesn't leave much time for blogs. I think you just have to grab an hour when you can, it's still good to look at favourite blogs even if they don't post every day.And yours is one of my favourites! Keep up the good work.
    Gill

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  4. You did well at the weekend! So pleased you love the eiderdown!!

    I'll be taking a lot of fabric on Sunday that you haven't seen, but it may not be to your liking! I'll be having another 'clearance' table so you never know, there might be something you can't resist!

    Sue x

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  5. Anonymous5:34 pm

    One of my favourite ways of buying vintage fabric - old curtains, but yes the ironing can be daunting. I know what you mean about finding time to blog now that Stuart is laid up and I'm trying to do the work. Sleepness nights seem to be the ans!

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  6. Being an insomniac helps - but does little for the looks! I love your curtains - and it's so good to dry things outdoors. I always enjoy(?) ironing washing that smells of fresh air.

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  7. Anonymous6:57 pm

    it's lovely , j'adore ces tissus

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  8. Niki - you are one of the ones that I admire for the amount of lovely stuff you do! I have done alot of crafting lately but please no-one look at the state of my windows and skirting boards!.. I received my lovely bluebell picture today and I hope to post about my bluebells tomorrow.
    Hope you have a lovely Easter.
    Sandra

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  9. Hi Niki,

    Nothing beats the smell of fabrics dried on the line in a breeze, does it?

    I must admit to having less time to 'blog' just lately - I've managed to snatch a few minutes here and there and finally got a new post finished today!

    I have recently acquired an old wooden ironing board - I just need to reshape the cover before I can use it!

    Hope you and your family have a lovely Easter and if the weather's glorious then I doubt there'll be too much blogging going on!!!

    Clare x

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  10. Those fabrics look gorgeous! i tend to have to sneak down very quietly in the morning and grab the computer, start something and finish it off at odd moments during the day. The girls seem to have a sixth sense as to when someone else is using the computer! Have a Happy Easter!
    x

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  11. Kari please don't leave us wondering where you are - we love your blog. Can't you sneak to the PC in the night now and then - you look so pretty you don't need "beauty sleep"!!! I have to admit I'm retired and have more time - altho' I do stay up late to post - dh goes to bed much earlier than me - you'll get the picture when you get long in the tooth like us, ha! ha! He does question if I think it's all worthwhile - the blog thing. Now, only a man who is totally non-artistic, rates zero in the handyman category, and doesn't even notice for several days when a cream room turned into a red room, would ask such a silly question, right?

    The fabrics are gorgeous, nobody does real old cabbage roses like Sanderson.

    Revisiting the UK COUNTRY LIVING mag. issue - again I'm quite disappointed with the recently rec'd April copy. Only one real "interiors" story and so much advertising all the way through. I must really write to Suzy Smith, who's sitting in a supposed "bluebell wood", but not a BLUEbell in sight, think they are white alliums (onions!!), and tell her to get this once lovely "homes" magazine back in shape!
    Today I was pleasantly surprised when I picked up ROMANTIC HOMES here. This mag. has definitely improved since I last viewed it - layouts remind me of the wonderful/fabulous VICTORIA that has gone - oh! that was a great mag. and how we miss it. Perhaps you can get this one in the UK - the April issue is titled "Paris Style" and has loads of gorgeous photos sans ads - which are small and at the front and back - way to go. Also it's only $3.99 which is a bargain here. I will definitely be subscribing to this one.

    Another one I like is ROMANTIC COUNTRY - but disliked paying $6.95 for it! It has lots of vintage style decorated homes, and again no ads in the body of the publication.

    Well must go - sending wishes for a lovely Easter weekend, and wishing your daughter good luck with her 'A' levels. I remember those days - in another lifetime!
    Keep in touch. ~ Mary ~

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  12. Anonymous11:43 pm

    Fabrics are one of my weaknesses and I love these...I just couldn't handle ironing them all lol...I fully understand about the computer! I am always trying to get my daughter off so I can get on! Have a lovely Easter weekend.

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  13. oooh, do i love that sanderson fabric!!! i also see what looks like purple roses in the pic above - mmmm! my fav =) love your old ironing board too, how sweet. debbie

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  14. Oh, gorgeous fabrics!! And they do look so lovely when freshly ironed! :)

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  15. Dear Niki - told you I was getting long in the tooth, also losing my mind! Sorry, I had just checked Kari's blog and gave you her name!
    Forgive me, plese.

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  16. Beautiful fabrics. I have a very similar looking ironing board hanging on the wall in my laundry room as a decoration.

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  17. Mmmmm yummy fabrics. There are some days I just love my washing line, when it's filled with a load of vintage fabrics. It makes me very happy to see them blowing in the breeze. The ironing is a chore though! I have the same ironing board that gor buried in my piles of fabrics, now I have unearthed it I will recover it like you have. In fact I'm off to do that right now :-)

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  18. Good heavens - how do you manage to make laundry look like elegant and attractive? I think I need more florals in my life......

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  19. Hi there, Niki! Isn't it something when life gets in the way of all you want to do? I've been rather neglectful of bloglad lately with traveling and other things but I find that it's good for me to spend less time on the computer. Nothing wrong with that. It's good to see you around though.

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  20. Hi Niki, I have the exact sanderson fabric in plaster pink, except that it was made into a valance. I had 2 but sold one on ebay.

    It is difficult to part with the fabric, its gorgeous, you have a great collection there!!

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  21. Anonymous11:10 pm

    Hi Niki,

    You've made me feel SO much better..! I've struggled to blog just lately, and felt very bad! Knowing you struggle too makes me feel better, now I just need to you to tell me that sometimes your house gets messy. Then I can sleep better! I love the purple flowers fabric.. gorgeous.

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  22. Now the girl with blue in her eyes
    She's back laughing, am still wondering, why I was captured by her eyes?


    the whiskeypuzzler was here

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  23. Line drying is the only way for vintage fabrics, when weather permits of course. These look lovely and I bet they smell lovely too. Can't wait to see what you create from them. Happy Easter to you and your family Niki..xx

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  24. Oh wow! Gorgeous fabrics! You have such a knack for finding the most beautiful stuff. Shopping in your webshop is such a treat too!

    I really have a hard time posting on my blog more than once a week. My regular job takes me on the road so much, I am typically exhausted by days end. On weekends I try to work on my little dolls! But when I do get the time, usually, first thing in the morning or late at night after the children are in bed, I try to put together a post. To me, the best part of blogging is getting to visit all of the other beautiful blogs out there like yours!!! :-)

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  25. It's always a treat to come by and see beautiful images of floral fabrics and treasures.My secret is that I am retired and at times obsessed with blogging! Yikes did I really admit that!With each NEW friend introduced it takes more time to surf around.Happy Easter to you and your family!hugs NG
    P.S. we are having a ~white Easter~ with a snow covered garden!

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  26. May you and your family have a blessed and happy Easter

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  27. I know how you feel Niki! sometimes I go for ages without updating my blog and site, its impossible to do everything! my secret, if it is one! is my laptop,I sometimes blog at eveningtime whilst we are watching tv, very unsociable!

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  28. I wonder the same thing?!!? I have a hard time checking in on all the blogs I found and love even on a weekly basis.

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  29. Good work! thank you.
    have a good day

    and
    Happy Eid

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  30. Niki, I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your blog. I've been visiting it for quite some time but I don't think I've ever commented, sorry! I really love it!
    I'm an empty-nester and DH is still working so I have more time than most to surf around the blogs and comment. I don't post as often on mine because I sometimes don't feel I have much to share but instead love reading everyone elses. I'm also an early riser and try to visit blogs while haveing my morning tea.
    Things really are different when there are no children at home.

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Thank you for finding the time to visit me...
Niki xx