Although I upcycled a welsh style dresser a few years ago now for my hall after spotting it in a charity shop and thinking it was just perfect for the space I had and what I needed to store there. It was a real struggle for me physically because of my illness but I was determined to do it myself without the help of anyone and took full pleasure in standing back at the end chuffed with the result and knowing that it was all my own hard work.

Since then I have dabbled with small projects again to do something just for me and also to enjoy doing the whole thing by myself. When most of your days are spent at home it’s nice to be able to have some sort of purpose or job as it were.

So I have done this gorgeous old carry box that was bought for me at a second hand vintage shop by my Mum. After it was hidden away in my junk spare room I finally came across it again after a good ‘ol clear out. Originally I had thought this would be fab painted up in a bright colour with some herb pots in it. But when I rediscovered it again I thought immediately it would make a brilliant ‘work in projects’ box for my knitting and crochet.

So I slapped the chalk paint on it, gave it a good wax and lined the bottom with some left over wallpaper I had left over from my hall makeover.

So this is what it looked like before and after

Then I found this gorgeous little stand in a charity shop for a fiver!! So I bought it to paint up without actually knowing where I was going to put it. As it turned out it was there perfect size for the turn on my second staircase up to my room. I also now have a compulsion of buying vintage style linens when I find them in charity shops wherever I go. So I already had one which was perfect size and shape for the top.

By then I was on a roll. My neighbour who knows I love a good recycle gave me her daughter’s old desk from her room as she was giving it a change up for her. This desk then sat in my front room for week and weeks and weeks as I had a lot on at the time and I knew this project would be more physical for me and take up a lot more of my time. In the meantime I managed to find a gorgeous old oval mirror ( amongst other things) in my local auction house, which I thought would be perfect on top of the desk so the whole thing could be used as a dressing table.

Again I slapped on the chalk paint ( you can see I have a little addiction to antique white!) but went for a contrasting green on the inside of the drawers just to change it up a bit. Again I lined the drawers with wallpaper offcuts ( quite possibly taken from B&Q as colour samples). Again I am chuffed to bits with the total outcome, I think it looks lovely in it’s little corner in my bedroom although I may now have to find a chair I can have a go at so I have something to sit on while I make myself beautiful ( after all that does take a bit of a while!).

So now my idea is to totally revamp my front room from the totally modern to the light and bright ‘shabby chic’ style with all upcycled furniture. I found my perfect piece on a weekend away with my hubby in a fantastic flea market in Lewes, a beautiful bureau for an amazing bargain price of £36! I know I couldn’t believe it myself and so much so that my hubby said I couldn’t leave it there at that price.

This will be a huge project for me and pretty intricate due to the design inside, so I have yet to decide on colours ( although the outside will definitely be antique white again). This time I need a suitable inner contrasting colour and probably a mix and match of backing papers for the back.

So watch this space…………….