PERSONALISED VALENTINES DAY CARDS & GIFTS

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What’s your view on Valentine’s day? Are you a super sentimental type, or do you think it’s all a load of hype? I fall somewhere down the middle.

I don’t need a day to tell my husband how much I love him, but I do like that it reminds us to slow down, write some lovely words and appreciate one another….. AND if Mr C chooses to buy me some flowers that day OR any other day *hint hint then they won’t go unnoticed.

When it comes to cards I’m not into teddy bears or gushy, soppy ones. I like a card to be blank inside so I can write my own words. This is why Clouds and currents personalised ones stood out to me, especially the cactus themed ones for obvious reasons (you know I’m a plant lady right?).

I’ve bought my husband the ‘You had me at Aloe’ Valentine’s day card and for a while Clouds and currents are offering you all 10% off everything on their site if you use the discount code 'Houselust' at the checkout. 

Clouds and currents specialise is gorgeous personalised gifts from cushions to aprons. So even if you’re not a soppy type but you know a friend who is, why not treat them to a personalised Apron or a set of cushions for that newly married couple you know?

Love should be in the air all year round, and not just for Valentine’s day!

10% OFF EVERYTHING AT CLOUDS AND CURRENTS

WITH DISCOUNT CODE : HOUSELUST

CARDS

PERSONALISED GIFTS

BRING SOME ART INTO YOUR KITCHEN WITH SARAH BODDY

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Flamingo Glass worktop saver by Sarah boddy

As much as I love the latest fad trend, it’s also nice to add something more unique and individual into your home to mix up your style. Shopping online and on the high street can get pretty repetitive and samey if you don’t know where to look for newness, so it was so refreshing to be introduced to a brand I’d never heard of.  Today I want to introduce to you  Sarah Boddy.

Sarah has created a range of unique homeware from her own drawings, drawing inspiration on her Leicestershire country life surroundings, including her own flock of chickens. The range includes stationary, homeware essentials and even wall art inspired by the same collection of country animals which have been beautifully hand sketched.

The homeware collection includes oven gloves, aprons, tea towels, placemats, glass coasters, chopping boards, egg cups, glass worktop savers and cute teapots all designed with one of Sarah's trademark sketches.

My favourite sketch in the collection is the flamingo range. I've got the flamingo glass worktop saver which I keep on show over my oven when its not in use and it acts as a little piece of art in my kitchen, but I also love the bee collection . Now I’m guessing there aren’t many flamingos in Leicester but I blooming love a flamingo so this print definitely caught my eye since I love anything kitsch.

The prices at Sarah Boddy are certainly affordable; egg cups at £7, mugs at £11 and glass work top savers at £24. The perfect prices for gifting. It's a great website to grab some gifts for that friend who loves something a bit quirky.  I love that Sarah's designs are timeless and will fit with any kitchen style – not just your typical country/ shaker, although they would look pretty gorgeous in a country kitchen above an aga,  I also think they work well in industrial kitchens like mine. 

Here are my six top pics from Sarah Boddy. (Including my  flamingo worktop saver).

MY SIX TOP PICKS 

This sponsored post was in conjunction with the lovely people at Sarah Boddy. I would never consider promoting a product that I didn't love and wouldn't have in my own home.

BATHROOM ACCESSORISING WITH SAINSBURY'S HOME

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BATHROOM ACCESSORISING WITH SAINSBURY'S HOME

Ding dong, the builders have finally gone! The keys are back and the doors are locked. Am I sad to see them go? Errr... definitely not!

Finally, we can get back to some normality and I can get back to some serious blogging.

The bathroom is finally finished (I had to wait a month for my builder to fit the gold toilet flush), and I can finally get faffing!

With our budget mostly blown on the actual build, I have been looking at affordable ways I can accessorize our new bathroom without spending a fortune. Did you know that Sainsbury’s has a gorgeous and extremely well priced homeware range? Well I didn’t. It was only when the girls at work were telling me about their fab finds that I started getting major fomo and realised I needed to head straight to my nearest store (my nearest large Sainsbury's store is in London Colney).

That’s where I found these gorgeous stone bathroom accessories; a Toothbrush holder (£10) , soap dispenser (£12), storage jar (£12) and a matching toilet brush (£20). I’ve never been so excited to buy a toilet brush holder before. Plus, all the metal trims on the stone bathroom bits are in brass so it’s right up my alley and gives my new pink bathroom an industrial edge. And if industrial isn't your thing then check out their other ranges. There's pretty much something for  everyone- just see for yourself below in my Get the look. 

It didn't stop there either, I also splurged on a couple of geo jacquard grey bath sheets for a bargain £15 each to bring some pattern to my plain bathroom, a gold and green tray and a gold cocktail shaker.... Obviously, not for the bathroom but just because everyone needs a cocktail shaker right?

I can’t wait to see what Sainsbury's home bring out next!

GET THE LOOK

MY DO'S AND DON'TS GUIDE TO BUILDING WORK

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VICTORIAN TERRACE LOFT EXTENSION

After 5 months of building work, our loft extension is almost complete. Hello third floor! 

Extensions are the perfect way to get that much needed space without having to move, and although I’m happy with the final outcome, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.

If you follow me on Instagram then you might have seen the two broken lights which were dropped by the builder and electrician (one from John Lewis and the other from Tom Dixon), after I ironically joked with the electrician to make sure he wore the white gloves provided with the Tom Dixon light.

It turns out you should never joke about these things, as a day later we got a watsap from the builder starting with ‘sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the electrician had an accident in your bathroom today’. Obviously my first reaction was shit, I hope the electrician didn’t die in there, I’m still yet to have my first shower. But then I read on ‘the electrician dropped your marble Tom Dixon light’. Que many FOR F*CK SAKEs!!!!! Then a month later the same thing happened when we asked the builder to shorten a chandelier over the stairs. What are the chances!!!?

 Then came the poorly wired light switches which didn’t work two ways because my builder decided to change the light switches himself instead of getting the electrician back in (*She gets out the dummies guide to electrics for the builder and begs him never to touch the electrics again!*). The hot water tap which took 5 weeks to diagnose that it just needed a new restrictor on the valve. The radiator valves which went missing and had to be replaced. Luckily I had proof that they had been delivered so the builder had to buy new ones. (always keep invoices and emails). To the dirty grout on my newly grouted marble floor, because not one of the tradesman used their common sense to take their shoes off each time they did work in there.

Not to mention the false promises; ‘any damage to existing rooms will be fixed as new’, to the ‘at the end I’ll give the loft a builders clean’. Which turns out is just a spray and a mop and basically your own man power. Cheers guys.

But don’t get me wrong It’s not all been bad. The actual build has been amazing. The roofing and external tiles are brilliant and the decorating looks good once we finally got there with the decorator.

This is why building work is stressful and I wasn’t even project managing it. For those considering an extension I’ve compiled my list of do’s and don’ts to consider before taking the plunge and letting a tradesman come into your home. And if I’ve learnt anything then a good builder will take their shoes off before entering your home. A bad one won’t. It's called respect and if it isn’t there from the start then it probably never will be. Good luck! 

Do….

  • Read up on your local council guidelines regarding permitted and restricted permitted development in advance of having drawings done.
  • Get recommendations of builders from your architect. Likewise, if you know a good builder, chances are they can probably recommend a good architect.
  • Get at least three different quotes to compare prices.
  • Go on recommendations
  •  Once you’ve short listed your builders, get recommendations of previous work and go see it. Ask yourself, is this the finish I want? If it’s not, then it might be a sign that the builder isn’t for you.
  • Make sure you know the difference between a quotation – a firm price and what you can expect to pay for the specified works – and an estimate, which is much less specific. Always try to go for a fixed price contract.
  • Check that the builder has relevant past experience and a good trading history; that he has an office address and that he is able to offer references; and that he has third party insurance.
  • Read your builders contract. Make sure they haven’t missed anything off which you discussed.
  •  Ask your builder to give you a realistic project and payment schedule.
  •  Make sure you have the money quoted plus at least £2k extra encase your builder decides to bill you at the end for extras.
  • Make it clear with the builder from the beginning that any extras are outlined throughout the project and new contracts are signed.
  • Put structural works before cosmetic and aesthetic improvements and work from the outside of the house inwards.
  • Pay attention to the style of the windows.
  • Aim to get the shell weathertight as early as possible.
  • Get a porta loo for the garden if you don’t want builders using your own. Remember this build could go on for months.
  • Take photos of your house before the work starts encase any internal or external damage occurs throughout. You may need them to prove it wasn’t there before.

Don’t.. 

  • Be afraid to challenge the first contract if things are missing which you discussed.
  • Be bullied into paying for things which they break or loose. Keep emails of orders to stock check
  • Pay for any work in advance. 
  • Change your mind or change things throughout the build. This will only add to the final cost. 
  •  Be afraid to lay out ground rules. Ie take their shoes off when they come in. Where can the builders take their breaks? Have lunch? can they use your kitchen to heat up food etc.