Vintage Map Side Table

Half way through September already... crikey this month is flying by! We've had some lovely Indian Summer-like weather the past couple of weeks, but I can't help feel excited with the prospect of autumnal weather, crisp mornings and snuggley winter boots and jumpers just around the corner! Love this time of year. I'm even spending a considerable amount of time looking and Chrismassy things on pinterest already... or perhaps I shouldn't admit that!

Anyway, I wanted to share a recent up-cycle project with you today...
Buried in a pile of bits waiting to go on the bonfire, I rescued this little side table from my brother's allotment. The veneer was completely scratched and flaking off, and it really had seen better days, but it was still a solid piece. I wasn't quite sure what to do with it at the time but i really liked the shape so it came home with me.

I took the sander to it, to see what I was dealing with, and it came up lovely! The scratches were only really in the veneer so it didn't take too much elbow grease to sand. The dark colour of the veneer blended in the sanded wood did give charming sort of a shabby chic finish, so I did debate leaving it unpainted. But instead, I painted the legs and around the top, and kept the top bare to showcase the lovely rustic wood.

I used Rustoleum Chalk Paint, in Butterscotch - I really like this paint. I goes on very well and is much easier to use than a couple of other more budget friendly chalk paints I've tried. Also the clear wax in the same range is great. I used a layer of this to finish to protect the paint and give it a slight sheen.

I found some cute little brass knobs with vintage maps on Ebay which then gave me the idea to line the draw with vintage maps too. I actually printed some vintage maps from the internet to line the draw. They went in nice and easily, with no tantrums! Then with a few layers of PVC glue, its very durable and just gives it a nice little finishing touch.

And there she is!.. Ta-da! I'm so please with how this has turned out. 

I will be selling this, so have a look on my Facebook page Dovecote Decor. If you're local to Northampton and interested in buying it, please message or comment for details.

Thanks for reading, and I'll be back soon for more project stories :)

Claire xx

A Year on..

A year on since my first and only post...

I could be annoyed with myself that I didn't carry it on after starting like I had planned or that I didn't achieve what I had hope in the past year. However,  I have had a pretty amazing past year!
I had the trip of a lifetime to New Zealand and the Cook Islands on my honeymoon with the Mr at the end of 2015, and have spent this year so far working on small furniture projects in between making the most of a pretty good British summer.

Here are just a handful of some of my favourite honeymoon pics..

I really had the most amazing time. We travelled around for just a few weeks, but I have never seen anywhere as beautiful and natural as New Zealand. Oh and the cook Islands - total picture postcard paradise!.. I would go back in a heart beat.

Now that I have taken a year or so to enjoy our first year as a wife, I've had the time out I think I needed to think about what I actually want to do.

Thats about it for today but check back soon as I have lots of recent furniture projects to share!..

In the mean time, check out @dovecotedreamer on Instagram - there will soon be a Facebook page too :)



Claire xx

Here we go then!...

Welcome to my Dovecote Dreamer, and thanks for popping by!

I've never written a blog before, and not really sure how to start, so I guess I'll just start by a little introduction...

My name is Claire, I'm a 27 year old newly-wed (married just over 7 weeks now!) and I live with my husband in a little village in Northamptonshire. I love living in a village, and living right behind the fields is such a lovely peaceful setting. We have a semi-detached dorma bungalow which we've been renovating over the past 18 months and although it's been pretty stressful at times, I love decorating and designing our house and making it our own.

This is a little view from our living room... the garden isn't how we want it at the moment (which is the next big job in the spring!) but the field just makes it feel like our garden goes on for miles!...

And a view just beyond the fence :)

After the whirlwind of the wedding was all over, I definitely did feel the little "lull" that people say you get after a wedding. When you've been so busy planning, prepping, crafting and basically thinking about nothing other than the wedding for several months before hand, you do feel a little lost as to what to do. I also felt I needed a few chilled weekends of not really doing much but I also struggle with that too! Don't get me wrong, I am admittedly very lazy at times and do love to do nothing, but I also constantly feel guilty when I am doing nothing!! (It's a personal battle... I'm working on it!)
SO I guess that's why now seemed the right time to finally start a blog...

I basically love all things crafty, creative and colourful! I love vintage, kitsch, quirky things... But what I find myself doing most is crocheting and painting and renovating furniture. Two quite different hobbies, but the two main hobbies I've stuck with over the years of trying out numerous crafts. I like to try out everything and anything!

This is one of my latest small crochet projects. Just a simple Granny Square baby blanket for a very special friend who was one of my bridesmaids... in fact, she had the baby boy just 2 weeks before the wedding!! 

I will be posting projects and inspirations - to inspire myself to do more and hopefully a few other people along the way.
I hope you enjoy my ramblings which will follow!

Thanks for visiting

xx