Tuesday, February 26, 2013

A Sweet Shabby, Chippy Cupboard

Do you want 

a little shabbiness

a touch of chippy paint

and white goodness

some floral fabric

splashed with 

a little vintage

and some DIY

and of course some flowers 

and

 a pretty white ceramic jug

in your day?

Lilyfield Life painted furniture shabby chippy vintage cabinet

I think I can deliver all that for you today. 

A sweet little "cabinet meets white paint" makeover

Lilyfield Life painted furniture shabby chippy vintage cabinet

This was just a simple brown cupboard, nothing special, nothing terrible. It's got a lot of stories to tell from sitting in my mother's sewing room for the last twenty years. It's seen quilts and bags and kids pyjamas and wedding dresses pieced and stitched together by my mother, witness to an amazing seamstress.

Lilyfield Life painted furniture shabby chippy vintage cabinet

It came to live with me recently 

and of course it was subjected to a little loving DIY ...

 and a couple of coats of white paint ...

and lots and lots and lots of love from some sandpaper...

now it's smooth as a baby's bottom!

Lilyfield Life painted furniture shabby chippy vintage cabinet
Lilyfield Life painted furniture shabby chippy vintage cabinet

and a little splash of french grey for the inside

Lilyfield Life painted furniture shabby chippy vintage cabinet

the little Liberty print pillow is one of a set of three that my mother made - she's hand embroidered little flowers on the front. It's so nice to have all these beautiful physical items surrounding us at home reminding us of her.

lilyfield life french chair

and the pink and white floral quilt is testament to what a good baby my daughter was. 
When I say good baby, I mean outstanding-sleepy-never-wake-up baby. 
I started this little cot quilt about three weeks after she was born (by a scary emergency c-section and a subsequent 10 days in hospital) and finished before she was 5 weeks old.

lilyfield life french chair

It was the first quilt I had ever made, and I designed it myself. It's got a central heart and radiating lines and diamonds. Once I've given it a good soaking I'll take some better photos and share it.

Who gets to do that with a newborn?

She slept so much (at home in her cot, but screamed her head off / never slept in the car and pram) so I barely left the house for a couple of years. Her tired sign was to projectile vomit so it's not as though I stretch her waking hours either.


so glad those years are over - especially as my son was the opposite and didn't sleep barely at all (a raft of medical problems and a couple of accidents but let's not dredge up all that).

time to focus on pretty things today. 

like these gardenias from our front garden

& some shabby white paint goodness

Lilyfield Life painted furniture shabby chippy vintage cabinet
Lilyfield Life painted furniture shabby chippy vintage cabinet

yours in love for all things vintage 

Fiona xx


10 comments:

  1. what a precious cupboard and how lucky you are to have such a memory of your sweet mum.Also love the quilt Fiona have you been hiding your talents from us-love dee x

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  2. What's beautiful post. I love your cupboard, your photography and styling, your mothers memories and that you are sharing your stories and life with us. Thanks for this beautiful blog,Fiona. You are a treasure!

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  3. Lucky you, I don't know what it is like to have a baby that slept more than 45 minutes at a time in the day! I thought that was short till Jake came along and thought 20 minutes was a decent length of sleep time. I wish I was kidding!

    The cupboard looks very cute :)

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  4. What a lovely piece and a beautiful makeover. Everything looks so precious.
    Bev

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  5. Oh goodness what a walk down memory lane, I grew up wearing liberty! That cabinet is lovely.

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  6. hi Fiona, I adore this little cupboard and how you have styled it. Wish I lived closer as I would love to have some of your beautiful furniture in my little cottage
    Love Susie

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  7. Hi Fiona, I found you at Redoux. How sweet is this little cuboard. I love everything about it, the paint color, the distressing, your styling...just precious. I also have a sad little cupboard that moved in yesterday - yours is an inspiration!:)

    Im a new follower. I would love you to follow back and be my newest bloggy friend!

    Cheers!
    Sumaya

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  8. I love that chippy little cabinet. Makes me want to paint something white and shabby it up.

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  9. Love your blog...new follower here from His and Her Restoration. http://charshappyplace.blogspot.com/

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  10. What a great project! Please share it on a terrific linky – Design Décor Tuesday. www.designdecortuesday.blogspot.com. See you there! ☺

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Thanks for taking the time to comment! Sorry if you have trouble commenting, you can always email me at lilyfieldlife@bigpond.com