Creating a home for those odd socks

Where in the world do socks go?  Seriously??

When we moved I found a random sock stuffed in between the cushions of the sofa, down the back of a radiator and in different drawers so I know they never go far.... but Oh.My.Days we have more than our fair share of odd socks I'm sure!

Until now!
save dobby sign
Save Dobby lost sock holder

Visit your favourite places via Google Earth

The lovely North East Nerd has listed 19 Bizarre blog post prompts and my favourite on her list is the very first one "1. Visit your favourite places through Google Earth and share it"  I love this idea, so I've picked my top 5 favourite places that I would love to visit or return to.

Area 51

I can't help it!  I lived for the X-Files, Close Encounters, Roswell and pretty much every sci-fi film and TV programme around..... (This is a rather new revelation to me, since receiving my first Sci-FI Nerd block, I didn't realise just how much of a Sci-Fi Nerd I was!!)


Area 51





Pyramids of Giza 

This needs to go on my bucket list.  One day I will see these magnificent wonders of the old world.  So much mystery surrounds these buildings.

Pyramdis of Giza


Lombard Street 

We only spent a couple of days in San Francisco and I'd love to go back and drive down Lombard Street one more time.

Lombard Street

The Northern Lights 

Another one for the bucket list. Maybe in a few years time when Max is a bit older, I will make it a mission of mine to visit the Northern Lights

Northern Lights


Sydney Opera House 

I love this building and can only image that it looks magnificent up close, another one for my bucket list... I really need to write a bucket list!

Sydney Opera House on Google Earth


My images are screen shots from Google Earth, with a link to each on the image itself. So those are my favourites, and now I just want to visit them even more! What places would you Google Earth?

Finally, as a bonus image, this is what I love about Google Earth - Is this the lost city of Atlantis?

Lost city of Atlantis on Google Earth


RachaelJess.com

How to update an old table

How to repurpose an old table

I am really pleased with the outcome of this quick and easy weekend project!

Last week I received this unloved and unwanted table free of charge!  There are marks on the top but other than that, the table is actually very sound and is the perfect height for my ever growing boy!


The table in its current state doesn't fit in with my interior colours so I purchased some white Plastikote spray paint (which I love!!!) and I already had some black and white sticky vinyl (which I'd purchased from eBay), this I'd used before recovering our fireplace front which had been condemned and just looks plain ugly!

I used a cardboard box as a base and sprayed the table, 3 coats with a 30-minute break in between.  I was pleasantly surprised how well the paint went on and no drips!  I must finally be getting the hang of this painting malarkey!

Don't be afraid to respray on old table

You could finish here really, the paint leaves a great finish, but I wanted to have a wipeable top for my very messy 4-year old, hence the vinyl.  As with all sticky backs, I had a moment with trying to get the paper off the back and keep the sheet straight and try and use 3 other hands I didn't have....  Once I got started it was very easy to recover.  Slow is key here, smooth the vinyl down as you go and make sure there are no air bubbles.

How to add vinyl to a table top

Slowly cover the table with a new vinyl cover

With a sharp craft knife trim around the edge to give a nice clean finish (I may have got help with this bit...)

Trim the edge of the vinyl with a craft knife

And that's it.  New table in keeping with the rest of the room, with a wipeable cover for mucky little boys - perfect.

It really is that simple.  The key to any upcycled / repurposed piece - don't rush it.  Take your time over each task and you'll be amazed at what you can achieve.

I have one very happy little boy - he's my best critic :-)

Give an old table new life and in keeping with your interiors





LIML - My Letter holder... or is it!

What came through the door this week

So quick update for my new readers - The lovely Alice runs a brilliant linky each week called....... Look in my Letterbox! I love it! As a blogger, comper and well nosey person really, I love seeing what others have received in the post and pick up tips along the way, be it penpals, freebies or opinions on reviews.

I try to contribute when I can and this week I wanted to share my rather fabulous letter holder that came .................

Letter holders make excellent tablet holders

I know what you're thinking, and no, I don't get enough letters through the post to warrant a letter holder, even if it is a pretty fancy acrylic one..... but that's not what I bought it for ... but you must have known that if you read my posts.....

I got some washi tape and paper from my Docraft magazine to give the holder a little face lift and then added bulldog clips either side.  The small clips hold the new style iPhone/iPad chargers nicely, whereas the larger clips are needed for the older style chargers and my Samsung products.


To my delight not only do the phones fit in this holder perfectly, so do the tablets; now I have a pretty, organised docking station for our phones and tablets.

So that's what came through this week.  Did you receive anything lovely too?



How to get in the audience

Here's how we got to the Top Gear Show

Have you every sat and wonders how to get in the audience for Ant and Dec's Saturday Takeaway? Or may QI or even the beloved Top Gear?

There are a couple of websites that can help you with just that!  The ApplauseStore is home to many shows including the ones mentioned above.  Once you log in, just scroll down the page to see the shows on offer.

Some of the shows will be marked 'booking now' so you click on the dates you would be available to attend the show and sit back and wait.  You will get a notification email, this is not a ticket email.  This is to let you know that you're interested in the show has been registered.

If you are lucky enough to receive tickets to a show you will receive an e-ticket for the event.  The applause store will also let you know that they oversubscribe the tickets.  This is because people don't turn up for one reason or another, so if you really want to go to a show that you've got tickets for I recommend you get there early!

cool and uncool board for Top Gear
Four years ago I was fortunate enough to get tickets to the longest waiting list the BBC has - Top Gear!  I couldn't believe my luck!  We arrived early in the morning at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome and waited around most of the morning in a carpark until we were shown into the aircraft hanger - it was fantastic!  You can't plan your day, you have no idea how many takes will be needed, how long the show will last, all you know is that you could be there until 7 pm.

The other website that I know of is SRO audience, this one I'm yet to experience, this is mainly because I have to work it around childcare, as I only found out about this site after I found out I was pregnant (a couple weeks after visiting Top Gear as it happens....)

Finally, Twitter is also a good place to keep an eye out for audience tickets or even participation with 12 Yard Productions being a good Twitter feed to follow.



So those are the ones that I know of, do let me know if there are anymore and I'll add it to my listing above.



RachaelJess.com