Day 23 - House Revamp Continues

My latest trip to Ikea saw me buy a number of different photo frames and bits n pieces. It's only taken me three weeks but I've finally sorted them out and I'm ready to put things on the wall. Here is my latest additions: 

Pink frame from ikea with Paperchase wrapping paper inside

Close up of Paperchase print

Blue ikea frame with John Lewis wrapping paper

Close up of John Lewis print

In addition my latest trip that I took to Steptoes (a local reclamation yard) saw me come home with some tapestry pictures which I'll add to my growing collection:

Birds tapestry

Deer and fawn tapestry

Rose illustration print 

Embroidery

Close up of jam embroidery 

This is a cross stitch I picked up from a car boot sale for 20 pence!! 

Now just to paint the wall in the kitchen so some of these can actually go up!!' 

Day 4 - Ikea........Shopping Bliss or Shopping Stress?

Whilst visiting Glasgow I always like to visit Ikea as we don't have one in Aberdeen! For those of you who may not be familiar with Ikea it is a massive Swedish Home Store brand offering reasonably priced furniture and home furnishings. www.ikea.com

Ikea is not just a homeware shop it's an experience in itself! The people at Ikea know exactly what they are doing and lay the store out in such a way that you have to walk through the whole store looking at room ideas before hitting the canteen for the infamous Swedish meatballs and then carrying on to pick up your flat packed furniture, photo frames and other housewares. 

My trips to Ikea are never well planned but I'm always excited to go. I love looking around trying to decide what I could put in my house. But the lack of planning means lack of measurements which leads to guess work, frustration and STRESS! Add to that the numerous items I picked up and threw in my basket along the way! By the time I reach the till I'm feeling stressed out, have a load of items in my basket I didn't really want and have spent far too much money! This means I end up leaving behind half the items and going home with stuff I hope will work in my house. Thankfully it usually does!! But then I want to go back and get more but as it is almost a 3 hour drive away I never tend to return for several months. 

Today's trip was more successful than usual that may be due to the fact I went prepared with a list of frame measurements or because I wasn't with David so had no one to disagree with my ideas! Either way today I left stress free, content and looking forward to getting my new items in my house although quite tired! We even managed to have a laugh or two along the way! 

Tips for Shopping At Ikea

1. Eat before you go, you'll need the energy!

2. Plan before you go and take measurements with you!!!!

3. Take it as it comes and don't get too stressed

4. Stop off for some food half way around, by this time you will either need an energy boost or you will simply have lost the will to live!!!! 

Attack of the Ikea snakes!

Gill finds an alternative use for some snake soft toys!