Under Construction

This blog is now under construction - I've been wanting to change it for a while and am struggling with the best way to adapt it so please bear with me and it will be up and running soon!

Thanks!

Jen x

Thrifty Nails

Holding down a blog and working full time with a 2 hour commute each day is pretty tough. I've not been very good at it hence the inactivity here for a while. I haven't been car booting much either and have only sewed once in the last month! (I put a nice turn up on some new work trousers!)


So today, I will bring you a bit of a different kind of thriftiness.... how to get pretty nails on the cheap! For those who know me personally, you will be aware that I like bright nail colours and crazy patterns and transfers. I like this way of customisation, especially when you are faced with a plain uniform or outfit. I don't like paying a fortune for someone to do it for me, especially when there are some fab things you can do yourself at home.


Marbled Nails:

I found this amazing nail art 'how to' over at Modern Salon (http://bit.ly/ads0hd) and tried it at home myself. Its so easy! Yes you make a right old mess and have to spend a while removing the excess nail varnish from around the nail bed but it looks amazing! I would reccommend using 1 dark, 1 medium and 1 light colour, as you want to be able to see the contrast when you mix them. I would also suggest changing the water in your cup every 2-3 nails as it gets a bit murky and the nail varnish doesn't swirl as well.


Leopard Print Nails:


I can't remember which blog I took inspiration from first as there are so many tutorials out there but here's my little guide to easy leopard print nails. You will need, a base colour, lighter 'spot' colour, black liquid eyeliner and a clear topcoat.

1) Do your base first - mine looks a bit messy as I did it in a rush!

2) Add some dots in a contrasting colour (as haphazard as you like)

3) With your black eyeliner (I like H&Ms cheapy stuff as it has a firm nib like a felt pen) add black strokes around the dots (2 or 3 squiggles and dots) and add a couple in between the dots too

4) Add a clear top coat after a couple of minutes and ta dah! fierce leopard print nails!

Enjoy!

Frame Revamp Part One

I have busied myself sewing and crafting today as light relief from all my other chores. I decided to tackle the handbag project that came with my Cath Kidston "Sew" book. The first time I read the instructions I was annoyed that I couldn't figure them out. With a clear head I managed to follow them just fine:

I taught myself how to sew button holes and buttons using the special feet for my sewing machine whilst doing this project thus proving that reading instructions leads to good things!

I also started revamping the following car boot frame:

It is pretty small as far as frames go and you can hardly make out the print from a distance, so I decided to get the mint green paint out:

It has now had two coats and is drying in the garage ready to be filled with something fun. I'm thinking maybe buttons:

Or these funny little plastic dogs I found in my sewing box:

Part two to follow shortly...

Country Market

I have been a bit shy about taking photos whilst at the car boot sale. The thing is, well, no one else does it so I look really out of place and it brings unwanted attention. BUT I have vowed to do it more often for the sake of JunkShopJen and for those that read this. It's no good me describing the rows and rows of "junk" and the type of people that wander down them... I think its much better to see it with your own eyes. So here you are:

Unfortunately there was a terrible fire earlier this year which saw most of the shop buildings burnt down. Luckily most of the animals and fish were saved and the support of the local community, proceeds from the boot, and probably an insurance payout will see Country Market up and running again in the Autumn.

This photo makes me laugh - I didn't notice the bloke walking past with his canvas ladybird shopper but he obviously noticed me!

A familiar sight: battered furniture and picture frames waiting for a new lease of life...

I bought a lovely old gilt style frame for 10p from this stall and I intend to spruce it up with a lick of paint and a new print. I'll make sure I post its transformation on here soon!

I promise to do this more often but with more interesting subjects.... perhaps I'll pluck the courage to photograph things as I buy them!

A Lewis Carroll pick me up

Today has just been one of those days when life seems desperate and out my control. We all have those days and I realised what I needed was a pick me up, and it came in the form of my latest bargain....

A vintage copy of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Snaffled for 20p at the usual car boot sale: Country Market in Bordon.

I love the Queen of Hearts pattern that embraces all the covers of the book. It smells amazing too... all dusty and aged...

What I love most is the illustrations by John Tennial, redrawn in colour by Diana Stanley. They are whimsical and enchanting and have brought me out of my somber mood. I will be looking out for more beautifully bound, vintage classics, so that I can lose myself in another world when this one becomes too difficult to deal with.

My first attempt at Applique!

This post is one of firsts. It is my first sewing post and my first attempt at applique. The venture into this type of craft began when I won a £10 Amazon voucher for entering a survey at university. I spent it (and more!) on various Cath Kidston books, one of which shows you how to applique.


Using felt and thread I followed the instructions and made a rose design and the initials of my friend's name to decorate her birthday present: A home made pamper hamper full of lovely pampering things!

The basic technique was the to draw all the different pieces on tracing paper then bondaweb, stick to the corresponding colour felt, cut out and then iron on top of each other. Sounds simple really. It took some patience but was enjoyable and even more so to see how pleased the recipient was! 

Time for a change!

I am sorry to all my followers and readers. I hope you can forgive me for severely neglecting my blog, life has been chaotic for a while and it has slipped from my routine.

I have some good news though... I have finished my degree and have entered a new phase in my life whereby I can bring JunkShopJen back into my routine!

I've now moved into Tim's house in Surrey and have left Southampton behind. The city has been good to me over the last three years but I am very happy to be moving on. I will however be returning often for the vintage shops; Hepwrights and Beatnik Emporium; and also the fabulous Fabric Land. 

So, back to the blog and the new direction I hope to be taking. Not only will I bring you car boot hunting gems but I will be incorporating my other hobbies: sewing, embroidery, appliqué and lots of other sorts of crafts.

I want to thank my sister and brother in law, Katy and Gaz, for my new camera (gifted as they have a shiny new one and my old one has been dropped one too many times!) I can now take more pictures a lot more easily so things will be looking better around here too.

I also am learning HTML so that you can mooch around a lot easier!

So here's my promise to you. JunkShopJen will be updated and revamped by this time next week! Thanks for sticking with me!

Jen x

Life gets in the way

First of all sorry it has taken me nearly three weeks to update this - I am currently finishing my dissertation and life has simply got in the way of blogging - poor show I know but until the 12th May I am bound to my laptop editing articles and designing pages!


Saying that I am still booting and have enjoyed the glorious weather and huge turn outs of recent weeks. Here are some of the things I have picked up lately:

The baskets are for present ideas (I won't give anything away just yet as don't want to spoil the surprises!)


I bought grease DVD for a pound after seeing it in the west end and deciding that the film is better than the musical (even though I saw the first half of the musical twice due to technical errors...)


Fake hair for styling project  (£1.50) A new post is coming soon of my paper mache animal heads covered in hair!


Butterfly dish for jewellery trinkets (50p!)

I vow to keep this up to date more soon - I can't wait to finish uni so I can sew and go booting more without feeling guilty!


Thanks to my 6 followers - (and hello to my new one!)


xxx