Mini makeover project, and a winner...

Hello again, I'm back from my brief visit to Ireland and am straight into the joy that is the school holidays. Anyone else already suffering from a tense nervous headache?  As both boys are at home and requiring entertainment I'd better apologise in advance for my continuing sporadic posts and comments, I will do my best to keep up with everyone though. Can I sneak a laptop into cinema when they're showing Cars2?

So...the project. Scarlett recently mentioned her 'sponge gremlins' who live in her oven and destroy all her cakes, as the reason why she doesn't post recipes. You may have noticed I am not a 'furniture makeover' type of blogger. I'd love to be, really, having seen amazing results people have achieved with nothing more than a torn paperback, tube of glue and chest of drawers. Or a vintage tea-towel, staple-gun and kitchen chair. But I have 'paint fear'. I read all the right blogs and magazines, and have even been known to say blithely to other people "Oh, you could just paint that", but come to my house and you won't yet see one piece of furniture which isn't in its original state (give or take a cushion I might have plonked on it). 

I get to thinking about having to sand it, and do base coats, and decide whether I need eggshell or matt or gloss or heritage  paint, and where I'll have to go to buy this, and however many hours it is between coats, and then I remember that I don't have a garage or shed I can do any of this in, but that I do have small children who will harass me in the garden. As a result my brain then slides away from the idea and I go and stick some small portable things together with a glue-gun instead [Not my children. But it is tempting]. However - all this is going to change! Oh yes. And you clever people are going to help me. 

Below is my project in its still virgin state. It's a stool with an upholstered seat which opens for storage. It's possibly a piano stool - I have vague memories of keeping music in something similar - or could just be used to stash my current pile of magazines. Or it would be good for storing knitting or needlework supplies. It's a nice solid construction, but I'm not particularly loving the uber 70s brown and orange fabric and the wood is a bit scratched. What would you do? Any hints and tips would be gratefully received, and now I've shown you it I have no excuse not to attempt a makeover!

Soon to be gorgeous stool

Anyway, I also need to announce the winner of my 'Stupid Sock Creatures' giveaway, which I was supposed to do on Sunday. I used a random number generator, which declared the winner to be Lucewoman! [Actually, it first chose my comment, and then Alex, who didn't want to enter, then someone who hadn't told me their crafting disaster - but fourth time lucky!]. Well done Luce - enjoy your sock wrangling!

Finally I also have a rather lovely giveaway running at the moment to win a necklace from Stall 21, not many entries to far so do have a look, I think it's gorgeous.

Lovely hematite and silver necklace with feather

 If you'd like the chance to win it then just sign up to the odd bit of news from Stall 21, either by Twitter or email. Or you can simply 'like' their page on Facebook. I follow on Twitter myself, and can confirm she doesn't spam you! See my post here to enter. I may have to buy myself this necklace - there is still 50% off with the code adeleparks until the end of the month.

Lakota x

PS. There's been a lot of discussion recently about bloggers being paid to advertise companies, non-disclosure of review products actually being gifts, and whether a code of ethics is required regarding sponsored posts and the like. I have never been paid to mention any company or any product, just so we're clear. Any competitions I run with a company are because I like the prize and want to be able to offer it. Obviously they get some publicity as a result. [If you want to join future debates they're hosted by AThriftyMrs on Twitter on Tuesdays at 9pm. Use hashtag #blogdebate]