Is a Clean House a Wasted Life?

I've spent pretty much the whole day cleaning! And... really, it was only one room! Well, I say cleaning, but I also mean tidying, de-cluttering, sorting out, re-arranging, washing curtains and sheets etc. But I was quite happy doing it, and I love to see it looking so fresh and clean, and tidy! I also managed a quick tidy and polish and hoover of my craft room as well, and then I went the whole hog with the hoover and did the landing, bathroom and stairs too, and washed the rugs.

This is my pretty, sparkling, fresh bedroom after a thorough clean - no surface was left un-touched by the duster - shelves, wardrobes, pictures, skirting boards, door, light shade, curtain poles - everything!

In the top left of the first picture, you can see a white frames with a green mount and black and white photo - I did this today. This was one of the frames I bought at the car boot, and painted white. It came with the mount, but it was cream and didn't look right with the frame being white - so I covered it in patterned paper, snaded and distressed a bit, and then distressed the frame. I'm pretty pleased with it - not bad for £1.00!

The paper I used was part of a kit I bought yesterday while out craft shopping with my mum - it's papermania's Rose Garden, and as soon as I saw it, I wanted it! I love love love the papers - they have a real Cath Kidston feel to them. Also while shopping yesterday, I found a set of three Tilda tins, and I loved them, and put them in my basket - they were £12.99. I planned to use them in my downstairs loo But then after a few minutes, I started to think that really, it was quite a lot to be spending on empty tins, and the point of decorating the loo is to be thrifty and clever about it. So I put them back, and waved a sorry farewell to them. I got my thinking cap on, and when I got home, I raided the kitchen cupboards and found a bisto container (Ah! Bisto!), a bicarb of soda container and a plastic jar that had nuts in it. Using my same Rose Garden papers, I made these.

Now, I admit, they are not as pretty as the Tilda jars - but they were a lot cheaper, and a lot more satisfying (kind of!). They will have a home in the wall cabinet in the downstairs loo (once I find one!), and the little one still has to be given a purpose - the other two have bandages, plasters, alcohol wipes and micropore tape in them - as you can see from the labels!

And finally, today while tidying I found some fairy lights and hung them over my shelves in my craft room - don't they look pretty!

All in all, it's been a pretty productive weekend - last night I had a night in with friends and wine which was lovely, and Friday night I had dinner at my parents for my mums birthday. Just a shame I have work tomorrow - why do the Sunday night blues come around so quick!