The new Ikea catalogue landed on our doormat last week. That's the first time. Everyone else in town gets one, but we live on a hill and - well, they're heavy for delivering, aren't they?
Of course, Ikea only arrived here about oh, five years ago. before that we had to travel. I saw my first catalogue for sale in a newsagents here when The (Not So) Small One was a few months old, and I grabbed it. Something new and different. Something to read during midnight feeds. Something to dream about. Seems funny now, but it was so exciting then. We decided a trip was in order.
To get to our nearest Ikea we had to take a two hour ferry ride and then drive several hundred miles. With two small children. But there were flat packs at the end of it; and we wanted them. A lot. So we hired a trailer and we took requests from friends. We passed round our catalogue and we drew up a list.
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| Another Flair for Buttons piece. Keep an eye out: I've been talking to Shelley the owner and we're having a giveaway very soon. |
We went. We drove. We spent all day shopping and we had a fine old time. Everyone remembers their first Ikea, right? The children loved it. The (Not So) Small One still likes to hear how I changed her nappy in the baby room, the like of which I'd never seen before. Bottle warming available? Where else?
Then we loaded up up trailer and we drove all the way home. We went back whenever we could. Bringing home treasure for family and friends, unloading the trailer at midnight and carrying sleeping children straight to bed. It was an adventure, and adventures can be hard to find in those days of baby changing and children's television.
We're all older now. Ikea moved in, we moved on. But it's still a favourite place to drop in on now we don't have to mount an expedition to get there. And that reminds me, it would be a good route to teach The Tall One. A man never knows when he might have need of a flat pack.
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| Here I've used some cuttings from a Plundered Pages pack made for me by Julie Kirk |
37 comments:
I have to admit to be just about the only person in the world who hasn't been to one.....phew! I feel cleansed now I have admitted that:) Still like to ponder the catalogue though, I'm a real catalogue junkie, dreaming of what our house would look like if we had money and a husband who liked DIY....
love that you used an IKEA tapemeasure on the page. great idea for a LO - I can imagine taking the trip with the trailer and all the orders. I still get a thrill from browsing the catalogue
We can never understand people who dismiss IKEA / act like it's below them! Our house owes a lot to it - but doesn't look like it's full of flat pack furniture ... even though it is [I imagine yours doesn't either]! When we first moved in and were planning *everything* I used to know the catalogue like the back of my hand.
p.s: ours is an 80mile round trip.
p.p.s: so glad the pack was useful! Gorgeous page. xx
I love Ikea. I wish we had the money to mix our Ikea furniture with a few old pieces but when we moved last year Ikea was a lifesaver with a new desk that fit perfectly into the tiny nook I was allocated (I still miss my humongous Ikea desk from the old house but it lives on - in Craig's office!) And new beds for the girls including a adjustable one that will 'grow' with Ruby. How clever?
Plus I love that we can have breakfast when we go in and then a tasty hotdog and cuppa at the other end :D
Living in Kent we have to travel to Essex to visit our nearest one ;)
I feel there will be an Ikea trip when we go to Newcastle next weekend!
Oh Ikea! It is a bit of a love hate relationship in our house. My mum and me love it but my Dad can't bear it. I think it's something to do with not knowing where you are in the shop and there being no windows! Great for stocking up on uni essentials!
We are fortunate. We've always had an Ikea close to us. My very first bookcase came from Ikea and I've since added three more. I may soon be passing them on though because I read more on my Kindle Fire than real books.
Our nearest IKEA is a 2 hour journey....and we don't go very often as OH hates it....but I always find something I love when we do go....and I'm still using the cardboard storage boxes that I bought there 15 years ago.
What a wonderful idea for a lay-out. Just love all the bits and pieces and plundered papers extras. The lengths to which you went for your Ikea fix, all warranted.
I remember coming back from HK on leave sometime in the 1980's and everyone in Manchester was talking about the new furniture store. We had to wait until the 1990's for it to get to Hong Kong.
I remember when IKEA was new and exciting too :lol: We hired a friend with a van to drive us to buy a specific item - and bought the last (damaged) one in the shop.
These days, IKEA is still big in our house for storage and flat packs, but is part of our regular monthly shop. Meatballs are a regular feature here!
oh yes ikea, takes me over an hour to get there and about an hour to do my list,
jo xxxx
Oh Sian this post was so much fun to read!! An adventure for sure. What is it about Ikea? I have yet to find my turquoise cart but DH just checked the website and they are finally in at the store. Guess where I am going today? Long live Ikea even though DH is often heard saying, "IKEA... Swedish for crap!" hee hee
you can make a great page out of any idea, sian! IKEA is a fun place to visit although i certainly don't ever need any more "stuff"!
we have one about 10 mins drive. we pop in occassionally for meatballs and chips lol! I love how you have turned Ikea into a gorgeously layered layout and put their paper tape measure to good use xx
Great layout, Sian :) I'm due a trip to Ikea - the trouble is, lots of little bits and pieces of loveliness jump into my trolley to join the flatpacks that were actually on my list...
Oh I absolutely adore this page! So clean and colourful!
That's a great page, Sian. I am amazed how much effort you had to make to visit Ikea back then. But well worth it. Luckily my visits are not so difficult and I am due for one soon!
Yes I DO remember my first Ikea! We always thought it was furniture that was too modern and too cheap and not sturdy. When we relented and visited, we came home squished into the car with multiple packages ready to fit together for our new baby. That day changed us. Since then we've been forever Ikea...
I do remember my first trip to IKEA - it was out of town too, which kept me from making many impulse purchases - thankfully. And just this week an oversized Restoration Hardware catalog hit our mailbox - I'm looking forward to browsing tomorrow afternoon while the laundry runs.
I've never been to Ikea either---or seen a catalog. I furnished my scrapbook room at Pottery Barn. I did a quick search on the Ikea website for a "flatpack" but came up empty. What is it? And more importantly, do I need one?
My first memory of IKEA is the children's play area and the pit of coloured balls. IKEA is pretty close to us, but I don't go there often - because, despite liking some of their produce - I cannot stand the actual shop - makes me dizzy!
We have lots of Ikea furniture in our house! Our nearest one is about three hours away, but there are rumours of one opening on our side of Alicante..fingers are crossed!
Alison xx
That is indeed some dedicated Ikea shopping! And completely worthy of your lovely scrapbook page. We do not have to go to such extremes to get to our Ikea, but sadly I've never been there. Gasp, I know. I think my husband is afraid to take me. :)
What a fun memory and it reflects very well in your page. Love the contrasting colors and all the fun bits to look at!
I do remember my first IKEA moment :) We have one nearby and don't shop there very often because it is so big! When I shop - I prefer to shop quickly; go in and get out!
Great story! I really don't remember my first IKEA trip but I remember the last one - a couple of weekends ago! We went to get a small storage item - and came back with boxes and then some :-)
Really love the layout and the colours
Have a great day!
Before Ikea arrived in the wild north (Scotland) lol I remember mounting an expedition or two via the caravan to the one in Gateshead and coming home with two small children in the car with us all sitting on various flat packs etc. Great layout too and a good idea to show The Tall One the way as you never know when he will need to go
I have no idea what a flatpack is but then again I have never been to Ikea. I am not fond of shopping at all so have yet to make the 3 hr trip to the only one in North Carolina. Your Plundered Pages worked great and I love the journaling.
LOL. Didn't we all ? We made many trips to Nottingham, then when the MK one opened, that was closer. All that time, can you believe it, Ikea's HQ is a mere 13 miles away. Sadly they couldn't get planning permission to open a store in Peterborough.
Great story. I made my first visit to IKEA just a few years ago when Sarah was living in Atlanta. The nearest IKEA to us is actually in Canada on the way to Toronto. We've been there only once. I do love IKEA and can always find things I need to bring home.
loving the colours and style of this, and how you've incorporated so much journalling. i love ikea!!
I also remember the excitement of IKEA opening in the Bay Ara - we were all quite taken by the cafe (Swedish meatballs!).
I bought Henry a flat pack or two the summer before he started high school, and we redid his room. He did a great job helping with the assembly.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Rinda
I used to be able to claim I'd been to every Ikea in the country but not any longer. It's not quite so much fun now we have one in Southampton. Off there next week actually ... I need more craft storage. Love your page Sian.
Sue x
What a wonderful story! Your words are so descriptive that I can almost see the bunch of you, trailer in tow, on your way to your Ikea adventure. It sounds like it was a fun day!
What a great story! How exciting it must have felt. And yes, I do remember my first trip to IKEA and feeling as if I would never get out of it! However, I love it and we now live a lot closer to one too. I want an IKEA kitchen next year - keep drooling over the cabinets lol!
I remember how excited I was about our first visit to IKEA to buy bits and pieces for our first flat. It was all so new and different to what we were used to. Thanks for bringing back happy memories through your own story.
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