On my mind... final project for the week

The little person is very blessed with a Nanna who loves to make things for him. My Mum is super talented at every crafty, creative project she sets her mind to. (And she's given almost everything a go from lead lighting to upholstery to teddy bears.) All my girl cousins and I have porcelain dolls she cast and painted for us in the 80s which are still very treasured. I have major regrets now that I didn't put more effort into learning from her when I was a teenager living at home.

Her latest passion is quilting. Here is the one the Little Person received last Christmas. (She did all the patchwork and applique by hand and then used a machine for the quilting.)

His big boy bed was actually mine from ages 8-18. I still remember our trip to buy it (we lived 1.5hrs from the nearest regional centre) and how proud I was. While I'm happy to be able to share pieces of my childhood with the Little Person, its not really in the style I'd pick for him today. It needs an update and as it happens I have a plan to turn it into something like this...

via With Two Cats

Hopefully posting this will spur me to get out the paint sooner rather than later.



On my mind... another project

On the day we signed the contracts for the house I ordered this print from the lovely Heather at Senter Studios.

I'd been admiring her work for some time and was waiting til we found "the one" to place my order so I didn't jinx the search. I can't tell you how excited I was to receive it in the mail and have it framed ready for moving day.

Seeing it as I walk through the front door everyday continues to make me smile and reminds me how lucky I am to have found such a wonderful home for my family.

The small table it sits on is handed down from my parents home. I know there are a lot of people out there who want to paint everything gloss white, but I love it just the way it is.

What I do want to spruce up is the hat stand I've paired with it to create a "landing strip" - a place to collect all the mail, jackets, hats, handbags, etc.. that used to inhabit our dining table.

I think black is the best way to go, but wondered if anyone had another suggestion?

I'd also like to get rid of the striped wall, but I promised The Man some time off from painting after all the work we did on our old house.



On my mind... let's share

Okay, so as promised I'm sharing some pics from my own home this week. Its kind of scary for me, but whats the point even having a blog if I'm not going to let you a little bit into my life?

So I'm starting small today with some "before" pictures of a project I have in mind. This is our dining room buffet and hutch.

Like a lot of our furniture its made from recycled oregon, so has an orange tone to it. I've decided the best way to marry this to the pale grey tiles throughout our living areas is to use blue for soft furnishings and accessories, combined with metallics such as silver and copper.

So far I've style the shelves with practical and/or sentimental items from around the house that fit this scheme.

The project side of things is to line the back of the hutch with a printed fabric or wallpaper which I hope will lift the accessories to give them more prominence. I'd like to find something like the following locally to use, though I'm fickle and will probably jump at something else entirely.

via Hancock Fabrics

I'm hoping the transformation will look something like this...

Before & After via Making it Lovely

The other project is to get much better at taking photos. Guess I'll have to re-read this post.

More work-in-progress pictures tomorrow...

On my mind... party decorations

While I'd love to go all out with a theme party I frankly just don't have the time and energy for anything elaborate. Instead, I will be aiming somewhere in the realm of a rustic, country look. Here is my party inspiration...

via Heather Bullard

via The Brass Petal

I am going to try my hand at this cake decoration tonight though. Looks pretty easy - I just hope looks aren't deceiving.

via Twirling Betty

Who doesn't love sprinkles??? Have a fantabulous weekend everyone!

On my mind... party time!

The new house is getting its first public airing this weekend. A massive combo of the man’s 40^th, his mother’s 60^th and his brother’s long awaited return from Cairns with two new sons (one just three weeks old!)  I’m really looking forward to seeing the extended family and excited to show off our home, but at the same time I’m anxious.

Having dreamed of this house and the life we will live in it for so long I have very high expectations.

Having lived in it for five weeks now I’ve had time to visualise and plan and scheme about the home I want to create (it's spectacular in my mind).

What I haven’t had is time to implement these dreams and schemes. I know in my head that it will take years to get everything just so - and by then I will want something completely different - but my heart is aching for it to be perfect right now.

Anyways... after breaking the ice with the family on the weekend I intend to finally post some pictures next week of how the house looks now with some narrative on how I would like it to look (eventually).

All images of Emily Henderson's apartment via Rue magazine. I am totally taking inspiration from her for my dining room... you'll see Monday!

Love Your Work! Making me happy

via Nuevo Estilo

The vibrant blue, the books, the whimsy... everything about this image is making me happy today.

I hope you're feeling happy too!

On my mind... "unisex"

Our little shopping incident reminded me of an anecdote told by a friend of a friend a few months ago.

She was shopping with her three year old daughter who needed new sandals. She was pressed for time and the daughter really wanted Thomas the Tank Engine sandals. She thought to herself "do I care if she wears boys shoes? what harm will it do? do I care more about having a happy child or having a girly girl to dress up in pretty pink things?" So rather than having that particular battle she bought the Thomas shoes.

When I heard the anecdote I thought her decision was fair enough. I really couldn't see anything wrong with Thomas shoes for a girl. However, when I was placed in the same situation I couldn't bring myself to buy girls shoes for my boy.

On the same shopping trip the Little Person made a beeline for a coral hoodie. I wondered if it was too feminine, but it was in the boys section so I got it for him. When he wore it for the first time I was still a little uncomfortable with it, but he was very proud. 

It made me think of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's daughter Shiloh who likes to wear boys clothes. Again, I don't see any problem with that. She should wear what makes her happy and I think its great her parents embrace that.

Am I a total hypocrite? Or is it a societal thing that its acceptable for girls to push the gender boundaries, but not boys?

Cash to Splash! Kids shoes

We took the Little Person shoe shopping last weekend. He fell in love with a gorgeous pair of sparkly aqua joggers with white flowers. I could totally understand – they were cute as ... for a girl.

Something like these Reeboks but even more shiny and with small white flowers.

When he wasn’t allowed to try them on the world’s biggest tantrum ensued and we had to leave the store. Real, heart-felt tears over a pair of shoes – pity he’s not old enough to watch Sex and The City. I think he’d totally identify with Carrie in the old woman who lived in her shoes episode.

Anyway, we went home later that afternoon with a pair of joggers that were less cute and much more masculine. He seems happy with them and has probably forgotten all about his brief love affair with aqua. However, when I saw these today on Gelati Art I couldn’t click through to buy them fast enough.

Masculine with a fun pop of aqua. A perfect compromise … apart from the price tag that is - $95.00.

Who spends that much on shoes for a toddler? A boy toddler no less. Clearly there is someone out there who does. If you’re that someone go ahead and buy them for your little person. I’m sure they’ll love them… I know mine would.

Bedroom inspiration... gold throw

I've noticed a recurring item in my inspiration pics for the bedroom...

via escapade

via room envy

via the diversion project

posted previously here

Weekend plans - gardening

I'm hoping for some lovely sunshine this weekend so we can get outdoors and enjoy our garden. It will be part work and all fun!

All images courtesy Anna Kern, my new favourite photographer. (discovered via A Room Somewhere.)

On my mind... pool safety

On the (very) long term wish-list for the new house is frameless glass pool fencing such as in the images below. 

On the more immediate priority list is the installation of our new pool alarm. Supposedly it is set off when an object/person weighing more than 8kg breaks the surface of the water.

We decided the alarm was necessary this past weekend when we sprung the Little Person standing on his tricycle trying to open the pool gate. He is 2 years and 4 months old! WTF!

Perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised... one of our friends was found on the roof of the house at age 2. He'd taken advantage of a ladder his Dad had earlier been using to clean the gutters. But seriously?! Who knew 2 year olds were so resourceful?

The pool gate does actually have a lock too, which we will now be using religiously.

What dangerous situations has your adventurous toddler found themselves in?

On my mind... spring has sprung

Gosh, I can't believe I let the first day of spring go unheralded yesterday! I love, love, love that it is going to be getting warmer now and the daylight is already lasting longer. In belated celebration of this turning of the seasons here are some outdoor spaces I would love to spend time in this spring.

via Desire to Inspire

via Room Envy

via The Decorista

The Decorista again

via Lydia Lyons Designs

Perhaps not in the pool just yet, though.