Project Finito

I've linked up with Sarah's Good Life Wednesday over at Beach Cottage, why not come on over and have a look see.

You can find it here

Happy Tuesday everyone. I was having some big problemos yesterday downloading photos, so here is the result of my very productive weekend.

While MONT was at Bonnie Doon, I thought I'd get stuck into my little drawer/cabinet unit

It now looks like this

After starting out like this.

This is how it looked "during" the refurbishment

I've trialled two sorts of knobs. I got some lovely glass knobs from Schots Emporium in Clifton Hill

...and some of my tried and tested standard fare from IKEA

I mixed up some paint to get the colour I wanted. It's sort of half strength Antique White USA. I had some full strength that I toned down.

I put this little unit in the front hallway just to see how it looks, but I think it's the wrong size for that spot, so I'm thinking the dining room will be it's new home.

What do you think?

...and which little knobs look best? I think the glass ones would look better in a bedroom, but that's just me.

I'll take some better photos when I get an honest to goodness camera again

Problems?

Anyone else having problems loading photos into Blogger today?

I was going to show you my little project that's all finished, but the pics just won't load.

Maybe tomorrow.

Nice place to visit...wouldn't want to live there

Over the years, I've been fortunate to live and work right up the east coast of this great brown land of ours and even ventured south to Hobart for a year. But that was a long time ago.

Naturally, some places I liked more than others. Brisbane? Loved it. I felt right at home and even bought a house there, but eventually, I got transferred back to Melbourne.

Sydney? Not the place for me. I lived there for 2 years, and didn't really take to the city at all. Nice place to visit, etc....

...and so it is with some decor styles. I like to visit them but I really don't want to live with them.

Take Shabby Chic.

I like looking at it, visiting it at other people's homes/blogs, even like seeing how people put it all together and just "go with the flow" of all that deliberately distressed paint work. But living with it 24/7 would drive me bonkers. I'd want to get out there and start sanding and painting again. I like pre-loved, but not scraped and distressed.

I like all of these little cabinets, but I'm afraid I'd want to paint them because to me, they don't look finished.

Sure Number 10 has more than it's fair share of "footpath finds" and other second hand bits and pieces...but I just haven't been able to bring myself to "distress" them after spending all that time painting and restoring the darn things.

It's the same with modern  minimalism

It's stark and just doesn't look inviting - or warm. To me anyway. Too much emphasis on the style and not enough on the living.

I know everyone's different. My friend "G" doesn't like the idea of second hand furniture at all and she's is definitely not a fan of white. Her home is filled with new furniture and lots of colour...not a splinter of white wood to be seen.....

Is there a decor style you like visiting but wouldn't want to live with?

Good Life over at Beach Cottage

I've joined Good Life Wednesdays over at Sarah's blog a Beach Cottage here



Image by Sarah @ Beach Cottage

Come on over and join in ... I think you might like it

The 30 minute rule

I do not like housework and I know I'm not alone in that department.

I dread getting the vacuum cleaner out, setting it up and then dragging it through the house, because I know once I'm finished I'll only have to do it all over again next week....and don't get me started on ironing. I told MONT when we met that I do not iron (except when I'm sewing) so any clothing he needs to be ironed is his responsibility.

Anyway, I digress...I've taken the advice of someone (can't remember who) on a blog I read ages ago, to impose a housework time limit. They actually impose a five minute rule because they had little kids and that's all they could manage at a time, but I've got a bit more time to devote to this dreaded task, so I'm now imposing a 30 minutes rule.

I embraced this because, when I was working full time, I used to spend just about all of Saturday trying to psych myself into cleaning the house, then I'd take ages vacuuming and tidying and washing because I was so fed up and so easily distracted that I'd stop what I was doing and go an have a cuppa, or a sit down or...well, nothing. I'd just stop and then feel like my entire day had been chewed up by housework.

The trick to this "rule" is to only do what you can in that 30 minute period then stop. Whatever you've missed can be done the following day when you set yourself another 30 minutes.

Now, you don't have to set yourself a strict 30 minutes, you can apply the 15 minute rule, or the 20 minute rule if that suits you better....or even longer. Totally up to you

Maybe a quick 5 minute tidy up is what you'd prefer. Easy, just stick to that then. The thing is not to let the chores eat up your entire day.

A friend of mine, who hates housework even more then I do, was sceptical about this, but then tried it and reports back that it's terrific so she's now embracing it...  Whatever works for you I say.

I'm cookin'

Still no camera and no contact from the Insurance company as to the status of our claim.

But that hasn't stopped me....Instead I've enlisted the services of my mobile phone to take some shots. Not as good as my beloved Canon, but they'll do for now

I got to baking this weekend and thought I'd try a recipe from my girlfriend "G"...it's a carrot cake and I have to say it was easy and delicious.

You can get the recipe here

Happy baking...this cake really is super easy. Enjoy

Ryobi workout

I've been doing a bit of bargain hunting...on eBay....and I've found a couple of beauties that I plan to refurbish for Number 10.

This little cupboard really took my fancy because it 's a little like the other yellow chest of drawers  I found on the nature strip last year. You can see them here. This cupboard had been stencilled with a gold paint and had old fashioned china knobs that had also been detailed with gold craft paint.

 ...and on the sides, they'd placed sheets of wrapping paper for detail, then covered the edges with gold edged gift ribbon.

Well...the knobs have been removed and cleaned, ready for another project.

The two drawers have been sanded

The body of the cupboard has also been given the once over.

...And the ribbon and some of the paper's been removed so I can sand it all back and give it the "Number 10 treatment"

I'm not sure what was used to stick the paper down and then seal it, but when I tried to remove it by scraping, then wetting it, it went all gooey and sticky...maybe PVC glue? Not sure, but I plan to get some paint stripper to get all of it off so I can get it all nice and smooth and paint it....white or off white of course.

I also purchased another chest of old drawers. They can wait for another day though.

Design

You know, architects have always amused me.

I know they do some wonderful work. Great designs, innovative features, cutting edge stuff.... but really, do some of them think that it's all about "looks" and not function? What about the small stuff?

What's amused me I guess is that they don't seem to be really good with the "livable" aspects of a house...you know, the little things that you just expect would be a "given" in a home.

MONT's worked with quite a few and he tells me some of their expectations have been unrealistic because they sometimes want things that are not possible, they overlook things that should be a priority...and some don't consult with the tradespeople who have to implement their designs.

I have a friend who's had her home renovation designed by an architect. It's all quite beautiful. Really gorgeous in fact. Even her bathroom is top class!  Only thing is, she doesn't have a power point for her hairdryer/shave etc....

Actually, I'm wrong, she does have a power point, but it's tucked away in the back of the cupboard. You know, the one under the basin.

What's with that?

She said the architect didn't want a power point on the wall because it broke the clean lines and distracted from the "look" of the room.

Sorry, but I don't get it.

You can bet your bottom dollar he'd have a power point on the wall in his bathroom.

Dottie Angel Challenge - Progress

It's been a while since I gave you an update of the Dottie Angel Challenge I've embarked upon and I have to say I'm doing a bit better than I thought I would.

I've found some bargains...scoured the op-shops and had a lovely time saving some money

As I mentioned in my original post here, I wouldn't be resorting to pre-loved underwear and I was in the market for some new bras this past week....but as usual, I waited for the sales and found a real bargain. Instead of paying almost $200 for new intimate apparel in the style I usually buy, I got 4 pairs for just under $90....and they'll last me for ages!

I've also been haunting the op-shops and picked up some pretty nice little pieces of linen, doilies and cotton napkins etc. I think I've paid about $11 in all and many of them are quite beautiful. I have plans for them and will let you know about that later.

One other thing I have bought though, (and at full price) is a new pair of slippers for around the house.

I bought these.

I can't bring myself to wear second hand shoes or slippers but these will last a long time and I know they're going to be as comfy as anything because I already have another pair of Haflinger's and they're wonderful!

I can't wait for them to arrive from the UK...

Sure I've been tempted when I've been out and about, but I have refrained. I figure it'll be there tomorrow or the next day and if I truly "want or need" it then I can always go back and get it. So far though that hasn't happened.

So, onward and upward with the challenge...so far so good.