Devil is in the detail

Sometimes you can have the plainest looking thing...and a simple "tweak" can make it very special with very little effort

I'll be having a wall of cupboards, with about 6 doors, in the new studio, and got thinking about door knobs. I wanted something really nice but not too OTT and as usual, didn't want to spend a fortune, so headed off to eBay to see what I could find.

...and voila!!!  There they were.

They are crystal and have a nice weight to them.

I bought them from different suppliers but they are very similar in shape. The black are 30mm.

The clear are 40mm

I saw some others on eBay but they were acrylic/plastic. Not what I was wanting.

Love these though!

New addition - on sale

I love having a wander around IKEA, even if I don't buy anything. It gives me some great ideas and tips about what can go with what as well as ideas of dimensions and sizes...

But, one of the departments I really like to end my trip to the big Swedish superstore is the "AS-IS" department.

It's usually full of damaged or display stock that's already been assembled and discounted

I've picked up some serious bargains in there...plants, cushion covers and last week, a chair!

I've wanted a nice chair to use at my sewing table for a while now...and there it was, waiting for me for $52.00

It's only problem is a little "ding" on one of the legs. It's slip cover was a little grubby and I had planned to give it a wash when I got it home, but I gave it a couple of hard slaps and bangs and the marks just disappeared!

I've had this little embellished cushion for ages. It was a "one-off" sample...

 ...and it matches the chair perfectly!

They're both sitting in our bedroom until the studio/sewing room's finished.

Love 'em

I Bought Something. Big.

It's a clock and it JUST fitted in the back of the car

It's huge...but there is one thing.

It doesn't work

But I knew that when I bought it... there were lots of them and the retailer said they couldn't guarantee they'd work, that's why they were so cheap.

I have other plans for it and with MONT's help, it's going to be transformed.

Oh...how much did I -pay for it?

$20

Yep, that's all

What do you think?

Mood Lighting for the Garden

Some more ideas for garden lighting, which can be quite expensive but it doesn't need to be. There are some ways to get mood lighting in the garden that won't cost you much at all..

I usually put some tealight candles in little jars out there whenever we have people coming over...and MONT installed an "uplight" under a tree to make it look nice as well...

I guess whatever you do depends on the size of the garden, what effect you want to achieve and what you like yourself...

I've done a couple of things, apart from the tealights in jars...and one of the ideas came from Diane at In My Own Style. She made  this little beauty and I love it!!

Here's my version... made with an old light fitting that came out of our spare room

It's easy.... you can make it with twine or get some chain from your local hardware if you want a different look

Just tie the twine around the rim and add some pieces to hang it....or add the chain in the same way. You'll need some little jewelery pliers and connectors so you can hang it in the garden from a tree branch...

Then you can do this as well...with some of the other old fittings you have

They glow like night lights...I put a couple of battery operated tealights in them and they twinkle the night away...

So...if you see any old glass domes at the local op-shop or have some lying around the house, put them in the garden and give them a second life.

My Laundry-large cupboard or small room?

The Number 10 laundry is small. No, make that tiny. In fact, it's a cupboard.

It's about the size of a smallish walk-in pantry. Just enough to house the washing machine, dryer, a cupboard and a few shelves to hold things...but that's about it.

I use this little room for storage as well as a laundry. MONT put shelves right around the walls so I can store all the spare glasses, still in their boxes and any saucepans or large pans, that only get used when we have a crowd to cater for...and sometimes I even put them in their correct spot on the shelf, not just leave them on the bench

So, like I said it's small and a bit crowded....no place to set up the ironing board, (not that I iron much), and no place for things to hang to dry...in fact there's no room to even store the clothes airers.

Usually, when I wash MONT's shirts, I put them on hangers (to help avoid more ironing), then place them on door knobs around the place...but instead of them being out on show, I really wanted a little rail for them in here...But what would I use for the rail?

Well, when we changed all the brass light fittings over to chrome, the rods came with extension pieces and I have a few of them left over...

Voila...

May I present my new drying rail

It's only large enough to hold a few shirts...but that's all I needed....and it's much better than going out and buying something that would've set me back a lot more than the $6 for the brackets.

If I was just starting out on the Number 10 renovation (and knew then what I know now) I'd have a much larger laundry that could store EVERYTHING! But this is what I have and this is what I have to work with...I think it's OK

Oh and yes...those baskets on the shelves are new too. A quick trip to KMart and they were in the car in 10 minutes flat.

Butterfly Cushion

Target

30% off

Who'd a thunk it?

Spray it

Thought I'd have a play with a couple of cans of spray paint and a candle stick/holder that turned up at home recently.

I'm not sure where this came from. I don't remember bringing it home so I'm guessing MONT found it somewhere. Funny...he's always having a go at me for being a "magpie" but then brings home lots of bits and pieces just in case I can put them to good use.

That's one of the reasons I love him...anyway, I discovered it came apart...so I un-screwed it then put it outside for a bit of a makeover

A couple of sprays of undercoat...

...and then a top coat of gloss and this is it

I got a battery powered candle and an etched dome from the spare room...and voila

I think it'll look better with a larger candle and no dome, but this'll do for the time being

A little birdy told me.....

I found this little bird tile at a discount outlet a while back.

It's supposed to hang on the wall, but the little metal bracket on the back has been placed in the wrong spot.
That's probably why it was just a dollar I guess.

It's had a few spots around the house, but right now sits on my kitchen bench so I see it every day.

Another little restoration...

I'm almost completely over the "bug" I had and am back into painting and restoring a few bits and pieces that have been sitting around and getting in the way

I bought this on eBay for a song a few weeks back and thought I'd paint it and add some new knobs and either sell it or use it.

As you can see, it has a nice little feature on the back

At the moment, I'm leaning towards using it as a bedside cabinet but will have to wait and see how it looks in the space. I don't want our new bedroom to look too crowded, if you know what I mean.

If it does fit in it'll be terrific because it'll give me a little more storage space and we can't have too much of that can we?

Actually, I bought two chests of drawers on eBay. (both were very cheap and in keeping with my Dottie Angel Challenge). They're similar but not identical and I think will look rather nice all painted and spruced up. This one might be for MONT if it looks OK beside the bed

I haven't touched this one yet...but I'll get around to him eventually

Ooh....I just got a delivery in the post and that means a great giveaway coming soon...and of course it's gorgeous!!!

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.

Resolutions?

I'm not a New Year Resolutions type of girl. Instead, what I like to do is set myself tasks...not to lose weight or get fit etc. I like to give myself projects to achieve and my projects this year are more renovations and refurbishments of some old furniture.

So on that note, I'd like to introduce you to my latest footpath find.....

Taa Daa.....

It was sitting all by it's lonesome a few houses down from Number 10, so MONT went and got it for me.

Not sure how I plan to tackle it yet because the top is a laminate and after peeling a bit of it off, it was pretty rough underneath...even too rough (methinks) for a heavy sand and a coat of white paint.

Anyhooo we'll see. It will be sanded back, given a good undercoat and maybe the top will have to be replaced, which should be pretty easy seeing those curly corner thingies are screwed on.

It's a strange little piece, but will look better with a nice coat of paint... or three...

Luckily I took the photos of this a couple of days before our cameras were "pinched".

We're still on holidays, so Amanda, I have not forgotten that you gave me an award a few days back ... I've just been a bit distracted with our episode at home and now being at the beach.

A Big Week.....

It has been a big week at Number 10...just as it's been a big week for everyone everywhere else!

Apart from Christmas and New Year, I celebrated another birthday smack bang in between the two big days. I had a lovely day and received some beautiful gifts. MONT bought me a book I'd been wanting as well as a tripod for my camera! No more wobbles for this girl, no-sir-ee.....all crystal clear from now on!

My girlfriend "G" gave me a Wedgwood plate, to match the Jasper Conran cup and saucer she gave me last year. It's glorious! ...and my Mum popped in with some beautiful roses.

Me? I shouted myself a new coat for next Winter.

I know it's a funny time to be buying coats when the temperature in Melbourne got to 41 Celsius yesterday, but I found it in our local op-shop and it's absolutely beautiful!

It's pale camel and cream pure wool and it's reversible. It'll be perfect for those cold nights at the football with MONT....it's also perfect for what I hope to achieve this year. To make 2011 a minimal retail year for me. I plan to shop the closet and cupboards, make do with what I have, save a little more money and stay away (this is the hard part) from fabric stores and sewing pattern sites. More on that later though, for now, I just want to enjoy my gorgeous gifts and relax until I have to go back to work next week.

Have a happy and safe weekend
xx

Am I lucky or what?

I found another little gem on a footpath near us the other day. It was lying next to a pile of stuff and I nearly got whiplash when I saw it, but I was driving and couldn't stop.... so I called MONT from work and told him to skedaddle over there and pick it up for me...and guess what?

HE DID!

By the look of it, it's been left in a shed or out in the open for a long time as it's all weathered and split in a couple of places on the turned legs.

But that's fine by me...it'll look great once it's sanded back, gets a couple of coats of paint and I work out what sort of top would look best.

Natural timber or a painted finish...maybe a white-wash? We'll see. I'm thinking it might be nice to have it on the back deck, so we can place our drinks and nibbles on it of a Summer evening. Sounds like a plan to me

Jimmy Buttons

Hi all.....well after telling you about my "Frightie" the other day, you know the frock that takes you from day to night and beyond...I got a couple of emails and a comment wanting to know more about the place where I bought the trim to go on it.

It's Jimmy Buttons and it's a fantastic treasure trove for sewers.

I called in there again today to pick up a couple of things because I'd had no luck at another large, well known fabric store....and yes they had exactly what I was after.

I asked if I could take a few photo's to show you how it's all set out, but unfortunately they said no, only because they have fierce competitors who also want to know what they have hidden inside.

So....if you're a sewer I suggest you do yourself a favour and head down to Jimmy Buttons at 375 George Street Fitzroy and check out their laces, braids, chains, ribbons, elastics, buttons and everything else hidden inside....oh and they do professional covered buttons as well!

I promise you will not be disappointed.

375 George Street is just around the corner from Johnson Street. It's a little, nondescript brick building that contains all that your heart desires...and they're reasonably priced too.

Toto, there's no place like home

I thought I'd take these babies out for a spin at the weekend.

MONT and I ventured into the garden for a little while to prune and trim and get rid of some of these god awful brown weedy things in the grass....these 'girls" worked a real treat.

...and no... contrary to popular belief, I was dressed before heading into the front garden and was not still in my night attire, (although I can't guarantee that wasn't the case a few minutes before this photo was taken)