Taking the time...

Today I'm just taking the time to notice the little things around me...

More thrifting

Results of last Saturday's excursion to the second hand stores....I tell you this sort of foraging could be catching!

Spit and polish

I collected these pine cones from our garden a while back and am still contemplating various craft options for Christmas...but what of the receptacle?

I found it in my godfather's shed after he died and have neither restored nor used it for any purpose in the house for the last 15 years or so. I think I finally have enough confidence to say that I like it tarnished and as is, what do you think?

I probably have way to many Copperart flashbacks from the 70s to ever allow me to polish it up!!!

Rust-oleum LOVE!

Trust me when I say that I am getting NO payment to endorse this magic spray, it is simple a case of true love.

I first read about this wonderful spray paint on the Door Sixteen blog, and since then I've used it to........turn hideous lanterns into something special for our spring porch;

...turn some also hideous pots into beautiful spring porch adornments;

...help organise the boy childs' art supplies;

...and so many many more projects that I've yet to share.

Our local Bunnings doesn't stock this magical mist, so I've had to make a few trips across town to stock up on my supplies. Why is it magic you ask? ...because it goes onto ANYTHING - wood, plastic, paper, metal and sticks like glue, but most of all it doesn't drip and gives a smooth-AS-finish...and as I said before it really is true Rust-oleum love!

A wintry sewing project - door snakes

In Canberra people talk about the "Labour Day long weekend" as being the last of the frosts that we can expect for the year, and this happens to be this weekend. So I must post about a very wintery sewing project that I made some weeks ago before this last frost is to appear.

The need for a little protection from drafts became a bit more important after our move in May to a much older house. One of our solutions was to use a few door snakes around the place to trap the heat and keep out the cold, cold, cold. Yes I know I could have gone to the local hardware store and bought some cheapo crappo door snakes....but I was after a bit more style you see, and being the mother of two small widgets I thought a sturdy version could perhaps be a bit more practical.

So here is my door snake sewing "method":
1. I decided to make an inner snake out of calico. I laid out the calico as per the picture below, then folded the fabric again in half to create a double layer of calico snake.

2. I then overlocked around three sides.

3. Before filling with sand and sealing the calico snake, I cut out the outer fabric for the snake. For this I found some Ikea fabric in my stash which was just the perfect weight, nice and thick and sturdy! I cut it out around the calico snake piece like this;

4. Fill the inner snake with sand, overlock/sew and reinforce with top stiching.
5. Sew/overlock up the sides of the side and bottom seams of the outer snake. I used my overlocker to finish the top of this snake as well.
6. Finally I added some snaps to the top of the outer snake, so that I could remove the inner one and wash the cover, because I was sure that at some point these door snakes would be seconded off for an alternative use by some small child and dragged around the house....and I was right!

Spring porch sneak peak

All winter I've been dreaming about our spring porch. Now don't get me wrong I really LOVE winter in Canberra....as someone who was born in the tropics it is an absolute treat to me every year to HAVE to wear tights, gloves, scarves and of course own several proper coats.

But since our move in May I've been scheming, plotting and planning what our "porch" should look like, and for the last few months we've been steadily working towards it. Fingers crossed with another long weekend looming we'll have it done and all will be revealed.

Across the great divide...

I know a bit dramatic...but it REALLY felt like it.

Yup, we've spent the last month moving house...the problem was that in my (say that our) mind we're still at uni, driving from dig to dig with the rolled up futon in the front seat, so moving takes like a weekend or less.

Yup, we're deluded! Moving with two kids really sux! AND it takes WAY longer than a weekend!

...and I'm rather disappointed to report that I no longer sleep on a futon.

PS: picture flogged from someone....better cite it.

It's the little things...

Every morning one of the first things that greets me in the kitchen are my three little friends , who, as you can see, are doing very nicely on the kitchen window sill...They make me smile and improve my mood right away - funny how little things can do that to you - what little things make you smile around your home I wonder?

The other thing that makes me smile about this photo, is the blurry image of the pedal car left out in the garden overnight...a remnant of yesterday's fun.

Ikea haul (Part Two)

As I alluded to last week I have been on a bit of a shopping spree at Ikea of late...especially fabric! I just love it. It's simple design at its best, great decorator weight for the home (or bags for that matter ) and cheap. These cushions above were made from pieces found in the remnants bin. I'm not going to insult y'all and tell you how to make cushions. But I will say that I decided to use an invisible zip on these babies, because my invisible zip presser foot is my latest crush...and I'm loving the result.

The second set of projects that I completed from Ikea fabric are these stack of tablecloths. Finally, after years of searching I've found fabric wide enough for our six seater table that I actually like....The top one has a bit of a Marimekko feel to it don't you think?

Ikea haul (Part One)

In the last two months I've managed to go to Ikea three times, which is quite an achievement for someone who lives 3 hours away from the closest store. Twice I visited the store in person, and once over the phone ie. directed the man of the house around the shop, particularly the fabric section whilst he was on an interstate work thingy.

What I miss Ikea for the most is NO not the furniture, but all of the house styling stuff. So today I completed one of my mini Ikea projects when I went to the nursery and bought one of my most favourite indoor plants - Baby's tears (Soleirolia), which is just perfect for a bright, but not sunny window sill in my kitchen.

...and for good measure I wanted to show you where I first fell in love with this plant and using it indoors, in my still beloved mid-1980's plant decorating book.


Stay tuned for more Ikea related projects...

Tea cup candles

A long time ago I bought these gorgeous tea cups from a shop in Chinatown...it was bcc (before 2 x children) when the man of the house and I owned a fantastic inner city pad in the wonderfully downtown and a bit seedy area of Brisbane - Fortitude Valley. It was a great apartment, huge - in a century old department store with high ceilings and arched windows (just like the one on Playschool!)....anyway back to the tea cups.....

From memory I think they were less than a dollar each and I couldn't believe it. Over the years they've rarely been used for tea - usually yoghourt, sauces, dippity-dooda things. But now they've found another use.......candles.

I know it's not a huge jump of creative inspiration to turn these into candles, but as a serious bath connoisseur I'm enjoying the result........

And they couldn't be easier. All you need is candle wax, some wick, blue tack, a kebab stick and some fragrant oil if you please. Firstly secure the wick to the bottom of the tea cup with the blue tack and wind the other end of the wick around the kebab stick so that the wick is taught when the stick lays across the top of the cup. Melt the wax in a dish over hot water, I suppose you might even be able to do this in the microwave. Add the oil, mix and pour to within 1/2 inch of the top. When the candle sets you will get a depression (not GFC - hehe) in the middle. You can then use a toothpick, or another kebab stick to make some small impressions around the wick, melt a little more wax and pour to within 1/4 inch of the top...voila! You can use candle colouring, but I don't as I like a white candle. I bought the wax, oils and wick from New Directions.