New chevron doona cover

I've been on the lookout for a new doona cover for my sons room for some time and I just couldn't go past this chevron quilt cover from Target . I bought the double for my teenagers bed and I'm so impressed with the quality, the underside is gorgeous too with a lovely pale grey chevron .I love it .And at $30 for the double with $9 postage it was a great price too .Its called the Ryder and it did sell out quickly although I have noticed some of the other quilts that sold out are back in stock so keep your eyes peeled.
Michelle x
image from target teenagers room was far too messy for a photo today

A corner of my home

Hello there ..

Here is a spot in my living room that I don't think I have shown previously , the TV is pretty huge I know and some people don't like them much , and thats ok. Living here with three males in the house there is normally someone wanting to watch something in the evening, actually lately it seems to be me taking over the box in this house with" the block" on every night and" offspring "aswell once a week.So anyway this is where ours is and I'm really happy with how this corner is looking , what do you think?

For a closer look at the lamp its the cockatoo lamp from have you met miss jones .

Its actually quite hard to get a decent shot of this area , what with the reflection of the TV and please excuse all the cords and the Wii ....just keeping it real.

Sideboard from Matt Blatt

Lamp from have you met miss jones

Pouffe from table tonic

Michelle x

Thinking about cushions

Lately I've been thinking a lot about new cushions. Is it winter that does this ...the need to cosy up and add some colour to our dreary days.

I'm loving this one

Its from my favourite local shop Nest Emporium, seriously this shop is so good if you are ever down this way (Thirroul) you need to check it out, and of course they have an online shop too. So anyway I'm thinking a couple of these babies on the bed.

Also I just bought this one last night on made it to go in the 10 year olds room and it was only $15 ...I know so cheap! And that was with the insert too. His room is having a massive clean out! Out with the toy box and about 10 tonnes of plastic/battery less toys and in with some cool things like the cushion.

 

And I'm thinking maybe one of these also from nest emporium

Except his will be a N (Noah)

Also have painted a wall with chalkboard paint too so its all coming together .You might remember this blanket that I made it is his too so that will be in there.Do you get the need to change things around in winter too, spring clean /chuck out?

 

Michelle x

 

 

Love poster

I finally got around to framing my LOVE poster by Jen Ramos of MadeByGirl. I know you have probably seen these everywhere but you have to admit they are pretty fantastic and don't you just love the red. I am really trying to be adventurous with colour. I would never have chosen red in the past so this is big for me .The fabric panel behind the bed is Marimekko and I've had it for a few years and it was the first bit of colour I actually let come into my house, took me about a year to stop looking at it and couldn't decide if I loved it or hated it.Now I love it. And the gorgeous home sweet home cushion is from Aunty cookie

And just before I go look what I found at a garage sale on the weekend , isn't she lovely . I couldn't leave it there when someone had obviously put so much work into painting it , and it was only $15 ..I know bargain.

 Here is a close up ...I wonder who she is?

Sorry the last shot was a bit blurry and I couldn't be bothered getting another.
Michelle x

BBQ decorating

We recently had a little bbq for my mums birthday , it turned out to be such a hot day so the tropical theme I went with looked so pretty.

Here are a few pics

On the table I just filled jars with bougainvillea from the garden and also tossed around some little cocktail umbrella's, the lanterns are from freedom

The Martha Stewart pompoms are so very easy and were a first attempt so I was really happy with how they turned out and they hung quite well from the bananas in the yard ( except fourteen year old nephew asked why I had put bath sponges in the trees....sigh)

No I hadn't forgotten the laundry tub...that was used for the cold drinks. Don't they come in handy for a million uses I really must get some more .
 The bbq turned out a great day if a little hot at around 40 degrees ...but as far as decorating goes the whole thing probably cost about $10 which I was pretty happy with .

Do you like it ?

Michelle x

Day bed makeover

Our daybed on the front deck was really starting to look a bit tired , we had already chucked the mattress off it because it was starting to fall apart and I really felt it needed a freshen up, it was annoying me everytime I entered the front door.So after a few coats of white gloss this is how she's looking.

much better ...I was over the balinesiness( ok so I know thats not a word) of it anyway.

Sorry about the ordinary photos I realised I hadn't blogged for ages and hastily took these shots just a few moments ago and would you look at that pillow on the left !I'll blame the kids for that one ...they must have touched it . Anyway just thought I'd share.Hope you like.

 Michelle x



Butterfly art

 Look what I found in the op shop when I went To Bright just before Christmas . I know scored big time!! I was so excited and its vintage and homemade too which makes it even more special don't you think.

And your not going to believe this when I came home I went into another op shop after my new found enthusiasm of finding the green butterfly and look what I found!! I know freaky ! A yellow framed butterfly.

This one is smaller and not vintage but pretty all the same .

And they match. I can't tell you how long I have been admiring butterflies just like these in a local shop but they are pretty expensive and so they have always well...stayed on the shelves.

So fingers crossed next time I go into an op shop they have another ....I'm thinking blue would be nice. Is that too much to ask.

x Michelle

In the garden

Look what we grew . We actually planted about 20 seeds but these two were the only ones that seemed to thrive on neglect.

I've been working on the vege garden quite a bit lately so hopefully will have some veges to show you soon

look at our pretty faces

Look how tall we are.

x Michelle

Our Christmas .

Ok so I know its January 2nd but I just realised I didn't really show any photos of around the house apart from the book wreath, so here's a couple of pics.

The Christmas stockings are from Ikea a few years ago and the baubles are mercury glass and from a garage sale. The candles are from Domayne and they are those battery operated real wax ones.

The perspex JOY is from a  little gift shop in Bright, Victoria .

This is our old faithful tree , we've had this one for about 15 years and it was my mums before that so yeh...getting our moneys worth (well mums money)

A little bit of a reindeer woodland theme going on (who knew we had so many in the toy box!!)

There's also a moose thrown in too...just cause he's cute.

Umm , yep old tree taken down two days before Christmas when we fell in love with a real Norfolk pine in a pot. Most decorations packed away as anything heavier than a cotton ball threatened to break his branches!

Christmas morning breakfast table.

So there you have it our Christmas.

x Michelle

Book wreath

This months Real Living magazine featured a book wreath in Alice Flynns beautiful home . I thought it was lovely , so you can imagine my delight when Belinda from The happy home blog featured a tutorial . I think Belinda did about 3 layers where as I did about 6 or 7 I think. In fact I might have even done more if I hadn't run out of hot glue.I think I used 21 glue sticks all up!

 I'm pretty happy with how it turned out , its Christmasy without being too much . I might even keep it up after Christmas ....what do you think?

If you decide to give one of these a go watch out for the hot glue ....I still haven't recovered.
Book paper wreath from very exy homewares shop $250
Book paper wreath from me $7.50 (includes hot glue) plus cost of skin grafts to replace my fingertips.

x michelle

terrariums

I've mentioned before how much I love terrariums so in the recent school holidays I thought I might make a few and see how they go . Its a lovely way to have a little green around ...without having to look after them too much .

I really liked the look of moss terrariums so I wanted to make some ...but finding moss is not so easy . I went to the nursery and well they don't sell it .....I know who would have thought! I finally found some growing in the local Franklins carpark!

So I got my nine year old boy to get it for me ...because picking around on the ground is what he does 99% of the time anyway and I didn't want to be seen picking moss from the ground at Franklins .
Now its growing like mad

Have a closer look ...its like a forest in there and actually not very mossy looking at all .

But I'm still really happy with how these turned out and would actually like to have a go at some bigger ones ...I just need to find some bigger jars first ...and more moss . Supplies were running low last time I looked at Franklins . Might have to check out Woolies or Bi-Lo .

x Michelle

Nana's mirror

My gorgeous Nan who is 90 has just moved into a retirement type village and subsequently has had to seriously downsize her belongings . The last of her things were taken out the other day and were on the way to the local Vinnie's by my parents ...when mum happened to mention there was a mirror and did I want it . One mention of the scalloped edge and I was hooked , so my parents dropped it in to me the other day .

Our staircase has a little shelf on the way down where I keep my antlers and so I just popped the mirror there ...added a candlestick that I picked up at a garage sale a few months ago ...

and I'm thinking this really works ......I'm loving it ....what I don't love is I keep checking myself out on the way down the stairs ...hmm botox anyone.

x Michelle

Green chair love

A couple of years ago, January 2008 to be exact Home beautiful featured the stunning home of Interior Designer Kate Sacks . This home is right up my alley I love everything about it and I guess I have a similar thing going on here as Kate does . Well almost ...

timber floors check ,

same freedom coffee table check ,

white walls check ,

touches of wicker check ,

two boys check,

house in Byron Bay check.... Ok so that's a lie but I did live there for 6 years so its kinda true ,ok not really . Anyway my absolute favourite thing in Kate's house were her green chairs.




Oh how I loved those green chairs , I dreamed about those green chairs and wished I too had a Aunt that would pass on to me some green chairs just like these. So I kept my copy of Home Beautiful and would often look and sigh at the chairs but had given up the hope that one day I would have green vintage chairs too .

And then something AMAZING happened ....

while driving down the road to pick my son up from school a couple of months ago what is sitting on the side of the road , homeless and waving at me was ....TWO VINTAGE , VELVET GREEN CHAIRS .

Now let me tell you , lucky for me I drive a van I screeched to a halt ....and well those chairs and I locked eyes and well.... its been love ever since .

Let me tell you these babies weigh a ton! They may not be perfect they have a few marks...

And they were a bit grotty...

And they may have had a lot of rubbish down the sides......

And my house may not be as beautiful as Kate Sacks's home..

But I love them .....and one day I will recover them . And what will I recover them in ....well green velvet of course.


x Michelle