Instant Makeover

Hi all,

I bought this amazing Italian tray a few months ago. I really like it.....

But - it needed something - it was lost on the table....

So???? You guessed it - I painted it ...... WHITE

I love how it "pops" now and its totally more suited to my decor. Now all I need its something to display in it.... Any ideas???

Take care

Nat

My Girls

Just wanted to share this glorious photo of my lovely girls, Maclayne and Payton.

Love it and it will have to find a spot on the gallery wall.....hmmm me thinks a new gallery wall needs to be started soon.....

Take care

Nat

Button Flowers - A Tutorial

Are these not the cutest???

So super easy to make and a fantastic craft to do with the kids.

There are heaps of tutorials on how to make these little gems all over blog world - so why not add one more???

Here are said kids - ever so eager and excited to help mum....

Basically all you need are a selection of buttons, galvanized wire and scissors or pliers.

 Choose 3 buttons of different sizes (also works with 2 buttons)

Stack them....

Cut a piece of wire (double your desired length)

 Thread through one side of holes - loop and thread through the other side

Twist the wire to hold the buttons in place

 I chose to twist the wires all the way to the bottom (Im like that.....)

 

Then display however you like....

I stuck them in my mom's old vase just to take pictures but they so worked here and that's where they now live....

 

I spotted this tutorial originally on the jones design company blog

Please go along an check it out - this is a great blog.

 button flowers {tutorial} | jones design company

If you google "button flowers" you will spot some fab ideas...

softalbum.com

flickr.com

myweddingideas.net

Hope you have had some inspiration today...

Take care

Nat

Linking Up To:


Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays , Simple Home Life - Simply Creations Friday , Serenity Now -Weekend Bloggy Reading

Potential

Look what I got today.........

It is handmade and was only $10 off Trade Me.

Can anyone see the potential?????

Will definitely be cutting that little shelf off, sanding the varnish off and of course WHITE will feature somewhere....

The possibilities are endless...<<dream>>

Some inspiration is needed...... Look at these gorgeous ideas

Ugly Bench/Coffee Table Makeover! - HOME SWEET HOME

  

5 DIY Headboards-Turned-Benches to Jump Start Your Tuesday » Curbly | DIY Design Community « Keywords: repurpose, Inspiration, recycle, DIY 

Recycle, re-use, redesign: Romantic Wrought Iron Vintage Bench 

Shady Tree Diary: {Bench Makeover #2} 

Im wondering if maybe blue will be an option.

What do you guys think???

Take care

Nat

Fireworks

The Christmas Tree at our local mall (Albany Mall) was officially lit tonight.

We went to watch the fireworks held after the tree was lit, with 3 tired but excited kids.... and Bigbird.

Very loud, very pretty and lots of "Whoa's" from my super son

The camera was playing up a bit - here is a general pic....

And some totally cool snaps.....

 

The countdown to Christmas has begun!

Take care

Nat

Cube Shelves

Hi everyone,

Going on with my love of all things coastal/beachy - I found this amazing blog: A Beach Cottage - Life by the Sea abeachcottage.com

Please have a little look and go on the home tour - oh how I want that house and everything in it!!! But realistically with the messy foursome that I live with, it will never happen - all that gorgeous white......sigh!

I have seen cube shelving everywhere and never really taken notice until I saw the Beach Cottage Dining Room.

(image from abeachcottage.com)

I really fell in love with the shelving unit and wanted to replicate it.

2 problems there....... #1 Cube shelves are way out of our price range (aka too expensive) and #2 we do not have that kind of space and I needed to have it off the floor to stop toddler hands destroying everything.

I didn't give up on my idea (poor Sean - I'm sure he thinks I'm nuts most of the time)

Then..... inspiration struck!!!!!!

I have this boring, blah chest of drawers next to the kitchen that doubles as a grocery cupboard and general junk collector......

I found cheap (and I mean cheap - 2 for $25) 3 tier shelves from The Warehouse

The next day I ran a layer of white paint over the drawers to brighten them up (they were a light cream)

Some drilling, wood glue and a few screws later (literally about 20 minutes work) 

and...... Ta Daaaaaa

I have a few fab finds on these shelves that we will chat about another day.....

The baskets hold the kids mega bloks and the drawers now house toys, toys and more toys. 

Practical and exactly what I wanted.....

Have a lovely weekend all, thanks for reading

Take care

Nat

Fab Finds #1

Today is one of those rainy Auckland days, older kids at Kindergarten and school, so an indoor day with Maclayne.

My latest addiction is trawling the thrift stores and online auction sites for treasures at bargain prices.

And what a great time to show you my recent fab finds. I think this will become a regular feature so I have labelled it #1.

Last week I found and bought this delicious mirror - don"t you just love the aged edges and old fashioned clasps? Love, love, love it....... and a real treasure at $1.50.

 

Then...... This has to be the most amazing glass vase Ive ever had - I stare at it every day......

And for $4 - I love it just that little bit more

But of course the most fabulous find of today is this wee treasure.....

Let me know if you have had any fab finds recently.....

Take care 

Nat

Kitchen Cupboard Makeover

I did this cupboard makeover before I even decided on writing a blog so please excuse the quality of photos and the lack of them.....

When I first met my "new" cupboard the thoughts that ran through my mind will not make it onto this post. But seriously what was I thinking????

It didn't help that Sean had been to collect it from the Trade Me seller (for those non Kiwi's or Aussies - Trade Me is an online auction site) and he had seen it come off the back of a truck with big red letters along the side that said 0800 JUNKRUN.........

Along with the hideous colour was the distinct smell and Sean shaking his head, muttering to himself every time he looked at it. 

I was very disheartened! What did I expect for something that I paid $20 for?

I wiped it down with disinfectant and braved the cobwebs and live spiders to discover that the base was rotten!

Here is the before...

We stripped some of the door back and saw the good quality wood underneath.

Then for a month we slowly stripped all the various layers of paint off using a heat gun and paint scraper. 

We had to wait for the kids' bedtime to work due to the danger of the heat gun and the mess we created.

halfway

Sean rebuilt the base and nailed a new back board on. The insides of the drawers and cupboard part had to be painted too.

Once completely stripped and sanded, I painted 3 layers of Dulux Brilliant White . Then sanded it back for that distressed look.

I raced off to K-Mart for the basket and gave it a coat of paint - it now houses potatoes and onions.

Using my favourite colour accents to decorate - my new cupboard is complete......and very functional!

Thanks again for reading

Take care

Nat

Linking Up To:

Simple Home Life - Simply Creations Friday , Not Just a Housewife - Show Me What Ya Got , Funky Junk Interiors - Saturday Night Special ,Remodelaholic - Fridays at Remodelaholic , Serenity Now -Weekend Bloggy Reading, Debbiedoos - Newbie Party