{Home on Wednesday} - Spring is for planting

A fun little weekend activity with my girl.  She has the attention span of a... nearly six year old, so it's good to find things which don't take long and have a few different steps.

Step 1. Add seed raising mix to trays.
Step 2. Place one seed in each section.
Step 3. Cover with 5mm seed raising mix.
Step 4. Water regularly.

I wanted to grow something under the plants along our back fenceline.  Nasturtiums are a great choice as they grow quickly and are quite hardy, PLUS the flowers can be added to salads for a pop of summer colour.  They have a slightly peppery taste which I really enjoy.

image from Sheridan Rodgers (links to recipe!)

I planted some of them out yesterday evening, so hopefully they will do their thing and grow like wildfire!

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{Home on Wednesday} - Bathroom beauty

I have a collection of "pretty things", gifts given to me over the years. I discovered the perfect place to display them - in the bathroom.

Some of them have a history. The antique silver-topped crystal container was a gift from my Godmother. The pink antique perfume bottle set from Mum. The antique pink glass plate from my Grandmother and the pink glass bowl from a friend.
The mirror was originally in Miss TikiBoo's bedroom, however it looked so perfect here that she kindly let it remain.

I love to move these items around, sometimes adding new pieces and then moving them elsewhere. Sometimes a small vase of pink flowers joins the display.

Do you have any collections of special things?

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{Home on Wednesday} - Wallpapering Children's rooms

The other day I decided to go and investigate one of the new Masters Home Improvement stores. It's not particularly close, but I love hardware and gardening stores so thought it could be worth the trek.
It was well worth the trip as I managed to score 3 white Camelia Japonica plants. I've been looking for ages and only ever locate the Sasquana variety, which prefer a sunnier spot than Japonica's.

While I was there I wandered around and happened to notice a nice little range of wallpaper, including some pretties from Laura Ashley. I haven't had wallpaper in a house since I lived in New Zealand, so I had never really considered it...until now!

Miss TikiBoo has been asking for pink walls in her bedroom, so it got me thinking that maybe a wallpaper feature wall would be nice. It's a very boring room with no windows, only a set of french doors out to the sleepout (my office). Wallpaper would certainly brighten it up!

Browsing the internet, I came up with the following, all found via Wallpaper Direct.

I have asked Miss TikiBoo which ones she likes best, and she picked the 3 brightest! None of which would really go with her current bedlinen, naturally! For that matter I'm not really convinced any of them would go, except possibly one of the stripe papers. The quilt fabrics are from Tanya's Whelan's French Hatbox collection, and we both really love them, so would prefer to work with them than replace.

Have any of my readers ever wallpapered a room? I'd love to hear from you if you have!
Opinions are also very welcome. Which would you choose?



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{Home on Wednesday} - Potted Daisies

Way back in 2009, we travelled to the south of France, along the French Riviera.  Somewhere along the way, by a shop doorway in one of the many villages we wandered through, I saw a daisy plant in a galvanised iron tub.  It's been an image that stayed with me the past few years, so I finally decided it was time I had my pot of daisies.

The Queenslander split front staircase at our home starts with two not particularly attractive concrete slabs.  Completely uninspiring, and just begging for some attention and some sort of makeover.  It was here I decided my potted daisy should go.

But, hey, why stop at one!  I now have eight tubs and pots in various sizes, evoking those memories every time I walk up the stairs.

And what's the best thing about daisies?  According to Miss TikiBoo, they are perfect for picking!

Here are some tips if you like this idea:

• Look around for different sized pots and buckets.  I visited several different nurseries and hardware stores to source mine.  They cost $9 - $15 each. My large tubs are actually designed to be tubs to hold ice and drinks, the medium pots are actually buckets and the smaller pots are from Ikea, similar to this.
• Make sure you drill holes for drainage in the base of each pot or bucket prior to planting.
• I selected Federation Daisies (Yellow - "Surfer Girl"; Pink - "Summer Pink" and a traditional white).  I also have a potted lavender in the arrangement.  Herbs would suit as well, and would add to the "cottage garden" feel.
• Daisies like a sunny spot, but will dry out quickly so don't forget to water regularly.
• If you "dead-head" (ie: cut off the withering flowers) your daisy plants regularly, it encourages your plant to continue blooming.

What have you done in your garden recently?

This post is the first in a new series I'm introducing to my blog "Home on Wednesday". Look out for my At Home posts each week to see how things are progressing around our home and garden!

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{Home on Wednesday} - Life is Beautiful

I've been frantically trying to get my workspace in some sort of order. Going from using a bedroom with a large built in robe and loads of natural light, to a converted "sleep out" is proving to be a little bit of a challenge organisation wise, and it's been trial and error to find the right spot for things.
There are still piles of homeless items on the floor and plastic tubs everywhere.
My work table was in the corner, but I have moved it to under the window so I can use it for photographs - although those stained wood window frames are again annoying me! Unfortunately the neighbours have also planted sky high bamboo right outside as well. But there is always a way around these things, and in the end, as the print says, "La vie est belle"!

I also think the fabric pictured is rather "belle". These will be curtains on Miss TikiBoo's french doors (which open onto this workroom). Hopefully there will be enough left for a cushion as well.

Let's hope we all have a beautiful day!

By the way...if you look up in my pages bar, up there under the banner, you'll see a new tab "Blogroll". That's where I'm adding banners to blogs I love!


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Furniture makeover - What would you do with this piece?

Here's a little piece I picked up on ebay a few weeks ago, a little maple side table.  It's slightly rough at the moment.

It sits over here against a white wall.  Oh, and the lamp finally has a new shade...yet to be photographed!

There are really three options I suppose.

A. Strip and varnish (or wax)
B. Paint it
C. Leave it and claim it's "rustic".

Decisions...what would you do?

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Bay window inspiration

Fabric sample images are from Ariadne Fabric

The bay window in our living area has so much potential, yet right now it's just there, looking all dark wood framed and dull!
As I've mentioned, I want to paint the whole frame white so it lets in more light. The twin window in the front bedroom (used as a family room at the moment) is white framed and the room is far lighter and fresher.
Neither of the windows have any type of curtain or blind, they just sit there, being uninspired windows.

I bought the couch and the chair for the living area and have been on the hunt for another chair or two, when I suddenly thought that maybe a window seat would be a better use of the area. (Actually, the fact the the cat was using my new couch as a climbing frame to look out the window was the inspiration!). Not only will it provide seating, but will also be some much needed extra storage.

So, I took to Pinterest for some inspiration.

1. This is so fresh and I love the colours...of course.  This is perfect just as it is.

2. Are these linen holland blinds?  I'm trying to decide if I love them, I think I do!  I also love that the seat looks nicely padded and cosy.

3. Who can go past a crisp stripe!  Roman blinds give a more contemporary look that the softer Holland in the picture above.  

4. Storage! Either lift up like this, great for seasonal items like blankets and doonas.

5. Or for something a little fancier, these drawers are rather sweet.

Have a lovely weekend everyone - we have more gardening and socialising planned!


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Updated cushions...

Remember this post where I was asking about the cushions on our back deck?
I gave mum the 3 cushions I had and asked if she could possibly make new covers "sometime", but before the weekend if at all possible (I still can't actually get to my sewing machine...). A couple of hours later I got a phone call telling me they were ready!

Before...


After...




What do you think? An improvement?
It's all still a bit too much yellow for me, but at least now the cushions match a bit better.
Thanks Mum!


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What's happening out the back?

Miss TikiBoo has wanted a trampoline for, well, forever.
The yard at our last house was a bit too small, as the pool took up most of it, with only a small patch of grass. We promised that the first thing we would do when we moved would be to get her a trampoline.

We certainly have the room. This is one of the real estate photos which I think were taken quite a while ago from the size of the trees!



So, somehow, we managed to end up with about the biggest trampoline one can buy. That's the same Jacaranda tree you can see the silhouette of. Really silly place for it and I'm considering moving or getting rid of it.



So, the "man with the digger" came and flattened out an area for the enormous trampoline, and 50 kids can quite possibly happily jump together.



I tend to have a bit of an obsession with lopping and pruning. We have a number of different loppers and secateurs, and spent a few hours clearing up this back corner using those with the longest handles! On the other side of the fence is a rampant bourganvillia. While I do enjoy the colourful display they can provide, I'm not so fond of the nasty, viscous thorns, so it had to go. We've now freed up another 3 square metres or so.



Some of the dirt was pushed down to this back corner. The mango tree will be hacked back a bit, and this area will be home to a raised vegetable garden.



And finally, a rather sad lemon tree in a rather silly position. I'm going to risk moving this as well, I have plans for this one! Stay tuned!

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Garden progess

A little bit of a progress report!

As many of you know, I had originally planned to plant a row of Lillypillies along this front fenceline, although I'm not really that fond of them. I had rather a yearning to plant olive trees as I love the softer silvery grey of the foliage, rather than the dark glossy green.

Mum and went to a nursery earlier in the week, and these caught my eye! Any guesses as to what they are? Not the daisies, the bigger plants. Here's a clue - they grow to around 3 metres high, butterflies love the flowers.

I also had my heart set on potted daisies. We visited 5 different nurseries over the weekend, and could not find a single white. I begrudgingly bought some soft pink, and a yellow - then found white at the same place I bought the front plants! Hooray, shall go there first next time!

The Lavender will be going along the front here. I had planned it for along the entire front of the house, however, after being here a couple of weeks, we've noticed it doesn't get enough sun.  I'm thinking about white camelias instead.

The "man with the digger" dug us some holes. Luckily he made them far too large, as the soil along the front is not actually soil - it's a nasty mix of clay and fill.
My driveway is currently covered in a cubic metre of garden soil, ready to fill these and the vegetable garden which will be out the back.  I see a weekend behind the wheelbarrow...

Fun and games, I can't wait to get stuck into the planting and getting everything growing.

What are your weekend plans?


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Light up my life

More housey stuff. It's really rather occupying my focus right now. Today we had a man with a digger come and carve up stage one of our yard makeover. That's another post though.

One thing I'm keen on sourcing are a few lamps. I haven't really looked for any in the stores yet, but did check Pinterest for some inspiration. Can't say I was too inspired by some of them!

Like this:

This is quite interesting...

My sort of colours, but probably fits in a bit too well...

Again with this one...

Typical of the era of our house...

Or maybe a Pineapple lamp, to suit a Queenslander?

I am rather fond of these Waterford crystal pretties. Light, bright, and work with all the gold accents we have inherited.

So, tell me...do any of these light up your world?


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