A Pretty Mirror, Lilies and a sheepish return from renovation exile! ;)

Hello!

Is anybody still here?  It's been a little while, we have been renovating and for most bloggers this would be gold...  lots of progress photos, planning and reveals.  For me though it was all I could do to keep my head above water and keep on swimming through each day! 

I fully plan to share with you the reno details and a bunch of photos, but today, inspired by these beautiful Lilies I thought I'd dip my toe back into blogging with a mirror makeover...

I was drawn to the lovely curvy shape, the carved details at the top and the gorgeous bevelled mirror which follows the frame shape.  I didn't even remember to snap a before pic (I'm really out of touch with it I know!).

 

 

Mirror is available for sale, pop me an email if you are interested! 

 



Thanks so much for stopping by, it's lovely to be back! :)

Jo xox

 

Linking up here...

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start at home

Little Boy Blue.... A Cute Coastal Cupboard Makeover!

Hello lovely friends!

Gosh where have the last few weeks gone?  We've just finished school holidays here in Sydney, the kids returned on Tuesday.  It was nice to get some paint on my brush this week after a little break,  I've started a few new projects which I hope to share soon!  In the meantime I thought I'd share this cute little coastal blue utility cupboard that I finished just before the holidays.

 

 

We nicknamed him Little Boy Blue ;)  ...the name popped into my head whilst I was painting and kind of stuck, the kids even asked where I was taking Little Boy Blue when I was loading him into the car for delivery!  He sold really quickly, he's a versatile little chap and I can see him being quite handy in almost any room.

 



 

Thanks so much for stopping by... have a beautiful weekend!

 

Love,

 

Jo xx

 

Linking up here...

 

Romantic Home

Lilyfield Life 

The Dedicated House

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Sweet Vintage Table in Annie Sloan Duck Egg

Hello lovely friends!

Blustery and cold in Sydney, which is enabling me to catch up on jobs around here and settle in our new baby.  Meet Miss Paisley Puppy!

Paisley is a Flat Coated Retriever and she's just divine.  She's totally stolen our hearts already.  I'd forgotten what it was like to have a new baby in the house... Crying in the night, accidents on the floor and so on!

Now onto a little project I finished a few weeks ago.  I love this little vintage table, it has great character and had been ever so patient biding its time in my garage, awaiting a makeover.





After completing BIG Bessy here one could say I'm hooked on Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Love. 

So I was walking around the house looking for my next victim something to paint, which happens often and frequently sees our cat ducking for cover whenever she sees me with paint brush in hand!  I kid you not ;) 

Then I remembered this little table hiding in the garage.  I almost skipped to the garage to grab it and within minutes I was painting my little heart out :)


After:

I painted the side skirt detail in white for some contrast.

Addicted. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Jo xx

Linking up here....

Lilyfield Life No Minimalist Here 52 Mantles House of Hepworths The Trendy Treehouse Start at Home Finding Fabulous Romantic Home

Power Styling and a Coastal Sideboard Makeover!

Good Evening Lovelies,

Sharing this piece I just finished for a lovely client.  I made over her TV cabinet last year, so when she emailed me about doing her sideboard to match I was very happy :)

Here's a before pic, orangey finish, but a well made quality piece.

 

 

I gave the piece a sand and good clean.  Then two coats of Zinsser and two coats of Dulux Lime Wash paint in white.  It's a thin yet chalky style paint, which sands beautifully but coverage is not fantastic hence four coats to achieve the look I was after...

 

 

 

 

I worked on this piece in the garage, aka my studio ;)  Due to its size and weight I decided against hauling it up to the house to take photos. 

 

 
I had limited time too, so a quick garage 'power styling' session was called for...


{*Power Styling... kind of like power walking or power shopping; only imagine a paint covered woman running around the house grabbing random objects and throwing it quickly together for the purpose of snapping some photos!}


Hubby and the kids didn't even bat an eyelid on seeing this set up in the garage...  I think they've become accustomed to my crazy antics ;)

 

 

 

 

 

I refinished the original drawer hardware and added some new crystal cut glass knobs to the cupboard doors for a touch of bling!

 

 

 

Who would of thought garage styling would be so much fun!   I wonder how many calories are burned Power Styling?  Have you had to style on the hop?

The sideboard was picked up this afternoon and my client loves it, which makes me very happy!

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Jo xx

Linking up here this week :)

  

coastal charm

 

elizabeth and co

 

the dedicated house

 

the shabby creek cottage

 

domestically speaking

 

the trendy treehouse

 

savvy southern style

 

diy by design

 

finding fabulous

 

romantic home

 

Hello Annie! I get a tad excited about painted furniture :) Coastal Home Love meets Annie Sloan Chalk Paint!

Hello Gorgeous Coasties!

I get excited about holidays, Christmas, my boy's soccer games, shopping and lots of other wonderful things.  But don't get me started on painted furniture... let's just say the word obsession may or may not be an appropriate term to describe my relationship with it!  Love. 

So you can imagine my delight and happy dance worthy sheer joy over receiving some gorgeous new paint to test!  Now not just any ordinary run of the mill paint, but Annie Sloan Chalk Paint!!  Excited much, pick me up off the floor... hardly covers it ;)

I had many projects lined up in my studio aka garage awaiting a makeover but I decided to dive in feet first and tackle quiet a large piece.  Allow me to introduce Big Bessy.....

Bessy came to live with us almost two years ago, she serves as a sideboard in our dining area and deserved a special make over.  In comes Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Duck Egg.  Delicious.

I decided to prime her all over, even though I know this step was not necessary, but I wanted some of the white to peek through after distressing.  I applied two coats of Duck Egg, the first coat went on like a dream.  I followed up with a second coat to ensure beautiful coverage.  I painted the back boards white to add some more definition and contrast to her.

After a little distressing I finished her off with the crème de la crème of waxes!  Annie's Soft Wax is amazing...  I could eat it on toast for brekkie with a nice English Breakfast tea and be in heaven!  {don't try this at home ;)}.

And without further ado, I think I'll have to call her Beautiful Bessy now....

 

 

 

I'm so happy with how she turned out and I'm more than a bit in love with Annie's paint.  So happy we can get it in Australia finally! :))  Find more information on Annie Sloan products here.

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Jo xx

Linking up here...

elizabeth and co

 

domestically speaking

 

the trendy treehouse

 

savvy southern style

 

diy by design

 

finding fabulous

 

romantic home

 

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the shabby creek cottage

 

Vintage Ladder Love Affair

Hello lovelies

I have a thing for many things... one of those things is vintage ladders.  I heart them.

I've made over a few of them and can't resist picking them up when I see them.  I was driving by my local Salvos store after my son's cricket game on the weekend... and I thought I'd pop in for a quick look see.  I ended up walking out with these two beauties...  and a few other goodies!  Gotta heart thrifty shopping!

Here's the only before shot of my ladder...  in my outdoor studio ;)

 


I gave him a good scrubbing, and white washing. 


I didn't want to cover the original stencilling on the sides or the splatters and splobs of paint which he'd gained over the years.  White washing gave me that shabby beachy look whilst still allowing his character to shine through!

 He's quite a handy fella.... he had me hooked at first sight :) I really love his hooks! 

I added some numbers to the steps, sanded a little and waxed.

 

My plan was to sell him at my next market stall...  but I'm growing quite fond of him and his hooks ;)

Now just between you and I, he's not my one and only...  I have another handy fella stashed in our ensuite.... he's on towel duties.  There's also one in the corner of our family room, casually taking care of throw rug business.

.....and then there's the other little one I bought with this one...  thinking she'd be nice to hold scarves in my wardrobe...  mmm thinking I may have a problem ;D

Thanks for stopping in, have a great weekend

Jo xx

 Linking up to these fab parties....

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Some New Vintage Art and Some Random Disorganised Thoughts :)

Hello lovelies

Keeping up with kids, home, work and this blogging caper is tough. Well for this chick it is. I really admire so many women who blog daily... or even regularly, you guys are amazing and inspire me to do better.  I'm yet to balance it all and find blogging is the thing that gets bumped off the 'To Do/Wish List' {sometimes it's sorting the washing or ironing... actually it's always the ironing!}.

I've been finishing lots of projects and fun stuff, but haven't gotten around to blogging about it. I write the posts in my head, often in the middle of the night!  They just haven't materialised into posts as yet.... surely someone is close the inventing an App for that?  It's not only writing posts, it's keeping up to date with all my fave blogs too...  I'm so far behind in my reading!

Anyhow I'm working on getting more organised, I think that's the key. I know it is. In a previous life (before kids) I was organised, mostly on time and not a crazed lunatic every morning trying to get out of the house!  My other "issue" is procrastination. Add that to disorganisation and it's amazing that I make it out of the bathroom in the morning, let alone the house ;)

That said, I'm not beating myself up about it, I love writing this little blog and connecting with so many truly gorgeous people.  My blog is a new born, she and I (always wanted a girl), will take one day at a time, or one post at a time. Baby steps :)

Well that turned into a different post entirely!  {Is that normal?}  I had set out to just share a recent Vintage Art find!  So moving right along, here she is....  



I found her at Vinnies, I had to pop on my potential glasses to get past her most-unattractive-gold-framers-special frame! 


After a moment of focusing I was taken by her beautiful colours and she was coming home with me.

After a few coats of white paint, I think she scrubbed up not too shabby!  Amazing what a lick of paint will do... a fresh new look just in time for Spring :)

 


How do you balance work, love and blogging?  ~  Any tips for this newbie would be greatly appreciated! :)


Thanks for stopping by... have a great week lovelies :)

Jo xx

 

 

Linking up here :)

 

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50 Shades of Turquoise ~ A Coffee Table Makeover

Hello there Coastal friends :)

Lovely painting weather in Sydney at the moment.  Spring has finally sprung and I've managed to finish up a couple of projects recently.  This one, a rather lovely coffee table with curvy legs and a curvy glass top.  Quite the hour-glass figure has this lovely lady ;) 

I bought her earlier this year, she's sat precariously balanced on top of bikes, lawn mower and other garage paraphernalia for a few months now.  I decided her time had come. 

I had only one colour on my mind for this lovely lady;  Turquoise... they were destined for each other ;)

 

 

I heart turquoise!  I mean what's not to love... It's so fun and fresh, and lends itself so well to so many styles of decorating.  The shade I chose is called Magnetic Magic by Dulux.


Here she is before with a bad orange lacquer finish... Fake tan on furniture is never ever a good look!  Bye bye orange...

After... Hello lovely 

I love glass tops like this... not only does it protect the painted top, it allows for display of precious photos, or kids art and you can change it up whenever the urge strikes!

This piece is available, if you're interested there are some more details on my Facebook page :)

How do you like to add pops of colour? What's your fave decorating colour at the moment? 


Hope you're enjoying sun in your part of the world!

 

Jo xx

Linking up to these fab parties...  :)

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