Pretty Pastels in the Farmhouse and the Real House

Pastel coloured things just make me happy!

This little hutch and it's pastel goodies are in the Farmhouse kitchen.

This hutch is in my real house.

I've been collecting the china for a few years. I tried to fill the hutch with it a couple of years ago but I didn't have enough...now I do!

I can't keep the little hutch in the Farmhouse kitchen yet because I'm still working on the house and if I leave things in there they just keep getting knocked over - of course I found that out the hard way!

The little hutch in the life size hutch!

The china is all old English - mostly by Johnson Brothers and Grindley. Most of it I've found at  Op Shops in the last few years. The green coloured china is very hard to come by here. The green cup, saucer and square plate were a birthday gift from a  fabulous friend!

I found a very vintage postcard from Marseille in an Op shop last week and the colours look perfect with the china.

That's some of Kim's perfect mini food.

Her little creations make me happy...I miss that girl every day...one day I'll get back to the USA.

I smile every time I look at the hutch.

Even my minimalist hubby is happy with it because he thinks it 'looks less busy' than it did when it was filled with floral china. - that's a bonus: vintage china from the op shop isn't usually something that keeps the hubby happy!

Chair makeover

Late last year hubby went away to his brother's wedding in England for two weeks.

Hubby doesn't like change around the 1:1 house much so I decided to have a little furniture makeover fun while he was gone. I knew he'd be so happy to see us when he got back that he probably wouldn't notice a few new bits of furniture around the house.

My friend Frederica gave me the wine table and I quickly painted it and shabbied it.

I had a list of furntiure I wanted to find at second hand shops while he was away...this chair was not on the list.

But when I saw it I just HAD to have it - the price tag of $5 may have had something to do with that!

It was a very pretty shape...perfectly shabby.

(The power tools are not mine, lol! Hubby had the camera so I had to take the chair to my sister-in-law's house to photograph. I did get a little help while I was there with some other projects!)

What I didn't realise, when I so hastily bought it, was that it had at least 500 industrial strength staples keeping that ugly green fabric attached to it.

I almost gave up on the chair several times because of those staples, it took days to get them out using pliers and a chisel.

I wasn't going to paint the chair because it was really lovely oak but when I put it in the lounge it was just screaming to be painted. I can't say I enjoy painting life size furniture.

The upholstery is less than perfect - I'm hopelss with a staplegun on my own, it nearly shoots me across the room when I try to use it.

A friend gave me the toile fabric which was a furnishing sample. Amazingly there was exactly enough to cover the chair! Even though I added some extra padding I have to say it's not the most comfortable chair in the world.

I was pretty pleased with the result and hubby was very impressed so the chair was allowed to stay!

Only the spool on the left is really vintage. The other three came from the Japan shop and I aged them.

As for the tall blue weathered 'thing'...

it was another Op Shop find, here's what it looked like when I bought it. It's made of brass.

That's something I did enjoy painting!

Meet my sweet little niece Mia.

I look after her five days a week so finding time for mini's and other projects is a bit of a challenge these days! But there's plenty more half finished projects - big and small - around here at the moment...more to show you soon!

Thank you for all your messages regarding the Christchurch earthquake. New Zealand is a very small country and you'll find nearly everyone knows someone in Christchurch. It has been a very harrowing week watching all the news reports on the television. And still so very hard to believe that such a tradgedy could happen here.

Mercedes

Another year older...

Today is my birthday!

This is my favourite photo from Christmas Day, today the weather has not been so nice.

The plan was to party at the beach but that has been put off until tomorrow.

I've had a lovely day, in spite of the rain and howling wind, and received some spectacular gifts!

This beautiful notice board was made by Sabiha.

It's real life size in case you're wondering!

This fabulous cushion cover came from Sylvia.

Liberty is enjoying the cushion too!

And from hubby...a funny little table.

I know you're wondering what sort of husband gives his wife a table like that?!

Well...he found it on the side of the road the week before Christmas, lol!

He tried very hard to restore it before Christmas but didn't quite make it...

so, as times are tough, it became my birthday/Christmas gift.

I think you'll agree he did an awesome restoration job!

The table is an odd height - too high for a coffee table and too low for a hall table.

It has a drawer in each end.

The plan is to find some castors to give it a little more height.

We did see some castors today but they were $23 each, I just laughed as I left the shop!

I LOVE the way the tabletop has turned out!

The giant candlestick and little tin candlehouse were from Sylvia and the perfect bird candle came from my friend Freddy.

Beautiful glass cake stand came from my brothers wife and she made the most delicious hazelnut meringues.

I ate far more of those than I should have!

From one of hubby's sisters - some gorgeous coasters.

For Christmas hubby took Liberty to my favourite shop - Bed, Bath and Table - and let her choose a present for me. I drag Liberty into that shop far more often than she likes. 

After considering everything in the shop Liberty carefully selected this tin sign.

She told her daddy she just knew I would LOVE it!

And I do love it, but even more so because it was specially chosen by her!

Thank you for all the birthday messages I have received, you've all made my day wonderful!

Now, I think I hear the last of those meringues calling me...

Mercedes

A little crazy old lady...

Last week was 'book week' at Liberty's school.

On Friday they had to dress up as a character from a book.

Liberty chose to go as 'a crazy old lady called Daisy O'Grady'.

Daisy is a rather witchy character in this book.

I made the costume on Thursday - nothing like a last minute rush.

(the fluffy thing above Liberty's head is a pirate standing behind her, lol!)

This book came free when Scholastic Book Club couldn't fill our order earlier in the year.

It has the most wonderful detailed illustrations.

Liberty's a details girl (funny that!) so it had to be just right!

One of the bead belts came apart just before we left for school and had to be threaded back together in great haste!

Here's Daisy from the book.

Liberty didn't want a hat, she was worried she would put it down somewhere and lose it.

I found some bat stickers in my scrapbooking pile so was able to re-create Daisy's buttons.

Most challenging part was making a fox!

I've had that (synthetic) fur lying around for years...knew I'd need it someday.

I made the coat (top pic) from some fabric that was given to me and only had to buy the dress fabric.

Total cost of the whole outfit was just $6!!! I had everything else.

And another $2 for the can of black hairspray - which was the most important part of the look for Liberty!

Liberty won the prize for the best girls costume in her class!

On Tuesday the teacher read 'The Paper Bag Princess' and the children were all given a paper rubbish bag to make into an outfit of their choice.

I went and helped them - absolute chaos!

This dress was all Liberty's own design.

Here's what she's laughing at - two ducks came to visit us in our backyard today!

Mercedes

A Thrifty Apron for Liberty

Liberty LOVES to bake!

So I thought I should make her a pretty apron.

It really all started with this funny little chair I found at an Op shop for just $2.

You may be wondering how buying that chair led me to making an apron...

Well, you see, this super sweet fabric was covering the cushion on the chair when I bought it.

I didn't want the chair at all, just this piece of fabric!

I was surprised to find the chair cushion still had the original fabric on it.

I've had the fabric lying around for about 18 months...I finally decided it was time to get sewing.

A friend gave me the pretty striped fabric and the buttons came off Liberty's old clothes.

No pattern...I just made it up as I went!

I've said it before but sometimes I really surprise myself with what I can do.

I bought those super gorgeous measuring cups and spoons and the cupcake cookie cutters and rolling pin for Liberty for her 6th birthday.

The spatula we bought later, I took her to a kitchen shop and let her choose it, she had a great time!
The sweet little jigsaw puzzle came from Sabiha.

My happy little baker - dancing with delight!

And that little $2 chair...

after washing and repairing the original cushion I sold it on an auction website for $34. LOL!!

So that's got to be the thriftiest apron ever!

Mercedes

Adding a little more shabby to the 1:1 lounge!

 Here's my new shabby chic coffee table.

Painted by hubby, distressed by me.

I brought this home from an Op shop a few weeks ago. It was beautiful mahogany (I forgot to take a pic before hubby sanded it). But it had a big crack right down the middle of it so it was only $20!

It was pouring with rain and took me three goes to finally fit it in the car.

I wasn't too sure about how happy hubby would be to see it but much to my surprise he is embracing the shabby lifestyle! (probably because it's cheaper than anything 'new')

 I LOVE my 'new' table!

And I also LOVE the new pitcher sent to me by Sylvia.

Two more furniture transformations are awaiting hubby in the garage now...lol!

 And here's a craft project that Sylvia sent to Liberty.

'Paint your own gumboots'!!!!!!

These are the coolest things, if you don't like what you've painted you can wipe the paint off with the special wipes.

And once you've painted them they're waterproof!

 Liberty painted them three times before she was happy with the result.

So much fun!

Thank you Sylvia!!

Mercedes

More on the barn coming soon, lol!