vintage daybed & a new cushion

i worked on this lovely old daybed all weekend. she needed a good scrub and sand. i also had to get my trusty scraper out to get all the flakey paint off one side where it had obviously been in the sun. four coats of white paint, a sand around the edges and then sealed, i think she is looking pretty dandy don't you think?

for now, i have folded a linen Ikea curtain around the base. that way i can easily change it over for another colour. a cotton tablecloth would also do the job.

i also tried out my beige cushions. they look great too.
that sweet linen cushion with the flowers had dark brown embroidered centres. they really made it look awful, so i spent about 2 hours picking them out. i got out my button collection, picked out all the white, pearl and diamond ones, and sewed them on in clusters. the centre flower got one big chunky white button. it looks stacks better believe me!

i love to get out early and snap pics.
i took these this morning at about 6:30am after my walk.
what a stunning sunshiny day.
the sun made my white lilies literally glow!

another market find, this made-to-look-old buoy.
i'm not sure where to hang it yet. maybe out by the pool.

not a cloud in the sky.
my happy lilies drinking in the rays.

before shot. how ugly can you get.

my new cushion.
i love it and am thinking of ordering more.
100% cotton, 40cm x 40cm. zip enclosure at the base.
if you are interested in one or some for yourself, please email me
mlewisd@bigpond.net.au

Pin It

simple things

the weekend. love going a little slower. pottering around in my pj's. taking the time to pop some geisha girl blossoms in a simple little glass vase.

we had friends over for dinner last night. while i tidied and did some very simple decorating, Mike made a scrumptious Jamie Oliver vegetarian curry and onion baguettes from scratch. and boy, was it good!

love the greenery and Cath Kidston polkadot napkins for just a hint of colour.

after months of browsing all those gorgeous American blogs out there, i have been on the lookout for some metal baskets. i finally found one at this morning's markets. not as industrial looking as i would have liked, but cute all the same.

i'll keep it blue for now, but i'm sure it will eventually get the white treatment- although i will still want a little of that lovely bright blue peeking through.

not only is my home filled with market finds, but at least half of my wardrobe is filled with market finds too. and i'm not ashamed to admit it.
a good wash with a yummy smelling fabric softener, and you wouldn't know the difference between it and a store bought item.
i search for (and often find) soft, vintage inspired pieces, large leather belts, floaty, sheer, lacy and loose tops, pretty cardi's as well as pretty pieces of costume jewelry. and i know that i'm likely to be the only one wearing what i find.
i found this powder blue scarf and vintage-look lace top this morning.

a big welcome to all my new followers, thanks to the lovely Pam over at Bayside Rose! i am so happy to have you all along for the ride!

i'm off to finish a makeover i have been busy with this weekend. hopefully i will have it completed to show you all tomorrow :)
~Kate~

Pin It

a thing for aqua....

i've gone a bits nuts for aqua lately. it's so fresh and happy! i found these pegs and the basket in Target the other day. for under $4 for the lot, they were a must!!

my sister-in-law bought these for Kacey for Christmas and we have strung them along the top of her bed. when i found out they came from the fab store 'TYPO', that store then joined my favourites

being a bit of a hippy at heart, i'm also drawn to all things crochet. so finding this aqua crochet skirt for a couple of $$ at the markets? oh the joy!

LOVE.... also from Typo... also from my sis-in-law.... yum...

and even 'Smiggle' came to the party!

these stunners were 30% off at Target. they will help me put together my next furniture makeover... for outside ;)
the basket was an op shop find for $4 and is just the right size for a stack of magazines.

lovely linen looking teatowel with cute birdies. this hangs in my laundry under the jar of aqua pegs :)
i do have to be careful with this colour, as it doesn't match every room. so it's used in the laundry, Kacey's room and the outdoor area. and i'm just loving it :)

Pin It

30 minute sewing project

a lot of my decorating and projects have been a little focused around pieces that have been passed down to me from my grandparents.

i had 3 wonderful sets of grandparents up until a few years ago (as my dad's parents divorced and remarried before i was born) and lost 3 of them within 5 months of each other in 2009/2010. that was really difficult, as i had always hung off their every word, spent as much time as possible with those that lived close, and always rang them regularly. my girls were blessed to have great grandparents for so long too. i now have only one grandparent and he lives in England.

last weekend, i visited the home of my grandparents on my mum's side for the last time before it goes on the market. i bought back a few items including 2 little round ottoman's. these have been around since i was a toddler and i couldn't bear to see them go. so they came home with me.
i was going to paint today, but the rainy weather drew me back inside to the sewing machine.

i have never done anything like this before, but here goes!

i am hopeless when it comes to following patterns, and don't mind a little imperfection, so i just figure it out as i go.

firstly, i turned the ottoman upside down and traced around it. i centred it on the flowers i wanted to be seen on the top. i then cut about an inch outside of the circle i traced.

i sat my sewing box on the top to stop the fabric from sliding while i pinned the sides on.
this fabric was from an old vintage curtain, so i placed the finished edge along the bottom to save me from having to hem it.

halfway there!
now to do the other side.

i went nice and slowly, pulling out the pins as i went.

i trimmed the edges to stop it looking too bulky when on right-side-out.

ta da!!

it would probably look even better if i could be bothered ironing it.
no, your eyes aren't blurry. that's my bad photography!

before shot

i have another one to cover. it's cream, so i think it might get the white treatment....

Pin It

a box of sweet old bottles

i love old vintaged bottles.
but only at the right price.
i stumbled across a box of tiny bottles this morning.
i talked the guy down from $10 to $5 for the lot.

i was instantly taken by the gorgeous cobalt blue one, with 'NOT TO BE TAKEN" printed down one side. i wonder what sort of poison was stored in this one?

and here they are after a good going through the dishwasher. one came with a cork and one with a glass stopper. see the little beaker at the front? i didn't know they came in teeny tiny size!

don't you just love the old print?

pretty on their own or bunched together.

each one the perfect size for a single stem of flowers.

i'd love to know the history behind each one, but part of the fun is in the guessing.

the blue ones are my fav :)

i'm linked up to junkin finds friday and funky junk interiors

Pin It

pretty storage for your bedding

if you are anything like me, you love all your storage- whether on display or tucked away, to be pretty.
when i open my drawers and cupboards, i want what i see, to make me smile ;)
i make a point of using floral boxes (that might have had a gift given in them) to hold all those things that don't need to be seen- notepaper, gift wrap, birthday cards.
i use pretty containers to separate clothing, pink tins and buckets to hold hair elastics, bathroom and laundry cleaners, ribbon tied and labelled wicker baskets for herbs and spices, and my newest storage idea- orphan pillowcases to hold my bedding.
i mostly like to use pillowcases in pairs, but i do have some lovely single ones that seem to just sit in the cupboard.

so why not use them to store that blanket, doona, quilt or throw that is not in use?
it will keep them dust free and makes you smile when you open the cupboard!
the cotton doona below is king sized and fits easily into a standard pillowcase. a great way to use and view pretty linen that was picked up from an op shop, or was a hand-me-down from nanna.

i found this tassled chenille beauty at a church garage sale for $5, and it fits perfectly into a pillowcase. when it's not being used, it can be thrown into the top of my walk in robe and not get covered in dust bunnies!

Pin It

my 1st win!

my 1st ever blog giveaway win!
i was so excited when this arrived in the post yesterday!
Jen over at "MADE BY GIRL" had a giveaway just before Christmas.
and i won one of 12 little posters!
Jen's blog is so colourful and inspiring. Head over and take a look.

it was wrapped and packaged so nicely for it's trip across the world.
i just love the colour, and love what it says! it's me to a tea!!

i found an old frame to pop it in. it's the perfect addition to the study- both in saying and colour co-ordination.
have you ever won a blog giveaway? if so, what did you win?
i'm off to make that coffee.....

Pin It