second life of a blue house

the one with... a backyard makeover

2014-10-21T06:00:00.000+10:00

Yippee!! Work has finally begun on the backyard.

Here is the plan:

Hire jack hammer
Hire a skip
Remove extra driveway cement
Remove rubbish from under the house
Remove unwanted plants
Remove excess green rubbish
Remove grass up the centre of the driveway to the garage door
Create a little garden in front of the garage
Use sleepers for garden edge
Use a narrow timber strip for walkway garden edge
Tidy/sort the service side
Assemble the 2 raised garden beds for the new vegetable garden
Order soil to fill the holes left after removing the concrete
New walkway from driveway to the stairs

The overall plan is to create privacy with a tropical inspired garden around the fence with a large grass area in the middle for Charlie. I want to feel like I step into my backyard and feel completely at ease.

If you follow me over on Instagram then you would have seen these pictures of the work in progress. Thanks to Mum for taking the photos of me - I didn't realise she'd taken them.

I haven't strayed away from my original plans for the backyard.

Dad and I were a good team with him on the jack hammer - that thing was too big for me and I picked up all the concrete into the wheelbarrow to take out to the skip. We got it all done in a few hours. Mum got the service side all sorted and started on building up the soil in the vegetable gardens. She also got in and cut out the unwanted plants.

I can tell you that I was buggered by the end of the day.

I have to give a HUGE big shout out to my mum and dad for all of their hard work. They have continued on with the backyard after I hurt my back. Three days after moving the concrete the back let me know that it wasn't impress with all of the hard work and put my out of action (including work) for days.

I'll share more update photos with you soon. It's looking great!

the one with... some news

2014-09-05T12:42:00.000+10:00

UPDATE: Yes I'm back writing about renovating my cottage but I'm staying right here on SLOABH. Why change what ain't broke. I do love it here. Lisa xo

I've really missed the blog so I'm coming back.

If you have been following me on Instagram you know that I never stopped working on the cottage - I just stopped writing about it.

I'm happy to say that I'm coming back!

~~The only change is I've decided to move the blog over to www.lisadaviesdesign.com and keep everything in one place.~~

I'll be back with updates on the never ending to-do list soon.

Cheers for now
Lisa xo

New website: www.lisadaviesdesign.com

the one with... the confession

2014-05-23T15:25:00.001+10:00

Hello!

Yes, I am still around.

I've just been quiet here on the blog but you can always find me over on my Instagram with updates on the cottage. I've recently repainted the lounge room and work is about to start on turning the old kitchen into a spare room. Yep the work continues...

The reason for my absence is that I've been spending all of my time over on my business website.

I'm loving it!

So what do I do? I work with entrepreneurs, freelancers, bloggers and small businesses to create a website that they will get the absolute best out of.

Pop over to the website and say hello.

I'm still quietly lurking around your blogs - that won't change.

Cheers
Lisa xo

the one with... the living room to-do list

2014-03-14T12:04:00.000+10:00

I've been very quiet lately on the projects around the house - actually I haven't done anything new since the toilet was repainted. That's OK because there has been lots of planning - you know I love to plan!

Planning has begun on the backyard makeover and I even took a pen and paper with me as I walked around the cottage to make a room by room to-do list.

The lucky room I'm working on is the lounge.

I did this moodboard back here which I still love but it does need a little tweaking - nothing drastic!

This is what I have do to in this room:

Make a decision on new wall colour - ceiling doesn't need painting (thank goodness).
The new wall colour needs to compliment the colour of ceiling and the shutters.
Small coffee table?? still deciding if I have the space.
Hang artwork finally!
Finish the door frame.
TV entertainment stand - hack project coming soon.
Plants and more plants.

There is no more mucking around cause I'm heading to Masters on my way home from work tonight to pick up some sample paint pots.

I can't wait to get them up on the wall.

Lisa xo

the one... with words to live by

2014-03-02T03:00:00.000+10:00

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Lisa xo

the one with… a finished toilet

2014-02-17T06:00:00.000+10:00

I'm happy to say that I've managed to keep the momentum going with getting projects finished.

The toilet was an eyesore that really needed to be fixed.

I honestly don't know what I was thinking painting it that bright colour but I'll go with being young.

I'm so happy with the end result and it only took a weekend to finish it.

The only downside was the toilet couldn't be replaced with the new one because the plumbing wasn't it the same spot. Sure I could have a new hole cut and had the plumbing moved but it just isn't worth it. The big plan is to completely gutter the toilet and bathroom (hopefully later this year) so I didn't see the need to pay for this when it can wait.

So the black toilet sit is staying for now.

This is my DIY painting hanging behind the door. It was so much fun to make but it did take some time because eat dot was done individually. Yep I sat at the table and dot painted with the bottom of a paint brush in a tray of paint and then on on the canvas.

I just have to remind you… this is what I started with.

The Before

No need for sunglasses anymore!

Lisa xo

the one... with words to live by

2014-02-09T03:00:00.000+10:00

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This one was written for me!

Lisa xo

the one... with words to live by

2014-02-02T03:00:00.000+10:00

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Lisa xo

the one... with words to live by

2014-01-26T03:00:00.000+10:00

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Lisa xo

the one... with my promise for 2014

2014-01-20T04:00:00.000+10:00

As I start the third week back at work, I find myself still motivated to make 2014 a fabulous year.

I love this time of year when everything seems a possibility. I want to try and keep that momentum going for a little while longer and maybe, just maybe throughout the rest of the year.

So what is MY PROMISE FOR 2014?

I want to finish projects around the cottage.

It may not sound big like a trip to Paris (oh I wish) but the satisfaction that comes with finishing projects is worth the effort.

I took a good look around the cottage over the weekend and started to make a list of things that need to be finished and I can honestly say that every single room was on that list. Some things on the list are big, like renovating the bathroom and smaller projects, like adding shelving in the laundry and touching up paint in the kitchen.

I'd love to know if you have made any promises or resolutions for 2014.

Lisa xo

the one... with words to live by

2014-01-19T03:00:00.000+10:00

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Lisa xo

the one... with words to live by

2014-01-12T03:00:00.001+10:00

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Lisa xo

the one with… christmas eve

2014-01-08T04:00:00.000+10:00

Welcome 2014!

It's my first week back at work after 2 weeks holiday. I had a lovely holiday spending time at home, hanging with family, friends and little Charlie - I think he loved having me around so much xo

I love hosting Christmas Eve at my place, particularly now with the veranda. There is plenty of room for everyone.

The evening is a shared hosting job with my niece, something I look forward to each year.

This year we went with a purple, silver and white theme for the table that we carried across to the ice cream dessert bar. I picked up the purple dessert cups from Big W who had them for $2 each.

We like to keep the table clear to allow lots of space for all of the yummy seafood so my niece hung decorations over the table.

The trees and stars were actually red and white stripe but after some silver spray paint and some purple glitter we had sparkles.

I made the tissue paper garland a couple of nights before Christmas Eve for the dessert bar. They did take a few hours to make but once you've made a couple, you get the hang of it and it becomes so much easier. I chose 2 different shades of purple and silver.

My niece even made the vanilla bean ice cream from scratch and we had lots of topping options like crushed nuts, sprinkles, chocolate sauce, wafers, strawberries, crushed chocolate, crushed picnic, crushed crunchy and I'm sure there was a couple more.

The next day I packed up all the presents under the tree and headed over to my parents (4 mins away) to spend the day with family and enjoy mums baked dinner - in air conditioning, of course!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and wish you all the best for 2014.

I have a feeling it's going to be a fabulous year!

Lisa xo

the one... with words to live by

2014-01-05T03:00:00.000+10:00

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Lisa xo

the one... with words to live by

2013-12-22T03:00:00.000+10:00

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Lisa xo

the one... with words to live by

2013-12-15T03:00:00.001+10:00

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Lisa xo

the one... with words to live by

2013-12-08T03:00:00.000+10:00

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Lisa xo

the one… with a gallery wall

2013-12-06T04:00:00.000+10:00

I've made a start on the gallery wall for the dining room. First thing to do is pull together all of the prints and picture frames I have tucked away in various places around the cottage. Next thing to do was take over the dining room table.

I want to pull everything together and then work out placement on the table before they go up on the wall. I'll have to use the sticky tabs with the velcro to put the frames up because the walls are masonite and your regular picture hook don't go in the wall

I seem to have lots of small frames of various colours and shapes but I will need to look out for larger frames. I'm thinking of white, black, grey and bronze frames - I just need to a few A4 and larger frames to get started.

I few of the images you can see like the spot shoes is something I found online but I can't remember where I found it and then printed it out at high quality on the printer and then cut down to size.

I've even got a few prints that I've purchased over the years that are still rolled up waiting… and waiting… I promise to have you up on the wall before the end of the year.

Lisa xo

the one… with updating the toilet

2013-12-03T04:00:00.000+10:00

Well work has begun on the toilet. I've managed to put the first coat of undercoat on the walls and ceiling before I decided that the new toilet needs to go in before I continue painting.

The next day I emailed my plumber (the same guy who did the kitchen and laundry - great guy!) and organised a day for him to come over and finally remove the old and put in the new.

I mentioned previously that I was given a brand new porcelain toilet from my uncle which has been sitting in the garage for a couple of months. Well now thanks to Dad it's sitting in the entry ready and waiting for the plumber who is booked in at 7:30am this Thursday.

Say goodbye to the black lid (do you hear that sis!).

Then I can get back to work and finish the room - I think I'm looking at 3 coats of the undercoat to completely cover that lovely orange.

Lisa xo

the one… with the drawers painted

2013-12-02T04:00:00.000+10:00

I made a start on painting or rather staining the drawer front of one of the drawers and I am really happy with how it turned out.

I loved how the stain turned out that it got me thinking what would it look like all the drawer fronts were stained but I think that might be a bit much so the plan is to darken the stain on the bottom drawer and leave the top one as is.

And of course this will be a mid-week project… I do love working on something during the week.

I'll be back with the after soon.

Lisa xo

the one... with words to live by

2013-12-01T04:00:00.000+10:00

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Lisa xo

the one... with words to live by

2013-11-24T04:00:00.000+10:00

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Lisa xo

the one... with new in the shop

2013-11-21T03:00:00.000+10:00

The shop has lots of new items now available, including a new blogger template called PHOTOGRAPHY. It was designed with the photographer in mind so it is very clean and simple so the photos are the feature.

A new item launched this week is the Facebook Timeline Tabs. Currently available in Strawberry with more colours coming soon.

A few more new items ready and waiting on the shop are 2 new Blog Style Kits and a new Emerald Green set of Social Media Icons - this one even bigger with 45 icons!

I hope you like.

Lisa xo

the one... where I need help

2013-11-20T04:00:00.000+10:00

I don't think I've told you this before but I'm not happy with the paint in my bedroom.

The ceiling and walls are suppose to be the same colour but at the time of purchase the sale person suggested I use 2 different brands - made by the same company. It wasn't until it was all finished that I realised there was a noticable difference and with the shutters slightly different as well I think it really sticks out.

I honestly notice it every morning when I wake up and I hate it!

I did make contact with the company to suggest that maybe the wall colour wasn't tinted because the white does have a blue colour to it but they weren't willing to accept that.

This is becoming a sore point for me that I need to fix, soon.

I have been looking around for different options that didn't mean re-painting the entire room and here is what I've come up with.

I don't think the room could take this on all the walls but maybe just the large window wall.

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The option would be painted on the large window wall.

This option would keep the ceiling and walls as is and I would paint a band around the wall where they meet (approx. 30cm wide) to break them up.

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With this option I was thinking something similar in the corner - where I look first thing in the morning and the corner you see when you walk in the room.

I could really use your help on this one. What to you think of these solutions or have you got another idea?

Thanks

Lisa xo

the one... with the toilet

2013-11-19T04:00:00.000+10:00

Yep classy title right!

I've never shared my current toilet with you because honestly I HATE it.

This is it now...

The plan is to renovate the bathroom and toilet but this just won't happen in the 12 months and I really can't live with it like this much longer. I have already for the past 3 years, eeek.

I will confess that I chose that particular paint colour and yes I painted the room - though I do think when I rented the cottage that one of the tenants repainted the room, badly I might add!

As this is just a temporary measure I don't want to spend any money or very little. I want to try and use as much of what I already have around the house.

I have the blind. I have plenty of paint in the garage so I'm all good there.

This is what I'm thinking...

The room has a large window that gets lots of natural light so the white walls and pops of yellow should look good.

I'll let you know how I go with the budget and be back soon with the after photos.

Lisa xo