The Painted Hive

Living Room Update....Before and After

2012-02-16T01:23:00.000+11:00

Beside delegation, the key to good time management is prioritisation, right?

So, between caring for a seven month old, running a household and pretending to be a web programmer (the new blog design is slowly getting there) what's the next most important thing?

Well, teaching yourself to juggle of course (yep, you read right, my current record is 26 consecutive tosses of Charlotte's squishy, coloured blocks).

Of course, I'm not really staying up 'til midnight chucking balls in the air, it just struck me as funny when yesterday I caught myself continuing to practise after even Charlotte had lost interest.

Anyhoo, in the spirit of prioritisation I thought I should finally make the time to share my updated living room as promised.

I originally blogged about the new distressed leather sofas here (I use the term 'new' rather loosely as we have now had them for over a year). With a dog, a baby and one, let's just say, not un-clumsy husband they have been the BEST. I can't count the number of times we've simply wiped off dirty paw prints, regurgitated milk or special spicy szechuan sauce, looked at each other and in unison said, "that's why we bought leather couches".

The fern pictures are free printables. I recently posted about them here (the fern images I used are included in the original post so you can print them for yourself if you're interested :-)

The coffee table was an eBay find I refurbished. If you missed the original makeover post you can check it out here.

The card catalogue, which you can catch glimpses of in some of the following photos, was another eBay buy. You can read more about it in this previous post.

Due to such close proximity, for reasons of continuity the industrial style pendant over the lounge area matches the one above our dining table.

I picked up the replica Tolix stool from eBay. It helps create a gentle link with the dining end of the space without looking too matchy-matchy.

Overall, I'm really happy with the feel of the space though I would love to break up some of the brown with a gorgeous ticking or light jute area rug though the angles in the room don't really allow for it :-(
However....whilst I can't really justify changing the perfectly fine floor at the moment there is talk that we will be replacing it (one day) which just might be the excuse I need to try painting it first (if you are my husband and you are reading this that whole last sentence was just a typo).

The only thing missing from the previous photos was this little guy....

He's pretty much always in that exact spot (and no, I didn't choose my dog based on his level of colour co-ordination with my interior scheme - though he does blend in nicely, doesn't he?).

Linking this little room makeover up here.

RESOURCES

Sofas: Plush Sofas $1800 (floor stock)

Coffee Table: eBay $25

Card Catalogue: eBay $120

Tolix Stool: eBay $60

Throw Blanket: Gift

Rectangular Canvas Pillow: IKEA $25

Quilted Ticking Pillow: Home-made from European pillow case, Adairs $18 (on sale)

Damask, Ticking and Linen Pillows: Home-made with fabrics from Spotlight

Lamp: Sokol $110 (wholesale)

Pendant Light: Early Settler $80 (on sale)

PROJECTS

Distressed Coffee Table Makeover

Fern Printables

Card Catalogue

Best Intentions....and Some Beautiful Spaces

2012-02-10T14:47:00.000+11:00

So, I was gonna share photos of my updated living room this week (truly ruly) though then this happened....

No, I wasn't gobbled up by a giant pair of novelty teeth, although given the current circumstances it doesn't sound like such a bad thing, because poor little miss Charlotte is miserably teething which makes for one miserable household all round.
I would have shared a photo of her actual teeth though she is guarding them with her life so I'm lucky to see them with my own eyes let alone through a camera lens.

Long story short, it's been a tiresome, unproductive week though I promise-cross-my-heart to post about my living room next week. And after all the hype I'm sure it will be a let-down so if you could just pretend to be pleasantly surprised I'll be your best friend forever.

Anyhoo, in the meantime I thought I'd share some of the gorgeous rooms I've Pinned lately.

Click an image to visit the source.

Thanks for all the sweet comments (and one-zillion questions!) about my decal canister tutorial from last week.

Reading all the feedback made me smile :-)

MAGIC Decal Transfer Tutorial with Free Printables!

2012-02-01T23:21:00.007+11:00

As I'm sure some of you may remember, a little while back I posted a tutorial for DIY waterslide decals.

Amongst other things, I mentioned how wonderful they are for creating custom embellishments without the need for any fancy pants equipment.

Yep, waterslide decal paper is a truly fab product, though as great as it is, there is one major drawback - it is not particularly durable.

So, whilst it's perfect for ornamental purposes, it's not ideal for more practical applications....until now that is!

Magic decal coating paper is a complimentary product designed to be used in conjunction with standard decal paper to make the finished transfers durable - yes, even dishwasher safe!

If you're already familiar with magic decal coating paper then please excuse my tardy excitement, though for everyone else who is just getting to the party now too, feel free to start throwing the streamers!

As mentioned in this previous post, my recently aquired assortment of SLOM jars from IKEA were awaiting some DIY craftiness and magic decals seemed like the perfect partner.

As there are probably several brands of magic decal coating paper out there, each with slightly differing application requirements, for clarity in this tutorial I will specifically pertain to the particular product I used which I got from here....

The paper I received came with one sheet of waterslide decal paper (distinguished by a blue watermark on the back) which you print your image onto and one sheet of the magic coating paper (distinguished by attached translucent protective paper).

GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES
1. Image to transfer
Use anything you like.
I made up my canister labels in Photoshop. I wanted them to be a bit different and quite typographic so decided to style them based on dictionary definitions (my artwork is attached as a free printable if you would like to use them!)
2. Inkjet printer
3. Decal paper (blue watermark on back)
Decal paper comes in clear or white. I'm using the clear paper because I want a transparent background around my image.
4. Magic paper (attached translucent protective paper)
5. Laminator
Basic laminators can be bought for around $20 from most office supply and department stores.
6.Scissors
7. Water
8. Soft cloth
9. Item to embellish
As already mentioned, I'm using my plain SLOM jars from IKEA.
10. Microwave, oven or hairdryer

THE PROCESS

1. Print your image onto the glossy side of your decal paper (DO NOT mirror your image) using an inkjet printer. Allow to dry thoroughly.
I created my canister labels in Photoshop and have attached them below as a free printable if you would like to use them.

2. Separate the translucent protective paper from the magic paper. Do not throw the translucent paper away.

3. Place the magic paper gloss side up on your table. Lay the decal paper printed side down on top of the magic paper. Place the translucent protective paper gloss side down on top of the decal paper.
As my image took up the entire sheet of decal paper I did not need to trim around it first. If you are working with a smaller image you may wish to cut roughly around it with scissors.

4. Laminate your stack of three papers together on low speed and at low temperature.
Basic laminators can be bought for around $20 from most office supply and department stores.

5. Discard the translucent paper. Your decal paper and magic paper should now be fused together. Trim closely around your image - you can see it quite easily through the paper if you hold it up to the light.

Where there is no ink, the decal will leave a very fine, slightly translucent film which is visible close up or on certain angles. As my image is text alone with no border I experimented with techniques and found the neatest finish to be a nice even box (trying to mimic the outline of the text just looked messy). If your image has a distinct border then trim approximately 2mm all the way around it (leaving a small buffer ensures you get a good seal).

6. Dampen the back of the decal paper (watermarked side) with a cloth until it becomes translucent. Wait around 15 seconds then gently peel the paper away completely.
Important: ensure you remove the watermarked decal paper only at this stage.

7. Quickly immerse the decal in a shallow dish of water to dampen the other side then position it, image side down, on your item, smoothing it down with your fingers and a slightly damp cloth to remove excess water.

8. Carefully slide off the backing paper and manipulate the decal into its exact position then continue to smooth it until it is water and air bubble free (the image for step eight shows the transfer with some minor creases and bubbles. This is only because the photograph depicts the removal of the backing paper before I have smoothed the decal. Rest assured that it does flatten out completely).

9. Finally, set the decal by either:
- Baking in an electric oven for 8 minutes at 150 degrees celsius
- Cooking in a microwave for 5 minutes on low
- Blowing with a hairdryer for 5 - 10 minutes

Although I was hesitant, I did find the courage to run these babies through the dishwasher - twice, just to be certain - and they didn't show any signs of distress. I was honestly AMAZED! Of course given I have only had them for a few day I can hardly vouch for their longevity so advise hand washing for frequent use.

As I mentioned, there is a very faint translucent background (which is the case with regular waterslide decals too) though once the canisters were full it was barely noticeable.

And here are your complimentary printables....

(simply click on the image to enlarge to full size then save it to your computer)

Linking up here.

PS Next week I will finally post the photos of my updated living room!

Sliding Wardrobe Door Makeover - An Update

2012-01-27T22:26:00.001+11:00

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you probably remember this simple robe door makeover from about a year ago....

When I re-decorated my master bedroom, I simply painted the ugly beige metal surround with enamel spray paint to create a more cohesive (i.e. less ugly) look.

I thought some readers, who may be entertaining the idea of trying something similar, might be interested in hearing how the paint has held up, especially considering we use the doors every day.

Well, I'm pleased to report that it still looks as good today as the day I painted it!

I must admit that I was initially sceptical about the durability so was pleasantly surprised when, as the days and weeks passed by, the paint remained scratch and chip free.

As I said, just thought some of you might appreciate the update.

Shabby Apple Giveaway Winner!

2012-01-24T01:15:00.003+11:00

And the winner is....

The Tuxedo III dress from Shabby Apple goes to Korrie from Red Hen Home.

Yay!!!!

I'll be in touch soon to grab your details so your prize can get off the rack and onto your back ASAP!

A big THANK YOU to Shabby Apple for the giveaway.

UPDATE

If anyone happens to visit Korrie's blog you might notice she has just posted about a project of mine.

I promise, cross my heart, that this is just a weird coincidence and has absolutely nothing to do with her winning the giveaway.

I had actually just visited her blog to grab her contact details and was writing her congratulatory email when she put her post up (about one minute after mine went up!). I had to do a double take when I re-visited her home page and my coffee table had suddenly appeared!

Too funny.

Giveaway Time....Gorgeous Dress from Shabby Apple!

2012-01-14T22:26:00.002+11:00

After having focused on everyone else over the Christmas period (as I'm sure you probably did!) here's a special treat just for you.

Shabby Apple offers a bounty of beautiful women's clothing and accessories and today are giving one lucky Painted Hive reader the chance to win this stylin' dress....

Made from brown linen with a touch of rayon for stretch, chocolaty frills bedeck the bodice of this gorgeous dress which buttons up the front and hits just below the knee.

I chose it to giveaway for its feminine lines and gentle vintage nod.

Soooo, start 2012 in style.

Winning is EASY.

Simply either....

....head on over to Shabby Apple's Facebook page and 'like' 'em then head back here and leave a comment letting me know you've done so....

....OR....

....visit Shabby Apple's online store then make a return trip here and leave a comment letting me know which dress (or dresses!) you heart.

...............................................................

Giveaway has now ended.

I'm Still Here....and IKEA Love!

2012-01-09T21:46:00.000+11:00

Merry (belated) Christmas and Happy (cue belated streamers) New Year!

Sorry I've been MIA over the past few weeks. I would like to lay sole blame on the busyness of the silly season though, (whilst that was part of it) in truth I was also enjoying some time being a plain-Jane stay at home Mum - if there is even such a thing.

Charlotte is now six months old and wiggling pretty much anywhere she wants to go (which usually involves her getting stuck under or between one or more pieces of furniture).

For some weird reason I naively envisaged having a bit more time to myself once she graduated from 'newborn' status....(yeah, I can hear your collective snicker :-)....turns out I was wrong.
Amongst other things she's learned to drag herself over to me and reach up when she wants to be carried. So, whilst I may not have more time as anticipated at least I'm sculpting some killer biceps - it's a fair compromise.

There has been some wild weather around lately. We were treated to an unheard of "White Christmas" down-under when a freak summer storm saw areas of outer Melbourne blanketed in massive hail stones. The noise on the tin roof at my Mother-in-laws was almost deafening and I'm sorry to say that my little car now resembles a dimply golf ball! I'm still waiting for confirmation though the insurance company warned me it may be a total loss.

I didn't manage to get a photo though here's a beautiful shot of Bourke Street, Melbourne, after a hail storm in 1901

Following the storm we had a mini heat wave with a few days hovering around 40 degrees celsius (that's about 105 degrees fahrenheit). Too hot to bother doing anything much bar make mental lists of things to do when the weather eventually does cool down (well, that or go to the beach with everyone else in Australia).

Yesterday Mum and I visited the new-ish IKEA store in Springvale, south-east of Melbourne.

Knowing many people have to take a packed lunch when they travel to their nearest IKEA (ie. it's a looong way) I can hardly complain about the 40 minute drive though it would be nice to have an IKEA just around the corner from home (then again, no matter what, a trip to IKEA always seems to leave me with a much lighter wallet than intended so maybe it's a good thing!).

Mum and I went to look at highchairs and area rugs.

We bought neither.

Instead we came home with....

(I have a DIY project for these coming up soon)

In a perfect world I would have only real indoor plants though let's face it, the world isn't perfect.

It can be hard to get away with artificial flowers though in my opinion greenery is far more forgiving and these appear realistic enough.

I've always wanted to use a cluster of candles somewhere.
And now that Charlotte's almost crawling it's the perfect time to be adding more decor accents around the house, isn't it?
Oh well, at least they aren't breakable :-)

A few other IKEA faves....

Ahhh, IKEA!

I have a loooong and exciting list of decorating, craft and DIY projects for 2012.

Sadly I can't promise daily blog updates though I'll do my best to post whenever I have something half decent to share so I hope you can join me this year on my never-ending quest for beauty on a budget.

PPS

I also want to extend a HUGE thank you to anyone and everyone who took the time to visit my blog (whether once or one hundred times) in 2011.

Your readership propels my continuance.

New Living Room Pictures and Free Printables!

2011-12-07T23:20:00.002+11:00

Do you 'member I mentioned there had been lots of tissy-ing up going on over at my hive?

Well, something I had been wanting to change for a while were the bird prints in my living room.

(Here's how my living room looked around 18 months ago)

They are cute and I do like them though the proportions were never quite right and it was simply time for something different.

At the moment I'm really into vintage illustrated nature studies; botanical, anatomical, zoological (anything with a 'cal' on the end really!).
For my living room I ended up deciding on botanical fern lithographs, mainly because I think they're cute though also because of their green foliage.

You see, to a fickle girl like me who can't seem to commit to colour, green foliage adds that little punch of life to an otherwise unsaturated room whist maintaining an overall sense of harmonious neutrality.
I always like to include foliage of some kind in all of my spaces.

I switched out the original chunky frames for finer ones I found at a cheap dollar store.
To better fit with the proportions of the new leather sofa I created two rows of four prints (and yes, my 'new' leather sofa is over a year old now!).

(Please forgive the reflections)

I found the fern illustrations on the NYPL Digital Gallery. I edited them a bit using Photoshop then simply printed them off.

(Again, please excuse the reflections)

I really love the way they look though best of all they were virtually free!

I know I'm being stingy by not showing more of the room as a whole though I have made so many changes since getting the leather sofas it's practically a new space! So I'm planning a proper reveal post to showcase the entire makeover soon (promise :-).

If you're interested in using the same fern illustrations as me, for convenience I have included them below.
Just click on an image to open it to full size then simply save it to your computer.

Beautiful Neutral Rooms

2011-12-02T12:27:00.003+11:00

Today me brain no work too good.

So rather than try to compile a coherent post I thought I'd share this collection of inspiring neutral rooms I found on Pinterest.

SOURCE

If you visit the 'source' link above you might notice that I finally have a Pinterest account.

I know I'm ~~a little~~ ridiculously late coming to the party on this one.
After a tonne of recommendations to 'get on it' the truth is, at first I just plain didn't get it.
Though lately I've found some time to peruse it and in keeping with the general consensus...it is AWESOME.
And for someone easily distracted by sparkly things addiction can pose a problem! (so can depression unfortunately as you realise just how many beautiful interiors and cool DIY projects there are out there you will never have the time/money/motivation to re-create :-(

So if you're yet to warm to Pinterest, just don't say I didn't warn you when you suddenly realise you're still in your pj's after three straight days of your own personal pinathon!

On a slightly different note, lately I've had a lot of emails and comments from readers wanting to connect with me through alternate media (such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest - as mentioned above).
The good news is; I've actually been working on a new blog design and when I finally go live with it all the social networking hoo-ha will be included.

The bad news is; I'm doing all the work myself (yes, I am a little ca-razy).

So whilst I would like to have it done yesterday it might actually be a few more weeks.
At any rate it will happen....eventually.
And when it does I'm gonna run outside and do some kind of elated Flashdance fast feet and Rocky-style air punching.

Industrial Coffee Table

2011-11-29T22:31:00.002+11:00

Yesterday was our wedding anniversary.

The funny is that I just plain forgot!

I had thought of it a few days earlier though only remembered on the actual day when my mother-in-law popped in to drop off a card for us (is it a bit of a worry when your husband's mum is the one to prompt you about your anniversary?).
So, given my unintended lack of sentiment I was super surprised when Luke came home from work brandishing a gorgeous bouquet of flowers.
Whilst I can't be certain, he is adamant that he actually remembered all on his own.
And my excuse....well, apparently my Mum always forgets her anniversary so maybe I get it from her.

Anyhoo, onto the decor part of this post....

I wish I could say that I in some way revived, modified, upcycled, repurposed or created this table though the truth is I just bought it this way.

I found it brand new on eBay about two years ago for a bargain price and snatched it up to fill a gap in my weird off-the-kitchen second living area (which is actually really too small to be called a second living area though I don't quite know what else to call it - I haven't yet shared this space on my blog though am hoping to decorate it 'properly' over the coming months so will keep you informed).

As mentioned in this previous post, the creation of a nursery for Charlotte has lead to lots of room re-arranging so what was originally the weird second living area (which is actually really too small to be called a second living area) has now had to become our home office.

Which means that there is no longer any space for living room paraphernalia.

I really, really love this table and don't think I'll ever find one the same for the price I originally paid though short of using it as some kind of weird hallway hurdle I just have nowhere else to put it.

So, grab yourself a bargain if you're keen.

It's currently up for sale via eBay auction.

*UPDATE*
Table is now sold

PS If anyone is interested the map above the table is a sheet of gift wrap from Cavallini and Co. and the wicker plant pot is from IKEA.

Library Card Cabinet Upcycle

2011-11-24T22:31:00.001+11:00

Whatda you do when you come across something you really love?

Something for your home that you know there is no practical place or use for?

Do you buy it just because?

Just because you might never come across one again? Just because it was a really good price? Just because your mother's sister's second cousin Mavis had one just like it? Just because you could remove that, paint this, add some of these and turn it into an umbrella stand?

Well, a while ago I blogged about this old library card cabinet I bought 'just because'.

It sat in my junk room serving absolutely no purpose for about a year until the arrival of Charlotte saw my junk room (which was the temporary home for many of my 'just because' items) become sole real estate for one beautiful bouncing bambino.

(You can see the nursery makeover here if you missed it)

So, with our shortage of storage space made even shorter it was finally time to let some things go, starting with my card drawer cabinet.

Before selling it though I decided a mini makeover was in order.

Rather than paint over the character-filled timber I simply gave it a good all over clean and oil (just with furniture polish) to retain and enhance the original patina.

I also attached some solid metal castor wheels (as I had always originally intended). Along with the advantage of mobility the wheels also add enough height to give the cabinet perfect proportions for a coffee or deep side table.

I could only find silver steel castors which looked too modern paired with the old cabinet so I tinted them black to resemble cast iron.
Here's a little trick; rather than use spray paint (which easily chips off smooth metal) I coloured the wheels with a black permanent marker!

It sounds time-consuming though it was actually really quick and so far has held up great. Whilst I imagine it will likely fade a little over time where the wheels roll it will probably look nicely worn rather than just plain chipped.

So, mini refresh complete, I re-arranged my living room a bit to plonk the cabinet beside my leather couch to take some photos for the eBay listing and....

....I'm kinda loving it!

Luke even made the rare comment that he also liked it!

Did I say we have a shortage of storage space and it was time to let some things go? Well, maybe not this...for now anyway.

Hmmm, perhaps I should stop buying stuff 'just because'.

Linking up here.

DIY Transfer Decal Tutorial

2011-11-21T22:08:00.002+11:00

Sure, there are a heap of different embellishing methods out there though did you know you can make your own custom, professional-looking, easy to use decals at home with no expensive outlays, time-consuming crafting or specialty equipment?

All you need is some waterslide decal paper and a printer (plus a cute design of course!).

Okay, that may have just sounded like a bad infomercial though I promise no-one is paying me to sprook the praises of this product. I just really like it.

However if you are in the waterslide decal industry donations won't be frowned upon - just kidding of course :-)

Anyhoo, let's get started....

For my graphic I'm using some simple numbers I just designed in Word though you could get fancy with Photoshop, find a graphic on-line or scan something in.
I got my decal paper here from eBay. Make sure you get the clear paper and either inkjet or laser to suit your printer.

Yes, those are my ugly kitchen tiles you can see beneath the plates. I will get around to making over my kitchen one day!

I really love the professional finish, ease and graphic flexibility of this method. Anything you can design you can use to embellish and this method works on all kinds of materials (glass, timber, metal etc.) so you can think big. You can even design (or purchase) over-sized digital graphics then print them in sections to create large scale images for big surfaces such as table tops.
The possibilities are almost unlimited.

I know this isn't an earth shattering technique though I've rarely seen it used so just thought I'd share.

Linking up here.

*UPDATE*
You can easily find the decal paper on eBay.
Just do a search for "waterslide paper" or "decal paper".
Make sure you get the clear paper if you want a transparent background and either the inkjet or laser printer compatible one to suit your needs.

The Industrial Dining Room Light

2011-11-16T21:54:00.000+11:00

Thanks for all the comments about my little dining room makeover.
I got a lot of questions about the light fixture so thought I'd post about it sooner rather than later.

I'd been inactively looking to replace both the original fixtures in my conjoined living-dining room since we moved in.

BEFORE

Yep, that was them. Except they were originally green and bright gold so not long after we moved in I painted them antique bronze mainly just so I didn't have to think "Aussie, Aussies, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi" every time I looked at them.

I knew I wanted something industrial-ish to replace them with though it took me five years to actually do it because....
One; finding stylish and affordable pendants here in Oz isn't easy.
Two; I needed two fixtures. A single pendant above the dining table would have been easy enough though I had to consider the aesthetic of having two within around three meters of one another.
Three; Our ceilings aren't high. And whilst having a low-hung pendant above a dining table is no problem I needed it to match the height of the pendant over the living area otherwise it just woulda looked plain bad. Long story short, it needed certain proportions.
Four; Last Monday I had a photographer at my house to take pics for a potential future magazine feature so that kinda motivated me!

Luckily, the magazine shoot just happened to coincided with the release of a new stylish and affordable lighting range from Recollections.

I'm sure many of my fellow Aussies feel the same quiet longing for the seemingly endless array of affordable stylish homewares available overseas, particularly in the USA, so I was wrapt when I came across this new collection. Finally, a slice for us (albeit small though a slice none-the-less!).

I got two of the Grantham pendants (usually $99 each) for $160 for both as they currently have 30% off your second pendant. I also sold both my old light fittings for $60 so if you take that off the price for the new ones I technically got them for $100 which is just $50 a piece!

Hubby Luke installed them for me and I'm really pleased with how they look.
And, new light aside, I've made other changes in the living area so will share them too when I get around to it :-)

PS If my house does happen to turn up on the pages of a magazine sometime I'll let you know once I've picked myself up off the floor!

Time Management and New Ticking Sheets

2011-11-14T23:45:00.000+11:00

*Warning: Real life stuff*
I know many of my readers visit purely for decorating inspiration so if you're simply interested in seeing some pretty pictures then scroll straight to the bottom where you can read more about this:

Anyhoo, in non-decorating related news, at the moment my days kinda go like this....

....get up and pull on the same t-shirt and trackpants you were wearing yesterday (and probably the day before too). Feed Charlotte, play with Charlotte, put her back to be (hopefully). Run around the house looking at everything that needs doing, making a mental list though not actually achieving anything. Pile all the dishes in the sink (though don’t actually wash them cause you don’t have time). Grab everything that’s lying around the house and put it in a pile somewhere too (because, once again, you don’t actually have time to put things where they belong though at least if they’re in a pile it creates the illusion of organisation). Sweep the carpet so the grain is all running in the same direction because you have some weird obsession with the grain all running in the same direction (remind yourself to buy loop pile next time so there is no need for “grain direction”).
Think of twenty things to blog about though don’t actually manage to blog about anything because taking pretty pictures and compiling meaningful posts takes way too long when you’re a part-time perfectionist. Feed Charlotte, play with Charlotte, carry her around all afternoon because there’s no way she’s going back to bed this time. Consider doing some laundry though just end up making more piles; washing, ironing, things to put away. Kiss your husband on the cheek when he gets home from work. Cook dinner, eat dinner, feed Charlotte, bath Charlotte. Sit on the couch for five minutes and stare zombie-like at the TV because there’s actually nothing on worth watching. Feed Charlotte, put her to bed (hopefully). Sit in front of the computer and stare zombie-like because there are a gazillion too many things to do and learn. Fall into bed way too late, turn off the light and sleep until a crying baby wakes you up.

Somewhere in there, if you’re lucky, you might also find time for breakfast and lunch and perhaps eating too much ice-cream. Going to the supermarket, taking the poor neglected dog for a walk, taking a shower, having a conversation with someone other than a four month old, checking your emails, buying your nephew a long overdue birthday present, working on some client consultations, working on some furniture refurbishments, working on some decorating projects for your own home. Baking choc chip cookies, paying bills, making your bed, cleaning your car (yeah, right), tackling your jungle of a garden (yeah, even bigger right!), visiting the doctor, doing fifty sit ups, making lists of things to do that never seem to get done and pondering just how you can improve your blog (which is still your favourite cathartic indulgence) without paying a graphic designer cause you’re too stingy.

And I only have ONE kid. My gosh, women astound me!

Okay, so that kinda makes me sound like a complete scatter-brain though in all fairness I'm actually reasonably well organised thanks to my OCD (Organization Compulsive Disorder).
It's just that, with every one thing I do get done there are a million other things I wan't to get done.
Anyone relate? More than half the world's population I'm sure.

So now, venting complete, on to the decorating section of this post.
Along with my weird obsession with carpet grain I also have a less weird love for ticking stripes.
And when I was in hospital for two months recently I did what any other bored in-patient with wireless internet might do - shopped online!

I must have been craving the comfort of my own distant bed so when I found this gorgeous black and white ticking sheet set on EziBuy I bought it with the promise of coming home to something nice and new.
They are 100% cotton though feel much softer (almost like a flannel).

I love them paired with my quilted doona cover and gilt headboard frame.

They just add that little extra something plain white bedding sometimes lacks.

Oh, and on a different side not, sorry for all my long vertical photos lately. The rooms in my house are just all so small that I have to shoot a lot of my photos through doorways then crop them all down.
I'm not complaining though, the smaller the house, the smaller the cleaning effort!

And now, just cause I'm loving it so much at the mo' here's some more ticking inspiration....

Country Living

Via M Street

House Beautiful

Unknown

House Beautiful

Unknown

Via Cocozy

Country Living

Tolix Chairs for the Dining Room!

2011-11-09T23:03:00.004+11:00

Have I mentioned my complex? The one about buying furniture brand new?

Seriously, I mean complex. The whole concept is just an enigma to me.

Don't get me wrong though, I know second-hand is not always the best way to go though if I happen to spy you buying something so generic they sell one every five seconds on eBay for just fifty cents please forgive me for wrestling the credit card from your hand!

My sister does it all the time and it drives me nuts. Luckily she's my sister so I'm allowed to wrestle her.

Anyhoo, I faced my fears last week and couldn't be more pleased with the result....

Four brand new tolix replicas now grace my dining room, making perfect companions for my rustic farmhouse table.

With their low slung backs, sleek lines and robust gal finish not only are they beautiful, though as one of my readers pointed out, they are also perfectly child proof!

I did a fair amount of research to find a local supplier with the best price and ended up getting all four chairs for around $450 AUD. Not too bad.

The hammer hasn't yet fallen on the auction for my previous IKEA chairs though whatever they sell for I'm gonna mentally take it off the total price of the new chairs - it just makes me feel better.

So, here's my dining room around this time last year...

And here it is today...

Last year...

Today...

Did you catch a few other new details in there too?
I've been tizzy-ing up a storm lately and will post further details soon.

So, as a self-confessed newfurnitureneurotic who's not overly convinced that buying pre-loved can't be applied in every instance, in this case I reckon brand new was the way to go.

And until the tolix replicas make their way onto the second-hand market it's a heck of a lot cheaper, if not quite so prestigious, than forking out for the current pre-loved ones on offer (I'm not saying I wouldn't love some gorgeous Xaviar Pauchard originals though!).

Linking up here.

Dining Chairs Anyone?

2011-11-04T09:14:00.001+11:00

After almost five years it's time to let go of my beloved IKEA dining chairs.

And when I say beloved, I really do mean it. I adore these chairs with their strappy crossed backs and charming striped seat pads, but...

...with my new leather sofas and timber top coffee table the conjoined living-dining room is just looking all too 'brown'. Sure, I could paint the chairs any number of delightful colours but....well, let's be honest, I just want something new. And that's okay, isn't it?

Something finer, a little industrial, something not timber...

I know these tolix chairs are everywhere at the moment though dismissing something just because it's popular seems a little illogical to me. Besides, I have loved them for-ev-a.

My precious IKEA chairs are currently up for sale via eBay auction so if you're local to Melbourne and interested you can check out the listing.
* CHAIRS ARE NOW SOLD*

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! I've got some exciting news to share next week (and no, it's not that I'm pregnant again :-)

The Nursery Reveal!

2011-10-28T12:12:00.015+11:00

Before Charlotte actually out-grows her cot I thought I'd better finish off her room! Well, for that reason and also cause it's about time I finally shared it on my blog.

Of course it would have been completed four months ago before she actually arrived in the world if it hadn't been for that pesky eight week hospital sojourn (giving it a sweet name derived from old French makes it sound so much more appealing!).
It's a neutral space with nothing too flash or poppy so for those who have been waiting (far too patiently!) for the reveal I hope its simplicity doesn't disappoint :-)

BEFORE

The nursery was originally our unfinished study/junk space/I-collect-too-much-furniture-and-have-nowhere-else-to-put-it room. It's teeny tiny, about this big...

...which made it a tricky little space to decorate (and photograph).

If you're new here and feel so inclined you can catch-up with the previous nursery posts here which outline some of the design process and projects to this point.

AFTER

To give the room some dimension, charm and crispness we dressed the walls with simple white board and batten. I didn't do a tutorial on this (mainly because there are already a squillion out there though also because we kinda just made it up as we went along). I will say however, that if you're considering a similar treatment it's actually pretty straight forward - especially if you're willing to call spak your friend :-)

To save extra painting (and because it's already nice and neutral) we decided to retain the original colour on the upper walls. It is Dulux Chalk USA as per the rest of our house.

The generic old wardrobe doors had to go though rather than trash 'em we decided to rehash 'em, offering salvation in the form of chalkboard paint and custom alphabet decals.

BEFORE

AFTER

The process was similar to how I transformed the built-in doors in my master bedroom here.

We just removed the doors, bottom rail and fascia (which simply unscrewed) took them all outside and painted the metal beige areas with black enamel spray paint. Once dry, we gave the doors two coats of chalkboard paint. After a few days curing time I attached alphabet decals which I had custom made in Poor Richard font by Leen the Graphics Queen. They remind me of a classroom blackboard - I really love them!

I picked up the cot (crib) off eBay for just $40.

BEFORE

I was umming and ahhring for ages about what colour and finish to go with though eventually settled for a warm grey.

I used organic acrylic (so it's safe when Charlotte decides to start munching on it) and mixed up the colour myself. I finished the cot with a subtle glaze and light distressing (so it will only add to the character when Charlotte decides to start munching on it!).

I also replaced the plastic castor wheels with an antique porcelain set taken from an old Edwardian chair.

AFTER

For some weird reason the window in the room sits slightly to the right so I hung the curtains centrally, covering the frame to create the illusion of symmetry.

Of course I needed a blackout solution and the linen drapes from IKEA were merely light filtering so I also used a textured blockout roller blind.

I knew from the get-go that I wanted an original antique to use as the change table. Eventually I found a reasonably priced gorgeous old mid 1800's cedar chest of drawers on eBay. I adore the patina and proportions. We keep all the change-time paraphernalia in the top drawers so it's completely accessible when needed though otherwise kept neatly hidden away.

I posted about mt eBay rocking chair mini makeover here previously. I decided to enhance it a little further with some subtle burgundy grain sack stripes.

BEFORE

AFTER

The light fixture is a repurposed old zinc basket. You can read the full post and tutorial for that here.

The gallery wall was basically free. I wanted to create a quirky vintage feel so used a mish-mash of frames (some I already owned and others from op shops)...

...and filled them with free printable art I found on The Graphics Fairy, Vintage Printables and the NYPL Digital Library.

The lamp stand is a repurposed brake fluid drum! You can read about it in this previous post.

BEFORE

AFTER

I made the mobile using hand-carved timber birds, laser-cut metal leaves and some twigs from my backyard. You can read the tutorial for it here. It adds a lovely organic feel to the room.

And to finish here are a few side-by-side B and A's just for comparisons sake.

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

Hope you like it!
I'm taking Charlotte's willingness to sleep peacefully in there as her sign of approval :-)

Linking up here.

Source and Price Guide

Linen Curtains: IKEA $90

Textured Blackout Roller Blind: Lincraft $80 (on sale)

Antique Chest of Drawers: eBay $300

Cot: eBay $40

Rocking Chair: eBay $100

Lamp Stand: DIY Project $5

Lamp: Sokol $110 (wholesale)

Cane Storage Baskets: Kmart $14

Wire Basket Ceiling Light: DIY Project $15

Wicker Waste Basket: The Reject Shop $10

Fitted Ticking Cot Sheet: Target $15

Throw Blanket: Spotlight $20 (on clearance)

Bird and Twig Mobile: DIY Project $15

Custom Alphabet Decals: Leen the Graphics Queen $14

Sheepskin Rug: Gift

Sunburst Mirror: Repurposed from Master Bedroom (originally from Oz Design $60)

Project Guide

Wire Basket Ceiling Light

Bird and Twig Mobile

Faux Pressed Tin Lamp Stand

Rocking Chair Mini Makeover

For details relating to the Cot Makeover, Gallery Wall, Wardrobe Door Makeover and Board and Batten Treatment please refer to the post above.

Just Take Plastic Lace and a Brake Fluid Drum!

2011-10-20T22:37:00.001+11:00

I was visiting my parents recently when I happened to glance over and see this...

...beside their garage.

Hmmm, a cruddy old brake fluid drum, how fascinating, right? Well, yes, I mean, it is cruddy and old and whilst I had probably looked at it a hundred times before for some reason that day I really saw it for the first time.

You see, my nursery lamp (shown here temporarily sitting on picnic baskets)...

...is too tall for a regular side table yet too short to stand on the floor and I figure my brain was subconsciously scouring for a solution when the proportions of the drum jumped up and slapped me square across the face.

I took some quick measurements and sure enough, proportions...tick! Appearance...ummm, not so tick. Luckily that is easily fixed!

The fact it was tin gave me some immediate inspiration so I followed my instinct and began an experiment to create a pressed metal look.

Firstly, I gathered my supplies:

One meter of plastic table runner lace (if you're in Australia I got mine from Spotlight though it should be readily available from most haberdashery stores and is super cheap).

A can of gloss enamel spraypaint (I chose ivory for a vintage cream look).

Strong craft glue (I used PVA).

Something to use as feet (I decided on these vintage castors I already had).

And the process:

To begin with, I made sure the drum was empty and gave it a thorough all-over clean. Next, I turned it upside down because I wanted the bottom to become the top and played around with the positioning of the plastic lace. Because the lace in its original form was too wide for the drum I created one new decorative edge at the right width by trimming around the pattern in the existing design with scissors.

Next, I wrapped it around the drum to work out where it would meet and trimmed it so it would neatly overlap just a little. To adhere it to the drum I applied a reasonably generous amount of glue all over the drum's sides (using a paint brush) then I rolled my lace into position. I applied some additional glue to the ends to ensure they were well bonded to the drum.

I also added lace to the top of the drum (to hide a number which was pressed into the tin. I would probably have left it plain otherwise).

In the above photo you can see a faint outline where there was a slightly raised sphere though it's far less obvious in person.

Once the glue was thoroughly dry and I was satisfied the lace was well adhered I gave the entire drum three coats of gloss enamel spray paint.
This was the moment of truth - it was either gonna look okay or like someone had just stuck some plastic lace to a crappy old tin drum....
Well, whilst beauty is subjective I gotta say that to me it actually looked kinda cool!

Once the paint dried I flipped it over and simply liquid-nailed on my castor wheels.

This project was purely experimental so I was pretty pleasantly pleased with the result.
Plastic lace and a brake fluid drum hey? Who woulda thought....

Linking this project here.

Bird and Twig Nursery Mobile

2011-10-17T09:27:00.000+11:00

When I woke this morning I noticed a soft golden glow creeping in from beyond my bedroom curtains and when I peered out the window saw the tree limbs dancing in the type of gentle breeze which makes you want to hang fresh white sheets on the clothes line. It was one of those mornings which reminds you of childhood holidays and made me think that Spring has finally sprung here in the lower Southern hemisphere - yay!

Just the motivation I need to finally shorten my looong 'to do' list - starting with the nursery of course! Though whilst it waits for some final touches before the full reveal I thought I'd share the latest addition - a sweet bird and twig mobile.

I had lots of different ideas for the mobile though eventually settled on something with a slight organic feel and little touch of whimsy.

I found some charming hand-carved birdies, which I painted musk pink, and a selection of filigree leaves on Etsy.

And I picked up two twigs from outside my back door (well, that's putting it simply to be honest. It actually took me a good half hour to make my final selection! Being surrounded by gum trees I guess the choice was overwhelming!).

Before I attached my birds and leaves to the twigs I used little round eye screws and fishing line to hang the twigs how I wanted them.

I did this first to determine their natural horizontal position (thus knowing where to place the birds so they were upright and the mobile stayed balanced). As an extra precaution I also tested the birds positions with blu-tac before I adhered them with hot-glue for good.
I know this may sound fussy (and, yes, I am fussy :-) though it was actually a real pain getting everything aligned properly. It all needed to be pretty precisely weighted and whilst I'm sure there is probably an easy way to do it, I sure as heck couldn't figure it out! It just took trial-and-error and by the end I did almost grab the whole thing, screw it up in my hands and throw it in the air (almost).

To finish, I simply hot-glued on the filigree leaves in little sporadic clusters - that part was easy.

Linking this project with some of these parties.

Classic Dining Table Revamp

2011-10-07T22:38:00.003+11:00

As I type there's an infant attached to my boob so just a quick one today :-)

I've had this boring second-hand table for ages and finally got around to giving it a simple yet effective make-over.

AFTER

BEFORE

I gave the base a fresh coat of satin black acrylic then sealed it with clear acrylic poly.

To give the top more character I stained it walnut and added horizontal score lines to resemble planks. You can read my tutorial for that in this previous post.

For a sleek and durable finish I then sealed it with three coats of timber floor polish.

Linking this project with some of these parties.

This table is now sold.

All of my eBay auctions begin at just 99 cents so the buyer can dictate the final sale price and anyone has the chance to win!

If you happened to follow me previously on eBay you'll notice I'm working on some new branding. I'm hoping to tie my blog in with my little furniture revivals and interior decoration business. It's a slow process and for the moment just a distant dream, though the end goal is a little cohesive empire I can greedily lord over (complete with Twitter and Facebook accounts along with a dedicated website plus my current blog and eBay of course).

Ah, one day perhaps....

And for those who are interested; fifteen weeks old now!

Coastal Map Covered Coffee Table

2011-09-28T23:24:00.027+10:00

For the first time in a long time we were lucky enough to get away for a few days and spent last week at my parent's beach house in St Leonards, which is on the Bellarine Peninsula along Australia's south-eastern coast.

I'd been looking forward to heading down there for ages. Yeah, sure, for the salty scent in the air, barefoot walks on the sand, laid-back evening BBQ's and the general un-necessity for usual household chores though also because I wanted to finally finish off their living room coffee table so I could blog about it :-)

I picked up this beast of a thing on eBay for just $10.

I got it so cheap cause the glass top was severely scratched, which to most people is probably a major deterrent, though to me (and I'm sure many other crafty bloggers out there) was an excuse to get creative!

If you're not new here you may be familiar with this cabinet...

...and this map...

...which both express some of the love I hold for cartography and both helped influence the direction I took to transform my parent's coffee table.

To give the table extra interest and a personal touch, we (that's Mum and I) decided on a map which incorporated the town their beach house is in. So, I searched the internet and eventually found an awesome zoomable historic yatching and excursions map of Port Phillip Bay circa 1885 - how cool!

If you're looking for a map of your own area try searching the image files in on-line National Library collections.

So, using the same process I used to create my large map of Paris (as outlined in this post) I re-worked the map of Port Phillip Bay to fit the existing glass table top. This process can take some time (fiddling with size, colour, cropping, etc) until it's just right. I then took it to my local printer and had it printed on medium weight paper. It cost around $35 (for full colour and over one meter square in size - not too bad).

(The map had to be printed in two parts because it was too large for one sheet of paper).

Then, using the same process I used to affix the wrapping paper to the top of my nautical cabinet (as outlined here) I attached the map of Port Phillip Bay to the coffee table glass.

Dad repainted the timber base white which gives it a fresh, coastal feel though I think it would look great to colour match it with one of the muted sea-greens or sepia tones in the map too. I lightly distressed the edges with a sanding block.

The top has had about eight coats of sealer so is really well protected and can be wiped clean with a damp cloth just like any surface.

The digital map I used is scanned from an original so shows signs of wear, such as fold lines and tears which I personally really love.

And look, here's St Leonards (on the Bay) - the town my parent's beach house is in!

It's really wonderful to have this map, not only for its aesthetic appeal, though also for its connection of place which makes it extra interesting and somewhat special.

Linking this project with some of these parties.

Oh, and for those who have asked, little Miss Charlotte is doing really well. Three months old now and more cute (and chubby) every day.

Her nursery should be ready for the reveal in early October!

Nursery Elements

2011-09-07T21:41:00.001+10:00

With everything seeming to take waaay longer than it should nowadays I'm pleased to announce that at least the cot (crib) is finished (it only took me nine weeks - not too bad for 33 stints of five minutes at a time!).

So, while the nursery as a whole is still awaiting some finishing touches before the full reveal I thought I'd share some of the elements thus far.

(If you're new to my blog you can view all the previous nursery posts here).

I've already shared my DIY basket light...

...and rocking chair mini-makeover...

Before

After

...though now I've also got some of this on the walls...

...and these on the windows...

I've also used a bit of this...

...with some of these

...to transform the existing built-in robe.

And I found this...

...(as previously mentioned) on eBay, which has now been transformed thanks to some paint, elbow grease and the castors from these...

So, the room really is getting there!

Though I'm still undecided about this...

...and am yet to create one of these...

Oh, and do you remember when I made-over my master bedroom I was going to use these...

...well, they ended up being a little too tall so now one of them has scored a home somewhere in the nursery - love!

Chippy Side Table....and a new distressing technique

2011-08-16T21:49:00.009+10:00

Is it too ambitious of me to hope there's actually someone loyal enough they're still around to read this post?

I'm now nicely settled back in at home with beautiful baby Charlotte and between putting milk in one end and cleaning it up out of the other (plus spending way too long just gazing in wonder) I have found time for some decorating, it's just I haven't until now found the time to blog about it!

You see, being a part-time perfectionist doesn't easily lend itself to half-arsedness (if that is even a word) so putting together a decent blog post takes a fair bit of effort.

Anyhoo, the nursery is now nearly complete so hopefully I'll share it soon enough though in the meantime here's a little furniture re-do.

The day before I went into hospital I put the first coat of paint on this old round side table.

Before

I was intending to finish it the very next day though needless to say that never happened so now, three months on, it's finally complete!

After

Under different circumstances I would have retained the vintage walnut patina though this table was destined for my living room which already had enough 'brown' after the injection of our new leather sofas.

I'd also already re-finished this round coffee table....

....which I heavily distressed through sanding, so to avoid a 'matchy-matchy' look I decided on a more chippy finish for the side table. Soooo, instead of sandpaper I used one of these....

That's right, a surfboard wax comb! Call me crazy though it worked brilliantly. I simply rubbed it over the table in various places - using the straight sides, rounded end and the teeth - gradually chipping the paint off until I achieved my desired effect.

The flexibility in the comb teeth caused the paint to chip in a natural, random way. I found it worked best when rubbed in a slightly circular motion.

For best results ensure your paint isn't adhered too well to begin with (that is, just sand your item very lightly before applying paint).

I finished my table with a sealing coat of tinted furniture wax.

Linking this project with some of these parties.

I can't believe she's only been in the world for eight short weeks. I can't imagine having never had her with us.

It's a Girl!

2011-07-04T09:41:00.001+10:00

Finally introducing little Charlotte Mae Franklin.

Arrived safely on the 23 June 2011 at 2.30pm weighing 2.5kg (5.5lb).

The most adorable creature I have ever seen.

Thank you to everyone for all the encouraging comments, lovely well-wishes and thoughtful enquiries leading up to the long-awaited arrival!
I'll be in touch over the next few weeks and months as I settle back into life at home after eight weeks in hospital and work on re-decorating the house to accommodate our new little addition.

Help Needed!!! Topiary Treasure Hunt

2011-05-20T22:17:00.000+10:00

Anyone have any idea where I might find some of these?

I've been trawling the internet from my hospital bed in search of some realistic provincial style artificial tabletop topiaries though can't find them anywhere! I've even contacted several stores though all to no avail.

In true Painted Hive style I'm not willing to spend a fortune though I am beginning to get desperate so if anyone comes across some of these rustic style fauxpiaries at a reasonable enough price feel free to contact me - pretty please :-)
Of course I'm happy to reimburse any costs (keeping in mind that for postage I am based in Australia).

Baby update for those who asked: Firstly, thanks SOOOO MUCH to everyone who left a comment or email following my previous post. It was uplifting to read your thoughts and comforting to hear your own personal stories.
Today was my birthday. Whilst spending it in hospital did kinda suck at least I'm pretty certain I'll always remember it (and look back one day and smile :-)
Bub is still happily baking away and all going well should stay in the oven until sometime around mid-late June.
Now, more than ever, I really can't wait!