21.6.11

*a virtual coffee* & a chippy vintage ladder...

coffee time gals...
but today we are having smoothies whilst balanced on my ladder...



i know it's tuesday...our virtual coffee catch-up...
which you know i loooove....
it's just that the sun has come out in ol'blighty after a morning of rain...
so i'm moving onto smoothies before the school pick-up...
&
i suggest you do the same...
they're strawberry & banana...how good does that sound!
so here's a bottle i made for you...
&
sit yourself up there on numero uno...


ok...hit me with it...how was your week?
i am seeing that so many of you are on summer hols...
here, we are still in the anticipation of...
the sun temps us to hang out in the garden...
to walk to school & to bbq...
{& let me tell you, the english countryside in sunshine is gorgeous!}
then it let's us have it...
before we start taking the *summer* weather for granted...
it buckets down...
this, my lovely friends, is why the english countryside is so flippin' green!
well...this aussie gal is used to summer's of parched grasses...
days spent at the beach & the local pool...
so i'm just taking yet another approaching english summer, with a grain of salt & planning holidays abroad...!,


so now....i've moaned about we've caught up on the english weather...
let me show you what i've been doing when the sun is a-shinning upon us...
this is my so *favourite & best* old ladder...
i found it pretty early on, after our move here from the beaches of sydney...
i do love me a wooden ladder...
in fact, i think i may have swapped it for some bunting i made...
anyhoo...
this ladder was already stamped with some fab writing down the side...
it still had it's original lovely old cotton ropes attached...
&
it had just the right amount of wear & tear that i love...lots!
so...
into the people mover it was thrown, behind the last row of seats...
where i usually hide things from the hubster...
you know just till i can get to them...let him see why we needed an old ladder again...


so...after living with it closed up against the wall in my sewing room for a while...
i took to it with my paintbrush, in the gorgeous sunshine {yep between the rain} & painted it white...
& i left it at that for a good long while...
you've seen it many many times as a perfect prop in my photo's...
i've even actually used it as a ladder!
but it never felt quite finished to me...
till i found these gorgeous french number stencil shapes...!
so...with these in hand...a pot of black paint...& a glass of wine i painted french numbers on my very loved ladder...
& when i stood back i knew she was at last finished...


so...if we were really having a virtual strawberry & banana smoothie together today...
before racing up to school pick-up...
you my lovely bloggy friend, would be sitting up there on numero uno...
balancing atop my favourite old chippy english ladder...
we'd talk about where it may have come from...
who may have used it...
&
i'll let you love it a little...
i'd tell you...that thinking it will one day sit in my australian garden, by the beach back home, makes me smile...
i'd tell you that you could borrow my frenchie stencils if you like...
or that i could bring them over to yours...
&
just maybe...if you serve up smoothies in your garden...
i'd even help you paint a ladder, or an old chippy chair or two...


thanks for the catch-up
for *chewing the fat* sitting atop the ladder

i love our tuesday virtual coffee's
{or smoothies}
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

gotta go collect kiddos from school
but if your on hols
go visit *amy* for more virtual chatting 
here


also linking with michelle from {primp} here
&
the inspirational *shabby chic cottage* here


~~~
&
very excitedly i'm throwing this into a big blog party over at 
courtney's *French Country Cottage*
here
head over & check out the mountains of inspiration!!







25 comments:

  1. i love that chippy old ladder of yours and i just sitting here imagining what i could do with those french stencils of yours....so many ideas! i would take a smoothie, yum. i love making strawberry, banana and blueberry smoothies and even my picky little kids love them. melissa- i can't wait to hear about your holiday travel plans as i must live vicariously through you and all of your travels and adventures! have a wonderful day friend, and thanks for the smoothie!

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  2. I love the ladder, it is amazing, what a difference a bit of paint and some stencils really can do. I'm off to find me a pair of old wooden ladders now! Thanks for the smoothie, it was delicious xxx

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  3. You had me at smoothie. The best smoothie I ever had was from the Vejuiceria in Sydney (in Kings Cross... the back packing hubby sure showed me the sights)... The guy that made them was a blast too. He looked like he belonged on Sergent Pepper's Album cover. My favourite was the Aussie Athletic, fresh pineapple, mint and apple. The perfect hangover cure. Happy times! Love the ladder. When will you go back to Oz? Will you still blog? I do hope so, I can't wait to get my fix of those North Shore beaches! Anyhoo, as always, loved sitting with you and sharing a piece of your day. Mine is ho-hum so I needed a little cheering! Take care. Lx

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  4. You are too fun. Who knew a ladder and a smoothie would be such a great combo. Not on hols yet...but counting down the days!

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  5. You are so clever Melissa, I so have to get me a ladder so I can copy...have one in Melbourne but that's not going to do me much good! Lovely post. Robx

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  6. oh - i just adore this ladder.....so creative! xoxo, tracie

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  7. The ladder looks ab fab. It's snowing in Orange and 40cm of snow is predicted in Thredbo so a bit of English Summer rain sounds OK to me. It's freezing here on the Northern Beaches this morning but I bet that ladder would look great in any beachy garden.
    Best Carolyn

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  8. love what you did with the ladder melissa and a smoothie would be lovely!
    cheryl x

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  9. love love love your ladder. i love #'s too :) great having a smoothie with you today!

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  10. I am in love with your ladder! Then the smoothies sealed the deal!
    We are on school holidays so my children are currently smoothing chocolate over arnotts milk arrowroots and decorating them with lollies so the smoothies will go with them nicely! x

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  11. I'd better not come over for coffee or, in this case smoothies, upon your ladder.... because.... I might never leave ;D I adore your lovely little ladder and the French numbers are the perfect finishing touch. Thanks for smoothies!!

    [BOYS]terous Brooke

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  12. It's beautiful - would you believe my husband threw out a similar old ladder - that was given to me by his mother when we were first married and tried to hang wallpaper, but found we had no step stool. Oh what I wouldn't do to have that old ladder back now. Love this idea.

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  13. Those French stencils are so pretty - and the perfect addition to the ladder! And with glass of wine in hand sounds like a perfectly inspired way to do some touching up. Thanks for the yummy smoothie and chat!

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  14. Pondering holidays abroad atop that lovely old ladder sounds like a nice way to spend an hour or two Melissa. It's positively freezing here. I'm cheered slightly by the fact that it was the winter solstice yesterday, so that must mean the days will get instantly warmer again! (If only!)
    I'd love to borrow your stencils - I'd be painting little numbers here, there and everywhere just so I could use them. I could let you borrow my stamps in return. I have a bit of a thing for stamping things at the moment too. xx

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  15. Love your chippy ladder!
    I am a newer follow and I also wanted to say that I have loved following you on pinterest too! You "pin" some great inspiration photos!

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  16. I have my dad's old ladder like this, and I've never wanted to paint it because I love all the paint spills left on it from him, but this is such a fun way to change it up. I love it!!
    Blessings,
    Marcia

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  17. I love your style Melissa and am so copying your ladder xx Love it when you stop by my blog ( I am so flattered ) xx Ava

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  18. I love watching your imagination take flight, Miss Melissa. It's ceaseless. And beautiful to watch. You are such a clever cookie. J x

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  19. Hi! I came over from Primp and think I'll follow because your site looks so beautiful!

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  20. I am totally loving this ladder!

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  21. Hi Melissa! Just discovered your site and love it and this post!
    Awesome work, looking forward to seeing more of your posts!
    Melissa
    Hi Michele! Love your blog! This piece looks fantastic! I just discovered your blog today and linked up a piece I redid myself (a desk!) thanks so much!
    Melissa :)
    http://livingbeautifullydiy.blogspot.com/

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  22. Hi Melissa (again-!) lol!
    Sorry not sure what happened there with my last post- looks like it posted 2 comments together!
    Sorry about that!
    Again love your blog and your last post :)
    Melissa
    http://livingbeautifullydiy.blogspot.com/

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  23. Hello Melissa - Found you a few moments ago when I was supposed to be working and wound up visiting around instead - oh, my! Love your blog and your engaging writing style.

    I have several old ladders (cannot believe people leave them for the trash man!) and believe I will have to repurpose one of them like yours - thanks for the nifty idea ... I NEED at least one great idea a day, like my vitamin!

    I'll be back - hope you can visit, too.

    Enjoy the weekend ahead....Karen

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  24. The ladder is beautiful! I am going to be on the look out for one!
    Thanks!
    ~Angela
    www.unexpectedelegance.com

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  25. I found an old wooden ladder at an estate barn sale yesterday.......hmmmm this idea is just too cute!
    Sherry

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Thanks for taking a moment...x

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