tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16235770501458039882024-03-14T03:28:41.439+11:00Miss Sew & SoLife By The Sea.
Creating the home that you love.
Sandy feet. Salty hair.
Windows open.Timber floors.
Crafting. Creating. Sewing. Laughing.
Tea. G & T.
Three kids, the man & a mad farm dog in tow!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.comBlogger414125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-56190228302804481152015-03-24T12:37:00.002+11:002015-03-24T12:37:36.629+11:00The Beach House Kitchen Reveal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And so the kitchen came about...</div>
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And I love it more than Christmas.</div>
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It's become the total centre of our home.</div>
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Every part of it makes me smile.<br />
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There's been a lot of planning, hoping, drawing and love gone into this kitchen...and this renovation.<br />
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I'm no renovator (that's been made clear...LOUD & CLEAR!)- I don't like dust, or time changes, or cooking on a camp stove...or dust.<br />
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But I am a decorator with endless idea's and a need for changing it up a bit.<br />
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This space, with it's beautiful light, wonderful louvre windows, simple dark floors and large white walls, has proved already, to be the most gorgeous blank canvas for me to *play upon*.<br />
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Did I mention the subway tiles?<br />
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If you follow me on <a href="https://instagram.com/misssewnso/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, you will know I'm a little obsessed with subway tiles.<br />
And totally obsessed with dark grey grouting.<br />
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Our Irish tiler, not quite so, but they grew on him...<br />
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I'm <i>ok</i> with others not being <i>ok</i> with our renovating decisions.<br />
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I've learnt that no-one does anything better than a professional.<br />
I've also learnt it doesn't mean they have similar tastes, your tastes, or any taste.<br />
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It just means that they put your taste, into a building just as you see it in your head.<br />
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That's renovation 101 with the guidance of an Architect.<br />
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I still hate dust.<br />
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It's been a wonderful journey to get to this point...I'll share the kitchen details next post, as I've a coffee brewing and a chocolate slice in that oven there!</div>
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Happy Days!</div>
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Mxx</div>
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com390tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-89958804579415992522015-02-03T13:31:00.001+11:002015-02-25T19:02:03.310+11:00Are you one of those people?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I read this post from one of my all time favourite bloggers this afternoon...and it sums me up on many occasions, and my husband would vow that I am *one of those* people.<br />
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<a href="http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/7-reasons-youre-always-late.html#more" target="_blank">'Are you chronically late?'</a></div>
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I'm not one to aim for punctuality, as I'm almost positive I can squeeze one more <i>job</i> in before I head anywhere.<br />
I'm not necessarily aiming to be late either...I'm probably aiming for <i>that just right time!?</i><br />
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This year- being more present and more available is top of my list of <i>daily life choices</i>!<br />
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To be more present, may also mean I'm more on time...less distracted...and just hopefully <i>less late</i>.<br />
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I've been practising this each morning.<br />
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With three kids in three different schools, (this is not a new thing for our family, but my approach is!)<br />
I've decided that I do not <i>have a quick look</i> at my phone or laptop in the mornings, until all three have eaten with me, all three have lunches packed and are dressed and out the door on various buses and I have dropped the youngest to school.<br />
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Is there such a thing as a quick look on social media?<br />
If I hit <a href="http://instagram.com/misssewnso/" target="_blank">IG</a> sadly there is not!<br />
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The time I have found to do <i>other jobs, and stuff, and to drink another tea...</i>and <b style="font-style: italic;">just be with my kids before they disappear for the day </b>has been<i> </i>phenomenal!!<br />
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And, I've not been late to anything- in fact, I've almost had to <i>fill in</i> that last 15 minutes that I usually race around shouting orders to anyone home, with a toothbrush in my mouth, looking for my car keys!<span style="text-align: center;">.</span><br />
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Check out Jo's post...you may well be nodding your head!</div>
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x Melissa x</div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-67924670206663469492015-01-30T10:32:00.001+11:002015-01-30T10:32:24.936+11:00Summer holidays roll into School Days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The reality of this Summer break drawing to an end, is that I can allow myself to embrace the structure that a new year brings, like never before.<br />
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I think we all go periods of our lives, where structure and routine really do need to become the backbone of getting on with our day to day.<br />
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I'm not an overtly religious person- though I'm sure if I was, I'd have leant on the beliefs and structure of a church...or escaped to sit on a mountain and to contemplate life like never before.<br />
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Things are sent our way because we can cope with them.<br />
They are thrown at those who need to learn something.<br />
It's been a big year end for us...but the blessings from this have been ten-fold.<br />
Inner strength and love is medicine for life.<br />
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So, with nourishing my heart and our family, I'm bidding a farewell to the <i>Summer break</i>, but not <i>Summer.</i><br />
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I'm still hoping to bask in it's endless gifts of light, vitamins and feel-good vibes...<br />
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Happy Days to all who returned to school here this week after a wonderfully generous Australian Summer.</div>
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Renovations are almost complete...and I cannot wait to share them all here....</div>
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x Melissa x</div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-25203487159767844842015-01-15T11:03:00.000+11:002015-01-15T11:03:29.130+11:00Nourish is the way for 2015.<div style="text-align: center;">
The word for my life in 2015</div>
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It's <b>the thing</b> to find direction as each new year begins, don't you think?<br />
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I've seen in New Year's past with a <i>resolution list</i>, a bettering-myself list, <i>the what I hope to achieve list</i> and just plain ignored the whole thing.<br />
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But this year, I've found direction in just one word.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NOURISH</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've had a big few months here, and I'm really embracing everyone's health with a renewed passion.</span><br />
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And by health- I mean happiness, emotional wellbeing, diet, environment and everything in between.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think as mother's we watch out for our families in every way possible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We cover everything we can, whilst encouraging our children to learn, grow and then to make wise and wonderful decisions for themselves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As partner's we do the same, but we do it on a more even playing field.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we parent together, we grow as a family.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nourishing all of this is my aim for 2015.</span><br />
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Nourishing our hearts, our souls, our beliefs and our bodies.</span><br />
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Nourishing a true sense of our individual selves and truly embracing that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know this word will guide me through 2015, and remind me of my true role in our family- to be present and to nourish us all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you have a word for 2015?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-78589017943221269572015-01-14T08:55:00.001+11:002015-01-14T08:56:49.095+11:00Hello January 2015.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hello January 2015!</span></div>
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It's been a long few months for us here....<br />
<br />
Life is like that- just when you're thinking I've so nailed this thing, it throws you a few curve balls.<br />
I'm all up for curve balls.<br />
I truly believe it makes you a better person, but I'd not say no to a week in the Maldives either...<br />
<br />
Or a month in a garden chair with a pile of books, and an endless jug of lemon, lime and bitters.<br />
Just sharing it all...<br />
<br />
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<br />
We've been renovating the beach house here since September last year.<br />
I love architectural drawings.<br />
I love architects.<br />
I love our home.<br />
I love our builders.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not a renovator!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This shocked me <strike>a little</strike> a lot!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm a decorating, mooching, styling, moving furniture, finding spaces kinda girl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm up for making a wonderful home- rearranging spaces endlessly and embracing our days in them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not a renovator.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We've renovated 'small time' before.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This was bigger.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My favourite elements to the whole process hands down, were designing the kitchen, and drinking a glass of red once a week with our wonderful architect over the plans and drawings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm OK with that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The spaces we've designed and had built are incredible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our three kids are in heaven.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our family is in heaven.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now that we're at the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">really lovely part of just making the space ours </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm crazy happy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've promised not to hammer nails into new walls. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I'm a big believer in the simple nail.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's good to be back here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hoping your having a wonderful start to your year....x</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Melissa </span><br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-55765778645349342132014-08-19T12:50:00.000+10:002014-08-19T12:57:58.020+10:00Beach house & winter...Instagram & Iphone loveMorning from the Ark that has become our home here by the Coast...!<br />
<br />
It seems the weather God's have blessed us well enough for one Winter.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uLT4IT8nZqg/U_K2ZQGiRMI/AAAAAAAAGJQ/Lw92tlirTqM/s1600/IMG_2142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uLT4IT8nZqg/U_K2ZQGiRMI/AAAAAAAAGJQ/Lw92tlirTqM/s1600/IMG_2142.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{Manly Ferry- Manly Wharf}</td></tr>
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Damn, I should have kept my "oh it's freezing and I'm still wearing sunscreen in winter" mouth firmly shut!<br />
<br />
As it's now raining- as in bucketing down- and will continue to do so till at least the end of the week!<br />
<br />
Kid's Athletics Carnivals and Book Week Parade's have been postponed till next week...<br />
and the dryer is my new bestie...<br />
<br />
I've also been hit with this dreaded head cold thingy that has been sweeping through Sydney all winter.<br />
<br />
I'm dragging my feet to all things kids and extra-curricular.<br />
Dragging through the supermarket.<br />
And looking at piles of Christmas stockings ready to sew up for my IG pop-up shop, with a seriously I feel so sorry for myself, God I'm bad at doing nothing, grumpy face.<br />
<br />
Lots of tea being made here.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ubjAiCMyIug/U_K2lzQAc3I/AAAAAAAAGKQ/OFMBlJf_g7c/s1600/IMG_2293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ubjAiCMyIug/U_K2lzQAc3I/AAAAAAAAGKQ/OFMBlJf_g7c/s1600/IMG_2293.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{Beach House Sitting Room- Pre Reno's!!}</td></tr>
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<br />
So...what to do whilst doing nothing productively...?<br />
<br />
Sort photos.<br />
Good idea now.<br />
We'll see in an hour.<br />
<br />
Here's the past few days of life here via my new Iphone 5C.<br />
I know, everyone's apparently waiting for the 6.<br />
Which is apparently being released in September.<br />
But I'm no follower.<br />
I'm a stickler when it comes to phones.<br />
I love Apple.<br />
Anything.<br />
But I'm not a chronic phone *up-grader*.<br />
<br />
My brother is.<br />
That's his thing apparently.<br />
Go him, I say.<br />
Smugly hugging my sweet blue 5C.<br />
<br />
So...life by the Coast via my super loved up, blue as the sky, Iphone 5C...<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E9v5jhhiUaQ/U_K2dpM0KoI/AAAAAAAAGJg/AnrmZWwX_44/s1600/IMG_2209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E9v5jhhiUaQ/U_K2dpM0KoI/AAAAAAAAGJg/AnrmZWwX_44/s1600/IMG_2209.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{Shopping for tropical plants for the soon-to-be renovated garden beds}<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BLX_8POj0D4/U_K2fR5fbSI/AAAAAAAAGJw/lNM6pVdvkXI/s1600/IMG_2244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BLX_8POj0D4/U_K2fR5fbSI/AAAAAAAAGJw/lNM6pVdvkXI/s1600/IMG_2244.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{Divine cafe- *SUB~STATION No.152* McEvoy Street, Sydney.}</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fgM6ltr9MKo/U_K2hhhqMSI/AAAAAAAAGJ4/6JKPWD_wh44/s1600/IMG_2261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fgM6ltr9MKo/U_K2hhhqMSI/AAAAAAAAGJ4/6JKPWD_wh44/s1600/IMG_2261.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{Spoon Swoon- two from a sweet IG friend *thesnailmailcollective}</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NtQyIorLUqY/U_K2iNpFL6I/AAAAAAAAGJ8/T2GCthLnavQ/s1600/IMG_2292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NtQyIorLUqY/U_K2iNpFL6I/AAAAAAAAGJ8/T2GCthLnavQ/s1600/IMG_2292.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{A little Sunday morning Disco lighting thanks to moving stuff again & winter sun}</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6FKI921EPbo/U_K2l-cDLMI/AAAAAAAAGKU/I3kVyCjXIjk/s1600/IMG_2306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6FKI921EPbo/U_K2l-cDLMI/AAAAAAAAGKU/I3kVyCjXIjk/s1600/IMG_2306.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{Can I just say: I LOVE WEEKENDS}</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dlaw-ws0l7U/U_K2jwP8g1I/AAAAAAAAGKI/Tg2qo6mKJe4/s1600/IMG_2316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dlaw-ws0l7U/U_K2jwP8g1I/AAAAAAAAGKI/Tg2qo6mKJe4/s1600/IMG_2316.jpg" height="640" width="636" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{I shopped the house for front door wall art- a fresh wall- c'mon Spring!}</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
There's a FB giveaway in the making for the *Change of season* that we're all waiting for.</div>
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A little bunting love.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Head over & <i>like</i> the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/misssewnso" target="_blank">*MISS SEW & SO* Face book Page</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to be in it to win it!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hope you're happy, healthy and love ya phone no matter what numero it has behind it's name!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
{just for the record I love my bro BIG!}</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Melissa</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
xox</div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-76484910346171635212014-08-18T11:41:00.001+10:002014-08-18T11:41:16.758+10:00Cool Ten-Minute D.I.Y ArtworkA quick...cool...fab looking D.I.Y for any room!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkKih8oyd7Y/U_FWXvvhYaI/AAAAAAAAGIw/nRW0d8Wzue8/s1600/heart2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkKih8oyd7Y/U_FWXvvhYaI/AAAAAAAAGIw/nRW0d8Wzue8/s1600/heart2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
We are on the edge of leaping into the renovating pit...well an awesome big extension I hope!<br />
And the house is being cleared of any *extra* stuff that apparently we can live without...hmmm!?<br />
<br />
Can I really live without *stuff*?<br />
This will be the making, or perhaps the undoing, of my Bower Bird ways.<br />
<br />
We'll see.<br />
So far I'm loving the empty walls.<br />
But I'm keeping one feature wall of *stuff* above the sofa's. {I can't do total <i>cold turkey</i> decorating...}<br />
<br />
You know <i>empty walls</i> reflect sooooooo much lovely light!<br />
Yeah so did I...but I've been choosing to ignore that!<br />
I'm loving that light!<br />
<br />
Anyway...<br />
<br />
As the sitting room and kitchen are starting to be stripped bare- I'm sorting all the bedrooms so the kids can spend more time in there, doing things they may have done at the dining table or kitchen bench- seeing as we'll be a few months without either.<br />
<br />
We spent a very wet Sydney weekend re-aranging rooms, and completing quick little cool projects we'd been putting aside with the warm winter weather.<br />
A weekend inside was just what we needed to do all our pre-reno *jobs*, and the rain sorted that!<br />
<br />
So...<br />
<br />
Here's a D.I.Y that takes little time for lotsa punch!<br />
<br />
A graphic print like artwork- two seconds with a spray can and a quick break in the weather!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8DvuLDmd3k/U_FWYdArjSI/AAAAAAAAGI4/QopcVuAmkIw/s1600/heart1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8DvuLDmd3k/U_FWYdArjSI/AAAAAAAAGI4/QopcVuAmkIw/s1600/heart1.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<u>What you need: D.I.Y Artwork</u><br />
<br />
-Ikea frame - we used a poster sized frame from the <a href="http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/categories/series/16453/" target="_blank">NYTTJA</a> range in black.<br />
<br />
-Spray paint in black- we used <a href="http://www.rustoleum.com.au/index.php/products/item/2x-ultra-cover" target="_blank">Rust-Oleum</a> in Canyon Black as we had a stash in the shed.<br />
<br />
-Large sheet of paper- torn slightly smaller that the size of your chosen frame.<br />
We use sheets from the <a href="http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/90167854/" target="_blank">MALA </a> roll of kids paper, again from IKEA.<br />
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
<br />
Simply unwrap the frame, and use the sheet of paper in the frame, to measure your *torn off sheet* of artwork paper from the MALA roll.<br />
<br />
In an open area, spray a huge heart, or shape of your choice, onto the MALA paper and leave to dry.<br />
<br />
Attach the artwork to the white side of the paper that came in the NYTTJA frame.<br />
<br />
Put the frame back together. Bung a nail in the wall. And hang.<br />
<br />
D.O.N.E<br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
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<b>Happy D.I.Y-ing on a shoestring budget with no time!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This one is lotsa bang for your buck</b></div>
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<b>&</b></div>
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<b>as individual as you choose to make it!</b></div>
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<b>The options are endless...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Melissa xx</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jFduRH61504/U_FWXUtddWI/AAAAAAAAGI0/sVhTpRJhz3g/s1600/heart3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jFduRH61504/U_FWXUtddWI/AAAAAAAAGI0/sVhTpRJhz3g/s1600/heart3.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-66370959646852451722014-08-01T15:02:00.002+10:002014-08-01T15:02:44.284+10:00A D.I.Y Blackboard Wall in Dark Grey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So...my son just outa the blue asked for something doing to his room!<br />
<br />
He's 13...<br />
<br />
I loved that moment!<br />
<br />
He's never asked or requested, or even *not requested*, anything particular for his room before!<br />
<br />
His request was a dark, dark, dark grey blackboard wall!<br />
<br />
I loved that moment!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cXsbRadgsu8/U9sYuYM30bI/AAAAAAAAGHo/KGCFp2ZOsZg/s1600/Sols+Room+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cXsbRadgsu8/U9sYuYM30bI/AAAAAAAAGHo/KGCFp2ZOsZg/s1600/Sols+Room+2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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We took the bulls by the horns and used the hour we had left one Sunday afternoon to send the husband to the hardware store, with strict instructions on the darkest of dark greys...<br />
<br />
He was a little worried about the <strike>open ended only one guideline</strike> direction of our request...but he went off on his mission focused on darkest of greys with a very small colour sample!<br />
<br />
We moved the entire room to one side, lay drop sheets, brought up the ladder and made Sol up a spare bed for the night in his sister's room.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rre6x3Pvdak/U9g9O5CkMXI/AAAAAAAAGGo/_qVFgQLSTN4/s1600/Sols+room+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rre6x3Pvdak/U9g9O5CkMXI/AAAAAAAAGGo/_qVFgQLSTN4/s1600/Sols+room+7.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
As a bit of a *one-hit-wonder* when it comes to wanting something done NOW...I actually acknowledged that this would take two coats, over two days to really look the part- blackboard paint needs to be even and heavy- done in layered coats, not all at once.<br />
<br />
I did good. Two days. Three coats. Done.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Hobdue0k0A/U9hBxGQRMiI/AAAAAAAAGG4/of8LqF5KxXI/s1600/Sols+Room+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Hobdue0k0A/U9hBxGQRMiI/AAAAAAAAGG4/of8LqF5KxXI/s1600/Sols+Room+6.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
The colour is a fabulous deep, dark tone that shows up the actual elements that make up his room in a way I didn't expect.<br />
<br />
We loved the clean sharpness of the wall so so much- that even he couldn't bring himself to use it as a blackboard for a good week!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4zBwxKaSYI4/U9hBznKimEI/AAAAAAAAGHE/LuS7EI-_Bks/s1600/Sols+Room+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4zBwxKaSYI4/U9hBznKimEI/AAAAAAAAGHE/LuS7EI-_Bks/s1600/Sols+Room+3.jpg" height="640" width="496" /></a></div>
<br />
But the temptation proved to much in the end- and I returned home from a market shop to this fantastic wall of thought and creativity!<br />
<br />
It's my favourite wall in the house at the moment!<br />
<br />
I just smile every time I walk past his door.<br />
<br />
Thirteen with a room you truly want...he's happy...I'm frigging delighted!<br />
<br />
Dark grey is the new whatever in our house!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cXsbRadgsu8/U9sYuYM30bI/AAAAAAAAGHo/KGCFp2ZOsZg/s1600/Sols+Room+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cXsbRadgsu8/U9sYuYM30bI/AAAAAAAAGHo/KGCFp2ZOsZg/s1600/Sols+Room+2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLqHun5rkMw/U9scr77hO-I/AAAAAAAAGH8/XecdEXmM7WY/s1600/sol1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLqHun5rkMw/U9scr77hO-I/AAAAAAAAGH8/XecdEXmM7WY/s1600/sol1.jpg" height="636" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy Painting!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Believe me- EVERY home needs a chalkboard wall!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Melissa </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
xox</div>
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**We used Berger Interior Paint - the formula was IRONSTONE .01<br />
** The colour Library was DULUX_W.LIBMelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-91058600594780685732014-07-25T13:29:00.001+10:002014-07-25T13:31:18.439+10:00Dining Room Inspiration~ Room lust<i>Dining Room loving...</i><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IcJjyKduEUo/U9HMysd5HKI/AAAAAAAAGFQ/icl2fMNx9eQ/s1600/blog+dining+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IcJjyKduEUo/U9HMysd5HKI/AAAAAAAAGFQ/icl2fMNx9eQ/s1600/blog+dining+2.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from the wonderful blog <a href="http://ohhappyday.com/2014/07/dining-room-makeover/#more-26820" target="_blank">OH HAPPY DAY</a></td></tr>
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As our architectural plans have almost reached completion, and are ready to submit to our local council,<br />
I've begun to indulge in the *decorating-light-at-the-end-of-the-renovation-tunnel* already!<br />
<br />
I know I'm premature by a looong shot, as the building hasn't even started...<br />
but I'm a visual girl, and am tearing pages out of magazines and pinning like a crazy woman, whenever I get 10 mins to myself!<br />
<br />
Part of our kitchen renovation will create a fabulous big dining area off the kitchen, overlooking our back garden and a wonderful jacaranda tree.<br />
<br />
I'm especially excited about the prospect of all five of us, and extended family and friends, actually fitting around a big old dining table that is part of our everyday...the central focus of the room.<br />
<br />
I'm hoping to indulge in a long held desire for a big round table.<br />
{If you know of any amazing tables or sites or hidden secret round table makers in Sydney- please let me know!}<br />
<br />
Anyhoo...<br />
<br />
Until the time to decorate eventually arrives, I'm discovering and falling in love with new blogs all over the shop...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Today's love fest...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ohhappyday.com/2014/07/dining-room-makeover/#more-26820" target="_blank">*Oh Happy Day*</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
...this dining room will have you swooning!!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
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You MUST head over and take in this whole room- the picture wall is heaven and right up my alley.</div>
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<br /></div>
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AND it's a *before & after* - which we all love!!</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy Friday...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'll be sharing the new coolest wall in our house - the dark grey chalk board wall in my son's room</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
&</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The best weekend Get-away outside of Sydney next week.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Melissa </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
xox</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-77830018678712727562014-07-11T21:47:00.000+10:002014-07-11T21:47:01.551+10:00*Why I Live Where I Live*- Home Sweet Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L8zIwzTz2Y8/U7_OIACgGVI/AAAAAAAAGEU/tYJeewcxuk8/s1600/IMG_9682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L8zIwzTz2Y8/U7_OIACgGVI/AAAAAAAAGEU/tYJeewcxuk8/s1600/IMG_9682.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Happy Friday...Happy End Of The Week!<br />
<br />
I've some weekend reading I'd love to share.<br />
<br />
Join me in London, where I'm posting with my wonderful friend Simone.<br />
<br />
Make a coffee and check out her inspiring series...<a href="http://thebottomoftheironingbasket.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/guest-post-series-why-i-live-where-i_10.html" target="_blank">*Why I Live Where I Live*.</a><br />
<br />
Happy Days...<br />
<br />
Melissa<br />
<br />
xox<br />
<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-76735337768823277222014-06-25T15:33:00.002+10:002014-06-25T15:33:33.783+10:00Enamel ware- my vintage jackpotDo you collect stuff?<br />
<i>Stuff </i>that really makes you smile when you find it by luck, as you're going about your day?<br />
<br />
Do you rummage through car boot sales, second hand shops and garage sales with a mental list of what you <i>wish you may serendipitously discover, by having just one last look...in one last corner...with *fingers crossed* just one last time!?</i><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IUf-c69ywZc/U6o4t3oQ6FI/AAAAAAAAGBk/ClIxaJZa790/s1600/enamel+ware1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IUf-c69ywZc/U6o4t3oQ6FI/AAAAAAAAGBk/ClIxaJZa790/s1600/enamel+ware1.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I have a mental list...<br />
<br />
It consists of three things...<br />
<i><br /></i>
1. Enamel ware<br />
2. Vintage China<br />
3. Silver spoons<br />
<br />
Enamel ware comes in all shapes, sizes and colours, so you really need to have your wits about you!<br />
What can look ceramic from a distance, may actually be a simple, unusual piece of enamel ware.<br />
<br />
See that soup tureen below- case in point!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l3uqPiG_odE/U6o4uGUcZgI/AAAAAAAAGBo/olzP1pvHSp8/s1600/enamel+ware2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l3uqPiG_odE/U6o4uGUcZgI/AAAAAAAAGBo/olzP1pvHSp8/s1600/enamel+ware2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I've collected a pretty fab stash of enamel ware over the years- especially on our travels whilst living in the countryside of England.<br />
<br />
I discovered that English fishing shops hold huge secret corners of camping and cooking enamel ware!<br />
<br />
I discovered that English bread bins can be found in friends garages full of junk!<br />
<br />
I discovered that enamel French coffee pots, with no lids, sell for next to nothing in back street country brocantes!<br />
<br />
My searching in Australia has also been pretty good so far.<br />
Yesterday I finally hit, for me, the enamel jack pot!<br />
<br />
A gorgeous morning wandering with three special girlfriends, through secondhand shops, coffee in hand, we celebrated a 40th birthday.<br />
<br />
A second hand, vintage searching morning for a 40th.<br />
<br />
Because that's how we roll.<br />
<br />
Total rock.stars!<br />
<br />
Anyway...that there ceramic-looking-but-actually-enamel-ware soup pot was my morning jack pot!<br />
<br />
Yeah- we got cool vintage clothes...and handbags...and a sweet-as little country paddock painting...but the jack pot was this pot.<br />
<br />
My girlfriends did not bat an eyelid at my happiness.<br />
<br />
True girlfriends are like that.<br />
<br />
My wonderful Swedish girlfriend even remarked that *a collection is a lovely thing to have in mind when wandering around isn't it*...she's sooo smart!<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OzaP8RSRcWY/U6o4uQdkRCI/AAAAAAAAGBs/xfgl2ad-f8I/s1600/enamel+ware3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OzaP8RSRcWY/U6o4uQdkRCI/AAAAAAAAGBs/xfgl2ad-f8I/s1600/enamel+ware3.jpg" height="640" width="576" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6CRsoiDalHs/U6o4x4_CqjI/AAAAAAAAGCA/wVNvSof6MAE/s1600/enamel+ware4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6CRsoiDalHs/U6o4x4_CqjI/AAAAAAAAGCA/wVNvSof6MAE/s1600/enamel+ware4.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
That jack pot set me back a whole $14</div>
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That's not too many coffee's in Sydney- like 3 1/2 if you're lucky!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l7K82lr2z2s/U6o4xRacuhI/AAAAAAAAGB8/wlQQ_UhS_oU/s1600/enamel+ware5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l7K82lr2z2s/U6o4xRacuhI/AAAAAAAAGB8/wlQQ_UhS_oU/s1600/enamel+ware5.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
BUT...<br />
there are other lovely ways to build up your enamel ware collection, from the comfort and warmth of your sofa...<br />
<br />
Two heavenly on-line stores that I know you will get lost in, can help you out with that.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thelostandfounddepartment.com.au/#!store/cilf" target="_blank">{The Lost + Found Department}</a> and <a href="http://www.exchangestores.com.au/nundle/store/home.asp" target="_blank">{Odgers & McClelland Exchange Stores}</a><br />
<br />
Both divine and time consuming. Take a coffee to the sofa with that shopping hour!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy hunting- </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
whether it's with girlfriends slurping coffee's</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
or</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
quietly on your own, on the couch with a glass of red</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hope you hit the jackpot with your collection...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Melissa </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
xox</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m8IsFq3U-Ic/U6pc3ybCBhI/AAAAAAAAGCU/_aKvgeGWjEQ/s1600/enamel+ware4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m8IsFq3U-Ic/U6pc3ybCBhI/AAAAAAAAGCU/_aKvgeGWjEQ/s1600/enamel+ware4.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-15077823630100570282014-06-23T13:41:00.001+10:002014-06-23T13:48:13.767+10:00Country Life- our family life<b><i>I wrote this post sitting in our big old Country house in the UK on 23.06.2011...</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b>Three years ago today!</b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>To reflect back on *life moments* like this is one of the greatest blessings of blogging.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Grab a coffee and take a walk through our *other* life in the English countryside...</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>That I'm still sharing with you all, from our home by the coast here in Australia just makes me smile BIG and HAPPY....</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Thanks for coming along on the journey! xx</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>i sometimes stop & *really* think about our life here in the english countryside...</i></b><br />
<b><i>we uprooted the kiddos for our adventure abroad over 3 years ago...</i></b><br />
& yep...i <s>moan</s> talk about the weather A.L.O.T...<br />
& yep...my mind often wanders back to seeing the kids with salty, sandy feet & having endless beach towels on the line...<br />
<b>but...</b><br />
i wouldn't change a moment of our life here...<br />
the adventure is daily for us...we are so proud that we are <i>doing it</i>...kids in tow...<br />
<br />
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<br />
we have a true love of the countryside that would never have been part of our days in sydney...<br />
we have seen our kids surround themselves with wonderful friends, sports commitments, country pursuits & a love of school -that had i known- i could have saved myself worrying for so long about before we took the plunge...<br />
we travel to places that i know will be etched for ever in all our memories...<br />
we live a village life that still seems like a storybook to me...<br />
&<br />
we, as a family, have an understanding of <i>how others live</i> that one can only gain through the experience of doing it oneself...<br />
<br />
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<br />
<b><i>we regularly smile across the table to one another...</i></b><br />
<b><i>the hubster & i...</i></b><br />
just a little moment between us both...<br />
a little nod to the fact that we are <i>*doing it...filling our dream*...</i><br />
the dream we'd shared together for so long...<br />
<i>to live abroad...away from what we loved...to take our little family on the adventure of a life time...</i><br />
<i>to show them the world from a base that was so different to what we knew...</i><br />
<b>the beaches of sydney to the countryside of england...</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
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<br />
<b><i>with this enormous move...with all the excitement & anticipation & nerves & fun...</i></b><br />
<b><i>came other changes...</i></b><br />
the kiddos got bigger...<br />
we arrived with a 9, 7 & 2 year old-all with sandy feet & sun-kissed noses...<br />
we now have a 13, 10 & 6 year old- all lovely, worldly & country-kissed...<br />
they have what can only be termed as <b>international accents</b>...<br />
i'm very proud of that...<br />
aussie kids learning compassion for others through travel...& being pretty damn cool & calm about it!<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZR6oikSkGWo/TgLs9qg5cAI/AAAAAAAACtQ/Wi8pwk3kUg4/s1600/bread1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZR6oikSkGWo/TgLs9qg5cAI/AAAAAAAACtQ/Wi8pwk3kUg4/s640/bread1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><i>for us two big kids...</i></b><br />
<b><i>the ones that had dreamed about adventures with little kiddos in tow...</i></b><br />
it's been nothing but the experience of a lifetime...<br />
we parent in perfect unison together- as there is no-one else to do it for us...<br />
no long weekends at cousin's houses...<br />
no sleep-overs at grandparents...<br />
but we've embraced it as a blessing- when we are back in oz...the luxury of having these guys to ourselves won't exist...<br />
but...we will always have had these times...just the five of us...<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fFpWD6Kc2Ks/TgLtZ9BaWoI/AAAAAAAACto/PgALMWuTK4U/s1600/bread7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fFpWD6Kc2Ks/TgLtZ9BaWoI/AAAAAAAACto/PgALMWuTK4U/s640/bread7.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">*a good life wednesday*</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">inspired by sarah from down under <a href="http://www.abeachcottage.com/2011/06/good-life-wednesday-life-on-the-deck.html">{here}</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">trying to see it in the everyday</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">xox</span></div>
<b><i><br />
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<i><br />
</i>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-79745345966443663832014-06-22T12:18:00.000+10:002014-06-22T12:18:09.160+10:00A Rain Drop Cushion- *Craft for Kids*With the school hols coming up in a week in my neck of the woods, and with many of my friends up in the Northern Hemisphere on Summer hols- I thought it perfect timing to share a quick lovely kids craft or two.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v2ns4aMXxdA/U6Y4SBiw9BI/AAAAAAAAGAY/8tpriiRASds/s1600/raindropcushion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v2ns4aMXxdA/U6Y4SBiw9BI/AAAAAAAAGAY/8tpriiRASds/s1600/raindropcushion.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{Perfect is over-rated with kids craftiness!}</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Simple fun projects that you can build on depending on the age of your child.<br />
Basing them on the age of our youngest {she's primary school age} I'm sharing crafts that I do at home with the kids, and crafts that our eldest {year 10 High School} takes to a whole new level.<br />
<br />
This *Rain Drop Cushion* takes no time at all- and is SUPER cute!<br />
It can be easily sewn by hand, or on a machine {depending on the age of your kids}.<br />
<br />
You can add sleeping eyes...a sweet little yawning mouth- or leave it as is.<br />
<br />
<i>The less perfect it is, the more your child has actually worked on this lovely project- us mama's who love a little craftiness ourselves, really truly need to let imperfect be the catch cry on this one!</i><br />
<i>Believe me, your babies will love you more for letting them achieve at this...</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HeHMUjifZqE/U6Y3rzNBpKI/AAAAAAAAF_w/Zz7HPkwgM9Y/s1600/raindropcushion5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HeHMUjifZqE/U6Y3rzNBpKI/AAAAAAAAF_w/Zz7HPkwgM9Y/s1600/raindropcushion5.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zgvn36CuI4U/U6Y3xyXGFDI/AAAAAAAAF_4/1OEt-J7IkfU/s1600/raindrop2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zgvn36CuI4U/U6Y3xyXGFDI/AAAAAAAAF_4/1OEt-J7IkfU/s1600/raindrop2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{Wonky is super cute...in a true kids project}<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>what you need:</b></div>
<br />
<br />
fabric swatches<br />
needle & thread / sewing machine<br />
toy stuffing<br />
scissors<br />
pencil<br />
paper<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hWKOcoIUlZc/U6Y30IgXynI/AAAAAAAAGAM/BRwLTKPjV1A/s1600/raindrop3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hWKOcoIUlZc/U6Y30IgXynI/AAAAAAAAGAM/BRwLTKPjV1A/s1600/raindrop3.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<b>what ya need to do:</b><br />
<br />
1. Draw a raindrop shape on your paper free hand and cut it out as your pattern.<br />
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2. Turn your chosen fabric/fabrics right side together and lay flat. Pin your pattern to this.<br />
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3. Cut around your pattern - it doesn't need to be perfect! {My year 10 of course will differ greatly in opinion to this- but she's yet to have children of her own! Bless her!}<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DORRJlU6Kow/U6Y31RJo4GI/AAAAAAAAGAU/scBio5ldjuo/s1600/raindrop4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DORRJlU6Kow/U6Y31RJo4GI/AAAAAAAAGAU/scBio5ldjuo/s1600/raindrop4.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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4. Hand sew {or machine sew if your child is old enough. My 9 year old likes to do both- but for this project snuggling on the sofa and hand sewing together was pretty lovely!} around 4/5 of the tear drops edges, leaving a gap to *stuff* your sweet shape.<br />
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5. Turn your rain drop right sides out and iron flat. Stuff with toy stuffing {alternately we often cut open larger craft cushions to make smaller projects such as this}.<br />
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6. Hand sew the opening together and cut off all your threads {9 year olds have random threads I can assure you!}<br />
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7. Throw love and amazement on your child for such crafty-cleverness, and cut out as many as their little hands or friends can manage...you will want many - they are so divine!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIS0SPcWkxk/U6Y3sOOLVjI/AAAAAAAAF_0/MHgLXnqozFw/s1600/raindropcushion6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIS0SPcWkxk/U6Y3sOOLVjI/AAAAAAAAF_0/MHgLXnqozFw/s1600/raindropcushion6.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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The first tear drop may be the favourite, but you could sew enough to make the sweetest mobile for your child's room, a wall hanging of rain, or a larger one with a sleepy face for their beds.<br />
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It's a simple, achievable project that could be done in a morning...</div>
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Please introduce me to a mother who doesn't like that kinda project!</div>
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Happy crafting kiddos!</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Melissa </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
xoxox</div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-36845703004691698302014-06-17T13:20:00.000+10:002014-06-17T13:20:35.823+10:00Instagram ~ You will become addicted to these feedsAre you a <a href="http://instagram.com/misssewnso" target="_blank">{Instagram}</a> addict?<br />
<br />
I have many...many friends who are ~ so it's totally ok to own up here.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6BqaeK8XXVQ/U5-y1Gn91hI/AAAAAAAAF_M/rN8DuDlZsLQ/s1600/IMG_0169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6BqaeK8XXVQ/U5-y1Gn91hI/AAAAAAAAF_M/rN8DuDlZsLQ/s1600/IMG_0169.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I can while away too many hours...like waaaaaay to many hours scrolling through the endless images of beautiful homes, D.I.Y and life images.<br />
<br />
I love the <a href="http://fatmumslim.com.au/" target="_blank">{Fat Mum Slim}</a> *Photo-a-Day* challenge.<br />
<br />
I love making it through the entire month!<br />
<br />
I feel kinda righteous in my own little IG way..<i>.see waaaay too many hours!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wjnLBEJJvf4/U5-yyERe8HI/AAAAAAAAF_A/kB7qgypUP4o/s1600/IMG_0129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wjnLBEJJvf4/U5-yyERe8HI/AAAAAAAAF_A/kB7qgypUP4o/s1600/IMG_0129.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
Want some IG inspiration ~ head over to these feeds <i>and take coffee....!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<a href="http://instagram.com/milksocial_" target="_blank">{MILKSOCIAL}</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://instagram.com/littlebigbell" target="_blank">{LITTLEBIGBELL}</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://instagram.com/thedesignchaser" target="_blank">{THEDESIGNCHASER}</a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xZcW7oZeECQ/U5-y1z4inJI/AAAAAAAAF_U/4rLWZk5jtJY/s1600/IMG_9984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xZcW7oZeECQ/U5-y1z4inJI/AAAAAAAAF_U/4rLWZk5jtJY/s1600/IMG_9984.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Me1DqPZCAJE/U5-yxbmO5eI/AAAAAAAAF-8/mQOQCqA3qIM/s1600/IMG_0154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Me1DqPZCAJE/U5-yxbmO5eI/AAAAAAAAF-8/mQOQCqA3qIM/s1600/IMG_0154.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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You may take a while...</div>
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ENJOY!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You can find me on IG <a href="http://instagram.com/misssewnso" target="_blank">{HERE}</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Melissa</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
xoxox</div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-25126808134973972672014-06-09T17:35:00.000+10:002014-06-09T17:35:05.904+10:00D.I.Y~ Painting the beach houseI've come up for air...<br />
<br />
Literally...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k0hYBnPraM4/U5Qi2VsYQkI/AAAAAAAAF8w/88YIMpS6HKo/s1600/Housepainting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k0hYBnPraM4/U5Qi2VsYQkI/AAAAAAAAF8w/88YIMpS6HKo/s1600/Housepainting.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
I've had my head over a 20L bucket of paint, delightfully called *Stoneboard* for the last few days...<br />
<br />
I have *Stoneboard* trackie pants, and a *Stoneboard* black tee and hoodie- {now my official paint gear}.<br />
<br />
I have *Stoneboard* nails, and a sassy streak of *Stoneboard* in my hair...<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BuDvHOE7F0E/U5Qi3_gDr8I/AAAAAAAAF88/jObx_9SxO2M/s1600/Housepainting1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BuDvHOE7F0E/U5Qi3_gDr8I/AAAAAAAAF88/jObx_9SxO2M/s1600/Housepainting1.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
My sweet husband, who finished the area's around the *too-high-for-me-to-reach-windows* dropped his Tom Baker glasses in *Stoneboard* this morning.<br />
<br />
He momentarily lost any sign of D.I.Y proudness.<br />
<br />
<i>HE cursed the *Stoneboard*.</i><br />
<br />
Anyway...it's been a few intense days- in terms of an arm work out and balancing life and a head cold.<br />
<br />
But it's officially done, and I can return to blog-hopping and tea drinking, and clean nails.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TEebuvychds/U5Qi6WF5lzI/AAAAAAAAF9I/Z_ygBSv4QLw/s1600/Housepainting2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TEebuvychds/U5Qi6WF5lzI/AAAAAAAAF9I/Z_ygBSv4QLw/s1600/Housepainting2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
As this is our year for renovating this little house by the coast, I figure I'm semi-project managing the whole gig by saving cash where I can.<br />
<br />
I'll paint what I can and save hiring a painter...and that's more money for my windows out the back!<br />
<br />
So, it's been head down and paint up here over the last week- and it's been soo crazy satisfying!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x3Q_9DbX8XU/U5Qi69cZsiI/AAAAAAAAF9M/vpvKE-MZsi8/s1600/Housepainting4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x3Q_9DbX8XU/U5Qi69cZsiI/AAAAAAAAF9M/vpvKE-MZsi8/s1600/Housepainting4.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Instantaneous jobs always get me.<br />
<br />
I change the sheets way to regularly because it's an *instant job well done*.<br />
I wash towels way to often because I like *instant* piles of clean, fresh linen.<br />
<br />
The house front also had an instant element to it. {Once I'd washed and readied it for painting}.<br />
Soo satisfying!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdcxkMm6eVc/U5QlsDOmaWI/AAAAAAAAF9Y/rf3UdbcPEg4/s1600/IMG_5022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdcxkMm6eVc/U5QlsDOmaWI/AAAAAAAAF9Y/rf3UdbcPEg4/s1600/IMG_5022.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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There's been much tea drunk here this past week.<br />
I've also indulged in good gourmet coffee for the machine here, and I've been baking <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=mini%20cup%20cakes" target="_blank">bite sized</a> cup cakes for the workers. ;-)<br />
<br />
Job now done- TICK.<br />
Next up~ painting the balcony floor and sorting all my pots around the front door.<br />
<br />
Thinking the door may need a pop of something?<br />
Is your front door a colour?<br />
Happy <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/jstubbs/yellow-front-doors/" target="_blank">{yellow}</a>?<br />
Dramatic <a href="http://{black}" target="_blank">{black}</a>?<br />
<br />
I'd also like a <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=front%20door%20house%20numbers" target="_blank">{cool house number}</a> on it?<br />
<br />
I'm on a roll people!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pkXnoC9CNFk/U5Qlryz-sfI/AAAAAAAAF9U/G_JpD1v6DME/s1600/IMG_7224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pkXnoC9CNFk/U5Qlryz-sfI/AAAAAAAAF9U/G_JpD1v6DME/s1600/IMG_7224.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Happy long weekend if your from our </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>neck of the woods!</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy Monday to the rest of you lovelies<br />
<br />
Checkout this post from one of my Bloggy faves if you're craving a little reality and colour<br />
<a href="http://www.flowerpatchfarmgirl.com/2014/06/i-wasnt-always-like-this-living-room.html" target="_blank">{She is just too lovely}</a><br />
<br />
Melissa<br />
xox<br />
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-28848630556105236452014-05-29T10:07:00.000+10:002014-05-29T10:07:15.450+10:00Top of my home Bucket "Lust"- chatting with Kevin McCloud<br />
Jen from the constantly inspiring <a href="http://theinteriorsaddict.com/" target="_blank">*The Interior's Addict*</a> spoke to one of my all time favourite architectural/design experts Kevin M.<br />
<br />
{see the full interview <a href="http://theinteriorsaddict.com/kevin-mccloud-my-house-is-shambolic-and-autobiographical" target="_blank">here</a> }<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545454; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 21px;"></span><br />
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 2.6rem; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
So, what is Kevin’s own home like? “It’s as shambolic, autobiographical, worn around the edges and unplanned as anybody else’s in truth! You and I know that the rooms we see in mags are highly engineered to meet the demographic and advertisers of that mag. Sometimes I look at those homes with a single pineapple in a bowl on the side and think where’s their <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">toaster</em>?! When we’re filming for the show, I always prefer the homes which are a little more shambolic, they’re more interesting.”</div>
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<img alt="kevin quote" class="aligncenter wp-image-23210" data-jpibfi-indexer="1" src="http://theinteriorsaddict.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/kevin-quote-640x640.jpg" height="350" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 2.4rem; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 98%;" width="350" /></div>
<div class="pinit-overlay" data-jpibfi-indexer="1" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; box-shadow: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 350px; left: 703px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute; top: 1707px; width: 350px; z-index: 200;" title="">
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How much do you love this quote!<br />
Shambolic and autobiographical!<br />
<br />
What some may see as total disorder and personal chaos...is simply life- true and honest!<br />
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I have a serious soft spot for Kevin- having lived with him on our doorstep for four years in England- he inspired me to embrace the *way of life* in the Northern Hemisphere {freezing temperatures in Winter, homes orientated to towards indoor living etc}, but to still hold true to my Australian principles for decorating and *the way* we lived our days.<br />
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With three kids used to an outdoors life of sand and salt air, I can assure you there was quite a love of <strike>inside disorder and chaos</strike> the "shambolic and autobiographical" in our big old rambling house in the country!<br />
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{You can read posts of our life in England living with local farm deliveries, travels through Europe and village markets <a href="http://misssewandso.blogspot.com.au/2010/06/pint-bottles-of-lovely-farm-milk.html" target="_blank">{here}</a> <a href="http://misssewandso.blogspot.com.au/2010/07/french-dresses-for-summer.html" target="_blank">{here}</a> <a href="http://misssewandso.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/we-love-train-to-london.html" target="_blank">{here}</a> and by clicking on any one of a number of those little wordy links up there on the right, such as "country life", "village life" or "travel"....}<br />
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As I sit here typing at the family table, and look around, past one poorly girl {again!} on the sofa, to the baskets of washing and the piles of homework and school notes, past the ugg boots at the door and the cushions on the floor...I still see my favourite couches, my artwork, my piles of beloved books and magazines...my vintage collections from all over the world- the <i>personal, autobiographical, special to us pieces that make this our home!</i><br />
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<i>I'm seeing the delightfully *shambolic and autobiographical* that make this house our home.</i></div>
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Thank you Kevin.</div>
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I truly love you.</div>
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Melissa </div>
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xoxox</div>
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{you can see the daily reality of our home below on IG <a href="http://instagram.com/misssewnso" target="_blank">HERE</a>}</div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-31633741552577531552014-05-27T14:00:00.000+10:002014-05-27T14:49:55.476+10:00Creating a Home that YOU loveCreating a home that you love...<br />
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Did you see that up there?<br />
Under my blog title?<br />
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Did you hear the thinking behind it?<br />
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I've been thinking sooo long and hard about this, whilst going about my daily stuff.<br />
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CREATING THE HOME THAT <i>YOU</i> LOVE.<br />
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Not the home that *they* love...or that my *fave mag* loves...<br />
Not the home that the *home blogs* I adore and devour love...<br />
BUT<br />
The home that I love.<br />
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You know when you walk into someone's house, and you feel instantly like a piece of their true person is just *out there* for all to love and enjoy.<br />
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Those moments make me smile, and I try to take in every little detail of that person's home whilst slurping my coffee...listening with one ear, yet loving and sucking it all in quietly and thinking to myself <i>"this girl really loves her space...".</i><br />
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<i>I feel inspired not to go home and replicate what I see...but to go home and love my space even more with what makes me tick.</i><br />
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This is not the shallow- *I-need-that-sofa* kinda inspiration, it's the *surround-myself-with-what-makes-our-house-our-home* kinda inspiration.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thenester.com/landing/the-nesting-place-book" target="_blank">Myguillyn Smith, author of the blog *The Nester*</a> sums up <i>exactly how I feel about *loving our own homes*.</i><br />
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<i><a href="http://www.thenester.com/landing/the-nesting-place-book" target="_blank">This book</a> is right up my decorating alley- right down to the *just married* living with <strike>nothing I truly want</strike> supermarket boxes covered in cheap calico as side tables and outdoor furniture re-used as an indoor dining suite- they looked fabulous and cost us very little! </i><br />
<i>One of our shared life tales now, that I'm super proud of!</i><br />
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Homes are only <i>true homes</i> when they reflect the people who share them.<br />
In my eyes, if they don't embrace this element, they are <i>just houses lived in</i>...<br />
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So...Creating a home that YOU love...<br />
What do you think?<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-77325026108867619552014-05-23T08:14:00.000+10:002014-05-23T08:14:30.104+10:00Three blogs I love for your weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello~<br />
<br />
Do you love new blog recommendations?<br />
Can I just send you on a little wee *round-the-globe-journey* of some great reads?<br />
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They're an eclectic mix...just how I like my days!<br />
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<i>My NYC fix</i>...with the delightfully down to earth, yet cool mama glamour blog <a href="http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">*A Cup of Jo*</a><br />
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<i>My London fix</i>...with the family/fashion/travel loving gorgeous-ness that is Simone and her blog <a href="http://thebottomoftheironingbasket.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">*The Bottom of the Ironing Basket*</a><br />
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AND...<br />
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<i>My expat in Australia fix</i>...the sweet, *embrace-the-good-life-inspire-me-to-want-to-be-a-good-woman* Kelsey, from <a href="http://farmpretty.com/" target="_blank">*Farm & Pretty*</a>.<br />
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Grab a coffee and enjoy!</div>
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HAPPY FRIDAY!</div>
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Melissa</div>
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xoxox</div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-29929072729744100992014-05-19T12:51:00.000+10:002014-05-19T12:51:37.488+10:00Decorating for the Season ~ Autumn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've all heard about *shopping your house* as the season's change.<br />
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We all feel like a change, a bit of a *pick-me-up-shake-it-up* as the season's change.<br />
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Well I'm in the throws of just that.<br />
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You know I love Autumn, if you follow me on <a href="http://instagram.com/misssewnso" target="_blank">Instagram {here}</a> you'll see that my whole photo colour palette has changed from the crisp beautiful blue's and white's of Summer, to the warm, soft, cosier tones of Autumn...I truly love that.<br />
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<a href="http://instagram.com/misssewnso" target="_blank">Instagram </a> is <i>the perfect medium </i>for me to record the change of a season- and although we are still having crazy, warm days in the low 20's celcius {70's } and it's almost Winter- the morning's are crisp and the evening's short.<br />
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Anyway...back to *shopping the house*.<br />
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I find the simplest way to bring what's in your head and heart, into your home, is to have a colour palette in mind.<br />
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Fot Autumn it's fairly obvious~ warm and rich tones to replace the cooler, lighter tones of Summer.<br />
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Our house is painted white through out, {though there is plans afoot for a darker wall in the near future} and it makes throwing a new colour into the beach house very, very easy!<br />
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I've gathered warm colours...stuck the brighter, cooler colours in the cupboard and am embracing my jeans every day now!<br />
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With the windows and doors thrown open to the fresh air, and the dog laying in the sun...I can almost, almost ignore the mountain of washing and soccer gear strewn down the hall in various baskets of laundry.<br />
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Coffee and a little house loving...or real life Monday morning chores~ you work it out!<br />
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This is the same room in different seasons.<br />
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I'm throwing a big heavy woven coir rug down in the Autumn room this afternoon.<br />
I'll share the photos of the room when it's complete later this week~ it's lovely to start the week with a shift around...a fresh start as the year rolls on...<br />
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Happy Monday sweet bloggy friends!</div>
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Check out my little photo bomber~ too cute!</div>
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Melissa </div>
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xoxox</div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-44880208497011693242014-05-12T14:40:00.002+10:002014-05-12T14:40:52.248+10:00Mama's Day...Boho StyleHappy Mama's Day!<br />
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I love Mother's Day!<br />
There, <i>I've said it loud and clear,.</i>..on my blog...to anyone who cares to listen!<br />
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Purely and simply because my kids truly, truly show me how much they love me being their mum.<br />
They sit with me...are funny, sweet, generous with their time and hearts.<br />
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They make me proud~ because they truly value and recognise the life we lead.<br />
The life we work so hard to create for them.<br />
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They make me feel heard, and thought about, and involved in their lives.<br />
They make me feel crazy loved.<br />
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They make me smile.<br />
I'm hoping your babies, no matter how big or small they are, made you smile today.<br />
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This made me smile to...<br />
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This whole post should be called *My- Eclectic-Loves*, {the name of one of my favourite IG-ers...check her out <a href="http://instagram.com/my_eclectic_loves" target="_blank">HERE</a>}, as I truly find it harder and harder to put my decorating style in a box!<br />
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This week I'm feeling all BOHO.<br />
All embracing of every part of my eclectic decorating heart.<br />
And I think that's just it~ like with my kids~ if a piece of decor catches my heart, and makes me smile, it seems to work in our little house.<br />
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There's so much *not matching* that it seems to match~ if that remotely makes sense?<br />
{I'm on my zillionth cup of tea here people...and it's all coming out a little fast and odd today!}.<br />
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This is how my kids saw me this week.<br />
BOHO...<br />
This was one of their gorgeous gifts.<br />
The vintage pink chair, lugged back from England, loved in soo many of my posts...now has a partner in comfort and style...this beautifully stitched Indian ottoman.<br />
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It's me all over...and the pile of reading I've slowly making my way through this week will all be enjoyed right here.<br />
And I'll feel loved and special whilst I'm taking an hour each day to myself.<br />
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Thank you my constant, wonderful babies for making me know you truly feel my love for you.</div>
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Melissa </div>
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xoxoxox<br />
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-48893383696951047252014-05-09T08:57:00.002+10:002014-05-09T08:58:04.685+10:00Welcome to My Home~ Amy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Up next in this series of my favourite bloggers from around the globe- is one of my very first *blog-crushes*!<br />
Amy writes her heart out, along with photographs to die for, from the most wonderful house of treasures ever.<br />
You can find her sharing a <a href="http://amyluckynumber13.blogspot.com.au/p/virtual-coffee_07.html" target="_blank">*Virtual Coffee* here</a> each week on her honest and infectious blog <a href="http://amyluckynumber13.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">*Lucky Number 13* here</a> .<br />
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Hi there.<br />
I'm happy to be here sharing a little bit of my home + some of my favorite things with you today.<br />
I just adore Melissa and love getting a peek into her home and other inspiring homes so this is truly a blog series after my own heart!<br />
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If you were <i>really</i> to be here visiting me at my home today you would probably be relieved to know that you don't have to take off your<br />
shoes, you can put your feet up on the couch or coffee table, and you don't have to worry about your kids breaking anything.<br />
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We are very, very casual around here-- I never really can come up with a good description of the style of my home or of my decorating<br />
but it's pretty much thrifted, handed-down with a lot of vintage finds mixed in.<br />
I love finding things for my home anywhere from rummage sales to Target to used furniture stores...<br />
I love digging through junk to find treasures to take home and decorate with..<br />
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Some of my favorite things, and what you will find a lot of around my house, are jars, blankets, books, flowers, dishes and linens.<br />
I love old things that tell a story or that were passed down to me from my family... and I also just<br />
really LOVE old, cool<br />
things that don't have a connection to me at all.<br />
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I love books and really everyone in our little family of four loves books and loves to read.<br />
I also just love vintage books for their illustrations and for how nicely they look stacked in piles all over.<br />
I am a sucker for children's books and have a very difficult time passing them up!<br />
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Now that I think about it, there's probably not a single room in the house that I consider "finished".</div>
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Everything is a work in progress and I am always moving and changing things around, when I get tired of something I will move </div>
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it to another room for a while or take it up to the attic. </div>
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I will take a can of spray paint to pretty much anything and like to find a way to use and reuse things that have been cast off.</div>
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In the warmer weather, which is here now(finally!) my two favorite spots are the front porch and the back patio.</div>
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Neither of them are anything fancy at all, but give me some comfy chair, pillows, my porch swing + some twinkly white lights and I am a happy girl.</div>
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I love having coffee on the porch in the morning and a beer, margarita or supper on the patio at night.</div>
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After being in this house about five years now, I think it is time to go around and just repaint a lot of the rooms again.</div>
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I am thinking of going with a shade of white or very light gray in the living room and dining room but I always have a hard time picking</div>
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"nothing at all like I had in mind".</div>
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Ooops!</div>
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I can't show pictures of my house looking too clean or too perfect because it never, ever is.</div>
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I am not a neat freak(sadly I am far from it) and you will usually find a laundry basket of clothes being folded, markers, pads of paper,</div>
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journals, Legos and stuffed animals strewn about.</div>
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I usually have at least one half-started project laying around somewhere. </div>
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My to-do list will always be long in this house, that's just part of living in a 95-year old house.<br />
There are the things you really want to do, and have big plans for...<br />
But those are often the things much lower on the list of priorities for us... and that's okay right now.<br />
I am excited to get our spare bedroom painted and redone and one day all of these kitchen cabinets will be painted.<br />
One day.<br />
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A big thank you to Melissa for all of the inspiration she provides me with, she is so creative and lives in such a different place<br />
than I do and I think that is so interesting.<br />
I do love to see how and where others live, especially when it is so far from where/how I do.<br />
Thank you for stopping to take a little peek into my home today!<br />
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Thanks lovely</div>
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Amy!</div>
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xox</div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-47900626698665266832014-05-08T12:01:00.003+10:002014-05-08T12:01:49.806+10:00Beach house renovations- an Architect with ideasGood morning from the windy Autumnal Coast of Oz...<br />
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I'm rugged up against the cool air, hot coffee in hand- my mind racing with ideas!<br />
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We've had the morning with our architect.<br />
He threw idea's at us.<br />
We grabbed hold of his sketches, and imagined our family sharing the spaces before us on the page.<br />
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We agreed.<br />
We brought new thoughts to our little round table of ideas.<br />
We 're on the journey.<br />
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I've never worked with an architect before.<br />
My husband's father was a brilliant architect.<br />
We had great vision's of sharing this process with him- but that opportunity just never came up with us living over sea's...the timing was never right.<br />
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We now have another brilliant architect- older, wiser, focused on family living in the new world but with an old world understanding of life.<br />
I feel we're very safe in his experienced, firm but gentle hands.<br />
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My decorating of the spaces we live in isn't remotely perfect.<br />
It doesn't follow any mantra, or set of design styling guide lines, except my own.<br />
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I truly couldn't put our *style of decorating* in any box- but it's ours.<br />
Imperfect, but perfect for us.<br />
A melting pot of industrial, creative, wild country, fresh coastal and simple- yet entirely us.<br />
It's the result of the <i>way we chose to live</i>, regardless of trends or styles.<br />
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I'm embracing this vision with our new designs...I'm open to it all- but will know what is <i>us</i> when we eventually get there.<br />
It's the paper drawing, idea's throwing stage- and it feels good.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Yw1AAZSIpM/U2rku24hKvI/AAAAAAAAFvM/PjSMxXPc2IA/s1600/Kitchen+post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Yw1AAZSIpM/U2rku24hKvI/AAAAAAAAFvM/PjSMxXPc2IA/s1600/Kitchen+post.jpg" height="402" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{this is the kitchen that will be redesigned & extended- just a little excited!}</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Have you used an architect?<br />
Do you love the imperfect, yet <i>perfect for you</i> way your home works?<br />
Are you a style embracer, or do you work with what makes YOU happy?<br />
<br />
It's an interesting world- we're design focused in so many ways.<br />
But I truly believe that no design is wrong, if you follow what you love, and embrace the way YOU want to live.<br />
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Happy Thursday- Out into the wind for me, coat on...!</div>
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Melissa </div>
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xox</div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-56945121551167928612014-05-07T15:45:00.000+10:002014-05-07T15:45:23.960+10:00Asian Soup on Autumn DaysAfternoon all...<br />
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I've had a *feeling poorly* day here- sorting the morning's <strike>chaos</strike> post school drop off house has been about all I've managed.<br />
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Sitting, and *getting better*, is not really something I seem able to do.<br />
<br />
If I can sit and love the world from the sofa on my laptop- yes doable!<br />
If I can sit and sew, or crafty up a little something to justify the sitting- yes doable!<br />
If I'm totally enthralled in a brilliant book, or some inspiring mag article- yes doable!<br />
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But...if I'm to sit and *get better* by stopping...well it's not something I prioritise very well.<br />
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So, the husband, knowing from my text message replies today (reading as he does so well between the lines!) that I was not well, and that I was not sitting- leapt on his bike...zipped home across the <a href="http://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydney-city/sydney-harbour" target="_blank">Harbour</a><br />
on the <a href="http://www.manly.nsw.gov.au/attractions/beaches/" target="_blank">Ferry</a> and drove me to the best *feeling-not-well* lunch I could have asked for!<br />
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I'm a total Asian soup/broth girl when I've a funny tummy.<br />
I lived on it with my first pregnancy, and the next two followed along.<br />
It's my *go-to-feel-better-food*.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.misschu.com.au/Locations/ManlyTuckshop" target="_blank">*misschu*</a> I love you and your soup more than you can ever know!<br />
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Thanks for the hour, or two, of feeling slightly better.<br />
The husband knows exactly how much I love him for knowing me, and my food needs so well!<br />
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If you're loving the Autumn sunshine, are in Sydney and feel like jumping on a ferry to Manly Beach and digging into some seriously fab soups and dumplings - I'll see you there...<br />
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I'm the one under the warm toasty blanket, slurping with crazy gusto in dark sunglasses!</div>
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Happy health!</div>
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Melissa </div>
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xox<br />
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-13816791055119959042014-05-05T15:29:00.001+10:002014-05-05T15:29:25.867+10:00Unleash Creative- Sydney...craft lovely!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Alllloooooo from me snuggled up at home here by the beaches, with a poorly little monkey, crafting together after my Sunday of inspiration at <a href="http://unleashcreative.com.au/events/sydney/" target="_blank">*Unleash Creative Sydney*</a> .<br />
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Nothing to say but <i style="font-weight: bold;">too.much.fun!</i><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></i>
An <a href="http://instagram.com/misssewnso" target="_blank">Instagram gal friend</a> friend spotted me as soon as we arrived, and as though we hang out together regularly crafting {which we don't!}, we just had a day of giggles, glue, glitter and fab food!<br />
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Love you <a href="http://instagram.com/murderingtime" target="_blank">*Ash*</a> !<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uc7RqMOKzls/U2cJPUiVtMI/AAAAAAAAFpU/LqjXwTBK0SE/s1600/unleash+creative+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uc7RqMOKzls/U2cJPUiVtMI/AAAAAAAAFpU/LqjXwTBK0SE/s1600/unleash+creative+5.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Thanks</div>
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<a href="http://unleashcreative.com.au/" target="_blank">Unleash Creative</a> </div>
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and</div>
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<a href="http://www.blogsociety.com.au/" target="_blank">Blog Society </a></div>
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for an awesome day of inspiration and fun</div>
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and a HOT showbag of goodies!! </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Melissa</div>
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xox</div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1623577050145803988.post-26899803098587944372014-05-02T15:04:00.000+10:002014-05-02T15:04:53.630+10:00A Creative Day & Cooking with GwynethAfternoon from the beaches...<br />
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Hope you liked the first of the *Welcome to My Home* series- I'm crazy happy to be sharing all these bloggers, so <i>different in styles</i>, yet so <i>similar in their love</i> towards their homes.<br />
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It's Friday arvo here and is truly feeling like Autumn.<br />
The light is different, the air is almost fresher and crisper.<br />
The coast is so stunning as the seasons change- the water blue as blue, the sky big and full of clouds and beauty.<br />
<br />
I've a weekend of creativity ahead...and I'm soo flipping excited to be heading out to the <a href="http://unleashcreative.com.au/events/sydney/" target="_blank">*Unleash Creative Sydney*</a> on Sunday....<br />
<br />
Check it out <a href="http://unleashcreative.com.au/events/sydney/" target="_blank">here</a> ...I'm so ready to have a day creating, and learning, and being completely inspired by a bunch of clever women!<br />
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Between all that paper creating and crafting, I'm also indulging in some *me/reading* time.<br />
I love the anticipation of an hour on the sofa on a Saturday afternoon, coffee in hand, reading at least some of the books that make up my <strike>bedside pile</strike> reading list.<br />
<br />
Usually this involves at least one cookery book- I'm so not one of those <i>whip-it-up-from-whatever's-in the-larder</i> kinda girls- I'm a total <i>visual-measurement-to-the-nth-degree </i>kinda chef who is <i>always </i>inspired by a cookbook full of gorgeous images and lush promises of great meals!<br />
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So, this weekend it's <a href="http://www.goop.com/about/whats-goop" target="_blank">Gwyneth</a>, and some home mag inspiration for our upcoming kitchen/dining renovations.<br />
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I'm getting the seasonal change feelings of being home, cooking and embracing the oncoming cooler months.<br />
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Happy Friday!</div>
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Hope your weekend is full of creativity and food!</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Melissa </div>
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<br /></div>
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xox<br />
<br />
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11074540828366946650noreply@blogger.com3