Christmas Cleanup

Here we are, the day before Christmas, and the house is a hive of activity. Both inside and out we've been super busy.

Having Sean home for a few days has been awesome. He's helped with all sorts of small and niggling jobs which combine to make life that much easier and more pleasant. An example of one is Robie - my robotic vacuum cleaner.

Quite some months back, Robie stopped working. He would balefully bleat something (in Korean) and then turn himself off. I was not pleased. Robie, while not brilliant with corners and going around chair legs, was awesome at lowering the general 'furriness' of the house. With him giving up the ghost, keeping the floors fur-free was much much harder.

Eventually I thought perhaps he could be saved, so I sent a recording of his statements off to a girlfriend for her (Korean born) husband to interpret. As well as telling us he was "Pleased to service us through cleaning" (?!) Robie was also telling us there was a problem with his RPM. A bit of online research, and Sean pulling Robie apart to get to the source of the distress, and voila. Robie is back on board. I must admit that's my Christmas present there. Clean floors with 0 effort from me? Yeah - I'll take that.

 

A happy Robie means a happy me

Have also been filing, sorting, polishing, gardening and have built a gingerbread house. The kids took an hour to make it - and about 20 minutes later started to eat it!

It's been a such precious joyous year - Oscar has done amazingly well at school (finished the year at the gifted and talented festival for prep students on the recommendation of his school) and has made lots of new friends while keeping his old ones. Adelaide is off to 4-year-old kinder next year and she is so so ready. Work is getting busier and busier for me, which is both good and bad. Have made some just lovely friends this year with some of the school Mums, too. And Sean is busier than ever at work as well. Looking forward to a few quiet days at home over Christmas!

Blooming Beautiful

I know it's been a few weeks since I've posted but they don't call this time of year the silly season for nothing. Between numerous Christmas parties, end of year functions and a very very busy time workwise, something has had to give.

Around the house not a lot going on. Bought an ENYO floor care system which is pretty awesome to use but not particularly exciting to read about. In the garden, though, lots is happening.

Firstly of all everything is blooming! As mentioned previously my gardenias are flowering, as are my hydrangeas, and the magnolias are heavy with scented blooms. And what isn't blooming is growing! Crab apple and pear are both doing well, and even my lilac is spurting up and looking happy.

Next project is the little garden bed near the rain chain. Am going to thread an irrigation line under the front path to allow that area to be added to our irrigation system. Still not 100% sure what to plant there. That will be a job for over the holidays.

It's been such a crazy busy year, that really just looking forward to a quiet Christmas. Which reminds me - here's this year's Christmas tree. Kids wanted to go wooden ornaments and silver this year.

Wreath

So I've never had an XMAS wreath. Firstly I lived on a main road and it would have been nicked. Then I had a glass front door (and was too lazy to get a suction cup). But this year I am determined!

Of course, ideally I'd buy it in the post Christmas sales. But I am planning to get one before then so it's all ready for light up night. After looking around for ages, I have about 80% settled on this one.

 

Finally getting a wreath this year

Light up night is one of the many social traditions in our street. And we have many! We have an annual progressive street dinner, jazz evenings in the park 3 or 4 times over summer, an annual easter egg hunt and sausage sizzle, Halloween and of course the annual Christmas light up night.

It's a gorgeous event! The idea is each year you decorate the outside of your home for Christmas. On a set night in early December the entire street comes together to sing carols etc. and at 8pm we all 'light up' (switch on our Christmas lights). Everyone then wanders up and down the street and chats / has a glass of wine and admires one another's lights. Many neighbours drag their BBQs out onto their driveways and cook kebabs/nibbles to be shared. It's just an awesome night!

We learned early on that each year one's display is meant to grow. So each year we add something to our lights. Last year we even had powerpoints added under our eaves to enable our growing display.

If you look at last year's Christmas lights post you'll see our display, so far, is pretty meagre. Fairy lights along the front porch, stars in the front windows, and 3 lit gift boxes in the front garden. This year I thought we might step it up a bit by adding a Christmas tree in the front for the illuminated gifts to sit beneath.

Windows

So the other day I noticed my windows are filthy. Inside and out. So I've booked a window cleaner to come out and give them a thorough clean up tomorrow. I am rather excited - it's going to look so much better!

Other than that it's been a quiet few weeks here. Well not quiet overall (there's been so much going on!) but quiet house wise.

My mother-in-law wants to host Christmas this year - so I have been spared even preparing for that. Of course, I AM planning the Christmas tree and lights for the year. More on that later.

Green

Now the entire garden has been weeded, I have been able to focus on filling in some gaps. Most noticeably one of the hydrangeas which got killed by a pug, and a few liriopes which suffered a similar fate.

Sean has started growing the seeds I bought the other day to make a lovely ground cover for the raised beds at the back, and the irrigation is doing an awesome job of using our tank water to keep everything hydrated and fresh in this hot hot weather.

My magnolias have just started to flower, and are growing ever taller, making the side of the house a pleasant fragrant spot to be.

My inside projects have slowed down for the time being. Still waiting to find the right pieces I need. So in the interim I am continuing to declutter, reduce and recycle. The less 'stuff' I have the better I feel - and so it's no hardship to cull things we no longer require.

Power Gardening

This week we've had house guests at Parkview. Friends of mine for over a decade, Pauline and Lez are our first guests to stay over for more than a night or two. Nice to finally put the spare room to use!

Anyway, as I have mentioned, Parkview has recently been overcome by weeds - and while I have been valiantly endeavouring to stay on top of them, it has been with little success.

So imagine my surprise when I come home yesterday, from a day shopping with Pauline, to discover Lez had kept himself occupied weeding. And I don't mean the odd weed here and there. I mean the entire side garden!

 

 

This was about half way through.

Now while I am MORTIFIED that a guest has spent his time at our place this way, I am also very very grateful as now I have a sporting chance of keeping on top of the weeds. It actually looks quite pretty again outside, now!

It's a pity I don't need a second rug for my sitting room...

So I wrote recently about how much I admire the work of Florence Broadhurst. I've always wanted just a touch of Florence in my home, and settled for patterned pillow cases on the guest bed.

Just as well, because it would have been expensive had I seen this Florence Broadhurst rug first! I just spotted it and fell in love! While I am very happy with the rug in the sitting room, I suspect I might have loved this even more.

Of course - I will console myself with the reality that this rug is too yellow for my room and would not have looked as well as the one that's there. Still love it, though!

In other news the walk in robe cleanout continues. Have donated 4 garbage bags of clothes, shoes, hats etc. Have also switched to lovely new wooden coat hangers and sorted out all the drawers and shoe racks.

Still working on the shelves up the top - so back to it!

TV Unit

With a wall mounted TV we don't actually need a TV unit per se. But we did want some storage for boardgames, puzzles and homework supplies for the kids - and also something to break up a boring blank wall.

So, as mentioned in yesterday's post, we finally found a unit we liked the look of! It's a great height and colour to match the coffee and side table - and also coordinates well with the meals table and stools.

Amazing how one piece of furniture can help a room look so much more complete!

I promise another photo once I have styled it up a bit (and tidied the rest of the room). This afternoon, though, I am preparing a 'homework' drawer for each of the kids with their pencil cases / paper / workbooks etc. Will also finally tuck the FOXTEL box away for a streamlined look.

 

The new entertainment unit

 

New unit - you can see here how nicely it works

with the side table (currently holding my Fiddle

Leaf Fig 'Figgy')

Side table

So one thing which has annoyed Sean is a lack of a table in the sitting room. It would be handy to have a spot for a cup of tea / glass of wine / a book or a laptop. I knew what I had in mind for the space, and was patiently waiting for it to come down in price!

 

Tripod table I'd had in mind for the front room

However we went to Suite Deals today, and came across a chrome and glass globe table which Sean really liked. He commented on it several times (and it is pretty unusual for him to comment on anything in a furniture store)! So we decided to get it.

It's not what I would have chosen, and when we first brought it home I placed it on the other side of the chair (beside the cabinet) and really disliked it. Changed sides and now I think it looks fine. Most importantly it's Sean's table and he's really pleased with it ;)

 

Sean's new side table
in the sitting room

Also got a nice cabinet for under the TV in the living room. While we don't need it for AV equipment, it will be nice to have a place to store boardgames / puzzles etc. Will be picking that up tomorrow, so look out for another post soon!

Passing things down

As a child we moved a lot. As in an awful lot :( A lot of it, now, just blends together and my few childhood recollections are a confused jumble of places, people and times (often incorrectly reconstructed and mashed together from incomplete memories).

Suffice to say very little in terms of childhood or family items have made it through to our forever home to be seen by my kids :(

One little trinket, though, somehow made it through. A tacky little china cat which I can't remember when or where I got, but it was certainly sometime before I was 5. So probably around my daughter's age. It isn't anything expensive, or special, but it is the tiniest and slimmest thread linking young Adelaide with her Mum at a similar age.

With only a handful of photos, and next to nothing else from or of me as a child, it's nice to have something from my childhood to become a part of hers <3 And so the tacky kitty sits in pride of place in her shadow box.  I have impressed on her, several times, just how special it is to me (not in terms of what it is - more in terms of what it represents). And now she sits and looks at it commenting "This was Mumma's when she was little - and now it is MINE!"

 

Adelaide's kitty cat

Shhhh - Fairies are about!

So things move at lightning speed around here. If you blink you'll miss it! Like the fairy door which has been sitting on my desk since XMAS last year waiting for me to tell Sean where to put it!

So this morning we've finally agreed on a spot - in a little nook just beside the kids' cubby. We're going to make the spot into a little fairy garden! Adelaide is, of course, thrilled. Oscar has not outright declared he is a disbeliever - but has agreed to keep his skepticism to himself in front of his very excited little sister. So in the next day or two we'll be off to Masters to choose some flowers to plant beside the fairy door. I'll put a picture up when we're done.

The Study Nook

Bumped into a mate the other day who reminded me I'd promised her pics of my study nook and that I was long overdue in delivering. Perfect timing, really, as I've just bought a plant for there and am starting to turn my mind towards how to style that area.

It's quite a large area (2.3 meters long) and now I have decluttered, by removing one of the printers and putting it in the cupboard, I'm finally getting into the headspace of 'what will I do here'?

I have a few ideas. Maybe strung wire above the computer and hang prints there. Or perhaps open oak suspended shelves. Maybe even a sculptural type of wall art? I am pretty sold on painting the wall, but of course no idea about what colour! In the meantime, here it is - a blank canvas waiting for my decision on what to do.

 

My study nook

 

As you can see it desperately
needs some love and attention

 

Have added a Madonna
Lily for a little interest!

Groundcovers

I loathe weeding. It must be one of the most thankless tasks ever. However our garden bed at the back just lends itself to a never ending supply of weeds, hence we came up with the idea of putting in a groundcover to smother the weeds (and progress the look we're after).

After a lot of searching online (and in nurseries) I had decided on a white bacopa as just the thing. Until I realised at $10 a pot, it was going to be prohibitively expensive to do the area I had in mind. And then my darling husband asked if it could be grown from seed. I would never have thought about it, but a quick google indicates it can!

So I've just ordered 50 seeds online for the princely sum of $18.50. Sean has the greenhouse set up, and has been wanting a project, so this will be just the thing! Of course, that means I have a limited time frame in which to weed the garden bed ready for the seedlings. Motivation is a helpful thing!

 

Bacopa Snowtopia

Have also bought another indoor plant. A Madonna Lily for my desk. I'm not entirely sure it will get enough light there, so I might need to get a second and rotate them to a sunnier position every few days.

My New Light!

So my new light is in, and I love it. I keep looking at it (and I will admit it IS taking some getting used to) but I love it.

Before anyone points it out, I realise the bulb is completely wrong. It was the only one the store had in stock (and I needed a bulb to check the fixture with) so it goes back tomorrow to be exchanged for a different shaped bulb as they were expecting a delivery of the correct bulbs.

I keep thinking it looks too high, because I was so used to the old one which was just too low. I did consider we could have gone the larger 4 light pendant there, but I think it would have been too much for what is really a very small entryway.

 

Before

 

After

 

Looking from the sitting room
out to the entryway

A bit of green life

So the school holidays have started, and with them a flurry of activity has started around the house. The doors have been flung open, a fresh breeze is blowing through, and we're cracking on with annoying little jobs and tasks.

One of these has been selecting indoor plants for various spots. Of course, whenever I go looking for something specific what I want is not in stock! But we did come home today with a 'happy bamboo' which the kids selected for their bathroom. Probably not what I would have chosen, but it is bright and happy and adds some colour to the space.

 

A bit of green life for the kids' bathroom

In other jobs, the front light is down waiting for the boys next door to come put up the new one. Sean has held the new one up where it will go and it looked great! Such a huge change from what was there. Can't wait for the new one to go in - hopefully today sometime.

Have also had a LONG overdue clean out of my study nook (aka the dumping ground). Have removed most of the computer equipment to the lockable cupboard. At present am removing and sorting the last of the residual paperwork before I wipe it down and start considering precisely what to do with the space decor wise. An indoor plant is a must, but as for the rest of the space I am still not sure.

Still - plenty to go on with in the meantime. Like working out precisely what I want to do linen wise with my spare room (and cleaning out my linen cupboard!)

Perfect Pillows

Last month I was thinking pillows. Specifically spare room pillows. And a day or two back the spare room pillow cases arrived! My own little piece of Florence Broadhurst.

Turns out they are a slight metallic silver with a dark fawn on the relief. And while I'd been mentally planning around a slate blue, I am infinitely more excited by the silver. So now I am thinking about which way to take this room. Obviously more pillows - but it's exciting to have a silver hue to include.

And it's well I am thinking of sprucing up the spare room as we have guests arriving late October for around a week.

Pics to follow soon. Been a busy busy social weekend, so literally need a chance to catch up!

Pendant Ponderings

I've never been entirely happy with my entry light choice. I knew exactly what I wanted - it just wasn't available at the time :(  So I thought I'd found something I liked, and then had to change at the last minute, and what we ended up with was too large and low for the space. And if I am honest it's irritated me for 2 years!

Anyway - recently a fellow member of a forum I frequent put pendants in her home. She showed a pic first, and as soon as I saw them I was SMITTEN! The perfect thing for my entry way and a not too shabby price either. She explained they can be hung at 4 different lengths - she hung hers at the highest which in my opinion suits the scale of the pendant best.

She just measured the height from ceiling for me, and it's going to be a perfect fit in our entryway. Better still - when I nipped across to ask the sparky next door how much he'd charge me to swap the lights over he said he'd do it for nothing. Score!!

So without further ado here's a pic (found via google image search - turns out it's from a local blogger who I'll now also follow!)

Oh - and best still? This will enable me to get that Edison bulb I've been wanting forever SOMEWHERE in the house ;)

Drowning not waving

The last week or so has seen me simply unable to get / keep on top of things - there just are not enough hours in the day! We've also had a lot going on socially - which is nice but gives less time to get things done.

This week I am determined to play catch up. To this end have just pulled out 5 bags of clothes and toys to go to charity (and another large one to go to a girlfriend who has two younger boys). This afternoon will see the real challenge... Going through Adelaide's wardrobe.

She's shooting up at a rate of knots - so many of her sundresses from last year will be moved on as they're just too short. Necessary but I never enjoy doing it :(  However it does leave room for more - and to that end am planning a sewing day with a friend over the holidays. I have so much fabric I need to use up.

So not much to photograph, for now, but I'm keeping busy!

Spring!

So I am a day early, but spring has well and truly sprung at Parkview. Today has seen us busy in the garden. Mostly weeding, I'm afraid, but it's heartening to see the buds on my plants and to see how well my camelias are doing.

We also spent today cleaning out the cubby house. It had become a disgusting dumping ground that the kids avoided for fear of spiders and ants. Well it took 3 hours, but all is now sorted, the ant nest has been removed, two large and hairy spiders likewise, and the toys all put back in to place. The kids are so excited to have their own space back and sorted :)

As part of the spring plans we're moving on with stage two of planting out the back garden. This season we'll be adding some ground cover beneath my camelias and fruit trees. It will help keep the weeds down and add some interest and layers. I'm also planning floral edging along the brick seating outside - but so far not quite sure on what.

I have also been spring cleaning - which has been strangely enjoyable. I am doing a room a day - and amazingly it's taking that long to do each one! I'm about 1/3 of the way through the house which is a little odd as the 'done' parts are spotless and gleaming. The other parts not so much (read here not at all)! It will take another week to clean and clear, but I am looking forward to having the house clean and the next stage of the garden underway.

Redirection

So I thought I'd come up with the solution to the living room seating. Even got the go ahead from Sean. But something kept stopping me from placing the order. And then inspiration struck! Or I should say then Empire Lane Design put up some pics of a display home they'd recently styled (and then inspiration struck!)

I love blue and white, but it's never seemed right in any home I've lived in. But when I saw the styling of this home by Empire Lane Design something clicked for me.

I can now really see blue in my living / meals / kitchen space. Not as formal as this space - but something a bit more casual. What really has me excited, though, is the way the leather armchairs work so well with the linen couch.  With my existing oak furniture, and some new cushions, I can see a blue linen couch being just the thing. And I can also see me getting to indulge in buying some blue-ware!

In fact the only thing I can't see working in the space is Mabel my red mixer. I wonder if there's a market for swapping KitchenAid mixers for other colours? This would look might fine on my kitchen bench...

When a good plan comes together...

So the back area of the house has troubled me for some time. We desperately need more seating, and a few more items to make it look more finished.

The problem is I have a dog. Kids. A husband. So we really need leather. Our couch has a HARD life ;) So I started looking for a new leather suite. And nothing appealed. And I refuse to spend the cost of a small car on something which doesn't excite me!

So then I started looking at fabric sofas. And again nothing local appealed. Everything looked big and boxy. Or the wrong height. Or the wrong scale. Or just, well, wrong!

There was a couch I spotted which I liked. Online, of course, and as it has a lot it would need to match (blinds, existing leather couch which I would retain etc.) I figured I'd not be able to get a fabric sample so just dismissed it. Nothing against online shopping, but I'd not be spending that much on trust!

So then my downfall. I saw it also came in a gorgeous single seater - and suddenly I could see it all coming together! A couch and 2 single seaters opposite one another with the existing leather couch perpendicular. So I sent an email asking whether they happened to have fabric samples... And guess what? Yes they did. Yes they arrived today and yes, I think it might well be just the thing!

Of course, it would mean training kids and dogs that they only EVER sit on the leather couch. But that should be fine - the kids don't sit on my sitting room couch. So it might be achievable. I am concerned the legs might not match my oak furniture (can see my OCD getting the better of me and demanding hubby sand and stain them to match).  But, so far, I think it might just work!

 

The couch in question! Love that it's a bit more

interesting than the boxy stuff that seems so

popular locally

 

Would team it with 2 of these.

Have not raised the issue with husband, yet. I am sure he'll not object to the look of the sofas/chairs themselves. The cost he might grumble about but will probably be fine with. If I started talk about sanding back legs he'll likely crack it. Might save that info until AFTER they arrive ;)

Of course - all this depends on keeping my pug off the new purchases. So right now it might be the smallest member of our household holding things back! I'll roll it around in my mind for a few days and see how I feel about it. And see how hubby reacts ;)

 

 

Can't stay angry with him - since he lost his
brother, there's been a lot of lying around and moping.

Just wish he'd not do said moping on my

sitting room sofa!

Pillow Ponderings

One thing I am fiercely proud of is Australian design. In my opinion we have some simply amazing designers, and I like to acknowledge this by buying locally designed pieces for my home where I can.

One historic Australian designer I admire is Florence Broadhurst. A girl born in the back of beyond who traveled extensively and really lived life! The mystery of her death adds to the whole mystique too, I guess. I know it's the design equivalent of 3 ducks on a wall - but I've been looking for just a 'touch of Florence' for my home for a while. And now I think I've found it :)

My long suffering 'spare room' really needs to be finished off. The new bedlinen looks well, but I need cushions etc. to complete the look. Which is where these pillow ponderings come in. I am considering some subtle but oh so pretty Florence Broadhurst pillows for the bed. I just can't decide whether to do standard pillow cases, or a smaller decorative cushion? I really like the pattern, so I am leaning towards 2 standard pillow cases and then using decorative cushions in coordinating colours and textures to complete the look.

As the least used bed in the house, I figure I can go to town with the pillows as it won't need to be remade all that often :)

 

New ivory bed linen (needs a press!)
Blue cushions are from elsewhere in 

the house and just to give an idea

 

Am thinking of buying 2 of these standard

pillow cases to add to this bed

Need to make up my mind before they sell out. Wish I could see the colour IRL first. It looks like a grey/slate blue. In any case I think it will work.

Even more laundry loving!

So it started with some jars for napisan, one for pegs and a spool of twine. Then I moved on to a nice basket to put the laundry liquids etc. in instead of a tin. Today finally put in place the tray I bought.

I've actually been after a tray like this for ages - and it's also the right thing for that spot, so I figured it could be stored in plain sight, making my laundry look a little prettier.

 

I still have a lot to do elsewhere, but other than a wipe down of the upright freezer, and perhaps a decorative window treatment, this space is finished. For now ;)

Sneak peek 2

So I have been talking about Oscar's science rooms for a while - and it is slowly (read here very slowly!!) coming together. However today a big leap forward - we got his shadow boxes up.

I still need to style them, and add his various science treasures - but so far I am happy with how they look.

 

Shadow boxes for Oscar's science treasures

 

Above his desk. Now to hang his

element artworks and finish

styling up the space

I still have a few bits and bobs to buy and place, but we're getting there. Oscar, of course, just loves it!

Sneak peek

So I have been meaning to do something more with Adelaide's room. And today I did! New bedlinen and slowly working on developing her theme. More when I have a chance to take some decent photos - but for now a sneak peek!

 

Adelaide's new bed linen

More small things

So I am slowly trying to dress the rooms a little. Our spare room was looking pretty sad, so I bought a coverlet to jazz it up a little bit.

The coverlet sits over the top of the normal doona, so is really rather versatile. Of course, now I need some artwork for that room, and then I'll buy some coordinating cushions to brighten it up, but to give an idea of how it may eventually look I knocked off some cushions from the sitting room.

 

A hint of how it might look when styled up

 

Getting there. Needs more pillows!

Another small addition to the house were some bathroom knick knacks for the kid's bathroom. A recent trip to a craft market has reignited my love of soaps. I love getting natural soap and cutting them down into smaller bars. There's something truly luxurious about selecting a soap before you bathe.

So with this in mind I have bought a nice open jar to put them all in. It might end up being just too big for the number of soaps I have - in which case I might fill the jar with shells. We'll see how it plays out. But, for now, here's a bit of interest beside the bath in the kid's room.

 

Bits and bobs in the kid's bathroom

More laundry loving!

So as I mentioned a couple of posts ago I have been playing around in my laundry. Which is a little silly, really, given it's only really the family who see it! However I decided it could do with a little love.

I started with a few items for the end of the bench - but the dated 'housekeepers box' was annoying me. I wanted something a little more rustic. So after much searching online, I found a suitable basket at Early Settler. While slightly larger than I need, I really like the colour and the way it obscures the unattractive detergent bottles yet keeps them close to hand for when required.

I also bought a little soap dish, but in retrospect I am not sure I like it there. Never mind - with 5 handbasins around the house I am sure I can find somewhere for it to live ;)

So here's a quick before and after. I'm quite pleased!

 

Before - housekeeper's box was not doing it for me

 

Much happier with a wicker basket in that spot

Feathered Friends

At a decor shop a few weeks back Adelaide was a little bored. There was a maximum $5 section, so I told her she could chose something. She chose a little feathered friend. It was actually on further mark down, so I realised I could also afford its feathered friend.

We came home and Delie was very clear they were to sit on her curtain rail. And so here, in pride of place, they are!

I must admit the first few times I saw them they alarmed me. Now I'm used to them. Their names are Adelaide and Rosie (apparently!).

 

Here on the end of her curtain rail

 

Adelaide and Rosie - feathered friends! 

 

Fun finishings!

So I have been watching a lot of Canadian and American design shows on Foxtel. Honestly, I much prefer the Canadian shows. Their sense of style is a little quirkier, in my opinion, and seems more original. I have a few fave shows - Love it or List it - Vancouver and Property Brothers / My Dream Home. One thing I like about all of them are the decor items they use. Like tiny little decor vignettes all throughout the house.

It makes the spaces look more real and finished and, most importantly, interesting!

One space I have started on is a corner of our laundry. I bought a jar to hold my napisan, another for pegs, and then some twine and scissors. Will probably add a nice chunky square basket further down the bench to hold the laundry liquids, and a rustic soap dish for beside the tub. But for now I am quite pleased with how it's all coming together.

 

Some little decor pieces

 

Up close. A bit more interesting than a blank benchtop.

Am also thinking of adding a rustic tray underneath it all. We need a tray anyway - and I like the idea of having it 'on display' instead of 'in a cupboard' when not in use. Asked around on a couple of groups I am a part of, and this one was suggested. Under $40 and there's a store close by. Might be just the ticket!

A day at a time

Winter is here - and while I've been quite busy doing things around the house, this has not translated into updating my poor neglected blog ;)

The long awaited rug arrived - and while it is slightly more baby blue than I'd anticipated, it works well in the space, is great quality, and is deliciously warm underfoot! With the addition of a few more cushions this space is just about done. All I need now are a side table or two, a mirror for above the fireplace and a few objet d'art.

 

The rug is here and beautifully warm!

 

So time to move onto another room! I have been working on Oscar's room a bit, and also the spare room. Oscar's is going to be in an orange grey and teal with a science theme. The spare room much more feminine with splashes of colour.  Will be back with updated pics soon :)