Master bedroom makeover part 1

So, it was my husbands birthday and we were having a family party outside - a BBQ actually.  Two rooms everyone was going to see were my bathroom and my bedroom.  We re-did our bathroom a few years ago, and it needs no work other than a clean - tick!  My bedroom is OK but very drab, so PICK A ROOM - done, its the master bedroom first.

 

Here is the before photos:

 

The bed cover in a pale blue is a keeper, the bedside draws will have to stay, but there must be something I can do with them.  No real cushions!

 

 

 

The chest of drawers is a 1940's op shop find, and I do love it, but the bottom handle needs fixing and the top is quite cluttered.  The gold mirror is also rather out of place, it needs something too.

 

 

 

The 1940'2 club chair is part of a set, is a great colour and will be staying.  Same with the curtains, although they need a wash I think.

 

 

 

So, for a quick fix, I started looking for cushions for the bed, and maybe a big picture across the top.  No time for a bed-head, I only have a few days, and little money.  I first looked at what was needed, and decided:

1. White background, in fact a bit of white.
2. Some colour, mostly blue, green, maybe a pop of another colour.
3. At least one cushion that would pull it together at the front.

I found just what I needed at Target and ordered it all online.  Here is the result:

 

I particularly love the Aloha cushion, as it ties in with the wall colour (which is a blue, although not obvious here).  The floral cushions behind it, fit the white with colour bill.

 

 

 

The picture behind the bed will need a little bit of re positioning, but will be fine for the day. It works well with the wall and picks up the red in the cushions nicely.  The cream throw at the bottom of the bed came from the living room (remember, reuse what you already have!)

 

 

 

The cushions still look good on the chair in the room as well.

 

 

So, for $59 (as everything was on sale) I got a quick fix for the bedroom, stage 1 complete, on to stage 2.  My plan is:

 

1. Fix the chest of draw handle
2. clean the curtains
3. find a rug for the bottom of the bed
4. find something blue for the bedside chest of draws.
5. Repaint the doors.

Maybe that will be the finish, if there ever is a finish.

 

5 steps to a new decor

I have been retired for nearly 2 years now, and I do like my house, but it has been lacking in style.  I finally realised its because it's a bit too formal, and now we live a more relaxed lifestyle.  So, this year I am setting myself a challenge to declutter and change the décor to a more "Hamptons" look.  Without spending a lot of money!

Life just has a habit of thowing stuff at you.

So, here was the plan,
1. Buy two more bins and put them together for 2 more gardens.
Check
2. put some cardboard down to kill the weeds.
Check
3. Get No1 son to take a day off work, organise the soil and put it in.
NO!

Sadly we had a phone call and had to take our son to hospital.  He had put his hand in a food processor.  The kitchen was like a crime scene, now I know what them mean by blood droplets.  Anyway, food processor vs. man...... man lost.

Next day, off to the hand hospital - who knew we had one!  There they did an operation to fix the damage.  There will be no moving of soil this year.  Way too much of an infection risk.  We will have to wait until winter to fill the bins as my husband can't do it on his own, and I can't help as I have damaged my shoulder recently.  The physio would have a fit if I started shifting soil.

So, plan B.

1. buy some compost and manure to top up the existing beds
2. Take out any current leeks and broccoli left growing.
3. top up the beds and plant tomatoes
4. In the other bed, put in peas, cram in some lettuce and cucumbers.
5. Buy bags of soil for the pots I have bought, and send off for the plants I want to extend the potted herb garden.
6. Plant the herbs in the pots.
7. Maybe buy some plastic bags/pots and soil for growing some of the other vegies I would like to try.

That will have to do this summer.

How to get started on pinterest

A dear friend of mine said recently, "I am on pinterest, but I don't know how to use it."  I have used pinterest for several years, and here is how to get started. (my way!)

My favourite plant

Thai Basil is my special favourite in the garden. 

This wonderful plant flowers all summer and all winter, bringing the bees for its pollen. that is why it is my special fav!  I just grow it in a pot, and keep cutting back 1/2 a plant at a time, that way it does not get too woody, but there is always basil and flowers to be had.  If you are looking for herbs to grow, then this is my first recommendation.  Easy to grow (it has to be in my garden) and very forgiving.  Plant some now.

Thai basil

Red wine out of carpet!

Who knew?  The red wine was all over the kitchen and into the dining room thanks to an errant mixer.  But Windex took the red wine straight out of the woollen carpet.  Just spayed it on and wiped it out!

Steam cleaning recipie

 Just so I never lose it -  here is Shannon Lush's recipie for steam cleaning carpets:
Use :
half the manufacturer's cleaner plus
2 cups of each of the following - bi-carb of soda, white vinegar, methylated spirits and
2 teaspoons of each of the following glycerine and eucalyptus or lavender oil.

 

 

Overnight disasters in the garden.

Well, Sydney has been quite warm, and dry, but something obviously changed on Friday night because I came out to:
A very sick frangipani with red/yellow dots on the back of the leaves, and falling leaves.
It looked like frangipani rust which looks like this

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frangipani rust

Lessons from summer 2014

Some lessons I learned this summer:

• Snap and sugar peas do not like mulch or too much water
• Zucchinis don't like humidity
• Everything likes worm tea
• Best tomatoes were black russian, sweet bite and sugar sweet
• Herbs grow well in pots
• Keep cutting rocket for sweet leaves.  Old ones are horrible!
• Mini Cos lettuce is great
• Mint is fickle

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

Autumn update

So the last of the tomatoes have been taken off and the bed has been upgraded with lots of compost.  I  also harvested most of the basil, but found that the rain had brought in a pest who had munched on a lot of it, and made a home in one of the leaves!
But there was still quite a bit to cut up and freeze in ice cube trays.  You can do the same with parsley and other herbs, I pack them into zip lock bags once they are frozen - great for soups and stews.