I have created a second blog.

I have decided to create a second blog for my health and weight loss.  I seriously need to lose 10kgs or so.  I need to improve my overall health.
In in this new blog it is entirely devoted to health...nothing else.  I need some sort of accountablity for this so I created the blog for this. 
Im still keeping this blog of course as it is my main blog...I love it here :0)  But I would love you to join me on my weight loss and healthy life style journey.
Please take a look here...

http://muffinshmuffin.blogspot.com/



My free DIY jewellery hanger

Wow, I love this time of year. At the moment the weather couldnt be better.   It is the 17th day of summer here and we've been waking up to blue clear skies, warm summer sun and we've been swimming, playing and relaxing. About 4 o'clock evey afternoon we get a tropical storm to cool it all down, but thats ok because we then wake up to blue skies again the next day.  This is the sort of weather I remember as a child...the weather has been so messed up the last few years so its nice to have this. My poor husband still is working at the moment but he will have a week or two off from the 24th dec YAY!
Anyway, yesterday afternoon my wonderful sister and sister-in-law popped in for a swim with the kids and a glass of champers{for us~ as ya do} and then my sister offered to take my two for the night.  I have to go pick them up soon but for the moment Im enjoying just sitting here with a cup of coffee in quietness LOL.

So I thought while its nice and quite in the house I would blog about a jewlery holder i made some time back.
I used an old drawer.  My husband was throwing out an old wooden desk he had at his office so I grabbed the drawers.
Here you can see I took the handle off and painted the outside and some of the inside of the drawer...

I just used a white primer/sealer...worked a treat as it went on so, so easy and was quite easy to sand back a little on the edges for that chic look.

Next I had some pretty wrapping paper in my supply box that I cut to size, fitted and glued it to the inside of the drawer.

Next I turned the drawer upside down so the front of the drawer was on the bottom.

I then had an assortment of old drawer handles that I also had on hand that I place in a way that could hang long necklaces and smaller bracelet like items.

This was the finished result {sorry about the dodgy pic...It actually looks better now with better jewlery however I just took this pic quickly to show you the finished result}

It sits nicely in my room and i now have all my necklaces, bracelets etc where i can see them and out of the way of little 7 year old hands, LOL.

The whole thing cost me $0.00 to make.

Reno's part 2

I thought I would write about the second part of our yard makeover/reno's.  The work still isnt finished, *sigh* but it is getting there.

The actual bulding of the fence is done! and it looks great.

A couple of weeks ago we got stuck into painting the fence...yes the whole family helped...including Jojo, the puppy.LOL

We had to paint it with a white undercoat, then we painted it with a textured rendered paint.  The end result colour is a beigy, coffee coloured paint with a slight 'bump' in the texture.

Will post up some more pics later.

HaPpY AnNiVeRsArY OUR NEST♥...already??

On the 1st of december 2009 This blog was born.  I cant believe it has already been just over a year Ive been blogging about my life and other things.  Time sure flies. *sigh*  I have to say, I have truly enjoyed this blogging thing.
I dont know if you have noticed but i now have a button for my blog, designed by yours truly...feel free to grab it for your own blog.  Its an easy click on button.  Once installed on your blog you simply click on the button and your back here...great huh?
I hope you like.
Anyways, heres to another year of blogging...

My latest thrifty find...

I found these cute little lamps at the tender centre last weekend...Guess how much I paid for them, BOTH of them?...$6.  Yes, thats right. B.A.R.G.A.I.N!!!
As much as I love the shades, I have actually taken them off and replaced them with more natural earthy looking ones and placed the old ones on ebay...have a look HERE.
Im realy happy with the results, what do you think?

This one is in our lounge room near our t.v.

...and this one sits nicley on our cabinet in our dining room.

Summer, health and feeling good!

Ok, Ok...ive gotta get back to the gym.  Ive been going so well but this past month Ive been a bit blah!  I can always tell when I dont get there. 

I have also just recently just seen a fabulouse natropath that I only wish I met years ago.  Her name is Trina.  She is a lovely lady who is going to help me in ways I never thought. 
It was pretty interesting chatting to her.  She did the irridology thing and she was spot on.  She asked me if I have had neck and shoulder problems...I have been so, so sick with this the past few months.  One day I couldnt even get out of bed. 
She also looked at my toung.  I didnt relise but the tounge is also conected to alot...just like eyes are.  For years I have had this ugly looking 'split' down my toung and when I spoke to my G.P he pretty much just brushed it off as nothing, even though it hurts like crazy.
She told me that the split was connected to my nervouse system and it was caused from prolonged extreeme stress...ha!  Well, no wonder.  My childhood was, well....um....not good {putting it simply} and parent/family stress has been ongoing...The neck/shoulder pain is also connected. 
so It was no wonder that my stress has come out through my body.  I also had bad post natal depression after the birth of my son and I never fully physically recovered from that.  I lost so much weight back then, wasnt sleeping or eating right and my body never got over that.  I have constantly got that heavy tiredness, the sort that I cant even lift my arm up some days. *ugh*  Trina feels I may still have Glandular fever {I also had this a few years ago but ignored it *sigh*}
Im hoping Trina will help me feel better...I think Im on the right track.  She did acupunture on me the day I say her and i floated out of her office.  I went home and slept for a couple of hours and slept soundly that night.  I actually woke up without a stiff neck and I had a clear head.  I almost forgot what that felt like.

Like I said, I havnt been to the gym for a month or so.  Im going to get back today.  I did my big shop yesterday so going to prepare some healthy meals to freeze for the up coming school holidays and get into fun, physical playing with my kids and little doggy.  In the holidays my husband and i often stay up late watching movies etc as we dont have to get up early the next day. We enjoy a glass or two of somthing.  This time i think we will even cut back on the alcahol {not that we drink much...but we all know I like my red wine and chocolate hahah} but the less and less the better you feel. This year I think we will reverse that.  Early to bed, early to rise.  We will get up early and get to the beach at sun up....go for walks while hubby surfs and enjoy the outdoors.  Oh, I cant wait!
Life is good...and fun!  Especially now Im getting my energy back. YAY!

this little piggy went to market...

Hi all, tomorrow is saturday...yay!  Im looking forward to it.  Im thinking I might pop down to the farmers markets and pick up some delish food for the weekend....mmmmmm, Im thinking fresh feta made from a loverly lady who owns a local farm.   Im also thinking fresh olives, shaved ham and crusty bread.
fresh picked herbs and tatsy homemade relishes.
Ummmmm, yep...to the farmers markets i go tomorrow...cant wait.

Paint, wood and a few of my favorite things...

The weather here has been quite beautiful lately.  Spring has defintly arrived with a hint of summer that is soon to follow (yay).  This weekend we have out in the garden chopping back trees, clearing rubbish, giving everything a good wash and ready for the warmer months ahead.  The kids christened the pool by having their first swim for spring...its been great.
The past week Ive had a few *sad* days and when Im feeling this way I try to do somthing 'I' enjoy, somthing thats creative and somthing that makes me feel good.
Rememeber a few months back I wrote about my big clean out?  I mentioned there about a friend who did cleaning and organising as a job...well, it turns out she also does interior decorating etc {she realy is an amazing lady}.
I was chatting to her about styles and colours and ideas for my place as I know what I like but pulling it all together can at times be a bit challenging.
I explained to her that I actually realy like the american style of decorating as it can be so different to here in Australia.
When I explain that to others they go "huh?".  But when I explained that to my good friend she totaly got what I meant.
American homes seem to have a 'Pottery Barn' look.  You know what I mean? Very warm, family orientated, but also rustic and whimsical.
My friend told me that my style seems to be a look called 'nantuket'.  Hmm, after googling that I think she may be right.  She told be to gather a few pics of the 'look' I like and then it helps to pull it all together.  here are a few looks I like and came up with...

These are just a 'few' pics I found so here's hoping I can pull it all together.  I like white, white and more white. Cream with lots of textures...wood, glass, burlap, etc etc etc....I LOVE candles especially when in crystle clear glass and mayby a slight bit of silver.  I love white washed floorboards {this we plan on getting oneday} and french inspred items.  I also love the rustic look of of an old wooden swing chair out the back or near the front door.  Lots of potted plants...green, lush and a hint of white flowers {or Hydrangea's...another favorite of mine}.  I like the look of french doors and white shutters.  All of this at the same time as being kid friendly.  ♥I love it!

When talking to my friend about this she mentioned that in the U.S painted furniture is so big.  Here we are all so scared to paint anything that is bare wood.  I kind of agreed with her.  I wondered why my place was looking so 'brown'. 
So during my *sad* week last week I held my breath and just did it!  I have only started with out door items so far.  I have an old chair that I purchased of ebay about a year ago.  Its a realy nice outdoor bench seat style...again bare wood.  My first stroke of white...and I couldn't stop.  Im sooo happy I painted it.  It has given it a whole new lease on life.

I also had an old mirror that I got at The tender centre abot 2 years ago.  I plans to put it outside and it never happened.  It ended up sitting in our shed and then the mirror broke {ugh} so was just going to give it away.  {silly I know...what was I thinking??}

Sorry I dont have a better pic of the finished result.  I took this while it was drying.  Once I put it up I will try and get another shot of it.  I was going to just put it up out side near the front door.  Once our renovations are finished it will look nice there I think.
I also have plans for an old coffee table that we use outside, when I have done that I will put up a blog post about that.  Im starting outside with the furniture painting thing.  My husbands a little scared at the thought of painting out good inside furntiure...we'll work on that LOL.

So excitement! (reno's part 1)

Lately ive been indulging a little in my creative decorating side.
We are doing some major renovating on our nest and it has made me giddy with excitment. We've lived here for approx 3 years and only done the minimal in renovating..slow and steady.
However the last few weeks has been so exciting. Things are flying here.

We have built a fence (brick, rendered) out the front of our home and taken all our unclaimed land back. This means around our pool we have loads more room. we are planning to deck around our pool and pave the front entrance,new carport, level and re-turf the backyard....loads of work to do, but the end result will be amazing. I cant wait. We've been working around the clock to get it sorted for the school holidays in just a couple of short weeks away.
It will be so nice.
Inside our home it's quite small (but I like it)...outside is where we do most of our living especially in summer. So we will soon have a new room to our house...the ouside room.

We started back in October, however anyone living here in S.E Queensland would know how wet the weather has been this year, esp the last few months.  So the day hubby decided to start...the heavens opened up, still he kept going.  Here Little T decided it would be fun sticking on some diving flippers (???) and sludge thru the wet mud...It looked liked fun, I was tempted to join him.

Mmmmm, mud pies....

In the end we decided just to hose him off....LOL

Here are a few pics of our changing nest...

day 1...Poor guy.  He had his tractor,..bull dozer ...whatever thing they call that he's on, and he was determained to get it done.

UGH!  What a mess!  Damn that rain!  It doesnt make the job easy.

Success!!  He managed to to dig out, level and make a retaining wall!!

Day 2....the footings are laid.  Bricks arrived.

Finally...better weather....AND the pillars are built.

Since these pics were taken we have managed to have the entire wall built, rendered and painted. It is 95% finished. We still have to put hardwood in one section...then done.

I thought I had the latest pics on my camera...but i didnt. When I get a chance later I will put some more pics up.
Next we have the pool area and the front courtyard to pave.
Very exciting. I cant wait to sit out around the pool in summer late afternoon with hubby and the kids with a glass of wine, some yummy food, candles and music...ahhhh, dont you love QLD summers?
Bring it on...!

♥ On this day...

♥♥HaPpY AnNnIvErSaRy To Us!♥♥

8th november 2010.  12th wedding anniversary aboard a gondala...very romantic♥

Ive been MIA lately as Ive been a little pre-occupied.  On the 8th November 1998 at 1pm my husband and I became one.  We vowed to spend the rest of our life together forever and to care and cherish each other.  Little did I know that it would just keep getting better and better each day, each year.

I know, I know.....gush, gush {where's a bucket} but I have to say its true.   Im lucky to have met and spend the rest of my life with my sweetheart, my soulmate, the love of my life...how lucky am I?

Im going to get all pathetic here and just tell you how luck I am.  My husband is super romatic, loving, gentle, *naughty* fun, respectable, reliable, safe, beautiful, understanding, amazing, spiritual, deep and I cannot even begin to tell you how much I just love him.

He is my heart and soul.  An amazing man, wonderful husband and amazing daddy.

When our daughter was born he told me that I was the air he breathes and our daughter is the blood in his veins.

He has helped me with so much of my skeletons and baggage from my past {family stuff *UGH*} and he is my rock, my stability.

This anniversay we stayed away for 2 nights alone and had amazing time....just talking, talking, talking....we shared dinner on a private gondalah *swoon* and we just had a magic time *wink*wink*.

So On the 8th of November I dedicate this to 'us'....~{in my eyes} the most perfect couple ever!!

Beautiful name frames for my little girl.

Today I have been sneezing, coughing, sniffling and sleeping.  *blah* Ive been quite sick all day.  I thought I would jump online just to use my brain for the first time all day LOL.
Anyway, I decided to put up a few pics of some art I did for my daughters room some time back.  The results were quite lovely.

I put each letter of her name in a frame and put it on her bedroom wall.  I used fabric for the background....One was soft pink and white stripes, the next princess dresses and tiraras and the last was soft aqua with small white spots.  These colours refelected her room.

I used diecut letters for her name and used 2nd hand wooden frames that I sprayed in antique white (almost a cream).

Instead of simply just hanging them on the wall like that I put sweet ribbon on the hook of each one and tied them in a bow.  I hung them with the ribbon above her white set of tall drawers.

My daughters room has all white furniture, big thick white long curtains with soft sheer ones behind.  Her dooner cover is white with soft pink and beigy pillows.  She also has a feature wall that is a mullberry colour {the wall the frames are hung}

My daughter is 7 so the Princess theme is still big in her life.  I think these little frames fitted nicely in her cute room.

Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are acoustic cover by Matt Beilis

Hi all...HaPpY SuNdAy!  I just had to share this AMAZING cover of this song by Matt Beilis!  I just adore it.  It gave me goosebumps when i saw/heard it and also a little teary, it is so beautiful.  How AMAZING is this guys voice!?!?
Enjoy....

My old mirror has had a makeover.

Ok, my second project for the week was redoing a mirror that was given to us as a wedding gift when my husband and I got married almost 12 years ago.

I absolutly lurved it when it was given to us and it hung on our wall for about 7 years, for the last 5 it has pretty much sat in a cupboard, {with the top off it} not realy knowing what to do with it.

It was a mirror that was made especially for us, wonderfully made and stained a nice baltic look.

The thing is, it isnt realy my style anymore so I decided to bring it into 2010 with a makeover.

Here is how my mirror looked just beforew the first lick of paint...

You can see the top wooden panel had come off {lying next to it} after painting I nailed it back on.

I sanded back the edges once again to give it that worn look.  I also added 3 hooks, that I had on hand.  They were silver to start with but I painted them in a flat black and then screwed them in.

This Beautiful mirror now has a new home at our front door {I have already had alot of ooh's and ahh's from friends who have visted}.

♥ Hope you all have a beautiful day xoxox

$8 eBay chair re-do.

Ive been a busy little bee lately making  re-doing 2 things in the last 2 weeks...it has been fun.  My first blog today I will show you my el chepo chair i purchased off ebay.  I spent $8 on the chair itself, and the rest i had here at home so the redo itself didnt cost a cent. 
Im quite proud of the end result, for $8...you cant realy go wrong.

Pretty ugly to begin with, having thick grey paint on it that was totaly scratched all over and lovely royal blue fabric (can you sense my sarcasm here? LOL) However i knew the chair was timber so i knew it had potential.

...and it did!

I pulled off the base and ripped off the ugly, old blue fabric to find that it had already been recovered once before.  There was a cream faux seued looking fabric that was completly stained *ugh*

I decided to cover the seat in hessian but i also wanted to put fabric under that to stop the icky dirty old chair coming thru.  So I used a fresh, brand new, clean beige cotton fabric as my first layer. 

Using my faithful ol' staple gun i attached the new fabric to the chair.

First layer...Done!

I repeated the exact same thing with the hessian...

Next I dusted and cleaned the chair frame, and then painted it a baisic white.

Grey...be gone!!!

DONE!  Now I just had to wait for it to dry, then lightly sand the edges to give it that shabby look.

VOILA!

A new look.  (now I just gotta get rid of that ugly orange cork floor...LOL, thats to come)

I plan on using it in our study eventually.  Theres a bit i want to do in there still. 
So, what do you think...?  Not a bad project for just 8 dollars, huh!?