Monday, June 20, 2016

Not Quite ................. but nearly ..................

Greetings dear friends & readers,
Goodness - I did not mean to be away so long & I have missed you all.
I have been lost in a blur of prepping, scraping, sanding, painting, wallpapering, re-sanding, re-painting . . . .  
so it goes on  . . . .
Although our lounge is not quite finished (but nearly), our carpet has been laid & we have moved some furniture back in so we are no longer camped in one corner of the room like squatters!!

There is still much to be done .... but it is lovely to have our lounge room back again.
One of my absolute favourite parts is the large picture window at the end of the lounge ... the colours are ever changing with the seasons & it is a pleasant part of the garden to look out on to.


About a year ago I fell in love with the wallpaper that my friend Jane had used on one wall of her lounge.
When I went into Resenes to inquire about it I described it to the saleslady as "kind of like pastel coloured wood palings in the background with white things like fleur-de-lys on the foreground" !!!
She knew exactly what I was talking about !!! (phew)

Now believe me friends - when you have not wallpapered for 30 years - despite what folks might tell you, it is NOT like riding a bike & you just hop back on & away you go !!!!
Especially when your paper is a pattern repeat !!
I just LoVe my wallpapered wall but I certainly would NOT want an entire room of it.

The haybarn chair above that I revamped recently      .............................................. Cup of Tea anyone ???

My other very-favourite-thing is the cabinet that I painted in this post here
I decided to fill it with some old mismatched china that I used to have stored in the cupboards below
I am so pleased I gave this ratty old brown unit a make-over


We have yet to hang some curtains at the windows
(the curtains have arrived but I am waiting on the rods to hang them)
Pink planter pot was another revamp ..... found lying around at the farm

Another little corner ... another revamped chair from here & table from here

As the Mr's leg gradually heals, he has insisted on installing this ugly thing below in a corner of the lounge with a view to building up his strength as soon as the Physio tells him he is allowed to get on it
Now surely there is only one thing a girl can do when they have to look at such a hideous item plonked in their new lounge room???


Thats right .............. throw a quilt over it !!!!!!!


Another little area of revamped items from here 
I have learnt a great deal from undergoing this lengthy renovation process but probably the 3 most important lessons have been :-

 (1) Although I was more than happy to just draw a few squares & triangles on a piece of paper, the Council required that we get proper Architect drawings done, due to the fact we were changing our roof line.
Proper Architect drawings cost a great deal of money.  
When they arrive they will give you an "estimated cost of extension"
When you read this figure, instead of laughing like a hyena as I did & declaring to all & sundry "they have GOT to be kidding - it will NOT cost that much" ... you should take that figure & probably double it !!!!
 Because it will indeedy cost that much + alot more !!!

(2) Never, ever, EVER use tradesmen who are friends - especially plasterers.  They will certainly give you "mates rates" quality of work but will charge you way more than "mates rates".
They will muck you around & will cause you to ring them up & use your "not nice voice" to them while they give you all the promises under the sun . . . 
When they tell you they will be there on Monday, they generally mean Monday 3 weeks away.

(3) If your Mr is going to break his leg (or any other bone in his body) TRY to get him to NOT do it while you are in the middle of a renovation.

Would I go through it all again ??? ....... not on your Nellie !!!!

The past few days I have received some lovely unexpected gifts.
When I took a large bag of unwanted books to my local 2nd-hand bookstore the lady reached under the counter & handed me this sweet little doiley
"This looks like a bit of you" she announced.
How delightful .... I adore it.


We have had family visiting for the local Agricultural Fieldays & Mum sent this beautiful gift up with my brother ... hand poured soy candle ... the scent is Lotus Flower

And then of course Miss Pippi, who brings me unwanted gifts about every 2nd day lately ..... 
..... & even though she has licked them & tried to give them the kiss of life, they do not come back to life & run around again (thank goodness)!!*!!

Thank you so much for staying with me through this lengthy ramble.
I hope to get around to visiting you all at your blogs again this week.
I hope the coming week is a good one for us all - take care of yourselves & each other,
with much love & friendship,
Julie & the furry ones x0x0x0x

19 comments:

  1. Hi Julie ,wow I love this room the wall paper is beautiful and the view out of that window is priceless,well done my friend xx

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  2. What a truly beautiful room! I love it all!......except the mouse and the Exercycle......I suppose you can cover the Exercycle with a beauty of a quilt but perhaps not such a good idea with the mouse! The love cushion is that a new one, or did you pinch it from 'my room'? You will really enjoy the change of season's through that lovely big window. ENJOY!

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  3. Oh Julie the new room is looking as beautiful as I imagined it would. You certainly have an eye for decorating your lovely home. Love the quilt over the eye sore, exercise equipment isn't nice to look at or use!! Might have to book in a visit with you sooner rather than later, but tell Miss P no more mice please!!

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  4. HeHe! Lovely! Lovely! Lovely!
    Must start with the 'most' important thing...
    Bless! Pippi!x Bringing you gifts, and gifts of
    food at that! :). Hope you make a fuss of her,
    and say thankyou, when taking the mouse away...
    cats get upset if you don't!

    Yes! I must say Julie, the wallpaper looks lovely,
    quite regal l think, something the Queen might have
    in here 'downstairs' loo...But then! what does she
    know..! :).
    And, all the other bits and pieces you have, and made,
    looks lovely...Do you have an opening day, to the public
    yet! :). My home is open from the 1st July to the public,
    though the 'pink' downstairs' loo is open ALL year round.

    Oh! And! Yes! Get rid of that bike thing, it's an awful
    thing to have, in the lounge...Not even the right colour. :).
    Though when you tell Hubby to 'get on his bike' you'll really
    mean it...HeHe!

    So, l'm off for another lemon tea....I'll pop back for another
    read and a gander...I love seeing new things, and ideas.....!x

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  5. Nearing the end, Julie. Yah! I know all about renovations. yuck yuck yuck! Your china cabinet would stop me in my tracks. love it. So full of fun and treasures. Enjoy your new space. Hugs, Deb

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  6. All coming together beautifully. Betty

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  7. Oh gosh!!! I'm glad that bit of renovation is over for you!!!I love
    the wall paper and the cabinet is magnificent. I'm a lover of mismatched
    things and your china collection is super. Our dog Milo has decided he is
    an excellent mouse catcher and has only just 5 minutes ago dropped one at
    the back door. He is investigating the horrid thing. lol

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  8. Wow looks great Julie, the view out the window is beautiful, love your standing doll holding the little quilt, the cabinet looks amazing, great job, so what's next on the reno list :-) Chris xoxo

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    1. Thanks so much Chris ... yes I do love that view & never tire of it. Next on the reno list you ask???? Nothing whatsoever .... just recovering from this one I think !!!!

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  9. Wow! You've made your new lounge so lovely! You are so talented!

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  10. Lovely to see what you have been up to... oh I agree extensions are not quick nor cheap!!! You're doing a beautiful job of decorating your new space, I love all the bits and bobs you have gathered together. It sounds like the end is in sight - woohoo, enjoy your new space :-)

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  11. Wow! You've been incredibly busy. I'm so sorry the Mr. broke his leg and glad the renovation is finally done. The wallpaper looks perfect in your room, and all the upcycled furniture and niknaks are gorgeous.

    Little Pippi is such a generous kitty. (Cobweb used to bring them in alive and we'd use up an entire afternoon trying to rescue them from beneath some piece of furniture or other).

    I hope you're having a wonderful week ♥

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    1. Hi Yvonne, thank You. Yes Pippi sure IS generous .. sometimes I wish she wasn't quite so generous. Her & Blackie have been bringing them in (mice) & then letting them go ... very nearly does my head in !!!!

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  12. WooHoo! That is one awesome roon! You have done a wonderful job. Love, love it! The wall paper is amazing and all your up cyled furniture and projects you have worked on look fantastic. Love the repainted cabinet. You have filled it with the most beautiful things. You must be so, so happy with the final result. I agree with the things you learnt! I used a builder who was a friend! Hmmmmm.....

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  13. Goodness Julie what dedication you have. It will all be worth it very soon! Everything looks amazing. You have clearly worked very hard. Very fresh & clean & charming. Extra lovely feature wall. Isn't the paper grand. I adore the vignette with the Vernon Ward pictures...those are my two favs. I'm with you on the quilt bike cover! Most effective. We use a tablecloth (sometimes several) over the monstrous TV screen that my father passed on to us....a vertical fabric installation. Oh aren't they funny when they try to make the mouse "go" again, although Charlie quite often brings his trophies to his mother next door, drops them & they run away inside Margaret's house! You must be really pleased with how things are shaping up...hope you get there soon. I don't imagine you've had much time for gardening in the passed few months. Much love dear friend. I wish I could bring you tea! Catherine x0x0x

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  14. Cats are really keen on bringing us those unwanted "gifts", eh? My cat, Ruby Sue, used to bring me those gifts all the time. I miss her so :)

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  15. Hello Julie,

    I love your bike cover, first I thought you may have given it some pink paint treatment. Wall paper! Just stunning, I am glad the sales person knew what design you were after. Enjoy the new lounge room and hope hubby is mending nicely.

    Happy days.
    Bev.
    p.s want the name of a good plasterer!!!!

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  16. So nice to see you back! Wow you have been busy! Your room looks amazing and I love that window, such a beautiful tree outside. I am happy to see you have covered that bike it doesn't really fit with your decorations does it!! lol!! Very clever of the sales person to know the wall paper you wanted!! Little Pippi is a generous soul!!

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  17. Yikes....an exercise bike in your beautiful loungeroom. Brilliant idea 'hiding' it with your gorgeous quilt. Some things just should not be seen! Your loungeroom, lovely Linda is a picture. How pretty is that wall paper....oh-so-chic! The ratty old cupboard is a joy with a lick of that pretty coloured paint...AND....I love the display cupboard showing off your pretty china. That is a gorgeous piece of furniture. I must say despite what seems to be an overload of contentious issues in the transformation of your loungeroom, it is stunning. LOVE that beautiful big window with the gorgeous outlook of your pretty garden. You wouldn't do it all again......why ever not!! =)

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