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