the one with... some news

UPDATE: Yes I'm back writing about renovating my cottage but I'm staying right here on SLOABH.  Why change what ain't broke.  I do love it here.  Lisa xo

I've really missed the blog so I'm coming back.

If you have been following me on Instagram you know that I never stopped working on the cottage - I just stopped writing about it.

I'm happy to say that I'm coming back!

The only change is I've decided to move the blog over to www.lisadaviesdesign.com and keep everything in one place.

I'll be back with updates on the never ending to-do list soon.

Cheers for now
Lisa xo

New website: www.lisadaviesdesign.com

the one... with some light

I don't have a street light near my house which I'm thankful for, particularly with my bedroom at the front of the house. The downside is that when I drive in the driveway and get out of the car, the path is very hard to see until I get through the gate where I have installed small solar lights along the edge of the veranda to light a path to the back stairs.

That was until now.

I like to tackle as much of the renovations myself as possible but there are a few things I just wont/can't do like electrical, plumbing, major building like the veranda or heights.  Yep this girl is afraid of heights.

It's not logical but when I climb a ladder the legs just buckle and refuse to move so when a job requires getting up a ladder I have to call in the help of mum and dad.

They very kindly gave up their time to help me out with a couple of height related projects and this is one of them.

The spot light is solar, you can see the solar panel on the left - this side of the house faces West so it will get plenty of sun to charge the batteries.  The sensor was directed to face the driveway and turn on when I drive up the driveway.  There are two lights, one is facing the frontyard and the other is facing the back.  Basically either side of the gate as I come through.

Now I just have to wait for it to charge up and wait until night.

Lisa xo

the one... where I paint, maybe?

The decision to paint or not to paint...

I really am undecided about whether I should paint the front footpath the same colour as the front porch.

I originally bought the paint for the cement beside the garage in the backyard but I don't want to start any work on the backyard until the frontyard is complete.  I know for me that I hate it when you have several big jobs going at once and it feels like nothing gets finished.

When it was time to paint the front porch the painter noticed I had the can in the garage and after seeing a painted sample I love.

I love the colour so much that I have used it in the laundry (photos soon, I promise).

I would love to know what do you think?  To paint or not to paint?

Lisa xo

the one... with weekend plans

February Challenge: $0 Spend

After a short 3 day working week (Monday being a public holiday and Tuesday I had to work from home cause the trains were down with the floods) I am looking forward to getting a few things done around the house on the weekend.

source

Things like doing the edges, mowing and replenish the pebbles that got washed away in the storm.  I can only do the front yard at the moment - you'll see what I mean on Monday.

Oh and there will be a cheap diy project to tackle as part of my February Challenge.

What are your plans for the weekend?  Any diy projects you're planning on tackling?

Happy weekend.

Lisa xo

the one... with a little challenge

I think I want to set myself a diy challenge?

The challenge is to not purchase anything new for the cottage that is over $10.

The only exception to this rule is what I've committed to for the kitchen (that being the appliances, cabinets, tradies). No accessories - I can only use what I have.

Here are a few cheap diy projects I've done.


door mat



bedside tables



Christmas decoration



front screen door

I'm thinking of setting this challenging for myself for the month of February.  Yep, I have just 1 day before I start!

Wow, this will test me.  I've got a couple of things in mind and I can use whatever I have on hand in the garage or in the house.  I can only purchase things that cost less than $10.  If not, it'll have to wait until March.

Gosh, can I do this?

We will have to wait and see.

Have you set yourself a challenge like this before?  I'd love to know how you went?

Lisa xo

the one... with my favourites from 2012

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and got a little break so you are feeling fresh and ready for the new year.

I thought I would share with you a couple of posts from 2012 that were either popular (thank you) or particular favourites of mine.

I know I have been very quiet here on the blog.  It was a combination of the spam comments that just kept coming at me and I think I was tired.

2012 was a big year for me personally.  Some down times and the cottage renovations do take a lot out of you - you know what I mean.

I can assure you that the renovations and diy projects haven't stopped so I have many posts to write to bring you up to speed.

I will be back soon (I promise).

Lisa xo

the one... with the shutters & awnings

After waiting 9 weeks the plantation shutters have been installed.

AND

The new window awnings have been put up.

I wanted to show you them both from the outside.

The window with the partially closed shutter faces the West so it's either partially shut or completely shut to block out that killer sun.

I'm in love them both.

the one... with handles and locks

Yep, I visited Bunnings again this week to pick up a couple of cans of spray paint to use on all of the handles and locks from my bedroom and the lounge room windows.

There are a lot and they are all different.  Some are the original and I have installed a few.

Some will need a clean up before they get hit with the new paint.

Sorry the above photo isn't very clear - it was a beautiful sunny day, a little too sunny for the photo!

It is Metallic Charcoal.  I love it.

Lisa xo

the one... with the front entry revealed

I've said it before but I love my front entry.  It feels so inviting.

Before the renovation I never used the front door and now I love walking up the front stairs and through the newly painted door.

Yes, that's right the door is painted.

I have decided to go with white for now.  I'm still deciding if I want a bright yellow door so until I decide it's white.  It's better than the pink door.

The other good news with the front entry is the entry floor has been painted.

I had originally purchased concrete paint to give new life to the slab of concrete beside the garage and create a secluded patio (that's the plan).

The light got a clean and the entry is now complete.

Welcome home.

the one... the painter is finished!

The painter has finished painting the exterior of the cottage.

I am so excited to share these photos with you.

Just to take you back and show you what I started with:

Here are some progress photos.

The blue cottage is no more, welcome to the new cottage and all that it brings.

I love my new cottage.

the one... I've chosen the colour

I have finally made a decision on the colour.

As you know I was undecided when it came to the first colour I had chosen.  I thought I had got it right but when the sample pot was put on the house I thought it looked wishy washy (yes that's a very technical term).

I headed back to Bunnings and picked up another sample pot, this time I went with the colour just above on the paint chart.

We have a winner!

I've decided to go with Dulux Class Blue and I couldn't be happier.  It is grey but has a slight mauve tint to it which I love.

Just wait til you see it finished.  The painter told me this morning he has only a couple of days to go.

Lisa xo

the one... with the new back door

Say goodbye to the old back door and hello to the new sliding door sitting waiting ever so patiently in the garage.

Lisa xo

the one... where I'm unsure

I've been in the midst of going back and forth on the final colour to paint the cottage.

I have always known I would the house grey with lots of white used on the windows, features and trims.  I had selected two greys from a large pile of charts to test around the house in different light/different times of day and I found I loved the lighter of the two.

Well, now I'm not sure.

I'm heading to Bunnings to pick up another sample pot, this time I'm looking for something in-between what I already had.

Here are the original greys



The patch you can see is the lighter sample pot


The painter, Nigel, kindly painted a big patch of the lighter grey on the front for me to get a better idea of what it will look like but I just don't know if it is the one or not! 

I'll let you know what I decide.

Lisa xo

the one... plug for the painter

I have nothing bad to say about the painter.

Honestly, from the initial phone call all the way through to now, he has been fantastic.

We liaised via email and phone for a little over a couple of months before he even started and he always stayed in touch and up to date on where he was at with other jobs.

My parents have even hired him to do some work at their place - another Queensland home.

So here is my plug for Nigel hard at work here.

If you are in the Brisbane area, I can't recommend Nigel highly enough.

Lisa xo