the one with... a backyard makeover

Yippee!! Work has finally begun on the backyard.

Here is the plan:

• Hire jack hammer
• Hire a skip
• Remove extra driveway cement
• Remove rubbish from under the house
• Remove unwanted plants
• Remove excess green rubbish
• Remove grass up the centre of the driveway to the garage door
• Create a little garden in front of the garage
• Use sleepers for garden edge
• Use a narrow timber strip for walkway garden edge
• Tidy/sort the service side
• Assemble the 2 raised garden beds for the new vegetable garden
• Order soil to fill the holes left after removing the concrete
• New walkway from driveway to the stairs

The overall plan is to create privacy with a tropical inspired garden around the fence with a large grass area in the middle for Charlie.  I want to feel like I step into my backyard and feel completely at ease.

If you follow me over on Instagram then you would have seen these pictures of the work in progress.  Thanks to Mum for taking the photos of me - I didn't realise she'd taken them.

I haven't strayed away from my original plans for the backyard.

Dad and I were a good team with him on the jack hammer - that thing was too big for me and I picked up all the concrete into the wheelbarrow to take out to the skip.  We got it all done in a few hours.  Mum got the service side all sorted and started on building up the soil in the vegetable gardens.  She also got in and cut out the unwanted plants.

I can tell you that I was buggered by the end of the day.

I have to give a HUGE big shout out to my mum and dad for all of their hard work.  They have continued on with the backyard after I hurt my back.  Three days after moving the concrete the back let me know that it wasn't impress with all of the hard work and put my out of action (including work) for days.

I'll share more update photos with you soon.  It's looking great!

the one… with a gallery wall

I've made a start on the gallery wall for the dining room.  First thing to do is pull together all of the prints and picture frames I have tucked away in various places around the cottage.  Next thing to do was take over the dining room table.

I want to pull everything together and then work out placement on the table before they go up on the wall.  I'll have to use the sticky tabs with the velcro to put the frames up because the walls are masonite and your regular picture hook don't go in the wall 

I seem to have lots of small frames of various colours and shapes but I will need to look out for larger frames.  I'm thinking of white, black, grey and bronze frames - I just need to a few A4 and larger frames to get started.

I few of the images you can see like the spot shoes is something I found online but I can't remember where I found it and then printed it out at high quality on the printer and then cut down to size.

I've even got a few prints that I've purchased over the years that are still rolled up waiting… and waiting…  I promise to have you up on the wall before the end of the year.

Lisa xo

the one... with the toilet

Yep classy title right!

I've never shared my current toilet with you because honestly I HATE it.

This is it now...

The plan is to renovate the bathroom and toilet but this just won't happen in the 12 months and I really can't live with it like this much longer.  I have already for the past 3 years, eeek.

I will confess that I chose that particular paint colour and yes I painted the room - though I do think when I rented the cottage that one of the tenants repainted the room, badly I might add!

As this is just a temporary measure I don't want to spend any money or very little.  I want to try and use as much of what I already have around the house.

I have the blind.  I have plenty of paint in the garage so I'm all good there.

This is what I'm thinking...

The room has a large window that gets lots of natural light so the white walls and pops of yellow should look good.

I'll let you know how I go with the budget and be back soon with the after photos.

Lisa xo

the one... with painted drawers

I came across this set of drawers on the Matt Blatt website after receiving their email about a sale.

This unit has been reduced from $495 to $327.

As much as I love the unit I really don't have a need nor do I have any room for another piece of furniture in the cottage.

So next option... I have a set of dark timber drawers from Samara Furniture that I've had forever and was standing in front of it recently thinking it needs something.  Do you do this, stand in front of something and hope a brilliant idea will just pop in your head.  I also did this tactic recently with the laundry - I stood in the doorway staring into the room for about 10 minutes...  waiting...  I'm still waiting…

Anyway back to the drawers.  I did think about painting but didn't want to paint the entire unit - I like this idea with just painting the drawer fronts.

My unit is a similar dark colour as the top large drawer and I have white paint, stain from the veranda and a darker grey floor paint that was used on the front porch.

Oh I feel a mid-week project coming.

Lisa xo

the one... with the pegged holder

While putting together the mood board for the almost completed kitchen I came this DIY project on the 7th House on the Left blog and thought how cute it would look in my kitchen!

I popped over and read Ashley's instructions and headed out to pick up the pegs.  I managed to pick up a packet of 80 pegs at The Reject Shop for only $2.

First things first was to separate the pegs into three pieces being careful not to over stretch the mechanism.

I thought I had some stainer in the garage but that wasn't the case so I borrowed some from Dad - you really don't need much to do this little project so I didn't see the point in buying one.

Once the pieces were separated it was on to the stain.  I used gloves and an old cloth to rub stain over the pegs and then waited for them to dry before putting the pieces back together.

This is when this little project came to a complete stop!

Why you ask... because I didn't like the look of the pegs once they were stained.

I don't know if it was the stain or the reaction of the stain on the pegs but either way I wasn't happy and there was no way they were going in my new kitchen.

Have you ever started a relatively easy DIY project that just didn't go to plan?

Lisa xo

the one... where I put back the trim

Can you see the grey stripe in the above photo?  Of course you can, it sticks out like a sore thumb.

That is where the window trim was before I had to remove it so the kitchen could be installed.  The trim has been sitting in the garage waiting to be resized and put back into place.

With the kitchen renovation coming to an end it was time for the trim to go back where it belongs so I could install the tiles.

All I did was remove the nails that were still sticking out of the trim and reuse them.  I measured from the top of the window trim to the top of the bench top and transferred that measurement to the trim.  Using a saw I cut the trim and nailed it back into position.

Not a bad job I think.

I just need to fill the nail holes and repaint plus add a little sealant along the bottom.  Afterwards, you'll never know that it had been removed (hopefully).

Lisa xo

the one... with the new blinds

I mentioned last week that heights weren't a favourite for me so when a job needs doing that requires getting up a ladder - and I mean the extra high ladder not your regular kind - I need to call the parents to help out.  Thanks mum and dad.

After last Summer it became blatantly obvious that from around 2pm onwards the veranda was a no go zone because of the sun blaring in from the west - honestly, you couldn't sit out there.

I headed to my trusty shop Bunnings and picked up a couple of exterior blinds to solve the problem.  Both blinds are 1.5mts wide with a 2.1mt drop.  The veranda is 3mts wide so it should work.  And it did, thankfully.

It was a fiddly job because the veranda roof line is slightly slanted, as it should be for the water to run into the gutter, but the blinds needed to be completely level.

Each box came with everything you needed including the blind, screws, top and bottom brackets. The instructions weren't the best, very vague.  We started by working out where the furtherest blind needed to start and ensured it was level.  You can't see it from this photo angle but that blind didn't look straight at all - trust was put in the level.

The second blind went in beside the first with just a small gap of about 8cm between the two and that was just because of the brackets.  The bottom brackets went in last and were much easier to get level.  We took the bottom brackets at different heights because they wouldn't fit side by side on the post.  I don't think you even notice it.

The job took us about four hours all up (stopping for lunch - I shout lunch - that's the deal) what with dealing with going up and down the ladder, checking and double checking the measurements and the level, the passing of tools and going up and down from the veranda to check it all out on the ground and I think it was a job well done.

I couldn't be happier with it.

The shade the blinds has created means the veranda is now another living space, another room which will see me using it much more - I even wrote this post sitting on the veranda.

Now to decorate the new living space.

Lisa xo

the one... with pot of colour

I've been wanting to do this little project for ages now...

I was given these 2 pots with my favourite succulent Jade (large and small variety) for my birthday from a friend and I love them.

I wanted to give the pots a splash of colour so I took a look in the garage and found a tin of paint that would work.

All I did was pour the paint into a container and then dip each pot in.  That's it.

Now to wait for them to dry.

Lisa xo

the one... with some demolition

This was fun!  After dinner one night I got to work removing the trim from the door frame in preparation for the new wall.

The plan is to open the wall up to take a new sliding door which will go in behind the fridge.

The cupboard you can see on the left is the new pantry and the plan is to close in this part of the wall and bring the fridge into the new kitchen.

Does this make sense?

Lisa xo

the one... with the little desk

When I started to finalise plans for the new kitchen I realised that I didn't need a large desk nor did I want to designate an entire room to it either so I thought why not take advantage of the extra space available in the new kitchen.

The desk is 80cm wide which is perfect.  I didn't want a big desk that I would fill with stuff (cause I know I would!).  The two cupboards above the desk are to put the files away and to hopefully keep the desk clear.

I had a few days between the cabinets going in and when the bench top was to go on so I thought now would be the perfect time to paint the back wall of the desk with blackboard paint.

First I put masking tape around the three sides - didn't think I needed to tape up the bottom as this would be hidden once the bench top went on.  The little splatters you can see at the bottom managed to come off with a little scrub.

After two coats of paint this is how it looked.

Next is to move the powerpoint to the blackboard wall and change it to a double - you can never have enough powerpoints I say!

Did I mention that I'm in love with my new desk?!

Lisa

the one... with the laundry floor

Work on the laundry has come to a stop but that is only temporary so I thought this is the perfect opportunity to bring you up to date.

You can see the mess I'm starting with.  The room became the place to put all those bits and pieces I didn't want in the house but didn't want them out in the garage.  Things like the sewing cabinet, vacuum cleaning and new blinds I bought for the veranda but haven't put them up yet.

The first thing I wanted to do was paint the floor.  Originally I had thought I would tile the floor but then I realised that with the tile, it would take up the floor height.  That's a toe stub just waiting to happen so then I thought, why not paint it.

I took everything out of the room and give the room a good vacuum.  Then came a coat of undercoat.

It didn't take very long for the undercoat to dry before I started on two coats of the topcoat.  I'm using the same paver paint I used on the front porch.

Once the floor was dried I got started on attaching the cabinets to the wall.  The cabinets are from Ikea.  Does anyone else have problems with the legs falling out??  I ended up sticky taping them to the base so I could move them around and in to position without them falling out every time you moved.

Can you see the little white dot on the floor?  Well it turned out the builder had to come back and seal up a leak in the new roof... three times!!!  So far so good.

Lisa xo

the one... with a wall be gone

Wall be gone!

The project of removing the internal wall that separates the lounge and dining rooms has been on my to-do list since I moved back into the cottage.

The doorway was originally a large framed opening and I'd say a previous owner closed it in and hung a door to create a second bedroom.

I removed the door some time ago and it now sits in the garage while I think of something else for it to do.

The first job was to remove the skirting board from both sides before removing the door frame trim.  These both cleared the way to remove the plasterboard (actually I don't know what material the wall was made from but I can tell you it was clearly stamped to say it didn't contain asbestos - good to know).  I did have to snap the board into lots of small pieces to fit into the garage bin.

I'm now left with the frame which unfortunately I can't seem to remove on my own.  I've put the call in to Dad for some muscle power.

What a difference removing the wall has made, the space feels open and brings more light into the dining room and new kitchen.

Lisa xo 

the one... with a chair

I started another project one night after work. This is becoming a regular thing with me.

This chair has been moved around the house from room to room and even been used as a stool while I painted, as you can see from all the splatters of paint. I actually got it for free when I worked for as the Marketing Manager for a furniture company.

I'll be back soon with the finished chair.

The colour may surprise you!

Lisa xo

the one... with an update on the front yard

February Challenge: $0 Spend

I know I'm starting with a PS: but this is a long post, probably the longest I've done but it is needed. You'll see why.

Well, I don't mind admitting the front yard has been hard work.

Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed seeing the progress and knowing I'm doing most of the work myself. My parents have been wonderful in volunteering to come over and help dig paths, remove plants, lay pavers and move the mulch. I honestly wouldn't be this far along without their help so a very big THANK YOU xxoo

There is still work to be done but I'm happy to say that the really big jobs are complete!

To give you an idea of what's been happening...

It all started back in my October holidays. The first job was to have the supllies delivered from a landscaping company Nuway. Then the 'real' work started.

The first job was to lay the retaining wall down the driveway. DONE.

I then started to remove the grass and dirt from up the centre of the driveway.  I borrowed Dad's pick to dig up the grass and dirt to 50mm below the height of the driveway.  I then cut black plastic to fit, ensuring to overlap where needed, and then covered with 50mm of pebbles. DONE.

The next job I tackled was the front garden closest to the street.  Using the existing fence as a guide, I measured 1.5mts back into the yard and put up a string line from the driveway across to the entry path.  This was my very first attempt at laying pavers so it took a little longer and looking back over my work, I think there are a few pavers that need adjusting.  Wait... I forgot a step.  Before I could even started onthe garden edge here I had to cut down the very large hibiscus tree.  The stump still has to be removed and at the moment the garden is being used as a place to dump the rubbish to take to the tip.

Next...  this is when my parents came over and Dad dug up a trench along the entry path from the front gate all the way to the house.  The plan was to put the pavers along the path to give the feeling of a wider path (great idea Mum) and then place the retaining wall bricks on top of the paver.  This gives the large garden bed behind a wall to hold the mulch back.

While Mum and I got to work laying the pavers and putting in the retaining wall, Dad got to work on digging a path from the entry path across the front of the house to the driveway - that's about 7mts.  This path runs parallel to the front garden and is about 7mts from that garden bed.  I thought the path from the driveway to the front path would be so people didn't have to walk across the grass to get to the front door.

That job saw us finish a day of hard work.

On an afternoon during the Christmas holidays I went out and layed the border pavers for the new path from the driveway to the front door.  This took about 4 hours to do because I wanted to ensure it was perfectly level.  The first paver was layed to the same height as the driveway and then I used the string line and a leveller with each paver to make sure it was perfect (well close enough).

Another day over the holidays I got back out there and did the stepping stones and pebbles.  Can I say that I enjoyed this part because I could finally start to see the picture I've had in my head come together.  What I did was measured 30cm from the driveway and the paver to place the first stepping stone.  From then it was a matter of ensuring the ground was level and each stone measured 30cm from each corner of the previous stone and the paver edging.  Once I had a couple of stones down I brought in the black plastic and layed it over the top.  I put down a barrow of pebbles to hold it in place before cutting the plastic around the stepping stone.  I continued this process until I got to the end.

It's looking incomplete at the moment but just wait... it's almost there.  This past weekend my parents and I got the mulch you can see in the photo above.  Now, to get the grass to grow.  There is also some final pavers and retaining wall to go in but it's getting there.

Lisa xo

the one... with the drawers

February Challenge: $0 Spend

Do you remember a couple of weeks back I asked for your help on selecting the colour to paint the bedroom drawers?  I found typing that post rather therapeutic because by the end of it I had made my decision.

Here they are finished:

Isn't it funny how we make a decision and then start swaying back and forth, only to come back to your original decision.  I guess it lets you know you made the right decision in the first place.

I'm sorry to say that I didn't take any photos while painting because the weather wasn't exactly great that weekend with the Brisbane storm.  I can tell you they were your regular pine drawers to start with and after a light sand and clean they got an undercoat.  Once that was dry, they got another sand and clean before four coats of green went on, each with a sand and clean between coats.

I went with British Paints in Spring Carnival and spray painted the old knobs with White Satin (I had a can in the garage).

I'm pretty happy with them.  They really add a pop of colour to the white room.

As you can see below I still have to paint the wardrobe doors and I'm still on the look out for bedside table lamps.

It does feel like the room is starting to come together just like my mood board.

Lisa xo

the one... with a mid week project

I have had this little project on my list for a while now and for some reason one night last week, after I got home from work, it seemed to be the perfect time.

Yep I spray painted 'hi' on my front door mat.  So simple!

I typed up 'hi' on the computer and printed it out.  I then cut out the letters using a cutting blade.  I then grabbed a can of spray paint I had in the garage and some newspaper.  I layed the paper out on the veranda table and used sticky taped to hold the paper on the mat.  I sprayed in short bursts to prevent bleeding underneath the paper.

I love it and it should hopefully put a smile to everyone's face when they walk up the front stairs.

Lisa xo

the one... getting to know the pick a little more

The pick and are are getting much better acquainted with having to remove a little more dirt from up the centre of the driveway to make room for the pebbles.

I had to take the dirt down another 5cm below the driveway which meant spending time with the pick.

I'll be honest it's not easy but it will be worth it in the end.

the one... with the revamped side tables

A few months back I picked up some pine side tables on Gumtree with the intention of giving them some colour.

At first I was thinking of painting them a bright green colour but after the bedroom was painted and I put the new quilt cover on I changed my mind.

I've gone with a soft grey so that they aren't the main feature in the room.  The soft grey is so they stand out from the white walls but aren't the first thing you notice when you walk in the room.

After three coats of paint they are back in the room.

I'm really happy with them.

Lisa xo