One More For The Road.

 

 

Last weekend hubby and l did a road trip to Adelaide (600 ks away) to visit our daughter. Usually it's her who comes to visit us and when l think about it, l guess she has to blend in with OUR usual routine.....but it was a different ballgame staying at her place and blending in with HER routine and as it turned out she had quite a bit planned for us. First up she and her partner had booked us in for dinner as it was Valentines day when we arrived. Interestingly they'd decided on a funked out...(not McDonalds:-) American style restaurant where mine and hubby's meal was served up in an enamel dish....you know the sort your Mum used to make apple pies in....and if that wasn't enough, THEIR meals came out served on a huge slate tile, which totally "floored" us haha!! After stuffing ourselves silly it was time to push on to the dessert bar.... a DESSERT bar.....something we'd never heard of...it was decked out all industrial style, where you have the (dubious) pleasure of perching atop a two step ladder and where your dessert is served on a bread board.........not ONE piece of china did l see all night....not to mention my daughters' dessert came out on FIRE!!!

Apparently we don't get out much:-) 

 

The next day we were whisked off to do a wineries tour....something we've NEVER done.

We visited different "cellar doors" and they served lots of different wines to taste (free?) in the hope we'd get so drunk and hand over the credit card, slurring.....l'll have a DOZEN of everything......mind you it kinda worked....the wine was bloody delicious and a couple of bottles possibly made their way home with us:-)

Then it was off down the coast for a touristy peek at all the lovely shops and where a couple of opshops were also open...(my idea of heaven....hubby's NOT so much), we had a good old fashioned lunch at the pub...before heading back along the coast road and we were able to drive along the actual beach which l've also never experienced.....it was an awesome few days and we loved how much thought and planning went into making it that way for us. 

  

 

A few years ago l found a 1950's dress pattern at an antique fair and have been wanting to make it up for ages.... Finally got around to it, using all vintage fabrics except for the ribbon sash, l just didn't have the right colour so l had to buy the velvet new which is a bit of a shame.... but l'll be keeping my eyes peeled so l can replace it with an old one. 

 

 

Six layers of ruffled tulle in the overskirt. 

 

Found this weird little mesh purse at the market, like keeping your money in a cage....could be handy.

  

 

Mum's Sister recently gave me this picture of my grandmother....aged around 20, which used to hang in their family home. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting vintage room at one of the wineries.

 

 

Thanks so much for popping in ....hope you all have a great weekend coming up.

 

Til next time.

 

 

Bron.

 

Happy Valentines Day.

Loves and Passions.

To be with someone special on valentines day is a beautiful thing and something worth aspiring to....however l don't believe romance, love and passion are feelings limited to all those loved up couples .....after all, in the real world not everyone's fortunate enough to even MEET their "soul mate" let alone marry them and live "happily ever after"....yet most of us have something in our lives we're totally passionate about.

Whether it's a job we love, the call of adventure,  family, or our pets .... each and every one of us desires and NEEDS a passion that gets us out of bed each morning.... one that inspires and energises.....and this LOVE is found inside all of us, and doesn't need to be sought externally....and when we SHARE this love freely and willingly, we cement our sense of place and belonging in the world.

 

  

....and this love drives each of us forward, whether it be by creating a loving and nurturing home for ourselves and our family.... a haven to retreat to, from a sometimes harsh and demanding world, where we can feel comforted in a space that's authentically and uniquely our own. 

 



 

.....or maybe it's a garden that brings us joy.....where pruning, planting and watering are not considered effort, because we simply delight in the results and live in anticipation of each passing season.

 Or maybe it's art and the expression of colour and form that motivates and inspires.   

 

But whatever that passion may be, matters not.........all things done with love is what makes our world such a fascinating, interesting and inspiring place to be.   

 

Gorgeous romantic frothy frock found here  via pinterest.

 

So simple and so true.  found here.

 

Beautiful romantic bedlinens. bellanottelinens 

  

Love may be perfect, but people certainly aren't....revealing letter written by Jacqui Kennedy.

(Same link as small things).



 

 

Wishing you all a wonderful, magical and love filled Valentines day.....doing whatever works for you :-)

 

 

Til next time,

 

Bron.

 

 

  

 

Updated TV Unit.

Today l thought l'd share with you, my new TV unit....l'd been on the lookout for another one for ages but just couldn't find the right thing....The one we had, useful as it was......was never to my taste, you know the kind, brown, dark and chunky.
This one l found at the salvos ($100)  had a previous life as a dressing table. The mouldings and carved legs are what sold it, but l also love that l can hide the dvd player and other attachments on shelves (hubby made) inside the central cupboard.
I gave it a coat of paint and was pretty happy with how it turned out. You can see the before at the end of this post.



l used three paint colours and the brown of the underneath timber to achieve the different colours and layers.  l also reused the original handles. The dvd's stack nicely into the drawers and are much less hassle to find.

l finished updating my inspiration board so l could prop it up in front of the telly.



Lovely new book from Jean D'arc living...... Brilliant Reuse.

  

 

 

 

  

A couple of Christmas pressies. Angel, vase and hanging trinket.... all new, but made to look old.

Of course l was already well into it before l remembered l might need a pic....oops:-)

If you'd like to see my other dressing table makeover....it's here, it lives in our family room.

Well another week's almost done.....hope you enjoy what's left of it and have an awesome weekend too. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Til next time,

Bron.

 

White Daybed.

It's been scorching hot here in Oz (and in my town) with temperatures around 40 degrees or above for almost a week, not good for being creative or doing anything at all really except flapping around trying to stay cool. Luckily l'd taken these photos before Christmas, so l can share them with you now. It wasn't long after the bohemian daybed post ( here) that l decided to revisit the idea, but this time using an all white theme.

Although l kicked off my pink jiffies to arrange the tulle and liked the wee splash of colour.... so l left them there :-) 

 

l had a great time pulling out the vintage linens, which l'm always on the lookout for, and am not at all fussy about the size, colour, or imperfections...just as long as l "love" them and they're within my budget, then l'm up for either using them as they are, or finding a new life for them.

 The valance on the daybed is the pretty ruffled edge of a curtain length.

Some of the bedlinens are tablecloths and the tulle was previously a bed canopy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This pic and the one below are from everything beautiful. via pinterest.

 

 

l hope you're all having a lovely, lovely weekend whatever you're up to.

Thanks so much for popping in and having a squiz....

 

Til next time,

 

Bron. 



 



 

 

 

A New Year Begins.

A New Year always holds so much promise doesn't it.....it's a good time to push the reset button and start again...l guess a lot of you will make resolutions and some will set new goals.... if you're anything like me you won't think too much about it, and just get on with it :-)


Wishing you all a loving and joyful.....healthy and safe 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you've enjoyed the flashback.....a few of my favourite pics (and hopefully yours) from 2013.

 

 

Til next time,

 

Bron.