Next mini-project: windows

Well, with all the rainy weather we have been having the last few days I have been inside and begun my next job in the lounge - the windows.

They all need sanding, a bit of filling, painting and replacement of nice new sash lifts and locks. Lots of very fiddly work that doesn't look like much but takes a while, ie tedious!

Here's a before photo...

What the??

This gardening caper is a dangerous business and certainly not for the faint hearted. Here I was minding my own business planting some bulbs when I discovered this beast...

How big is he? I took a pic with my work glove so you can see his size. Whhooaa...

Another thing...I was always lead to believe that concrete, garden beds and plants do not go together well (unless the garden is being held together with said concrete). I dug another tonne of concrete out of the back rockery. Molly enjoyed being job supervisor.

Above...I have been hacking away at the roots of the berry bush that was cut off yetserday. I am thinking I'd like to plant a peony rose here.

Pottering about

Well, it was a lazy weekend but I have started my week off work quite busily. Yesterday I finished sanding the cornice and painted the first coat. Hard work on the knees and neck! Today I painted the last bit of picture rail and might start sanding the windows.

I went and ordered our curtains which will be very nice and neutral and managed to find a couple more plants to put in - a lilac, YAY! and another new variety of the Guillot French rose called Emilien Guillot.

Lyndon's parents came around and tidied up the messy weed patch on the front lawn and chopped out a dodgy berry bush out back. I forgot to mention that yesterday they also came around and planted three varieties of raspberry and some strawberries in the vegie patch. Berries and cream anyone?

Making a feature of it

Yesterday I picked up our new feature tiles for the fireplace hearth. The are dark forest green and we thought the tiles were the most neutral of the choices available.

Nice... now I just have to glue them down to the cement sheet underlay and finish with the edging.

Has been a nice day today and the start of a week's break from work so I got out in the garden for a bit. I will work on the vegie patch this week and get a few things in - garlic and raspberries - what a nice combination!

Making an entrance

I took this pic of our main entrance yeterday morning as some wintery sun shone through. Of course I neglected to move Molly's dog bone (one of many scattered around the house) and the sexy draught sausage. You can see the gross carpet which I am looking forward to removing in the near-ish future. Like all things in Molly's Maison, the windows have broken panels that will need replacing but I do like the stained glass.

It's starting to look like a real fireplace

Yesterday we worked hard and started the installation of our new mantlepiece and hearth. We are waiting on the feature tiles and have to paint the mantle but are very happy with the results, so far. I think it will be a very nice, cosy room.

Tord vase

Yay, my lovely new Tord Boontje vase Thinking of You: Forever arrived in the post from USA this week. It came flat-packed and all you do is slide the little tabs in together. It sits over the top of a glass ( or pasta sauce jar in my case).

I had to run to Salamanca markets for some flowers.

I discovered these glass artists the other day. Their names are Leanne Williams & Jim Dennison, who are also known as 'The Crystal Chain Gang'. They're in New Zealand (love NZ). This birdcage is stunning!

Snowy cold day

Yesterday I woke up to a very good covering of snow on Mt Wellington. It looked beautiful and always makes me feel better about the cold weather. It's hard leaving the house now that it is toasty warm!

A new favourite spot

Molly has experienced her first wood fire and she is hooked!

Lovely heat

Well, it has been a very industrious (and painful) weekend. We (mostly Lyndon) installed our new woodheater so now we can heat up the house. It is soooo nice. We will probably install some sort of heat transfer to get the heat into other rooms a bit more effectively as currently it tends to 'catch' in the high ceiling.
We also painted and sanded right up until I got dizzy up on a ladder and fell. Whoops... feeling very stiff and sore but ok.
Right now we have some guys in installing our cornice. It's all motoring along.

I went and bought a couple of new release roses for the back yard. One is a David Austin called Strawberry Hill and the other is a French Guillot rose called Florence Delattre (below). I'm not sure about the later one but am a sucker for anything French. Will see how it grows.

Busy weekend on its way

It's has been so rainy and cold for the last few days and looks like being that way all weekend. So, lots and lots to do inside. Our new wood heater arrived yesterday so we might attempt to install that - will be nice to get some heat flowing around the house!

We also had a spending spree at Fragments the other evening where we bought heritage style light switches and power points, along with sash lifts and locks for the window. I also discovered some lovely curtain rod finials and other bits which we will get in due course.

So, I will post some pics of the weekend's activities next week and in the meantime, here is a pic of the artwork of a friend, Tara Badcock. Her work is stunning. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarabadcock

Cecil Beaton fabric discovery

Wow, take a look at this beautiful fabric I just discovered. Artwork by the Cecil Beaton, they have been rereleased as stunning fabrics and wallpapers. Gorgeous....maybe I will forget about making my own fabric print for my french chair. This particular print comes in a nice blue and has got me thinking... :)

Apples and apricots

As I mentioned before, Dad and I (mostly Dad) planted some fruit trees including a new apricot, two apples and my old nectarine tree which had been in a pot for about 8 years! The apples are Cox's Orange and Lady in the Snow, two of my all time favourites.

I also transplanted two rose bushes and discovered I have room for about 3 more so have been looking at some of my favourite David Austin varieties. They are all starting to come into the shops so it is a fun time.

Bits and pieces

Our new cornice for the lounge room arrived yesterday and I am looking forward to seeing it up. We will get someone in to do it as apparently doing the corner joins, especially with a detailed design, is quite a skill and not one I am about to learn.

Here are our new lounge lights...

Tord Boontje

I love the work of Tord Boontje. The book is stunning. I was lucky to win a "Forever" vase(similar to above) on ebay yesterday so am looking for that in the letter box. I also discovered that he has designed some lovely wearable charms.

On a housey note, Dad and I planted the fruit trees yesterday and I also transplanted some more roses. I also dug about a tonne (slight over-exaggeration) of concrete chunks out of the rear flower bed. Getting fitter...

Start of another renovating day

We worked all weekend and really scored some goals. The lounge room lights are in and look lovely - I will post some pics soon.

I also did a tonne of digging in the garden removing weeds and preparing beds for plants.

I will be fit before I know it!