Renovation update..

Hi girls, just a quick post, didn't think I was going to have time but managed to take a couple of snaps of my bedroom and family room where you go into the new extension part.  We have come across another hurdle, ofcourse! They no longer make my timber flooring. I have enough left over from before to probably do the hallway. Hubby suggested carpet but I really don't want to have to vacuum and wash out stains. Been there, done that, and living where I do it's very easy to bring dirt in.  So now I have the tedious task of trying to match something up. So for now we still moved my bedroom furniture into my new room and I love it. I have so much room now compared to before. I really haven't set it up properly as I will wait to do the flooring first before I do that. I'll show more pics then, so for now this is what it looks like...

and this is where the window used to be facing the front of the house, which was removed and an entry way was made into the new part of the house.,don't mind the flying saucer hanging from the ceiling, thats the old ugly light fitting there used to be, that will be coming off as soon as I can decide which one to replace it with.

Not sure if it will stay like this but for now I think it will do. You can see my cabinet full of fabric!  I have been very busy, painting and cleaning and the house is starting to feel like a home again. You can see the yellow is now gone too!

Well girls just want to wish you all a wonderful and safe Christmas. Hope you have lots of fun and pressies and may 2010 be a good one!   Take care, thanks for visiting me, Maryann 

Copyright!! and what would you do????

If you don't already know, I love to sew. One of my favorite things to do is to create something new. I LOVE the CHALLENGE of coming up with something never seen before, not even in the shops!!  WELL!  that was until I went shopping last week and happened to walk past 'Bed Bath & Table', a linen shop. Before my very eyes, there in the window display, smack in the middle of the bed was a cushion, or the design of a cushion I created 4 yrs ago!!  Here's a pic of the one I'm talking about..

It's basically is a very simple design with a gathered piece of fabric at the front either with a diamonte buckle or piece of fabric to gather it in the centre making it look like a bow attached to the front. Well this is what I saw, different fabric ofcourse, but instead of the diamonte buckle it has a small piece of fabric like a tie, so to speak. I have used this design also on other things like xmas stockings....

and also on lamps....

So after staring at that cushion in the display for about a minute I was feeling quite p...d off! That's my cushion I said to James!! Ever since then I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.. was it just co-incidence that some one has come up with the same idea? I know it can happen. Or has someone just outright copied me? They could have seen my pics on my 'me' page on ebay.I am no expert on copyright but I know anyone who creates something new is automatically covered.  It has been playing on my mind to find out who created this cushion and let them know they have pinched my design, if for no other reason than to let them know that I KNOW!  It's not always easy, coming up with new ideas as anyone who loves to create would know. Or am I making a big deal out of nothing?? After all I'm just a housewife ..WHAT WOULD YOU DO?????????  take care, Maryann 

painting, painting and yes, more painting!

Well the title pretty much says it all. It took us a while to start painting as after undercoating everthing I had to get the electrician back to put the light switches on. Well, when we turned on the lights at night, hubby wasn't happy with how the joins looked on the ceilings! They looked perfect in daylight but not when the lights were on. So he started... rubbing and filling and rubbing and filling and rubbing and filling and I was going crazy.. enough is enough!

Anyway FINALLY it's done and I have started painting and put the colour on the walls. I went out and bought the paint 'barrister white' by dulux which from the sample pot looked great. A dark creamy colour which would look great, or so I thought.  I painted my entire bedroom but I just couldn't get myself to like it. Where I had lots of light and sunshine it looked perfect but where it didn't have much light it looked to dark. Sort of a creamy yellowy colour. No, it won't do! So I quickly ducked down to the hardware to see if I could get it in half strength but they couldn't do it by exact measurement so I ended up getting a colour I didn't even get a sample pot of. I ended up getting 'antique white'. It's funny how sometimes I can think about something for so long and still get it wrong in the end.  I'm really happy with this colour now, much lighter and will brighten up the house even where its not so bright.

                                                                        Hallway

My Bedroom

The walls still need to be done in the lounge room, but I ended up getting something I have always wanted for a long time. A ceiling rose! Nothing too fancy as I want the fireplace to be the main feature in this room.

Well there's been a change of plans for James' room. We had intended giving it a nautical feel, couldn't wait to do it until someone convinced him otherwise!! Grrrrr!  Lisa had been in his ear!

I quote her "Mum, you can't do James' room all beachy, he'll be teased at school and he'll be bullied"

Surely she was over reacting .. but apparently she wasn't. Bullying is a big problem at schools now and I know not long ago James was getting bullied on the school bus!  Ryan also told me not to do it, so looks like James will be having a typical boys room with cars and  'no theme'.  Oh well, the main thing is what James wants so now I am totally stumped about his room. Looks like he'll be getting Ryan's furniture.

Have also been busy in the vegie patch planting all summer vegies, tomatoes, zuchini, beans, cucumber, lettuce to name a few.  Am off now to put some more cow manure in one section to plant a heap more tomatoes as when I have extra  I love making a basic sauce with them and freezing it in portions ready for the next pasta dish ( instead of buying jars!)   Then it's back to painting.. !

take care ladies, will visit soon, if I haven't already.. Maryann