Roadside Stool Makeover

Hey Guys,

So things have been bouncing along here at the mansion. I haven't had much time for anything although IU have managed to score a few amazing items, which I hope to get poictures of very soon. In the mean time here is a guest post you might have missed during the year.

This post first appeared on The Thrifty Rebel

Sometimes I think my neighbours know I am going to take their roadside trash. You see I found five of these wooden stools on my neighbours front lawn ready for pick up. 

Instead of just being thrown on like the rest of the crap these were neatly tied together making it easy to carry 2  at a time. When I asked if I could have them, he smiled like he had been waiting for me and said of course.

I only needed two of them for my craft room so I gave them a couple of coats of chalk paint. They need something else, I was thinking grain sack, but for the life of me I could not get them to line up and it was peeling the paint. So I left them white until further inspiration hits and the paint cures

Then Tuula invited me to play,  inspiration hit and I got the paint out again, TADA pink seats, but even better that, the stools inspired something else that caused my very mild mannered husband Jules to freak out!!

and if you're new here I have already posted the makeover that had my husband wondering whether or not he was living in the Barbie Dream House here.

Thanks for reading

Mel xo

Memo Board

Hey Guys,

So I have banned myself from buying anything more from the thrift stores and op shops until I use all the items I have. You might remember this one from a gazillion posts ago but it is one huge frame.

Trestle Table

You know that feeling when you're in a store and you see something and immediately fall in love with it. You must have it no matter what the cost....until you see the actual cost and then start either laughing hysterically at how overpriced it is, or cry because it was never meant to be.

Well when I was in Freedom Furniture this desk was my dream for my new craft room. I wanted it so badly Julian was all ready with the credit card so I could have something special in my new craft room (I really shouldn't tease him the way I do, he is actually a keeper, shh don't tell him I said that.).

source

I lovingly looked at him, then rolled my eyes and said "Are you serious? It's $449 I could make that for about for less than a quarter of the price!" So I did.

Two trestle legs from Ikea for $25 each, in hind sight I could have made them for about $10 but you know what, sometimes it's just easier to have it done already and $28 for the door which just got a couple of coats of paint.

Then she was done for less than a quarter of the price and not on the credit card, which makes me love it more! Also just to break up the all white you can see I added a pink grain sack pattern to my $2 thrift store chair that I made over a while back.

DIY Delight or Disaster? Oh man it's a delight for me, so much cheaper and honestly I like the black legs for contrast which is why I didn't paint them and it is around twice the size for much less than a quarter of the price, total delight!

Look What My Thrifting Fairy Godmother Found For Me #2

My Thrifting Fairy Godmother was with me again this month and she has been kind very, very kind!

First I got this blanket $2 it's polar fleece and I plan on making a jacket for Madeleine out of it, I love polka dots.

Thanks To My Thrifting Fairy Godmother

Howdy,

So I am back after what feels like ages! I really enjoyed spending the holidays with the kids and just taking a break from bloglandia. I love blogging, I do however find that it takes so much time that taking a break from my online life frees up loads of time to ensure I have an offline life as well. You know the whole Blog/Life balance. On the other hand I have BIG things to show you in the coming weeks.

Freebie Friday - Cook Books

Remeber when I said I wanted to find you guys the greatest deals on the web, how about some FREE Cookbooks!

These are Free for a limited time only, so disclaimer mate, they were free when I found them but double check before you order that they still are.


How about a little freezer cooking, I love the idea of Freezer Cooking because I hate to cook...then I realise that I have to spend ages in the kitchen to fill the freezer, but I am determined to give it a try

Even More Make and Freeze Recipes

Looking to shed a little weight, this freebie might be more your style SIMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

For all of you who are out in the workforce some healthy ideas to make and take to work Healthy Snacks for Work

Some snacks and sweets maybe? Have to say the fact that it is called The Happy Husband series almost made me leave it off, seriously isn't this 2014, the idea of the little woman just cooking to please her man...oh please! I cook and I want Julian to like it but I just think titles like has me imagining Pankhurst and her friends rolling in their graves, but the recipes seem good so we can overlook it. Snack & Sweet Recipes (Happy Husband Series)

Let's get cooking, good looking!F

Free cookbooks, you guys interested in more or not? Also please remember I don't set the price and they are subject to change but they were all free when I found them.

 Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

So You Broke Your New Years Resolutions, Now What?

Feb Fast, That's What!

Okay so I have to admit I am not a maker of resolutions because I think that on the whole you make (and by you I mean me) make all sorts of ridiculous goals and by Jan 3rd I'm back to doing what I do and feeling like a complete failure!

Have you guys heard of Feb Fast? Basically the idea is that, they say it takes 28 days to form a habit and Feb of course is 28 days also being the shortest month you can kid yourself that it's not going to be that bad.

We Love Melbourne - Botanical Gardens

Hi Guys,

Most of you know that I live in Australia, but more specifically I live in Melbourne which for the last three years according to The Economist Intelligence Unit Survey is the most liveable city in the world. Their criteria is based on these 5 elements

Stability

Healthcare

Culture and environment

Education

Infrastructure

After my trip to the Open range Zoo last week I thought I would share some of the fun things to do around my home town from time to time to and why we think that it's a well deserved title. (don't worry I'm not going to bore you with healthcare, stability and education)

A couple of weeks ago we took the little two for a picnic to the Botanical Gardens. It's one of our favourite places to visit. For starters is free, always a bonus, great walking paths, beautiful scenery, lovely picnic spots but the kids favourite place of all is the The Ian Potter Foundation Children's Garden.

But first we had a spot of lunch on the benches provided.

Then off the the playground, the kids adore this living tree house.

Of all the things they love most is the little river that flows through the garden, it's a great place to splash about.

We really should have brought along some spare clothes, Max had an absolute ball. The garden is a great place for sensory play.

Then we wandered about looking at the beautiful plants that, blooming in the last days of Spring.

Julian managed to focus right in on the bird crap....

After a few hours of walking and seeing the gardens we declared it was time to go home, which did not go down too well with Max who decided he would take a quick run to have one last look.

So if you're in Melbourne and you're looking for something fun, not to mention free, to do with the kids, the gardens are always beautiful. This is a place we visit often, regardless of the season it's always a happy place to visit.

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo