a little bit of garden DIY...

I spent hours in the courtyard last weekend. Hours. This appears to be a necessary evil when you have neglected it for the entire winter!  There's still quite a bit to go but I managed to do some rearranging, put in some new sprinkler thingies, pull out a mass of weeds (don't talk to me about honeysuckle!), toss some very large concrete pavers over the wall (don't ask, you don't want to know!) and plant some flowers and veggies.
I also did a very simple little DIY involving a mirror, a pot and a new little space in the courtyard where the rickety old bench used to be...voila!

This little spot under the growing maple tree lets me see the sky (reflected in the mirror) while reading a book, having a drink and without straining my neck!

and as a bonus...the pot is a place to put a bit of gardening paraphernalia...just whip off the mirror and put it back on when done. Clever huh!

As as for that bench where Buffy used to sit...

...I'm using it to grow a herb garden! 

Poor vampire slayer...

all photos by me taken on the iPhone 4S

my creative space: a future date between...

...this fabric from Simone's place...

and this otto-person made years ago by me and my good friend and chandelier fairy Chris...

and some other yet to be discovered fabric because when I bought the yellow and grey I had no intention of using it here, and therefore...of course...there is not enough! But now that I've thought of it I can't think of using it for anything else! So, what should I match it with...any ideas?
There's probably an answer over at Kirsty's...but just in case there's not, what do you reckon?

my weekend project ~ admitting defeat...the silver leaf chair!

Yep, well...remember how I started to silver-leaf this chair? You probably don't...it was back in May!! 

It was more than a little difficult, even after my lovely bloggy friend Kerri gave me a few good tips. Something about white cotton gloves, a soft brush and...oh yes, it's probably easier to start with flat, not curved surfaces Kerry with a 'y'...hmmm.

So I decided, despite the fact that I loved the idea, and the way it was looking, there was no way that I was going to persevere with it.  Shirley Conran once famously said that 'life's too short to stuff a mushroom', but I'm here to tell you mushroom stuffing's a walk in the park compared to silver leafing...and a whole lot less messy!

Anyway, sick and tired of looking at an unusable chair, I skedaddled off to Bunnings, and resorted to spray cans...a primer and a metal look paint..

A big sheet of plastic in the courtyard, a quick sand down and the primer on...this took a few tries to get good coverage (on the left), wait for 40 minutes and then the silver paint which went on much more smoothly than the primer. A couple of pot plants may have a few painted accents that weren't intended, but overall I was quite pleased.

The silver paint has a slightly more industrial look than the silver leaf but I think that's ok.

It's probably going to go here, in the lower part of my bedroom. The black curtain separates the 'sitting' area from the bed. The large mirror will be framed at some stage and there will be a gallery wall in here as well.  And of course the chair seat needs to be sorted...maybe on Wednesday...but this is likely to be the fabric.

And I managed to do quite a bit of reading and get a heap more granny squares crocheted as well. Not a bad effort...balanced weekend :). Now we just have to see what balance our new government will have...bated breath bloggy peeps...bated breath...(and yes that's the correct spelling...I looked it up!)

my creative space...vintage japanese silk cushion

What a frustrating day off! I have a new sewing machine that I am determined to love...once it gets its button hole action together that is. Grrrr.
I was trying to sew a cushion cover from this...

...glorious 50 year old Japanese Meisen silk I bought at the Craft and Art Fair in Canberra last weekend...a fabulous event that I forgot to take my camera to. Sometimes I wonder what I'm thinking! The panel wasn't quite wide enough for a standard 46cm cushion cover so I bought some black silk to go with it.
This blue and cream silk panel (more Japanese vintage) will be teamed with the spotted fabric on the left for a bit of fun...

Because the button hole thingamajig wouldn't work (even manually) my friend Chris saved the day and did them on her machine, so I could finish the cover off...at around 7.30 last night I might add...almost a whole day to make one cushion...honestly! I do like the detailing on the back ...the buttons are very beautiful but the lighting last night was not my friend...sorry!

Still, despite the frustrations, I think it's rather swish and there'll be a matching one coming soon with the black panel on the opposite side. When I sort out the button holer!!

I'm also planning cushions made from this beautiful old orange and pink sari and the mauve silk. These cushions will have a piped edging.

And this is going to be my weekend project...I think that will be a bit of fun when it's done :)

Head on over to Kootoyoo for the creative spaces of crafty people who don't take all day to make one cushion cover!! Also linking up to Flaunt it Friday here. I'm off to Sydney for a meeting and hopefully a late lunch with the first born. Hope it's a good day for you too :)
all photos by me, not that they're that great!

a DIY chevron mirror

I attempted a few projects over the weekend. This was the only one that made it to completion. 

With a few hiccups along the way...no surprises there! So here's how it went...
I bought this very cheap mirror at the framers a while back...don't get too excited at the cost...it's not a big mirror (about 10 x 10 inches) and you can see why it was going cheap...eww before photos are ugly aren't they, which is no doubt why they are just that...

I assembled the weapons of construction...flat fats...you quilters are so cute!

Cut out the fabric to the right size...more or less...sprayed the mirror with spray adhesive...there was my first mistake...stuck on the fabric and cut out the centre piece with a good old Stanley knife. Then I got together the bits I thought I'd need for glueing the ribbon edging on with...

Wrong. A glue gun is not the best choice for this...but gee it makes an interesting pattern when you leave it unattended while you spray the ribbon...not the mirror this time. I am nothing if not a quick learner!

And can you see...what a mess when you spray the mirror and not the fabric. I used a variety of methods to clean the mirror up...not yet entirely successfully but let's just say silver cleaner, eucalyptus oil and 'spray and wipe' all got a workout! Lucky I know how to laugh is all I can say. 

But enough with the ugly photos...it doesn't look too bad if you stand back a bit...in the dark...with one eye closed...

And as for those other projects? You'll have to wait for the mini-me fake juju hat but it's coming, I promise you that! Once I get more hot pink turkey feathers...

You think I'm joking don't you!!

I'm going to share this little gem at BNOTP Metamorphosis Monday today and maybe a few other places too including here...

hoping that serious DIYers might get a little amusement from my feeble efforts! It always seems easy in my imagination!

cheap ideas from BHG

BHG = Better Homes and Gardens...a daggy mag to be sure...but here's a few good ideas from their website...
Stretching fabric around the panels in cabinet doors...requiring a small amount of fabric and a staple machine thing...preferably electric...and careful aim... 

Door knob coat hooks...you will need door knobs, a drill and wall plugs...then all you've got to do is get the ferals gorgeous kiddlywinks to hang their stuff there...could work on the back of a door too...now that's a novel idea...door knobs on doors!

Framed tea towel...look at that dopey bird...

goodness me...I already did that...read all about it here if you haven't already...it's mildly amusing (and you'll be pleased to know I've got a better camera now and have learnt a thing or twenty-two about taking photos)

Group clear glass bottles, jars, vases together with or without flowers. OK, I'm almost sure this wasn't wholly and solely THEIR idea...but it does look pretty nice doesn't it?

Hang some plates on the wall...

...so granny but...bless me...if I haven't done that as well...even if one plate is now a clock...you can read about that little saga here...(notice how I'm giving you these links just in case that little linkedwithin gadget doesn't know what it's doing and because I like to get a little extra mileage out of my posts as they usually take so bloody long for me to compose!)

And last but not least, BHG tells us we should make our sinks sparkle-arkly with Gumption. Not pretty...but practical!

So, does reading Better Homes and Gardens officially make me a dag? I suspect so...is there a helpline for that do you know?!? A 1300 number I can call??

[n.b. for overseas bloggy peeps not familiar with the word dag; in this context it's used as a term of endearment and not given its literal meaning...that, believe me, you do not want to know!]

all images from here; they're claiming you can do all of these things for less than $20...and I suspect they're right! Although not if you were to count the cost of my labour...nothing, but nothing is ever that straightforward at the tranquil townhouse!

my DIY clock project

How hard could it be to make a clock? Pretty simple right? For some perhaps...stick with me while I give you a few lessons learned the hard way!

Lesson 1: when you think you have the right tools...you probably don't.

I had the plate which cost a whole $2.36 from a Target sale. I had a clock mechanism from a clock that was really cheap and I really didn't like. I had a drill of my very own. I had the MGM and his masonry drill bits (which I don't have). So, just drill a hole in the plate, pop in the mechanism and Bob's your uncle or Mame's your aunty (I wish). Ah, no. The masonry drill bit wasn't up to the task...leaving the MGM and his drill a bit...well, annoyed! This is as far as we got with the masonry drill bit...

...not very far at all. I do hope that you're impressed by the fact that I was clever enough to use masking tape so the drill didn't slip though!

Lesson 2: when you think it won't take long...it will.
So, of course I knew that a trip to Bunnings to get the right drill bit would be needed. I did that one lunchtime. It took a while to find someone other than a 12 year old who didn't have a clue to help me. Of course, that someone came in the form of a thirty something woman...yay girl power! Alas, I didn't take the clock mechanism with me (semi-blonde, pre-menopausal girl power!), and she assured me that a 6.5cm drill bit was the standard size (for what I'm not sure) and should be fine. Nope. So back to Bunnings last weekend to buy more of the little suckers incredibly useful drill bits...a pack just to make sure this time! Which is moving this clock from el-cheapo into a little bit more than budget! Oh well, the price of DIY.

But it worked, although even with the right drill bit it took about a gazillion hours! I left it on the kitchen bench and would give the drill a whirl (or a whir) every time I walked past...until...hallelujah...

Lesson 3: when you think you're clever enough to do it as effortlessly as everyone else makes it look in blogworld...you aren't.

See Lessons 1 and 2 above for why that's as true as true can be!!

Lesson 4: when you think it's all too much trouble...it might not be.

I think it looks pretty good hanging in my bedroom. And that cat etching (Miss Chin by Australian artist  Frances Luke) is a lot less trouble than the vampire slayer...although it does look a bit evil...sorry about the reflection off the glass..

Lesson 5: if it makes you happy, and it actually tells the time...it was worth it!

And it does...tell the time...really well. Even without having any numbers on it...because that was a whole world of pain I wasn't going anywhere near!

all images by me; the good, the bad and the just plain ugly.

And if you're after a bit of black and white of your own (did you like that segue?), don't forget to enter my glass art giveaway here. The MGM is mightily chuffed by all the lovely comments you've made BTW. Like the vampire slayer, he might be demanding his own blog soon!