Old garage doors

It's the first day of the spring school holidays which means time at home with the children.

It also means I have an extra two pairs of eyes, in the form of Sons #1 & #2, to watch Son #3 when I am working around the house. They really are a great help when I am in the middle of doing something like painting.

While Son #3 had his lunch time nap, I quickly took the opportunity to slap some paint onto our shabby chic garage doors. They used to be dark heritage green.

I literally did slap on the paint because the doors will eventually be replaced. There is no point labouring meticulously over them as some of the timber boards are rotted and are in serious disrepair - it has been patched up with an odd assortment of  timber and tin to keep the structure sturdy and functioning.

I just wanted to paint them so the Sow's Ear looked more finished off from the street.

Old garage doors patched up with picture rail and floor board. (Not of our doing).
Yikes!  Looks better from the street! 

First coat of paint on the timber garage doors

For now, we'll keep the doors until we decide what we are going to do underneath the house. To build-in underneath or not to build-in underneath?  It's a good question and one which we can ponder about for a little while.

I've also been making slow but steady progress on the outdoor gates. I'm on a mission to un-heritage green the Sow's Ear.

Painting timber gates and fences white 

Orange switchboard box

What happened to Spring? It was frickin' hot today! Apparently it was 33 degrees Celsius.

This morning we had an early start to get some painting in before it got too hot. Jason was up on the carport roof  painting the weatherboards while I was down below getting the first coat of paint onto the fences. I swear I have snow blindness after painting all that white.

To break up the monotony of the white I thought I'd give the electrical switchboard/meter box a dab of colour. Bright Delight to be precise.

Orange Switchboard box

It looks really cute and is just the right amount of colour for the Sow's Ear. And if we tire of it, there's no drama in re-painting it down the track.

Oh and the Tuscan peach is now finito!

Olive oil tin can planter

I really ought to be painting the fences... instead I've been pottering around the yard - a bit of weeding, pruning, fertilising, watering and planting.

In Blogtopia, I have noticed large olive oil tins used as planter pots. They've always appealed to me for some reason. Perhaps I'm a Greenie deep down inside.

I always throw out our olive oil tins with the recycling but I kept the last one aside to make it into a herb pot. It seemed like a good thing to do.

There are instruction on how to whip one up at Apartment Therapy blog. It is really a no-brainer but here is the link to the instructions anyway.

This is what was created today. It literally took 10 minutes to make. I planted some basil in the tin as I have had absolutely no luck growing it in my laundry tub planter. Apparently, basil grows best in its own pot.

Olive oil tin can planter with basil

We'll see. I'm hoping Basil likes its new olive oil tin. And I have a feeling that my olive oil buying in the future will be based on the attractiveness of the packaging.

Retro curtain fabric, vintage cardigans and bubbles

My Mum is having a decluttering session at her place and is barely making a dent. Most of what she is decluttering is coming over here. Bless her hoarding heart and for passing on that hoarding gene.

There was some vintage curtain fabric which she had under the house. I said that I'd take it. It was too retro to leave behind tucked away unloved.

It is in OK condition, but I will probably pass it on to my mate Melissa if she wants it. Melissa makes groovy sun hats and cushions from reclaimed vintage fabric which she then sells at those handmade indie markets.

It looks like some one had a psychedelic barf

And then Mum gave me her vintage cardigans which she no longer wears. They date from the late 60s/early 70s. And I've been wearing them like there is no tomorrow...sporting the collared cardi look at school drop-off. They are my most favourite thing to wear at the moment.

Vintage cardigans - the new granny chic

You'll also be happy to know that I picked up the bulb holder for the Globemaster Soda Syphon. We have bubbles!

Soda Syphon bulb holder attachment

Bring on the summer parties and I'll top your drink with soda water. Shame it will be too hot to wear my cardis.

Weeding

old Fiskars weeder

It's Spring and I've been battling the scourge of the broad-leaf weed that has infiltrated our poor excuse for a lawn. I'm being eco and have pulled the weeds out with our trusty Fiskars weeding thingamajig. (Man, I can't believe this is the sum of my life at the moment!)

Anyway, the weeder thing is fantastic for uprooting weeds without having to bend your back.It's like a claw on a stick.

It was a gift for Jason many moons ago but it seems I am the one who uses it the most. The "claw' comes out at the beginning of every spring to make sure the weeds don't overtake the lawn when it gets warmer.

And apparently there is a newer, sexier model of  the claw which has lethal stainless steel prongs. Thoughts of upgrading went through my mind and then I realised I needed to get a life.

Bindi weed is starting to peek through our lawn too. I've been hand weeding that but I think I may have to resort to chemical weaponry, especially on our nature strip because there are just too many to pull out.

And this is the time of year to do it before they develop their prickles. So, is anyone else madly weeding?