Little window

There is a dodgy little window in our bathroom that we are going to replace.

The said dodgy window is just thin bits of mismatched glass slotted into a frame and held in place with wood nailed around the frame; similar to louvered windows...However, you can't open or close the window; it's permanently semi-open.

Small bathroom window

Small window. It's so filthy. But I'm not about to clean it either with its days numbered...
Domestic goddess I am not!

Jason's given me the measurements and has delegated the task to me to get this thing made, as it's not a standard size. He told me to get a single pane with arctic glass casement.

I wish Jason would just go out an order it himself...

So where do I go to get this thing made?  What should it be made of, if that's even an option? And I want to get coloured glass too, but choosing the colour is the big question? Amber, green, rose, or just clear arctic?

All these questions! Can anyone help?

Amateur food stylist

Ambitions of a career in food styling and photography are probably not high on my list...Although I did answer the call for assistance when the boys' school asked for some retro 'food of the decades' photographs to include in a commemorative recipe book.

I enlisted the help of my hard-core modernist mates (because they own all the cool stuff) to help me style a couple of the decades. It was such a fun afternoon pretending to be Donna Hay...she doesn't have to worry about her empire...or maybe she should...!!

Here are a few shots to symbolise the 40s, 50s and 60s, Queensland style.

This is a 1950s cocktails by the pool photo.
The drinks are just food colouring and we  had to use oregano because we didn't have mint. Shh! Don't tell anyone...

This is a 1960s fondue shot. We used real fondue made by the lovely Yvette, who had all the fondue accoutrements at the ready.

This is the recipe for the master fondue. It was delicious.
I'm going to raid my parent's house to get their fondue set!

1940s style mixing  cake batter.
We were mixing up Kentish cake, which is Nana comfort food

Photographing all that food has renewed my interest in cooking...Anyone hungry?

Chalk paint makeover of a milking stool

The good people from Annie Sloan sent me paint and wax* to sample as part of their launch of chalk paint into the Australian market. I had heard about the new paint...however I had only ever seen it used in that distressed antique-style finish...

And as regular readers would know, that's not the sort of finish I normally favour. I wanted to use the paint in a clean, mod-style and had the perfect piece of furniture to rejuvenate.

In 1993, as a young unemployed graduate, I committed crimes against furniture when I decoupaged a perfectly innocent milking stool. Yes, the horror!

DIY decoupaged stool.
Believe it or not, I was so proud of my efforts...clearly as I 've kept it intact since 1993!

But it was the 90s and I had a perm...Decoupaging seemed like a good DIY hobby while trekking between dead-end job interviews and the dole office...

This poor old milking stool is so handy - it's used as a ladder, spare chair, side table and play surface. I set about rectifying the sins of the past and sanded the stool back to its vintage goodness. It deserved another chance at life.

Think belt sander with a very coarse grit to remove the Victorian-era inspired decoupage and then hand-sanding the hard to reach areas around the legs.

The milking stool sanded right back 

I painted the milking stool in graphite chalk paint. I didn't want to paint it entirely in one colour and decided to try my hand at that paint-dipped look which is so fashionable.

J Crew ad with fluoro (neon) paint dipped stools 

All you need is good painter's tape and a ruler to get everything level and at the right height. I didn't primer the stool and just painted straight onto the wood. This particular stool needed three coats of chalk paint.

Going for that paint-dipped look with chalk paint

The Annie Sloan chalk paint dries to a matte finish, which you can then lightly sand with fine sandpaper.  After it is dusted clean, apply a couple of coats of clear wax to make the finish more durable - it has a lovely satin sheen. I applied the wax onto the unpainted legs too.

Chalk paint dipped stool.
It almost has that minimalist designer look 

black dipped stool

It turned out much better than I had expected...but I think anything was going to be an improvement. Ha!

I just hope I won't be recoiling in horror in 20 years time, wondering what possessed me to paint dip the milking stool...Anyway, I like it now, so that just will have to do.

*disclaimer I was given a tin of graphite paint and wax to sample by Annie Sloan

Seeing Florence Broadhurst everywhere

I love the textiles and wallpapers designed by Florence Broadhurst. There is something so luxe and flamboyant about her designs, which originally had their heyday in the 60s and 70s in Australia.

Over the past decade or so the Florence Broadhurst collection which is owned by Signature Prints has enjoyed a renaissance with a growing presence in mainstream retail stores. Last year, Kate Spade NY successfully used the Broadhurst designs for clothing, accessories and homewares which were sold throughout the US.

Florence Broadhurst Japanese Floral canape plates by Kate Spade

For my last birthday, I was given an exquisite set of canape plates in the Florence Broadhurst Japanese Floral pattern. To say I love them, would be an understatement.

Florence Broadhurst fingers by Kate Spade iPhone cover
image from here

In Australia, Domayne online currently have a range of Florence Broadhurst bed linen and cushions that are calling my name like a siren to a scurvy-ridden sailor...although I am just waiting to see if they go on sale, as it is my mission to never pay full retail...

image from here
Imagine... I could have canapes in a matching bed!

David Jones have, as part of their 175th Anniversary, released a limited edition series of toiletry bags and accessories in the Kabuki pattern. The prices for the small cosmetic bags are very reasonable.

image from here

Next month Rapee are hopping on board the Florence Broadhurst train, launching napery and cushions that will be centred on 11 archival prints. The Broadhurst collection will be released through Australian department stores and boutique homeware retailers with premium silk jacquard, linen and cotton fabrics showcasing the amazing designs.

I'll be eyeing off some of the kitchen tea-towels and oven mitts because that's just how I roll...

Here are a few designs Rapee will have on offer in June.

Tudor floral silk  jade

Egret bag in Jade

Cockatoo double oven mitt in yellow

 Anyone else out there a fan of Florence?

Dragon's tears

I'm partial to a dragon's tear or two, as regular readers would know...

Today, I blinged up the little light fitting in the bathroom with the new Murano crystals that I had acquired last month (read here). 

It's only a very basic el cheapo fitting with acrylic drops but I added a tier of the crystal tear drops which makes it a little more interesting. I didn't dare put the whole lot on as the drops are so heavy and I didn't want it to fall..

One crystal was broken in the process but I guess one casualty is not too bad. 

A bit of bling brightens up the day.

Murano crystal dragon's tears added to a basic light fitting. 

It's a bit 70s retro in a traditional Queenslander bathroom