Wardrobe Doors Makeover

Hey Guys,

Work is under way in Elizabeth's room. The walls are now white. Elizabeth really wanted to have a green room, but since I discovered how much brighter the house is with white walls I nixed that idea.

Every time I have done the kids area I have always gone a little bit crazy. For Elizabeth what I really wanted was a room that would make her happy now but could also be used throughout the teen years. So I painted over the old doors that were installed in the 70's

They received a much needed facelift with Canterbury Blue Cottage Green Chalk Paint 

DIY Delight or Disaster? Simple, easy and I appeased my green loving girl with painting the doors, Delight!

Since we are sort of gong with a cottage, simple pretty room, I decided not to replace the worn brass pulls, I was going to but then I decided after painting that I did actually like them.

Thanks for reading,

 Mel xo

TP Monkey Craft - Hide It From The Kids

Okay so I don't often share the crafts and things that I do with my little two, no reason except that's not really what this blog is all about. Which really means my kids make a big, old mess and don't stay clean enough for pristine blog type pictures, you know they look like real kids. Madeleine decided she preferred to wear pj pants that day and Max wouldn't have his hair brushed and his haircut, well he likes to move when the scissors are near.

When I craft with the little ones I usually make one myself, just to sit with them, anyway the other day we made these tp monkeys, print offs found here

Jules came home and found our monkeys and was absolutely horrified, he asked me why I would do a craft like THAT with the little ones. I'm all like what are you talking about, it's a monkey, they love Curious George.

Note the tail, he thought I was making "anatomically correct, gender specific" monkeys. I tell you I nearly fell down, I was laughing so hard, I couldn't even tell him that it was the tail for about 15 minutes. Every time I went to say tail a had another fit of giggles. At that point I knew I had to share my "boy" monkey with you.

Umm yeah!

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

Dining table & Chair, (I might need to change the name of this blog to the Barbie Dream house)

Hey Guys,

Sometimes I forget I am a responsible 38 year old mother and I like to rebel against maturity. I also, for reasons unknown to me, have 4 dining tables that I like to switch out every year or so but this one was left outside and had become quite weathered and not in a good way. If you visited my guest post at The Thrifty Rebel last week, you'll know that I did something to freak Jules out.

I wanted to go back to a drop leaf table to try and make a little more room during the day when the little ones have all their toys out to play and this can be pushed up against a wall.

These chairs are from another set and had really become quite yucky out in the garage.

So when I heard of a new Aussie chalk paint company Canterbury Blue from another Megan of One Plus One Equals Six of mine, I had to try it out. Juliana the owner of the company is an absolute delight, love the paint but I love her even more, how could I not buy from a woman who refers to herself as my paint pimp??  I've actually done quite a few things there will be more colours coming up in Elizabeth's bedroom. I LOVE her paint, it's much cheaper than the other brands out there and the wax just smells amazing, it actually smells like the bush after rain.

I decided to try painting the fabric, I truly do like the result, however I have heard around blogland that it feels like leather, I'd say more like oilcloth, but the best part about the painted and waxed fabric, it wipes clean. No jokes, Madeleine dropped her BLUEBERRIES on it right after I did them, could not believe my eyes when it wiped off.

So I decided I needed a pink table, I also decided to do this while Julian was away while he was on his recent business trip. When I told him he starts freaking out and declared "Great we're living in a doll house now" among other less blog appropriate things, to which I replied, "every girl wished she could live in the Barbie dream house" However when Madeleine told him we had a "princess table" he couldn't say no to her.

I happened to be out when he got home and saw it for the first time (it also might have been on purpose) and this is the message that came beeping through.

Which only goes to prove that it is better to ask forgiveness, than ask permission and they might actually like it. Now of course I am going to have to paint all the walls and do that room next but worth it for my pink table.

If you're in Australia and want to see the most beautiful and affordable range of chalk paints, from a 100% Australian owned and also made here (I have received some paint for free those posts coming up, but I paid for my beautiful pink for this is not sponsored) check out Canterbury Blue on FB.

Also if you want to check out more pink fun, head over to The Thrifty Rebel for more pink lady posts.

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

Happy 2nd Birthday to The Mansion - Blog Anniversary

That's right 2 Years!

How to celebrate though? First  thought I'd give hundreds of dollars away, but my damn kids have this nasty habit of want to eat and the only step program in this house is Madeleine grabbing her little chair to reach the cookie jar.

Last year I dedicated a post to how I had achieved perfection, because you know all bloggers are perfect right (insert sarcastic snigger) you can read that here, this year I have decided to be a little more honest with myself.

Real feelings, pretty tricky for me actually, in fact I have written and deleted this post a few times but nothing seemed right, then I saw this picture on Facebook.

Upcycled Blanket to Girls Jacket

Morning All or Afternoon depending on when and where you are reading this.

So I have been a busy little bee on the sewing machine and decided to upcycle the the blanket I thrifted a while back. Wow I loved it so much that I must make it again!

Elizabeth's Room....Before!

Hey Guys,

I've finished my craft room, and I got straight into doing Elizabeth's room, in fact finished the craft room and started on hers the same day, so I haven't even had a chance to do "reveal" photos and now its full of stuff from the work happening in her room. So that post will probably never happen!

Here's what her room looked like before. Don't you love how I never even try to hide the mess, one day I'll be embarrassed, but not today. 

Not really right for a 12 year old. So I set up a Pinterest Board for the two of us and asked her to Pin everything she liked and I would see what I could do, I do love that she thinks I can build a grandfather clock, I do hate that she'll be sorely disappointed when I don't build a clock!

Mel xo

Thrifty Rebel Guest post

Hey Guys,

I've slipped on my pink boots and am getting my rebel on over at The Thrifty Rebel

Come check out what I'm up to here

Mel xo 

Rocking Chair - Because One Day I Will Be A Nana

Hey guys,

I have a secret, I love rocking chairs, I actually love to sit in my rocking chair and knit. it's totally a Nana thing to do but there is no place I feel more peaceful than in this chair knitting.

Even better I got it for free, it was my Mum's but she had no where to put it and unlike me she's kinda short and her legs didn't touch the ground.

It was scratched and dinged up so I gave it a chalk paint makeover. Also check out the tapestry in the background. My Mum did that for me when I was about 5 and it is still one of my most favourite things ever.

I'm loving the fresh white paint perfect for the new craft space.

DIY Delight or Disaster? Well I was going to add something else to it but I sent a picture to Susan of Simply Vintageous asking advice and she said it was perfect, given she is the furniture makeover queen, I decided to quit while I was ahead. Now I can pretend to be a Nana until (hopefully) in a decade or so I actually become one. Delight!

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

Beauty Case to First Aid Kit

Remember when I found that vintage beauty case and the little ones took a hold of it? Well I finally got it back and gave it a make over.

As soon as I saw it I knew exactly what I wanted it to be, a first aid kit, which odly enogh the little two, who have recently been loving the nursery rhyme, Miss Polly had a dolly had the same idea. They called it their doctor bag and played with it for a few weeks.

As soon as they got bored with it, I grabbed it and painted it up.

I have to say I just love this, I really wanted to keep the buttons and latch in the condition they were in some I taped them up and painted around it. 

DIY Delight or Disaster? DELIGHT!! I just love they white paint against the old latch. it's roomy enough to hold everything in and portable so we can take it with us when we go away. Sorry kids, Mummy is not giving it back!


Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

WYPW

Hey guys,

Happy Hump Day!

So I am wondering, did the designer do this on purpose? Seriously Fergie's poor girls didn't deserve that!

Best uncle joke EVER!!!!!!

Come on we all eat the cookie dough right?? I will admit I refrained while pregnant but any other time it's going to be "tested".

Wise words.

I need this fridge!

Keep smiling

Mel xo

Look What My Thrifting Fairy Godmother Brought Me

My Thrifting Fairy Godmother has been rather good to me again this month, I mean no Oroton bag good but still I had a few finds.

Like this old wooden Jewellery box $2.50 Elizabeth wants to give her a makeover using chalk paint, how can I resist that request?

This rattan spice rack $3 also for Elizabeth, she saw someone using one as a nail polish holder on Pinterest, I think I've created a monster there

Not sure why but this little photo frame $1 called to me, don't know where it's going.

However the thing that excited me most, I scored two of these vintage pure wool blankets from the 70's in the same colour. Gorgeous pinks and blues. I can't decide whether to get my Mum to make the girls jackets (I love them too much for me to hack into them) or whether to use it to upholster a couple of chairs. Seriously, love love love them. $8 which I actually think was a little pricey but you know what, I fell for them hard, I paid for it.

Actually the picture doesn't do them justice but wait until they have been made into something, you'll understand my love. Actually I am asking a lot of myself with what I plan to use them for and I am a little terrified to cut into it.

What did you score this month?

Mel xo

Meet My Mates Linda - With A Blast

Hey guys,

This week I want to introduce to the Queen of Cocktails Linda from With a Blast. Linda hails all the way from South Africa.

I call her the Queen of Cocktails but she is pretty damn handy with a grill too. Click the pictures to go to any posts, please don't pin from here. These Kebabs have my mouth watering.

She is also pretty handy with DIY, how awesome is this Fire Feature!

With all the cooking she does, it stand to reason she needs her own homegrown herb garden, this is brilliant!

I've made a couple of her desserts, OMG delish, but I am dying to try this orange curd, huge fan of lemon but I have never tried orange before.

Linda has dozens of cocktail ideas on her blog, this is why she is the Queen, I automatically see Summer when she's serving up drinks over there.

So not only is she the Queen of Cocktails Linda is such a lovely woman I have loved getting to know her. Why not pop across and say hello or follow her on any of the following places.

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

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!

A Dream Morning With Uncle Tobys Quick Sachets #Sponsored Post

Mornings here at the mansion are a nightmare, in fact I try to avoid them all together until after the old kids have left because this is the sight that greets me each and every morning! I truly wish that was staged, it doesn't really put me in the best mood, when it takes me 40 minutes to clean their mess before I can start breakfast for the little ones.

Only to have this happen!

In my dreams morning would be held at Buckingham palace, of course if I was hosting breakfast none of the "dignitaries" would be allowed to have their phones. How rude!

Or on my own, this would suit me perfectly.

To my delight Uncle Tobys sent me some of Quick Sachets Oats. I love that there are no artificial colours or flavours, I love that they're made from whole grain oats, of course these things are important to a busy mother concerned with the health of growing teens and tots.

However the thing that I loved most was the fact that they are a no mess no fuss option, take a look at my kitchen!

Okay so they still left me with their rubbish and dishes to clean up after I am delighted to say that instead of 40 minutes it only took 10 minutes to clean, one happy Mel!

Uncle Tobys Oats also only take 90 seconds to cook, leaving no time for the kids to argue between putting the bowl in the microwave and getting it out. The taste was delicious, all five of the kids loved them, Max who is the hardest to please begged to have it for lunch too. So while I might not be entertaining at the palace any time soon, or eating in Paris , Uncle Tobys Quick Sachets Oats have turned my nightmare mornings in to a dream. Find Out more by visiting their website here  http://www.uncletobys.com.au/products/uncle-tobys-oats-quick-sachets/

Mel xo
Disclosure: Mellywood's Mansion received this product free of charge, all opinions are my own.