PONG - How Fitting!

Hi All,

I discovered that the first ever video game was called Pong, seem appropriate for the clean up of the boys room.

So yesterday I was all set to go with the clean up and then paint today, I forgot it's a public holiday here and the kids and Julian are home. There goes the painting now it will need to wait until Thursday.

This is what I started with. See how dark the room is, this was at 11:00 the most light this room gets. Truly hoping I can make it lighter.

Then after a clean, I waited till this morning so I could get the light again, there's Jack enjoying a day off from school.

So it's game over for the Pong, but boy do I have my work cut out for me.

The boys have asked that I add a few modern game touches, they have a few things they would like so I will comply but the general concept will be the old school games.


Well this disaster zone is clean and organised, and to my surprise it wasn't too bad.

Come Thursday, the old yellow paint will be gone YAY!


Thanks for reading,

Mel

Oh Boy - The Votes Are In !

Hey Guys,

I totally lost my mojo this week without a room to do. Without being sure as to what room I would be doing I couldn't even beginning prepping and I got kind of bored.

Funny thing happened, I took a weekend off from behind the computer and had a great weekend soaking up the sun and on Saturday I spent the day with my awesome sister in law, Bec and her Mum shopping until we dropped.

Truly exhausted but happy tired, if ya know what I mean!

The time has come to talk next room and the boys won by seven votes, huge thanks to all who took the time to vote. If you want to have a bit of a laugh go back and read the votes the kids ended up getting their friends to vote and well some of the comments are hilarious!

This is the pigpen room I now will be working on.

After much discussion we have a theme: Retro Gamer.

We're looking at all those awesome games we played as kids like space invaders, pac man, plus all the awesome old consoles. Samuel wanted the room to be all white with a white desk - um like they would keep that clean!

Tomorrow I'll be sharing pics of what the room really looks like in all it horror and the clean up will begin. Say a prayer, I have no idea as to what horrors await me in the wardrobe.I'm hoping to make it out alive, with limbs!

Thanks for voting and for reading.

Mel xo

Mean Mum or Evil Genius? Either Way You Decide!

Evening All,

Well having finished the babies room, there has been quite the argument between the kids as to whose room should be done next. The boys think theirs should be next, but Elizabeth looks at me with pleading blue eyes, begging me to do hers.

In order to settle this argument  I asked the kids to clean their rooms and I would have you guys decide. Each child has briefly stated why their room should be next. In the comments, I ask that you vote for the child who has convinced you.


In no particular order we have

Elizabeth's Room

In her own words, she says "I would like my room to be next, so I can see all my Mum's creations come to life." - (Yikes, how's that for pressure)


The Boy's Room

Samuel says "Our room should be done next because even with the blinds open the room is dark and we need new draws. Elizabeth always gets a make over (hmm, Nana gave her new to us furniture, I haven't actually done anything in there since I moved Jack out for Madeleine's arrival)

Jack says "Our room should be done next because it's drab and lifeless" - Someones been watching too many home makeover shows with his mother.

So friends, the gauntlet has been thrown, please vote for the child who has moved you. Also take into consideration I asked them to clean and present their room as best they can.

Personally I think I am now a evil genius, I can happily disappoint the kids and tell them the world has spoken - How many times can I get to say that? HAHAHAHA - that was my feeble attempt at an evil laugh.

Voting closes next Sunday night at 8:30 pm at Australian EST. In the mean time I'll be wowing (or maybe not) with a few random crafts and maybe even a food post. otherwise known as organizing Christmas

Thanks for reading and please vote,

Mel xo

Linking up here

The Stink of Pink.........It's Gone!

I love pink! There are really only two girly things about me, 1) I love pink and 2) I love handbags. Hand me a pink handbag and I might just faint in ecstasy.

I don't love these pink walls, so I decided to get the painting done

Remember how I said the Ax had fallen, actually the mounting tape had to be pried off, did quite a bit of damage to the wall. I swear, I was between a surgeon delicately trying to pull it off and a sailor cursing the wall, tape and anyone who called or knocked on the door (not to their face, I am not completely insane!)

So please do NOT use it, if you're a renter you can throw your bond away and if you own, you don't want to fixing this!

I also moved the furniture around, and it really has opened the space up.

But now I have a blank canvas to work with, I had to wait to have the kids out so I could do it, lucky me, the grandparents had them overnight. YAY! Not going to lie, a baby free night reminds us that the silence truly is golden!

DIY Delight or Disaster? Well it was only painting but now Max is with out pink walls and the Ax has been removed. The Sesame Street things are in progress and I haven't ditched in spite of a a couple of disasters, so I guess it can be a delight.

Don't forget, Mounting Tape on Walls, Just say NO!!!!!!!!!!!!                                             
                                                                     
                     

Thanks for reading

Mel xo

The "Ax" Has Fallen!

Howdy All,

Coming off the high that was The Laundry, I've been shoved right back to earth with the realization that there is plenty more to be done.

After my family, friends and reader comments on the blog (and thanks for those!), referring to my youngest as Ax because the M fell off, I decided rather than risk the wrath of DHS (our version of children services) it was time I moved on to the babies room.

Now at this point I make an oath to you, dear reader, that while this means that I will have lots of projects for the babies room, I solemnly swear the following will not be included:

• The words "Super Cute"

• Pictures of perfect looking children - astounds me how you get your children to stay clean and still for more than 2 seconds. No matter what I do, it ain't gonna happen. Plus you know the camera and I are not close friends, our relationship is more like that person you put up with because you have to!

• Exclamations of how wonderful and perfect my kids are - no one, except maybe their grandparents, believe that!

In case it's not painfully obvious, I rarely gush and let's be honest, unless you're emotionally involved, other people's kids are not that interesting.

So here's what I'm working with.

The infamous Ax above my baby's head

 Pink walls and purple drapes for a unisex room, I did mention Max was a "surprise" from god (but a good one!) Crappy storage on the change table.

My poor excuse for a home crafted mobile and other such atrocities!

So there it is folks, a poor excuse for a nursery and my head is hung in shame!

I have a million ideas with a  little lot of help from Pinterest and the crafters who have kindly shared their projects I hope to "wow" you! I can leave you with this, the theme is, drum roll please..................................

Sesame Street

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

The House of Horrors...Inside the Mansion

Bomp bomp bommmmp, I'd love to add sound effects but, 1, I hate it when you open a page and sound comes blaring out and 2, I'm technically challenged.

If a picture says a 1000 words, your head will spin at this post....A visual tour of Mellywood's Mansion, if you're weak of heart, please avert your eyes. These pictures have not be edited to protect the guilty and I leave them like this so you have a clear understanding of what my challenge is.

So without further ado, I present, Mellywood's Mansion:

Firstly the boys room, no storage space for two high school aged boys. Note the gross fab blue trim, this photo was taken during the morning light - this is as light as it gets, the window backs onto the pergola blocking the sun for most of the day.

Next up, Elizabeth's room, probably the best in the house, love the broken, blue verticals, and while the furniture is ok, there is no personality in the room and those love hearts are not likely to take her into her tweens.

The babies room, poor Max has just turned one and he has only ever lived with pink walls (let's just say he was an unexpected surprise) Madeleine is not really a pink girl, she's 2&1/2 and like most toddlers she loves bright colours and Sesame Street. I did put Max's name up on the wall but the M fell off.
If  life in a pink room disturbs him, I'm not sure what sleeping with the word Ax above his head will mean, we're currently saving for therapy, he may need it!

Moving right along, the kids bathroom, it's shabby and those blue tiles, I mean why? Why would you purposely put these tiles in your house. They show every spec of dirt and are as slippery as all heck.

The carpet, the true horror, bright royal blue carpet, reflecting off the living room walls. The red and yellow plastic gates belong to the playpen. It helps make the place look like a McDonald's playground.

Archways, the house is built around these arches, I'm pretty sure the builders of this 70's house were on a trip and thought they were building a time warp.

The Kitchen, please note the grayish blue laminate cabinets with the complimentary faux wood panels. Now I know gray happens to be "in" at the moment, but I'm pretty sure this shade is not high on anybody's list.

We also find more time tunnels in here

On the plus side I get to look out on this little face when I"m cooking, meet Max, the baby. This is one side of the living room, which doubles as the play area/craft room.

The Hall, in the bright morning light, this is as bright as it gets and we still have the grey/blue lifeless walls and blue trim.

As you can see, I have plenty to do and there are many more horrors, but that's enough for now.

So you may ask, why did you buy the place in the first place and why haven't you fixed it yet?

Here are the reasons:

1. It was cheap!
2. It was empty so I didn't really see the issues I would face when trying to put the room together.
3. The only time I was able to see what the house looked like, due to work commitments, was at night. Therefore the light issues weren't a consideration.
4. I worked 9 hours a day, then spent a further 2 hours travelling to and from, another hour per day doing the drop off and pick up of the kids so a house where we basically only ate, slept and promptly left, didn't really require too much attention.

Now I'm back home, with two more babies and I can't stand it any longer!!

Stay tuned for the starting point

Thanks for reading

Mel xo