Playing catch-up

Well it has been a while since I last updated our blog.



Our boy has grown and grown and is still in the 97th percentile for his height, 75th for his weight and head.



We adore this boy, he is such fun.

Laughing,

rolling from front to back and back to front,

scooting all over the place,

eating solids

and just being awesome.

He loves lullabies and instantly stops crying,

he loves his jumper

and Play School is his favourite show.





 
I've sold my chairs, they went to happy homes - as well as deciding to wait until the summer markets to work on other pieces - so I won't be doing much D.I.Ying until then.

Jacksen was granted permission to travel

And became a U.S citizen

He will travel with each passport until he is 5 years old... Pretty cute.

We are moving in 2 days, putting all of our things in storage and heading over to the States for 3 months. We plan on visiting with family and friends and introducing everyone to our latest edition. We're super excited to see everyone and spend some time together as a family. We're headed to LA on the 31st, might stay with Angie - Matts sister in Hemet, then head to Vegas then Provo. Not too sure how long we'll stay there, a lot of it will depend on my appointments with Homeland Security at the SLC office.

So Matt got a nice camera about 6 months ago - since then he has been reading and researching and practicing all of these photography techniques. He took some great photos of our local beach and neighborhood.

He also did a little photo shoot of our niece Alaya

After my sister Cassie uploaded these photos we got a few inboxes from people asking how much we charged for a photo shoot. So before we went on to do any of that we asked some friends of our Ramona and Vai if we could do a shoot with their new bubba Matiu - here are some from that session.

We decided after this shoot we would start a little company. Matt Smith Photography <-- click on it to LIKE our page and see the rest of our work. Since then we've had a booking from an ex-student of mine I used to teach at High School with her beautiful little family. We've had a lot of interest but with us going away bookings will have to wait 'till we get back.

These are some of our favourites.

We've also started more of a niche business called Mint Pix <--- click here to LIKE it and see our work. This started by an idea both of us had individually and didn't share with each other for a while. It started with a shoot we did for my cousin Zendaria.

Then one for my sister Nicola

Then we did one for Zendaria's bff Issy.

We have a shoot this weekend amongst our packing and moving - and some for when we get back. It's fun and Matt so enjoys it over tile work :)

Well there is much packing to be done and cleaning and preparing for our trip. This time next week we will be 2 hours into our flight out of Sydney. Fingers crossed this flight is much more pleasant than the last.

red chair makeover...

Here's my latest DIY project.

We're going out to dinner tonight with the family to celebrate mine and my sisters birthdays.
Happy Easter x

How to get started...

Well since I have been posting my pictures on good old Facebook I have had a bunch of inboxes - you know who you are ;) asking for advice and help on d.i.y -ing! It's very flattering and makes me so happy to inspire people to do their own projects. It is so F.U.N. Seriously, I get so excited to use a new paint colour it drives me crazy until I get to brush on that first stroke and then it makes me smile! haha Yes - I am an addict.

I will definitely be doing more in depth tutorials for you to follow or at least link you to a great tutorial for each project. In the meantime here are some of my pointers.

* Sign up for a Pinterest account, and tell your loved ones you'll be seeing less of them soon! It is a very inspirational site and consumes me! You can find great ideas and tutorials for your projects and so much more...

* Find your local op shops, thrift stores, garage sales and see what they have. If you're anything like me, they'll know you by name in no time. Also look around your home, I bet there are quite a few pieces that you can redo.

* Check out the tradingpost and local classifieds sometimes there are super cheap good quality pieces for cheap, or sometimes for free, you just have to pick them up!

* Hit up your local Bunnings or even paint stores and ask to see their mis-tints. It's the collection of paint tins that weren't coloured to the customers requests - sometimes you can find some goodies. Just make sure they can be used on your surface. BUT my new love is grabbing one of the many many hundreds of colour swatches from the paint wall and taking it to the counter and asking for a sample pot! It usually costs around $7 and is plenty for several coats on a piece (depending on the size). Taubmans is the cheapest. That way you aren't paying $30 for paint that you only needed a small portion of and that will just sit there and never get used! Cause let's face it - it's so fun to experiment with new colours.

*Spraypaint is another great option, Bunnings didn't have a colour range that I liked, so I stocked up at Super Cheap Auto. You have to have I.D to prove you're over 18 and they're in a locked cabinet but they're a few dollars a can and the colours are pretty good. I buy a lot of their primer and use it on most projects before painting.

* Fabric! You will always want something at least medium weight. Spotlight has a wider selection that Lincraft but you might have a local snazzy fabric store where you can source some great prints for your home. My mum has a fantastic Slipcover/Upholstery business Slipcovers Australia (LIKE her page and you're awesome!) well anyway she gets designer fabric for wholesale prices. She would L.O.V.E to order some for a project for you. She literally has hundreds to choose from. So give her a call or post on her page if you want to check it out... Alternatively if you're project is too overwhelming ask her for a quote ;)

* Tools of the trade! Don't go cheap on your brushes, you'll hate yourself forever!!! The hairs come out and get stuck under the paint, they don't spread the paint evenly... YUK YUK YUK! Don't get me wrong, I don't get the most expensive ones, just not the cheapest. And something my hubby taught me was to give them a good, and I mean good wash after use, like straight away - get yourself a hard bristle brush and scrub all of the paint off it. Sandpaper - get yourself a 220 sanding block (if you don't have a sander) for in between your coats. You'll need a much more coarse grit for sanding off old paint/lacquer prior to painting, like an 80 or something. Generally speaking you will need to prepare your surface somehow. Staple gun - you can pick one up at Bunnings for around $15, that's how much mine cost. It comes with a few packets of different staples and is intended for use on upholstery... LOVE me a staple gun! On the subject of guns - you'll also need a hot glue gun. Craft stores stock these, Spotlight, Lincraft etc.

*You don't have to know how to sew or have access to a machine, but for some projects it is worthwhile.

So that should get you started for now right? Please don't be shy - if you have questions or want some help, post a comment on my blog so I can answer it out loud, chances are others have the same question :)

Happy planning.

This is my inventory for future projects and will all be for sale once completed...

Light weight all wood chair.
She'll be lime with black and white chevron print seat

This one needs some wood glue attention.
She'll be lime also with black and white damask cushions

I love the lines.

This little folding chair will need a cushion make-over not sure of colours yet.

Probably turquoise with black and white damask

Yellow damask.

Can't wait to show you how they end up!!!

Painted Projects

Just as I enter the title of this blog I hear little cries coming from my room - I thought I would have a minute to post somethings with Jacksen asleep. I must be crazy...
Well now I am sitting here typing with my little boy asleep on my chest. We've been sick this past week with a terrible cold and now Jacksen is being clingy and not feeling 100% so he's getting lots of cuddles and love.

Look how cute he was this morning. After every morning feed he hops into Matts spot for one more sleep before we get up. Matts still working near the City and so gets up at 5:45am and has been ever since Jacksen was born - what a great combo... Just in case you didn't know - Matt H.A.T.E.S mornings.

Well I have a new found energy YAY! I have gone for my first jog in way too long and boy-o-boy the first 20 strides were rough. WOW! But it was so nice to go. The sun was setting over the water, I had my itunes going, and I just felt like a new chapter of life has begun. I felt so freed and relaxed, cleared my thoughts and felt rejuvenated. The next morning I woke up sick... BOO!

So on the warmer days which of course now that Summer is over we've been having a lot more of, Jacksen and i head out to our back yard and work. He lays in the shade on his play mat while I paint, glue and cut... Usually it's not a long stint of time that we'll have out there, but we enjoy it when we do.

The other afternoon it was so nice that I took a foam mattress out there and we took a nap till Matt came home to wake us.

Well I've been collecting pieces and work on and here are my projects...

Picked up a set of these babies for $4.50 each.

This was my inspiration

This is the website I got it from so click here for the tutorial

Finished! Not bad huh?

We picked up this table for $15. Matt chose the stain and went ahead to complete the little baby.

All Done! Love the completed look!

It was Matts idea to make over this little beauty. So like it says we bought it for $10.

Took me no time at all to cover it - still needs welt around the tops of the legs.

This oldy but goody set me back $5! 

I first painted it turquoise then put a layer of Porters Crackle Medium and then the white paint. I did this so that the turquoise comes through - to add a textured antiqued look to my piece.

Then I plan to recover it in this print so it'll match back to the turquoise and white crackle effect!

I stripped the old fabric off. It took Matt and I HOURS... It has been upholstered a few times and the last time they had used hundreds of staples... So we had a tough time getting them all out and stripping the fabric off. I cut the old webbing off the back - well what was left as it was completely worn and torn - then added new strapping and sewed the springs in place.

So this is what she looks like at the moment. I need to get some foam and wadding for the seat then staple on the beautiful fabric! 

I got a pair of these kiddie chairs for $1 each... Can't go wrong right?
I wanted to do a His N Hers style makeover so I started thinking how I wanted to represent this...
What better way than a mustache and lips?  

This was my inspiration

source

So I unscrewed the backs, primed and painted them.

Then hand drew the shapes on and painted them.

I'm happy with how they look. I am in the process of sanding the paint off the chairs prior to priming - it's a pain because they're so little and fiddly.

Then I got a pair of these for $1 each also!!! woohoo!

They looked so much better primed already.

My plan was to do a pink chair and a blue chair. The pink one with {hers} on the inside back and {his} on the blue one. So I went ahead and glazed it.

Matt said it looks dirty like I did a quick slap of pink over previous black paint... So now I am thinking of just doing a coat of pink and leaving it with a clean look. Ideas?

HOW AWESOME IS THIS FIND? $10 for this hard wood mirror feature with zig zag wood panelling? It weighs a tonne! Looks like it might be from Bali?
I H.A.D to have it. Someone has attempted a paint job on it in the past. Thinking of doing a lime glaze over white or turquoise. Not decided just yet. Still finding inspiration...  And finishing other projects ;)

My colour inspiration has come from this picture. I think it's so fresh and vibrant. Love the combo.

 And some websites I am stalking atm:
- Junque
- Chic Staging & Design

Also looking at milk paint! WOW!

If you're a furniture fanatic like me - follow my board on Pinterest.

Wondering where to get super cheap high quality custom paints? Sample Pots from Bunnings!!! Between $6 - $8 per tin. One tin of turquoise lasted for two coats on all 4 of my dining chairs... PERFECT! So I got my pink there too. Lime and grey are next on my list. I also look for mis-tints but then you tend to compromise your colour palate because of what they have.

In addition to these pieces we have a HUGE coffee table, and end table, a little kiddie table and about 4 more chairs. So more to come - obviously! I can't wait to complete these ones.

So thinking of having a little stall at our local markets in Mornington. I love doing it - keeps me occupied, you know, cause I have nothing to do these days (;

So getting some inventory up! More pics and projects to come...

Now for some cuteness...

So it's taken the better part of my day to put this blog together with my little buddy and I spending some time together and going to the milk bar if you catch my drift! He started to fuss from boredom while he was on his play mat so I thought it was time for him to use his jolly jumper for the first time. As I am typing this I'm smiling watching him twist and bounce. I LOVE this.

He is SO fascinated with his hands and feet right now.

If you're thinking... hmm that's a little low isn't it? you're right I adjusted it to be higher after I took these photos. He was all tuckered out after about 10 mins. He's napping now storing up some energy for next time.

 Hopefully I have an update soon - because then that means I have finished another project. It's so hard to finish it when I need little things to move forward, and I don't have the car - so then I move onto the next piece and do what I can.

I'm so excited about the jolly jumper - what a life saver for a bored little boy and a stay-at-home Mum.