My Forgotten Oak Cupboard

Life gets busy. Sometimes too busy. It happens at marathon pace. In between raising children, working, hunting for vintage treasure and maintaining a creaky old house.....sometime I forget stuff. This old cupboard is a good example of that.   

See that mildew.....that's what happens when you score an amazing bargain on EBay, have it delivered miraculously intact by Australia Post, hide it down under the house to explain to your husband later ( i.e. put it in the house while he's at work and say "Oh that old thing, we've had that for AGES" ) and then, well, forget you have it ......for say 8 years.

Then, a pretty picture a friend posted on Face book made me go...." Hang on... I've got something like that somewhere" ( Thank you Melissa xx)

I dragged her out , scrubbed her down, put her door back on and apologised to her profusely.
Actually, sometimes 8 years wait can be a good thing. 8 years ago, I would have stripped this girls paint off and waxed her.
Now I'm in the whole original paint and patina phase and I'm so so pleased she was.....forgotten.

This is her now....waiting to be filled.  When Mr Picket Fence comes home and lays eyes on her, he will raise his eyes and ask questions.  I will be able to say with much joy and honesty
"Oh that old thing, we've had her for AGES"
Have you ever forgotten something?

February Photo a Day Done and Dusted

This is it people. The last of my February  iPhone "photo a day" photo journal. Phew I must admit I found a few of these challenging......It's funny how sometimes, it's the little things that bring you unstuck.

Day 20 "Handwriting"
My Grandma's Coconut Ice recipe in her own handwriting (So much nicer than my own) She would make vast quantities of Coconut Ice every Christmas holidays. I associate this treat with her. Completely.

Day 21 " A Fave photo of you"
This was taken about 10 years ago. Special to me for so many reasons. Amongst other people , you can see my  grandparents and father in this photo, they have since passed away and I miss them dearly. That's me in the white shirt clutching the photo shy child. My twin brother is next to me and my younger brother is the only sensible person it seems, in a hat.  Lesson here.... appreciate family while you have it. Hey brothers...if you're by chance reading this. I appreciate you.......BIG TIME.

Day 22 " Where you work"
I like to keep work and home/blog separate hence the lack of detail...its about life balance :)

Day 23 "Shoes"
Not Stilettos (Ever)

Day 24 " Inside my bathroom cabinet" 

I have a higgledy piggledy selection of collected bathroom cabinets as our built in one is kind of ugly. This is the inside door of one of my favourites. it holds toothpaste and soap and stuff :)

Day 25 "Green"

Day 26 " Night'

Day 27 "Something I ate"

Day 28 " Money" 

I found this one tricky.

Day 29 "Something you're listening to"
Miss Picket Fence read in the morning. It's a ritual :)
Short and sweet.
 I can't quite fathom how quickly this year is flying by. Are you sick of the "photo a day"  instalments ?  I hope not :) They keep me humming along...so I'm doing March too xx

Chocolate Coated Ice Cream Castle

It's  birthday time at the Picket Fence house. In a fit of "whimsy", Miss Picket Fence declared she wanted a castle cake. In a fit of "Not really thinking about the consequences and nodding Uh Huh", I agreed. This resulted in me purchasing the red silicone mold she passed me with twinkling eyes....  Note to self...10 year old girls have blind faith.





















This red silicone mold stimulated much discussion with my loyal and patient friends. Advice was put forward, worried nods and comforting words were exchanged  and multiple referrals to web pages occurred  (Thank heavens for cooking savvy web friendship !!)

A plan took shape.

Melted milk chocolate .

Painted onto the mold interior and set in the freezer for 5 minutes.

 Softened ice-cream packed into the chocolate covered mold and layered with drizzled choc fudge sauce.

Frozen for 24 hours ( Cover the edge with the exposed ice cream with cling wrap to prevent bloom on the chocolate)

Peel off the mold just prior to serving. Stand there and declare how clever you are, to all that will listen :)  

I made some bunting out of scrap paper and little self adhesive letters.

 Rolled gluten free ice-cream cones in melted chocolate.

Then sprinkles

Assembled, the cake looked like this. Sorry about the poorly photo-shopped  name on the bunting but Miss Picket Fence prefers to be known as Miss PF :) Also....apologies for the wax dripped cup cakes holding the candles. The candle spikes wouldn't go in the chocolate !

Anyway...there you have it . A chocolate coated ice cream castle ...easy to make and enjoy. Let me know if you have a go at this. I'd love to hear. We loved it. Happy Birthday Miss Picket Fence 10. You make me build castles, and for this , I adore you xx

A Wheeled Industrial Toy Box

 I wonder how many of you are like me ?  I have a million unfinished projects ....or to put it more positively "Works in progress" I see something I could make or do or have a go at and I get this uncontrollable itch to have a go. I get depressed if I'm not planning, doing or near completing a project. It's lovely when it's finished but I really much prefer  that feeling just before it's finished.... When you can nearly see the end but not quite. I spend far too much time looking for new ideas..my brain is bursting (with ideas , not with intellect !)
I have always been this way but I've suddenly realised not everyone is the same. Sometimes I forget that I have four children and a real life job when I plan big projects like major interior colour changes ( I'm still painting) or ripping out a wall. It gets a bit crazy.  Fortunately my children love the feeling of "Flux" when projects are happening. They have of course,  grown up around this kind of chaos. I hope they look back on it with love.

Anyway.  Here is a box I've had squirrelled away .... No real plans for it but too lovely to leave at a garage sale.

Four casters I rescued off a lounge by the side of the road at council clean up. I am an embarrassment to my children at that time of year :) Yes I do carry a screw driver in my handbag.

Bam , that old box looks like it has a function. Project completed !!

Too easy

It now holds Master Picket Fence's farm animals....in any room he chooses.

A boy needs wheels :)

Note my sons paint stained play clothes. That's us all class ;) I told you I get distracted .

February Photo A Day Part 2

 Welcome back to my photos from Fat Mum Slim's "February Photo A Day". Here we go with the second instalment :)

Day 12 "Inside Your Closet"
My clothes closet is pretty ordinary. I tend to spend more money and time picking antiques and vintage bits and bobs than I do clothes. (I am my mothers only daughter...Such a disappointment ! ) This is a section of my linen closet. A tidy section.

Day 13 "Blue"
 It had to be Master Picket Fence's treasure. I waited a long time to buy blue :) Humour me.

 Day 14 " Heart"
On my Lounge room wall (I do love a pretty Dust Collector)

Day 15 " Phone"

 Day 16 "Something new"
As I mentioned. I bought a quilt.....

And here it is again. You can get one from Lazybones in Australia or Anthropologie in the USA

Day 17 "Time"
That's 0245hrs and I was at work..... sigh.

 Day 18 "Drink"
Chocolate milkshake in an old cream bottle. Tastes better this way.

 Day 19 "Something you hate to do"
I need a working dishwasher.
So thats it .....another little peek into my world. This list is good because it makes me photograph things that I'd  never think twice about. Next post will feature another simple project that  I finished this week. Always a triumph to finish something , no matter how small. I have a life long stock pile of projects. Do you ? Or are you more organised than me ? I'd love to hear xx

It might even look like this.

How to Hang a Mason Jar and Look Super Tricky

 If you haven't found Pinterest yet, then I'd have to demand you whizz down and have a look. It's a virtual pinboard...where you pin ideas and pictures that inspire you. If I have spare on line time, this is where I like to spend it. If you want an invite, then please email me... I'll happily send one out to you. You can also check out my boards by clicking on the Pinterest link on my sidebar  xx It was on Pinterest, that I saw the idea above....Its from The Created Home

O. K
A Mason Jar.
     Not tricky ....

 A Curtain Bracket....2 self tapping screws and a near 3 year old assistant.
Still not tricky :)

Extra wire ( because I'm fussy )
 And... just like that.... "Pow" .....you have a hanging Mason vase.
Which looks ....
tricky :)

Even decidedly tragic supermarket Tulips take on a new air here.....
 I love to look Tricky :)

 Maybe with a vase or too hanging around Mr Picket Fence might pick me some daisies ? Or, if you're  like me, you will pick them yourself :) Life's too short to wait for someone to bring you flowers. Go on, Check out Pinterest.....you need to do this ;) Soul therapy xx

Because I didn't get flowers, I bought a quilt....Sometimes love is made from Jersey cotton and comes delivered  ;)