Ta Dahh!

It's close to completion and twice as fab as I imagined. Behold Project Window Seat!!!

11 month old Apprentice. Wasn't much help but agreed to be paid with milk.

Check out the moulding detail. 

Is there nothing my handy husband can't do??

Here it is today with its final coat of gloss.

My blue and white French Ticking fabric arrived today from Fabric Traders.  Now I just have to get the cover sewn up and shout myself one or two more fantastic cushions and we're done. I'll post some more pics when it's all finished. Its become everyone's favourite seat in the house not to mention the extra room its given us in the 'dining room'. It's more your eat-in kitchen but you get the picture.

In other goings on around the place I have been getting crafty again. I wanted to do something special for Andrew as our wedding anniversary is coming up. There is NO surprising this guy...EVER. So I decided to make him something.  I found a great picture online that I wanted to get for our bedroom but I decided I could DIM (Draw It Myself). It turned out pretty good and after a quick trip to Ikea today it's all framed and ready to go. What do you think? I love it and thankfully so does he.

I can't believe the first week of the school hols is almost down. It's been a huge week as well. I've been entertaining 4 boys under the age of 7 as well as creating my own 'fabtastic' works of art, purchased a new car (I've become the giant black SUV driving woman I said I'd never become...eeekkk) and experienced the heartache of seeing my baby go off to Daycare for the first time. As predicted he was a total champion and has gone from 'Super cool Little Man' to 'Super Brave Little Warrior' this week. He is almost 1. How did that happen? It took me so long to get him I don't want him growing up so fast.

We're off to Byron Bay next week to soak up some sun before I go back to work. Time sure does fly when you're having fun. 

This one goes out to my Sonny...for being the Champion of Champions this week. 

J xx

Promises, promises

I know I promised a mid week window seat 'Super Post' but its now Friday night (when did that happen) and when it comes to the blog I've done nadda...zip...zilch etc. This week just evaporated and my plans to have purchased fabric for seat cushions and zips and piping yadda yadda just didn't happen. And now it's school holidays so I'm definitely not getting anything done until the 8th October!

Speaking of the 8th of October...that's when I return to work (the paid type). I'm excited and nervous and apprehensive and unsure if its what I want but really keen to drink hot beverages (while they're hot) and earn cash. I remember returning to work after my first baby. I would roll up thinking I had it all together and realise at lunch time that I had dried baby vomit on my left shoulder. Glam times ahead!

In exciting news I finally got the big cowboy 1st birthday invites done and sent. I've gone to ridiculous lengths to theme this party. Everyone knows a first birthday isn't about the baby....it's about parents being awake for a year and still being alive.

Frizzell Ranch! I know...so damn clever.

So, is everyone else totally addicted to Instagram??? My friend, Mrs Brennan, and I are WAY on board. I'm loving it. You can follow me by clicking the link over there on the right. 

Have a great weekend...

J xx

Home

We're just back from a weekend spent in Dalby. Where you ask? Its our home town and, yes, I married a boy from school! The place has experienced somewhat of a boom since we lived there but it is still essentially the same farming town where I grew up as the Police Sargent's Daughter. My family no longer live there but my Husband's family are still very much part of the community. I love that I still have that strong connection to where I grew up. It's only in recent years I've grown so proud of my heritage. I love being from the country. You know what they say 'you can take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl'? So cheesy yet so true.

Anyway, so we spent yesterday afternoon strolling the neighbourhood where our family lives taking snaps of our favourite homes along the way. We took more photos in a 2 block radius than one blog post can handle. We must have looked odd ambling along the footpath peering over fences taking pics. Thankfully no one called the local constabulary.

Here are some of the faves I wanted to share.

Digging the arbour.

Just beautiful with a garden to match.

The best fence on the best house in the best street.

And here she is. The pale pink house of my dreams.

She needs a little TLC but she is charming.

See what I mean? Kind of stops your heart really.

This gem went up for Auction yesterday.

Not sure if it sold or for how much. But I'd be happy to bet it would be a fraction of the price if this house was situated in downtown Holland Park!

Serious gate envy.

Yep, it really is as quiet as it looks.

Being that we managed to not get arrested for taking photos of other peoples homes I am going to risk doing the same here in my own neighbourhood. My house is a post war and although she is lovely and has come a long way from the unloved, unpainted, unkept diamond in the rough there are some great examples of Queenslanders and bungalows around here I'd love to share.

I always feel rested after a weekend 'out home'. I'm not sure if its the lack of traffic and the slower pace or the familiar faces and the inevitable reminiscing I always do when I go home. Either way its always good for the soul to spend some time reflecting on where you have come from and where you are going. 

Special credit to my Niece and Husband for their photographic expertise. Whoa Nelly! really is a family affair.

Until my exciting mid-week window seat extravaganza post. Oh yeah, its coming together like no one's business.    

J xx

I'm loving...

This bed... 

Quilts... 

Plates on walls... 

Gnome cushions... 

And Don Draper.

And not necessarily in that order.

J xx

Bayside vignettes

I had the most glorious Sunday. It was spent helping style a friend's house. We went shopping through the week for a few decorator bits and we spent the day moving trays, stacking books, moving frames, making lists, stacking more books etc etc. Sad really, but its the stuff my dreams are made of. I don't think my friend, hereon referred to as Mrs C, realised how much good treasure she already had around her house.

Here are a few shots of our handiwork.

 So happy with how the hall table turned out.

We are debating possibly painting the candle sticks in a bright turquoise.

Loving the ikat votives (marked down to $3.50 each at Bed, Bath & Table). 

 I wish we had captured the huge french clock on the wall above this tallboy.

Its delish!

And this fab piece of furniture is an old coffee table we repurposed. It was languishing out on one of the balconies and is beautifully weathered as a result. Yes, I said balconies. Plural! 

The C Family have several to choose from including one that we have added to our 'To Decorate within an inch of itself' list.  

*sigh*

My heart fluttered a little this morning when I got a text from Mrs C saying she was really happy when she came downstairs this morning to her 'new' lounge room. Hold onto your hats...we still have some styling in the kitchen, an art wall in the dining and the finishing touches to the playroom to go. So. Much. Fun!  

There is also a little excitement at Casa de Frizz to report. My husband built a window seat in the dining room. I know! Crazy awesome! So exciting in fact that the whole project warrants its own post (pending). Tomorrow I'm off to Black & Spiro in New Farm to source some fabric for the cushion. Its almost too much excitement. I'm praying to the Gods of Soft Furnishings that there is a blue and white love heart cushion in stock because I have wanted one of those since like forever!

I've been trolling the net looking for beautiful fabrics for my window seat.

I'm in love with this Amy Butler fabric. I can imagine it with grey box piping.

I hope something really stands out and 'grabs' me tomorrow. There are so many great options.

I just can't decide.

So...window seat post pending. And thanks to the C Family...shine on you crazy diamonds!

  

Behold!!!

The magnificence! I could stare at this image for days.

Image via Vintage 57

All those delicious layers of fabulous texture and pattern.

Today I have a retail mission with a dear friend of mine. We are looking for pieces to style the hall table in her entry foyer. She is going for the Hamptons look in her big bayside home. I'm thinking blue and white china, lots of glass wear, shells, coral and some reflective metallic pieces. Thankfully she is thinking the same thing!

Have a great day.

Jxx

Dad's Day

To all the Dad's...

We've had a great day. There has been presents and candy and homemade cards and burritos and the day isn't over yet. I am currently gazing over at the 'big boys' dozing on the couch in front of 'Back to the Future'. I think today might actually be Man Heaven around here. I'm glad. He deserves it (insert gushy swoon here).

Being that this here blog is all about design and interiors I thought I'd use today to share some pictures of my fave masculine design concepts. Like so...

There is nothing about this image that I don't love.

It sits someplace between 'mod' and 'dude'.

Vintage skateboards. Hello!!!!

And NOTHING says 'bloke' like taxidermy.

I'm all for animal rights etc etc but I do have a serious thing for mounted deer.

Go figure.

Oh, and I think this Jonathan Adler butter dish is the coolest Dad's day present ever.

Or maybe this New York poster??

Either way my Hubby didn't get either of these but I think he was happy with his loot.

At least I hope he was.  

J xx