Getting on with it...finally!

Well as part of my 50 things by 50 commitment, I need to get moving on my front side garden. I have a corner block and so it is not your traditional shaped garden. I have a fairly small back garden, good size front garden and large front side garden.

Now when I moved into this house nearly 3 years ago now, it had been owned by an old couple who were no longer able to look after it and was quite run down. My priority was fixing the house and just trying to maintain the garden and with a drought still happening I didn't want to put too much into the garden. BUT...the drought has broken...time to start on it again.

I did plant some more hedge plants to fill in the gaps on the boundary and they are sloooowly growing, plus I planted a circular bed in the middle with an English Elm in the centre, surrounded by lavenders and Japanese box.

Now, I have had a plan of how I want it to look and I am gradually working my way towards it but I have had some wonderful inspiration from Kim at Savvy Southern Style, her beautiful front garden with the magnificent white crepe myrtles and gloriously curved garden beds...of course her house isn't half bad either!!!

Isn't this to die for!!!

I love the curved beds

Of course my lawn doesn't look like this either, mine is wearing its winter grey just waiting for Spring to resurrect it!

 This is the before photo...pretty bland

I have started cutting into the lawn to make sweeping beds around the garden.

there is a LOT of turf to remove I looked at hiring a turf cutter but it was too expensive....where as my labour is free!!! It is just going to take a lot of weekends but I am determined to do this.

I am going to replace the failing elm tree in the center bed and the choice is between the lovely white crepe myrtles that Kim has used in her garden above or....

a beautiful white denudata magnolia, I think the crepe myrtle will be faster growing but I do love magnolias, I did have a little splurge and bought this magnolia burgundy glow below for another part of my garden.

I cant resist buying beautiful plants but for most of this garden I will have to beg, borrow and steal ( well not quite steal but maybe a few cuttings here and there!). I love to limit the colour palette in the garden as I would in the house. This garden will be in soft pinks, mauve's, blues and whites. The majority I would like to be white with pockets of colours.

When designing your garden yourself, treat it the same way you would designing a room inside. There are many different styles of gardens, one day my small back garden will be transformed into a Balinese retreat but for now it is the side garden I am concentrating on, it will be more of an English cottage garden with a reduced range of colours.

There will be lots of lavenders and windflowers, roses, winter roses, and more....keep watching and see how it progresses.

Crossing off the to do list - bedroom art

Well, it's nice to be able to get another job done! When I stenciled the wall in my bedroom it really showed that the lovely red toned tiles I had on the wall above my desk was just not working with the turquoise and warm beige walls!

Yep...it is just not working but never mind, I have just the spot for them in another room! Now, what to replace them with??? I am in "no spending mode" at the moment so time to search my craft supplies. And I struck lucky!!! I found these little carved stone plaques I bought ages ago and never did anything with plus 3 blank canvas!

So to tie in with the desk I decided to silver gild them, I still had all the materials left from the desk 

(for a tutorial on how to gild see here)

 

I painted them with a sealer undercoat first

and perfect little glittery things! Next I base coated the canvases in the same light turquoise

I did the wall stenciling in.

On this larger canvas I just used the wall stencil with the lovely beige pearlescent paint I used before.

The two smaller canvas I decided to use my pillow cases as inspiration.

These pillow cases are from Morgan and Finch, I was so happy when I found them, they tie all the colours together in the room.

I am really happy with the end result, I do need to find something small to go in the corner but that will come!

Linking to parties at

Mod Vintage Life
Making the World Cuter
The DIY Home Sweet Home Project
Tip Junkie
Savvy Southern Style 
Delightful Order 
The Shabby Chic Cottage 
French Country Cottage 
Funky Junk Interiors

50 things before Fifty..... total madness!

OK, this is mad....it is crazy to even think it....it cant be done....well there might be a chance... I could at least try!

I read a post recently on a new blog that I came across (well new to me that is!) the very talented Nicole at Making it Lovely did a list of  "30 before thirty", she had a list of things she wanted to complete in the 6 months before she turned 30.... see how she went here.

So this is where my madness started, a little bit like an itch that I couldn't scratch....yep once the idea was in my head, there was no way of getting out of it!!!!! Oh god.... I am a long way from 30 but very close to 50... so I have 10 months to complete my 50 before fifty.

So here goes.... I may not complete all of these things but it wont be from a lack of will, more from a lack of money, especially on some are big ticket numbers but at least I am going to give it a damn good try....

Here is the list...in no particular order

1.   Finish decorating the main bedroom
2.   Finish painting all inside trim and doors
3.   Finish painting exterior windows (there are 6 to go, and all multi-paned)
4.   Help eldest daughter move out to her own place :-)     (she is 23!)
5.   Move youngest daughter to eldest daughter's bigger room (hopefully after she has moved out!)
6.   Redecorate that new bedroom for youngest daughter
7.   Turn youngest daughter's room (now vacated) into my office....yippy!
8.   Finish floor in family room
9.   Build a vegi garden
10. Landscape side garden
11. Learn how to use my DSLR camera better (well it is actually my son's but he lets me use it)
12. New light fitting for over the dining table
13. Have a holiday
14. Build an ensuite (OK this is one of the big ticket items that I want but cant afford)
15. Learn a graphics program ( I was a graphic designer before computers.... I know I am that old)
16. Loose 10 kg (22 lbs) alright I need to loose more but I figure that this is achievable! 3 down 7 to go
17. Exercise more     started exercising again
18. Change hair colour
19. Register new business name
20. Visit the MCA (museum of contempory art - Sydney)
21. Research into running a Bed and Breakfast
22. Plant more trees      planted 1 more
23. New fence for backyard
24. Stencil wall in dining room    done
25. Build hall station
26. Organise hall cupboard
27. Create artwork wall in family room
28. Get a new lap top    done yippee
29. Get an Ipad (just for the fun of it!)
30. Get a full health check including a breast screen
31. Get my home featured in a home decore magazine (this one might be a stretch)
32. Do more interior design work
33. Cook healthier food
34. Cook more food in advance and freeze
35. Reduce spend on credit card   been better lately
36. Take up tennis again
37. Make a mirror for over the sideboard
38. Practise clipping the dog to look at little less scrappy as in my first attempt
39. Go on at least one date ( I have been single for a very long time!)  had 1 date!
40. Contact friends more often
41. Get back into painting (artwork that is!)
42. Crochet blanket for Youngest one
43. Learn a new craft
44. Learn MYOB (it is an accounting program)   Learning it the moment - not too bad
45. Be more organised with my blogging (the office will help)
46. Learn more about HTML
47. Try making a skirt again ( I haven't sewed clothes since the kids were young)
48. Take up pilates again (if I can find a cheap enough class they are sooooo expensive)
49. Contact other Aussie bloggers in decor/craft/design/DIY
50. Plan something special for turning 50!   I have some things in mind for this

Let's see how I go.... please send me your encouragement!