A New Ironing Board Cover

I have a brilliant Brabantia ironing board.  It has a big ironing surface and is solid and steady, but the cover is ... well... it gives me a headache.  I would normally have changed the cover straight away but this cover has a heat resistant section on the end where you can keep your iron face down without it burning.  I don't iron like that so the cover HAS to go.

Seriously, could you iron with this pattern glaring at you?

I found some pretty blue and white floral fabric at Spotlight reduced to $6 per metre.  It's heavy furnishing weight fabric and 100% cotton.  Perfect!

To make the cover I traced around the old cover and added a seam allowance.  I ironed some white bias binding tape in half, laid some curtain cord inside the fold, then sewed it around the border of the ironing board cover.  Place the cover on the ironing board and pull up the strings for a tight fit.  You can tie them in a knot or use a toggle to keep the cords tight.

So much better, right?

I also followed Michelle from {primp} and stencilled a number on my laundry basket.  I loved her numbered farmhouse basket.  I chose the number 3 as that is usually how many loads of washing I have to do at a time - darks, lights and another.

I love fragrant linen water.  In the UK I could choose from a large selection from the supermarket, but in Australia the only place I have found it at a reasonable price is Dusk.  I have found a recipe to make your own ironing water with essential oils but I need to come to terms with using vodka in a spray bottle rather than pouring it in a glass over ice.

If I told my friends that I made a new cover for my ironing board they would say why - it's just an ironing board?  What I love about my friends from the world of home decor/DIY blogs is that they would say well done - why wouldn't you make a new cover?

When I walk into my laundry and see this, I am so much happier.  It almost makes ironing enjoyable.

Sharing with my friends at:

French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday
My Romantic Home - Show & Tell Friday

Freckled Laundry - Air Your Laundry
The Shabby Nest - Frugal Friday

How Much Stuff is Too Much?

I recently read this quote in Country Home Ideas magazine:

In the early 20th century, when Californian bungalows were in their heyday, the average family was said to own roughly 120 things.  By contrast, today's average adolescent has up to 10,000.

This got me thinking - how much is too much stuff?




When we moved to London three years ago, we sent a 20 foot container to London, another 20 foot container to storage and I probably sold/gave away nearly another container load.  That's ridiculous!

When I was a child growing up in Melbourne, we lived in small inner-city terrace houses.  There were no built in wardrobes or storage.  We didn't own much.  I was reminded of this need for paring back when we lived in our London terrace.  There just isn't room to hoard.  No buying bulk laundry powder as the entire laundry was in a cupboard.

How much stuff do you own?  When is it enough?  Do we really need it all?

On the weekend I went through my son's bedroom and the 'junk' we store in the guest bedroom wardrobe and managed to find two bags of things that could go to the op shop (charity store).  I'm sure there's more 'stuff' lurking around.  I'm off to go through some more cupboards!  De-cluttering is definately theraputic.

My Grandmother's Secretaire

My grandmother had a funny little 1950's style secretaire in her house.  When I was young I remember sitting at it whenever we went to visit.  The front pulls down to become a writing desk and inside there were compartments where she kept all her writing sets and postage stamps.

When my grandmother passed away, and my mother was clearing out her house, she asked me if I wanted anything. I asked for two things. The little secretaire and a Lladro figurine that my grandmother bought on a family holiday to Norfolk Island, as these were the two things I had strong childhood memories of.

When I got the secretaire, it was painted a dusty gold colour, had angled feet with discs on the bottom and the same style of discs on the drawer handles.  I painted it white and changed the feet and knobs.

The secretaire is in my master bedroom.  I use it to store all my jewellery and bits and pieces. 

 I have lined the drawer and shelves with some pretty paper.

I like that I have pieces of furniture that have a family history and that mean something to me.  I'd like to think that Gran is happy that the desk she sat at for so many hours of her life is still being used and loved.

Sharing my family treasure at

French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday

Perfectly Imperfect - All Things Furniture

My Romantic Home - Show & Tell Friday

Miss Mustard Seed - Furniture Feature Friday

Hiding the Telephone Plug

We have a telephone point for a wall hung phone in our kitchen.  Problem is we no longer have a wall phone.  With the new technology cordless phones you just need a power point.  The phone point has become a very ugly feature of our kitchen.  I kept thinking I'll have to get a technician to relocate it and patch the wall.  Then I found these pretty spoon hooks and was looking for a place to hang them.

Um mm - Why don't I just hang one above the phone point and then I can hide it with a picture frame?  (Moment of brilliance I know!)

I had a spare photo frame, so the only thing left to decide was what picture to put in it.  I wanted something to do with food as it is in the kitchen.  I found this image at The Graphics Fairy.

The Graphics Fairy

I added the words EAT to the bottom of the picture and attached a ribbon loop to the frame and voila - problem solved and some prettiness added to the kitchen.

So this is the ugly phone plug before

and this is after

This cute squirrel nut cracker came back with us from London - we miss the nutty squirrel that used to run across our back fence every morning.

 Enjoy your day.

Home Stories A to Z - Tutorials & Tips Tuesday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Tuesday's Treasures
A Beach Cottage - Good Life Wednesday
Primp - Primp Your Stuff Wednesday
The Graphics Fairy - Brag Monday

It Happens Sometimes

then....

then ...

Later that day I was telling my sister in Melbourne what happened, and bless her, she ran around to Maison Living and bought me another one.

Sale Finds

The July sales are well underway here.  To be honest, I haven't really bothered this year but the other day I had a couple of spare hours before school pick up and I found a few things I really like.

This pitcher was from Bed Bath n' Table and was reduced to $14.95

Then I found this necklace holder.

It was also only $14.  I have seen similar for $50

Finally I found these.

This set of iron keys was $3.  What more can I say?   

Happy shopping

Sharing my finds with

French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday

My Romantic Home - Show & Tell Friday
Faded Charm Cottage - White Wednesday

Tackling the Little Jobs

I always have a list of 'little jobs' that I need to finish which I am forever putting off.  On the weekend I decided to tackle them. 

The curtains in the guest bedroom have been hanging since September last year but I have never gotten around to hanging the tie-backs. I ordered the curtains and tie-backs from Laura Ashley whilst I was in London.  When I got them they just had these little brass rings sewn to the back that would not go over the tie-back hooks I'd bought so I needed to find a way around the problem. 

I simply cut a piece of wire, threaded the crystal beads on and wrapped the ends of the wire around the brass ring.  So now the crystal loop hangs on the curtain tie-back hook and holds the curtains in place.

I have a slight fear of electrical tools. I think I am frightened that I might drill into a water pipe or electricity wire. I normally ask my husband to do the drilling bit, but he was busy studying so I had to face my fear and use the drill to hang the tie-back hooks.

I also need to shorten and rehang the curtain poles.  That involved finding studs, the drill and a saw!

Feeling my confidence grow, I fixed the curtain poles and tie-back hooks in the master bedroom and hung a hook on the back of my en suite door.

I have had this hook sitting in my bedside drawer since December last year.  Why do I procrastinate with the little jobs?

Now I have to face an even bigger challenge.  Using this!

Oh well - at least I have these.

And I did a 'girl' thing and read the operating instructions.