7 Vignettes with the Interiors Addict on Instagram for December was probably my favourite month yet. The themes were creative and there was a definite focus on being festive! Here’s my round up of images -
1.Giving
7. Feast
Merry Christmas all! I’ll be taking a break from blogging, but am hoping to be back into it in February 2014. Happy New Year!
Are there any true coincidences in life? I think not. Do you believe in fate? I do. Serendipity led us here….our new home. 
I spent quite a bit of time constructing this wreath out of the pages of an old music book. Craft is therapy for me and when times are stressful i find it easy to immerse myself in a project. This paper wreath was no expection. I began this project a few weeks ago, when my Mum was in the final stages of brain cancer. I choose this project because i knew it would be meaningful, for her and me. My Mum’s father, my Pop, introduced me to music at a young age and spent time teaching me how to play the organ. The pages for this wreath are from one of Pop’s music books called 101 Hits for Buskers.
You’ll need – paper, double sided tape, glue gun, stapler, cardboard and string.
Step 1. Making the paper cones. Place two strips of double sided tape on the right hand bottom corner of the page, as per the picture. Fold that corner around to form a cone shape, making sure the upper right hand corner is centred and straight.
Step 2. Peel off the cover of the double sided tape and stick the lower right hand corner down. The taped area should be around the back of the cone.
Step 3. Fold up the base of the cone and staple in place. Continue to make paper cones. Make lots! My wreath has approximately 70 cones. You can make your wreath any size you like, but for intensive therapy, i recommend making loads!! You’ll find yourself getting quicker and more accurate as you go along.
I really like that i can see so many of the song titles sticking out the top. LOVE!
Step 4. Alright, when you think you have enough cones you can begin to assemble your wreath. Cut a circle out of stiff cardboard to use as your base. Heat up the trusty old glue gun and start gluing the cones around the edges. 
Step 5. Continue to glue the cones, making sure that each layer sits in between the layer before, so that you can see all the cone points. Fill in each layer until the entire cardboard base is covered. I punched a hole through the base and threaded some string through, so i could attach it to the wall.
Here it is all finished and hung in my creative zone in the office. This has been one of my favourite projects and so extremely meaningful to me. I know Mum would have loved it and now every time i look at it i’ll be reminded of her and Pop. Rest in peace Mum. xo
Here is my round up of 7 Vignettes with the Interiors Addict for November. Head to instagram and search #7vignettes to see the inspiring images for the themes – Holiday, Stack, Hanging, Recipe, Soft, Reflective and Paper. Jayde Leeder from Little Paper Lane is the judge for November and i don’t envy her job. Good Luck!
We attended my brother-in -law’s wedding over the weekend. I needed a card for them and knowing the couple to be completely down to earth and relaxed, i wanted the card to suit them. It is no secret that i am a fan of washi tape. Who isn’t? Its uses are limitless. Just search ‘washi tape’ on Pinterest, i dare you, and see the massive number of creative projects that people all over the world have completed.
My card is simple but effective and easy to make. You’ll need -
1. cardboard
2. kraft blackboard heart (or another heart as a template)
3. pencil
4. assorted washi tapes
5. scissors
Step 1 – trace around the heart template so you have an outline on your card.
Step 2 – stick lengths of washi tape to the heart template. Don’t stick them down too hard because you will need to be able to lift the pieces of washi tape off easily. Keep sticking until the heart is completely covered.
Step 3 - carefully cut off the overlapping bits of washi tape.
Your heart template should look like this.
Step 4 – Once your heart is covered, very carefully remove the pieces of washi tape and attach them to your card using the pencil outline as a guide.
It is easiest to start in the middle of the heart. Place your first two strips of washi tape in the centre.
And here is the card complete.
And finally, here it is all wrapped up with a bit more washi tape and string. I used the kraft chalkboard heart as a tag, which echoes the theme of the card inside.
The wedding itself was nothing short of stunning! Check out the lantern lit tent where we dined on delicious, simple and hearty food. And finally, a pic of the gorgeous couple. Congrats! xo
Why wouldn’t you visit Millthorpe? Millthorpe is located between Orange and Blayney, in country New South Wales. It is a gorgeous little village classified by the National Trust. With a stunning backdrop of gently rolling hills and Mount Canobolas, you really do feel like you have stepped into another time, with ornate heritage buildings, cobblestone roads and veranda lined streets. A destination where you can truly escape from the stress and worries of life – unwind, relax, refresh!
There are so many entertainment, food and shopping options to be found in Millthorpe. Fine dining, boutiques, cafes, antiques and wine tasting are all just steps away. Of course, you may decide to do nothing at all. Only 3.5 hours from Sydney and Canberra it is ideally situated for a weekend away. The RedAgape Guesthouse itself is literally steps from Millthorpe’s main street Pym, which means an easy walk home after dinner and wine.
Millthorpe is close to local wineries, Orange and other historic towns like Carcoar and Blayney, which means your options for entertainment are endless. It all depends on how you wish to spend your time. The choice is yours. And where to stay? RedAgape Guesthouse is the perfect choice. 
While I was painting the parlour at RedAgape last week, I remembered that I hate painting! I painted the entire inside of my home a few years ago, and I swore I’d never do it again. I guess, like childbirth, the pain of it disappeared quickly and my promise to never paint again was forgotten. The pain of it started to return when i began preparing the parlour for its makeover. The prepping and cleaning time involved with painting is easily equal to the time spent actually painting. Prepping is very important, crucial really, and it’s a big part of why I hate painting. The taping up of skirts, doorways and windows, as well as covering furniture and floors, is super time consuming.
Here are my top tips for painting -
1. If you can afford it, hire a painter to do the job for you. No, i’m not joking. 
2. If you choose to paint yourself, prepping is crucial for a quality finish and less mess. Use drop sheets and take the time to tape up properly.
3. Don’t paint at night, especially dark colours. After an undercoat and two coats of navy I thought I was finished. Unfortunately, the next day in the morning light I could see a few patchy areas and I knew another coat was needed.
4. Use a cutting in tool for the edges. This saves soooo much time and gives a nice clean edge. I used one of these when I painted years ago, but I forgot this time around. I used it for the final coat and i was kicking myself for not using it sooner.
5. Wear old clothes and a head scarf. I’m still picking blue paint out of my hair five days after the final coat.
Okay – whinging over. As much as I dislike painting I do love how paint can completely transform a room. I love the new colour in the parlour. It really feels like it was always meant to be a dark and cozy room. I’m planning on adding more wall decor behind the lounge, but for now I’m completely happy with the outcome. Not to mention, just plain thrilled I’m finished.
I really love the gold wall decor against the dark navy. There were so many beautiful rooms on pinterest that used the gold and navy combination. You can see other rooms here. I’m going to add more wall decor behind the chesterfield (as i find treasures) to create a wall display.
This old gold framed convex mirror is definitely one of my favourite things in the room. I love the way it reflects the opposite side of the room almost in entirety. 
I was pleasantly surprised with how the chesterfield looked against the dark navy. I think they compliment each other nicely. With the gas fire now installed the parlour is now a cozy and inviting room to relax in during the evening.
I’ve been finding some great inspiration for painting dark walls on Pinterest lately! I stumbled across some inspiring images by accident one day, when i was looking at wall displays. I was instantly drawn to the rooms that had navy covering their walls….and no, not one feature wall, but the entire room painted in dark blue. The parlour at RedAgape Guesthouse is the smallest living area and struggles to get natural light, so while i thought it would be a good candidate for navy walls, i was worried it might close it in even further. I wasn’t keen to start painting until i was sure.
Then, browsing through Megan Morton’s book, Home Love, i stumbled across this page dedicated to night time living rooms. She writes about how some rooms are morning rooms or night time rooms. My parlour is definitely a night time room. It’s a room where you want to cosy up in the evening by the fire with a good book and a wine in hand. Or as Megan Morton describes, “some rooms are born for serving whiskey sour, playing backgammon and reading Keats“. The helpful information on this single page of her book gave me the final bit of confidence to commit to a makeover for the parlour.
The first thing to do was get a gas fire installed in the fireplace. I didn’t want guests to fuss around with firelighters and wood during their stay and gas fires are the next best thing, plus so very easy to use. This is the parlour getting a nice new gas fire installed. I know, it looks a little scary, but i can assure you everything is now back in place.
With the fireplace installed, i headed to the paint shop for some samples. I grabbed four sample pots of varying navy as you can never quite tell what the paint will look like on your wall and i didn’t want to mess it up. I settled on Dulux Harpoon…..a lovely deep shade of navy. If you check out my Navy Wall Inspiration board on Pinterest you’ll understand why i have this gold frame against the wall. So many of the beautiful navy rooms have gold accents which look amazing again their dark walls.
These golden beauties i found in Peak Hill, at two different antique shops. I adore vintage gold frames, as you can see from the gold frames on the wall in the reflection. This painting caught my eye instantly and the round convex mirror will look gorgeous hanging nearby. I’m still searching for some more gold wall adornments as they will look gorgeous on my navy walls. Stay tuned!!
Like all good design projects, #7vignettes quickly becomes all consuming, intoxicating, and borderline obsessive. And of course, wickedly fun..
Jacinta Preston – #7 Vignettes judge for September
The themes for 7 Vignettes seem to get more challenging each month. Jen Bishop, from the Interiors Addict, has a creative mind….no question. I considered not playing along this month, but it’s impossible to watch all the creative entries coming up in my instagram feed and not want to join in. Here are my entries for September.
The entries for 7 vignettes are truly inspiring and creative. Such an incredible bunch of talented ladies….and a few men. Next month i’m aiming for a more minimal approach. I’m going to try to keep my vignettes as simple as possible. Well, that’s the plan anyway….
Please feel welcome to follow me on Instagram and join in the 7 Vignettes fun!!
Last week I was lucky enough to come across this old underwood typewriter in a secondhand store. I’ve admired so many online before, but they are almost impossible to freight because they are so very heavy. Local pickup is the only way to get your hands on one. I was surprised when I saw this one in an unassuming secondhand store at such a cheap price. I’ve seen them priced over five times what I paid, so I was doubly thrilled with this latest vintage find.
This Irish guard’s jacket has been a part of the guesthouse for a while now. It hangs proudly on one of the antique mannequins in the parlour. It’s a gorgeous shade of red and according to the label at the collar, it once belonged to an Irish Guard named Lieutenant Stacpoole.
The detail on the jacket is amazing. It has beautiful braiding, appliqué and piping on the sleeves, collar and tails. And is accented by brassy, gold buttons. It may look pretty, but it clearly has been made to protect the guards from the coldest of weather. It is so heavily quilted that even the strongest of guards would have felt weighed down…..warm, but weighed down.
This pretty little bird plate is yet to find a home at RedAgape. I picked it up at an antique shop in the blue mountains. I don’t think it’s worth anything, but the colours caught my eye! It should be a nice match for the living room.
Finally, it was a little bit exciting to have one of my instagram pictures featured in Sunday Style, the pull out in the Sunday Telegraph! Please follow me on instagram to see more of my pictures. Have a good week!!
