Seeing Red!

Gorgeous isn't it! I've been seeing red a lot this week, literally and metaphorically. Who'd have thought such a gorgeous colour could ruin my week.

It all started with a can of red paint called 'Autumn Rust' destined for above the picture rail of my kitchen lounge area and if lucky, a little below the picture rail as well.... I know that was back in January when I painted up the sample to get a feel for the colour and if we liked it or not. Well I've taken some time off work to finish as much of our long overdue renovations as possible. We've had enough and have paid the deposit to start building a new house.

Crack the lid, lets get into it. Hmmm... My 'Autumn Rust' looked strangely bubbly. Lets pour a little into the paint tray.... Bubbly? Let's rephrase that... more like Cappuccino Froth? Let's roll a little onto the wall.... Arr, That can't be right. Where are all the bubbles surfacing from and why? OK Coffee Break! Lets phone the Customer Service Number on the can.

Yes sir... I'm following the directions...

Yes sir... We've heated the room to the desired temperature.

Prepping... Yep done that too and used the Grey Undercoat recommended...

Was the can shaken when originally mixed at the store? Yes sir (raised eyebrow, duh! who uses a stick these days?)

OK well the store must have frothed your paint by over shaking it, that colour should be hand stirred...you'll have to let it sit for few days to settle out then try using it again.

What the! A couple of days! Yeah right. This jobs been put off for months, I'm not waiting a few more days. Did I mention the chunks of rust inside the can? Perhaps the quality of the paint has deteriorated. It was an old can after all.

And what about what's on the wall already??????? Let it dry and then sand off. Arrrrrrrrrrrggggghh! Looks Good doesn't it....NOT! Back to the store....

Over the course of almost a week this became several visits back to the store (and others). Several visits included several cans of paint and several attempts for the same red using different brands of paint only lead to a very frustrating and disappointing week. That's the problem with using a colour that requires a neutral base as opposed to a 'True Red' base. You don't have too many options with other brands. The paint appeared to be 'off' somehow with the dye separating from the neutral base and causing the blistering effect no matter what technique was used. My options were to wait for the Rep to turn up and inspect the paint... Order more cans of Neutral base to try (at least a week wait)... or change colour and brand.

Stuff it, I'm not waiting any longer. Give me that Dulux 'Red Box'. That should be red enough for me! Just hope it's not too red for hubby!!!! LOL.

Well tonight we finished the painting and although I'm not that thrilled with the Antique White chosen for the lower wall and ceiling (it's a bit too yellow for me) the red is 'bloody' awesome against the kitchen. And hubby thinks it's pretty nice too.

Next job is to complete the installation of the top kitchen capping and paint the top coat enamel around the window surrounds. Then get the timber floor sanded and sealed.... hang some window furnishings... a few pictures on the wall...

February's follies

Over the past few days I've been busy spending quality time at school with my two girls, assisting in their classrooms and helping them adjust back into their school routine. The day was destined to be pretty warm but started out very overcast and gloomy. I didn't plan to stay at school and had full intentions of going home to spend quality time on me, relaxing, posting blogs and surfing for quilt ideas. But I hung around to help settle them in and before I knew it, it was 3:30pm.

While I sat with the kids over lunch one of the boys who had gobbled up his vegemite sandwich and was eyeing off my daughters 2 minute noodles. The kids like to eat them raw as a snack, with or without the flavouring sprinkled over them. I had to go down the street to get my own lunch so I offered to buy him some. The order quickly became more packets for other mates. Whilst in the supermarket icy poles were on special and since the temp has risen decided a packet of 20 was a nice treat for their hard work and good behaviour. Come hand out time and it was like having hot chips at the beach and being surrounded by screaching seagulls, all swabbling for some scraps. Kids are so funny with some trying their best to trick me into giving them one. I had a great day helping them out and have put this on my must do more of list for 2008.


January Jobs update...
I did get the BBQ finished and although she's not the newest and flashest model, we were so pleased to have her back in action. And like all good friends, having her back was almost like she'd never left us. It felt really good. The BBQ was a wedding present given to us by my side of the family and was pretty flash back then (10 years ago) with it's wok burner. Considering I've only used that part once or twice, who needs a big fancy BBQ with all the bells and whistles.


As you can see hubby was extremely pleased and grateful for it's return. The timber's been sanded and oiled, the gas hoses replaced and everything painted and rust proofed. To complete this little job and to protect my hard work I even bought it a rain coat. Here's to many more good aussie BBQ's in the future!

Hmmm... finish painting the tin fence should be on Februarys list! But I won't be too over ambitious with feb's list as I'II be returning to work next week. That should put a slow to the job completions around here.

January's Jobs

• BBQ - Almost There!
• Quilt Frame - Just waiting for the paint to dry
• Baste Quilts - Haven't started yet. Just waiting for the paint to dry
• Plastering - got side tracked and plastered the kitchen instead. I consider this an exchange. Will tackle the Laundry in February instead.

We've had such nice weather the past three days just ideal for painting. So that promise I made to the whole wide world that I would acheive a few things by the end of January is well underway. I'm just so pleased with myself. Let me show you a few pics...

Here we have a rather elegant quartet of solid maple quilting legs, lightly coated in a rather disgraceful cocktail of dust, cobwebs, bird poo and fly droppings. The master craftsman responsible for their lovely appearance would be horrified that I let them sit for so long. I wanted to create a simple adjustable quilting frame, but wasn't happy with their very plain appearance so I decided they needed a touch of decorative moulding around the base? Good idea Josephine, but in my haste I bought the wrong size moulding and it was too big for my saw. Crap! Time to pull out a favour. My woodworking friend... let's call him Mr Perfectionist, happily abilged and returned to me four beautiful legs with just the right nip and tuck here and there. The detail is lovely. Thank you D.

I have two quilt tops waiting for this project to be finished and I refuse to start any more until they're done. Unfortunately my stash just keeps growing with potential projects and must have purchases and it'll be grounds for divorce if it continues much longer... never mind the fact that at the rate I've been going, my two girls will be lucky to receive their baby quilts by thier 21st birthdays! As a quilter, I'm a complete disgrace when it comes to finishing things. Recap... That last line may as well apply to most things in my life. Oh but that's right... I'm attemping to fix that. See...

Four beautifully oiled, three coats (8 hours dry time between coats) each coat lovingly sanded with 400 grit wet and dry paper and wiped smooth just as the instructions detailed. They must rest for a week to fully harden, so unfortunately I can't finish the rails until then. I just need to staple calico to each four rails so that my quilts can be pinned and pulled square (or not) to finish. It looks like I may not achieve basting my quilts by end Jan after all.

But I will have the BBQ finished. Tomorrow in fact! (which will actually be today now that I've looked at the clock) Just after I make a quick dash to Bunnings for two spacers and some leather washers that I lost in the grass today, I mean yesterday. That's the only thing stopping me from putting it back together. So tomorrow, i mean today, let me show you how I turned this pile of crap (destined for the tip on the trailer) back into our once loved BBQ!

6 days old (So cute!)

Today was the very first day that the girls were able to have a hold of their beautiful bunny babes. They were so excited, right up until they we'd all over them. It was at this stage I realised this probably wasn't a good move. I'm not fussed about the girls change of clothes or extra washing, but more the fact that little babes such as these are toileted by their mother (stimulated to go to the toilet) normally at feed time. And as a mother rabbit only feeds them once a day, their little full bladders most likely assist in keeping their little bodies warm throughout the day until their next feed. The day is rather chilly, not the sort of day these little babes need to be struggling to keep warm . We've had good steady rain for the past two nights. I even pulled up my bedspread over my doona last night. I'd love to bring them all inside, but I know this would not please hubby, who's not fond of our ever increasing back yard population.
But this is how I grew up and I don't mind looking after them all. Kids need pets and it's a great way to learn about the birds and the bees, responsibility and although sad, even death.
Yesterday I decide to give their bedding a little clean up even though Angel has been a great little house keeper since their arrival. I found, stashed in the opposite corner to the nest another little bunny, obviously still born or had died soon after birth. Angel had cleaned up and buried it. She had 5 babes in total. This little one I believe would have been completely grey or ginger just like Angel and weighed 22 grams. The smallest live bunny was 21 grams. The girls were disappointed and had a little burial under the orange tree to say goodbye.
We haven't named any of them yet or checked to see which are girls or boys. Plenty of time for that. All are growing just fine.

Phew! I'm Plastered!

Well you know those goals I set... I made a great start but as usual got a little side tracked. I believe the original intent was to complete the plaster cornice in the laundry, a potentially simple not too difficult task cutting 45's and squaring corners. HA! too easy... so I bypassed that room and started in the kitchen instead where the level of difficulty far outweighed my capabilities.

There were 45's and 30's, internals and externals, stopped ends and corners which butted up to existing old cornice to match. After much swearing and cursing, followed by another trip to the plaster store for an upgrade to my plaster miter box... we have success. Rather rough success, but success all the same.

After a sand, perhaps a little more filling and some paint, know one will ever know it was tackled by a complete (tight arse) renovator amateur.

It does look pretty rough like this, pre-sanding, doesn't it? You know it took me all day, inbetween childrens demands and food requests? Probably would have taken a professional one hour. I'm such a tight arse. The cornice only cost me $13.50 and I didn't fancy paying several hundreds for some bloke to whack it up and overcharge me being I'm just a woman. As they generally do round here. Well next time... this little woman is going to ring a professional. After the laundry that is... then we'll get a builder to totally build our next house.

No more renovating for this little duck. Hubby duck didn't take to it like you know what to water very well. I've had my fun, time to clean up the brushes and hang up the hammer... sanity and a secure marriage is a far happier place to be.

Did you like the colour sample I'm test driving? It's called Autumn Rust by Taubman Paints. At this time of night it's a gorgeous rich red whilst other times of the day or on the opposite side of the room it becomes a rusty brown. It's growing on hubby who's always cautious of my bold colour ideas. He's just not good at visualisation.

I better be visualising some sleep in the not too distant future... got to get up and play lawn bowls in the morning.

Bunny Love

I forgot to mention yesterdays surprise. Four beautiful little baggy skinned wobbly baby bunnies in the hutch bedding. I knew there was a possibility that Angel (a ginger hymalayian lop ear) was 'with bunny' but not sure exactly when. Last week we had a couple of stinking hot days 42 deg C so Angel was in a different run with more space and lots of shade. She was extremely happy to be back in her hutch and immediately started ripping out great chunks of fur for nest building. 2 days later this little bundle was found.

The nest contains two black rabbits and two white and grey or black mottled babes just like their dad 'Floppy', a dwarf lop eared bun. All have been weighed, tipping the scales at 33 grams with the girls eager to watch and record their progress. This explains Angels severe case of PMS and bad behaviour!

Where does the time go?

Where on earth did it go? I know I haven't used it all up so someone else must be! I still have a list as long as my arm of jobs to do, quilts to start... ahhh... quilts to finish and where did that bit of 'Me' time go. My time managment skills are slowly slipping away as is my enthusiasm for life which currently fits into the pointless category.

This year is going to be the year of change. I'm not going to make any new years resolutions... I won't make promises I can't keep, but I do intend to discover something new and vibrant, exciting and uplifting.. something that will make me look back on 2008 and think... What a Fantastic year it's been!

I guess I'II need a few goals and a couple of simple jobs that shaould have been finished eons ago that will give me that sense of accomplishment once ticked off.

• Put the BBQ back together. Some three winters ago our BBQ (a great wedding present) was starting to look a bit shabby. The timber was dry and some rust was starting to appear, so I thought I'd pull it apart and give it a spruce up for the coming summer. Good idea 99.. I made a good start, but time laying about the shed has undone those good deeds. Time to get out the sander and wire brush and finish it. The smell of BBQ's cooking in some not to distance backyard is just torture.
• Stain and Danish Oil my Maple Quilting Frame. I love to quilt, I just don't have the time or space available to do it. But that's another excuse that I have to overcome this year. About five years ago I started making a quilting frame to stretch out and layer my quilt tops, wool wadding and backs. I like big quilts generally. I had finished the tops for both of my girls quilts and was excited to start hand quilting. Problem is, after using a quilting frame previously to assist stretching out someone elses quilt top I was determine that this was the only way to go. They're still tops and the quilt frame has been a day away from being finished since then. I just need to purchase a decent staple gun to finish the job.
• Baste Quilt Tops. Once the frame's finished the top's can be basted and then I can start hand quilting each night once the kids are in bed. Peace and quiet!
• Plaster and paint the Laundry. I've nearly finished the bathroom - that took four days last week. Plastering and paint is done, just needs a new window, mirrored cabinet, new external door including frame and new internal door hung to finish. I'II leave those bits up to the brother in law's building skills. The Laundry is a cupboard style quite a bit smaller than the bathroom (actually used to be the toilet). The plaster cornice needs to be cut and fixed, then sanded and prepped for painting. Shouldn't take long, probably 2-3 days from start to finish inclusive of drying times. Once that's done the professionals will come in and install an automatic roller shutter for the door. Being that it's in a main hallway, outward doors would have cause more problems than they worth and there's no walls for sliding cavity doors to disappear into. Should be nice in the end.

Now that should do it for now... Start small and aim high. Fingers crossed I get this all done by the end of January! LMAO! Unfortunately I'm deadly serious.

Stay tuned for Februarys Goals!