Rainy day inspiration...

Love this stripe rug and round table combo...

perfection...

literally obsessed with everything at Mrs Darcy...

Gloss Black Front Door...

cute everything!

love the detail on these cabinets...

Deck is done... well almost :-)

On the weekend the boys managed to get 99% of the deck on.  Here's some pics:

We chose to put down Hardwood Kwila (Merbau) Hardwood Timber Decking, I am planning to stain this very dark so wasn't too concerned about the colour but surprisingly am quite happy with it all the same.  During the week the concretors and blocky's have been back to finish the last little details and Kimba (our painter/no more gapper) gapped another room - Jeff says it's about time I became familiar with a gapping gun??? I'm not sure how long I'll last but keen to give it a go :-)

Block Work Complete, Bathroom Vanities Chosen...

So happy that the Block Work was finished today, this means we can get started on the battening... right after J has finished the deck - poor guy :-(

I also drove to the Recollections Warehouse early this morning to choose the vanities they had brought in for me - I ended up going with the "Sorrento and the "Casual Elements" - very excited!

Sorrento Vanity

Casual Elements

I am going to put the Sorrento in the main bathroom with the Claw Foot Bath with one of these two wallpapers:

Cath Kidston - Wild Rose

Oiseaux et Fleurs - Porcelain

 

 

The other wallpaper I will likely use in the Walk in Wardrobe or Dinning Room... I am also keen to have wainscoting put on the walls like this:

 Not sure if I should get the exact wallpaper used above as it is also very pretty! Decisions, Decisions.... Finally we went to Masters for the first time this weekend and I have to say I was very very impressed.  They sell Laura Ashley Wallpaper, a full range of electrical equipment that are brands you have heard of and many more great products that Bunnings have not! Anyhow we picked up a few pots mainly for the front entrance - getting a little ahead of ourselves I know but they were so cheap I couldn't risk them selling out and missing out, here's a pic:

BARGAIN at $49.95 each :-)

Progress...

Still a little jet lagged from our crazy whirlwind holiday that I swear I need a holiday to recover from :-/ but we are all very happy to be home sweet home!!! While we were away Dad took the reins and stepped up at site foreman, he got a lot accomplished including emptying out the beer fridge! Aaron and Dad managed to fix the concrete around the footings that was a little damaged from the removal of the brick walls and installation of the stumps.  As well as this they managed to coordinate a blocky, excavator and bob cat to block in the retaining walls around the slab and remove the last of the concrete from the back yard (another 3 HUGE skips full).  Now we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel - to downstairs anyhow!

Here's some pics:

Jeff and the boys hard at work

Some of the new block work...

Oh and no more front fence :-)

Hoping to create a look similar to this under the front verandah - want to tile the landing in black and white tiles just like this:

so amazing!!!

Have I mentioned how much I love IKEA lately???...

Hudson and I had a quick run to IKEA today while Daddy was busy working on the house.  Everything is crazy at the moment because we leave for Hong Kong and Bangkok tomorrow night so madly trying to get all my work done and tie up all those loose ends! Anyhow I managed to pick up a set of these curtains:

 just like the ones in my dream home...

They are only $30 - such a bargain!!! I also picked up these bedspreads yesterday at Harbor Town for 90% off... they are from Pip Studio:

AND..... I also got the BARGAIN of the day this butlers sink from IKEA for only $107 - it was in the AS IS section at 75% off because it is missing hardware but I called our Kitchen Cabinet Maker Extraordinaire (aka Alan) and he said it was no worries :-) So excited!!!

Totally cleaned up at the Brown Trading Company Sale....

Very excited about my new cushions and table clothes from The Brown Trading Company they had a sale during the week and I went a little bit crazy... I couldn't help myself everything is so amazing and the prices were so good! They just scream summer - this is what I got....

Both the Blue & Pink Cushion plus some of the blue material to make a blind

this cushion - i am OBSESSED with Blue & White at the moment

this cushion for Hudson's Room

...and this tablecloth.

These are some pics from their website.... now on the hunt for a cane chair setting just like this that I can paint white! Amazing!!!

Progress....

We have been very busy the last couple of weeks celebrating Birthdays, Father's Day and planning our overseas trip that is fast approaching.  It has been difficult to find the time to work on the house and keep the momentum going, but today Jeff managed to install some joists in the void that will soon be a complete deck once more! The previous owners cut a large hole in the deck to install internal stairs - we hope to restore the deck and front stairs to what they were originally - this includes an amazing and ridiculously expensive set of Butterfly stairs - Can't wait :-)

Here's some pics from the last week...

My beloved Nanny at her 80th Birthday Party & her new car 

Hudson and J on Fathers Day 

Gotta LOVE open mouth kisses :-/

2 of the cutest boys in Brisbane!!!

Birthday Girl and me...

J's handy work - new joists

The deck itself should be going on this weekend