Bits & Bobs....again!

 My blog has definitely been neglected lately. Just been Busy. Busy. Busy!

It seems that when I do have time to post, it's a 'catch-up' of all the Bits & Bobs that have been happening....anyways, here's another...

1. A visit to my parents on Sunday became a belated, surprise family celebration of David and my 50th birthdays. Mum, my daughter S and sister LL went all out. Very special.

2. The Tree is up, the lights in place and a gold tree skirt circa 1984 (!) was de-moth-balled!  Decoration next...

3. My new tree from The Twig in Terrigal has acquired its Uashmama bottom, as posted HERE. Wish I'd bought the XL size....the large is not quite big enough to scrunch properly. I had planned this as the Christmas table centrepiece but it's too big. Perfect though for the new entertainment unit!

4 & 5. More Christmas pressies. Rachael Ruddick Como leather clutch on sale for $230 $139! Triple J compilation and another male gift ticked off! Yee Ha! Only a few now to go! 

6. Too-good-to-be-true, authentic Prada clutch from U.S retailer. Yup, saw me coming... Eeeek!

7 & 8. Been busy eBaying J's outgrown toys. End of an era. *sob*

9. Etsy purchase. Similar to advert. Bought knowingly faux. Love it anyhow!

x KL

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christmas wrap-up!

Well, I've wrapped my first Christmas gift for 2013! Woo Hoo!

The stunning paper is from The Wrapping Paper Company, which I promise to tell you more about later. I wanted to test the wrapping and hide this pressie pronto. It's for a girlfriend and I'm SO excited with it.

Every year I have 'hit' & 'miss' gifts. Some people are just easy to buy for or a stroke of genius occurs and the perfect present materialises. Other people (mostly males!) are much more difficult and, ashamed as I am to admit it, often receive a present bought in haste desperation!

Does this happen to you?

Anywho, two of my girlfriends get Da bomb - gift wise this year. I think they peep this here bloggy so I'll share after the big day....but I can tell you now about THE wrapping! LOL!

It all started with the idea of re-introducing a decade-old banishment of gold into my interiors.

Adding it to this year's Christmas theme was par for the course. Then I found those Karen Walker spotted mugs and napkins at Myer. *sigh*

Which led me to thinking about Christmas Wrap and my aversion to the tiny-quantity, put-your-finger-through-it types on offer for a gazillion bucks. Grrr. Many a Christmas Eve the last presents wrapped were done so in a kaleidoscope of previous-year's remnants! Eeeek!

So I went on a gold paper hunt and guess what? Zilch! (Prediction: Gold will be huge Xmas 2014!)

Enter my super-hero: Mr Google!

The Brown Trading Co. provided some gorgeous gold, confetti and trellis wrap inspiration. But with a big family, buying it per sheet was a bit exy. Then I stumbled upon the aforementioned site of The Wrapping Paper Company.

Images used with permission: The Wrapping Paper Company

These guys do it all from design to print; wrapping papers, gift tags, belli-bands and gift seals. All Australian made too! Especially designed for Retailers, Online Businesses & Corporate bulk complimentary gift wrapping, this Wholesale Priced website has prices that include GST and Delivery Australia Wide. The minimum order value is $100.

After agonising over the plethora of options, I chose a gold highlighted design called Japanese Blossom Red because both my daughters are returning to Japan for another holiday in February and because it is suitable for use all year through. I also purchased a plain gloss white as a year-round go-to!

Having now received and tested the paper, I will vouch for it's high quality!

I'll note here that this is not a sponsored post: I'm too little for that. I just am enthusiastic about this product and like sharing with others my good finds! 

And I'm reassured that those last-minute, hastily bought and wrapped gifts will look fantastic this year!!!!

 Yee Ha!

x KL

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Christmas Theming....

I've made a final decision for my Christmas theme this year; White + Silver + Gold.

It wasn't really a conscious thought process, more an organic one, an acknowledgment that I was constantly being drawn to images and products in black and white tones with metalics! 

Like these....

When the latest issue of Real Living Magazine materialised in my letterbox sporting these colours on it's cover (row three, middle), it cemented the idea!

I'd love to use my Black Christmas Tree again (circa 2010) but after the children's (yes, the adult ones too) horrēre and previously documented tantrums, I'll use the traditional green version as a base this season. So, here's where my plans are at ATM:

1. This sparkly silver tree from a small local store in Terrigal will be the table centre-piece decorated with crystal, gold and white.

2. I'll get the first use (of many) from recently purchased West Elm gold cutlery.

3. The tree base in #1 is icky so I'm planning on hiding it in a large Uashmama gold / white bag.

4.5.6. Designer, Karen Walker home wares for Myer!!! GORGEOUS! Just thinking about serving a scrumptious desert in these gold-rimmed champagne coupes. ? Gold, confetti spotted napkins are a definite, whilst the polka dot mugs would be perfect Christmas morning scene-setters (perhaps from Santa?)!

It's S' 24th birthday tomorrow and we will celebrate it with her this weekend. I'm hoping I can convince the troups, when gathered, to help with the tree decoration too....wish me luck!

x KL

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bits and bobs....

O.K! sooooo, I've had some eBay hit 'n misses of late. The Foo Dogs in the middle image are definitely those that were advertised (Left) and which I received. But their size, as seen in this wee  re-styled space shows it pays to read-the details; importantly, the dimensions!!!!

Like wise my cheap-from-China, necklaces-to-be-turned-into-Christmas-Decorations! The mini pearl encrusted bags (eBay image, left) were dirty bronze (eeek!see middle pic) but the parfum bottles and duck posted about HERE were gorgeous! Still waiting for three little soldiers to arrive....

In better news, love my new mani / pedi combo....hopefully I'll get a few days out of the pretty nail colour 'cause I'm sooo rough! 

Had my hair cut and coloured too, and for once am happy with it; a rare event! 

These treats coincide with a fix-me attitude ATM. Booked waaay overdue (Shhhh...don't tell Mum!) visits to my cardiologist and endocrinologist. Have had lots of blood taken and have received an urgent call back. Eeeek! Mammogram booked as is a skin-cancer check. Have had a colonoscopy and endoscopy. My optometrist prescribed new glasses. Have sparkling clean toothy-pegs! Sleep clinic next week!

Not much left to prod or pull, I've gotta tell ya!

J co-incidentilly brought home a gorgeous little multi-coloured 'worry doll' from school. L.O.V.E. He made it from an old wooden peg and cotton tip and I decided to frame it. I used an A4 brush-out of his bedroom-to-be wall colour; Dulux Red Box, super glued the little figure to it and popped it into an IKEA Ribba box frame. Too easy and cute!

Played around in the main bathroom, zhushing some bits and pieces....Love the pop of colour this Missoni hand towel brings to the room!

  Have sorted all the DVD's, Blu-Ray, X-box, PS2, PS3 and Wii discs into plastic tubs inside the new entertainment unit. Whew! 

I couldn't get the clear tubs I was after but these coloured ones do the job!

And....drum-roll....the Guest Bed, ensuite vanity is in! Stone top and all!

Some more tiling to be done, a bit of stylin' and another room will be complete! Yee Hah!

Christmas seems to be approaching like an out-of-control, run-away train so I'm going to concentrate on that next...

 

x KL

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x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback! If you enjoy my ramblings, perhaps consider following by Email, Bloglovin' or Google+. Join this site via Google Friend's Connect so I can follow you too!

The NEW twister!

 This is how 50 year-old men amuse themselves at 3 am at a birthday party.

They attempt to collapse a Pop-up tent. 

Twister for adults. Soooo funny!

x KL 

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Infrared Control (IR)

When I told friends about my entertainment unit design, many queried my specification of solid doors. Doors were chosen over drawers for the storage sections only to save cost. I then went for uniform door material for aesthetics. This raised the question regarding the use of remotes through solid doors and I thought I'd share with you a clever little device called Infrared Control (IR).

David 'discovered' this nifty item to solve the same remote use problem in our last house, pictured above (sorry for the very dark, dodgy picture!). We installed all the T.V.  and stereo equipment behind a section of wall with a 'hidden' door to access it, leaving us with remote operation difficulties.

Enter the IR!

Popping an IR Target discreetly into the wall means you can operate all that hidden equipment without having the doors covering them open. Renting? Hide it in a pot plant!

 I'm no boffin so if you're interested, read this great article HERE which explains all the details and further benefits of the system. (Like operating your gear from another room!)

Problem solved! Yee Ha!

x KL

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Custom Entertainment Unit

Today David installed our custom made entertainment unit. After a bit of debate, we decided to wall mount it as originally intended. We concluded that wall mounting was faster, easier to clean underneath and could be achieved within a few hours. There are more deets HERE if you're interested in the prequel to today's action!

First up, we had to decide on it's position...The first picture below shows the height I had planned but it looked too high in reality so I then considered putting it on a plinth. 

We then decided to wall hang it just above the (still be fitted) skirting board, about 150 mm off the floor.

Ta Dah!!!

I'll be ordering a Ceasarstone 20 mm stone top on Monday, now I have exact measurements.

Can't wait to finally get the A/V paraphernalia hidden away and tidied up.

BEFORE and AFTER!

 Poor Davey now has the joy of sorting out and reconnecting the tangle of cables...and I can hear some mumbled expletives. Hope all the equipment fits and I measured correctly! Eeeek!
 I better make him a restorative cuppa . . .

Will post finished pictures soon!

x KL 

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback! If you enjoy my ramblings, perhaps consider following by Email, Bloglovin' or Google+. Join this site via Google Friend's Connect so I can follow you too!