Market Makeover...

After
Before
Well kind of.
When I bought this little beauty some time ago, she was a Maroon shade with a white marble effect...I know! But for $3 how could I not bring her home and give her a makeover?
The first part straight after I bought her was a undercoat in a washed grey to cover the Maroon
...and that's how she stayed...
until yesterday.


There were redeeming features I knew I could work with.
An old travel label.


from the southern part of Tasmania, which has oodles of charm.
and papered inside. Great for paint.
I gave her a few coats of a chalky white paint...everywhere!
Already she is looking amazing.

and as I am using this as display for my covers for the up coming Niche-All Wrapped Up Markets, I wanted it to not overwhelm my products and designs.

So a covering of brown paper was put over the dirty green original paper.
which I then stencilled with a little leaf design I came up with.

I didn't do the bottom of the case of the other sides because once it is filled with my cushions you wont see them. Remember it is a display piece.
I actually like the fact that one of the latches is missing.

and with one of my White Clay Tags hanging from it I think she looks much better now.

I will be using one of my Luggage White Clay Tags on the Market day though.

What a sweet lady she is now.

I feel much better now to be pulling together the ideas I have for my stall and will be starting work on another piece very soon...stay tuned.
So, what do you think?
Ness xx
p.s-You can by my White Clay Tags HERE =0)
all images-me

© Marley&Lockyer 2009-2011

The First Part Of Our Bathroom Makeover...for FREE!

So for those of you that are new to the blog, we have been planning to update our huge old bathroom...and those that have been reading for a while will know how frustrated I am with this room and that I have been hanging to re-do it.

Small, actually huge problem. Because of the size of the space and the fact we have to cut it into 2 rooms means that it is going to cost us way more than originally thought...so, I have devised a no cost plan to makeover this space. It is going to take me a while because I have lots of other projects going on, so bear with me if you will.

This first image is to soften you into the hideousness of this room. It is a little table in front of the window...but more of that at a later post.

Lets get into it.

BEFORE

Ahhhh! U.G.L.Y!! Yep, I am totally embarrassed to show you these before shots. just think, we have lived like this for nearly 7 years! I know.

The bath used to black and I painted it white and the walls were the old fake ranch board stuff (faux wood, you can see it above the white paint at the top) that I also painted white a few years back as I couldn't stand it and we have been so busy doing the rest of the house, that this room was last on the list as we knew it was going to cost a lot. It has been a nightmare keeping the water away from the back of the bath, hence the tacked shower curtain to the wood!

First things first, get rid of the wood wall behind the bath and make it friendly to a little water here and there for the time being..and a thorough cleaning of the wall ready to paint. I used an organic orange oil cleaner designed for bathrooms and the like and made sure to get every speck of it off. Then a light sand as this wall had the orangey glow that only poly coated pine can offer!
Here is the beloved B.I.N that I talked about in the kitchen re-do post. I love this stuff and had some left so I thought I would use it over the pine to stop it bleeding through.

*First free part of the room makeover*

This was actually quite enjoyable as I knew the dreaded orange wood would be gone!

Here is the first coat of B.I.N on and what a difference already! It only took about half an hour to dry...time for a coffee!
This is the paint I used on the kitchen doors. I still had over half a can left, so I thought it is a gloss enamel, I can use this on the wall to help with the water. The colour that I used in the paint is Dulux Chalk USA and is a wonderful warm white, but not a cream. It is also the colour that we have under our chair rail and above our picture rail in the kitchen, living space and hallway.

*This is the second free part of the makeover*

TA DA!!

Second coat of paint went on the next day, as I had other things to do.

SO much better, don't you think?

I had to use the old shower curtain rail for the time being while I hunt down something else for it. I did find a cut work cotton shower curtain on Ebay and I think I have one here I could re fashion into one.

Now, obviously I still have a long way to go and especially when I am spending no money (if I can help it) in this room as we will eventually be doing it properly. I plan to do a little bit every few days to make it a brighter, lighter, nicer looking space.

The next dilemma is what to do with this floor! I want to rip up this linoleum and the cement sheeting underneath to reveal the wide Tasmanian Oak floorboards underneath and paint with the same paint that we have on our floors in the master bedroom, but I will have to get more paint for that and I have some other painting to do first, so I think I will wait until last to do this...and I have to convince Mic to let me do it!!

So, what do you think so far? Do you think I can do this room on virtually no budget using found pieces and things we already have and make it look nice? I may need your help along the way, ok?

Have a wonderful weekend wont you?

Ness xx

Super Woman...

Well that's how I felt this weekend! Even while nursing the flu and and drowning in a monsoonal down pour, I managed to sew like a woman possessed...or a Super Woman. I have managed to catch up on all of my orders and even make new covers and re fill the store. This one above the Tweet cover is a new one and I am planing to have different colourways in this.
I do love this and my Parents are SO happy to see me finally using some of my art work to put on my covers. This is the Screamer cover and features original art work by moi! I done this while in my senior year at High School and it has been in my folder ever since. There will be some more of my art work to come...stay tuned!

The St Tropez cover will be a limited run, but I think it is so great for the warmer months here in Australia or to remind everyone way above the equator of the lovey Summer you just had.

Oh...GUESS WHAT????

My wonderfully connected Uncle Neil has managed to find me this black Bakelite phone for HERE. Click here to see what I am on about!

I don't know how this Man does it, but he is the ultimate Antiques, bargain shopper. If I had my shop up on the Mainland, I would employ him as one of my buyers...along with my Mum!!
OH, AND....

etsy.com

...look what I found yesterday! Remember I have been after a piece of art work for here, well I seen this last night and Mic said "Just buy it"...now normally you would go (supposed to be me) "OK, buying it now", but I looked at the size and it is really long. The dilemma being - where shall I hang it if I get it...but it says 'Ness' in it, how can I let it go? It is too tall to go where I had planned....WHY!!? Why is it when it all seemed to be coming together so perfectly this weekend, that this major find has to throw a spanner in the works? Maybe it's not meant to be.

Any way, I would love to hear what you think of the new covers and I will shut up now!

Ness xx

$5.00 Sideboard is in place....

My bargain $5.00 sideboard is finally in place. This is it's second position, just near the living room. I love this combination of my favourite blue and white jars and this creamy, hand thrown jug and bowl my Sister bought me. I think the pink peonies and twisted willow set it off.

It is an awkward space, beside the back door and under an air conditioning unit.
I thought by putting it here, it would take the emphasis of the overhead unit
...and it does.
The sign was a bargain find at a market...by Mic!!! The lantern was a Christmas gift off my Niece, Heather...thanks chook! I love it.

This was the first place I put it. Next to the big fireplace in the Kitchen...

wasn't to keen on it there. These photos were taken before I painted
the walls Chalk.

A few vintage pieces of mine set it off and it did look nice there, just a bad spot.

Small people kept running trucks into it!

I am happy with it now in it's current spot.

Next I will show you what we did with the living room, post white makeover, but still pre French door makeover. We are getting our front veranda started tomorrow, so stay tuned,

Ness xx

PS- As always, I would love to hear what you think. x