The new coat

of paint was finished last weekend - hooray.  Just look at the difference.  Must admit that the new paint has got a shine, so the old ceiling looks a lot worse in the photo than it was in real life.

 Here are some pictures of the nearly completed room.  Painted and with most of the furniture put back in place.  It still needs ornamenting or dressing though, which bit by bit we are getting done.

You'd have thought I'd manage to close the loo door now wouldn't you.  Doh!!!

 You can see what awful light I have in my sitting room, so the photos are not what I'd like them to be!!!  Did you notice, I don't have any windows.  Only doors.


And now some before and afters, so that you can see the difference.

 I'm really please with how it's turned out.  It's brightened it right up, but doesn't feel cold.  I've gotten rid of the old kitchen light that was hanging in one end of the lounge, just need to find something to hang at the other end now.  

I'm liking it all a bit emptier and won't be returning all the books to the book case, nor all the pictures and vases etc we had dotted about.  I don't have a mantelpiece, which I quite miss for decorating at Christmas time, so am thinking of putting a big chunky shelf above the TV.  The world's biggest and ugliest desk is still in situ, but I also have a cunning plan for that too.  Would make life easier if I had a fat wallet, and could just go rushing off to buy these things at once, but as they are fond of saying around here poco a poco

Linking up to 

His and Hers Painting Guide

Well, in my 20+ years of home ownership, I have learnt something NEW.  Apparently there are two ways to go about painting or redecorating - who knew?!

I have always been of the camp - buy paint, move crap from room to be painted, and cover any big heavy crap furniture.

 
Apply paint and with a damp rag wipe away any bits of paint that that mistakenly attach themselves to plug outlets door frames etc.  This I am now informed is the wrong way.

The right way involves P.R.E.P.A.R.A.T.I.O.N.  It would appear, that to paint properly one has to prepare.  Hence I spent many hours of my life (that I will never get back) yesterday wrapping said outlets, door frames etc in masking tape.

I did try to explain that due to previous paint applications, this might not be the most time effective way of painting - but hey - you've got to pick your battles.

Previous Painting Effort - That escaped the Rag!!!

 Watch this space for the new colour reveal.

In With The New ...

2011 started pretty badly, peaked in the summer and went straight back to crap again in about September, which was when Girlie #2 was first on crutches!

2012 will be about beating my bête noirs, basically getting organised, controlling better my finances and getting fitter.

Problem Areas

Laundry Who'd have guessed it?!

 Fly tipping Mostly in the kitchen and I'm not the only culprit

  

 The Post There must be about 3 or 4 months of unopened post there *sighs*  Obviously, everything that even slightly resembled a Christmas or birthday card has been opened.

 So, that's my lack of organisation revealed.  To help with this, I have signed up with Habit Hacker  Who do not require me to wear lace up shoes, or to be able to see my face in the sink.                                                                                                      

I have also invested in an Organised Mum Planner, which helps us all keep on top of important dates, birthdays etc.

Finances  I've downloaded an app to my mobile that should help me keep note of all my spends.  Look after the pennies and all that

Health I might just accidentally have clicked on to the Coolrunnings C25K website and have it in mind to give up smoking too

Obviously that's all a lot to be going on with, and won't happen overnight.  But, I would like to accomplish these things throughout 2012.

For me, I'd like to learn how to use a sewing machine properly and also get started (and finished) on a lot of the crafty projects I've got buzzing around in my head.  

So, how about you?  Resolutions or revolutions?

Out With The Old

I've been a very busy girl today, this morning my sitting room looked like this 

 

 

And this afternoon it looks like this...

All ready to go out buy paint, painters tape, drop cloths and it's In With The New.

Just looking at these photos, has reminded me, that I need to remove the standard lamp, the lampshades and the clock.  The boy needs to help me with the big unit down the bottom, as it weighs a ton.  I am going to go for a lighter shade of wall this time, as this room is quite dark during the winter months.  A warm creamy colour, not too yellowy is what I'm after.  Well I think so anyway.  The ceiling will be white again and the floor will stay how it is too.

I'd quite like to have a re-arrange of the furniture, but not sure how else I can do it.  

Obviously, nothing has to stay, and I'd like to get rid of the biggest, ugliest desk in the world.  The old kitchen spotlights at the currently TV end of the sitting room are on the bin list too.

Any ideas anyone?

Art - It's only a matter of Location

  Tate Modern

My Spare Room

See what I mean?

Let Battle Comence

So, that's it, all done and dusted for another year. The fridge is still groaning under the weight of uneaten turkey, cheeses, pate and rather surprisingly a vast quantity of alcoholic beverages too. 

The girlies are off with their dad and Nanny has returned to roast on the coast territory to take her "I'm still not senile enough for you to relieve me of my driving license" test. As she probably has to drive there, it's to be hoped that she passes, otherwise I'm not entirely sure how she will get home again!

We all did surprisingly well here in the gift department and here are the girlies modeling the presents sent over from NZ Aunt.

 

Now life carries on and I need to get caught up with the washing, find homes for all the new gifts, stash the decs for next year, and hopefully get the sitting room painted before the girls get back.  Bit by bit though, it can start once I've finished my tin of Quality Street and caught up on some knitting.

Hope you all had a peaceful Christmas x

Gifts I won't be giving this year....

but would love to!

I'd really like to gift one of these to all household members, along with operating instructions.

Source: betterlivingthroughdesign.com via Matthew on Pinterest

Am also thinking of getting all of the dogs one of these

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Tonya on Pinterest

And I can't imagine we'd ever lose the remote again with one of these

Source: amazon.com via Ben on Pinterest

So, how about you.  Anything you'd like to gift, but won't be?