The Janelle Wind Collection

I {heart} vintage sheets...

I have a real LOVE of vintage sheets and was SO excited to be able to use one of my most favourite sheets this weekend. You see, my need for storage drove me to think outside the square a lot when moving back to this house.

I decided that I would use my BIG bookcase as a linen cupboard,  but I didn't want everyone looking at all of my folded linen, so planned to make a white fabric curtain. As time went on I decided I really wanted to add colour, so decided to make the curtain from a vintage sheet.

It took NO time at all and I didn't even cut the sheet at all, just folded about 7 inches to the wrong side, stitched two rows of straight stitching and threaded to stretchy curtain stuff though and 'presto' one pretty neat curtain (if I do say so myself LOL).

This 'new' linen cupboard sits outside the bathroom in our dining room. I LOVE that you can see hints of the baskets and curtain in the mirrors in the hallway too.

And for fun I thought I would show you the whole dining room, before and after. This is what the back sun room / now dining room looked like 2 years ago when we moved out.

And today after I finished adding my curtain...

The baskets at the top of the book case were from a budget store here in Australia, called 'The Reject Shop' and were about $10 each and the vintage sheet was a gift from a relative, so another budget makeover that was definitely within budget and brings a smile to my face. And if I decide I want to use the sheet again all I need to do is a little unpicking.

I am on the lookout for a fun light fitting or chandelier for my dining room. I love the thrill of looking for and waiting for just the 'right' thing to appear somewhere. I will definitely be back to share more again soon. x Janelle

Best spent $5...

Last week my Dad picked up a little dresser type cupboard from our local op (thrift) shop for me - for a whole $5. As soon as we popped it in our hallway, I knew it was just what I was looking for.

I spent a few wakeful nights thinking, planning and working out exactly what I wanted to do to my new little hall dresser.

Here are some before shots. Isn't it cute!

After 'living' with my new hall dresser for a few days, I decided that I wanted to paint it aqua - Dulux 'July Half'. I couldn't WAIT to get started, so this weekend after a quick trip to the hardware store, I came home and began the transormation of my little dresser. I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I am with how it came together and how easy it was too.

Here it is - all finished...

During my parents recent move, I saw Dad had some vintage mirrors hanging in the garage, so I excitedly asked him if I could have them for our home. So they have a new home hanging above my new hall dresser. I am thinking that maybe a third one is needed but for now I will play around with different ideas and see what works best.

I have been spending lots of time adding and taking things off my little dresser trying to find the perfect decorator pieces to finish it off. This is how it looks today...

This is the view from the kitchen doorway...

And the view from the loungeroom...

So there you have my little bargain piece of furniture that makes me happy every time I walk past it. I am now looking around for what else might like a lick of paint LOL.

Pop back tomorrow for a little look at my back sunroom - I have had a play with a vintage sheet today and am thrilled with the results there too and can't wait to show you. xx Janelle

P.S. Thanks SO much for your wonderful, kind comments re my photo wall. I am SO thrilled you like it. Please do share any photos of your photo walls if you are inspired by my photo wall - I would LOVE to see your homes too.

Making a home...

The WHOLE time we lived at our previous house, I really really wanted to do a photo wall. SO badly, but being a rental property I didn't want to put lots of holes in our lovely landlords walls. I spent lots of time gazing at blank walls and wishing and planning.

This Sunday, I FINALLY made my dream a reality and made a photo wall here at our little house. I didn't really have a plan, I just had a collection of framed photos, bits and pieces - then I just started to play.

I started with THIS print that I purchased for our new old home - this is in the centre.

(photo source - vol25 etsy store)

Then I just kept adding bits and pieces until I was happy, and I must admit I am MORE than happy, I am thrilled. So as you enter our home and look into our lounge room, this is now what you see...

I even found the perfect spot for my favourite lamp too - yay!

This week I am working hard on some stitching and (hopefully) finishing two new patterns. I will be back to share more about those as soon as I can, and any more {home making} that I can squeeze in as well... xx Janelle

Storage solutions...

This little house of ours was originally only three rooms when it was first built and over the years different owners have enclosed verandahs to make extra rooms. Because of this, our house lacks storage in a MAJOR way. There are no built in cupboards in any room, nor linen or broom closets either. This has sent me into a storage frenzy and I must admit I am struggling a little with where to store everything.

I thought I would share some storage solutions as I think of them and also ask you to share any clever or handy storage solutions that you may have - especially for homes like mine without cupboards.

My first little brainwave came as we were moving. I was struggling with what to do with my linen as there is no linen cupboard. I remembered my parents still had some vintage suitcases that were theirs from over 50 years ago and from their parents as well - so genuinely vintage and cute too. Mum happily agreed to let me have them - yipee. So I have popped as much linen that I can fit into these suitcases and popped them up onto one of our wardrobes, next to Emily's doll house that sadly wont fit in her room either.

In these suitcases is the linen that we don't use very often so I wont need to disturb the cases all that often and I think they add a fun vintagy look to our room as well.

Do you have a clever storage idea? Especially a way I could store the vacuum cleaner - that one has me stumped. I look forward to hearing your ideas and will share more as I unpack and get organised... xx

Popping up for air...

My goodness, what a busy time we have had in our little family lately. It is SO lovely to stop and take a breath today, thats for sure.

Yesterday we celebrated our FIRST day with only one house to worry about. We had handover of the other house late Saturday night so were able to enjoy a FULL Sunday at home. We really have SO much to do here to make it feel like home, and I must admit to be slightly overwhelmed. I am going to take it one day at a time and remember to be thankful.

I took this pic of our mantle piece in our farmhouse style kitchen the other night - this is something that makes me feel at home. Do you have somewhere in your house that makes you feel at home??

Something else I have wanted to share a little while now is this...

Yes, we made the VERY difficult decision to send our kids back to school. Jasper has been back one term and Emily returned this term. We knew the time was right, and I am happy to tell you that they are both very happy. We LOVED our time together and will always cherish the memories but had to do what was right for us all. Now we move onto a brand new chapter in our lives.

So this morning the kids enoyed some pancakes at our new (to us) dining table before school. The sun was shining in from our backyard and it was a lovely way to start the day. Another little something that makes me happy - a warm home and happy kids.

Thanks SO much for popping in and checking on me while we go through this transition in our lives. I am so blessed, thank you xx Better head back to unpacking boxes...

P.S. A VERY big thank you for your kind birthday wishes too xx

Happy heart photos...

After a HUGE few weeks of packing, painting and moving, I decided to take a little break today and catch my breath. I thought I would share a few photos of things that are bringing some happiness into my day - just little things, but things that make me smile...

Firstly, one of the book cases in my sewing room, is stacked full of pretty fabric. This definitely makes me smile...

 

I have finally put my favourite lamp on display in our 'new' lounge room and every time I look at it, it brings a smile to my face and makes my heart happy.

Yesterday I purchased some lovely fabric lined baskets to help with storage in our little house. I LOVE storage containers and these were so affordable and are perfect for what I need.

And finally, while shopping yesterday, I found some new RED shoes (the iphone app makes them not look so red but trust me, they are the yummiest red). New shoes, and red shoes make me very happy! And what's better, they were only $13. Thank you Target!!

What's making your heart happy today?

Is it something little or big?

I would love to hear... xx Janelle

I'm back...

Ahhh, it feels good to be back. I have missed you terribly and have SO much to share but life has been consumed with painting, sorting, packing and moving. Most of my days and nights up until now have looked like this...

And this...

We haven't quite finished moving yet, there is still MUCH more to do but we have just over one week to finish moving, clean and then hand over the keys to our old house. I must confess that I can't WAIT to be finished, I am quite exhausted.

I have to tell you though that we are all loving being back in our old home. It has a different feel, almost like it is happy to have us  back. The painting and pulling up of the carpet has helped! I can't wait to share photos but am not quite ready, but for now, here is a corner of my sewing room that I am loving.

I hope you have had a lovely week while I have been away. I will be back to share more as I can, for  now I am sitting at the computer on the floor of my lounge room, so if you have emailed me over the last week and are waiting for a reply, I will answer VERY soon. Just as soon as I can.

It really is GREAT to be back. Thanks for stopping by and a HUGE thank you to everyone for your kindness and words of support. xxx Janelle

I have the BEST blog friends...

THANK YOU doesn't even come close BUT thank you to each of you who took the time to visit, read about our move and to send me words of encouragement and support. You really have NO idea how much it has helped me. I worried about sharing all about our move, the stress leading up to it and how much I should 'put out there' but I needn't have worried. Thank you to EACH of you for being SO wonderful. I am actually starting to get a little excited about sharing this next stage with you all.

So here is a few snapshots from today...

Emily and I took a little visit to our favourite vintage (op) shop and found the cutest boots for Emily. They suit her perfectly and it was the best $3 I spent all day!!

Then while my Dad and I put the finishing touches on the first coat of paint in Jasper's room, Emily went snapping shots with my phone around the old house. I LOVE this shot that she captured of the sunset. It reminded me how much I love looking out the front of our house to the mountain tops peeking about the houses.

And finally, Emily snapped this shot (we didn't know she was taking it) of my parents and I standing in our soon to be lounge room, chatting and planning. If you look carefully you can see a sunroom kind of room beyond us, which is at the front of the house. That is to be my new sewing room. I am REALLY hoping for French doors in the opening very soon. Fingers crossed. I can't WAIT to decorate it and share more with you soon.

Tomorrow our phone gets transferred to the old house - a few days ahead of schedule, so I will be without internet for 2 - 7 days. I am hoping only two, so I have set up a few little blog posts to keep you company while I am internetless :-( I will be back as SOON as I can. Till then, think of me painting and shifting. I hope your week is a good one. xx Janelle

A little update on our family...

For those of you who are followers of my blog, you may have read that things behind the scenes here have been a bit tough lately. I know you come here for inspiration, so I wont bore you with the details but because this blog is all about MY journey, I thought I would share briefly.

Back in 2008, I shared all about our shifting house in this blog post. Well 2 months ago we made the VERY difficult decision to move back to our old little house. I wont share any details here but I will say that it has been an extremely difficult time for us. Finally last Tuesday we gained possession of our little old house back. It was VERY sad to walk back inside and see the state of the house but we dusted ourselves off, rolled up our sleeves and dove into painting, tearing up carpet, and LOTS of cleaning.

Over the next few weeks, we will be painting, moving, and trying to fit our family back into our TINY house. I have very mixed emotions about the whole thing and have spent MANY a sleepless night thinking about everything but I know in my heart that this is what needs to happen.

I thought I would share my home redecorating with you, and share the blogs and photos that are inspiring me right now. I hope you would like to see that side of me too - another piece I guess you could say.

One of my VERY favourite blogs is called 'The Lettered Cottage'. It is bursting with inspiration and wonderful ideas and totally well worth a look. It is the journey of a lovely couple called Layla and Kevin - and through their blog they share all of the home decor and design work that they do on their own home and for others as well. 

If you look at THIS post, and click on the ezine that Layla is sharing, you will see a gorgeous cottage that they recently recorated for one of their clients. I look at it EVERY day and am drawing a LOT of inspiration for my home decorating from them.

So to begin, we are painting all of our walls white. It is totally different to how it used to be (a mid green colour), so is already a change we are embracing.

Here is a before shot of one of the walls in our lounge room (please remember, this house was built during the war, so is VERY old)

And this is the same wall - with Jasper's bedroom door closed, after we painting it white last week. It is looking VERY different already I think.

I plan on adding lots of colours through our accessories and furniture. One of the first things I will be doing is painting the bottom half of one of my dressers pale aqua! I can't wait to do that actually. Walls and moving come first though.

So that is a little update on us. I PROMISE that I will still be sharing my stitching as per usual but will be adding some decorating inspiration as well. Thanks for travelling this journey with me xx

Photo's make me happy :-)

I really do love photos, all sorts of photos - and it seems my snapshots from the last two days both involve photos. Photos = happy :-)

Yesterday I happily finished scrapping a layout just for me, of Emily and her very special friend Bella. The photo on this layout was one that I took of the girls when they met for the first time at Bowral a few weeks ago.

Here is a non iphone photo for those that might like to see the layout properly. I have scrapped this in a vintage piece of sheet music - I just loved the picture on the top as it really suits our girls.

And today, I stared popping some family photos into frames ready for a photo wall that I plan on doing in the future. Photos really do make me happy...

A big welcome to those who are joining us for 'Snapshots of June' - so happy to have you play along too. I hope your photos are making you feel happy too xx