A Blog Milestone and House Updates

I have been a bit slow with posts this week since debuting the new Designer Spotlight series on Monday. However, that's not to say I've had a lazy week. I am busy trying to work on the blog redevelopment and associated online shop, the trade shows are all on this month, I've been finishing a few decorative touches on the house, and basically just trying to keep the various balls in the air. Believe me I have dropped them several times this week!

YIPEE! - BLOG STATS

I was thrilled to see that I have just pipped the one million page view mark, which for a blog that isn't yet two years old I thought was quite an achievement. I remember when I wondered if I would ever get to 100 followers, and people started talking about their stats and how many page views and visitors they had, I didn't even know what they were let alone how to track them.

Georgica Pond Blog as at 22/2/13

I know when it comes to advertising and sponsors and all that stuff, it gets very complicated and competitive with stats and figures, and that it's the unique visitors that really count (or so I'm told), but I thought the results below for January, a quiet month for me with posts, was very rewarding. So I feel I can hold my head up high knowing I'm on the right track and that more than just my family and friends are coming here! So again, a heartfelt and most appreciative thank you for staying tuned.

January 2013 - Georgica Pond Blog 

HOUSE UPDATES

I set to with a few little projects this week, in fact mostly achieved yesterday. It's getting a lot harder to achieve things at home with Amelia, as she is now one busy and active baby. Not quite crawling, more inching her way around the floor like a little worm, but fiendishly hard to occupy for any length of time. So I get things done in spurts and we get equally frustrated with each other!

Here are the kitchen cupboards before. I thought because of all the glassware they were a bit dull and I keep seeing fabulous images of cupboards and shelves lined with trellis wallpaper. 

So I ordered a roll of Schumacher Summer Palace Fret in Mineral and set to making it a bit prettier and more interesting.

It's only subtle but I love the pattern and the colour. I have plenty left over so I think I'll probably do down the sides as well so you can see it on an angle.

Ok, it doesn't make a huge statement, but it's pretty and adds a nice decorative touch. Plus it's a cheaper way of having some Schumacher trellis wallpaper in the house, rather than doing a whole wall! I get a thrill every time I open the cabinet to get a class now.

 Amelia's bedroom has always needed a few finishing touches. The chandelier was a bit plain on its own, so I found these little lampshades at a local lighting shop, but they needed jazzing up.

So I covered them in the same gingham fabric that the cot valance is made of and glued a little ric rac on to finish it off. Very sweet I think. There was lots of debate on Instagram about whether I do the top and bottom, or just the top (similarly with the large lampshade), but I went with both in the end. It just seemed to work best.

The large lamp below I bought from an op shop for $60. If you remember from the room reveal it was bright orange and hideous. So I had painted these little flowers on over the white, but was never really sure about them. So once I added the velvet ribbon trim (a great suggestion from Kellie, at PAD) I wanted to pare it back a bit.

So I added the ribbon to the top and bottom, although I'm still not sure if I like just on on the bottom best. I prefer it all white. The velvet was a bit wide and not very forgiving when it came to glueing, so it puckered a little because of the angle of the shade, but it looks quite nice.

The paisley fabric I bought from Rikshaw Designs online when I bought the cot blanket. It's a very fine cotton, almost too thin to do much with, but I love the design. The velvet ribbon was from Lincraft.

I love this pretty frame silhouette picture my sister gave Amelia for her christening. It looks lovely in the room and is the perfect shade of pink.

A few other bits she got for the occasion, including this gorgeous silver cup which was given to my Dad when he was christening in 1940. It's engraved with AMELIA on the other side. I love inheriting special pieces like this which have a history and sentiment.

This dear little bear music box was given to Amelia by her Godmother Kirstie. It's so sweet.

Finally got around to ordering a rug for her room. There are a couple of stains on the floor, from milk being spilled so this covers it up nicely and looks great too. It was hard to find a nice dusty pink to match the chair fabric as so much stuff for little girls is the most ghastly shade of pink.

I covered the tissue box in the same fabric as the lampshades. You know how much I can't stand cardboard tissue boxes!

Some cute new bedding.

Getting there I think. It certainly is an ode to pink!

I do regularly put wicker baskets on the shelves of that white table filled with teddies and toys, but it doesn't last five minutes before one of the kids pulls it off. So I've given up trying to style the shelves. Oh and don't ever be tempted to save money and buy cheap roman blinds at Spotlight, they are utter rubbish, don't work and will drive you nuts!

For Poppy's room, I wanted to add a trim to the valance. It was just a plain white generic one bought at somewhere like BB&T years ago, but it needed customising. So I just added the pink gingham ribbon.

Now I didn't have either the time nor the inclination to get out the sewing machine, so I just glued it on! Took about ten minutes and it can be pulled off to change if need be.

I had to give in and buy this fabulous duvet cover from Pottery Barn Kids, with the gorgeous pink border. Been searching for a nice cover here for ages, but so hard to find something plain. Problem is the doona I already have doesn't fit the American size which is practically square. So I'll have to think about the solution for that.

Can't wait to get rid of those awful barriers on Poppy's bed, wish she wouldn't insist on sleeping right on the edge of the bed and watching herself in the mirrored side of her bedside table. Then I could ditch them. But she falls out if we take them off and still moves all around her bed while asleep.

And Charlie's room got an update with a smart navy and white striped duvet cover and pillow case from PBK. Gives the room and lift and he loves it!

Looks like we all scored this week with new bedding. Don't know why I couldn't wait for the damn shop to open here - oh that's right, the photo shoot is spurring me on! At least I have the impetus (excuse) to get things finished. Bought a similar cover and euro cases for our bed from Pottery Barn.

 

I have bought cushions off Etsy a few times, but never had much luck with colour or quality. So when I ordered these Greek Key cushions I didn't have very high expectations. But although they are simple and nothing fancy, they do the job and give the room a bit of an "on trend" look. I just felt I needed a bit of Greek Key somewhere in the house and this was an inexpensive way of getting it. And the colour turned out to be perfect.

I found this stunning mirror for only $295 at a fabulous vintage shop near us called John & Ginger. Brilliant find, but no idea where I'm going to put it!

Have been wanting a fiddle leaf fig for ages, but haven't been able to find one. This is the best I could find. It's only small, but I guess it will do for now. Our house is a bit like death row for plants, so it will be interesting to see how long this one lasts. I keep killing the palms.

I usually have dozens of Peace lilies around the house as they are the most indestructible indoor plant ever. But I am trying to branch out with indoor plants and trying a few new options. Adventurous aren't I! They'll probably all be dead within a week. I have a terminally drooping rattan butler's tray bought a few years back from Coco Republic, which makes it hard to fill with things, because it bends in the middle and they look lopsided.

This is one of the items I will have for the online shop. These fabulous lanterns with rope handle. I've already sold a few, so if you're interested email me for details.

Another vintage item bought at John & Ginger, which I'm currently using as a kind of plant table.

The back verandah still needs some attention. I want to put a nice big outdoor mirror on the privacy screen, add some big palms ( probably plastic!) and get some things for the table.

The pool cabana is very much a work in progress, but it's frustrating me that it isn't right yet. It is the place where all our furniture goes to die, if it doesn't work or fit in the house, because it gets a bit trashed being outside. I don't know how India Hicks makes her houses looks so amazing with so many kids around, it's a never ending battle with plastic toys and crap that just ends up everywhere!

See the palms on the right looking rather desperate, I told you I can't keep anything alive! 

All the upholstery on the chairs is going black with mould because of the dampness, so I will have to get some very sturdy outdoor fabrics soon. 

Need to put something like candles in the lanterns, or shells or plants....The rug is fabulous from Dash & Albert (through Winton House) and is a proper indoor/outdoor rug, so it's indestructible.

So many things to do and finish off, but it all has to be done in stages, and as budget/husband allows.

My husband has done a lot of planting and work in the garden and given the amount of rain we've had this summer, it has come on a lot. Just need those hedges to grow so we can block out the neighbours.

Hope you all have a marvellous weekend. See you next week!