Noosa style themes

Just finished this painted canvas with a few little bits and pieces I picked up at Noosa on the weekend. The starfish, shells and flowers were a bargain, from the local hardware store. I was a bit annoyed that the two market stalls I really wanted to visit weren't even there. I figured the stallholders stayed away because of the rain, pity cause it had fined up by 8.00am, but then again, by noon it was steaming hot. The temperature was reported as 26 degrees C, I have to dispute that, it was more likely over 30 degrees.

Not sure where I'll hang this one yet, it really wasn't mean't to match the bedroom, but I decided to use up the paint I had left over from the other seaside themed canvas paintings I completed a few days back.



Here's a pic of the newly renovated bedroom, apologies if some of the photos are a little dull, but its been raining cats and dogs here in Brisbane for the last few days, so no sun to help with the lighting.

and another angle

Gone Fishin'

Things have been progressing nicely with the bedroom renovation. The walls and trims are painted, the ceiling, plastered and painted and a white ceiling fan and wide slated blinds have been hung. Just got my carpet quote and am happy with the price, it was the cheapest of three quotes, but also just what we were looking for. It has the look of Sisal, but isn't and is a deep putty colour.

Th pic above is of some of the wall hangings I've made in recent days.

This lamp base was once cream and gold. It's now had Bernie's seaside touch....lol. The scene was inspired by the pic of Pelicans I took on a recent holiday to Nambucca Heads in NSW. You can view the pic in one of my earlier postings. Took me about three and half hours on Sunday to paint while Izzy Liz sat perched on the chair beside me. She seemed enthralled by what I was doing or perhaps she just thought I had something she could maybe eat!
I used Atelier acrylic paints, basically what I normally use for painting scenes on stretched canvas. The main problem I had was that the paint was drying really quickly on the clay lamp base so I had to work fast. I sealed the finished work with a good satin acyclic sealer, which gives it a slight sheen. I've also been hunting for a matching shade, was thinking a cane one would complete the look, but I don't want to have to spray paint one, been there done that, don't want to go there again. Maybe I'll have a bit of search on the Net and see what else I can find that would suit.



These are a couple more hangings I made for the upstairs bathroom, which is decked out in pale blue and white with touches of lemon yellow. The one of the right is actually Cobalt Blue, (same colour as the one in the first pic) not Navy or Black as it seems to look in the pic. I used cheaper acrylic paint for these, just went and chose two colours that I thought matched. The wooden fish were actually strung together and had eye hooks in their mouths which were easily removed. I glued them using 450 stainless adhesive as a glue gun would have been useless. The glue always tends to let go after a while if you bump what ever you've glued. The shells on the first set of hangings have been glued in the same matter. This glue dries clear, is very strong and available from Spotlight here in Australia. All have been sealed with the same satin acrylic sealer as the lamp bases.



Found a few bargains by way of a lemon coloured bath towel set and a new Doona cover at the recent new year sales. The cover has a gorgeous trailing vine and leaf pattern all embroidered in satin thread in colours of Lime green, Lemon and Cobalt Blue. Reminded me of a rain forest on the edge of an ocean somewhere. I shall post a pic of the finished room when the furniture and accessories are in place.

It's 2008 - Happy New Year to you all

I've just be wading thought my photo archive trying to pick some photos to frame.
I decided a few days back that we ought to renovate our bedroom seeing as we have a few days off. Of course since then its done nothing but rain. (we have a Low off the coast near Fraser Island, which was being watched closely in case it turned into a Cyclone. We've also had close to 10 metre waves out in the bay off to the east of where we live.) So the plaster that was used to mend the crack in our bedroom ceiling is taking its time to dry. This damage was done a couple of years back when we raised our Queenslander home to build in underneath. Everything moves when you raise a house, luckily ours wasn't too bad.
So I've been to the local hardware to purchase sample paint pots and think I've decided on a lovely shade of Aqua, bright white trims and white ceiling. I'm aiming for a cool beachy feel. Also went to the local furniture store yesterday and picked out some 50cm wide slatted blinds in white (I really wanted white shutters, but I think the cost is going to be a little out of my budget) so the blinds are the next best thing. We also bought a new white ceiling fan, the built in cub boards were painted white last year and the handles changed to brushed silver. I've also picked out a 8 drawer chest in white (unfortunately it has black handles, but that's easily fixed, I'll try spray painting them with silver metal paint first and if that's unsuccessful, then I guess I'll just bite the bullet and go buy some replacements in brushed silver) My other problem child is the carpet. Why oh why does carpet fade so easily. The area under the bed is bright jade green the rest has turned a colour that I can't even describe. So as soon as the room is painted I'm calling the local carpet store and asking them to bring by some samples of the best non fade carpet they have. Beats going to the store with a inch square paint swatch. That brings me back to the photos, today I sanded back the photo frames that were hanging in the bedroom and have given them a watered down white wash, in fact three coats, then sanded back edges and raised areas to expose the timber and sealed them. I love this shabby chic look and have given the same treatment to other bits of old furniture in my home. e.g a couple of old pine bedside tables look wonderful in my guestroom with the addition of some gorgeous clear glass knobs which I purchased at an antique shop. The photo below is one I'm thinking of using. It was taken on Stradbroke Island, these are my favourite sea birds. The one above was taken down on the far south east coast of Tasmania in winter at one of the most scenic places I've ever travelled to. Its in the Freycinet National Park and known as Honeymoon Bay. This picturesque area was about a 100 metre walk from the front of our forest like cabin.