Things Worth Working For

On big projects, hard work and shiny new gold

Determined not to miss another dispatch, I am starting this one on Wednesday to make sure it comes to fruition by Saturday morning. I am also going to go back to my old format. I am not sure when or why that one drifted off, but it definitely helps me to get words on the page.

As usual we have been super busy around here. Ticking off the never ending list of things to do, thought. Which feels good.

If I remember correctly I was in the thick of picking stone and tiles for the kitchen. Since then I have become a full blown tradie, impressing even myself (hard to do).

I installed a sink and I’m obsessed.

I was super limited because of the hole that was already cut into the bench, but with a little bit of research I found a nice sink that had the exact width and depth that I needed. I went for the ABI Elysian mixer with POS because I have had it before and I love it.

I have to admit, I was packing it doing the cutting. This would have been an insanely expensive repair if I had cut the opening too far, or otherwise messed up the benchtop. I hit a snag almost immediately when I realised I had not accounted for this corner leg when I measured for the sink! My only option, really, was to notch it out, which gave me an excuse to buy a multi-tool, which I now love.

I tried to do the whole ‘measure twice, cut once,’ but I ended up measuring a million times and doing a million cuts. Small cuts. I took off fraction by fraction, checking it against the sink size each time. I really didn’t want to stuff it up.

Have you ever seen a smugger pug? I did it. Perfect. Literally a perfect fit. For legal purposed the plumbing was all done by a registered trade (….), but the take away is that it’s in, there are no leaks, and once again I am just convinced that I can do anything I set my mind to.

I did make a giant mess doing it though, and had to vacuum the kitchen about four times to get up all the dust and shavings.

I decided to dip my toe, once again, into sewing a curtain. I absolutely learned from my mistake last time and made sure I cut the right length so that it would sit as a proper curtain.

She’s cute! This one was a practical choice. There is a rather unsightly and falling apart old kitchen sink unit just outside the window and I found that I was just always looking at it when I was standing at the sink. So the curtain softens the view slightly and adds a layer of warmth to the kitchen. I might end up changing the fabric down the line, but for now I really like it!

And then next (I really was on a roll), armed with nothing but my new multi-tool and my overinflated sense of my own competence, I removed the spokes from the bottom half of our plate rack. We have nothing that fits so it was always just going to sit empty and annoy me. Now, with the spokes removed it’s a great little tea and coffee shelf and gets a few more things off the bench top - I love a clean bench top.

Then it was time to remove the bench seat on the far wall of the kitchen before the cabinet makes came to measure it up for the new bench. I swear to goodness people, before you liquid nail anything to the wall, spare a thought to the people who might live in the house after you. Liquid nails is a wonderful thing, yes. But I have come up against it too many times for me to advocate for it’s liberal use. I (and by that I mean Blake) now has to re-sheet and patch the wall!

Then it was time to move upstairs and tackle my blue whale. This blue. My nemesis. Actually, I lie. The blue they used in the room next to this one is even worse! I haven’t got to that one yet, but I am already mentally preparing myself.

Now please, please explain to me why anyone would buy beautiful, solid brass sconces like this, and paint them blue. Like, honestly. WHO. WHY.

It is such a trip painting over the blues. The undercoat barely touches it. The first top coat still lets a lot of blue through, and then like magic, the second top coat gets it all. It’s a big exercise in ‘trust the process.’ Somehow Monkey has picked up on it and he walked into the room after I had finished the last top coast and I swear, he looks around and goes ‘I still see blue.’ What a cheeky boy.

Look at herrrrr. I cannot wait until this room is done. That main window is one of my favourite vantages in the whole house!! We still have floors, curtains and lighting to go. But she isn’t blue anymore and that is such a win for me it’s not funny.

I have chosen half strength Mousey for the doors and banisters up here. Full Mousy is the colour I painted the mudroom, if you remember. In half strength it’s a really nice soft, beigy, pinky tone that plays so nicely with the Antique White USA on the walls (this was only after the first coat so ignore the blue in the walls). The doors make me want to put in some amazing floral curtains, but I might have to convince Blake of that one.

So nack to the lights. I tried to paint strip them, but Blake got me the less toxic version of it and it just isn’t as effective as the full proper stripper, so after a couple of hours of that I gave up and looked at another option. It seems I could boil the paint off so I had to un-wire the lights and find an old pot big enough to hold them. The only one I had is this old aluminium one, and it took me far too long to work out that it wouldn’t work on the induction plate so I tried to use the Weber to bring it to the boil.

I was somewhat successful. It turns out boiling paint off brass is far more effective that stripping it off anyway. It goes: boil, scrub, peel. Boil, scrub, peel. Repeat x 30.

This is where I am up to! Aren’t they stunning! There is so much more detail under the paint than I realised! Which makes me wonder, once again, who tf would cover this up with paint!?

My sparky says he is ‘fairly sure’ he can re-wire them. And I really hope he can, otherwise I might just have to put some candles in them and have some really fancy candle sconces on the wall.

My pigeon holes went back into the kitchen and I love. It made me realise that rarely do I see a bowl that I don’t like. What a collection. I should stop, but I went to The Conservatory’s French Flea Market and came home with…. a bowl.

The flea market was beautiful. It was at the Sassafras Conservatory, which I haven’t been to since 2016 when we were down here on our honeymoon. The grounds were filled with stalls and food vans and it was just a really lovely morning in the sun.

I did desperately want a framed butterfly (but I’m waiting for a Monarch), and I also wanted to buy the stunning ‘M’ bureau desk, but with everything we are spending on the renovation at the moment, I was on strict necessity purchases only (and yes, another bowl was necessary).

On the way home I had to make a quick little stop and usher this sweet little family back across the road and through the fence to their property. I will admit, I was mildly (VERY) tempted to put a little duckling (or two) in my pocket and take it home. But of course, I would never. But the thought did cross my mind.

For those playing along at home, I did choose this for my bench top! A few of you commented after my last dispatch and that helped me to realise life is indeed really short and to choose the things that spark joy, and this one does. My plan for the pantry is to colour drench it after the new bench is. I will wait until the specific piece of stone is in and I’ll pick a tone from it, but I am leaning towards either a pink or a yellow at this point.

Which, brings me to the end of the beginning part of the yap! It was a big one and I feel like it was just the reno diaries.

What I’ve Been Reading

I am on a (self-imposed) ban from reading. If you haven’t worked out by now, I am kind of an all or nothing type of gal. Currently it is all into renovations and that is good. I have about 20 books on my list that I am so keen to read, and I just know that once I start I am going to go down a rabbit hole of books that takes up all the time that I need to be spending working on the house. So, no books. Yet.

The cabinet maker was here yesterday doing the check measure, and as soon as that is CAD’d up, it goes into production and should be installed in two months. I am trying my hardest to get everything done by the end of May. Do we think I can do it?

I am just hanging out for our gorgeous library in which I am going to be able to luxuriously curl up and read books to my hearts content.

What I’ve Been Eating

I still don’t have a proper stove yet so I am still cooking everything on my two little induction burner hotplate, so safe to say that home baked goods are not happening. As of last week I have ordered and paid for my oven (wait till you see it!) but I have to wait until the splash goes in before we can install the oven so there is a chance I won’t get to bake anything for another two months! How will she survive!

First and foremost! Apples!

Apples are one of my favourite things to eat, but I am very picky. If I take a bite of a disappointing apple it’s like part of my soul shrivels up and dies. The best apples are bright red on the outside (so red that there is a smudging of the colour when you bite into it), they have to be snow white on the inside and crispy and juicy. Give me one of them and you have made me a happy happy lady.

When I was in grade 7 our school went to Canberra for a trip (I think we all do this?), but the standout for me, without a doubt, was the apples they fed us. We had a whole case of them under the bus and every day when we stopped for morning tea we all grabbed an apple from the box. I have remembered them my whole damn life. Like, I am 34 and I still think about the apples I ate when I was 13.

The Royal Gala apples I have had down here are the closest I have come to the magic of those apples. I think we are just coming into Apple season and you can bet your bottom dollar that I am going to be buying kilos of them each week.

Give me apples or give me death. Put that on my tombstone.

There have been multiple, very random snack plates. If I had one fault, one failing, it would be that I simultaneously cannot function without food in the morning but absolutely loathe eating breakfast. I don’t know what it is, I’ve always been this way. Less the not functioning part, but always the hating eating in the morning.

The older I get, the less my tolerance is for going hungry in the morning. It’s not a weird food issue/diet thing, just the idea of food in the morning is so off putting. Coffee? Yes. Need it, immediately. Food? I’d rather not. If I’m home for the morning it’s fine, I drip feed myself with things like apples, cut up sausages etc, little things that keep me going until I’m ready to eat properly around 10. But on the mornings I am heading out of the house, I simply must take food with me or it will be a disaster. I can’t stomach a full meal (also can’t eat a full meal when I drive), so I just throw all the things I can handle onto a plate and off I go.

Did you clock the choc wafers? Omg. The other highlight of moving down here is all the GF stuff?? Queensland definitely has Simply Wize in the shops, but the range is limited, and the shops stocking it are few and far between. But I have found a grocer down here that has the whole range and I could weep I am so happy about it. I adore choc wafers. I adore wafers. Like I would just eat a packet of plain wafers if I could. Give me a smear of ice cream over a wafer and I would be a happy lady. But I will take choc wafers as a very lovely consolation prize. I can’t stop eating them.

I did also try the tea biscuits, which are great. Sometimes I like them plain, and sometimes I like to top them with nutella and strawberries.

You all should know by now that I am a certified Funday Junkie. Can’t stop, won’t stop. If you aren’t across Funday they just released a chocolate range. I was most excited for the licorice bullets but I found them to be a bit meh. These, however, are exceptional! The inside is like pineapple lump texture. Chewy but hard but gummy? It’s pretty unique and as a huge fan of both pineapple lumps and strawberry freddo frogs, these are just a divine concoction. I bought a packed and ate the whole thing on the way home so I didn’t have to share with anyone. I didn’t get the banana ones but I am certain I will love them also.

Also, 2L bottles of pure cream at the local grocer? I truly have found my people.

What I’ve Been Buying

Honestly swear I could do a whole Substack in this category alone. Our bank account just feels like it’s in free fall at the moment. But that’s the nature of renovations, baby.

We had one mildly cold week and I relented and bought the boots I have been thinking about for MONTHS. Convincing myself they will be a good winter investment and not just absurdly fun from a fashion perspective. I love them so much. They are a little equestrian vibe which I love, and they don’t have a heel! With inbuilt arch support!

TWO quilts at an op shop?? For $15 each!? Only in Tasmania! I didn’t even check them over in the shop, just put them in my cart and bought them straight away. Perfect couch blankets or picnic rugs or anything! They are all totally hand stitched too!

Have I mentioned before that our local op shop is literally the best one I have ever been to? It’s pretty small, but they get amazing things donated and sort through them so fast and get them out into the shop. My husband works just up the road from it and pops in a few times a week and find’s new stuff most days. I got an ankle length black puffer this week in amazing condition for $25! Blake also got a pair of Blundstones for $25! Unreal. The kids books are always amazing. I think I have found over 30 golden books so far.

I have one friend down here. She was at uni at the same time as me and we have a mutual friend so we connected when I moved. I don’t know her all that well but she has a little daughter and when I saw this beauty for $4(!!) I just had to buy it for her. It was like a ‘hey sorry if you hate it but I bought you this’ type of message. She loved it.

I got new bedsheets! They had a save 30% bundle sale and we need a doona cover so I took advantage and got the whole bundle.

I swore off doonas when I was like 23 and have only used a quilted coverlet since. However, the weather down here is just simply not quilted cover weather so I relented and purchased my first doona in over a decade! But they had a 40% off sale so, a win?

What I’ve Been Wearing

Uggs erryday.

Not out of the house. But definitely from when I get up in the morning until about lunch time, then back on again after a shower at night. Our plan is to last as long as we can before we turn the radiators on because it seems that once they go on, you don’t turn them off until about October/November.

But! Wearing jeans or a jumper is fun! At least it’s fun until I get to my destination, decide it’s too hot and take the jumper off.

This one was a rainy day so I got to do sleeves and long pants!!

I did get complimented on this top and I was like, thanks it’s my mums from when she was my age.

Loving loving these jeans. Please don’t let tight jeans come back into fashion. I don’t think I can do it ever again.

Once again, this cute cardigan came off the second I arrived at my destination and I realised that it was actually, far too warm for sleeves. Everyone assures me that once winter comes I will absolutely be able to wear all the jumpers I own. So I am enjoying the seasons knowing that we actually get four of them down here.

Is this a post about my chic black knit I got at the op shop for $4, or is it to tease the giant smokey quartz on my finger!?

I have gold for you! Currently, as of Wednesday evening, it is not photographed, and some of it is still at the jeweller, but by Saturday’s dispatch I plan to have a few pieces shot and uploaded!

And now the gold….

She’s done it! I worked my little tush off today and there are eight, yes EIGHT, pieces that went online this morning. AND, all the pieces that didn’t have on body shots, now have on body shots! If you think you can see paint in my hair…. no you cannot…

Sorry this took me so long. I had lost my bag of make up in the move.

The first four…. (I’ll start slow, and stop your heart later)

Earring hour!

The first pair are these amazing, like, 1960’s futuristic, stunning earrings. When I bought them the post was in the very middle back so that the earring sort of sat over your whole ear, which was too much for me. So I moved it up and love the way it sits and catches the light. 14ct, $1490aud

The second pair are the matching earrings to the pearl ring that is online. I adore them. They are close to 20g for the pair, so very very substantial. Made by hand in a time when your jewellery was akin to sculptural art. All I want is some glamazon to wear these to a wedding. 18ct, $4500aud

The third pair are a PC release. Perfect little huggie heart earrings. They are the same front and back and so comfortable to wear (and sleep in!). 9ct, $475aud

The third pair are the enhancers that have been around for a while. I changed them into just posts and opened up the curve of them a little bit. I am obsessed. 14ct, $1350aud

And now for the heart stoppers…

This mammoth Coober Pedy opal, with over a carat of diamonds and 11 carats of sapphires. I have never in all my life seen anything like it. It’s huge, it’s bold and it commands attention. I am simply, obsessed. 14ct, $10,250aud

TWO perfect puffy curb bracelets. The ultimate statement piece. I remember years ago, I saw a woman wearing one this size and I swear I stared at her the whole event. I was enamoured by her. Who was this kind of woman who not only can find this needle in a haystack size bracelet, but then to wear it with such cool, casual elegance. I wanted nothing more than to be her when I grew up. Big links, big clasp. 9ct, $4950aud

And then, I’m going to need a moment, this genuine antique old cut riviere. Originally owned by Mary Sylvestre Charlotte Dalison (a descendant of William the Conqurer!), this necklace comes with a photo of Sylvie wearing the original necklace, complete with history inscription on the back. Hand made silver cut down collet settings, this is a once in a lifetime piece. I have held on to this one for a while because I am deathly afraid I might look back at these photos one day and think selling it was my dumbest move ever. BUT, the timing feels right, so I am letting it go with gentle hands. 18ct, $18,500aud

What a yap! That might have been my longest one yet. If you are still here, and if you read the whole thing, I think you are amazing and deserve a gold star!! All the new pieces can be found here.

What a week! Tomorrow I start painting our blue bedroom and I could not be more excited to never wake up in a turquoise wonderland again!

Until next week, my darlings.

Love,

Your Fairy Goldmother xx