and the winner is...

Samuel acted as an independent judge and drew out two names from the blue jar:

Congratulations to Agnieszka Michalska & Iwona Rylska!

Agnieszka receives Nativity and Iwona Its ME.

Ladies, please email me with your details so I can post already wrapped up goodies!

Gratulacje dla Agi & Iwony! dziewczyny prosze o kontakt mailowy 

bym mogla jak najszybciej nadac poczta   wasze nagrody!

+ + + + +

+

Big thank you for all my lovely readers and followers. 

Hope we will be meeting here regularly and inspiring each other.

In addition special thanks to  
Asia from Kavka Design and Agata from Rafa Kids (blog here ) 
for their  amazing support. Wielkie dzieki!


+ + +
+

and at the end few quick shots from our lovely dining/ studio space

all looking more and more festive..little steps...

+ + + 

+ + +

+ + +

+

all images: 

DIY project: stair handrail

This was not the simplest of the tasks and my husband spent long time trying to figure out the connections and chasing  the ancient pipe clamp tool, but as we have been so excited about the idea it was all worth it!

+ + +

+
+
+

So here it is - just installed stair balustrade made of electrical conduit.

Industrial and edgy looking, flexible  enough to follow peculiar arrangement of bespoke timber stair.





+ + + + +

the dinosaur you need to bend the pipes




+
+
+

+ + + 

+

 we all had a go...

+ + +
+

+

+

It looks like a fun loving sculpture wrapped around our walls.

+ + +

We are really pleased with our tailored made creation.
+ + +
+
+

+ + +

I love the rough look of it, what you think?


all images

invent it yourself

or make it look different... I have been just browsing through my photos and was pleased noticing that I got much better with  not throwing things away but finding different use for them.

Of course this is all DIY these days,but  the main thing is that creating something makes you feel a bit like inventor...

 

old gym t-shirt, already marked with finger paint + fabric markers and horror vacui - just draw like crazy your kid gonna love it :)

if you do not want to have old round pine table top any more, you can always turn it into - round wardrobe with blackboard paint finish- surprising shape but so practical in use

shame to burn all timber off cuts, but so easy to turn them into playful blocks, just some acrylic paint, permanent markers, stickers etc. no limits

doll house bookshelf

vintage clown party outfit- pom poms from my scarf, old flat cap, old GAP top, measuring tape for bow tie, two old rubber belts to make braces ..and a lip stick for red nose

taped picture frame made of japanese masking tape

Samuel 's old wooden toy - set of 10 nested blocks looks fantastic as a room accessory, toys always make lovely home accessories

MDF triangle off cuts painted in blackboard paint - put around the house, now we use for leaving messages to each other or writing shopping lists

home transformation

we are right in the middle of refurbishment , 

which now got to the state when "almost" everything is ready and waiting for final decoration

our home reveals scruffy textures, pealing paint, bare floor boards and accidental holes

all of this is worth documenting as we finally have the feeling that its coming together

*********

layers of different paint finish accumulated through decades by different owners

should we keep it?

this is my favourite fireplace in the house
(especially for Little Paper Crane )

******

******

textures and light

PS. Well done Tony for all your hard work. I love you.

images by:

black & white

black and white always looks good never goes out of fashion, seems to be strong trend especially in scandinavian design favoured by bloggers like emma and annalena

inspired by this image from nice*room blog

love the textures and graphic use of black

--------------------------------------------------------

----------------

i decided to do our guest bedroom in bold contrasts!, this is just a preview as we still need to paint the walls and stand nice timber floors hidden under this old carpet, but hey, this makes me feel better :) little progress every day

********************

reused circular wardrobe- used to be Sams made by Tony

vintage ikea chimney print

triangular timber off cuts painted with blackboard paint used to write messages on

painting mother & child by MESy

ikea throw and bedding

****

*******************

****

DIY project: doll house on the wall

Inspired by this picture from Tant Joanna blog

***********

from Tant Joanna Blog

----------------------------------------

------

we decided to use our nieces old doll house as a little book cabinet/ curiosities cabinet in bedroom

sprayed white with little Chinese dolls and poetry books inside looks dead cute

Samuels room

This is what can you do with two pieces of round table ( build the wardrobe), few IKEA  units, MDF and backboard paint, ....and handy husband of course :).

This room looks very smart and will grow with Samuel and can be easily adjust to his changing interests.

Ikea Hacker!

Tony have just received official Ikea Hacker title!

Recycled furniture chapter five: Ivar transformed

We really wanted modern looking shelving to our study but IVAR shelving looks too much like straight from the garage.

We came up with the idea of ladder shelves to give it more smart, Italian look.

METHOD: you only need IVAR components to make it – it is modulated solution- one IVAR frame gives one unit so you can create as many as you need. We have built units on both sides of the fireplace- 3 units on one side and 2 units on the other as recesses were not equal.

1.       Choose the leaning angle- remember that bottom shelf will be the deapest and the top one still need to be usable so do not make it to narrow!

2.       Taper legs of the frames to the required angle

3.       Cut shelves so they can go right through the main post of the frame- each shelf will be different length depending on the leaning angle- do not throw offcuts away as you can use them as holding battens on the wall!

4.       Screw the battens on the wall and screw the shelves to them, each shelf is laid on the batten at the wall end and on the frame bracing at the other end, you have to just screw them at the batten end for stability.

5.       For smooth look fill the holes in the frame.

6. Paint the shelving in whatever colour you want! Alternatively you can paint shelf components after cutting before fixing to the wall – this might be easier (lesson for us for the next time)

7. It’s all ready! Beautiful ladder shelving which looks like straight from MDF Italia catalogue!