Princess Watch

I've been waiting to see  Kate with her hair up again and last night I got lucky.  She attended a reception at the Royal Academy of Arts and she looked stunning!

Kate wore - Roksanda Ilincic ‘Peridot’ dress

Princess Watch - Supporting Zara

Kate, Will and Harry made an appearance at the  equestrian Cross Country to support Will's cousin Zara Phillips who was competing in the event.

Camilla, Beatrice and Eugenie were also there to cheer her on.

Kate wore - a navy Smythe blazer, jeans and an official Olympic polo.

My Poor Front Garden

On Saturday Surfer Boy moved the caravan out of the front yard and we were able to assess the damage done to my poor front garden.  The lush grass is now mud and every single plant that hasn't died has gone feral.  We got stuck straight in and shaved back two thirds of the bush rose on the fence to add a little more light to the rest of the garden, then I went nuts with the secateurs and pruned like a maniac.

 

I wanted to put these photos on here so that down the track I can be thrilled with how much progress we have made.  I will look back at these photos and instead of tearing up like I feel like doing now, I will be astonished that this mudpit is now a gorgeous flourishing oasis! 

 

I found some pots that have survived and I was thrilled to discover that my snowdrops are still thriving - now to get that lawn mowed.

I can't wait to really get stuck in and return it to it's former glory.

The Queen Does Have A Sense Of Humour!

Princess Watch - Olympics Day One

 

What an exciting day for the Royals - Kate and the rest of the Royal Family attended a reception at Buckingham Palace for foreign heads of state and government, hosted by the Queen.

I wonder what on earth Kate talks about to all those foreign dignitaries?  Could you think of anything worse than having to make small talk with the world's leaders?

From the reception Kate went straight to the Opening Ceremony.

She, Will and Harry sat directly behind the Queen and the Prime Minister - Surfer Boy wanted to know if they had to buy their tickets - I'm tipping they got in free.

 

Kate wore - a pale blue coat dress by Scottish designer Christopher Kane.

 

Oh and look who just posted a photo of herself on Facebook....you never who who is hiding in the crowd!

Princess Watch

I'd like to say first up that the next couple of weeks will probably see quite a few 'Kate Posts' appearing on this blog as the Olympics are about to start and Kate and the Princes are Olympic ambassadors and will attend quite a few events.  Consider yourselves warned - either join me in enjoying Kate's outings or check back when it's all over!


26th July

Kate, Will and Harry launched the Coach Core Program in South London - this is a program that encourages young people to become sport coaches.

Kate spent time with the Judo and Table Tennis then joined the brothers outside to watch the footy.  In one of the funniest quotes I've heard in a long time, one of the boys posed this question - 'Are you two brothers?'  to which Harry replied...'We're not sure.'

What Kate wore - Hobbs grey check Wessex dress and Pied a Terre  Imperia wedges in natural.


Later in the day Will, Kate and Harry welcomed the Torch Relay to Buckingham Palace.

Kate wore - Addidas GB Team apparel top and Zara skinny jeans.

Next Up -  Friday, July 27: The trio joins other Royals at a Buckingham Palace reception for Heads of State and Government, followed by the Opening Ceremony (9pm/4pm EDT)

My Thought for the Day

The Stools Are Home

They still need a bit of work, but for a grand total of $15 I think they look pretty damn good. They have traveled from distant parts to find their home in Melbourne and a huge thanks to my family who helped find them and transport them.

 

 

Surfer Boy is going to fiddle around and make sure they all get their swivel back and trim the feet so they are all the same height.

I think I will give the white ones a spray to freshen them up but now that they are in place I think I'll leave them miss-matched.

 

It is rather exciting to put the first piece of furniture in the house.  As you can see the whole place has been cleaned from top to bottom and this week will see the final few jobs completed by the builders and then it's all ours again!!  I can't believe that we may finally be moving back in soon...

Princess Watch

Today Kate visited The National Portrait Gallery for an Olympic Photography exhibition.  Kate looks gorgeous in a blue Stella McCartney shift dress.

Wicker Gets A Caning

 

It may be due to my new bar stools, but I seem to have developed a fascination with cane and wicker furniture.  

The lovely Sally at Niche Interiors in Yarraville is not helping matters as she keeps posting pics on her facebook page like these!! 

 I have fallen in love with these Dynasty chairs and have spent way too much time deciding what colour to choose when I win the lottery.

 

 

These Peacock chairs are also pretty amazing although I don't know that I am brave enough for one of these just yet.  

 

A white one though would be a different matter - Surfer Boy is not going to be pleased with my new obsession.....

Number 1 on my laminated list!

The laminated list - for those who don't know - is a list of the 5 people you are so enamoured of that you would have a free pass to be with if the opportunity ever arose!  It is laminated so that it can not be changed willy nilly to suit you and the Laminated List must be disclosed to current partners so that they are aware that what you feel for these people is above and beyond all rules.
I only really have 2 on my list and they share top billing.  Mr Keith Urban and Mr Zac Efron.  Keith has been on my list for the past 15 years or more and Zac for the past decade.  Surfer Boy is fully aware of my feelings for these two men and even turns a blind eye to the framed images of them that dot our house. 
Positions three, four and five belong to Paul Walker, Channing Tatum and Ryan Reynolds. 
The only way the list can change is through death.  Heath Ledger was in number one position and his devastating death did have the advantage of letting Ryan jump up a spot in to the top 5.


I have shared my boys with you - now it's your turn... who is, or would be, on your Laminated List?

 

Zac & Ryan

 Paul & Channing

Thrifting My Stools

Remember this?  Mum and Dad are off to Robe this week to pick up my 3 free stools from my brother's lovely in-laws.  During the week Surfer Boy was trawling ebay and came across these beauties.  They are very similar (although obviously white!) and will make up the 5 stools I need for our island bench.  
I bid - I won - and for a grand total of $15 I am now in possession of 5 wicker stools in total!

Once I get them home I will decide whether I paint them all, or strip these two, or leave them mismatched.  I'm also thinking about the cushions - they may end up being better off without.  Any thoughts appreciated.
Jen

the Van

Princess Watch - Wimbledon

 

Kate and Pippa attended the Wimbledon final today between Federer and Murray.

 

My Island Bench

In a previous post I mentioned the timber that we had chosen to use for our kitchen Island - 100 year old oregon beams - Surfer Boy spent last week working on the bench, amongst other things, and it quickly evolved before my eyes.

 

 

 Surfer Boy hard at it.

 

 The kitchen cabinets awaiting their doors and of course the top..

 

 Still working in to the night - the kids and I popped in to see how it was progressing.  It was supposed to take 4 guys to lift it but here it is in place, sanded and filled.  I don't even want to know how he got it up there by himself.

 

Last stage was the finish -  Danish oil - lovely natural finish with all the character of the wood still obvious, just 100 years of lanolin removed.

 Wa-la!

 

 And here she is with her drawn fronts on and handles installed!  (the space down the end is for the microwave).  I'm thrilled with the result and rapt with the handles I chose which SB was able to locate at our local 'Sneddon's' store in Yarraville.

 It's getting close now - just waiting for our new dishwasher to turn up, trying to remember where we stored our fridge, and we should be pretty much finished in the kitchen.  

I have been scouring ebay for some interim bar stools so that when we move in we have something to use at the island bench but so far no luck - until my  sister-in-law remembered that her Mum was getting rid of 3 stools from her home in Robe,S.A.  Prombem, our fabulous FREE stools were going to cost $450 to transport to Melbourne!  It looked like they were going to slip through my fingers until I received a text from my wonderful parents....

"We will pick up stools 10th July. B and C."

Not only are we living in their home and driving dad's car, they are now going to do the 9 hour drive to South Australia to pick up my stools!  You betcha I feel guilty.   Mum's response when I rang to protest - "Shut up, it's all organised, you have no say in it!"   

I'm not sure if Surfer Boy is a big fan of the wicker stools but I think with a new set of cushions they are going to be ace.  A touch of 70's Tiki Bar in inner Melbourne. 

Jen