Awful polyester cushion inserts

I can't be the only one who hates these synthetic squares of perfidy.

They come home from the shop all perky and square and puffed up…

And within weeks. Weeks! They look like this.

You can pummel and fluff the damn things all you like once they are in this state and it won't do a thing.

I blame my family for not being able to action a good lean. It's as if they hate cushions and want to kill them… with their bums.

Am I the only one to have this problem?

I'm taking a solemn vow in 2012 to replace them with feathers across the board.

Hanging garden

I know this would take forever to arrange and maintain, but wouldn't it be delightful? It came from here.

Ikea Malm drawers change table nursery upholstery makeover

Before Baby was born I prettied up this double width chest of Ikea Malm drawers we bought for his change table.

The idea for the project came from this tutorial and I posted about my inspiration here.

In hindsight, this probably wasn't the best project to undertake heavily pregnant as it involved a fair amount of crawling around on the floor, but I'd still rate it a pretty easy DIY.

I knew I wanted a fading ombre look and chose this scale of yellows in plain cotton.

I used a thin piece of quilt batting underneath the fabric to give the front of each drawer a nice squishiness. I laid each drawer, face down on a cut out rectangle of fabric with the batting between them.

Then I got busy with the staple gun. Pulling the cotton tight over the edges of the drawers

and folding around the corners.

To finish off the inner edges of each drawer and hide the staples from tiny fingers I used fabric tape from Bunnings. Mine was white because the drawers were but this stuff comes in heaps of colours.

I gave each drawer a few coats of Scotchguard as I finished it to project it from grubby fingers. And that's it. We're four and a half months in to operation Baby now and the drawers are holding up well.

I didn't use any glue in this project as the staple gun held everything tightly enough. I like the idea that down the track when Baby is older I can remove all the fabric and return the drawers to their original state or redecorate them without too much drama.

Isn't this weather diabolical?

The plants are loving it though. These are turmeric plants we halfheartedly poked into a planter a year ago and left for dead. Miraculous.

The kitchen garden is doing well too.

I've become more obsessed than usual with the decor at Letterbox 88 so today Baby and I took ourselves to Spotlight for some cushions and fabrics.

Tomorrow we sew.

This is not the recommended use of a stroller. Even when Baby has declined to ride in it.

Although living in this weather is like breathing through hot face towels I can't deny I enjoy dressing for the downpour. My raincoat is vintage Ralex from the oppies and I don't get to wear it enough. The dress is Gorman and my wells are Hunter (from Asos).

Yesterday was Australia Day. Somebody gave Baby this jumpsuit and it was a one time only appropriate style statement so he dressed thematically. We ate some BBQ as is decreed tradition and moaned about how we don't know any of the songs in the Hottest 100 these days.

A well stocked pantry

Do you make your own chicken stock? I don't usually but I roasted two chickens for six recently and felt inspired.

First I made a restorative noodle soup

then a mushroom risotto.

I like Jamie Oliver's recipe for risotto. This is from his first cook book. Doesn't he look young?

The rest of the stock went in the freezer. It gives one such a feeling of comfort to have a well stocked pantry.

In other news, here is me in this week's favourite outfit, twice. I bought two of these skirts from Temt for $15 each.

Perfect with rain boots.

Tablecloth bed linen

I've mentioned my love of bed linen, no?

The thing is, we have this completely ridiculous bed at the moment and it's very difficult to dress. There is a princess and the pea scenario that involves a tall, Indonesian, four poster bed frame with mosquito nets, with a King Sealy Posturepedic pillow top perched on top. Now, the netting is entirely necessary for summer nights in an old Queenslander sans flyscreens, and the mattress is heaven, but together they make for a very high, very wide bed that involves much clambering.

I had pretty much despaired of finding anything up to the task of disguising all the laptop cords and flashlights Husband insists on keeping bedside (why?) when I decided to throw my luxuriously large new tablecloth from Absolutely Beautiful Things on there.

Perfect, no?

I'm not sure if it will ever make it back to the table.

Lifeline Bookfest

Baby and I went for a nice dusty rummage at the Lifeline Bookfest today.

I wore spots with stripes with blue.

Slips are from Topshop.

The Bookfest has really become so much more civilised since they started running over a week instead of three intense days. No one elbowed me out of the way with their granny grocery cart all day.

Remember Blossom? Before she was in the Big Bang Theory show this girl had so much awesome 90's style. I loved this show. But I didn't buy this.

Or this. Look at that grin!

Instead, I went hard on 70's home handicrafts.

And a little vintage Terence Conran.

I almost left this behind.

But it was only $1 in the unpriced section and I couldn't resist the princess fashion.

I could see Diana's outfit or Fergie's here as part of the Autumn Gorman collection, couldn't you?

Words for the wall - art prints

I've been looking for inspiration for some things to hang on the wall around here. When we first moved in a year ago I had lots of ideas but only ever got around to hanging one or two pieces and then I got used to it… and then time passed…

Now it's a brand shiny new year and I am determined to hang some shit up. Here are some things I've earmarked. I've gone ahead and purchased some of them already.

They're all very wordy. Because I like words.

Town map of Twin Peaks This makes me want to watch the series again so much.

Supercali… whatever

I know this one crops up everywhere. Can't help it. Love it.

Amore

Perfect Day

Another Mary Poppins print

Lovely tea towel

I don't know where this print is from but I'm thinking of making my own with this quote. Because I like boring things too. The image is from Design Sponge.

Pink Floyd. Always.

This one is from Alice in Wonderland. It's the chorus of the Mock Turtle's song I think. Melancholy beautiful.