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From the very first night we moved in, the new house has felt like home. Perhaps because we have been coming and going the past two months while renovating, or perhaps because we are unpacked and surrounded by our familiar items, or maybe it’s because I dreamt about it so often while we waited, trying to imagine how it would look and where things would go? But never before have we settled in anywhere quite so easily or so quickly.

While there is still so much that wants doing, we are in no rush. In the meantime I have been resting, baking, crocheting, reading, planting seeds in newspaper pots and turning over a corner of the garden in anticipation of a veggie patch. We have joined a play group, I’ve joined a book club and Cohen has gone into his toddler bed without any fuss. The nursery is coming together and I’m 22 weeks and 2 days along and enjoying every bump, kick and turn I can feel and occasionally even see.

Things may still be quiet around here for a while, as our internet could take up to a month to be connected. I hope all is well with all of you and I look forward to catching up on blogs and emails soon.

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Photographs of our newly completed polished wooden floors aren't up there in the excitement stakes for many I know*. Probably polishing floors isn't that exciting either. Though a bird breaking into the house and pooping all over the second coat of varnish did get all our hearts racing for a little while. 

What polished floors do mean though is that we are finally moving in! Even though the skirting boards need painting, even though we still have no eaves, even though the bathroom doesn't have a door, I couldn't care in the least. Those things will come. The truck has been packed and is on the way to the house as I type. So if you will excuse me, I have boxes to unpack!

I shall be back, hopefully with more exciting photos than those above, once the internet connection has been transferred over to the new house. 

*But honestly, the floor has come up well, don't you think?

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Sometimes parenting a toddler is more difficult than I had imagined. Sometimes it is overwhelming and I feel that I am failing. At those times I tend to have a good cry, pick myself up and go back to the books (or the net) and look for a different approach to deal with the current issues. Sometimes I need to remind myself not to expect so much of my little man. Sometimes I need to find ways to turn nos into yeses. Sometimes we both need to find ways to be calm. And sometimes, just changing things up, going for a walk and meeting a neighbours cat are all we need. Then I feel like perhaps it isn't really that difficult after all.

(That cute squished up, closed eyed face in the first pic? That is how Cohen smiles for the camera.)

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Another weekend spent renovating... with a hail storm thrown in.

I spent one whole day scraping the melted underlay off Cohen's bedroom floor. I class this as my worst job yet. Seriously, outstandingly horrible. (Though Dave says the same of painting and removing the staples left beneath the lino in the kitchen.) I kept getting stuck to the floor and was covered in little flecks of sticky black rubber. Not to mention the claw for a hand I ended up with after hours and hours of holding on to that plastering tool and scraping the tar away inch by inch. But I managed to complain and sigh my way through it, knowing it needed to be done.

Then three of us (thanks Fiona and Dylan) still needed to scrape over it again the next day to have it ready for the floor sander today. Ta-dah! 

Can't wait to see it all smooth and polished.

My dear sweet husband looking as impressed as he was probably feeling about painting again. Thanks honey!
The bathroom is so close to being finished now and most of the painting done.

The little man 'helping' by taking a nap after a busy day of stealing tools, hammering empty boxes and drumming on paint can lids.

And the entire floor - underlay, staple and nail free - ready to be sanded and polished and still on track for moving in this weekend. Hooray!

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I haven't been spending nearly as much time at the bench as I would like lately. Only making it to the studio to complete orders, but no new stock for the shop, which I am missing. The renovations have taken precedence and more rest has been necessary as this growing baby tells me to slow down. 

This morning Cohen and I made our way to the studio to finish off some orders. While the ultrasonic heated in anticipation of cleaning finished, polished jewellery, we took a walk around Uncle Mick's veggie patch and visited the neighbours Jacaranda tree.

Today we are off to run errands and post orders before visiting the new house to see our completed bathroom. What are you up to today?

My Creative Space

Knitting fail.

I attempted this vintage pixie cap knitting pattern in the six month size, using the same size wool and needles required by the pattern. I was most pleased with myself, though I had a sneaking feeling all the while that it was bit too big. I am assuming that tension is the culprit?

My cap is too big even for the toddler.

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More (successful) Creative Spaces here.

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The lovely Liz of Lizzy C Photography has posted a sneak peek of her gorgeous wedding photos here. Loving the shots of Cohen, of course.

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Another busy week of renovations, which have left very little time for anything else. Undercoating, painting, carpet removal, plumbing and jack hammering. The house still looks like a job site in parts, but slowly we are reclaiming each room.

The nursery has been puttied and painted and now awaits floor polishing and the finishing enamel paint touches. 

The master bedroom is a deeper grey than this photo shows. 

Another peek of the wallpaper, found beneath the carpet in the master.

Cohen's bedroom, which we intended to paint the same colour as the nursery, but the colour threw too much lavender. Instead we mixed the paint left from the other two bedrooms to create this soft grey.

Things had been running smoothly, until we pulled up the carpet and discovered the underlay in Cohen's room and the lounge has somehow melted to the floorboards and now requires many hours of scraping to remove.

As I have said, however long you think something will take, double it. 

And then, maybe double it again.

Less than two weeks now until our intended move in day. 

My fingers are still crossed.

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Once again, that profile, those little feet. Simply amazing.

19 weeks today and all is well and normal. Half way there. 

We shall see you in March my little love.

Ten things I have learnt while renovating...

1. How ever long you think it will take, double it.

2. This principal also applies to the cost.

3. Be organised. Make lists. Talk things over. Imagine the space. Little things can get overlooked and become big problems, like the placement of a light switch. You don't want to have to walk to the wall furthest from the door to turn the light on.

4. Beware of hidden costs. For instance, in the quote we received for the plaster board, they failed to mention the $150 delivery fee, which was an unpleasant surprise.

5. Asbestos is best left to the pros. The long term affects to varying levels of exposure are still uncertain, but not worth the risk.

6. Spray for pests after painting, or the paint will void the effects of the paint. Unless you are trying to rid the ceiling of several ant colonies prior to applying the plasterboard.

7. Sometimes you will need three or four layers of undercoat. Grit you teeth and keep painting. Also, wait those two hours between coats. You WILL notice the difference.

8. Everybody has a friend who can get you something cheaper, be it paint, fittings or whatever. Take this with a grain of salt and budget for the normal price. And if you do get something cheaper smile and mentally use those savings to account for the afore mentioned $150 delivery fee.

9. Painting is like moving, no one wants to help.

10. Please refer to 1 and 2 again.

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Precious excerpts from Cohen's book recently -

Today you made up your first song and sang it in the car as we drove up the mountains. It was especially lovely to hear you singing along and see you smiling away. And it kept you amused on the long drive.

Your song went - "Yes, yes, yes, no, no, no, moo, moo, moo, neigh, neigh, neigh, yeah, yeah, yeah." (Repeat x 100)

Each day you are learning at least two new words and constantly surprising me. But I must admit, those words that you don't get quite right, or that you have invented yourself, they are the ones that I find oh so cute. Even if I have the necessary job of interpreter when you're chatting to others.

Wai wai - water (took us awhile to work this one out)

Dopter - helicopter

Yah Yah - light saber (because of the noise you make when you wave it around)

Rah Rah - transformer mask (because you always 'Rah!' and pretend to scare us when you wear the mask)

Pop pop - juice, poppers, Pop Tops and also balloons, because they pop

Toast - any bread product is toast. Bread, muffins, crumpets. When we get to the bread aisle at the shops you always excitedly yell 'Toast Mama!'

Each night you climb onto the lounge with me, lay your head on my tummy and say "Bub bub."

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Happy Monday folks! Time for a renovation progress post. This past week the tiler has been hard at work tiling the bathroom and painting has begun.

We also sat down and wrote a list of all the things that need to be undertaken before we can move in and, well, writing it down surely made it seem a lot bigger than what was in my head. But I am enthusiastically, but possibly impossibly, working towards moving in in three weeks time. Though the dates are somewhat dependent on the movements of the plasterer, floor polisher, electrician, plumber and carpenter of course. Some things will have to wait until we move in, such as the laundry and installing the new eaves. But I just want to get into my new house and get all our things out of boxes!

(Before)

Once the plasterer returns to install the cornicing in the bathroom, the ceiling can be painted and the rest of the fixtures can be installed.

Like the shaving cabinet doors, vanity, shower screen, taps, towel rails, toilet, lighting... as well as the door.

(Before)

Saturday I spent the day sugar soaping the walls of the entire upstairs level, while Dave started cutting in with the undercoat. I've never heard a man complain quite so much as my dear husband does with a paint brush in his hand. However, the budget does not extend far enough to include hiring a painter. Thankfully turning the music up and the promise of beer upon completion kept him going.

So much more painting to go...

(Before)

I just love this little bit of wall paper we uncovered behind the power point in the master.

Now there is a week of painting ahead of us. 

Previous renovation posts - one, two, three, four, five and original house tour.