Get a gripp(iks) of this!

No messy wallpaper paste! Dress up the back of a bookshelf and sides of magazine files...

Like a good quarter or so of the world's population, you have an Ikea Expedit cubed storage system, a Lack coffee table, a Billy bookcase or a Malm chest of drawers. Right? Now, while Ikea Hacker blog has some fabulous customisable ideas, you just don't have the time, energy or creative ability to personalise your own. Correct? But you'd like to give it a teeny tiny bit of pattern or colour or both. Yes? Well then, if you can peel and stick, you can give your Ikea pieces a new look. Independent Australian company Grippiks Surface Accents (not related to the Ikea group, by the way, just huge fans!) sell patterned films pre-cut to fit a range of Ikea's most popular pieces (such as the above). Unlike decals, these stick to a surface through suction, not glue, so there are no bubbles, but they can still be repositioned and removed easily. And if you likey, they're available to buy online only and ship worldwide. Here are some more ideas...

...or the front of a dresser...

...or your bedside table drawers...

...or the storage boxes in your Expedit...

...or the tops of your tables. All images from Grippiks

Room with a (fake) view

Image from VT Wonen

Here's a new way to dress up a boring wall. Wallpaper of COURSE features, but I really mean this very cool fake window picture. Cute, huh? I especially love the casualness of it pegged to a floating branch with bulldog clips, although I have no doubt this "casual" look was a rather well-thought out plan and not as easy as it looks to put together. A bit like all the make-up you use to get the "natural look!" A great idea if you'd like more windows or a cheeky window covering!

i'm a winner!

Proof I'm a winner. And lovely! hehe. Hmm, never noticed how horribly off-centre the middle of my banner is! Oops.

Whoo hoo! After stumbling upon a lovely little competition at the La La Lovely Things blog, I gave my two-cents worth of advice and was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the top three AND drawn out as the winner! My prize? Aside from the satisfaction in helping someone, talking decor and meeting a nice new blogger - Trina McNeilly - I also scored a Made By Girl poster. Yippee! I think I'll go with the LOVE for my lovely Layla. Then my kids will have his "n" her Made By Girl posters in their room (Zak has the personlised ABC). Sweet!

Thanks a bunch to Trina for the competition - she was after ideas for revamping her family room. Here were a few of my suggestions and picture inspiration. To see what she ends up doing to her space, keep checking her blog. She's also promised more giveaways so keep your interior decorator hat nearby!

Trina's fireplace

Inspiration & suggestions: paint the whole wall the same colour as the brick - mantle top included. Balance out the imbalanced placing of the fireplace with a rustic bucket of chopped firewood on the right in that little corner with a few pics propped up against the brick behind it - you don’t need to buy anything; get your kids to draw something and frame that (and they’ll get a kick out of it too!) On top of the mantle, group a whole heap of samey objects - again like in the picture - on the left-hand side. I love these white things and it could easily be achieved by grabbing a heap of cool-shaped cups, vases, objects from a thrift store (or around your house) and spray painting them the same colour. I’m going to do this in white in my own place for my new recessed shelves. One day… I’d prop something large - a canvas or big frame just off centre to the right with a few framed pictures in front and to the end. Mix up your frames with your “Ms” and add to the collection like in the pic below or grab some cheapie plywood ones and customise them yourself. On the left-hand side a few pics just stuck on the wall casually - maybe a group of three (odd always looks better than even) different sized pictures; they don’t even have to be framed. Picture from Domino (this was one of my fave houses from Domino!)

A cute collection of "E"s. Image from Urban Grace Interiors

Trina's shelves

Inspiration & suggestions: go nuts mixing books with fave objects. I’d personally paint them white too because that way the objects would take centre stage, but as they've just been painted, maybe incorporate that greeny colour in the room with some cushions on the couch to lighten it up and a nice white throw. Pic from renovate + decorate

Trina's couch


Inspiration & suggestions: place the mirror over the couch or do the wall collage there instead with a mix of letters and picture frames. Pic from VT Wonen

My prize! LOVE poster by Made By Girl

By the way, I'm not for a moment suggesting I'm an expert on this, but if you ever want some advice or ideas for any aspect of decorating or renovation, I'm more than happy to help. It's good fun!

one more post on clever template people

Free paper flower tutorial (looks sooo simple and how beautiful is this pic?) from Dozi

Yes, I've become a little obsessed with the people behind Little Brown Pen. But it's their own fault - they've got so many great blogs between them and I've spent way too much time browsing through them and getting so many great ideas. Little Brown Pen has sooo many pretty things and Amala is perfect for my new love for all things natural, green and organic. Both have also led me to many more brilliant Etsy sellers which you'll prob hear more of soon enough. And - the reason you'll love them too - Templettes is all about the best of the best templates available on the web. Want a greeting card, business-card envelope, cheap art or apron pattern? They'll show you where to get them for next to nothing and for nothing. This is the best category: freebies! Here are a few things you can download for free, or next to it, that Templettes have discovered for you. Enjoy!

Love this "Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy" eye-chart print. From Poppytalk

Beautiful tree card from How About Orange

Cool chore chart by Little Brown Pen

and another top idea: fog and thistle's papercut templates

Made him myself. Well, not this one, but I hope mine will look this good! DIY Papercut bunny, $US2

I really need to stop with all the Etsyness or I'll go broke. Slowly though - like a few dollars at a time - as everything is priced so well, but still broke!
You've probably seen the beautiful papercut artworks by Fog and Thistle's Rachel Weber (ooh, Weber was my maiden name!) around the blogs, but did you know she's generously offering mini papercut templates for sale on her blog so you can DIY? After considering whether to buy for a whole 100th of a second, I pressed buy now for this little cutie (above) who promptly arrived in my inbox seemingly moments later. It might stay there for a little while as I'm hideously busy attempting too many other things, but I hope to get him all cut out and sitting prettily on a wall or shelf somewhere soon - stay tuned!

Not a DIY one, but one of Rachel's beautiful works, US110

I love the fact Rachel has combined her passion for papercutting with other people's passion for DIY - it's a lovely way to share what you do and is a brilliant combination. Plus, for $2, even if you're completely useless at the cutting out part, you could always print it out again and colour it in instead to create a cute little artwork, couldn't you?

Another cute DIY kit, $US2

Thanks Rachel for allowing a little of your cleverness to rub off on us less creative folk! Check out the template range plus more intricate papercut art for sale by Rachel at her Etsy shop, more printable stationery by her at her other store, Along the Dotted Line and her blog.

wish it was my idea... little brown pen's printable stationery

The simple and stylish 2009 calendar ($US5!) everyone I know will probably get this year! From Little Brown Pen

Have decided Etsy is probably going to be THE place for Christmas presents for me this year - to give and receive! I was looking for a nice calendar (it's hard to fine good ones in shops) and this was the first one that popped up - sold! Not just because it's simply stylish, but because for $5 I can print it out myself over and over and over again and give to everyone!

Sweet tweeties stationery set, $US4

The seller is Little Brown Pen and they sell printable stationery which is such a genius idea - you hand over a few dollars and they email you a PDF with card templates, all-in-one-notepaper-and-envelope, calendar or colouring-in cards. You can then do whatever you like - print out the templates and use as the stationery, cut up and frame, use in craft or other artsy projects whenever you like, as many times as you like. The prices are minimal because you do the printing yourself and there's no shipping so it's the closest you can get to instant shopping gratification online!

Printable colouring cards, $US3

I of course couldn't just stop at the calendar and also grabbed this cute little blue-bird stationery set (am going to use the gift tags for Chrissy presents) and the colouring in card set for Zak's birthday: can use them for invites, games, gift bags etc... They also have a few Christmassy styles which you must check out!

Holiday birds stationery set - get all your Chrissy cards and tags sorted for a whole $US4 (plus the paper to print it on obviously!)

What's more is, if I ever need a birthday card, thank you card, how-you-going-card or gift tag, they'll be on my computer ready for me to print send. Am so impressed with this idea!

have a relaxing weekend

This random collection of fabrics (and some are rather hideous!) works beautifully as a patchwork. And is somehow glamourous in this setting. Love it. Picture from Getty Images

Am leaving you with my fave pic of the week. I love it all and it makes me wish I still had the clawfoot bath we left at our old place. If we still lived there or ever moved back (but we won't, cause it's on the market at the moment!) I'd do just this: hang a beautiful patchwork curtain from the ceiling instead of a shower-curtain rail for full dramatic effect, with a cheapie plastic one on the inside of it for practical reasons. And how cute is the flower heart on the wall? Sweet! It's inspired me: am off to sink in my not-so-glam-but-still-relaxing bath right now! x

DIY destination posters

Customisable destination bus scroll stencil, $240, Stencil Gallery

You just know something is a trend when a cheaper version of it pops up somewhere. In design we have replica furniture, in fashion there are designer rip-offs in chainstores within seemingly minutes of it walking down the runway. In the art world, if there isn't a print of it, there's probably a wall decal or stencil version! I found this destination bus scroll while doing some freelance work. It's a stencil, but it's a pretty good one I think. Just spray the back lightly with a temporary spray glue, press onto the wall and spray with an aerosol paint for the easiest version (maybe cover the vicinity in newspaper to avoid accidental graffiti). Good old Stencil Gallery does it again! What's even better about this one is - and that you just can't get from real vintage ones - is that you can customise it: you get to choose the 13 lines of destinations you want. So whether it's your surrounding suburbs, places you desperately want to see or a memorable world-wide trip, you're the bus driver! The stencil measures 150cm high x 75cm wide and is $240. Grab it here.

letterpressed calling cards

Business cards for the kiddies! Picture from Bespoke Press

I've always loved the look of letterpressed stationery - there's an old-world feel about receiving an invitation or card with etched patterns. And since my dealings with the lovely Alischa from Bespoke Press, I know why. It's a long, archaic process involving an antique printing press machine from 1893 to make something so beautiful and makes me appreciate the workmanship that goes into it even more. A few weeks ago Alisha graciously offered to make me some mummy calling cards after I blogged about the trend at Mini Meez. She sent me a few designs and I picked my fave, changed a few colours around and the result is above: beautiful and bright calling cards to exchange with potential playmates (for the kids) and their parents (for me). I received them on Wednesday and already used one on Thursday with a new mum we asked to join our mother's group (such the exclusive club it is!!!) Makes a simple and stylish way to give someone your phone number without having to dig through a car-sized bag filled with all sorts of, well, crap, with one arm with a baby on your hip and a toddler hanging off your leg to try and find a pen. Let alone something to write on.

How they arrived. I felt bad ripping the paper! Image from Bespoke Press

I just wanted to thank Alisha so much for my beautiful cards - and want to send you all over to her blog where you can not only see for yourself the step-by-step process of making my cards, but witness her own home renovation, and website to drool over gorgeous wedding packages (invites, menus, table cards) and invitations she's created for clients. The full website will launch soon, but if you're getting married, having a baby or just want to celebrate something in style, Alisha is your girl for gorgeously unique stationery. And too-pretty-to-unwrap packaging!

inspiration from stores over the seas

Idea to steal: a chandelier in the bathroom. It doesn't even have to be in the middle of the room - I love how it's over the bath here. I don't even like champagne, but I'd so drink it in here - the only drink fitting I think for such a rusticly glam room. Pic from Froke Nolsen

As I mentioned before, there are some brilliant stores out there. And most of them are overseas. Of course we have some here, but at the moment, my decor taste is running towards a mix of Scandinavian, moroccan and asian. And I realised as I uploaded these pics, that there is a similar vibe in all of them that reflects this. Here are a few pretty pics from overseas stores and a few ideas to steal from them.

Idea to steal: rustic old doors, gates or trellises can look beautiful resting against a wall or behind a bed as a bedhead. Pic from Tine K Home

Idea to steal: forget the closed-door buffet: show off your pretties with a glass-door cabinet. You could even age distress a new one with paint (Ikea have some similar to this) to give it an aged look. Pic from Tine K Home

Idea to steal: strips of leather as door handles. The ones in this picture are sold by the label Tine K Home, but I think you could easily do yourself with straps and some kind of screw. Ask a hardware expert for the appropriate ones.

Idea to steal: oooh this mirror... be still my beating heart. You might not be able to re-create the angles, but sticking a whole heap of different-sized mirror tiles into a large rectangle on the wall would create a similar effect. Pic from Graham and Green

Idea to steal: hanging lanterns or little birdcages from a four-posted bed. Securely, though, don't want any nasty accidents! Pic from Graham and Green

Idea to steal: ok, so letters on a wall aren't new. But using a heap of random letters and symbols in a cool pattern like this is. How effective! Pic from Graham and Green

Idea to steal: banana-leaf and French market baskets are hip and a staple in a lot of homes, but give it a paint job for a pop of colour and little individuality. Pic from Chenille Home

Idea to steal: old gates or screens make gorgeous bedheads. Pic from Chenille Home


Idea to steal: take your indoor decor outside like this deer head. Obviously best to be in the covered outdoor areas but don't feel the need to leave the walls bare: it's called an outdoor "room" now, not just outdoors! Pic from Graham and Green

cute and easy idea

Draw your way to priceless heirlooms. Pics from Lille Lykke

And you thought plain, white modern wardrobes were boring! I've heard of wallpapering them, decal-ing them, covering them in photos and of course painting to jazz them up, but this takes the cake: a whimsical antique princessey armoir drawn on the doors. As odd as this sounds, to look at it, you really only notice the outline. Simple, clever, stylish!

La la lovely

Great idea for a girlie bedroom without the antique price tag, but perfect for little princesses!

magazine storage at its finest

Do you think this homeowner likes to read? Pictures from Taverne Agency

If you're anything like me, you have too many magazines than you have shelves, cupboards and racks in which to store them. I have the newest real livings and dominos on a shelf above my desk, a pile of my favourites under my desk growing dangerously close to the desk-top underside, while in my spare room the four-year's worth of Cosmo issues I worked on are in a cane basket, I have paper folders bursting from old issues of home mags, Madisons and Shop Til You Drop are strewn over the floor (I'm not very tidy) in front of a couple of other piles of new and ancient publications I just can't part with for whatever reason. And this is AFTER I half-filled a yellow recycle bin after a clean out. One day I will find a solution. Or have a house big enough to dedicate a room to a magazine library (and newspapers - my husband edits a weekly paper, so we have piles and piles and boxes and more piles of newspapers too. quite the fire hazard really. grr), but until then...

Creating a bit of a pattern by stacking them horiztonally and vertically ensures it's not just a stack of magazines! Pretty things on top seal the deal.

If I didn't have children, I'd so do this: create magazine storage using magazines - stylishly. This homeowner has neatly stacked a rather large amount of mags to form a console table. A piece of glass cut to size rests on top, creating a nice little station for pretty things. Perfect if you can't bear to part with your faves, but don't flip through them on a daily basis as unstacking and restacking regularly couldn't be too much fun. But it looks like she's got that covered: another two easily-accessible piles are on display under the clear coffee table.
I find it a great idea and love that it's an instance in which magazines physically help create a stylish room, not just tell us how with words and pictures. So, how do you store your mags? I'll be moving office space at home soon and would love to hear some more ideas.
x

fine and dandididliandi (that's in Flanders' voice for non-Simpsons fans!)

"Dandigami" Lotus flower paper napkins. Download free instructions here

Even though I missed the Stitches and Craft show last week, I'm happy to say I didn't completely miss out on what I wanted to see: the Dandi stall. The lovely Caroline from Dandi contacted me to fill me in and show me what they got up to: demonstrating how to make this cute napkin origami - perfect for your next dinner party. The good news is, Dandi has a blog (fineanddandi.blogspot.com) and has posted the instructions on it for anyone to download - for free!

So-pretty fabric mobiles to dress up your home. You can buy the kits to DIY

And even better news, is the gorgeous little project kits they were selling at the show will soon be available on their online store (but for now, if you want one, best to phone or email them). I really want the mobile (above) - it's very similar to what I was coveting in this DwellStudio picture (below) in one of my first posts on mini meez. Perfect for hanging over baby's cot or dressing up a corner of your living room.

One example of where to hang the mobile!

Also available for purchase is the treasure box (below). Aren't they great? Kits come with everything you need to make it - instructions, fabric etc, and cost $25 each.

The treasure boxes would make great bonbonnaire at weddings

Just another reason why I love this Aussie brand! And yet another thing from them to add to my great gifts list! Check out their blog for other great DIY ideas and pretty things.

two bright ideas

ok these aren't "green" ideas, but after searching for a lightbulb picture for the whole bright ideas concept, I came across this, which is very cool! From TimeInc.

Two little tips I thought good enough to share!
1. I hate spending money on completely practical items. If they're pretty or you REALLY need, them, fine, but a salad spinner? No way (how did we manage before it?) A knife sharpener? Nope. Because my dad shared this tip with me aaages ago that my Oma used to do and because I only just remembered it and tried it last night, I thought I'd share. Cause it works! Turn a porcelain plate over and use the rim it sits on to sharpen your knives. I'm assuming you have a plate, so if so it'll cost you zero! And in case you're wondering what I did before to sharpen knives, I'm ashamed to admit I did nothing. They've been blunt for what seems forever - I just seriously worked my arms to cut through!

The Ikea Lycksele armchair bed, $289 each

2. I just posted a nursery tour at mini meez and loved this idea. Instead of buying one sofabed, go for two single ones: it means you still get the couch, but can accommodate two visitors if they're not a couple but can be pushed together as one bed if they are. Clever!