Art hanging system

In my last post about skateboard art I mentioned that we were considering having an art hanging system installed in the living room. Well, the price turned out to be so affordable that we decided to have two walls done! We went with the original plan of the wall above the TV (where the boards were hanging), as well as the main wall that runs along the hall.

I think this system will work very well for us, as it allows us to change our display very easily. The skateboards are now hanging on the main wall (with the two new boards still to be hung), and our framed Blacklist Studio prints (which were previously on the floor leaning against the wall) are now above the TV. I'd still eventually like to hang my Kozyndan print on the main wall once it's framed, but I love that we now have the flexibility to change our minds about the configuration whenever we feel like it (rather than drilling permanent holes into the concrete walls).

What do you think?! We've only had it installed for a day, so it's still very new and exciting for me...

Update: skateboard art

Quite a while ago now, I mentioned our desire for more skateboard art in our home. We currently have two boards hanging in the living room: one glow-in-the-dark limited edition Dalek board, and one Neckface board signed by the artist on his 2007 Australian tour (when we are lucky enough to see him spraypainting at the former incarnation of the Alibi Room in New Farm).

In the last two weeks, we've added not one but TWO new boards to our collection, which means we'll soon have four on the wall. The first one was this Jordan Hoffart/Vernon Courtlandt Johnson (VCJ) board that John wanted. Apparently it's quite significant because it's the first commercial board produced by VCJ in a long time, and he designed some of the most influential graphics of the '80s. John was lucky enough to get one of the first five boards, which are signed by both Johnson and Hoffart, with all proceeds going to charity.

Our second board (which I purchased) is this Jason Lee/Cease and Desist David Bowie Aladdin Sane board. The Cease and Desist boards are replicas of (or, perhaps more fittingly, tributes to) original designs from the '80s and '90s which were only produced in limited numbers due to the fact that they infringed on copyright (and therefore subject to cease and desist letters). The new boards are hand printed in limited runs of 100. As it's next to impossible to get hold of an unused original of this design without parting with a significant amount of cash, this is the next best thing. Oh, and for those who don't know, the Jason Lee I am referring to is the one as the My name is Earl guy (he was a pro skateboarder in the early '90s).

We're considering getting a professional hanging system installed by the Art of Hanging in Nundah so we can display the boards in the best way possible (and so that we can easily change them around should we acquire more!).

Dinosaur Designs platter

Wow, would you look at those tumbleweeds rolling on through the land of Flying Ducks? It seems that yet again I have been absent, due to a whole range of things happening in my life (a family wedding, sickness, study, work). Thankfully I only have to contend with study for a couple more weeks, so I should be around a lot more!

My best friend recently moved house, and decided to rid herself of her 'red things' in the process. Lucky for me, I love red things! Even luckier still is that I love Dinosaur Designs, and I am now the proud owner of this incredible (and HUGE) platter. I haven't quite worked out a place worthy of its presence just yet, but here is a little peek at its amazingness.

Cast iron apple pot

How amazing is this cast iron apple pot from Terrain? I've long wanted to invest in a big cast iron pot, and I think an apple-shaped one is just perfect! It looks like it belongs in my kitchen, yes?

Alas, Terrain do not ship overseas. I'll just have to keep dreaming...

Ottoman sofa bed

The first part of the office 'upgrade' is complete with the arrival of our ottoman sofa bed this week. I was a bit nervous about purchasing a custom-made piece of furniture on eBay, but the experience with Sydney Lounge Specialist was wonderful. We weren't quite happy with the standard Wortley and Warwick fabrics offered by the store, so after two rounds of samples in the mail we settled on Wortley 'Hustle' fabric in Carbon colour.

The sofa was made in Sydney from sustainable Tasmanian pine, and includes a ten-year warranty on both the timber frame and the foam. We paid extra to get an inner-spring mattress instead of a standard foam one, and the trampoline base also includes timber slats for extra support, so our visitors should have no reason to complain.

I couldn't resist buying some new cushions to celebrate. These are all from Target, who really seem to have stepped up in the homewares department.

I'll add more photos in the coming weeks when the room is a little tidier!

Baked rice puddings

Last weekend I tested out my new ramekins and made some delicious individual baked rice puddings.

The Vinyl Living tea towel was a lovely birthday gift from a lovely friend for my birthday.

Office plans

Our second bedroom serves as both an office/art studio for John, as well as a spare bedroom for guests. As both our families live outside of Brisbane, we need to have a bed available for visits, and the current solution of the futon sofa bed has long outstayed its welcome. Although I've managed to improve the look of the hideous mattress by hiding it inside a quilt cover, it's not the most comfortable option for sleeping.

After considering the options, including a double bed, sofa bed or new futon, we've decided that the best solution for us is an ottoman sofa bed with an innerspring mattress. That way, the sofa won't take up much room, but it can be converted into a comfortable double bed when needed. We're currently narrowing down fabric options from the Wortley and Warwick ranges, and are leaning towards a dark charcoal or grey. Originally I was planning on stripes or something with a little bit of visual interest, but the samples we have look to 'busy' against the carpet. I'll have to add interest with cushions instead!

The next step will be to remove the tiered desk in the corner for something a little more understated (like a simple white desk) so John has more room for his drafting table (which is currently squished in to the right of the desk).

Has anyone out there got a sofabed ottoman (or slept on one)? I'd love to hear your opinion of them.

Solid wood

We recently became fed up with our old Ikea chopping board. It looked pretty, but needed regular oiling where it had warped and split due to moisture seeping into the joins. It probably wasn't the most hygienic chopping board, either.

I embarked on an online journey to find the perfect rectangular solid timber board (none of these 'freeform' types). My search led me to to the 'Rocky', a beast of a board made from sustainable camphor laurel, and with red gum handles. It also turns out that the seller lives close by, and was able to drop my board off to save on postage. I can most certainly say that the investment was well worth it!

I was also recently given this adorable strawberry chopping board from Freedom. I have a feeling that it will end up making an excellent cheese board!

Ampersand

The day I accepted my new position, I decided to treat myself to a little gift. I've long admired the wares of Bespoke Letterpress, so when they released a French navy version of their ampersand print I was ever so tempted. As I am an editor, this print really was an appropriate purchase.

Thank you to everyone who left kind comments and sent emails in response to my last post. I finished up at my 'old' job yesterday, and I have a couple of days off before launching straight into the new one on Monday. I got some truly lovely farewell gifts, and I promise to reveal them here soon.

More Marimekko goodness

Remember I said that I was going to use my new Marimekko plate for cakes? Well, I found a better use for it, ensuring that it won't hide in the cupboard. I can now enjoy its beauty in the living room!

Marimekko in its new home

My Marimekko purchases arrived during the week! Hooray!

My lovely tea cup currently resides on top of the cabinet in my dining room study nook. I am quite pleased with the little vignettes that I have created here.

Here's a peek at how the space is currently looking.

Marimekko splurge

A couple of days ago Brands Exclusive had a sale on a range of Marimekko homewares, and I couldn't resist indulging a little (considering everything was half price). Thankfully they didn't have any tea pots, because I may have gone a little crazier with the spending if they did.

I bought myself a tea cup and large plate from the Siirtolapuutarha range. I won't be using the cup for tea, though; I think I'll put something lovely in it instead. The plate will be used for cakes, of course!

There are still a few items left in the sale, which finishes tomorrow night. I happen to know that a certain other blogger has already indulged...

Thank you: Peppermint magazine, Mina + Oli and Quiet Paws!

Over the past week or so lady luck has been smiling on my yet again. First off, I won this beautiful Mina + Oli wristlet from Peppermint magazine! The lovely Laura selected this blue number for me, which is made from a recycled leather jacket. I really, really love it!

Then, I was most excited (and amused!) to learn that I'd won a HUGE prize pool over at Tracey's blog Quiet Paws. Tracey has won a few Flying Ducks giveaways, so I guess what goes around comes around! I won all this awesome stuff (including the scarf, which is from Tracey's personal collection), plus a $25 donation in my name to the RSPCA flood appeal, which means an awful lot to me as an animal lover.

Image: Quiet Paws

I'm also very patiently awaiting the arrival of a Cocolo chocolate pack, courtesy of a Twitter giveaway from Fair Trade Australia. I am a big Cocolo fan, as I usually buy chocolate 'bricks' through Project 18 to help raise funds for an orphanage in Indonesia.

Clearly I'm a very lucky girl lately!

More apples! And an owl...

A few weeks ago John and I purchased a stylish-looking new stereo with some gift vouchers we received as wedding gifts. Previously, we had a rather chunky system that I bought about nine years ago. For those who haven't trawled back through our 'before' pictures, here it is on the left. The previous owner's choice of paint colour still amazes me today...

As our new system is a lot smaller, I decided to sew a table runner to cover the veneer of the shelves. I was recently given a HUGE stash of fabric (thanks Irene!), so I started rummaging through. It was then I realised that the apple calico I printed at the Thea & Sami workshop would probably fit perfectly! All I needed to do was cut some red fabric from my stash to use as backing. It is a little shorter than I would have liked (and I did have to trim the bottom off some of the pears that were printed a little too close to the apples), but it does the job!

Did you notice my new little red owl friend? He was purchased from Little Shop Of... during the recent flood fundraising, and sits with his larger buddy on the top shelf.