Recipes in four sentences

Monday, September 3, 2018

Homespun Things....nesting and nurturing...

 
Life has been busy at the Mimi Household.
 
We built a fire pit at the request of First Born Son. He wanted a gathering around an open fire for his 40th birthday. We obliged. A fun time had by all.
 
Gluten free custard filled profiteroles were on offer in lieu of a birthday cake. Topped with chocolate ganache and strawberry slivers, they were a huge hit!
 
 
Best son number two, asked for a cake that had 'something with coffee' for his birthday a few days earlier.
 
I challenged myself with this Gateau Opera. It was a mission. Five layers of vanilla cake (gluten free of course), soaked in coffee, sandwiched with coffee cream and chocolate ganache, then topped with more chocolate ganache and crumbled Flake chocolate and edible gold.
 
 
It's a bit like a Tiramisu, but BETTER. Very much worthwhile!
 
Birthdays done and dusted, we moved into Spring cleaning mode here.
 
First task on the list was to reassess our bedroom which is a bit of a mish-mash of styles and eras, that has evolved over the years.
 
Research suggested to me, that we were already hovering on the edge of a Hollywood Regency-Chinoiserie Chic look, so some culling and redistributing and painting and polishing is going on here, to crystallise that idea.

 
Crystal, tassels, overblown roses...
 
 
...equestrian details, antique books...
 
 
Chinese knots and embroidery on abundant cushions...
 



 ...more tassels...
 
 
Lavish smocking or trellis details.

 
Little Buddhas got the golden treatment. Husband received these for Fathers Day last year, but they were black and most of their detailing was being missed.
 
I donned gloves, squeezed gold acrylic paint into my hand and smoothed it all over them, rubbing it into the pretty details.
 
And look!
 
Transformed!



 
This pic on Pinterest..
 
 
...reminded me that I had the very same stool, about to be repurposed in the garden. I rescued it.

 
It will get a new velvet seat...although with a white cat in the household now, I may live to regret that decision! Perhaps a white velvet seat with fuschia piping is the solution!

 
Speaking of fuschia, I love the pop of fuschia and bright pink in these pictures...




 
I'm not sure that Husband is ready for all-out pink though.
 
Little touches might be nice...

Thinking about pink, led me to purchase this ginger jar for $5 at one of my favourite charity stores...Orson & Blake if you please, so $60-ish retail...
 

 
...not quite Hermes...
 
 
..but with the addition of some hand painted gold embellishment, not too shabby!
 
 
Of course this little gem has been hiding at the back of my kitchen cupboard while crystal and silver vases got the preferential treatment.
 
No more!
 
 
Thankyou to my friend Jane, who suggested cutting Cordyline leaves for this one...

 
...look at that pretty little pagoda shaped detail at the top of the neck of my lamp...
 
 
Here's those little Hear no Evil, See no Evil, Speak no Evil Buddhas again. The golden treatment has done wonders for their good looks.


So what else can I paint now?
 
Have paint, will renovate...
 


Not these little Asian inspired bookends in granite...no-no-no.
 
I've just rescued them. They were husbands until he got some musical note inspired ones and relegated these to doorstops. Goodness!
 

 
Bookends they are once more...
 
 
...with a nod to Chinoiserie Moderne Chartreuse (green), and Fuschia (pink) in the book spines...
 
Here's that real deal full-on pink that I don't think Husband will EVER be ready for...
 
 
….although I have snuck in some vintage Crane statuettes that haven't led to an objection...what is it about Men that resists change??

 
I think these little cranes will get the gloss treatment as seen below.
 
Or maybe metallic.
 
Decisions, decisions.

 
Meanwhile, Daughter was about to discard this Bamboo Whatnot Shelf, having grown out of her Teen Boho bedroom.
 
 I grabbed it. It needs a cleanup and a small repair.
 
But perhaps this will be my nod to fuschia or chartreuse.

 
Or maybe I'll just leave it au naturel with some spray clear gloss, and use piping on my cushions as seen here...
 
 
For sure something will get this not-quite-silver-not-quite-gold treatment...
 
 
And whilst this quilt cover covered in Chinese inspired knots and this little plastic frame aren't perfect, they'll get renewed and repurposed too.

 
Did I tell you about the Swallows on my mixer yet?
 
That's a post for another day...
 
 
Meanwhile, look at this pretty Chinoiserie inspired vignette.
 
I love it.

 
What's your favourite decorating style?
 

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12 comments:

  1. As always, your baking is absolutely gorgeous and looks delicious! Those pictures made my mouth water. Happy birthday to your sons! :)

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    1. Thankyou Stephanie my lovely! I've passed on your birthday wishes. Son is in New York right now watching the Yankees and the Jets. A lifelong dream for him! Mimi xxx

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  2. Great work Mimi! I love the way you are re-using your stuff in new ways. Looks great.

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    1. It's my anti-dementia strategy Eira...lol! Mimi xxx

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  3. You have such style; I love that you can pick out the details to make it all pop! Those desserts look incredible.

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    1. Penpen, you always say the loveliest things. Thankyou. Mimi xxx

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  4. Mimi my Grandma had one of those wire chairs in her bathroom. It had a pink fluffy seat with thick plastic on it. I used to love sitting on it and brushing my hair whilst looking in the bathroom mirror. This is from a time when I would have been somewhere between 6 & 8 years old. I had forgotten about that until I read your post. Thank you for giving me back that sweet memory.

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    1. Jane I'm glad to have revived a memory for you. I have similar memories. It's lovely to have those connections with our childhood I think. It was a gentler time for us all. Mimi xxx

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  5. I am working on the outside of my home at the moment - lots of gardening, mulching, trimming and tidying ready for everything to burst into life. I have the inside of a washing machine as my fire pit. The one with all the holes. They are much sought after for all sorts of things now I believe including planters and light shades. My decorating style is a mixture of french country (of course) and a little bit retro, uncluttered and minimalist but with warmth. I don't like the 'hotel' look in my home. I enjoyed some spring cleaning on the weekend and had two bags of clothes and household goods to take to the opportunity shop. Your ginger jar was a great find by the way. I loved this very springtime post on your blog Mimi. Thanks and love Janiebabe

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    1. Jane, I'm impressed with your ingenuity of using the innards of a washing machine as your fire pit. Annabel told a similar story recently, but I won't share the details as it's for her daughters wedding and that's her story to share! I agree, I don't enjoy feeling like I'm in a hotel either. What is with that?? I love being surrounded by my beautiful things. We are kindred spirits in that respect. Mimi xxx

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  6. Hello Mimi, it's so nice to hear from you. I love all of the little touches you have and cleaning out the house is always a big job. I try to do this throughout the year in each of the rooms. We do accumulate a lot of things.
    Julie

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    1. Yes I think it's human nature to 'collect', isn't it. An annual clean up and donating routine is good for us all. So lovely to see you here. Mimi xxx

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I love hearing from you! I always respond to comments, so don't be shy! Mimi xxx