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After a relentless battle with lots of pornographic spam on our loverly blog and some much needed downtime from blogging, we are here to let you know that Dirty Pretty Things will be back up and blogging very soon...but with a re-vamp.

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Most Important Details...If your favourite item by Dirty Pretty Things is not part of your comment and some sort of viable contact information is not included, your entry will be disqualified. I will make sure all extra entries are entered into the give-a-way. All entries are handwritten by me, so I DO check every single entry and comment. All entries for this give-a-way must be received by 12.00 midnite on Monday, April 19th, 2010 PST. There is a clock on the right side of this blog so that you may check Los Angeles {PST} time.The winner's name is drawn randomly by hand. Give-a-way is shipped out via the artist when winner is chosen. Value of prize is $5.00 and may not be exchanged. Samples sizes are sent in plastic pouches and are not as pictured in glass. This contest is open to everyone, everywhere.

Best of luck to you, my Pretties!

My vintage yacht makeover!

I spotted an old old old boat in an antiques store in Balgowlah, NSW. So happened it belonged to a stall owned by my husband's aunt. So I got it as an house-warming gift :)

'Course... this is almost 16 months ago now...

It looked way more romantic in the photo she sent me of the boat.

It screamed out for a redo... since there was no way I'm displaying the tired blue boat with its moldy brown-now-white-then sails.

First coat of undercoat. I put two coats.

The topcoat drying, a bright sunshine yellow.

Husband hanging the yellow boat on its freshly painted pink base and holder above our TV with some wall brackets.

For almost 16 months it's been sitting up there without the third and final sail... I chose bright yellow-andsomethingorother vintage fabric/napkins for my sail... happy happy yacht! (Thanks mum-in-law for making the sails for me!! (I have no sewing machine!))

It's finally completed! TODAY!



(A month before we have to LEAVE this place!!!)

Yellow and white floors

When we moved in, we enjoyed the clean off-white high-end wool carpet. It stayed clean for about 3 weeks. The often-used spots are now a horrid gray-brown. Vacuuming is now of no help other than picking up bits.

I'd love to rip up the floors, lay wide-plank floorboards... Might still be able to do it!!!!

And in the study, I'd love to do as Lori did, as per Design*Sponge:



I'd die to have these floors!

Instructions on Lori's makeover are here. I wonder what are the equivalent of "foam core" boards in Australia!

Check out the 'before's:

What were they thinking?

I discovered Fly Through My Window today on a Google search for Martha's jadeite... and enjoyed this blogpost more than any other for a while (because it's done on a realistic, everyday-people budget).

I have to say though... (actually, I have to scream it in my head)... What were the previous people thinking!?



I was so inspired by her bathroom makeover... what a great job Darby!



Go to her blog to read and see more detail.

A dollhouse and a Rose

Don't you just love the fun clothes Rose (played by actress Melanie Lynskey) of Two and a Half Men? I do. She's one of two people on screen who've inspired me to redo my look (or lack thereof!)

Anyway, I was watching Two and a Half Men (reruns) on TV last night while completing the ensemble for Hannah's 3rd birthday gift from me.



Months ago I bought an age-appropriate dollhouse (sans furniture) from Salvos and finally received the furniture I got off eBay via my in-laws.



I'm quite happy with the furniture pieces. They LOOK like the thing: a chair, table, lamp, sink etc... even got a cute shower stall! And they open and close... even the cute washing machine! (And they're PINK!)



The back of the dollhouse already had pre-pasted pictures of sink, fireplace etc... And clashed with the furniture pieces I got. So I replaced the back of the dollhouse with some scrapbooking paper from my vast collection with spray glue. I chose patterns that would allow the newly bought pieces to stand out... and tried to match the wallpaper with the rooms.



Will get to the front of the house when I can be real bothered!

But there's no food, no cutlery, no pretty extras... that are everything to a little girl. (And her mum.) So that was not good.

So I had to raid my craft cupboard for the extras... you know, beads, buttons, scrap cloths and a glue gun.

Plates from green buttons and platter from a large black one! Glued some beads onto the buttons to simulate rice, sushi, egg roe. Still thinking how to craft cups... Any ideas?



Also stuck on some of the new lace-tape on the lamp for embellishment. I also glued on a pink floral button for a clock and drew on some hands. Left some green button-plates on the sink (need to maintain reality, don't we!).

The material the came with the shower stall for shower curtains were flimsy, cheap sheer stuff... so I replaced it with some extra wide vintage ribbon.



Love my crystal pomander in the bathroom area? I got some more in the bedroom area. I made a few similarly simple boudoir pieces... again from buttons and a glue gun.



I put together the house and furniture placing...













I am well pleased. And Hannah is too :) Her plates look like real Japanese platters! :)

While risotto was cooking...

... the other day I made a snap decision to recover an old footstool I got from Salvos last year for my desk. I hated the colour of the upholstery and always knew I wanted it covered with some pretty yellow fabric. I finally found some good yellow(ish) fabric from Salvos a few weeks ago.

Before:


Fabric:


After:


So while the risotto cooked and I would intermittently run into the kitchen to add more stock, I stapled away :)

I'm reasonably happy with it... would have loved the fabric to be more yellow and white and bright and happy... but can't beat 5m of fabric for $4.99.

Next thing to be doing is swopping out those awful country-fied feet... or paint it a happy colour...

Hope you had a happy Easter!

Inspiration: framing vintage bags

I have a few bags that I especially treasure but they aren't the normal ones you'd bring to work... or the ones you take to the races even... they're the type you want to display... maybe to a summer wedding or the opera.

I have one of my favourites propped up on my "dressing table/cabinet" but would love to frame it up ala Unabashed Repetition.





What I like about this is that in no way is the bag pricked by mounting pins.. or anything. A couple of superstrong magnets, shadowbox and pretty paper.

I'd love to do this with my bags. Pity the Ribba frames aren't deep enough... (and pity I have enough stuff hanging on my walls. Husband and I counted 75 items... and growing rapidly.)

Still. A project to keep in mind! Thanks for the inspiration!

I thought I'd showcase some talented bag makers on Etsy:

By Etsy sellers:
First row: 1. The Leather Store , 2. DanicaDesigns, 3. Dschicboutique;
Second row: 4. daphenen, 5. katwhitt, 6. PacoandLupe;
Third row: 7. LooptheLoop, 8. fiazco, 9. OhGosh

Yellow and white happiness in my courtyard

I shared my dreams/plans for my dismal courtyard/garden in September 2008. In October 2008 I showed you a cast aluminum Coalbrookdale outdoor setting the MIL and I scored from someone's here-take-it-pile mid last year just before moving to our first/current house.



We have enjoyed a few breakfasts and morning work on that setting despite chipping paint.



Now the grass/lawn is dead, the bushes are dead... just not enough water/rain and we have very high restrictions for watering atm. So the dismal courtyard is looking worse... sigh!

But I have been rather busy!!! After a very difficult time of getting rid of old paint with expensive but ineffective products from Bunnings, I finally called it quits and took the setting to a sandblaster. After a coat of galvanise protection to protect the cast aluminium, I sprayed two coats of sunny, happy yellow.





One of my favourite furniture pieces is the white cane settee I scored off Ebay.

So although the garden is dismal, I think it is now one of my favourite areas to relax, read and hang out.

Planning on gathering more white cane pieces and maybe a few more of those cast chairs... perhaps a large table for outdoor dinners...

I would love to paint over those ugly terracotta tiles white gloss as well (unsure if this is possible/practical) as the dismal fencing (soon!)...

Of course, still no super large shady trees for my French settee on a swing!

Hope you have a great weekend!!!!!

Secretaire DIY ala Eddie Ross

For 2 weeks now husband and I have been considering a major move in our lives which has been triggered by Christmas 2008. Will talk more about things when we have made more of a decision... but it involves planning a new floorplan!

So when I spotted this secretaire DIY ala the frightfully talented Eddie Ross* (Top Design Season 2 contestant and Senior Style Editor, Martha Stewart Living) I got all excited. The new floorplan planned during Christmas 2 weeks ago involves a much needed secretaire for books, storage and deskspace. Since I can't afford a new one at my favourite store for $3950, my secretaire will also most likely be a product of a similar DIY job.

Before:




After:


Thanks Eddie for the inspiration and encouragement!

Btw, this is another secretaire Eddie DIYed! Love the punch of colour too!




*I know this sounds so lame, but we here in Australia don't enjoy most of the American produced interior design shows on free to air... but I scored a copy of Top Design Season 2 and have been enjoying it after my family sleep. So hence my seemingly late-oh-so-overdue discovery of Eddie Ross!

Marinna Kennedy inspiration

We're back!!!

Happy New Year!!

We got back from in laws about 6pm last night. Since then till midday today, we've been madly cleaning. Once I get home from holidays for more than a week, I have a desperate need to clean the entire place, even though I normally clean before leaving. Don't ask why.

Now we're relaxing. I can't be bothered thinking about dinner.



I discovered bespoke, a line of bespoked home furnishings created by Marianna Kennedy, a talented duo from London.

I'm now struck by a need to secure an old side table, getting me some black gloss and some pretty yellow paper (or fabric) and going all decoupage-crafty!

Marianna states her ethos: "The pleasure of antiques is not only the pleasure of beautiful materials skilfully put together - it is a sense of the mind and hand behind those things - the human element that speaks through the metal and wood, the sense that somebody made this, and that there is a connection between us.... There is no reason why new, modern pieces shouldn't have this connection - this feel for the human that mass production always fails to deliver."

I'm constantly looking for a cute cabinet to store my printer/scanner and workbags... might do me some of that gorgeous decoupage work ('cause I can't handpaint like Ms Kennedy and can't afford the super pricey tag!).

Some prettyChiyogami papers might do the job nicely...

My new {Family} Poster

No one in my family (not even 2 year old Hannah) or circle of friends like Nicola. Only I do. The frame needs replacing, sure but Nicola herself is in great condition! There's just something about her gentleness, her poise...

Anyway. Fact is fact: No one likes it.

So under subtle hints from husband and 2 year old Hannah, the in laws, the rellies, the friends, I got it replaced. (Plus I have to admit, it does seem odd her hanging there solo above the fireplace when she's not our ancestor or friend or my portrait :P)

Now that space is replaced with my newest poster, {Family}.



I love it, although I wish it were larger but I couldn't afford the print price plus framing in view of recent more urgent needs. One day! :)

I'd love to do one for you in your own custom colour and size choices! Contact me via my paperbean design website :) (link above on left)

Baby boy's birthday do!

I wanted to show you what a talented and crafty, beautiful friend did for her son's First Birthday Party 4 weeks ago. Some hold it in playgym arenas, MacDonalds, parks etc... but I've always favoured the DIY at home do... and Mich shows that it is not at all hard, if you keep it simple.

The invite was a carefully selected pre-made one with a small magnet attached... it was the theme for the gift showbags at the end of the party for the other little ones. Goes to show even off-the-rack invites can be truly personalised if you allow the theme to be repeated in other areas.



Mich invited about 15 of her close friends. All but 2-3 couples have lil' ones around the same age (0-3).

The event was a satay one and since all of us hail from Malaysia/Singapore, we had very high standards for satay, sauce etc. Her family are real Asian foodies plus Mich's sister just opened a satay joint in Melbourne, so we rested easy knowing that the satay would be quality and as authentic as possible. We weren't disappointed. Mich's dad had the use of an authentic satay "oven"! (A find-in-Malaysia-only satay trough where you lay the sticks over coals to get that all-important charcoal burn and scent.) Along with the sticks were the must-haves of cucumber and onion pickle, authentic peanut curry sauce, ketupat (steamed rice cakes), chicken curry with nasi briyani (cumin rice with aniseeds). MMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!



The theme was clearly baby blue and red. Evident first from the invite, and the birthday cake-lets. Mich had prepared small cupcakes in blue and red liners, put a small dollop of icing and topped it with blue and red smarties. (The other colours were in a small bowl on the table and on the birthday cake which Mich also baked herself - never waste! Mich had bought two cake stands and stood one on top of the other and tied a red and white striped ribbon at each base.



The same red and white ribbon was also tied on the handles of the small brown-paperbags for each lil' one. The child's name was labeled on a elephant that Mich had cut out on some blue paper using the invite template. Clever repetition of something off-the-rack that makes it totally personalised!



I'd peeked inside the bag and saw that Hannah's had a deep pink tee. Which I thought was sweet of Mich... but it was only 3 days after, when I got around to cleaning the car out that I had a proper look at the Hannah-discarded-because-the-brown-paperbag-was-more-interesting tee.

What touched my heart was the one-step-further Mich took in these little give-aways: she hand-appliqued on Hannah's tee a pink mushroom! (Dunno as yet what was on the boys' tees.) So cute! I love the idea! (Can't be so bothered myself but I must say this is great inspiration I'l def take on board!)





The outside where the main event (food, of course!) was simply decorated. Mich had strung across the small courtyard a few garlands of simply made short mobiles. Circles in blue and red scrapbooking paper had been strung together and then hung from the garland.



All in all, it was such a well-planned birthday do for a lucky young boy. Well-planned because Mich was determined to keep things simple... almost understated. No fancy china, no fancy 4 course meals, no formal seating, no sit around and open gifts session, no flowers, not even a balloon in sight... she and her husband thoughtfully spent their budget instead on gifting each child-guest with something personal, something that will last past the party!

Real inspiration Mich!