I find my self pinning all these stunning shots on my pinterest account of other peoples up-cycled furniture.  One thing that has caught my eye multiple times is a balayage effect on the individual drawers, balayage is a gradual lightning effect (it may be a hair definition but we will use it here haha). I had just got my latest order from Voodoo Molly Vintage and was eager to open the cans and start throwing some paint around - im not kidding im a messy painter!!

6 steps to achieving the balayage look on drawers

My sister is just 3 weeks from having our nephew, while she has been off work she has been keeping her self busy researching all things for a baby boys nursery. Ash has great style and has always had her home well kept so having a new area in the home to throw her creative genius at.

Ash has recently upcycled an old wardrobe for her nursery and we think it has turned out great! So I asked her to send through some progress photos and write a blog post - she nailed it! 

My Little Boys Nursery Wardrobe 

This gem was left in our newly purchased home and just so happened to be perfect for the nursery and was the final finishing touch that really tied the room together. This was my first up cycle I have done and it was suprinsly easier than thought but still a process none the less. If I had stuck to basics and just went with the plain white without the feature of the chalk panel it could have been completed in a day easily, although I decided to get artsy and the final product was well worth it! I started off with a light sanding all over, once happy with that I used Zinsser interior & spot exterior primer-sealer stain blocker which I was told by a worker at mitre 10 can generally go straight on to any wood even if it had be varnished but to give it a light sand for best results.. WELL I wish I had sanded it more as there was one panel that had some varnish still peak through and crack the paint but luckily by the last coat of paint it was barely noticeable. 




Now for the fun part 🙄!! I purchased 500ml of Hudson chalkboard paint in black this required two coats, each drying almost instantly. I left it two hours to be safe then proceed with my chosen quote design by using a chalk marker purchased from spotlight. This was the niggly part as the lines weren't sharp and needed a lot of touching up with a wet cloth as water is the only way to remove the marker, all in all this was the longest process of the whole upcycle!! The finished product was exactly how I envisioned with the whole thing costing under $100!

You can find Ashlees instagram here: www.instagram.com/mylittlewildoneandme

Valentines day was coming up and I was wondering what I could get Georgia. Georgia doesn't ask for much so it's always hard to find her something because I want to get her something that really means something special to her, so this year I got her a bike! A bike means time away from reality, it's just us chilling out together which we both appreciate after work away from home.

These bikes are going to be great for nipping down to the markets or cafe on a Saturday morning too.







I hunted EVERYWHERE as I wanted to get her a bike similar to my vintage Healing loline so I was travelling far and wide to see the best vintage bike shops around, I even lined up at eco-store for 40 minutes to waiting for the fork lift dude to stop what he was doing and just let me have a look (bailed and it was definitely noted haha). Here's a tip from an old veteran, go to "Around again cycles"  and use the code word "up stairs" MIND BLOWN!!!!!  1000s of vintage bikes.

I ended up finding a Raleigh 20 on TradeMe that was in really good condition from the original owners. This machine was made in Hastings NZ and it even folds in half!

I wanted to surprise Georgia on Valentines day with it but she found me day one stripping it so changed direction to her helping me scrubbing me scrub the rust off haha. I painted the frame Hyssop by Dulux Duramax and the white is Gloss white also by Dulux.  I then applied 2 coats of gloss acrylic hardener and she came up beaut!  I brought a basket from B.A.S.I.C bikes in Christchurch and wheeled it out on Valentines day with brunch food in the basket and a picnic blanket ready to go on mine then biked down the cycle path to a park.


What do you think of the colour? Georgia loves her Raleigh 20!!!

Paint: Dulux Duramax
Basket: BASIC Bikes 

Meet the "Spirit Whip"........