Daley-Baird
My Sewing Cabinet Renewed
My Horn Sewing Cabinet – I have had this cabinet for over 30 years. It was a ‘brown’, like many pieces of furniture back in those days, about 30 years ago.
I forgot to take a before picture but I’m sure you can imagine it.
This is the first piece that I have had problems with as far as the paint goes. I used a Rustoleum chalk paint in a grey but there were problems with the paint drying, no matter how long I left it, when the next coat went on it took some of the previous paint off.
I ended up mixing my own chalk style paint in a white and painted the top and front with that, the sides and trim on the front I was able to leave and seal with Cabot water based Poly. I used the previous drawer pulls, they were timber so I gave them a coat of white, then used silver ‘Rub’n’Buff and sealed that with the Cabots.
I love this cabinet as it houses most of my sewing essentials and best of all, my machine is always at the ready, just flip the top back, the Horn Lift brings the machine up and I’m ready to sew.
Chalk Style Paint
When I first started using chalk style paint, I would paint the piece of furniture or picture frame then go looking for other items that weren’t timber.
 Here are many different types of containers, pottery both mat and highly glazed, wooden etc., I even painted cork stoppers. The chalk style paint settled well onto all. |  This was a little brown one cup tea pot, when brown was all the go. It was in the back of a cupboard, not being used and now sits proudly on a shelf in full view, |  Here are two terracotta canisters, I added the bows to bring in the heritage red colour. |
So you see, it’s easy to test what will take the chalk paint and what the chalk paint will like.
I’ve painted on timber, plastic, terracotta, all types of pottery, metal, you name it, I’ve probably painted it.
While I am painting, I don’t get many visitors, phone calls but not visits, I think my friends and relatives feel I may paint them if they stand still.
Re-Design A Garden With A Few Difficulties
Trying to renew/re-design part of my garden can get difficult at the best of times but lately even more so.
I have a beautiful Leopard Tree in my back garden, lots of shade, lots of ‘pods’ dropped at certain times of the year but there is nothing more difficult than a Mynah bird building a nest then sitting on eggs so that their little baby birds will hatch and next year at this time of the year there will be more of them to stop my garden re-designing happening.
They are aggressive when near their nest. This nest is tucked into a part of a branch of the Leopard tree, not in close to the trunk but on the outer branches. So I have to walk so far from this area that they don’t feel the need to flutter, ‘click’ and warn me, attack me in other words.
Of course the area of the garden I’m re-designing is right under the Leopard tree, I’m putting paver paths through and around the gardens.
I have been told these little Mynah birds perform this nesting twice a year, we have already been through one of these events so hoping this will be the last for this season. The incubation period is 17 to 18 days and fledgling period is 22 to 24 days.
I’m counting the days….
About My Site
About My Site – I have had a lot of websites over the years that I have been online. Mostly they have been sites on a topic, hobby, way to make money, an interest. But…this site is about me and what takes my interest, something I’m curious about, sometimes politics.
Sometimes it will be like I’m sitting in my garden, having a tea or coffee and having a chat.
I used to have a nick-name during the time I had my florist shops – affectionately – ‘Have-A-Chat’, because I was always there to chat to people, listen to their stories, concerns, about their family you name it, and I listened.
If they wanted advice and I could give them some good advice, then I would give it. I also learned a lot and became fond of many people and enriched my world and I thank each and everyone of them.
While building the other sites I learned a lot. Most of them I had to research the topic and while doing that I became interested and so my knowledge increased.
Retiring from the work-a-day world I continued to research, learn, find that things I loved to do way back when, I still loved to do and I had time to do them.
So My Site is going to be, no topic in particular more – what I like, what I don’t like, anything gardening, chalk style painting, furniture, old furniture, redecorating, makeovers and lots more.
So if you want to follow along then bookmark My Site and come back whenever you like.
Power Tools
I have been saying to myself and anyone else who would listen that I would like to learn how to use power tools and make ‘things’. I know Bunnings have lessons at times but overtime I check the lessons are for children. Now I know I would be in that category as far as knowledge goes but…I would like to be with other adults, nothing worse than a little child showing you up. At least if it is another adult it doesn’t look so bad.
Well yesterday while listening to the radio, there was a lady interviewed who has started a place where someone like me can go and have lessons to use power tools, build things, take a piece of furniture and upcycle to bring it into today and make it useful again.
And…guess what this place is called, She Skills or The She Shed…I have found like-minded ladies, well when I go to my first class I will have.