So, lovely ladies fluent in Vintage Speak ;-) I would like to present you with another recent find. Not 'found' as it were, but bought at a sale (along with other goodies).
And yes it's getting packed in this old cottage, chocka with beachy vintage things…so this one is going to have to find a new owner to love and cherish her.
She needs a bit of work for sure, she is rather dirty and that is always* the time consuming thing with these pieces…then she'll get the Beach Cottage treatment…white paint and love..(oh and yeah btw the one from yesterday was the before, not painted yet). I've got a new white to try on this one…it's not a ready-mixed-up colour from Dulux or from anywhere else for that matter, it's a white that I got made up myself…
Although I love the walls in pure white or White on White (see more of that here), for this piece and the pie cabinet I showed you yesterday I wanted them with just a hint of clotted cream, a hint of antique, the whisper of a faded patina…but not that real warm yellowy cream, more a…beachy frothy sea-cream, if ever there was such a colour. So I headed up to the paint store and the Paint Man I now know rather well, clutching a piece of off-white vintage linen and asked him if he could match it….he did a good job…
And so tomorrow hopefully, after a morning full of sport and no ( treasure hunting, I will set about getting that chunky old beauty looking a little bit more coastal.
And righto, while I'm here I have a couple of things to share with you, some things Beach Cottage readers have recently shared with me…
First this email from Laurie Shoemaker
Hi Sarah -
I just HAD to share these photos with you – since you continue to be my inspiration and
motivation in my own beach cottage!
I love the way my linen closet turned out! My girlfriend said that it changed my bath
from Victorian Country house to Beach Cottage chic.
Hugs,
Laurie
PS I'll send you pics of my own pie safe as soon as I complete it. Should be by Sun morn! (along with pics of the fireplace, Dutch door,
and basement door!)
Here's how it looked before the Beach Cottage Treatment and yes I dream of a Linen Cupboard like that, in fact any cupboard like that…
and after (and yes I drooled at the beading)
and secondly, here's a letter from another reader Jessica, I thought you'd be interested to read what she had to say..she seems to have put the nail on the head of what it's all about at ABeachCottage.com…
Hi Sarah
I just wanted to take a moment and thankyou for your awesome blog! I only discovered it this week but have already gone through your 50+ pages of archives reading every single article and trying not to drool on my desk. Your beach cottage is amazing! Cosy, neat, inviting, chic, I could just keep going…
I bought my first house just over 2 years ago and have been at a loss as to how I can transform it into my own 'beach cottage'. I live in western australia about 5 minutes from a seaside town called fremantle and a 2 minute drive to the beach. Living near the coast is amazing and something I definitely don't take for granted! My house is still a mish mash of different hand-me-down furniture and different themes I've tried, including a beachy blue and white dining room and an african (?) themed loungeroom (that's my fiances domain). But, as I regularly remind myself when I get down about my jumbled abode, at least the walls are no longer pea green and dirty yellow with bright scarlet brick pillars (the last owners were, lets say, an interesting lot)
Every month I buy lots of housey magazines and get house-envy when I see so many immaculately renovated houses filled with beautiful designer things. I pore over country style articles and yearn for an old cottage on acres of land. I read backyard design and immediately want a slick, modern backyard with an outdoor kitchen and manicured lawns and a day bed and some loungers to sit next to my pool. And most of it is just out of my budget! Which frustrates the hell out of me.
And then I happened upon your blog. And I devoured all of the articles, the how-to's and the junk finds and the white paint and I thought to myself – I can do this. All of this. I can afford white paint, and I love sourcing old pieces of tatty furniture from junk shops and roadside collections. It made me realise that the only thing stopping me from having my own lovely white beach cottage is – me!
I've already decided on some projects to attempt, including your lovely framed bus stops project, and I'm waking up extra early this saturday to trawl a couple of local swapmeets. I can wait to find some old mirrors or some wicker chairs in need of some restoration.
I know how Jessica feels, if you've been with me since the early days, you'll know I started this blog to focus on this old cottage (you can read more here)…and on getting my act together and setting about getting it to reflect the lifestyle we had moved half way across the world to find.
I had done almost exactly the same thing as Jessica, moved into an old cottage, a short drive from the sea, living in my dream location but the old cottage (though it ticked the potential boxes…it had lots of our 'must haves' like sash windows, fluted ceilings, wood floors, a big plot, a quiet road, an old fig tree, a cross breeze) was in need of lots of help to get it up to scratch.
And you know what? Although, sure we've renovated (see some before/afters here) , pulled out kitchens, added things, painted a lot of things lol, made-over, ripped out, doused in white...
..essentially, the change, has been, like Jessica, in me.
I still whine quite a bit, (lg will testify to that), but now most of it I do to myself walking on the beach, or sitting looking out on the old deck, or brewing up witches potions in the tiny little wood-floored kitchen…
...and so here we are again, we find ourselves at the weekend, I wonder what you're all up to?
If you're painting vintage things white like me (from my emails it seems a lot of you are) you'll find how I do it here
That piece is going to look stunning painted white. I love playing with paint as well. I created the perfect milk coffee colour for some of my rooms (well I think it is perfect lol).
You are totally motivating. I see each week how many projects you do and feel guilty for not getting more done. This weekend I am waiting for the silver painted frames to come back from the framers. And I am still deciding on which mirror for my entry. So no projects- I will just have to go out to coffee instead:)
Thanks for featuring my email sarah!
There’s only an hour of this work week left and I’m chomping at the bit to get out of this office and home to start sanding back an old armoire I found and never knew what to do with before.
I promise to send pictures of the finished product!
I’ve been painting furniture here on the Mountain all day! Unfortunatly it has also been raining all day so am still waiting for the primer to dry properly waaaah. Guess the final coats will have to be tomorrow!
Alicia
I’ve gone the opposite way today! My house is full of white and I decided on the spur of the moment to paint my daughter’s wardrobe aqua. So far it looks great.
Hello Sarah,
This has been such a lovely read, I sooo relate to Jessica’s e.mail, in more ways than one! Desiring different styles, too exxy, hand-me-down mish mash.
The joy of stumbling upon your blog and the inspiration it has given me to discover my own style. Vintagey, white painted old furniture with splashes of colour from my paintings thrown in. What seems to be happening in the process of this is a discovery of self. Who would’ve thought;-)
So as always, Thank you.
May you have a beautiful weekend. Bringing those new/old pieces to life with your Beach Cottage Love;-)
Oh that new piece has my heart singing. What a beauty she is. I cannot wait to see her transform into white. The power of paint. It can really transform anything. I have bought very few items in my house new. When I moved in, I had a new armoire built (by a friend for a couple hundred bucks) similar to one I found in a magazine. I stained it and instantly knew I had made a mistake. As soon as my schedule slows a bit..she’s getting painted glorious white. My bedroom will breathe again. Thank you for always inspiring me.
Absolutely fabulous! I love how you featured some things from your readers. I never thought of that. I have several blogs that have inspired different things in my house but it didn’t come to my mind to send a pic of it to them. I will get on that post haste.
LOVELY BONES!! That frenchy number will be smashing painted!
Thank you for sharing AGAIN!
I’ve been painting things gray again—could it be a reflection of MY weather these days??
annie
I agree with Quinn. I love white furniture white just as much as the next person, but I think I might cry if you paint that chest. Look at that lovely wood grain.
That will look stunning in white, can’t wait to see it! Though my style is very eclectic, I just recently finished painting a very dark side table cupboard thingy white. Now I’m off to distress it!
Love the new piece, will look great in white (can’t wait to see your new “white’). I am going to relax this weekend…we are under winter storm warning…8 to 12 inches of new white stuff plus another one behind it. So I shall get my tea, sit in the bay window seat and watch it happen. Not as good as seaside but entertaining nonetheless. Have a great weekend Sarah.
Another fabulous find Sarah!! You inspire me so much. Thank you for the gift of your beautiful blog and for your posts and pictures and all you do to make your blog such a happy place to get away from it all!!
The love and admiration are palatable here and I love it! So glad you’re all out there somewhere! The cabinet is beautiful and when I look at the pic I already see it painted white. I guess that means my eye is finally trained for shopping. Now all we need is spring to roll in! <3 PS Sarah it sounds like your getting ready for a shop all your own and if and when that happens I for one am going to be mad jealous that I won’t be able to shop there…………
G'day! I'm Sarah, I live in a tatty old cottage, near the sea in Australia with a battered old deck & a big old fig tree out the back...stripped wooden floors, old sash windows & a jumble of vintage furniture. [Read More …]
Beach Cottage ladies, we have some vintage linen and some wood/twig washed up on the beach today here in Beach Cottage Land….don’t say I don’t keep you entertained now will you . Â Come on in. So, yep I have posted about colanders on this blog, about things sourced from the side of the road, about [...]
G'day ladies, let's have a Too Easy Beach Cottage recipe yeah? Â The original place for Too Easy Recipes on the web ;-)
So, after my last salad went down a storm in my inbox, that's here if you missed it, I had to do this one seeing as I make it most weeks.
There is a problem with this salad and kiddos though...it looks, well, it looks, kinda yucky...but once they try it, they'll ask if and when they are next having it....at least that's what happens in this ratty old cottage...but I must interject here that my kiddos are 'good eaters'? ...they didn't get a choice in that ;-)
Now, stop, don't start running and hitting that next on your blog reading list, pulses are your best friend in the Too Easy Dump & Go kitchen for the busy mum, or busy anyone for that matter...that reminds me I must blog the garlic canneloni Go To for when you forgot to do dinner, feel like a bath but have three ravenous young Beach Cottage Kiddos on your hands...another day.
I am almost embarrassed to tell you how easy this is, we have it so much that I always have a couple, make that six, cans of lentils around and a jar of goat's cheese in the fridge...the great thing about this is that it's all too easy to get ready in just a few minutes, but it looks, tastes and seems like you did oh so very much more than that.
You can obviously too change it up a bit depending on what you have to hand in your kitchen, and I must say that is how I settled on this version...because one day when I made it I didn't have enough Parsley in the garden and so I chucked in some basil too, and liked the Summer feel it added.
I think of this as being a rather posh salad, not sure why, because it couldn't really be further from the truth...the great thing is that it works so well for an average run of the mill day, (when I did this for this blog post, it was a hot Sydney Sunday and I did it just simply to go with Rosemary & Garlic stuffed pork, you can see that pork here),
...but just as easily it works on a regular old Wednesday night when you have lost all enthusiasm for rustling up yet another meal, or indeed on Saturday night, when your friends are on their way over for dinner and you my friend, are in your new vintage inspired clawfoot bathtub (that's me in a few weeks time, k?) without any clothes on, a tipple and no idea what to cook for dinner...
I have a complicated and ever-changing relationship with goat's cheese...it never fails me in its performance and it never fails to impress me (you can find out a bit more on what I like in food here if you like) and I kinda collect it...because it's very easy to collect and has a fairly long fridge-life, I love trying out different ones and there's not many things I love more than goat's cheese on sourdough...but I think the best thing about it is not thinking about it exclusively in the toast/salad department...I've stuffed it in chicken and all sorts of things as a last minute and it's been fab.
But let's get down to the nitty gritty of this super salad that makes you look like an angel who has been on her knees all day scrubbing the front step when really you are in the digital world and spent most of ...
G'day Beach Cottage ladies, howdy, howdy howdy today for a Beach Cottage Too Easy recipe.
If you like cake, cream, sugar and chocolate, make this.
This is, rather than a recipe, a putting it together...as you know I am no dessert maker, but, I do make quite a few sweet things, because, somehow I have ended up with kiddos, who in their roles as offspring, believe that part of the deal, is that not only do I feed them a home-cooked meal with a few homegrown ingredients in there, yes, they also believe that dessert and not the kind that comes out of a packet is included too in this All-Inclusive Deal they call Parenthood.
So, this, for sure, is no culinary masterpiece, but if you are looking for something that is so very easy, dump-able, uses everyday ingredients and at the same time makes you look like you spent hours pulling things together plus tastes good....well, then this is for you.
Best though, you don't make this for yourself, if you have spent the most part of your week sitting on your derriere reading blogs...this my friend ain't low in the calories department...if, however, you are treating yourself to a delight in a mason jar, this is so for you.
I first had a version of this when at dinner back in Old Blighty with a girl, I once, in another life, caught the train up from our village to London with...she was a funny thing really...I am not quite sure how we got on...she was kinda prissy and a bit bothered by too much...I would run to the train flustered, having got up late, and she would have a spreadsheet on the train times, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, a few years later when we both had bambinos, I bumped into her again and we met up for playdates and dinner sometimes....this particular night, after a lovely meal she served up little bowls of creamy, cakey fruity stuff topped off with chocolate flake...it was delicious!
She didn't serve hers in little jars like this, hers were in a champagne glass and not quite so layered as these ones, plus she used tinned fruit not fresh or frozen.
Years later when said offspring kept requesting dessert, one day I wangled together somehow these from what was around in the fridge and they've been with us ever since.
Most likely, if you ever come here for dinner, and shock horror, you dont' bring the dessert with you, this, if you are lucky, will be what you will get.
Throw it all together, sprinkle a lil bit of chocolate on the top and the blog reading past-time you so rudely left in order to make this, is my friend, your oyster.
Beach Cottage Too Easy Layered Raspberry, Cream & Sponge Dessert
1 small maderia or butter cake or a pack of cupcakes (or of course make your own)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
8 tbsp fruit
1 x chocolate Flake or chocolate bar for grating
 1. beat the cream cheese  until it is soft
2. Â whip the cream until soft peaks form
3. combine & add the sugar through
4. cut your cake into portions
& layer into the bottom of your jar
5. add a tablespoon of fruit
Â
6. layer on top the cream combo
Â
7. repeat
8. grate chocolate or Flake on top
Â
*Beach Cottage Recipe Notes : this is just a guide really, you can use any cream that you have on hand...I have made this with clotted cream (don't even go there unless you want to seriously get these babies on your thighs), with double cream and I have even, in desperate times squirted in that, ...
G'day Beach Cottage ladies, well I thought it was time for some blogging tips here today, alongside a few nice flowers and shells ;-)Â
I was recently part of a blogger discussion group over at Kidspot and a couple of hours later had a few questions from girls who couldn't make it to the live chat, one was on my Facebook page and one via email, the Facebook one I will deal with in another Real Girl Blogging Tips post...the email one asked me what essentials do I think every blog needs?
Well I have been around here for a while now doing the blogging thing, so I should know this, yeah and I mused this on my walk by the sea this morning I thought well what do you only need?
...I think it is really very easy when blogging, whether or not you are blogging up there in the lofty heights of the Super Bloggers or you are just dipping your toe in the water, to get side-tracked by 101 million different things that are 'essential' to your blog and if you are someone like me who actually gets a thrill from reading blogging tips then you are in an even worse place because you will find yourself literally buzzing with these essential things to add/do/implement on your blog.
However, walking along, gulping down that brisk sea air today (no sunshine & clouds) I thought you actually don't need any of that professional blogging stuff to be successful...but there are a few things that are pretty much crucial ...and once I started to think about it I got it down to about 5 - these are the only things that you need to concentrate on...once you have read through take a look at some of the big girl's blogs...you'll see that actually they don't have bundles of stuff on their blogs...but they do have all of these...
So here are my top things that your blog must have
1. About Page
There are all sorts of About Pages out there, and if you search on it there are many different tips and ideas for what to have on yours
Whatever blogging platform you use, adding an About Me Page is easy, quick and simple and will do everything to grow your blog.
I like a long-ish About Page, I am inherently nosy and I like to know a bit more about the person but at the least you should have on it your name and where you are located. Â I also think a photo is good too...over the last year or so I think this has become more important in blogging - if you are hesitant about that as I was, you can try using sunglasses or a behind shot until you get comfortable.
There is nothing worse than stumbling upon a new blog and going to find out more to only be faced with a piddly little one liner About Me Page...well there is something worse, not having one at all!
2. Contact Page
The chances are someone, somewhere will want to contact you and you will be surprised what lands in your inbox once you put yourself out there on the world wide web with a blog.
Many bloggers also use this page to include details for PR's/brands that may want to contact them and some bloggers put their stats on there too.
A short, to the point and simple Contact Page works really well...whenever I have wanted to contact another blogger I am often very busy and have limited time so I don't want to hang around sifting through information looking for an email address, so concise and clear ...
G'day lovely Beach Cottage lovelies.
So, yeah, so on a roll people, so on a roll.Â
I feel kinda home accessory wired right now.
I am always telling people, if anyone ever listens, that blogging is all about passion, not that sort of passion, but about passion that makes one tick.
Things like this make me tick tick boom.
I love finding things that suit my budget and let me treat my home but look amazing too.
So without further adieu I introduce you, ladies of the beach, to the blue vintage glasses that I have been stroking for about a week or two now...
These glasses are from a little boutique I sometimes happen upon, this boutique sells also pet accessories, carpet cleaner, bras and compost...it's quite unique though.
And, thanks to my friend Marnie (she blogs over here, go take a look at her praying position, interesting), who just so happens to be one day having me over for a lil' Greek dinner, has let me in on the fact that we call Kmart....The KMart...with an accent ....as in 'I love The KMart'...just like her MIL does. Â Oh yeah. Â Love that.
So I have had my eye on reproduction vintage glass blue wine glasses and being trying to find real true vintage blue glasses for like ever.
Oh yes I have spied them in Frenchy boutiques, I have lusted after them in stores that I shouldn't even enter and I have put them back pretty quickly in those shops with the hand-written price tags. Â C'mon, you know the ones.
And, though all of the above have tempted me, muchly, really, even with my wardrobe stashing skills I just thought that, actually, I'd rather be saving that casherooni for our next trip overseas..
Hello The KMart.
Tick Tick Boom
Vintage style blue wine glasses.
Do not come to my old place and think you might pick up one of these and smile with pleasure at their handblown quality, their weight, and be secretly jealous that my wine glasses cost more than your car...friend, that would not happen...these do not feel like that...indeed these in a funny way reminded me of my baby girl, she was a tiny little thing, with stick legs, the tinsssssssiest ankles and wrists you ever did see, she slept sideways in her cot wedged in between rolled up blankets and would only settle attached to Mr Beach Cottage or I or a (dirty) pj top of mine scrunched up under her nose...the first few times I picked her up to cuddle, being used to Honeymoon Baby who weighed in at 9lbs at birth and has never really stopped growing, I nearly threw her little bird-cum-rat down covered body over my shoulder.
These glasses are like that...be careful or you might lose your wine down the front of your shirt.
But oh baby, we are not talking picking up here, we are not talking quality, we are not talking house accessory snobbery.
Beach Cottage ladies, we are talking aesthetics.
And this is what I need in my cottage.
Blue vintage style glass, paired with coastal / nautical / beach stuff on my deck.
It's The KMart.
Tune in tomorrow, tomorrow, I have more budget foofing for your home, or maybe it will be the dress that wraps me up in supermarket-chic and makes me feel like me again.
Good Day to you my friends, wanna come hang out on my deck, talk house accessories, The KMart and drink some wine from blue glasses?
Sarah
( treasure hunting, I will set about getting that chunky old beauty looking a little bit more coastal.
and yes I dream of a Linen Cupboard like that, in fact any cupboard like that…
That piece is going to look stunning painted white. I love playing with paint as well. I created the perfect milk coffee colour for some of my rooms (well I think it is perfect lol).
You are totally motivating. I see each week how many projects you do and feel guilty for not getting more done. This weekend I am waiting for the silver painted frames to come back from the framers. And I am still deciding on which mirror for my entry. So no projects- I will just have to go out to coffee instead:)
gorgeous….. love the french styles
Thanks for featuring my email sarah!
There’s only an hour of this work week left and I’m chomping at the bit to get out of this office and home to start sanding back an old armoire I found and never knew what to do with before.
I promise to send pictures of the finished product!
I’ve been painting furniture here on the Mountain all day! Unfortunatly it has also been raining all day so am still waiting for the primer to dry properly waaaah. Guess the final coats will have to be tomorrow!
Alicia
I’ve gone the opposite way today! My house is full of white and I decided on the spur of the moment to paint my daughter’s wardrobe aqua. So far it looks great.
Hello Sarah,
This has been such a lovely read, I sooo relate to Jessica’s e.mail, in more ways than one! Desiring different styles, too exxy, hand-me-down mish mash.
The joy of stumbling upon your blog and the inspiration it has given me to discover my own style. Vintagey, white painted old furniture with splashes of colour from my paintings thrown in. What seems to be happening in the process of this is a discovery of self. Who would’ve thought;-)
So as always, Thank you.
May you have a beautiful weekend. Bringing those new/old pieces to life with your Beach Cottage Love;-)
~justine~
That piece looks gorgeous just the way it is.
ooh love the new piece! And love the transformation photo of the buildt in
Oh that new piece has my heart singing. What a beauty she is. I cannot wait to see her transform into white. The power of paint. It can really transform anything. I have bought very few items in my house new. When I moved in, I had a new armoire built (by a friend for a couple hundred bucks) similar to one I found in a magazine. I stained it and instantly knew I had made a mistake. As soon as my schedule slows a bit..she’s getting painted glorious white. My bedroom will breathe again. Thank you for always inspiring me.
Absolutely fabulous! I love how you featured some things from your readers. I never thought of that. I have several blogs that have inspired different things in my house but it didn’t come to my mind to send a pic of it to them. I will get on that post haste.
See Sarah you inspire people all over. LOVED the email from Jessica and wish her and you all the best on your projects. Have a great week end.
LOVELY BONES!! That frenchy number will be smashing painted!
Thank you for sharing AGAIN!
I’ve been painting things gray again—could it be a reflection of MY weather these days??
annie
Laurie’s linen cupboard is superb!! It just looks so charming – well done!
What a beautiful piece. I love that linen cupboard, how great would it be to have that one. Can’t wait to see your new shade of white
I agree with Quinn. I love white furniture white just as much as the next person, but I think I might cry if you paint that chest. Look at that lovely wood grain.
That will look stunning in white, can’t wait to see it! Though my style is very eclectic, I just recently finished painting a very dark side table cupboard thingy white. Now I’m off to distress it!
Love the new piece, will look great in white (can’t wait to see your new “white’). I am going to relax this weekend…we are under winter storm warning…8 to 12 inches of new white stuff plus another one behind it. So I shall get my tea, sit in the bay window seat and watch it happen. Not as good as seaside but entertaining nonetheless. Have a great weekend Sarah.
I love that piece and wish I had it here!
We have snow and more to come. I made crepes today…yum!
Happy weekend, Sarah and family!
Another fabulous find Sarah!! You inspire me so much. Thank you for the gift of your beautiful blog and for your posts and pictures and all you do to make your blog such a happy place to get away from it all!!
xoxxox
OMG Sarah, I was just on “hooked on Houses” and saw photo and link back to your black and white tram stop picture. wooo hooo you are out there!
The love and admiration are palatable here and I love it! So glad you’re all out there somewhere! The cabinet is beautiful and when I look at the pic I already see it painted white. I guess that means my eye is finally trained for shopping. Now all we need is spring to roll in! <3 PS Sarah it sounds like your getting ready for a shop all your own and if and when that happens I for one am going to be mad jealous that I won’t be able to shop there…………
Great post Sarah and fun to see what others have to say.
Look forward to seeing how your next makeover goes
Alison
I LOVE that piece! The legs, oh my. They’re so pretty. It will look beautiful white.
Love this entry. We are raising 2 hoarders here at our beach cottage on the other side of the world. :}
oops wrong entry! the pieces are beauteous, too.