G’day Beach Cottage lovelies! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Christmas!
We have been having a mini-holiday at home on the beaches here between Christmas and New Year and all of us have been taking a break, hanging out, going to the beach and not doing much at all.
So I have been doing a thing that I think we all tend to do at this time of year, even if it is unwittingly,and that is reviewing the past year…one good thing about having a blog is that some of it is documented for you bing!
As I went through the months on here I came across some of the vintage things I have scoured these fair lands for this year….some of them (and I don’t include the ones I stashed under the house before Mr BC could find them) are below…
This chair was and is a beauty, I’ve loved her in our old cottage, right now she’s in the Summer House and I like to blog on her most days…more on how I came across her here
There have been many trips to find vintage treasure this year – this trip was a good but funny one, I scored, among other things a vintage teapot, but the funniest thing was conversing with the ladies in Lifeline who were about killing me with their prices!
This was a crate we passed on the side of the road, we shoved it in the boot and painted it white, the full transformation is here – it now holds the baby Weber bbq and fits in down the end of the deck perfectly
after it looked like this
We scored big time on a new table for outside – this was the old farmhouse country table I thrifted for the deck – she had very much seen better days, but was heavy, beautiful and had my name all over her, I knew she would rock all beachy and coastal
She was a work this one, mostly because she was on the heavy side…you can see the progress here – it was a family affair…
This story of this table transformation was also one of the funniest points this year in blogging for us, when a trolly commenter from Bali, no less, decided to enlarge the pics for a little bit of examination and comment on the drips and droops they found in my painting skills….well talk about did we laugh at that or did we laugh and we’ve been chuckling about our droopy bits ever since…it’s become a Beach Cottage standing joke, us and our droopy bits…
Mr BC was named Droop for a while too, so hilarious! Below is it about half way through when I couldn’t decide on the top and the legs were droopy but not sanded
I also enjoyed finding old doors this year… I turned an old door turned into a coffee table – more on that here
This lady below was one of my better finds…we found her in Vinnies (more pics and the story here) when totally not expecting to for 40 bucks! I convinced Mr BC to strap her to the top of the car, it was a funny day…
There was much deliberation on painting her as someone somewhere had clearly spent a lot of time getting her paint free…I decided in the end though that the only way she was staying was if she went white…here’s the progress post and shots after some painting
and here when she was nearly done
I enjoyed making over the old kitchen dresser and actually I haven’t showed you yet but she has a lovely new home in the breakfast room and currently holds a heck of a lot of vintage china and our glassware and various baking and mixing bowls…for a few dollars one of my better finds, even though my darling husband didn’t think it at the time…
This old door was found on the side of the road – fabulous or fabulous?
and got a beach cottage makeover here
I have also continued to hunt down vintage linens this year, I now too have the excuse that I can use them to play food styling, hahaha….this post was all about some of my lovely linen finds…ahem, rather too many of those in my life, but I always maintain there are worse addictions, are there not?…..see them all here
I’ve also been working on this armoire (here you can read about how I found her and how much she cost!), which to be quite honest hasn’t been the easiest of makeovers and I am embarrassed to say still not finished, really really close now but not quite there…last night I was eyeing her up from bed thinking stuff it I might just chuck some of my vintage quilts and eiderdowns in there and be down with it…but I reckon one more session of work will do it…I have painted and painted that lady and painstakingly gone around the glass….my latest plan to finish her off includes getting Mr Beach Cottage to have go…I will need to work some magic to get that to happen…watch this space
here she is when I found her before
and after some paint and progress…
So that’s about it from me, I enjoyed looking back at some of those vintage finds, hope you did too!
I am off to do a spot of gardening and then a long long sit in the hammock with a Pimms and a book it’s a beautiful day here in Sydney and not one for hanging around inside…
Sarah
You’ve done really well this year Sarah, I expecially like the kitchen dresser and armoire. Wishing you and the BC crew a wonderful and prosperous 2013!
love Stacey x
thanks so much Stacey and for being part of it here!
Sarah x
I have thoroughly enjoyed every part of your year Sarah,in fact your blog came to me so by accident .I was online looking for vintage furniture and up you popped.I did’nt even know what a ‘blog’was.Now I’m hooked..Have a great break and I look forward to peeking at some more of your fab finds.Victoria.
Hi Victoria
Thanks so much for your kind comment, I am glad you like it here!
Sarah
You amaze me with your eye for vintage goodness x
All so beautiful & inspiring but oh the kitchen dresser..happy sigh! So lovely:)
As much as I love your great vintagy finds and rescues, I have to say my favorite find of the year is Barley! He’s so very cute and adds the right touch to BC world. Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year!!
I just love what you did with the dining table! What a find…
Thanks for brightening up my days and inspiring me this year Sarah! Wishing you and the BC crew a wonderful 2013 x
Aaawww I miss Barls! I loved reading through this post Sarah….I’m heading off to a gorgeous junk shop today to sniff out some vintage bargains….you now have me revved up and raring to go!!!! You enjoy your hammock time…xx
Well helloooo. Wasn’t expecting to find you at home.
What a pleasant 2012 recap complete with drips.
I’ve spent the past 2 days reorganising and clearing wardrobes and cupboards to make way for crawling baby grandson A and his parents who are in between homes atm. I got all philosophical on my balcony while have my morning tea this morning because I’m quite liking the new streamlined, easier to clean version of our house. I didn’t realise how I spend SO much time stressing about dusting and cleaning my “stuff”. I’ve been given an unexpected opportunity to have an even harder think about some of it and maybe take a load to the Salvos or Vinnies.
Cheers
alison
You did find some absolute treasures this year, Sarah! I can’t see a thing wrong with that armoire, but then I’m not living with her ;)
Can’t wait for a joyous and fun filled New Year!
Thanks for getting me through many a boring work day with your vintage finds and BC adventures!
Looking forward to another wonderful year as you and the BC crew make looking at life through rose coloured glasses possible…and fun :)
Your talent is incredible and inspiring.
Happy New Year
Love it all … especially YOU!! HAPPY NEW YEAR! CHEERS!!
so how did you eventually finish the tabletop? Mine is still a bit unfinished as it warped (it curled up at the edges, but goes back down as the air dries) when I brought it inside- from the moisture of the evaporative aircon- never will I listen to my husband again who said there’s no need to refinish the underside! so I will be taking it back out when it has flattened out and sanding the underneath and sealing it and finishing it off!
Darn, just lost my comment. You have been very busy Sarah and I love how the beach cottage is constantly evolving. I am also loving the pops of colour appearing in the cottage. We are also loving a bit of a holiday at home.
Thanks again Sarah for a wonderful year. I look forward to your posts everyday. Thank you for sharing your journey with us all. Happy New Year! I can’t wait to see what in store for us all in the coming year.
It’s been a fun ride following your blog this year. So many treasures to inspire my creative side and get me off my backside…lol. Looking forward to what you find and do in 2013. Love to BARLS, the best addition so far!
Thank for your blogging ! you are truly an inspiration!!
nice try!