DIY OLD Chair Upcycle

 This old dining chair has been in the family for over 70 years.

It has worn its natural varnished oak, and it's been dressed up in white and then grey chalk paint in a French Country style, with the seat fabrics changing from tapestry, to butterfly embossed linen, then to tropical palms.

But now it is time for yet another upcycle!

But this time we will be completely funking up the colour palette.

This chair is going to be painted bright banana yellow.

The reason is:

My kitchen where this chair will reside is black and white.

There is a lot of black and white artwork on the walls.

I have a lot of art in my kitchen.

Think 'Kitchen Art Gallery'.

It's contemporary.

But that works well with this room's size and electric mix of furniture.

But that is another blog post where I will be writing about the other furniture and why I styled the room this way.

There are pops of yellow here and there and a touch of green too.

So back to the chair.

Here's the before photo.

       

After a sand, and prime.

The yellow paint was applied.

Then it was a serious matter of 'careful what you wish for!'

The yellow was BRIGHT!

(It looked good on the paint swatch!)

I had my little OMG moment.

Then sanded and repainted it adding white paint to the original yellow.

Better?

Maybe?

The yellow now has a lime-green undertone. Eeek!

I thought, well it will grow on me!

But it didn't!

Don't you love it when plans go wrong?

A hint of sarcasm there!

So then I added orange to the said paint.

Sanded and repainted yet again.

It's a better yellow colour now.

The seat was recovered with a cushion cover I already had in my stash.

Removing the layers of fabric and staples took some work before the new fabric was stapled on.

To become a yellow tropical-themed funky kitchen chair.

The chair now has a new lease on life once more.

And it may well last another 70 years with all that paint holding those joints together!

Though it is very likely in time the colour on this chair may change yet again.

The potplant in the photograph is a Spider Plant, and you can find out all about them HERE.

I love how the chair colour picks up the yellow tones in some of the smaller artworks.

Like this memorial watercolour, I painted of my sweet Maltese Gracie, who has been over the Rainbow Bridge for many years.

You'll find this artwork as a print and on other giftware HERE.

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#diypaintedchair #chairupcycle #chairmakeover

Quick Omelette Roll Ups

Next time you are home, hungry and need a snack in a hurry make a 'Quick Omelette Roll Up'.

It's healthy, superbly delicious and filling.

And as said, QUICK to whip up!

It only takes about 10 minutes per roll up from start to serve.

The recipe is for a one-person serving for a brunch or lunch.

Or it serves two for a healthy snack.

So double the recipe if more roll ups are required.

Serve warm or cold.

All you do is:

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl or jug.

Heat a frying pan and coat with spray.

Pour in half of the egg.

Cook until set.

Flip.

Reduce stove element heat to medium.

Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the egg omelette.

Pour over the rest of the egg.

Then top with the flatbread.

Cook for 2 minutes pressing the flat bread down with the spatula.

Remove from pan onto a clean board.

Add the sliced tomato.

Salt and pepper to taste. (optional)

The microgreens.

And finish with a dash of aoli.

Roll up.

Cut in half.

Plate and serve.

You can also add some shaved ham or thin sliced smoked salmon before rolling up if you wish.

Omelette Roll Ups

Spray oil

3 eggs

1 large flat Bread (I used one with spinach in it)

1/2 cup tasty cheese

1 tomato (sliced)

A small handful of microgreens

Aoli

To Make:

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl or jug.

Heat a frying pan and coat with spray.

Pour in half of the egg.

Cook until set.

Flip.

Reduce stove element heat to medium.

Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the egg omelette.

Pour over the rest of the egg.

Then top with the flatbread.

Cook for 2 minutes pressing the flat bread down with the spatula.

Flip to the flat bread side and brown a little.

Remove from pan onto a clean board.

Add the sliced tomato.

Salt and pepper to taste. (optional)

The microgreens.

And finish with a dash of aoli.

Roll up.

Cut in half.

Plate and serve.

Printable recipe HERE.

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#omelette #healthyfood #healthysnacks #eggs #eggrecipes

DIY Stag Horn Fern Pallet Garden Feature

Staghorn Ferns, they are also known as Platycerium, are a unique and beautiful addition to your home pot plant collection.

But did you know, in the right climate, they can be grown outside in the garden?

More common names they are known by are elkhorn, moose, stag, deer or shield fern.

There are around eighteen different varieties.

These ferns are epiphytic, meaning they naturally grow on trees in tropical forests.  Their roots hold them in place, and they get water and nutrients through their fronds.

Many gardeners recreate their natural habitat by mounting staghorn ferns onto wood.

That is what we will be doing today in the DIY tutorial.

Origin of Staghorn Ferns

Staghorn Ferns originate from tropical regions in Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America. They are named for their uniquely shaped, antler-like fronds that resemble the horns of a stag.

Growing Staghorn Ferns Outside

When growing staghorn ferns outside, it's important to mimic their natural habitat. So choose a spot with dappled shade or filtered sunlight, as direct sunlight can scorch their fronds.

They do not thrive in low light.

 Ensure the mounting board is securely attached to a tree or structure, as staghorn ferns require good support.

I had a staghorn fern-covered pallet by the swimming pool at 'Mia Bella Passions Garden' and it was a showstopper!

But now, since moving to the townhouse, I really wanted to recreate it, in my little garden here.

 DIY Staghorn Fern Garden Feature

I used a heavy wood pallet as the base structure.

I painted it a nice dark grey colour.

As the larger of the ferns had flat backs, they were attached to other pieces of wood with a backing of coconut fibre and then strung with twine to the wood.

I then nailed them wood to wood onto the pallet.

The two smaller ferns were placed in coconut fibre nests, with a little soil, and then strung with twine directly to the pallet.

Some people nail the ferns carefully to the wood, but I've had great success using coconut fibre.

The coconut fibre helps keep the moisture around the fern until they are established on the wood.

The twine eventually decomposes.

The ferns will multiply and naturally spread, eventually covering the entire pallet.

Care of Staghorn Ferns

Provide regular watering, ensuring the fern's root ball is kept moist but not waterlogged. 

Fertilise with a balanced liquid fertiliser once a month during the growing season (Spring and Summer) for healthy growth. 

You can even slip a piece of banana peel under the brown frond shield. It is a great fertiliser.

Staghorn ferns are relatively low-maintenance plants but keep an eye out for pests and diseases and treat accordingly.

Spores will develop on the lower fronds but do not remove them.

The brown dry shield fronds should not be removed as this protects the roots.

In a Bay Of Plenty of New Zealand winter, outdoors, the fern can tolerate a temperature of -2 degrees (28.4F).

I found them quite hardy in an area where direct frost was not on the leaves as they were under a tree canopy.

With proper care and attention, your mounted staghorn ferns will thrive and bring exotic tropical beauty to your outdoor space.

You can even grow them under a covered deck on a wall.

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#staghornferns #gardenferns #mountingstaghornferns