Before and After: Window Frames With Dulux Paint

The exterior of our house has had a huge transformation and with all of these home improvements we have stuck with an exterior colour scheme of cream of grey: Classic cream render and downpipes, Limestone courtyard, Charcoal roof and driveway, Ironstone gutters and facias and Jarrah garage door and courtyard slats.

 

The colour that just doesn't seem to go anymore is our white window frames - there's nothing else white out the front of the house so it's added another colour to the palette. The white gets a bit lost against the cream render and with the new limestone fence now built it has become apparent that the white has got to go!

 

As timing would have it Dulux has some new colour booklets and I was sent some to check out their tips on picking colour combinations that work together. Finding colours that go together can be pretty daunting so it's good to see some set colour schemes. Flipping through the booklets has given me the inspiration to be bold with my colour choices outside, but still making sure the colours will work together.

My favourite pages from the Dulux Colour Booklets - I love my greys both inside and outside!

My other favourite is the Colorbond range - We have Colorbond Ironstone Gutters and Facias,
Colorbond Classic Cream downpipes and Colorbond Charcoal as our roof colour

Dulux offered to send me some paint to try out their colour schemes - first we picked a prepcoat Dulux 1 step oil based primer, sealer, undercoat in White. This undercoat was oil based and had a stronger paint smell and had to be cleaned up with Mineral Turps. These oil based paints give a really strong bond and protection which is what you want for exterior paints that are up against the elements and strong Australian sunshine all the time.
 

We also needed the right type of paint for our wooden window frames and chose the Dulux Aquanamel in Gloss which is the paint you should use for doors, windows and trim. As for the colour, we went through Dulux's huge range of exterior paint colours and picked out Dulux Colorbond Monument and had the paint tinted to that colour.

Unlike the prepcoat, this is a water based paint which is so much easier to clean up all you need is water, it didn't smell as strong as the oil based paint (better for allergies!) and they were really fast drying too which helped because we didn't have to leave the windows open for long we could close them soon after painting.

 

Our Dulux paint and supplies

  

Dulux Colorbond Monument

Armed with our paint, brushes and supplies we were good to get cracking and give these old and worn out window frames a new lease of life.

  

Before - White window frames

 

In need of some colour inspiration!

 

The frames were sanded back with an electric sander to remove all the flaking paint and rough edges. For the hard to get at areas sandpaper was used. Any gaps, cracks and imperfections were filled with builders filler, then sanded back again lightly with sandpaper. 

 

Sanding off all the old flaking paint

Our cordless sander makes the job a lot quicker and easier!

  

It's so important to spend as much time as you can on the preparation otherwise all your hard work will be a waste of time, the paint won't last it will peel and look terrible!

Once the frames were filled and sanded smooth, they were cleaned and wiped over with a wet cloth to remove any dust and dirt. Then the windows were taped up with painters tape to protect the glass.

We were then  ready to paint on a primer and undercoat - for that we used Dulux All In 1 Primer, Sealer and Undercoat. These oil based paints are a bit smelly but they really are the most durable for exterior use. The smell had disappeared by the next day and it was touch dry within about 6 hours so we could shut the windows just before bed time!

 

Carefully applied painters tape to all the windows

 

Then on goes the Dulux primer/sealer/undercoat paint

 

One frame down and one to go!

When the undercoat was completely dry a few hours later, we were ready to put some colour on these beauties. On goes the first coat of Dulux Colorbond Monument .... there's no going back now!

Now for some colour ....

Mr brother and Mr P made a great painting team!

 

Here's a tip: Get yourself some angled brushes when painting windows and trim they make it so much easier to get into all the grooves and make cutting in around the frames heaps easier too.

 

Window frames can be a little fiddly to paint

 

Many hands make light work!

A few days later we applied the second coat of paint, that's not because it wasn't touch dry enough to paint but because of the wet weather we couldn't paint outside until we had some sunshine!

 

 

Painting on a second coat of Dulux Colorbond Monument on the Living Room window

 

Monument is a similar colour to our roof and driveway which is Charcoal

Once the paint had dried the colour darkened ad had more depth, it was looking really good and is a pretty perfect match to the roof colour too.

Now onto the Master Bedroom windows

Both windows all painted



Lexi the Site Manager is never far away keeping an eye on our work!

 

Peeling the tape off to reveal the windows is such a good feeling I get all excited and butterfly's  .... that moment of Oh My God What Have I Done!?!?
 

To remove the tape I use a knife to break the seal between the paint and tape, it makes peeling the tape off
a lot easier without the fear that you'll pull the paint off with it

The last of the tape coming off

 

I'm so impressed because this tape was on for about 3 weeks all up and it didn't peel the paint off at all!

 

So here we are .... It was a bold move but it really paid off, the windows are definitely stand out features now. I've become so much braver with my colour choices, after all it's just paint you can always scrape it off and repaint it if I don't like it. But I love it.

After - I love the depth of the colour 

Really like how Monument contrasts against the Classic Cream walls



The colour scheme is now working well together

Don't you just love a good before and after!

Yet another big transformation to the front of our house .... here's a bit of a flashback to our home when we moved in almost 5 years ago now to how it looks today. Still a bit of landscaping to do out here in the new Courtyard but we are definitely getting there and you'll be seeing lots more progress in the coming weeks.

 

Before - Our house when we bought it almost 5 years ago ....
 



Now - The power of paint and a lot of hard work!

What do you think of the White vs Monument window frames?

Would you be brave and use bold colours for your home exterior?

 

 

Sharing with link parties:

Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays

Home Coming - The DIYers

The Dedicated House - Before And After Wednesday

Disclosure: Dulux partner with bloggers such as me to help promote their product. As part of this promotion I was given some Dulux colour booklets and paint to review. I have not received any payment or compensation for this review. I have not been told what to say about this product, I am free to form my own opinion and share them in my own words. All opinions are my own.

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[All other images my own]

 

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Book Club Book Review: Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

The book choice for the month of May at Book Club was Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

 

 

This is the story of Lou in her late 20s, who still lives with her parents, in a small town, with her long term boyfriend and she doesn't have any dreams, goals or aspirations for her future. The other character in the book is Will a 30-something smart, handsome, business man who ends up a quadriplegic after a freak accident. These two opposites are thrown together when Lou becomes Will's carer.

 

Will is facing a life bound to his wheelchair which he hates, he doesn't want to live a life needing someone else to do everything for him. I really felt for Will and his quality of life, which was the main core of the book. Then there's Lou who just doesn't seem to have any ambition in life, no friends, and a boyfriend that she isn't really sure she loves.

 

I wouldn't call this a romance, but more of a story of friendship. It tugs on the heart strings and is a bit of a tear jerker.

 

I really enjoyed this book, it was realistic and easy to read which had me turning the pages to find out how the story was going to end, right up until the last chapter I still wasn't sure how it would finish and what would happen to Will and Lou.

 

The only parts I found confusing were when it was not written in the first person and Lou stopped being the narrator for a short chapter and her sister or Will's mother would tell the story. Sure, it means you could see their side of the story but I found it strange that they only narrated a single chapter and then never again. It didn't really make sense.

 

I would recommend this book to everyone, I think it's a really thought provoking read and will make you appreciate the small things in life, because you never know when your perspective of life could change.

I give this book 4 stars out of 5

Jarrah Jungle's Star Rating:
1 Bad - I'd rather eat brussel sprouts topped with anchovies than read this again

2 Not Good - I'd rather watch re-runs of Neighbours than read this again
3 Ok - I'm sitting on the fence - its not great but not terrible either
4 Good - I'd pass up a pack of tim tams for this read
5 Great - I'd pass up a date with Johnny Depp for this read

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[Image via Penguin]

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Another List .... Long Weekend Projects

We have a Foundation Day Long Weekend coming up this weekend, an extra day to relax at home, catch up with friends and family, and most importantly for us - tackle some of the home improvement projects we have started but not finished around the house and they are driving us nuts!

 

For anyone that follows me on Facebook or Instagram you will have seen snippets of these projects as I'm working on them ..... If you don't follow me why not? You're missing out on all the action live as it happens!

 

On the to do list ....

 

1. We hung all new internal doors over the Easter break last month - But we haven't yet put the new handles on or painted the doors. Getting stuck in the bathroom with no door handle and trying to pry open the door that's suctioned closed is not as fun as it sounds ... especially when you're home alone and nobody can help you get out!

 

2. We painted our window frames at the front of the house over the last few weekends - Thanks to Dulux who were kind enough to send me to some paint to try out and get inspired with their new colour range and combinations. We managed to paint on an undercoat and 1 top coat of colour but it's been raining and too wet to get a 2nd coat on. I'm dying to show off this painting project with you and also want to remove the painters tape before it sticks on so much it won't come off!

 

Making progress outside .... painting the window frames

 

3. I sanded, sealed and stained our new front door last weekend - Yes a very proud moment for me to get my dainty hands into some DIY instead of Mr P doing all the dirty work all the time! It just needs a 2nd coat of stain and then I can show you the before and after which will knock your socks off!

 

4. We started to make a Rain Chain last weekend - We got a feature pot and chain and need to finish it off by connecting it to our soak wells so it drains properly. I'll also be sharing a How To Make a Rain Chain post which is such a cool project and something that more Australian homes should have if down pipes are ever an issue for your house, like they were for ours because of windows being in the way.

 

Picking a feature pot for our Rain Chain project

 

5. Make a decision on the colour of the courtyard slats - We have been procrastinating for months on making a decision and contacted more companies asking for more samples to try to match our garage door to the fence slats. We recently received some more samples and that's it ..... we will make a decision from the colour samples we have and place an order this weekend, no more excuses!

 

6. The laundry and toilet renovation - We have been planning this renovation for months now and have booked in the plumber for mid June ..... so we have just a few weeks left to buy the rest of our materials ready for the plumber to install - sink, taps and toilet and buy and put all the flat packs together. Hopefully we can do a shop this weekend and buy the items we've had our eye on but have been waiting and hoping they go on sale!
 

 

Laundry Mood Board

 

 

Having so many projects started and not finished doesn't have that complete sense of achievement -  until the job can be ticked off the to do list and we can sit back with a bottle of wine and celebrate that all our hard work is turning our house into a home we love ... we are getting there one project at a time!

 

What's on your Weekend to do list? 

 

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[All images my own]

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Recipe: Slow Cooker Sausage Stroganoff

It's that time of the year when the cooler Autumn weather sets in, it's wet and cold outside, and the slow cooker has emerged from the cupboard to make some warm and comforting dinners.

Last weekend I made Sausage Stroganoff which I've made a few times now and each time I'm surprised at how easy to make and delicious it is and it takes the humble sausage and turns it into the hero of the dish!

Slow Cooker: Sausage Stroganoff

Serves 4 

Ingredients

2 tbs olive oil

1 large brown onion, chopped

2 garlic gloves, crushed

500g cup mushrooms, sliced

3 bacon rashers, chopped

6-8 thick sausages (beef or pork)

1 tbs sweet paprika

1 tbs worchestershire sauce

1 cup beef stock

1/4 cup tomato paste (or 1 cup of tomato passatta if you like it more saucy)

1/2 cup sour cream

Fresh parsley, chopped

Method

1. Heat oil in slow cooker or large pan. Cook sausages until brown. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add bacon, onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes until bacon is golden. Add mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.

3. Stir in paprika, tomato paste (or tomato passatta), stock and worcestershire sauce. Bring to simmer. Cut each sausage diagonally into thick slices and add to pan.

4. Season with salt and pepper. Put lid on and cook on low for 4 hours. Stir in sour cream and fresh parsley in last 10-20 minutes and leave lid off so sauce thickens.

5. Serve the Sausage Stroganoff on top of steamed rice and garnish with extra fresh parsley. Enjoy!

I've made this dish both on the stove top as well as in my slow cooker and it works in both - I have a sear and slow cooker which has the sear option, so if you are using a standard slow cooker you'll need to brown the ingredients first.

Have you made any tasty meals in the slow cooker lately?

Sharing with link parties:

Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays
This Silly Girls Life - Lovely Ladies Linky
Jam Hands - Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop

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[All images my own]

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The Courtyard Project - Furniture Inspiration

We have been working on our newly built courtyard out the front of the house over the last few weekends, fixing up the drainage, installed soak wells, and a rain chain (details on this project to come soon!).

We still don't have a final design for the way we want the courtyard to be laid out and set up but I have been drawing sketches and plans, tearing pages from magazines and pinning away on my Pinterest trying to get all our ideas together so we can settle on a final design.

I seem to work backwards and what I'm most excited about is the outdoor furniture and furnishings, here's some of my favourite picks so far ......

I definitely want lots of colour in the courtyard and a pair of Acapulco chairs is on my wish list too!

What piece of furniture is a must have in your outdoor space?





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[Images via my Pinterest 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

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Book Review and Preview: Handmade Gatherings By Ashley English

This is a book review and preview of Handmade Gatherings by Ashley English that was published recently on 8 April 2014.

Ashley is the author of 5 other foodie books which shows her knowledge and passion for wholesome food. Ashley lives in a Western North Carolina mountain community where she's converting her land into a homestead and blogs about her adventures over at Small Measures.

 

 

This is a book about party planning, celebrating, connecting with friends and throwing pot luck style gatherings where everyone helps out and contributes to the party. It covers everything from the decor, crafts, entertainment and recipes. There are a stack of ideas in here and lots of pretty pictures to inspire you to plan for your next party!

The introduction covers things like how to organise and co-ordinate a gathering because it's not just the host who takes on everything in this style of party, it's shared around and everyone's skills and resources are pooled, so everyone helps out and has a great time.

The book then dives into the 4 different seasons and 16 different parties to plan for those seasons. With the author being American, the seasons and food in this book are quite different to Australia - we won't be having a frosty winter fete here! But most of the parties are still relateable and have given me some fun ideas, even if the food ideas and menu would be different.

For each of the 4 seasons there are a few different party themes to pick from and this is covered with how to set the scene, entertainment, and a suggested menu with recipes. It's all very practical and realistic with parties being family friendly with lots of ideas to get the kids, friends and family involved.

My favourite party is the Winter - Soups On party ..... I do love my soups and might have to throw my own soup party come Winter!

The only thing I found hard was because I didn't have a hard copy of the book, and because of the images I couldn't download it to my Kindle eReader, so I had to read it off the computer which I found a bit difficult. A hard copy version of this book would take pride of place on my coffee table!
 

I recommend this book to party planners this will be your bible and inspiration all throughout the year. It would also make a great housewarming gift!

I give this book 4 stars

Jarrah Jungle's Star Rating:
1 Bad - I'd rather eat brussel sprouts topped with anchovies than read this again
2 Not Good - I'd rather watch re-runs of Neighbours than read this again
3 Ok - I'm sitting on the fence - its not great but not terrible either
4 Good - I'd pass up a pack of tim tams for this read
5 Great - I'd pass up a date with Johnny Depp for this read

Handmade Gatherings can be purchased from Random House here

Sharing my book review on Good Reads here

Disclosure: NetGalley and Random House partner with bloggers such as me to help promote their product. As part of this promotion I was given this eBook published by Random House, Roost Books to review. I have not received any payment or compensation for this review. I have not been told what to say about this product, I am free to form my own opinion and share them in my own words. All opinions are my own.

 

For exclusive extras and daily updates ... follow Jarrah Jungle on Facebook and Instagram


[Images via Small Measures]

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