Bobbi, I take it you were painting the lower parts of your walls which I have trouble getting down to as I just can't kneel anymore. I use a low stool to sit on, which still hurts my knees getting up, but is the easiest option. When I have finished painting I have taken to lying flat out on my back on the bed for a good half hour and really stretch everything. That seems to help a lot and as it is around the 5pm slump time, it revitalises two ways. What sort of paint are you using? Normally any acrylic or water based paint washes out easily. Everyone knows when I have been painting, I went up the shop one time not knowing I had a huge blob of green paint right down the underside of my arm, clearly visible to anyone behind me. If shampoo isn't removing it, try rubbing straight conditioner into it and leave 10-15 mins. I find hand cream quickly removes it from my skin but I do have very streaky fingernails that nothing seems to be working on. Looks like the paint will have to grow out on them. If I know I am likely to get paint in my hair I also keep a supply of cheap shower caps for protection. Astraea - we are fine thanks, all the fires are in country areas, although some kids deliberately lit one in western Sydney this afternoon. The Metropolitan Firies have thermal imaging and they can spot a fire almost as soon as it starts which makes their response time much shorter. We also had a truck catch fire and set bush off beside a major freeway but the firies hit it all with foam and made short work of it. Still just over 34 here at 11pm - roll on 2am and the southerly!!!!!

In a previous post on this discussion forum I described my laundry bin...a 30L cardboard barrel which I lined with an old shower curtain and decorated still reigns supreme on the lid of my top loder, Nobody knows what it is and its a never ending source of admiration from an artistic angle. Lacking floor space the only option was to sit it up there or out on the veranda.It works as a cat toy too. It has, however, acquired some vents in the lid since some of my art shirts are often a bit oily and I learnt that some oils tend to self combist in enclosed spaces and can be the cause of house fires. Sometimes hiding things in plain sight is a good option. With Tribbletrouble45142k7Trek...Your baskets sound pretty...why hide such nice functional souvenits!

I love the drama of the brick wall and it is a major design feature of the house... however, there is a LOT of exposed brick with the fireplace surround also being exposed and you have mentioned you dont like the colour. Have you thought about covering up the other walls rather than this one, to tone down the brick work? I just wonder if you hate the amount of brick and you are taking it out on this wall because that's where it is concentrated while overlooking the rest of the house? Just food for thought... more food for thought. BTW I love the idea of hanging plants (though watering them might be a pain), I love the idea of a dramatic feature pendant and I also love the idea of the rug, all will soften or harmonise the drama. www.billyhoostudio.com

Hello Bianca, I thought that the site plan above was Azam's! I thought beauty: now I can get this plan right for him and the site at last. it has been going back fwd up down for ages! So I sat here and scribbled away as I love to do and blow me down! I am looking at your site dims and directions instead!! So here is a plan suggestion for your site with no idea where you are, what you are wanting, what you like but a few of Azam's requirements! Have a look: it will use your northerly aspect far better than the outline on above: There is more space to the north and west..... much better for passive solar design: read much lower power bills..... Cheers Margot