just you wait!

2nd House-iversary

2011-05-01T20:55:00.000-03:00

I couldn't let today pass without formally marking the occasion - it's my second house-iversary! It amazes me how quickly two years have flown by.

I haven't been able to get much work done on the house lately (both time and money being in short supply), but I wanted to celebrate today's milestone with a little project.

This is the 'infamous' key I told you about a year ago, on my first house-iversary. I've held onto it (despite changing the locks right after I moved in), because for me it's symbolic - not just of buying the house in the first place, but of some of the obstacles I had to overcome along the way.

So today I mounted it in this frame (sans glass, and sporting a new coat of black paint), which I plan to eventually include in a gallery wall of frames (you know, some day...). But for now, at least the key has found a proper home.

Tiny Update & Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T16:07:00.000-04:00

Now that most of the holiday hubbub is over, it occurred to me that I never did follow up about the front of my house. I told you about finishing the deck, but at that point that awful front wall was still bare and ugly. So just to prove I'm not a total slacker (even though I kinda am, since I took so long to post about it)...

Ta da! I finally caught a break in the foul Fall weather (before Winter set in for good) and got it primed and painted. MUCH better!

And in case you're wondering what all the fuss was about, here's what it looked like before (and why I had to bump it to the top of my to-do list!):

peeling paint

someone's brilliant attempt to cover missing paint with caulk. WITH THEIR FINGERS.

Oh, and while I was at it, I finally decided to just throw caution to the wind and remove this 'who-knows-what-it's-for-or-why-it's-there' piece of awesomeness:

And nobody died.

Oh yeah, Happy New Year!

Christmas Giveaway

2010-11-21T21:12:00.000-04:00

Ok, so this post isn't exactly 'house-related', but everyone loves getting something for free (right?), so I wanted to share... Thrifty Little Blog is hosting a great big Christmas giveaway, and one of the handmade items I sell is part of it!
Check out the giveaway here. You only have until Nov. 23rd at noon (Central time) to enter, so don't wait!

And because no post is complete without something to look at, here's a shot of the item I'm giving away (so you don't have to play Where's Waldo among all the other great prizes!)

Cashmere Gift Card Holder - Lotus

Fabric Deliciousness (& Storage!)

2010-11-14T21:38:00.000-04:00

When I was a kid, I had a Charlie Brown book called Happiness is a Warm Puppy. Every page started with "Happiness is..." and ended with something awesome. Like a warm blanket. Or an umbrella and rainboots. Anyway, I think the point was to enjoy the small pleasures in life, so I want to share one of mine...

Upstairs in the room I refer to as my studio, I make things. Christmas is coming, and these things I make make great gifts, so lately I've been making A LOT of them. Which means things like this happen:


(AKA bliss in yummy fabric form*)

Just having all these pieces cut and laid out ready to sew makes me very happy. Having the space to work this way - even happier!

(*wondering what those rows of fabrics turned into? Many of them are hanging out right here)

A long time ago, I posted a little studio organization project I completed, and promised to post pics of my fabric storage... Well, it happens to be fairly neat right now, so here you go!

This is an antique piece my family used to use as a cabinet in our dining room. Usually I'm more into 'vintage' than 'antique', but this cupboard works really well for storing lots of pretty fabric in plain sight. (I also love that it has room on top to store all my shipping supplies!). And yes, it's upside down, but it's been used that way for as long as I can remember - and personally, I get more storage out of it like this!

Unfortunately, it's still not sufficient for storing the ever-growing collection of a fabric hoarder like me...


it's a sickness, people! There really should be some kind of a 12 step program for this!

As you can see, the bottom shelf of my rolling rack is full, too. I've gotta say, though, even on a makeshift shelf like this the sight of such fabric abundance makes me happy. :D

As Charlie Brown might say, "Happiness is.... many organized stacks of yummy fabric!"

For My Dad: A Deck-laration

2010-10-27T16:42:00.003-03:00

O happy day, it's finally finished!!

As I think I've mentioned before, I don't usually like to write about unfinished projects. And currently the front of my house is a bit of a mess as I work to scrape (and repaint, before it gets too cold) a section of it. But at long last, the new front deck is finished, and I've had a special request from Dad (without whom this deck would never have been possible!) to post pics of this project that's taken up much of the past two months of both our lives.
And I can't really argue with him - after so much hard work, it's time to show off the fruits of our labour!

In case you need a refresher, here's what the front looked like when I bought the house:

notice the original deck: tiny, rotten, and utterly useless

I wrote about a bit of an update a year ago (at the conclusion of another long project with Dad), and (drumroll please!) here's how it looks today:


please disregard the unpainted wall! :)

Ooooh... Ahhhhhh....You should see it at night, when light from inside shines out through the slats. Love it!

Since I moved in, three new houses have been built beside mine (all are to the right in the above picture), so one goal with the deck was to maintain a bit of privacy, so that I'll actually want to use this new outdoor space. (It's a good size - the main part is about 9'x11' - so I want to enjoy it!) Another goal was not to look too 'cookie-cutter', or like all the boring decks on new builds like the ones next door. To that end, I designed a railing that I think is a bit more modern and unique, and does a great job of screening the deck from the street and nearby houses.

Obviously I've still got lots of landscaping and clean-up to do (after that wall gets painted!), but this was another major step in converting what used to be the back of the house into a proper front entry. Plans for next year include moving the front door - we positioned the new stairs right in front of where I want it to go!

So, Dad: once again thank you. I learned a lot, and definitely couldn't have done it without you! And now that we're done, you've got to admit - it was at least a little bit fun, right?! :) Love you!

As for everyone else, what do you think? I really like that it looks unique, but do you think anyone else will (ie. future owners of my home)? Does it look more like the front of a house now?

Through the Looking Glass

2010-10-12T00:46:00.000-03:00

It's been a long time since I've made any updates to my dressing room, so I wanted to share a useful little project I recently completed.

Before: no place to store my jewellery (of which I admittedly have a lot, but I make jewellery - I've gotta model my own product, right? That's what I tell myself, anyway)

fun fact: I've had this full-length mirror for as long as I can remember. The frame's been painted many different colours over the years, and painting it was one of my earliest 'decor' diy projects. (That first pre-teen attempt was to paint it blue with a black zigzag. I have NO idea why.)

But after some sketching and building (and, ok, maybe a little re-thinking and re-building...), I came up with this:

After: Problem solved! Lots of room for rings, earrings, and necklaces, and the mirror doesn't have to lean against the wall anymore - I even found a mod wallpaper remnant to pretty it up a bit (just $5 for almost a full roll at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Have I mentioned how much I love the ReStore?!).

Rings are stored on pieces of wood dowel set into the pine framework, earrings hang from a metal bbq grill found on clearance and spray-painted brown, and S-hooks are used to hang necklaces from lengths of thin metal rod.

And as much as I love my jewellery, my favourite part is how it all disappears. As you may remember from here, this room has just about everything else stored out in the open, so I wanted to keep this part of it looking sleek and un-cluttered. I also think this piece will look even better when I get around to painting over the blah beige on these walls, but I haven't been able to settle on a colour yet. (Suggestions?)

Anyway, though I'm reluctant to think about just how long I've been picking away at this project (it looks simple, but it definitely tested my problem-solving skills!), I think the lesson here is that eventually any project can be finished. Timely, because remember my goal of completing that project I recently gave you a sneak peek of? Yeah, it didn't exactly materialize this weekend. :( A few significant steps closer, but still not finished. One day, it too will be complete!

So, what do you think of my storage solution? Do you prefer to keep your jewellery out on display?

Sneak Peek

2010-10-07T00:32:00.003-03:00

Here's a glimpse of the 'little' project that took over my life about a month or so ago...

lumber yard? or front yard?

progress!

Fingers crossed that by the end of the coming long weekend, the end of this project will also be in sight!

Happiness (by mail!)

2010-09-26T23:56:00.001-03:00

So... I haven't exactly been all that forthcoming with pictures of some of the rooms in my house. (All for good reasons, I can assure you!) One of those rooms is the bathroom, because I have lots of plans for it, but - other than swapping out the toilet - it hasn't made it to the top of my 'to do' list yet.

Like much of my house, the bathroom seems like it was built for short people (fortunately, this isn't really a problem for me!) The showerhead comes out of a sloped ceiling, so it was installed a lot lower than normal.

(to give proper perspective, the shower curtain rod is just over 5' high. I had to drastically hem this standard-sized shower curtain to make it fit, and it still hits the floor!)

The previous owner/diy-'genius' installed the shower arm upside down (so that it pointed up rather than down) to try to compensate for the angle of the ceiling, but this setup was still far from ideal. Seriously, I'm 5'3" and the showerhead was only as high as my forehead!

(check out that huge gap between the flange and the ceiling. They attempted to fill it with caulk, but come on!!)

Anyway. A while ago I mentioned that I'd been contacted by CSN Stores to review one of their products. I really had a tough time deciding what to get because of their amazing and vast selection, until I found these:

A new, shorter arm, and the long adjustable extension arm with lovely rainshower head. Problem solved!!

Here's the fully-improved view:

Look how much higher that is - the water actually comes out above my head now! Happiness!

Now, the review: The CSN Stores' selection was beyond extensive. I was totally impressed by the variety of items I found on their sites - they have far more than I could ever find locally. The order process was really simple, and their prices are low. I'm a bargain shopper, so I really liked that they want to know if you find a lower price on any of their items. I also liked that I got not only the standard order confirmation email, but also one telling me that my items had been shipped, as well as one when they left the border. I live in Canada, and I know that shipments can sometimes get delayed going through customs. It was awesome to get that update letting me know that they were almost here!
All said, I was super happy with the entire experience!

Step by Step

2010-09-15T00:19:00.000-03:00

I know we all sometimes feel like projects are never-ending (especially home-improvement projects!), but lately, it seems like I can't quite get ANY of mine to the finish line. They feel like they just go on, and on, and on... with no end in sight!

And I don't usually bother posting about 'in progress' projects, because I like doing the big 'before and after' all at once, and taking pics in between just slows me down :)

SO, since I don't have updates on any of the other projects I'm working on, here's a 'quick' fix I recently finished (you know, so I could at least feel a sense of accomplishment about something!)

When I moved in, this is what the post at the bottom of the stairs looked like:

Someone had the brilliant idea to add a pressure-treated (outdoor) post cap and ball thingy to the top of my simple, beautiful stair post. To add insult to injury, they didn't even try to centre it so it would look halfways decent! The ball thingy was off-centre and loose, so it'd spin around drunkenly ... anyway, it drove me crazy and it had to go.

Here's what the post at the top of the stairs looks like, so I knew how great the bottom was supposed to look:

yeah, this pic was taken before I moved in...

much cleaner than its current state! :)

Anyway, after a bit of demolition and some filling/sanding/repainting, normal has been restored, and I am happy!

I know it's a small thing, but I think it looks SO MUCH BETTER! Its simple style suits the rest of my house - ornate it is not (which I think is one of it's best qualities!).

While I was at it, I sanded the handrail and repainted that as well. The last paint job was really rough, and since day one I've had to be really careful running my hand along it, but no more!

How about one more look at the wonky work of whoever came before:

So, what do YOU think? Anyone actually a fan of the added post cap/ball thingy combo? Or do you think I'm nuts for getting worked up about such a silly little detail?

Bumper Crop

2010-08-26T22:02:00.001-03:00

No completed projects to talk about (yet!), but check out the latest harvest from my yard:

So, now what? What can I make with these that doesn't require a fully-stocked pantry? Because... well... mine's pretty bare! :)

sm-ART

2010-08-09T18:18:00.000-03:00

Now, I like a nice expanse of blank wall as much as the next person, but it's getting a little ridiculous around here. Only one room in my entire house has anything hanging on the wall, so I thought I'd better start doing something about it. Here comes my favourite DIY (and cheap!) wall art...

First I purchased and assembled stretcher bars (from an art supply store) in the dimensions to best fit my space (this is a great way to get a custom-sized piece for that hard-to-fit area!).

Then I found a piece of fabric in a bold, modern print (the bolder the better, if you want fabric to function as art), and simply stretched it tight over the stretcher frame:

Really bold prints can be tough to find, but I'm a huge fan of Marimekko prints, so I immediately knew that's what I wanted to use and just had to wait to find it for the right price (like lots of desiger fabrics, Marimekko pieces can be a bit pricey).

*The number one rule of thrift, (in my opinion, anyway!) is patience. I searched places like Ebay and Etsy for a couple of months before I eventually found this print (called 'Tuuli' or wind) as a remnant, for a great price! Total cost for this piece of 'art' was about $30 (fabric + stretcher bars), and it's 24"x36"!

It's hanging in my upstairs hallway, right above the stairs. I love how the grey echoes the colours of my bedroom. And I believe this is also the first time I've posted pics of the new paint in the hallway (upstairs + down), but I'll have more on that later!

For one last take on the 'fabric as art' idea, some of you may remember catching a glimpse of the other Marimekko print I have, which is currently hanging in my kitchen:

This print is called 'Unikko', and it's travelled with me for a few years now. Not sure if it'll stay in the kitchen, but for right now it's one of the few things I like about that room, so it stays! :)

Coming Soon!

2010-07-26T11:19:00.000-03:00

Something very exciting will be coming soon to my little corner of the blog world...
I've been contacted by CSN Stores to do a review of one of their products!
I must've been living under a rock, because up until a couple months ago, I wasn't familiar with all they have to offer. Did you know that they sell everything from dining room furniture to vessel sinks and fire pits? They even sell tools for when you want to get your DIY groove on.
In fact, they have over 200 stores!
And, of course, the all-important part - they ship to Canada!
I've heard great things about their customer service, and love the huge selection they have available, so I'm very excited to receive the item I've picked out. Stay tuned!

One Last Thing...

2010-06-16T14:48:00.002-03:00

I know I said my bedroom was (finally) finished, but there was one last detail I wanted to take care of. There wasn't much furniture in the room (just the bed), so I wanted to add a small chair (even if it's just a place to pile clothes on, let's be honest!).

I picked up this 'lovely' little number at a Salvation Army thrift store for just $4.99(!):

Add a bit of fabric, a bit of sewing, and a staple gun, and...

Still loving the layers of colour! :)

Useless Boobs and a DIY Ceiling Medallion

2010-06-01T13:58:00.002-03:00

Forgive me, but I happen to have a particularly strong hatred toward boob lights. Whether it's their generic brassiness, their overwhelming prevalence (my house has lots of them, and I bet yours does, too), or that silly nipple, I don't know. But I can't stand them, and I'm on a mission to eradicate my house of them, one by one. (Current count: 2 down, 4 to go)

OK, rant over. You may recall seeing the brand new light fixture in my bedroom makeover the other day. Well, when I first replaced the original fixture (no, it wasn't a 'boob' this time), I ran into a bit of a problem:

There was an unsightly gap around the base of the new fixture, because it wasn't as wide as the old one. I immediately thought that a ceiling medallion was the answer, but since this makeover was on a very tight budget, I didn't rush to shell out the $30-$40 it'd cost for a (small) new one. I figured there had to be some way to make my own, so I started searching online and looking in thrift stores for something I could use.
Then one day the proverbial 'lightbulb' went on. Being of the 'waste not, want not' mentality, I figured, why not use one of those useless boob lights I've been amassing in my bid to rid my house of them? Perfect!

I stripped the 'guts' out of it,

removed the socket that the bulb goes into, and the foil lining, and used a few coats of leftover white ceiling paint to get rid of the brass look.

Et voila! No more gap around the fixture, and the 'boob' has regained its usefulness and been kept out of the landfill. Total cost: $0 - my favourite kind of DIY!

Bedroom Makeover - Final

2010-05-27T13:55:00.003-03:00

At long last, the bedroom makeover is finished. Well, for now, at least! Here's what I started with:

Pretty sad, right? And after a little painting, some sewing, some more sewing, and a few more tweaks, here's how it looks today:

Ahh, that's better! My goal was to make the bedroom a calm and relaxing 'nest' with shades of grey and mauve. I tried to use enough layers and textures to keep it cozy and interesting.

The most recent additions are the light fixture, which went from this old-fashioned 'beauty'

to this simple drum pendant

and the purple paint on the wall behind the bed.

I felt like the bed looked odd floating against the white ceiling/wall, and the room was just lacking somehow. A bit of painters' tape and a sample-sized can of 'Grey Amethyst' were just what it needed to wake things up!

My vintage white bookshelf headboard virtually disappears behind the pillows, so the purple on the wall acts as a sort of painted headboard, giving the bed more presence. It also addresses the whole 'can't paint the wall because it's actually the ceiling' dilemma.

And it looks good with the grey and white 'Moroccan' cotton rug I found at the grocery store (of all places!)

Finally, what girl can resist a few feminine details like sequins and fresh flowers? :)

So there you have it. My complete bedroom makeover on the (very, very) cheap! Actual spend, after using various gift cards I'd hoarded(!), was right around $100.

What do you think? My favourite part, impact-wise, is the purple wall. How about you? What would you do differently?

Happy House-iversary

2010-05-01T23:00:00.008-03:00

O happy day, today marks my first house-iversary - I officially became a homeowner one year ago today. I thought I would invite you to take a little sentimental journey with me, to a year ago, to tell you about how my house and I first got to know each other. I'll warn you: I'm not known for being particularly brief, but I think it's worth sharing. :)

Thirteen months ago, I (for unexciting reasons I won't get into here) found myself needing to find a house relatively quickly. A friend recommended a realtor, I told him what I was looking for, and asked to see whatever was available in my (admittedly low) price range. (As a first-timer, I wanted a good sense of what that would buy me in my area, so I would know a good house when I saw it) Anyway, as it turned out, the search wouldn't take long - there were only about three. And this is not because I was being picky. Unless you consider 'unwilling to spend more than the bank would allow' or 'unwilling to buy an uninhabitable house' being picky. Anyway, lucky for me, this house was number three (of three!), and I knew right away that it was 'The One'. What was REALLY lucky for me was that I didn't feel like I was forced to 'settle' for this house. I love it. I loved it right from the start.

What followed was a crazy hectic two weeks - yep, closing day was a mere two weeks after the day I first laid eyes on my house, and only twelve days after my offer was officially accepted (these things are possible if (a) you are certifiably insane, and (b) the house is vacant).

A year ago today, I woke up super-early in the morning, super-duper excited. It was CLOSING DAY. I couldn't get that song 'Closing Time' out of my head. Not that the rest of the lyrics are relevant, but who cares?! I was excited.

All through the previous, hectic days, through all the lawyer and bank appointments, the house inspection, etc., I kept waiting for it all to feel 'real'. Everything was happening so fast, reality hadn't caught up with me yet. But I figured that once I held that key in my hand, that would be the moment.

I went to the house that morning for the final walkthrough with my realtor. Luckily, he'd arrived first, because what greeted us was a bit of a shocker (major understatement). The night before, hoodlums had thrown rocks through five of the house's (brand new) windows, kicked in the basement door, and left the other doors swinging in the wind.

We surveyed the damage, and before getting on the phone to start handling things, my realtor handed me the key, saying "here, I guess this is yours". So much for my 'moment'.

Now, in hindsight, it could've been worse, right? They couldn've set fire to the place, or kicked holes in the walls or something. Or hey, they could've done it the next day, after I took possession, and my insurance would've been responsible for the damage. But nevertheless, it was still pretty darn traumatic.

The rest of the day was an emotional rollercoaster, but I was determined that this house was mine, and I wasn't letting some stupid hoodlums ruin MY day. This was my eventual decision, anyway, after multiple phone conversations, freak outs, and a lot of tears! (I live alone here, people, and the house is well back from the street. I think my fear was justified!)

The previous owner called some idiots to come clean up all the glass, board up the windows and secure the doors (I say idiots because they drove massive screws through the solid wood door with the ONLY working lock - you know, the one my key was for? - and left one window uncovered with rain blowing in, and the basement door wide open - yeah, that'd be the one the massive screws should've been used for. Come on morons, the house is pretty small. How'd you manage to screw that up???)

Since my moving 'crew' (thanks, guys!) was scheduled for the next day, that night I just moved a few things in with my dad's help. Included in that first load was a bed, because there was no way I was leaving my house a vacant target for the hoodlums that night. It was mine, dammit!

I spent the first night on a mattress on the floor (oops, forgot the bedrails in all the 'excitement'!), with a hammer by my pillow (hey, it was all I had!), and every light in the place blazing. A memorable day right to the end, though not in the way I'd hoped.

no, this is not a crack house

Anyway, so I moved in, life started to fall into a routine, etc. etc. Until, a week later, the hoodlums came back while I was at work and smashed another window and kicked in the basement door, this time tearing it completely off its hinges. Yeah, that day kind of freaked me out, too. Welcome to the neighbourhood! (I should probably clarify at this point that despite how this sounds, I DO NOT live in the ghetto. This is an otherwise pretty quiet suburban street. Any neighbours I've talked to haven't heard of anything else like this happening around here.)

So yeah, this time it was on me to replace the window and door. Again, I'm grateful that it wasn't worse. The laptop I'm typing on right now? Was totally sitting out on the dining room table when they broke in the second time. But nothing was taken, and I don't even think they came upstairs. Still freaked me out, though!

I spent my entire first month of home-ownership living in a dark, boarded up house, with the wind whistling through the broken windows. As soon as the final window was replaced, I had the alarm system installed (the first of many unplanned-for expenses, I've learned). I now sleep much better, and the hammer is back in the tool box where it belongs!

one of many boxes of glass

It was more than six months before I felt like I could safely walk around inside without shoes on because of all the glass (apologies again to the guests I 'yelled' at to keep their shoes on!). I still occasionally find the odd shard. And I'm not sure I'll ever want to walk in the yard barefoot, because it's a lot harder to spot it out there!

The hoodlums are still around, but haven't caused any more trouble that I know of. They still occasionally run through my yard (and yes, at least one time the police were in pursuit...), but I make sure to let them know I'm here, and that I'm watching. Turns out, we homeowners are a rather proprietary bunch. I care, because it's mine.

So tonight, I'm toasting my first house-iversary with an adult beverage, and thinking that, all in all, it's been a pretty good year. And, while I type this, as their own special contribution to the celebration, the hoodlums are setting off fireworks in the schoolyard across the street.

How sweet of them to remember.

Bedroom - Part 3

2010-04-27T09:30:00.002-03:00

So, at this point I'm just hoping this isn't part three of 12 or 15... This 'makeover' is definitely taking longer to finish than I'd hoped!

Anyway, just to show that I'm still working on it, here's the latest completed piece:

I finished the roman blind! I love this fabric, and how it livens things up a bit. Also love how the thick old window frame makes it look like a piece of framed art.

And that it does a great job blocking out the light (maybe too great? I'm occasionally finding it a little too easy to sleep in now!)

Garbage Day (2nd Annual?)

2010-04-07T15:36:00.000-03:00

Hey, look what I just found in the woods and brook beside my house:

Ok, ok, I know - another boring post about garbage. But here's my point: People who litter are selfish and lazy. Please don't be one of them.

Bedroom - Part 2

2010-04-02T19:14:00.000-03:00

Last time around, I showed you the room I started with, and the new paint colour. What I didn't show you was the VERY first update I made - the mattress. It was a long time coming, but I finally bit the bullet a couple months ago and splurged on a super plush mattress. I now think of it as my princess bed, because I feel like a princess every time I sleep in it (even now, months later!). The cushiness just feels like luxury - definitely a worthwhile splurge!

Anyway, now it's time to add in some of the details. What I wanted for this room was a warm and cozy retreat. Layers of soft grays, taupes, and purple shades, with some modern and girly touches to balance things out (stay tuned for those).

First up, I needed bedding to go with the new colour scheme:

I couldn't find a duvet cover that I liked, in the right colour, for less that $70 (and most were more than that). Since this bedroom makeover was on a serious budget (especially after the mattress splurge!), that just wouldn't do. I made this one out of a couple of sheets, for about $15, so that fit the bill!

Oh, and check out the cute lamp I found, that had all the right colours on the shade:

Not only that, but it only cost me $5 (after using a gift card), AND it was short enough to fit under the slope of the ceiling - a tall order, as it turns out! :)

Still to come: replacing the overhead light fixture, a little window dressing, and a small chair, perhaps?

Bedroom - Part 1

2010-03-17T16:03:00.004-03:00

The transformative power of paint in the dining room has led me to move on to the next room on my 'hit list': the bedroom

Again with the blah beige :(

But now that step one in the makeover process has been completed...

Bye bye beige! And as with the dining room, I think the new colour on the walls makes the floor and mouldings look pretty spectacular. LOVE it.

Part 2 coming soon!

Signs of Spring

2010-03-10T15:02:00.006-04:00

Look what I found, peeking out of the ground beside my house!

(I actually hate these things (hence the obvious lack of care around them) - they're tiger lilies, and the place is overrun with them . But still. SPRING!)

Buds on the lilac bushes, and a brilliant blue sky.

Birds everywhere (all of whom managed to elude my camera)

And yes, even the inevitable garbage in the brook, waiting for me to get out there and do some Spring Cleaning (remember garbage day last year?).

Even though the yard actually looks pretty desolate right now.

Even though I know that we probably haven't seen the last of the snow, yet.
Even though it's technically still Winter...

Spring is definitely on its way!

Fine Dining

2010-03-07T09:41:00.002-04:00

Ok, here we go. If you've been following the progress in my dining room in the last couple of posts, today's the big day. Here is what my dining room looked like before I moved in:

The door on the left is a small closet (yes, in the dining room), lined with vintage wallpaper. I'd show it to you but it's currently ~~busy serving other customers~~ fulfilling its storage duties and is not feeling very photogenic.

As with EVERY OTHER WALL IN MY HOUSE, the walls were beige. There's nothing wrong with beige, but believe me, living in a beige bubble eventually starts to wear on a person!

And that light fixture is woefully inadequate. But don't worry, I have some ideas for sprucing it up to eventually use it somewhere more appropriate.

And finally, the moment we've all been waiting for... the 'finished' room:

I should note (before someone who knows me comments below!) that I very rarely actually use this room as a dining room. It's usually my 'office', and that armoire in the corner is full of office-y things like my printer and office supplies. So I set the table just for you - it would hardly do to show you a picture of it with my laptop on the table, now would it?! :)

As I mentioned the other day, after the painting was done I was ready to swap out the old, undersized light fixture. This pendant is something I made a couple of years ago, it used to hang in the dining room of my last apartment:

I originally used a lamp kit to light it, but now that I'm in a house, I hard-wired it in.

I first found the idea for this light via ReadyMade, but the instructions are on Instructables. The light is actually a Danish design from the early '70s called the IQ Light . (If you go there and look at all the variations, I think mine was the 80 piece version - so if you're thinking of making one of your very own, be prepared for blisters!!)

That's it for now. I still have a few other projects lined up for this room (a piece of furniture I want to make over to use as a sideboard, some desperately-needed art/mirror/whatever for all those bare walls...). And I know there are a lot of shades of wood going on here, but I'm working on it! For one thing, the table and chairs have had many many lives in many different places, and the chairs at the very least are coming to the end of their lifespan, so I may have to do something about that one of these days.

Any thoughts? Comments on the colour? Suggestions for those bare walls?

Progress - and a quick peek

2010-03-05T12:51:00.003-04:00

Hello! It's been awhile. You'll have to excuse my absence, but ever since my last post, my days have been consumed with addressing the problem I found there. I spent the entire month of February, it seems, with a scraper in my hand. Eventually, those walls I showed you ended up like this:

Hallelujah. Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I don't know what I'm doing. Probably a little of both. But once the scraping began, there was no easy way to end it. I definitely didn't want to just patch over the problem and get on with the painting, because I didn't want the new paint to peel right off. So I carefully scraped the two walls back to the bare plaster, to start with a 'clean slate' (these two are exterior walls, the other two dining room walls didn't have the same issues).

And now, as of yesterday, the painting is complete! Here's a sneak peek of the colour:

I think it looks pretty grey in this pic, but it's actually a greyish green by Behr called Verdigris. I'm about to replace the light fixture, so stay tuned for full room pics tomorrow (provided the light swapping goes off without a hitch!).

Un-Painting

2010-01-31T14:54:00.007-04:00

As I recently mentioned, I've had the urge lately to get painting. The boring beige that covers most of my walls has worn out its welcome.

I thought I'd start with my dining room(/office), so I picked out a colour. It's a small room. 'It'll be easy', I thought. 'A quick project'. Right.

To start things off, I wanted to fill some of the nail holes that the last paint job had just painted right over. So I started in one corner. 'Hmmm, what's this bubble?' I wondered. And then, all of a sudden, I was looking at bare plaster, as years and years worth of paint layers came sliding off the wall in large sheets. This is what de-lamination looks like, boys and girls:

(notice the stack of paint 'sheets' piled on the window sill)

So I turned to my trusty friend Google for advice, and together (along with some further detective work - AKA scraping) we decided that it's most likely the result of (hopefully old) water damage, as evidenced by the water stains on the plaster, and some mildew spots in the area below the window sill. Plus the cracking/peeling problem I first noticed seems to just be mainly around this window, which is also directly underneath where the porch roof meets the wall (remember my fun flashing adventure?).

Anyway, to tackle it properly, I've first got to get all the loose bits off (basically scraping until I'm out past the edge of the water marks). So I decided to make a game of it, a little something I like to call 'who can carve the biggest slice?' And guess what? - I won! Fun times, let me tell you.

It's a good thing I was the type of kid who loved peeling sunburns.

(And for those of you keeping score at home, under the beige paint I found dark red, more beige, pea soup green, emerald green, and peacock blue. None of which are going back on the walls once I get this project back on track)

At this point I think the next step is just to clean it up, patch with wall compound, and then prime it all (and hope for the best). And I'm REALLY hoping it's just this section of wall that needs so much work...

So much for a 'quick, fun project'.

:S

Painting Puzzle

2010-01-27T22:37:00.003-04:00

In case anyone thought that no posts meant I've just been sitting around twiddling my thumbs, here's what my living room looked like a few days ago:

What you see here is more than 300 feet of beautiful baseboard and casing (and all the other requisite bits and pieces) that my dad bought for his place. I managed to fit them all into my living room so I could put a couple coats of paint on them, figuring I had more unused space (and unlike dad, no four-legged friends to disturb them!) to get the job done. I also thought it would be easier to paint them before he installed them on his freshly-painted walls. (I still think I was right about that one!)

Speaking of those walls, ever since helping him get them painted, I've had the itch... I think it's time I said goodbye to some more of the boring beige at my place...

Organization Makes Me Giddy

2010-01-15T00:57:00.004-04:00

There's one room in my house that I end up spending most of my time in, and I'm pretty sure I haven't posted any pictures of it yet (it's late, or I'd check). It's my studio, it's the largest bedroom upstairs, and if you're wondering what it is that I DO in there, have a look over yonder
<-------

Anyway, it's a work-in-progress (aren't they all!?), so I'm not ready to show off the whole thing yet, but I couldn't wait to show my latest bit of organizing/thrifting/DIY awesomeness. But first, let's get the 'Before' mess over with quickly, bandaid-style:

Ugh. Ok, that's all you're getting, and I insist you forget you ever saw that. My propensity for making (or attempting to make) practically everything, means I have A LOT of stuff. And up until recently, no place to put it all.

Now check this out! The two white bookshelves were an absolute SCORE from Kijiji (I showed up expecting to buy just one, it turned out that they had two after all, and I got the two of them for just the $15 I'd planned to pay for only one).

As a side note, for those of you in the US: do you have Kijiji? I only ever see Americans talk about Craigslist...

Anyway, they were in great shape, but since I'm apparently not one to be happy with plain white shelves, I lined the backs of them in this cool 'formica'-like stuff that looks like bamboo (formica=weird, I know. But it was relatively cheap, easy to work with, and I love the look of it!):

(and no, I don't typically store placemats and stemware in my studio. I use these random objects as photo props, and my business cards are just in the glass because I think they look cool)

The fun stripe-y pegboard is super functional, but it's also practical: shelves all the way along that wall would've made for a tight squeeze trying to walk around my extra large work surface that's almost as wide as the room. This way I still get the storage, but it doesn't take up any floor space. (The stripes weren't for function, though. Just like the bamboo stuff lining the shelves, they're there because I think they make it more interesting, and because I can't leave well enough alone.)

Anyway, that's it for now. Maybe next time I'll show you how I store my ridiculous fabric stash. :)

What a Pair!

2010-01-09T17:48:00.004-04:00

In my quest to furnish this house (a quest which is far from over), I happened upon these at a thrift store:
Someone had (obviously) already tried to re-upholster them, but the result was pretty lumpy and, well, not pretty. But at $8 each, I figured I (and some lovely fabric) could give them a new life.

Not bad, eh?! The fabric was a remnant from a favourite fabric store in Toronto, and I was lucky to have juuuuuust enough to do the two of them. After replacing the foam on the seats and recovering, the chairs ended up costing about $15 each. Now if only the place where I want to put them wasn't over-run with other projects, I could show you them in their new 'home' rather than lined up against the wall, 'jail booking photo'-style. Sigh.

Snow fun? No fun.

2010-01-03T19:40:00.004-04:00

What did I do today? I shovelled. This:

For the second day in a row.

I can barely move my arms. And winter has barely begun!

reflecting

2009-12-31T11:47:00.009-04:00

2009. A year full of highs and lows, it was the very best of times, and the worst, often all at once.

I bought a house, (started a blog!), turned thirty, and lost a job.
spoke up. kept quiet.
laughed. cried.
succeeded. failed. persevered.
found the silver lining.

faced fears. conquered obstacles. embraced change.

Decking the Halls

2009-12-23T00:33:00.005-04:00

Sorry for going AWOL for a while there, but work on the house has had to be put on hold for a bit in the lead up to the holidays. I've spent most of the past few weeks in my studio doing my Christmas 'making' (definitely not to be confused with Christmas baking) - both gifts to give and several custom sewing orders for others to give to their family and friends. One upside(?) is that it's given me lots of time to think about all the changes I want to make to that room, so watch for that in the new year!

Anyway, for now I thought I'd share a few pics of how I've decorated for my first Christmas in the house...

I got my craft on one day and made some mod paper ornaments to hang in the front window. (An idea borrowed from here.)

Inspired by this, here's a wreath I made as a gift for someone. Someone I don't think reads this blog. I guess we'll see! :) I love it, and am tempted to keep it for myself, but I'll just have to make another one when I have a bit more free time!

In lieu of the traditional garland on my very narrow staircase, I opted for a simple ribbon:

And finally, the tree. Due to general busy-ness and the as yet un-organized/un-decorated state of my living room, I contemplated not putting it up this year. But I'm glad I did - nothing beats the light of a Christmas tree! (big thanks to mish (the ribbon guru) for all of her tree-decorating assistance - ribbon-related and otherwise!).

And a special gift from these guys to commemorate this milestone, which I thought was very, very sweet of them :)

(reads: First Christmas in the New Home, 2009)

Happy Holidays!

Making an Entrance

2009-11-23T11:13:00.007-04:00

So I finally finished my entryway. Here's what it looked like before:

It was the only 'room' in the whole house that hadn't been painted before I bought it. Combine that with the rickety shelves, the sagging wooden closet rod, the large cracks in the plaster caused by jacking it up this past summer:

and the holes made by the electrician who wired in an outside light for me:

and it definitely needed some TLC. What followed was a couple weeks of patching, mudding, taping, mudding, sanding, mudding, sanding, repeat. Here's a 'work in progress' shot:

And finally, the end result:

A fresh coat of paint on walls & ceiling, new shelves and closet rod, the new light, and some DIY key hooks.
Oh, and those stylin' rubber boots aren't there just to look pretty - they're a necessity when it comes time to clean garbage out of the ravine next to my house! :)

Now THIS I want to come home to.

**Update: for those of you who join me in a love of thrift, here's the cost breakdown:
repairing the walls $47.04
paint $23.32
decor $34.48 (includes light fixture, closet rod, shelves, key hooks, etc)
Total: $104.84

Lighting Up

2009-11-21T13:53:00.009-04:00

Yippee! I successfully swapped out my first light fixture (the first of MANY to come!)

Here's what was there before:

Calling it a 'fixture' is a bit of a stretch, I know. And apologies for the lame before shot - I had to crop it out of a larger pic since I didn't anticipate getting this excited about a light fixture (who knew?!)

Anyway, check out what's lighting up my world now:

Nice and simple, a little bit 'old school', and all for the low low price of just $4, courtesy of my local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Do you have a ReStore in your neighbourhood? In my neck of the woods their deals can't be beat!

So there's a little sneak peek at my entryway transformation. The full 'reveal' is coming soon!

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

2009-11-10T23:34:00.004-04:00

OK, here goes. This post has been a while in the making, mostly because I'm not a big fan of admitting 'failure'... and that's sure what this project felt like. But it's DIY reality, and it had a happy ending, so here it is! :)

I have a back porch. It has a roof. If you've seen any of the pics of my backyard (like the snowfall one below), they're taken from directly under this roof. Anyway, when the main roof and the front and back porches were re-shingled shortly before I bought the house, someone decided it'd be a good idea to only do the job half way. They redid the shingles, but didn't install any flashing in the space where the roof meets the wall.

Or a closer view:

I don't know if these pics are doing the gap justice. It was big, and causing problems. I really shouldn't be surprised, because I'm finding that so many things have been done in a similar manner (half-assed). But hey, I'm always up for a challenge, so I figured I could make it right.

I did lots of research, and gathered the requisite tools and supplies to install step flashing to keep water from entering the gap. I scheduled the assistance of a ladder-holding friend (thanks, Mish!). I found myself a bright, sunny day. I even got up there on each side of the peak and ran the circular saw along the roof line, to get enough of the shingles out of the way to get the job done (this was step one, and my first ever experience using a circular saw. My advice? Try it on solid ground first. But, hey, I got it done)

And then I hit a wall. Well, figuratively, at least. Basically, what I discovered that day was two-fold:
1. No matter how much I might wish otherwise, I do not have the arm strength of a man. Not even an average or somewhat wimpy man. That arm strength was a requirement of this job that I didn't anticipate.
2. I'm just not cool with working on that kind of angle, at that kind of height. The pics don't really tell you how high up I was, or how steep the roof angle, so just trust me: it was bad. Not bad for someone accustomed to such jobs, but bad for someone like me who's not a huge fan of heights to begin with. Add to that the wobbliness inherent in using a ladder at that height and...

End result: I eventually had to concede defeat, and call in a handyman. Thankfully Mish (the ladder-holding friend) knew of one who could get the job done. So here's what it looks like now:

In the future, the plan is to make it look a little prettier with a piece of wood clad in aluminum (white so it blends with the siding) but for now, the water has stopped pouring in the gap, so I'm happy. And hopefully this'll never happen again:

Yep, that's rain water that leaked into my light fixture through the roof/wall gap. Pretty, isn't it? Not so much. There was also a lot of water in the section of my basement that's directly underneath, and I hope it's gone for good, too.

First Snowfall

2009-11-07T00:00:00.003-04:00

First snow of the year today. (A lot earlier than I'd like to see it, but pretty!)

And yes, I'm still counting 'firsts' like this in the house, but I'm allowed - it's only been six months since I bought it!
(SIX months!! How'd that happen?) :)

Post Posts Post

2009-10-29T23:08:00.010-03:00

Ok, I'm going to warn you upfront, this is going to be a long one. But it was a long (long looooong LONG) time coming, and a really big deal, so please bear with me.
:)

I have spent an awful lot of time over the past several months in my front yard. On the front of the house there's a little 'entryway' that sticks out from the rest of the house, and in the decades since it was built, it has been supported on two 4x4 angled wood beams set into little pockets in the foundation. Not smart. The beams (I now know) were pretty rotten, and the entryway had sagged significantly over time.

So, to keep this little slice of square footage from falling off the side of my house entirely, it was necessary to fix the problem (it also had to be done before a number of other projects - like painting and patching holes in the walls inside - since jacking it up was likely to cause more damage anyway).

So here we go. First came the digging of the giant holes, into which the concrete forms would be placed. Fortunately, with the new house being built next door, I was able to take advantage of the excavation crew working there, and didn't have to dig these by hand(!):

(two holes, each four feet deep, and at least two feet around)

Once these were dug, I couldn't use my front door anymore because the excavators had to remove the deck/stair supports in order to dig the holes.

Next, I placed the forms (bigfoots and sonotubes) in the holes, and with the generous help of the builders/neighbours next door, shovelled the dirt back in around them. Unfortunately, a few days later and before I could get the concrete into the forms, we had a huge rainstorm that moved them, which meant digging the whole thing out again(!), re-positioning them, and shovelling all that dirt back in. Is it any wonder this entire process took a few months??

Anyway, I don't really want to think about all that (ever again!) so here they are after the concrete was finally mixed and poured:

(notice those old angled beams I mentioned - the white and the navy ones,
not that random board leaning against the wall)

Anyway, then the jacking to correct the sag began. It was determined that we couldn't do it all in one shot, but had to do it over a couple of weeks (makes sense when you think about it - the floor probably took 50+ years to get to where it was).

And (Hallelujah), at long last, this past weekend the jacking was completed and the permanent posts were put in place. Check it out:

I know, gorgeous, right? :) While I'd much rather have spent the past couple months decorating the interior, this was important stuff. I now have a safe structure - and this paved the way for me to get going on all that inside stuff I've been thinking about all summer!

Oh yeah, and as an added bonus - I can now use my front door again! This stairway/deck is temporary - just to get me through the winter. I figure I can use that time to figure out exactly what I want to do to the front of the house next summer - what size deck to build, whether or not to move the door around to the front, etc. So we reused the old stair framework, but made it nice and sturdy with new deck boards and supports:

Oh, do me a favour and please just ignore that ghetto extension cord draped across the front of my house - the neighbours need power for a few days and I don't have an outside outlet. A little electricity's the least I can offer in return for all the hours they spent shovelling dirt into those giant holes!

And one last thing. Dad, there is NO way I could have done this without your help. Through every step of this process, you were there. 'Thank you' does not seem sufficient. But thank you.

Detail-Oriented

2009-10-21T19:55:00.005-03:00

Maybe I've lost sight of the big picture. Or maybe I'm just a little overwhelmed by all the work still on my 'to do' list. In any case, just about every room in my house is still beige and bland and waiting to be decorated, but check this out:

As it turns out, I forgot to take a 'before' shot of this one, but let me paint you a picture: a couple days ago my cold air return was a faded and paint-splattered dark brown and just downright dingy. I planned to replace it, but then thought 'why?' - it was still perfectly functional, just not very nice to look at. And given that those little 'hot air' vents cost $6 and up to replace, I can only imagine what this big one would've cost. As noted in (several!) previous posts, I much prefer the cost of a can of spray paint.
I chose this espresso brown in a satin finish, et voila! The pic doesn't really do it justice, but trust me - it looks brand new again. I also used the same colour to do the hot air vent in the same area (top right of the above pic), so that they match perfectly.

Oh, and here's a tip: while I had the grate out, I cut some black window screen (sold by the foot at my local hardware store) and stapled it over the opening in the floor. The duct cleaning guy suggested doing this so that I can simply vacuum the vent and any stray lint/dirt isn't automatically being sucked down into my ductwork and clogging it up. At about $3, it was a simple way to reduce the need for expensive duct cleaning. Works for me!

Stand Tall

2009-10-10T23:32:00.004-03:00

Since my 'big' projects don't seem to be coming together as quickly as I might like them to lately, it's time to take a look at one of the little details.

Did you happen to notice these in my dressing room project?

I just wanted to share a thrifty tip for helping tall boots keep their shape:

I took a simple plastic placemat (2 for $1 at my local dollar store), rolled it up, put it in the boot all the way down to the heel, and then zipped the boot back up.

Presto! The placemat unrolls in the boot just enough to fill out the calf and keep the boot upright.

Note to Vote

2009-09-25T23:59:00.003-03:00

So I figure I need to do whatever I can to supplement my budget for all the work I still need/want to do on the house. Since I don't happen to have any spare organs I can sell(!), I've entered my living room in the Style at Home Makeover Contest. Hey, it's worth a shot - curb shopping can only take my decor so far!

The top prize is a $2,000 Home Depot gift card (and boy would that come in handy!!)

Here's the thing. It's partially a popularity contest, so I'd love it if you would take a minute to go here to VOTE (and comment. Take the opportunity to let me know your thoughts on what I should do with the space!). You may have to register to vote first, but it only takes a second, I promise!

As an added bonus: (1) my contest entry includes a sneak peak pic of my (currently rather shameful and as yet un-posted) living room. I'm nowhere near ready to post pics of it here, so get a glimpse there - just don't judge the sorry state it's in! :)
and (2) just for voting you're eligible to win a $50 gift card from Home Depot. Yay!

And hey, you can even vote once a day, if you're feeling generous.

Take a Number

2009-09-22T10:05:00.006-03:00

The originals that came with the house:

But now that I've got a ladder (thanks, Kijiji!)...

I was finally able to put up my fab new house numbers! They're floating numbers, but (thanks to some awesome cutting and drilling help from a friend) I mounted them on a piece of reclaimed (aka garbage) acrylic which I frosted up just for the occasion.

LOVE them! They're just the first step in overhauling the look of the front of the house (remember this post?), so stay tuned!

Wonder Why?

2009-09-19T23:13:00.003-03:00

Despite statistics that show that 'everybody's doing it', people often seem to suggest that it's strange that I, as a single woman, have chosen to buy a house on my own. The most 'puzzling' question I've been asked so far in my four-plus months as a homeowner was simply 'Why?' As in "You live here alone? But WHY??!" (with an underlying tone of 'Are you crazy?!')

How do I answer that?
- I hated wasting money on rent?
- I suddenly found myself without a place to live, and had to quickly decide to 'jump' into the housing market, ready or not?
- I was approaching 30 and it seemed like the next logical step?
- the time was right (low interest rates, slow economy, etc.)?
- because I believe that owning real estate is an important step toward financial security?
- I'm tired of dealing with landlords?

It's funny, but the question caught me off guard and really made me think, because, although the answer is all of these reasons and more, the truth is I don't care why anymore - I'm just so very glad I'm here.

Is it scary, lonely, overwhelming, exhausting to do this on my own? Yes, yes, and yes. But also empowering, exciting, and more personally gratifying than I even imagined, and I wouldn't trade this experience for the world.

Anyone else want to tell me they think I'm crazy? :)

(oh, and 10 points to anyone who caught the title's reference to the old ATV/CTV educational show with Richard Zurawski!)

Neighbourly

2009-09-14T19:44:00.007-03:00

So I've been here for a few months now, and it wasn't until a couple days ago that I finally met some of my neighbours. It's not that I'm anti-social, but my house is set back from the street a bit, and there are no other houses in sight, so...

Anyway, last week I met some lovely neighbours named Judy and Gordie as they were out for a walk and stopped to look at the house being built next door, and we got to chatting. Then tonight, when I was out in the yard (still shovelling dirt!), they stopped by with a very kind 'welcome to the neighbourhood':

Wasn't that sweet of them? It made my day!

oh the glamour

2009-09-13T22:27:00.005-03:00

It's been a busy weekend! In addition to the never-ending dirt shovelling and concrete mixing going on in the front yard (ok, I lie, the end is finally in sight with that one! I'll post when it's complete), today I swapped out my old, inefficient, construction adhesive-marred, frequently running toilet for a new 'low-flow' model.

out with the old:

and in with the new!:

Do try to ignore the floor (like I do!) - it's damaged and needs to go, but I want to finish up all these 'energy' improvements first. Once I get all those rebate dollars back I can move on to 'prettier' projects like tiling the bathroom floor.

All that painting and stuff will still be lots of work, I know, but it's definitely not like today's job. Because we all know about toilets, right? Gross.

Fall-ish

2009-09-07T23:34:00.008-03:00

Remember these? (originally posted here)

Look what they turned into!

Now where am I going to find a reeeeally tall ladder?
(the trees are a little overgrown!)

Feelin' the Heat

2009-09-04T23:35:00.007-03:00

Another big day in the life of my house, another major chunk of my house budget gone. *Sigh*.

I'm sure I'll be glad I made this decision when the winter winds are howling around outside and my house is snug and warm, but that wasn't really my thought today. I'm usually pretty practical, but today I could only think of how many other great (and pretty!) projects I could do with the amount I spent on this latest purchase.

Anyway, without further 'ado', here's the before (visually documented in order to impart the 'significance' of this purchase (read: to convince myself), not because the pics are particularly interesting!):

In the words of the installers of the new one, she was a 'dinosaur'. Their estimate of her age was '40+ years' (when the average lifespan of a furnace is 20-25). Well, that dinosaur is now extinct, replaced by this darling:

She's sleeker, shinier, cleaner, more efficient, more powerful (while using less power!) and just an all-around much better beast. So yes, a smart choice.

One drawback that emerged today: while removing the old one the installers noted that my duct work is in DESPERATE need of a good cleaning. Just another item to add to my 'to do' list - and my dwindling budget! Don't worry, I won't be posting pics of THAT process, I had a glimpse of what's in there today and it was pretty disgusting.

All Dressed Up!

2009-09-01T23:36:00.011-03:00

There've been lots of changes around this place over the past couple of weeks, but not much is complete yet so I'll have to write more later. This one, however, can't wait...!

This past weekend, I finally got to tackle a project that I've been wanting to do since the very first day I walked through this house. As is common in a house of this age, what closets I do have are pretty tiny, so right from day one I wanted to turn the smallest 'bedroom' into my dressing room. I've been using it that way since I moved in, but in a makeshift sort of way (temporary clothing rack, sweaters in a bag, stuff on the floor - not good!). That all changed a couple days ago!

Here's the before shot (notice the lovely pipe as 'focal point'):

Thanks to the generous help of my dad (he's the carpenter in the family - I just try to be a decent apprentice!) here is the realization of what I've been planning and excitedly waiting for over the last couple of months:

(recognize that ottoman?)

And from the other side:

I love that it fills the entire length of the wall, and makes great use of the space under that sloped ceiling. There's even some room behind all the clothing storage to store things like my luggage - bonus!! I really think it's the best use of the space in that room, while still leaving it feeling open and spacious.

Finally, just for good measure, here's my vanity on the other side of the room:

All in all, I've achieved my goal ('girly heaven'!) - a completely functional space that holds all of my clothes and shoes, and lets me stay organized (and feels like an exclusive boutique!). It was so nice to do a 'fun' project for a change, since so much of what I've been working on this summer is the boring structural stuff (yeah, it's important, but that doesn't mean it's not boring!). I get to enjoy this space every day of the week, so it felt like quite the indulgence!

Speaking of indulgence, the price tag for this entire project came in at $120 including tax (and that includes all the bits and pieces - like screws, etc. - but not the dresser, which I already had), so it really wasn't such a 'splurge' after all. A custom-built closet for the price of a generic closet organizer - score!

Thanks again, Dad. I couldn't have done it without you! :)

A Very Big Day

2009-08-20T22:52:00.003-03:00

Before today, my house had zero insulation. None. Well, a useless sprinkling of it in the attic, but nothing in the walls at all. Can you imagine building a house with NO insulation in it?!
Anyway, that all changed today...

Here they are, blowing insulation into the attic and sloped ceilings very early this morning (before it got too hot up there to work).

The house around midday, riddled with holes...

And by the end of the day, from the outside you wouldn't even know they'd been here! But the inside is a much different story - it's SO much cooler!! I'm so excited to have this finished - and even more excited that the government will cover the work (through the ecoENERGY retrofit rebate program)!!

Isn't it crazy how priorities can change? Who'd have thought I'd ever get this excited about INSULATION? :)

HGTV - Design Dilemma

2009-08-20T11:45:00.004-03:00

On a whim, I emailed HGTV a few months ago when they were looking for outdoor design dilemmas... Well guess what? They featured my 'dilemma' (and my house) on their website this week!

Have a look:

http://www.hgtv.ca/BLOG/archive/2009/08/19/outdoor-design-dilemma-with-carson-arthur-when-back-of-the-house-is-actually-the-front.aspx

What do you think of their suggestions?

Home

2009-08-14T21:31:00.004-03:00

I fall in love with my house a little more each day...

Home Sweet Home Print found in JennSki's Etsy shop, specifially right here.

Kicked to the Curb

2009-08-09T23:15:00.006-03:00

Yep, I must still be high on spray paint fumes! Here comes another fun one:

After an eventful evening last week involving a soccer game, a trip to the ER, and a couple of stitches - yikes! - my friend Mish and I took a little detour on the way home to do some curb shopping (when we happen upon a neighbourhood's garbage night, we can't resist!).

Look what I found:
They're a little weathered, but they're cute, and small enough to fit on my deck, so I figured I'd help them out with a bit of glossy paint to ward off the elements (the fun colour choice was just for me!)

There, they should last a while longer now!

Cuts Like a Knife

2009-08-04T23:19:00.006-03:00

Here's a crafty 'problem-solver' that I can't take any credit for at all. It's all over the internet, with pricey designer versions here, here, and variations well, everywhere... and tutorials to make it yourself here and here.

The 'problem' was that I had more knives than I had slots in my knife block. It happens, right? Well this DIY knife block has no 'slots', so it can accomodate as many knives as I want!

I found a stylin' bamboo box at Value Village for $2 (I seem to be doing well there lately!), and stocked up on a few packages of bamboo skewers from the dollar store.

After a fair bit of trimming, here's what I ended up with:

Not too shabby, eh?! A designer look for a fraction of the cost. That's my kind of craft project!

What a Difference a Spray Makes!

2009-07-30T22:05:00.006-03:00

In case you don't know me, my name is Kerry and I'm a thrift-aholic. Cheap, frugal, low budget, I call it various names, but the point is that if I can't do a decor project/makeover for less than $10, I'm probably not going to do it. Or, at least, I'm going to think REALLY hard about it (and probably obsess for a ridiculously long time). So, are you ready for a couple of super-cheap upgrades? Here goes!

The kitchen is NOT my favourite room of the house. I don't often cook, so it was fine with me that the house I bought has a very small kitchen. Some day soon I'd like to upgrade the appliances (they're very old and very ugly), but otherwise the kitchen can stay as is, because I don't spend much time in it. BUT, when I moved in, the room's only light (and air circulation!) source looked like this: (click to enlarge - I dare you.)

I personally can't recall ever seeing a nastier looking ceiling fan. The dirt can be easily remedied, but the damaged faux wood veneer and 'gold' accents? I'm not a 'fan' (pun intended). Enter my favourite inexpensive decorating tools, a couple of trusty cans of spray paint:

A little red and aluminum-coloured spray paint and the fan actually looks like it belongs! It now coordinates with my favourite fabric panel on the far wall (the colours of which, coincidentally, set the tone for the whole room). Not bad for a short term fix. I have a number of light fixtures that need to be upgraded, but at least now this one doesn't have to be first on the list!

Next up was a mirror for my bathroom. The wall in front of the sink is actually part of the sloped ceiling, so a traditional bathroom mirror or medicine cabinet wouldn't work. After a recent trip to Value Village, I came home with this beauty for a mere $4:

It wasn't perfect (a few chips, as pictured), but it would do. I like the simple, wide frame, and the fact that it's got a really slim profile - space is at a premium in the bathroom!

It might be tough to tell in this pic, but I painted it with some of the aluminum-coloured spray paint left over from the ceiling fan project. Et voila, my bathroom finally has a mirror!

So what do you think? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Has spray paint made a difference in your world, too?

Demo Day

2009-07-25T16:47:00.005-03:00

Today's pics aren't so much 'Before and After' as 'Before and During', because in this case, the 'After' is going to take awhile. But the progress was gratifying, so I thought I'd put up some pics!

My house came with an ill-made, rotten, useless front deck. Exhibit A:

Your eyes aren't deceiving you, those railings are at approximately knee-height. The only way the deck's been useful since I moved in is as a surface to paint on, that's why you might've noticed that smattering of red paint over the peeling blue.

Anyhow, it had to go, to make way for lots of change, including a new deck and stairs (eventually), although there's some bigger 'structural' stuff I need to take care of first.

But here's the result of my afternoon's labours. The term 'brute strength' comes to mind, although it helped that a lot of the wood was rotten! :)

So, as I said, not pretty yet, but on it's way! As for me, I'm well on my way to a nap. Today's the kind of day I wish I had a man's upper body strength, because that wore me out!

Peep Show

2009-07-22T22:51:00.007-03:00

How's this for a quick upgrade that was a long time coming?

I happen to be lucky (or unlucky) enough to have a window in my bathroom. Unfortunately, it's in my shower. Here's the view:

As soon as I moved in, I realized than unless I wanted to put on a show (no thanks!), I needed to cover up that window asap - but how? Well, I subscribe to a 'use-what-you-have-on-hand' mentality, so here's what I came up with on move-in weekend:

Yep, a couple layers of bubble wrap (including one in a lovely shade of pink!) did the trick - for awhile. Frankly, it got annoying pretty quickly, but despite shopping around (a LOT!), I couldn't find a workable solution.

Then I happened upon exactly what I was looking for on eBay one night:

It's a self-adhesive (not permanent, no glue or sticky residue) frosted film. It comes in lots of different designs, but personally I like the clean, simple look of plain frosted glass.

And, I have to tell you, this stuff was super easy (and fun) to install. I just cut it to size, sprayed the window and the back of the film with a mix of water and a bit of dish soap, and then stuck it on the window. Spraying it first makes it really easy to get it into place, then you just use a soft cloth to smooth out all the air bubbles. Twenty minute job, max.

(Of note: this shipped from South Korea in just 11 days - including weekends! I wish my Etsy items I ship to the US would travel so quickly! Also, the roll I bought was not quite wide enough for my window, so I left a tiny little border all around the outside. Oh, and watch out for lint - it's a lot tougher to 'squeegee' out than the air bubbles!)

Time will tell how it holds up to getting wet on a regular basis, but from what I've read, I'm optimistic that it's going to work.

And now I don't need to worry about flashing the neighbours!

Garbage Day

2009-07-18T12:11:00.003-03:00

On a Saturday not so long ago, I decided to tackle cleaning up the garbage on and around my property - because as excited as I am about living in my new house, the constant sight of garbage was a total buzz-kill!

After spending my first weeks in the house picking all of the dime- to plate-sized pieces of roof shingles out of my lawn (at least three garbage bags full, because apparently the people who got this place ready to sell weren't aware that you can RENT A DUMPSTER rather than just tossing all of your garbage on the ground!!) I was tired of constantly glimpsing all the garbage in the woods and small ravine next to my house.

Technically, it's not even my property, but since no one else was going to do it, and I'm the one who has to look at it every day, it had to go!

Here's a shot of what I pulled out of the woods that day:

Notable 'finds' included two lawn chairs, hockey stick, scooter, computer, two garbage bags full of rusted out empty paint cans (!), aluminum pot, mop, picture frame, and more plastic plant pots than I could count.

I even managed to find a couple of 'freebies' I can actually use - a perfectly good garbage can (complete with cover), and a length of vinyl eaves trough. And let me just say that after the expense of buying a house, I'm happy not to have to buy a garbage can. Plus, it's at least a small compensation for hauling all of that stuff up out of the woods!

But here is my question, the one I kept asking myself the whole time I was amassing the large pile pictured above: What the heck is WRONG with people?!?!!? The city comes by and picks up our garbage every two weeks - all you have to do is take it to the curb. Why on EARTH would you throw it all into the woods?!? That's just gross.

BUT, now my view is neat and clean, so I'm glad I did it.

Ottoman Empire

2009-07-16T00:41:00.004-03:00

Before

This sad little ottoman really wasn't much to look at when I first bought it, but just you wait..!

(but first, notice: the $3.99 sticker from Value Village, the coordinating brown duct tape its previous owner used to patch up the vinyl, and how super-low it was - on stubby little casters)

After

I'm pretty impressed with what some textured upholstery fabric ($7) and new legs ($2, also from V.V.) can accomplish! What do you think?

It makes a great place to sit and put my shoes on in the morning, and looks fantastic in my dressing room - but more on that later!

Creation of a Laundry 'Room'

2009-07-14T21:13:00.003-03:00

Maybe it's just me, but isn't doing laundry the coolest thing ever?! Ok, it probably IS just me. But check this out:

I am now the proud owner of a lovely, new-to-me, energy efficient washer & dryer!

Now, I'm generally not a big fan of basements, and mine is no exception - I visit it as infrequently as possible. But after these two beauties were moved in and hooked up, I set about making what was previously an empty basement wall become a cheerful and efficient laundry area.

I built a simple shelf from a leftover piece of mdf and some lattice (total cost: about $5), then I rummaged around the rest of the house to find a few coordinating accessories, and - voila! - a laundry 'room' was born!

I can honestly say that I've never been more excited to do laundry than I was tonight. I even stayed down there for a good part of the first load, just to 'watch' (well, that also might've been because I was the one to hook it all up, and I wanted to make sure nothing went wrong!) The novelty won't last long, I'm sure, but for today, it was pretty exciting!

les fleurs

2009-07-09T22:41:00.006-03:00

What's not to love about fresh-cut flowers - especially when they're free?! Straight from the backyard!

No shock, it was an enLIGHTening evening!

2009-07-08T00:01:00.008-03:00

Tonight I made friends with my house's electrical system. I got to know the fuse box (yep, fuses. It's an old house, remember - no breaker panel here!), then got to work changing out all of the broken, old, or otherwise non-working outlets.

Don't worry, I did my research and followed all the safety rules, but it was still scary - you know, that ever-present fear that if I were to mess up, ZAP!
It had to be done, though, because the house has so few outlets to begin with (generally just one per room!), that having some I couldn't use was way too annoying!

Anyway, I changed out all the outlets, then a whole bunch of light switches as well (those mostly for cosmetic reasons - I like things to match). By the time I was finished, I felt like a pro! (and all those wires weren't so scary anymore!). Would you believe that I removed five different types of outlets, and four different types of switches - previous owners obviously weren't much for consistency!

Aren't they pretty?!? (and yes, you might notice in one of those last pics that bits of plaster went everywhere, and I didn't clean up the mess I made yet. But it's kinda late, and tomorrow is another day!) I did check to make sure that everything is working again (once I put the power back on), so I think the evening was a resounding success!

2009-07-05T20:22:00.012-03:00

Sometimes what I'm working on really doesn't warrant 'before & after' shots (trust me, you don't want to see photos of the basement door I spent the last hour painting. Though, I am definitely grateful to finally have use of it again. But that's a story for another day)

Anyway, how about a transformation that I didn't really have anything to do with (unless you count the fact that I could see the potential, even in the dreariness of Spring)? Here's what my backyard looked like before I moved in:

Those gnarly old trees are apple trees - I have the remains of a small orchard. Neat, huh?

And here's what my backyard looks like today:

With everything so green and full-grown, it's almost 'cocoon-like'. Love!

I feel so lucky that my property already had tons of mature shrubs and flowers. Every week it's fun to discover what is blooming - so of course, I take pictures:

And most recently:

I am currently LOVING this last one, which just started blooming this weekend. So pretty!

2009-07-04T21:54:00.009-03:00

Hi, and welcome to my little corner of the world! Not long ago, I bought my first house. It's a sturdy little place about 60(ish) years old, with some really charming details, and I love it!

Being a homeowner is certainly keeping me busy (and wearing me out!). I have a long list of work I want & need to do, and that list just keeps growing. Since I've been staying so busy, I wanted a way to be able to look back at (and share) my progress, so here we are.

I love looking at diy before & afters on various decorating/housey-type blogs - there's just something so satisfying about a great makeover! So if, like me, you're a fan of the before & after, stay tuned, because I plan to chronicle all of the work I'll be doing to and around my house with lots of pics.

For today, just a couple of truly 'before' shots - of some of those 'charming details' I mentioned - taken before the house was even mine!

Thanks for stopping by!