June 22. 2012

It always amazes me how doing one tiny thing often evolves into a full blown project.  Somehow scrubbing my laundry sink last week turned into spontaneous laundry room make-over.  I have been wanting to do this project for ages, but it has been low on the DIY priority list.  Please excuse the pictures:  the before shots were taken after I decided to clear out the room.
I love my laundry room.  It's on the main floor; it's bright; it's large; I can take my laundry outside from here and hang it on my outdoor drying racks.  It's all good, so you can see why it ranks low on the make-over list.

There used to be a wire shelf over the washer and dryer.  Because the dryer does not have the controls on the back, stuff keeps falling down behind it.

A cupboard goes into this corner.  That's the door to the garage on the right.

I just wanted it prettier.  I'm also tired of the yellow paint.  (Can't believe I said that!)  I have also wanted bead board in there since we moved in five years ago.  I knew if I wanted bead board I would have to do it myself.  I'm a bit freaked out about using the table saw so no bead board.  Then I remembered bead board wall paper and my brain started brewing.  I guess cleaning the sink was the catalyst to get me started.  I took off to Walmart and bought two rolls of paper; then off to Home Depot for trim.  Here I am in the middle of the make-over: paper is hung; trim is on; most of the caulking has been done.

It is already much brighter, and now I'm really sure I want to change the paint colour.  I have to use left-overs from the rest of the house so my options are either cream or blue.  I think I'm going to go for blue, and in order to have enough I will have to mix the remnants of about three different cans.  Talk about custom colour!

There will be new shelves over the washer and dryer.  The bread box - which holds my cleaning rags - will get a make-over as well.  This little problem area:

  

...will be fixed.  It looks OK now, because I just cleaned it up last night.  These shoes are never in their cubbies at the same time and the kids back packs and other "stuff" are plunked on top.  It's also tippy and not very nice looking.  My plan is to make a smaller piece with two shelves and a basket drawer.  The drawer holds the kids mittens/hats/sunglasses, etc.  There will be hooks on the wall for their coats and back packs.  Mr. Crafty's shoes will go into the hall closet, which will also require a make-over.  That's the next project on the list - forget about carpet cleaning!

Unfortunately  I have to put the laundry room on hold until late next week.  It was too hot to paint this week ( like 42 degrees hot),  and I am going on a girly camping trip this weekend.  Next week is the last before school is out, and I really do need to get those carpets cleaned while I have the house to myself.  Kind of a drag, but it will be worth it.  I'll show you the pics as soon as I'm done.

Have a great weekend!

June 18, 2012

It's so hot today.  The house is dark with all the curtains closed to try to keep out the heat.  I am really trying to live without the air conditioner on, because it's only June.  I have been wandering around the house trying to think of things to do that won't involve me sweating or heating up the house.  I spent a fair bit of time on Pinterest, but I really want to do something.  I measured up my laundry room because that's the next room that will be getting a make-over.  I will be putting up some beadboard wallpaper and new shelving, and hopefully just make it prettier so it loses its status as dumping ground.  I thought about going to Walmart for the paper today, but the car is too hot!

Yesterday I puttered around the kitchen a bit and made some cleaning products.  I had to make another batch of laundry detergent; some scrubbing powder for bathroom cleaning, and a vinegar-eucalyptus fabric softener spray.

It's hard to take pictures of stuff like this, because really they are not all that interesting.  The laundry soap recipe I use is 2 cups grated  soap; 1 cup Borax; 1 cup washing soda.  The soap that I grate is home made - not by me but by another real human.  I get the plainest kind they have - no colours, fragrance or anything; just made with lye, oils and water.  My clothes come out of the machine smelling like wet clothes, not tropical waterfalls, which is how I like it.

The vinegar fabric softener is something I read about yesterday.  You squirt 10-15 sprays on the wet clothes in your dryer before drying.  There is no residual smell once the clothes are dry, and yes, I think they are just a bit softer than when I don't use any at all.  All you do is mix 2 cups of white vinegar with three teaspoons of eucalyptus oil and decant into a squirt bottle.  Shake it up before squirting of course.

I use baking soda to clean my tubs and sinks.  This time I mixed it with a couple of tablespoons of dried, ground up balsam fir needles.  It smells like Christmas!  After Christmas I filled two boxes with balsam branches cut from my friend's tree once they threw it out.  They have been drying in the basement ever since.  Last week I pulled the needles off all the branches in one box and am storing them in a plastic container.  I was really hoping that by this time I could just shake the branches and the needles would fall off, much like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree.  No such luck: I have to do it all by hand.  Perhaps going through the second box would be a good job for today:)

These are the last peonies from my garden.  What a perfect pink!  I think it would be a nice colour for my laundry room:)

June 6, 2012

I had to show you the state of my kitchen at the moment.  I am hosting a coffee morning tomorrow for some of the women in the neighbourhood and of course today has been spent making preparations.  I am making a cranberry coffee cake, German brownies and lavender cookies.  The brownies and cookies are experiments; I got the recipe off the internet.  I know I really shouldn't try out new recipes on people unless I have tried them out first, but that just takes a lot of the fun out of experimenting doesn't it?  If all else fails, coffee cake and coffee will be just fine I'm sure.  I did make sure to make the coffee cake extra big, just in case:)  I will not be serving up portions of stuffed humpback whale you see in the foreground - ingeniously named "Humpy".  My Favourite Boy is always leaving things around as evidence he has been there.  It used to drive me nuts, but now I love to find little lego creations on the staircase (or in my plant pots) or stuffed animals in all the wrong places and poses around the house.  One day there will be no little things of his to pick up and I know I will be really sad.
For the first time in five years we managed to make our way to the street sale.  Once a year, for one day only there is a market for quite a distance on Yonge Street.  We almost saw the whole thing; we had to cut our visit short because we were expecting a playdate in the afternoon.  I had a really good time, and the kids enjoyed going to all the booths that offered free stuff.  I remember being a kid and going to the yearly trade show: all those pens and notepads and balloons and shiny brochures were really something to talk about at school.  Now they've had their turn at it and did not complain that we didn't buy anything because they did not come home empty-handed.  Because we got there early, and had the best part of the day weather-wise, they didn't have to stand in line long to go through the bouncy obstacle course or pony rides.
I guess I shouldn't say we came home empty handed: the library was having a fabulous book sale and we all got books.  Those free bags people were handing out came in really handy to lug them home.  This is what I'll be reading this summer - and it only cost me two dollars!

I was able to get some sewing in over the weekend as well.  I finished off 'Rose Cottage': a freebie by Le Chalet des Perelles.  I just love her work.

I used my own hand-dyed threads for this one.  I will either turn this one into a box top or a wall hanging on a hoop I think.

I made three crayon caddies for kids.  I have been wanting to try these for a while.  They turned out OK, but I need to tweek the pattern just a bit I think.

They each hold eight crayons and a small notepad.  They close with an elastic looping over a button sewn on the back side.  It was fun to use up some of my juvenile fabrics since I don't really sew with them any more. (sniff!)  Two of them are going to be given to some little people coming over with their mom tomorrow.

I also got it in my head that we need to have a party for Canada Day next month.  Usually I only decide this a few days before, but this year by gosh is going to be different!  I got out most of my red and white fabric and made some bunting to hang under our 'urban gazebo' canopy.

I can't show it all to you, but you get the idea!  I had to add that bandana fabric in there to pay homage to my western heritage:)
I bought the flowers for my centre piece yesterday (white and red and white striped petunias that will go in a red, wooden toolbox); hopefully I can keep them from going leggy until July 1.  I also have ideas for a wreath for the door and possibly a table runner.

Add those plans to my plans to re-do the raised planters on the side of the house, refinish the TV stand, shampoo the carpets and couches, seal the tile floors - all before June 28 mind you - and I will continue to be one busy girl.  If you don't hear from me for a while you'll know what I'm doing:)

Thanks for stopping by!

May 30, 2012

The clematis in our garden is producing tons of blossoms this year.  We planted it three years ago and have been patient: watching it produce more and more every year.  It's now at a point where I can bring some indoors without stripping the vines bare:

I'm so glad I bought this white pitcher at a thrift store a few years ago: all flowers look good in it and there are no stems or cloudy water to see!  I have another one that's a bit larger for bigger bouquets - my peonies look fantastic in that one.

I turned my bird-in-cherry blossoms cross stitch into a little pillow today: it's stuffed with fiberfill with a bit of dried lavender.

While I was at the sewing machine I gave my lavender dryer bags a make-over.  They were previously made with natural muslin, but that's too boring!  While organizing my fabric I found some remnants from a sheet and thought it would be nice for dryer bags.  Since I have to keep them out in the open to remind myself to use them, they might as well be pretty!

The weather is still gorgeous here, though it is cooling down a bit today.  It has been nice to be able to stitch or read outside, and generally just enjoy the late spring weather.  Now that June is almost upon us there are things that will need to be done before school ends.  I always love the weather in June, but it is usually too busy to enjoy the last kid-free days before summer vacation.  We will have to see if this is the year I get all the old photos printed off before school ends!

May 28, 2012

Today is so fabulous - not only is the weather absolutely gorgeous, but more importantly, my cross stitch prize from Brooke's Books Publishing came in the mail!!  I'm so excited!  I have been anxiously watching the mailbox for weeks now, hoping everyday my prize would come in.  Here are the six charts I chose:

We have the Spirit of Quilting Angel: Spirit of Cross Stitching Angel; Spirit of Holiday Giving Angel; and from the Bride's Tree Ornaments, Eternity; Happiness and Love.  Aren't they beautiful?  I just can't wait to start stitching them.  I think it's the best prize I have ever won!

Last night I started a small chart, available from Le Chalet des Perelles.  This is another gorgeous French site with lots of free pretty little charts.  I just have to stitch the border and then it's done.

I used some of my own hand-dyed threads and two of the DMC Colour Variations.  I stitched on white monaco, but I think I might stitch it again on natural linen because it's so quick.

We had a great weekend.  Again the weather was lovely so we tried to spend as much time outside as possible.  My Favourite Girl was in a production of 'Hairspray' and we saw her perform on Saturday morning.  It was so good: let's just say I cried every time I saw her on stage.  I have to stop being embarrassed when I get so emotional watching my kids do stuff in public, because now I'm doing it all the time.  I only have to think about them doing it and I choke up.  I've turned into one of those mothers, but since it's about my kids I don't care!  At least they know I'm proud of them:)

Now I'm off to tea dye some cross stitch fabric and enjoy the sunshine!

Thanks for visiting:)

May 23, 2012

Happiness is....

Seeing my baby girl win both races at her very first track meet today!  If I could upload the video I would, because I am bursting with pride and wibbly-wobbly tears of happiness.  It's probably lucky for you that I can't, because I'm sure it wouldn't have the same effect for you:)
She was awesome.  I told her I prayed God would give her wings on her feet today.  She won the 100 metre sprint and absolutely owned the 200 meter dash.  I'm still getting teary just thinking about it.

Happiness is also successfully using the macro setting on my camera to capture flowers from my yard.  I have to give you something to look at don't I?

Life is awesome.

May 22, 2012

We just had a long weekend, and I think it was one of the best ever.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous, and we managed to get equal amounts of chores, rest, and fun in.
Saturday morning I headed off to the hardware store in search of ferns and spray paint.

This year I decided to re-paint my patio pots bright yellow.  I loved the aqua from last year, but this year I needed yellow!

Next up was to divide the ferns I bought: one into four; the other into two.  I had forgotten how difficult this is, and am now crossing my fingers that they will all survive.  I put the two halves in the planters under our long garage windows.  The four quarters go into the four smaller yellow pots, which sit in the corners of our 'urban gazebo' on the deck.  

The other pot I painted holds the violas that used to be in the garage window planters.  It now sits on the patio table under the gazebo.

I really wanted bright colours for outside this year, so only the yellow and orange flowers made it to the back.  The purples and pinks are staying out front.  I got the yellow straw mat from the dollar store, and the mosaic candle holders are the ones the kids made last year at my 'summer camp'.  I realize now that the yellow spray paint I picked is the same colour my bedroom furniture was painted when I was a kid.  No wonder I love it!

This is a picture of our back deck from the kitchen.  I hope the ferns live because they are a nice low-maintenance plant that will last the whole summer.  I think the yellow pots will make up for the colour usually supplied by the flowers I normally put there.  

Once all the work was done I told everyone I was just going to cross stitch all weekend, and that's pretty much what I did.  I wanted to try my new dyed floss and thought this design of fall leaves would showcase them well. 

 I used 8 different shades of green, yellow and orange in this free design I found here: Le Blog de vava.  This design is on page 6 of the Grilles gratuites/Freebies link on the right hand column.  This talented stitcher has 36 pages of free designs so get a coffee if you plan on perusing it!  I think I may have exceeded my download limit here alone:)

Oh, and what's cross stitching outside without a little summery drink at hand?

The kids got to crafting as well: I bought two unfinished birdhouses at the dollar store and now we have two more colourful decorations for our yard:

We also had two very interesting comments from our kids: 

 We had to go to a funeral home for a viewing on Saturday.  We didn't know if it was going to be an open or closed casket, so thought we would prepare the kids just in case it was open.  It turned out to be a closed casket, and as we were speaking with one of the family members My Favourite Boy came up and asked:  "What's in the box?"  It was just a little awkward!

On Saturday at dinner My Favourite Girl told us she was going to become a vegetarian once she finished her meal.  Mr. Crafty World asked her why and she replied that it was cruel to eat animals.  I said, "You know you are telling us this as you're eating about three kinds of meat in those meatballs".

"I know", she replied, "that's why I said I was going to become a vegetarian after I eat my supper!" 

Those two make life so much more interesting!