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4.27.2012

Pictures of the Week

Wow, Friday kind of snuck up on me this week.  Here I go promising you guys all sorts of fun posts, but its already time for pictures of the week.  Sigh.  Guess you will have to wait until next week!

Just writing in my moleskin mom.





I hope everyone has a great weekend!!

4.26.2012

More thrift

A while ago we all drove up to Saskatoon to enjoy some family time with Marc's family...and pick up a couple of end tables I saw on Kijiji.

The first end table was a reproduction campaign furniture piece, I was really excited because campaign furniture was all about storage so the top should have been able to lift up to revel an interior compartment, like this campaign table.   So to say I was a bit choked when I found out mine didn't, would be a bit of an understatement.

But, there is a silver lining to this cloud, thanks to the way the end table I bought was constructed, it will be super easy to create a lift up top!  DIY number one for this piece.  The table wasn't in great condition either, the stain is super beat up and it looks like someone took a saw to the bottom of the legs, so its going to take a bit of work to get it looking nice.  I think this will go in the front foyer, though it was a bit wider than I had anticipated, so it may not work.


I'm thinking a deep grey stain, and I'm going to get some brass caps for the legs this weekend from Lee Valley to finish it all off.

The second thrift of the weekend was a phenomenal, and really heavy, modern end table for our master bedroom.


What you can't tell from the picture is how beat up the top veneer is.  I think even with a good sanding it won't be salvageable, so I think I'm going to paint the top and side white, but leave the drawer and shelves stained wood.  

I also can't decide if I love the drawer pull, or hate it.  What do you think?  Should I leave it, paint it or replace it?

that veneer is hurting.

There are actually a couple of other pieces, but they kind of deserve their own post for a number of reasons, so stay tuned!


4.25.2012

Some New Acquisitions

You know those days when you are wandering through a store looking for something as innocuous as a giant bin to hold dog food, and you decide to just wander the other aisles. You know, just in case.  And you pick up one thing and put it in the cart, and then you see something else, and what do you know it has a sale tag on it, and its pretty, so you put that into the cart too.  And then suddenly you have a full cart, but no dog food bin.

Totally my trip to the store today, though I did manage to actually find a dog food bin.  While normally DIY and thrift is my thing, sometimes, somedays you just find things that you really don't want to attempt to DIY or thrift.

Especially when you have three DIY projects sitting around your house staring at you every time you enter a room... and none of the gumption to just "git'r done".

Purchase number one, was a fantastic rug all bunched up in the corner.  I don't even know what drew me to it, because honestly, I don't like patterned rugs.  I like textured rugs, all wool rugs...expensive rugs.  But this one made me stop and look twice.  I'm not sure if it is because the pattern and colours are similar to cowhide or what, but I love it.  

There is one sad part though.  Its about two feet too narrow and too short for our living room, so it will probably find a home on the veranda or in the master bedroom.  


I was going to DIY a living room rug like this DIY latch hook t-shirt rug, but now I'm kind of loving patterns.

What do you think, should I DIY pattern or texture in my living room rug?

This was another thing that just made me stop and pick it up.  Who doesn't love an oragami bull?  I know I do.  I kind of want to buy another one for my bedroom.  Is that wrong?



I'm finally starting to feel like my living room is coming together, throw in some drapes and some new throw pillows and I think we will have it!

 There are more thrifted and DIY items on the way this week!!  Including a post about kid's toys, storage, and how those "before and after" photos with and without kids stuff, are usually lying.

4.23.2012

Sunny Weekends!

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend this weekend!  We finally got to see some more sunshine and hot weather after some cold and snowy April days, and oh it was fantastic to wear shorts!  In Canada April means taxes, so much fun...  A good portion of our weekend was just dedicated to getting that all sorted out, and unfortunately we aren't quite there yet.  But I'm sure with one last push we will get it done just in time to send it in.  

We had a really relaxed Saturday morning, I made breakfast while Marc slept and Anique watched Dan Mangan on youtube.  Anique wanted the song "Robots Need Love Too" to be played over and over again.  Which was kind of strange because last summer Marc, Anique and I went to an outdoor concert last summer where we saw Dan Mangan.  Anique was so tiny, and was cuddled up in the wrap carrier.  It was a rainy weekend, and as Robots Need Love Too was sung Anique and I were cuddled up underneath a blanket that a stranger had given us to keep us both dry and warm.  It was sunny, yet rainy and the whole crowd was singing along.  Totally amazing and kind of romantic.  



My inlaws came in to town that same Saturday and we had a great visit with them, we don't get to see them often enough, so it was nice to have them in town!  I was only sad because my sister in law couldn't make it, but hopefully we will be travelling to see her next weekend too.

Thanks to my brother in law, Dan, we were finally able to get the hitch we needed for our bike trailer and so we took the whole family on a nice bike ride on Sunday.  Hopefully this wonderful weather sticks around so that we can go bike riding some more, I really missed it last summer. Anique was too small for a bike helmet last year, so it really wasn't safe for her to be in the trailer.  I was a bit worried to be honest that Anique would spend the whole ride freaking out about having to wear a bike helmet.  But, since both mom and dad were wearing one, she wanted to be cool too and wear hers.  She didn't even want to take it off at the park!

Robots need love too

Tickle Monster!!






4.20.2012

Pictures of the Week

Anique has hit a new milestone, and its probably one of my favourites.   She wants to come and give hugs all the time, and she gives the biggest and best bear hugs.   There is nothing I love more.

Anique`s also learned where the pantry is, and how to get into the chips.  Twice this week we caught her munching on nacho chips.





Oh, and I got a new hair cut this week.  Shiny!




4.17.2012

Trending: Thrift

One of my favourite thrifted pieces!
Thrifted, DIY and redone furniture, lamps, and decor are big trends right now.  So big in fact that stores like Anthropologie and HomeSense are making big bucks out of items that look thrifted, but really aren't.  But if those price tags seem a bit high, you can get the look of thrift in a pretty easy way, by actually thrifting! If you are new to the thrifting game though, it can be a bit intimidating.  So here are some tips to help you get started.

1) Have a "Big Picture" of the Space You Want.
              Thrifting is hard if you don't know what styles, colours and patterns you are drawn to.  Places like Pinterest are great for browsing through and finding furniture, fabric and rooms that inspire you.  Create a pinboard for each space you want to work on, either virtual or real. It will help guide you in finding what you want for each room, and help give a cohesive look to the whole space.  You probably won't be able to find exactly what is on your pinboard, but often you can find similar pieces that can be adjusted for the total look.

2) Know What You Are Looking For.  
              Keeping a running tally of furniture and decor items that you need or want will help you find the items you want faster and more easily.  Often if you know what you are looking for, the piece that you buy will more easily fit into the design ideas that you have. It will also help prevent you from taking every item that seems like a good deal at the time and storing it until you know what to do with it.

3) Check Your Local Resources.
              Kijiji, Craigslist, local thrift and antique stores, estate and garage sales are great places to find fantastic deals on the furniture you want.  But the catch is that you have to check OFTEN.  I often check my local online resources 3 or 4 times a day when I am actively hunting for a new item.  It can be worth checking your local thrift stores, antique stores, estate sales and garage sales weekly or bi-weekly, depending on your neighbourhood.  Remember, the good stuff goes fast!

             Don't forget to check your own home or garage (or that of friends and family).  You might be surprised at what the old microwave stand that's collecting dust in the garage could become! The best thrift is often a free thrift!

4) Set a Budget.
            Doing lots of price browsing will help you decide what a good price is for a particular item, then you can set your budget according to what you see as well as what you have.  Remember to try and include any DIY modifications into the budget as well.

            It is totally ok to break the budget occasionally, if that bedframe is $50 out of your budget but you are  in love and can't get it out of your head, then GO FOR IT!  You probably won't regret it.

4) Look Beyond the Piece of Furniture in Front of You.
               Don't worry about colour, style, function, or aesthetic condition of the piece of furniture in front of you.  These can all be changed with some minor DIY and new materials.  Paint, fabric, stain and sandpaper are going to be your best friends.  Websites like Curbly and Knockoff Decor (and Not Exactly Martha!) are fantastic places to get tutorials and inspiration, you never know what a dresser might become!

5) Know Your Limits.
              How much time am I really willing to commit to a DIY project?  Can I do woodworking?  Am I willing to learn a new skill?  Do I have the resources I need?  If I can't do it, do I know someone who can? How much will this really cost me in the end?

These are all good questions to ask yourself before starting in on a DIY project.  Sometimes I fall in love with an item and forget to ask myself these simple questions, often resulting in a lot more work, time and money in order to bring a piece around to what I want it to be.

6) Know When To Let Go.
              Use it or lose it.  If you bought it and all it's doing is collecting dust, it may be time to find it a new home.  Generally, I try to buy only what I can effectively DIY in a month or two, otherwise my house would be full of unused furniture and decor taking up space.

             If you have a great chair that just needs to be reupholstered but has been sitting around for a year (or longer) and hasn't been touched, maybe its time to let it go.  If you really can't let the piece go, set a time line to complete the required DIY modifications in a month or less.

7) Have Fun!
            The best part of thrift and DIY is that you can make almost exactly what you want!  Who cares if you can't find drapes with anatomically correct hearts on them in a store?  Or whether or not "Style at Home" puts mauve and teal cushions on a yellow couch?

Make it!  Do it!  Thrift it! LOVE IT!

4.16.2012

Good Morning!

This weekend was busy, busy, as it often is around here.  Work, school, kiddo, cleaning up the house and making time for hubby and I can be a delicate balancing act, and usually something gets missed.  This weekend we managed better than most, so it was a super fantastic weekend in my books!

Since I have another theory assignment due today a good portion of my weekend was dedicated to homework, this week's assignment went better than the first one though.  I'm a bit rusty when it comes to homework since I've had almost two years off, and writing essay questions can be a bit challenging when you aren't in the mood.   My first assignment was more philosophical, and while I can appreciate philosophy, it's not really my thing.  I've always been more interested in the sociological aspects of architecture, which thankfully was the focus for this weeks assignment.  Plus with one assignment under my belt, writing assignment number two came with more ease.

But, even with looming homework and work deadlines, we still managed to find some family time out in the sun.  A walk to the park, lunch on a patio and tea on the veranda made Saturday pretty amazing!

Marc and I even got to have a date night on Saturday, which was so great!  We hit up a new restaurant called Flip, and the food was divine.  I had the chef's steak with crispy rice, which was pretty much the highlight of my entire day.  They even serve coffee in french presses!  It's definitely going to be a regular stop from now on.






Can you believe it snowed the day after this picture was taken?



4.13.2012

Pictures of the Week

I kind of want to make this a regular post, it means I have to take pictures (which I forget to do a lot), and its a good way to get me to post regularly without being all wordy and stuff.

So here was our last week, in picture form!

Easter Fun!



Peek a Boo!




It has been a bit breezy out this week.


Time for some knitting


4.12.2012

Time to Get Serious

I found this video a couple of weeks ago, listened to it over and over again, then promptly forgot about it for no good reason.  A good friend was fantastic enough to remind me of its existence.


I have been avid follower for The Guild for a long while now, as a World of Warcraft gamer I have always found the "geek" humour hilarious and totally on point.

But this new video by The Guild is on point in a totally different way.  Bullying is on the mainstage front and centre, and as someone who was bullied it hits close to home.  While the video is in a lot of ways cute and catchy, it points out serious realities for a lot of people out there.  It used to be that people turned a blind eye to bullying and often kids suffered alone and in silence, I know I did for a lot of years.  Now, thanks to the internet culture bullying is something that we are no longer turning a blind eye to, and that gives me a lot of hope.

I hope that my daughter never has to experience the same level of cruelty and ignorance that I did.  If she does experience it I hope she will be able to come to me and tell me.  I hope I can be a strong responsible parent, and a role model for my daughter.  I hope my daughter can be more trusting and open than I have been able to be.  I hope I can teach my daughter to be her own person, to be independent, to be strong, and to be giving and accepting.

I hope for so much for my daughter's future.


4.06.2012

A Friday in Pictures

Marc and I both decided to take this Friday off so that the whole family could go for a drive and have a nice visit with my Grandma.


Dad`s shoes make a good seat.




Trying to make `the escape`