Merry Christmas 2009

This Christmas went by pretty quickly! It was fun, & these are some of my favourite moments!

Anytime I look out my window & see the stunning colours from this cut glass window gives me a thrill!  Snow as a backdrop...perfection!

Ella's grade one school concert!

Jack's school concert!

 

Baking homemade whipped shortbreads!

Apple cakes & apricot Almond Cheesecake!

letter and snack for Santa!

The kids on Christmas morning.  Ignore my unfinished stairs!

The beautiful capecod house my mother made for me to replicate our capecod house. Now to only get my house to look so pretty!

Funny foam whimsy from the kids!

Ella decorating her cookies!

Christmas Eve at Nanny's House

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

My Newly Wallpapered Mudroom Phase 1

About 2 1/2 years ago, I redid my mudroom to a lovely pumpkin orange with lots of wicker & new slate floors. I loved the mudroom but felt a need for a change as we have been changing the colours in the whole house. I most recently painted the hallway & replaced some doors. So, seeing this, I knew I could not put off any longer my ideas for my mudroom redo!

When we bought this house the mudroom was in dismal shape. You can check here for the story of its first before & after. I chose the pumpkin colour to blend with the earthy colours already in this house when we bought it. Plus, I plan to use my mudroom as the room where I can try out every bold colour I want because it is a small space. So, I knew the pumpkin was a temporary colour...something to enjoy for the short term since I have always loved shades of orange!

So, as we progressed with the rest of the house using lighter, happier colours, I realized I was becoming tired of the pumpkin colour. I loved it, but I had had enough. About a year ago I discovered an amazing wallpaper for the mudroom. I brought home samples & settled on the pattern. However, I then discovered the most beautiful wallpaper which suited my diningroom to perfection. So instead of doing the mudroom, I bought paper for the diningroom. That delayed me doing the mudroom once again. Check here to see my diningroom wallpaper.

So, I had settled on the idea of just painting the mudroom until recently my mother & I were out shopping & she encouraged me to just buy the paper & be happy for it! So twist my rubber arm...& here is the results of a full week of work. I painted, primed, wallpapered, filled holes, and went nearly crazy matching & cutting in and around awkward, not plumb corners & walls! I hope you like it!

Of course, with every new redo, you discover that the items you used to decorate before just don't work anymore. I really loved my wicker purses hanging in my mudroom. I've collected them for about 20 years now & love to show them off. However, the pattern is to busy & it clashes with the wicker handbags. I also had to remove my wicker drawers which I used daily for storage and to hang Maggie's leashes plus extra coats, etc. However, I'm pretty excited with my new to me accessories.

I bought of Kijiji a couple of months ago an Ikea Wooden shelf with drawers which I've been covering with paper plus an Ikea glass sliding door cupboard. I just need to get it up on the wall & repaint it to match the beadboard using my mistint colour in linen.

This photo is from another blog...I'm so sorry...I can't recall where...I can't show mine till it's done so I wanted to show you my inspiration! I paid $10 for my drawer set. Above it will go the glass cabinet painted to match. I may etch the glass....maybe!

I painted the beadboard using a mistint called Linen. It was $40 & I paid $10! Not sure if I am keeping this in the mudroom. But it is practical.

This is the room after, but before decorating! I love my bench! I bought it at the Kingston Market from a guy who makes them here locally. I love to always mix in natural pieces. My slate floor is the kind that is rough cut or hand hewn...not sure of the technical term. But I wanted the real slate because it reminds me of Ireland. I might switch to faux wooden blinds in white.

I love the vibrancy of the wallpaper. I only wish my photos would do the same! This is where my cabinets are going & I plan to hang iron hooks to replace my old wicker drawer unit.

I also painted my door black! Not an easy task in December! I plan to replace the handles when I replace the door.

These are the double doors going into a very large closet! Love them!

For Rememberance Day - The Red and White

Julian Austin - The Red and White

Julian Austin performed this song for the troops in Afghanistan.

Staircase Makeover

We just finished painting our hallway and plan to move onto our stairs. Since moving in we have lived with stairs that are pretty beat up. The rails are loose, the stair treads beat up, the runner going up the stairs was stapled on...basically screaming for some attention.


A small view of our stair rail.

So, feeling inspired by how well our hallway turned out we finally have turned our attention to the stairs. Since I last posted, we tore apart the railing, ripped out the runner, removed lots of staples, filled holes in the wood, and I have painted the first coat on the stair trim running up the stairs.

The staircase before...

I have begun to sand the rails & Andy is on board with my idea on how to make our stairs look vintage & pretty. He still isn't sold on the idea...I wish I had a photo to show him what I am thinking of...we shall see if it works out...but I hate spending money on what might be a wasted idea. Oh well, I know where I can reuse it should it look silly.

Railing Removed

Last night at Kents, I snagged a mistint paint for $10 which will look perfect for the stairs! Andy installed my new/old light at the top of our hallway stairs. I am so proud of it! I will post about it seperately because it represents my decorating style & belief that it should be inexpensive & recycled if possible! I'm already panging for yard sales!

The stairs primed & holes filled.

So, we continue to work away on this project. I need this done before Christmas because of my Christmas stockings that my sister in law knitted for us years ago. They are one of my most cherished Christmas possessions! I need my stair rail to hang the stockings! However, I am also working on my mudroom. It is being made over for Christmas too! Nothing like a deadline to get me moving! Merry Christmas Season everyone!

Stepping Up

We are finally turning our attention to our staircase. I am excited to try out one idea which I haven't seen it anywhere else & I have been searching! It would be nice to see if it has worked somewhere else...but Andy has agreed to give it a try and if we don't like it, we'll redo it with plan B.

Anyways, here are some inspiring stairs that if I had the money...well, ya know!

This amazing tree rail is a custom piece found at Iron Fencing.

Flea Market Style Wants to Know....

Over at Flea Market Style you can view a bunch of really cool links to favourite vintage finds by other bloggers. I love this because my whole home is virtually decorated with yard sale treasures! I added a link to one of my all time favourite finds here.

Grab a big cup of coffee & enjoy!

Be Happy

I bought this lovely picture at a yard sale a few summers ago. I loved it because I do a LOT of laundry! I enjoy hanging clothes out on the line, hanging it just so!

There was something so whimsical & free about the mother in the picture. When I was redecorating the bathroom I opened the back to paint the frame. Inside, I found this beautiful inscription. It spoke to me...as I'm sure it would many people. The words are beautiful in their simplicity.

Margot, this is your birthday card.

Have a happy one - look around at the good things.

See the good in the people you know.

Think nice thoughts of the people that you know care.

Be happy in the rain the wind and the snow.

Life is good

Love Ken &??

The Beauty of Wallpaper

For over a year now, I have been planning some changes to my mudroom. One of those changes that I was most excited about was to add wallpaper above my white beadboard. I wanted to do something different & special. Plus, I have secretly been excited this past year exploring all the possibilities available now in the wallpapering world.

However, as I searched for the perfect paper for my mudroom, I instead discovered the most perfect wallpaper for my diningroom! I ditched the mudroom & started imagining it on my diningroom wall! Wallpaper isn't cheap, but wow, am I ever glad I saved up for the splurge. It added the finishing touch to my diningroom. I think when I finally found my elusive diningroom light within my budget, (uhmmm $10 for an Ikea Pendent Light) the stars aligned & I found the energy & inspiration to finish my diningroom! I can finally proclaim that my diningroom is finished!

This past weekend, I papered the largest wall in my diningroom with the most beautiful light blue wallpaper with big white flowers...think dalias or mums! Everytime I walk by the room I smile & feel so happy that I can finally say that ONE room in my house is actually finished!

My diningroom is so light & airy...I have always loved the clean lines & light airy colours of Swedish style & this room allowed me to nurture this love! However, I can never lay claim to one particular look as I always add my own eclectic touch from my weekly treks thru local yard sales!

I love this room! I do so many things in my diningroom & it is by far the sunniest room in our home. I hope that it a place where friends & family always feel happy & relaxed in! When I think back to how it used to look when we moved in....to its first transformation to now, well...it is like the clouds parted and let the sunshine burst thru!

Oh, & thanks to my friend Heidi for taking the top three photos as my camera does not have a wide angle lens!

Lipstick on the Bathroom / Laundry Room

As I had mentioned in some earlier posts, we are almost finished our main level bathroom/laundry room. The biggest change being the colour! It is such a pretty, happy colour compared to our old colour the sea of beige! We added shelves, a new heater, new plugs & outlets, a new light fixture and door hardware.

This is a favourite little picture I found at a yard sale that sits on my shelf. On the back is a beautifully written message from a friend that I need to take a picture of.

Another shot of the shelves.

We also added two large shelves over the washer & dryer. This frees up so much space & allows me to show off my vintage jars.

I snagged this glass cupboard at a yard sale for $5! Yep, I was pretty impressed that day as they run about $100 if your lucky!

This is the area by the sink. I love my new mirror that my mother bought for me over a year ago from the Super Store! It was the last one and I think she paid $25! Boy, do I wish I had bought one too because the wall screams out for two mirrors! I also bought a new door knob in the burnished metal & a towel & toilet tissue holder to match.

Light Off....Light On

I realize this isn't the best shot, but I love the way the light sparkles!

We still have to rip out the vanity & counter top. We also plan to lay new tile in the bathroom. I am still waiting on my husband to add in our new lights & box in the old ones. Until then, our bathroom is fresh, clean & pretty!

Diningroom

I recently snagged this beautiful Ikea Pendant lamp on Kijiji for $10!!! The beautiful vintage phone I found at a recent yard sale. I paid $5 for it & it is selling on ebay.uk for over $200! It is solid brass with a bakelite phone handle. It even has a little swinging handle on the front for carrying it around! All I need to do is get some brasso to shine it up...I love it!

Reflections

I was going through some old photos tonight and I just had to post these ones of the kids homeschooling in September of 2004. Last year was our first time ever in public school and my oldest is going into grade 12!! Where has the time gone, how I appreicate all the time I have spent with my kids...I love them & think they are pretty amazing!