Take it outside...

In my opinion, food always tastes better when you eat it outside. My kids start the daily chant, "Can we eat outside?" as soon as the warm winds blow and we roll out the BBQ from the garage. For me, the warm spring air inspires me to start creating (or recreating... if we didn't move so often) a pretty outside space to dine; sit out with friends and enjoy a glass of wine or beer on a hot night; and a place to light up the outdoor firepit and roast marshmallows with the kids. Sounds idyllic doesn't it? Except you have to add in mosquitoes, husbands re-telling the same old "funny"stories, and me harping at the kids to "stop poking the fire", "be careful with that hot marshmallow", and "stop bugging your brother", etc., etc. All that aside, I still strive to create this outdoor oasis that, in a perfect world, would be, well, perfect!!

My husband and I don't see eye to eye on the need to have all the right outdoor accessories. To him, all you need is one of those plastic tables, a few chairs, and, as he did last year before we (I) bought the firepit, some tree stumps and a dirt patch to light a good fire that he thought was perfectly fine in our suburban neighbourhood ( where our kids were among the only five kids on our street). I'm sure the neighbours loved our outdoor cookouts...they probably had their fingers poised at 911 on their phones...Poor Paul, he is really meant to be in the "country" where we did live for six years and raised chickens and planted Christmas trees. That's another story and I digress...

I have now begun the outdoor decorating process as I have vowed this year to squeeze every last bit out of this summer. We are landscaping, building our pool deck, aiming for a swingset and playhouse for our daughter, and still have some odd jobs left to complete this house which we built last summer. I want our yard and deck to be a place where we can enjoy good friends, good food, roasted marshmallows and the sound of the frogs and pheasants behind our house. I probably (hubby would say definitely) won't be getting my outdoor shower this summer, but I will have lots of fun creating my backyard "beach" with a rustic bar area (that I bought last weekend at a yard sale), hanging my new hammock style swing, painting the kids a checkerboard on an outdoor table, and enjoying my new fountain which I hung last night. I will post pictures as soon as there is something to photograph, but for now I will leave you with some great outdoor spaces for you to drool over.

What does your outdoor haven look like? Even if it's only a dream at the moment, start taking babysteps towards achieving it. Plant beautiful, fragrant flowers in a pretty urn for your patio, buy some fun seat cushions for your outdoor chairs, string up some mini-lights in a tree or along the deck, or paint your picnic table or plastic table with a bright, fun colour. A little imagination and elbow grease can go a long way! Most importantly, gear up for lots of fun, relaxation and time spent with family and friends just enjoying a good, hot summer!!! That's what it is all about and what I am truly thankful for...

***this picnic table shot is for a good friend who dreams of the good old-fashioned, classic picnic table of her childhood... I love the outdoor lockers in the pool photo (from Pottery Barn, left). I think they might be next years project...

The Sweet Smell of Home...

The following is an article I wrote to help people selling their homes. I have written articles for the local Realtor Guide and this is one I haven't got around to submitting yet. If you are selling your home, or know someone who is, you can share some of these tips with them (if needed!!). I put on my "Staging cap" for this one...

There are many ways that a home can be a reflection of you beyond just color and décor. Every home has its own unique scent. Have you ever wondered what your house smells like?
The most important time to consider that question is when you are about to list your home for sale. Nothing leaves a more lasting impression in a buyer’s mind, or in this case nose, than that first whiff they take as they enter someone else’s home. Now, if you know your home is not plagued by any unsavory scents, relax. However, to be on the safe side, consider my top ten list of bad smells to address before you have that first viewing if your home.

1. Pet odours- Yes, our beloved furry or feathered friends are often guilty of emitting unpleasant smells that we, as their adoring owners, may be oblivious to. Pet odours can cling to bedding, furniture and carpeting and therefore you need to take a long, hard sniff of those areas and to be safe give them a good vacuuming and/or cleaning to help eliminate any unwelcome reminders that “a pet lives here.” Even other pet lovers can find these odours offensive as they are not coming from their pet.

2. Cigarette/ tobacco smoke- The average non-smoker can smell a cigarette a mile away. Even if you only smoke “in the back of the basement or “only inside if we’re having a party”, these smells will linger long after you’ve emptied the ashtray. In fact, smoke permeates all fabric and will alienate many buyers who want to purchase a home that has not been smoked in. Consider smoking only outside and investing in or borrowing a good quality clean-air machine to rid your home of the scent of tobacco. It only has to be while you have your home on the market. Once you sell, you can do as you like in your new home! Who knows, you might just like the fresh air scent your home will have and continue to keep up the practice (at least until winter comes).

3. Food odours- The top offenders in this category are fish, onions and garlic, burnt food, bacon (which always smells good until after you’ve eaten it), and basically any other food that does not smell like freshly baked bread or apple pie. A good rule of thumb is to not cook anything before a showing and to try to schedule your showings outside of mealtime hours.

4. Dampness/moisture- We all know this smell! Often it hits us when we open the basement door in an older home or a home without adequate ventilation. This one is a real stinker!! The smell of damp is a huge red flag to potential buyers, often one that results in one or more of the buyers declaring, “No, this is not the house for me.” Some buyers will actually write the home off their list immediately, equating the smell with water problems, mould and a host of other problems, real or imagined. Sometimes, simply running a dehumidifier will alleviate much of the smell. A more lasting solution, and one which will add real value to your home, is to install an air exchanger. Of course, if you do have moisture and/or mildew problems, address the issue. Undoubtedly, it will be detected during the home inspection. It is preferable to deal with dampness issues before you list your home. It is what it is and no amount of disguising the smell with scented products will work. Deal with the problem and move on (and out!!).

5. Scented products- Do you love your mocha-vanilla -tangerine “plug-in” that you have in every room? Well, surprise, not everyone will. Scents are very personal and it is best for your home to just smell clean and fresh because it is clean and fresh. What may be your favorite smell may not be a prospective homebuyer’s. Err on the side of caution. Also, potential buyers may think you are covering something up if you use these products.

6. Cleaning products- Do use these to get your home clean, just don’t overdo it. Scents like bleach, pine, and ammonia can overwhelm the buyer and linger in his/her memory. Let the lasting impression of your home be its appearance, not smell.

7. Bathroom Smells- Clean your bathrooms before every showing, empty diaper pails, put out fresh towels, flush the toilet and wash any lingering laundry. Enough said…


8. Garbage/compost smells- Empty all garbage cans, mini-green bins, and in the warmer months, move that large stinker of a green bin to the back of your property.

9. Carpet odours- If your carpet and/or mats smell less than fresh, consider having them cleaned. Not only will they look and smell better, it will be one less thing to do before you move out. The new owners will appreciate your thoughtfulness and will tell your former neighbours how immaculate you are!

10. Vacuum bags- What is one of the last things a homeowner often does before leaving their home for a showing? Vacuum the rugs!! Many people never even consider their vacuum as a source of olfactory insult! Often, vacuums give off stale, lasting odours which will immediately be noticed by the potential buyer. Your carpets may look good, but at the price of fouling up the air! Change your vacuum bag often and this smell can totally be prevented.

As you now see, bad smells can happen to good people (or houses). In real-estate, when a potential buyer views several homes, each property is often given a label by the buyer to help him/her remember the home. Sometimes it is the “great view” house, the “small kitchen”, or the “beautiful pool” house. Take note of how your home smells and you can prevent your home getting the reputation of the “fish/cigarette smoke/damp/ wet dog/smelly sock” house. If it smells, it might not sell!!

My dreaded project...

Right now I am trying to get the motivation to repaint my dining room table and chairs. It is, in my husband's words, "a good solid table" and has two great features going for it. It is large enough to seat eight (with the leaf added) and the chairs don't have a weak spot in them, even after eleven years of kids "rough-handling" them. Yes, my set is like a comfy pair of shoes...that doesn't flatter me!!

We purchased the table and chairs in 1996 just after buying an old farmhouse in the country. The house had a large formal dining room and needed more than the train set and ride-on -motorbike that the boys used on a daily basis, as its decor. We didn't feel the echo helped make for a cozy feel, so Paul relented and agreed to buy the dining set. He is a forest engineer and knows good wood. It seemed the sets I kept picking out were either too expensive (who me?) or "not solid enough." After many squabbles and the threat of buying nothing since we couldn't agree, I relented out of desperation and bought the "sensible shoes" instead of the "pretty high heels".Fast forward 11 years, and here I am, brush in hand, ambition...I'm not sure where!!

I think my reluctance stems from the fact that it will be a ton of work and I'm not sure it will make me feel much happier about the table. You see, the chairs have not been blessed with beautiful genes or style. I often lament that the set doesn't reflect my taste and I often state the disclaimer, " it wasn't my choice" when someone new comes over (as if most people would actually care). I think my main objection to the table is the colour of the wood, or maybe it is the busyness of the design, or maybe...maybe it is me!! I think I basically just want something lighter, prettier, and more reflective of my style. It is all a bit silly as I certainly don't need to change it, but this is a decorating blog after all, and we all suffer from a propensity to overthink these things!!!

Well, my mind is made up. If we ever get any consistently nice weather, I'm going to haul the table and all SIX of the chairs outside, roll up my sleeves, put on my gas mask, and start spray painting!! That's right...spray painting...at least the primer coat anyway. What colour I end up with for the final coat, I'm not sure. I could go cream to be safe, a pale shade of robin's egg blue (though I'm afraid I'll tire of it), or something totally different. Any suggestions??

Perhaps I'll end up painting one chair, losing steam, and wind up buying new chairs like the examples above and have a funky new look! We'll see. Wish me luck...and a heavy dose of motivation!!!

**I just love these aluminum chairs. I think they would be a great contrast to my table, but perhaps a bit cold on the behind!?!?!!

A facelift to heat things up!!

Everyone loves a fireplace. Perhaps not everyone wants the work and expense that goes along with one, but surely we can all agree that there is nothing like watching the dance of a good fire as it warms out toes and spirits. Whether we choose a wood-burning fireplace, gas, electric or even a woodstove, fireplaces are becoming expected commodities in newly built homes and a great consolation prize in that older home that needs lots of TLC. Depending on where you live (from a climate perspective), they are good sources of heat to help offset the burden of high electricity or oil bills.

For those of you who inherited a fireplace from the 60's 0r 70's and don't love the look of red brick and a skimpy mantel (or just someone else's bad design decisions), you may be interested in giving your fireplace a facelift! There are quite a few options at your fingertips for sprucing it up. You are limited only by your imagination, budget, and a few basic safety restrictions (what you choose must meet safety standards/combustion guidelines).

One option is to resurface your fireplace surround. There are many materials you can choose and again, let your budget and tastes reign. I love the option of resurfacing a fireplace with a thin facing stone, otherwise known as cultured stone. Cultured stone is 1/4 the weight of full thickness stone and can be cemented directly on top of the brick. Slate tiles can also be applied in a similar fashion and can provide a more contemporary look depending on the mantel choice, or look more traditional if you add a wooden surround as well. A word of caution, though. Before resurfacing your fireplace, have a chimney specialist or mason inspect and clean the chimney before you do any work. This allows for a proper inspection of any cracks or damage that might get covered up by the new fireplace facade.

Another option for "slipcovering" your fireplace, is to have a wooden facade built in the style you like. It can be painted to complement your room or stained to show off the wood. The least expensive option, and often a great fix, is to paint the fireplace and add a beefier mantel if needed. Be forewarned though, painting the brick is permanent. Brick is very porous and therefore absorbs the paint. Once you start painting, there is no going back! My sister, Wendy, painted her fireplace (left photo) with great results. It brightened the room and works great with her decor. Labour intensive, yes, but a very satisfying end result and if she wants to make a more permanent change at a later date (i.e. tiling or adding a wood facade) she can do so with no problems. In the meantime, she can enjoy her fireplace and take her time deciding what she wants as a permanent change.

So go ahead... take the plunge! Have fun with this wonderful focal point of your home. Make it beautiful to you and let it warm not only your home, but your heart!!

A seed of hope...

Sadly, yet another Canadian soldier has died in Afghanistan. In church today, our minister spoke of the need for support of our troops, medical personnel, and clergy serving abroad in the face of ever-present danger. On such a beautiful day, I thought of the poppy and all it symbolizes relating to our veterans and soldiers. I decided I am going to plant some poppies in my garden today in memory of these fallen soldiers and to honour those that are in the midst of the battle. I invite all of you to do the same. As it is Memorial Day weekend in the U.S., to my American friends, why not plant some poppies in honour of your heroes.

I pray for all soldiers, for their safety, their families and that peace will come, someday...somehow.

My Slideshow

Got the Blues??

To be honest, I have only recently (in the last few years) gotten back into the colour blue. The last few homes I have built I used tons of yellow in all its shades. Cream, pale yellow, daisy yellow, right up to muted mustard shades (think Benjamin Moore's Vellum. In the home prior to this one, I discovered the most beautiful shade of blue- kind of a washed out robin's egg blue. I used it in my bathroom and I loved it so much, I carried it with me to my new home (again in the bathroom). I also painted my kitchen cabinets the freshest shade of blue-gray and I am thrilled with how I feel when I enter my kitchen. Blue truly is soothing...not at all cold, although I think I will feel cooler in the summer with so much of it around me.

Colour selection is one of the most daunting choices when decorating a room (or rooms). That is because there is so much choice!! Does it really make a difference if you go with the dark sage as opposed to the olive green? In a word, yes - every space has different light and shadows and a colour can look totally different from room to room. My best tip is to find a colour you love either in a decorative item or even the clothes you are wearing. Chances are, if you like a colour enough to wear it on your body, you will likely enjoy it in your home. Take this inspiration piece with you to the paint store and have them colour match it. This is your best chance for making the right paint selection. Meanwhile, back to the blue, why not give it a try? Paint a small bathroom or even the back of an open cabinet or shelving to breathe new life... fresh air...a bit of summer... into your home!!


***the photos above show my kitchen (sorry for the repeat performance), and my dream living room and bedroom (if I could start from scratch...)

My Fairy Godmother

Laurie the "Glitter Fairy" just did the sweetest thing for me. She photographed an apothecary jar full of pink glitter that I had spoke of in yesterday's post. Hop on over and see the beautiful image!

"The thinks you can think, if only you try..." (Dr. Seuss)

I am a part-time scrapbooker. What I mean by that is I get heavily into "scrapping" a couple times per year. Usually in the winter, when life is more centered on being indoors, and when my pile of photos becomes overwhelming. Scrapbooking appeals to me for mainly two reasons. I am a very sentimental person and I want to honour my photos/memories and slapping them into a cheap album that will digest them over time strikes fear in my heart. Secondly, I have a terrible memory. I feel like I have spongy holes in my brain where information, and more importantly, memories get lost. Scrapbooking these memories symbolizes, to me, a place where I can go to get these memories back.

My first experience with the myriad of scrapbooking supplies out there didn't begin with their intended purpose. No, I tend to look at things and think- how can I use these items in a different way? So, in fact, I started making things (pictures, trinkets, etc.) out of these wonderful supplies before it was the norm to do so. I love the story, The Princess and the Pea, so I decided to make a picture using scrapbooking stickers and paper for Sophie's room. I had a fake peapod that for some reason (I have no idea), I had held onto for a few years. I glued it on to the picture I made and viola! Very satisfying!!

I also created a clothesline for her room by cutting clothing shapes out freeform and stringing them on scrapbooking threads. That was fun and turned out quite nice. I also often cover stretcher canvases from the Dollar Store with pretty paper and mount things to it. Cheap and easy art that even a child can do. It's also a great way to showcase a child's treasures.

Speaking of kids, I even used scrapbooking paper to decorate Sophie's Barbie house. I have to admit I had more than a little fun "wallpapering" the little house and using stickers and embellishments for Barbie's decor. I was a real Barbie girl as a child so I didn't have to go very far to find my imagination in my attempt to create a "dream house" for Sophie. I also went through a phase where I made all kinds of things for a "Sweet Shop" for Sophie and her friends. I even designed a menu for them to use when visiting the "shop"...who's the kid here?!?!

My point is, and I do have one, use your creativity and think outside the box when decorating your home (in this case, child's space). Take a trip to your local scrapbook store. You will be amazed at all the treasures that are at your fingertips, ready for your imagination...

My Passion for Glitter

"All that glitters is not gold"...isn't that the saying? Well that sure is the truth in my house as I don't think I have anything gold in here - but I sure do have some glitter! Glitter is my new weakness. If I walk past an item in a store and it has a dusting of glitter it is likely going to be mine faster than fairy dust sparkles. Glitter is indeed a passion for me now...I seek it out and scan all my stuff to see what could take a little of it to make it all the prettier!

Seasons of Cannon Falls carries some great glittered accessories. Lovely words sprinkled in real glass glitter, little houses at Christmas, vintage treasures embellished with a touch of the sparkly stuff...heavenly! The artist who makes these creations is Wendy Addison. She is a genius when it comes to designing fabulous glittered creations that feel one of a kind and unique . You can see more of her collection at www.bayberrycove.com Enjoy!!

Another glitter genius is the "Glitter Fairy" herself, Laurie Davis, who recently helped Martha Stewart glitter some Easter creations on her show. I was lucky enough to make her (online) acquaintance this week and she is as lovely as her glitter! Visit her website (and link to her blog) to shop at www.glitterworksstudio.com

I related to her tale of having glitter as her "dust". When I venture into making glitter creations, I feel it under my feet and stuck to my skin, but no matter. I don't mind sparkling a little. This beautiful starfish is from "The Glitter Fairy"s" collection. Isn't it beautiful?

The photos at the top of the page are of the glittered creations I have in my home. The professional looking shots are from Wendy Addison's website as my digital camera just doesn't capture the sparkle of these items as well. The photo of the glittered house is one I made myself out of a cardboard box, some paint, some dollar store trinkets, and of course, some glitter. I had seen one similar in Cricket on the Hearth, a store in Bedford, N.S., and the hefty(to me) pricetag (at a time when I was supposed to be buying Christmas gifts) encouraged me to try to make one on my own. My mum, who was visiting from N.B., and I each made one for our annual Christmas craft we do together. Lo and behold, I think it turned out pretty well, what do you think? I love making a silk purse out of a sow's ear and it was easier than I thought. I did have great luck in that Bedford store ...I found a jar of vintage glitter, the soft, fluffy kind and it had the sweetest picture of an old-time Santa on the label. Some of the glitter went to good use on my hand-made Christmas house.

My next big goal is to get my own apothecary jar full of pink glitter. I once saw a picture of a lady in Country Living Magazine with one and a scoopful of glitter falling like magic back into the jar. It is one of those images that stayed in my mind and I vowed to someday have my very own. Pink glitter can be hard to find, but Laurie "The Glitter Fairy" kindly offered to help me. Once I get it, I will feel like Dorothy and her ruby-red slippers...except in a perfect world, mine would be pink!!

**The photo below left is a glittered creation I would love to have. The one on the bottom right I put in for Chris K. who has a passion for Eiffel Towers. Both are Wendy Addison designs.

A wonderful artist...

These pictures are by Mindy Wilson, whose work I first saw on Chris' blog. I love her work as much of it, coincidentally, features my favorite subject of the moment, birds. She does beautiful work and you can check out her art at groovy inclinations and follow the link to her Etsy shop(if you haven't already discovered Etsy (www.etsy.com) , you are missing out!!) Have a look!!

**I am trying to decide which picture to purchase. Any suggestions?

Backyard Showers

I have never taken a shower outdoors, but I can only imagine how great it would be! The first outdoor shower I ever saw was on television, in an Irish Spring commercial, and aside from the big, dopey guy in the ad (with the bad fake accent) , I thought that shower was the most amazing thing ever! I still dream of having one, but my reasons have changed.

We are in the process of putting in a backyard (above-ground) pool and in my wish list of pool accessories is a great outdoor shower. I picture it on my deck, with a door that has that proverbial outhouse symbol, the crescent moon, carved in it (above peeking level of course!!) I would hang nautical themed towels from fun hooks and wire baskets would hold a nice bottle of shampoo, shower gel, and a sea sponge. Visiting kids (and my own) could rinse the chlorine out of their hair and dirty feet making tracks on my hardwood would be no more. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

Then reality throws just enough water in my face. My "middle child" has an issue with water... He is usually in the shower for up to 20 minutes (to wash a small body, no less) before we notice that the water coming from the taps is unusually cold and he is not in his room getting settled for bed as we had presumed. This is our obstacle to a poolside shower. We can just picture him (and to be fair, his little sister) hopping in and out of the pool to "warm up" under the hot shower. We are purposely not getting a pool heater due to the high cost of it, so the amount of hot water we'd go through in a day with a shower would defeat this cost saving measure!

My only hope is that my husband will come through on his promise to come up with a creative solution to heat the water naturally (think modified rain barrell) and rig something up so that I can achieve my girlhood fantasy of standing under a shower in the great outdoors while the birds chirp and the kids splash in the pool nearby. On second thought, maybe I had better rethink that moon-shaped cut-out...I don't want any little pranksters traumatizing me (and themselves) while I'm trying to fulfill a dream!!!

 

Silhouettes...and Skippy!

I have long been a fan of silhouettes. I remember seeing them as a little girl and wondering who those lovely ladies were and what did they really look like. Fast forward a couple of decades and I finally found one of my very own. About a year ago, I was at our local fleamarket and finding very little I liked, was starting to head home. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted it!! A lone little silhouette of a small boy and, inscribed in black ink, the name "Skippy". Skippy...I felt my breath catch...I have a "Skippy". Well, not actually a Skippy, but a "Skipper"!!

My eldest son was nicknamed "Skipper" by my husband when he was still an infant. Why, you might ask? I have no idea, but that is the name that he was dubbed at such a tender age. He is the only one to call him that, and he continues to call him Skipper when the mood strikes. Well... back at the flea market, I had to have that picture. I knew that silhouettes are very hard to come by in this neck of the woods, so I was prepared for the lady to quote me some over-inflated price. As prepared as I was to hear a ludicrous price, I was ill-prepared to buy it, as only a five-dollar bill was crumpled in my pocket. I held my breath as she replied, "Just give me a dollar." "A dollar", I repeated, trying to be nonchalant and sure she could see my hand tremble as I turned over the money. Finally I was having one of those treasure finding moments and it was only costing me a dollar!!!!!

This little silhouette of "Skippy" inspired me to start making my own silhouette pictures. My first creations were halloween related silhouettes- a witch on her broom, an owl, a black bird, etc. I am hooked! If I can't find any more vintage silhouettes, I am determined to make my own.

I have created some for client's spaces and for family and friends (I made a humble interpretation of my friend, pregnant). It just goes to show: if you can't find or afford what you want, try to make or recreate it yourself. You just might be surprised at your own talents!!!