Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Planning the Master Bedroom
It seems wrong to call it the "master" bedroom as it's only a 10x11' room. But it's our room and we are the MASTERS of this house...yeah!
Anyway, we redecorated when we moved in because just like every other room in this house, it was disgusting.
Nice bed eh? It was a sheet of plywood with a futon on top. The previous owner liked to do things cheap. We do things cheaply too but in a much nicer fashion. Can you see the tea kettle hanging plant holder in the corner? Yup pretty interesting...
We ripped out the shag carpet that was loaded with sand, repainted the nicotine stained walls and replaced the hanging light bulb. I'm still not happy with it. The paint we chose looked nothing like what I had picked. It's too dark for the room and no longer goes with my cottagey plan.
I've been missing the purple apartment that we lived in back in 99 so this winter hopefully we will be redoing this room in a light lilac (bluey purple) colour.
I'm having trouble finding bedding. This is the only one I like but I can only find U.K retailers for it.
I know it's not cottagey, I admit to having trouble letting go of my contemporary style. I figure some bead board and Toile de Jouy wallpaper will take care of that.
The hardwood needs refinishing and I'm still debating what to do with my bed. We have this godawful oak bed that is way to big for the room. I may agree to keep it if Limey can sand it and paint it cream. Oh and if it'll fit better without the foot board. Otherwise I'll be buying a plain metal frame and making a padded headboard.
After that some small cream folding tables with pretty trays and flowers will complete my vision...maybe a chandelier.
Hopefully I won't change my mind again!
Anyway, we redecorated when we moved in because just like every other room in this house, it was disgusting.
Nice bed eh? It was a sheet of plywood with a futon on top. The previous owner liked to do things cheap. We do things cheaply too but in a much nicer fashion. Can you see the tea kettle hanging plant holder in the corner? Yup pretty interesting...We ripped out the shag carpet that was loaded with sand, repainted the nicotine stained walls and replaced the hanging light bulb. I'm still not happy with it. The paint we chose looked nothing like what I had picked. It's too dark for the room and no longer goes with my cottagey plan.
I've been missing the purple apartment that we lived in back in 99 so this winter hopefully we will be redoing this room in a light lilac (bluey purple) colour.
I'm having trouble finding bedding. This is the only one I like but I can only find U.K retailers for it.
I know it's not cottagey, I admit to having trouble letting go of my contemporary style. I figure some bead board and Toile de Jouy wallpaper will take care of that.
The hardwood needs refinishing and I'm still debating what to do with my bed. We have this godawful oak bed that is way to big for the room. I may agree to keep it if Limey can sand it and paint it cream. Oh and if it'll fit better without the foot board. Otherwise I'll be buying a plain metal frame and making a padded headboard.
After that some small cream folding tables with pretty trays and flowers will complete my vision...maybe a chandelier.
Hopefully I won't change my mind again!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
The Bones
All of my shrubs are in the ground ready to be joined with the perennial plantings next spring.
In this corner I have a purple weigela, pink diamond hydrangea and a dwarf mugho pine. There is also a poorly little fireworks clematis in the corner. To the bottom left there will be a climbing rose on an arbor that is being built as we speak. The little bit of green between the weigela and hydrangea is a bunch of flowering onions but I don't know if they are staying there.
Here I have another mugho pine and a tiny bleeding heart.
My pink lilac that sprouted one purple flower this year. Also have iris and gayfeather here but probably not it's permanent home.
A blue point juniper and some orange lilies...oh and a ton of weeds. To the bottom of this pic is a gold star potentilla.
Not shown in the photos is the rose bed against the house. It is really weedy and the 3 explorer roses are looking small and pathetic. I'm pretty sure I'm going to switch them out for rugosas as the rugosa robusta is doing really well.
Here's a pic of a rugosa robusta flower;
That's it. In the fall I'll slip in some bulbs and in the spring all the lovely perennials!
In this corner I have a purple weigela, pink diamond hydrangea and a dwarf mugho pine. There is also a poorly little fireworks clematis in the corner. To the bottom left there will be a climbing rose on an arbor that is being built as we speak. The little bit of green between the weigela and hydrangea is a bunch of flowering onions but I don't know if they are staying there.
Here I have another mugho pine and a tiny bleeding heart.
My pink lilac that sprouted one purple flower this year. Also have iris and gayfeather here but probably not it's permanent home.
A blue point juniper and some orange lilies...oh and a ton of weeds. To the bottom of this pic is a gold star potentilla.
Not shown in the photos is the rose bed against the house. It is really weedy and the 3 explorer roses are looking small and pathetic. I'm pretty sure I'm going to switch them out for rugosas as the rugosa robusta is doing really well.
Here's a pic of a rugosa robusta flower;
That's it. In the fall I'll slip in some bulbs and in the spring all the lovely perennials!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Homemade Buns
These buns are fabulous. For burgers, sandwiches, pulled pork, formed for hot dogs, however you like them. These are the buns for you.
Basic Bun
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg beaten
4 1/2 cups bread flour
Spoon your yeast and sugar into a bread machine.
Nuke your milk, water and butter together for about a minute until hot but not burnt my finger when I tested it hot.
Pour liquids into bread machine and give everything a little swirl with a spoon. Shut the lid and let it proof for 10 minutes. This way you'll know if your yeast is good or not. After 10 minutes the liquid should be creamy/foamy.
Add the salt, egg and flour.
Turn your machine on to the dough cycle. Now if you can be bothered (unlike me) when your machine beeps to indicate the rise cycle you can remove the dough and let it rise in a bigger bowl. I just leave it in there until the machine tells me to remove it or until the dough gets so big it pops the lid off.
Remove dough from machine or bowl, punch and knead it a little. Form into round buns (or hot dog shaped ones). This recipe can make 8 large buns or 16 regular size buns.
Place on a non stick cookie sheet and let rise for 30 minutes to an hour.
Preheat oven to 400F. Bake buns for 10-15 minutes. They should be a nice golden brown when done.
Fill them with something yummy, like pulled pork and enjoy!
Basic Bun
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg beaten
4 1/2 cups bread flour
Spoon your yeast and sugar into a bread machine.
Nuke your milk, water and butter together for about a minute until hot but not burnt my finger when I tested it hot.
Pour liquids into bread machine and give everything a little swirl with a spoon. Shut the lid and let it proof for 10 minutes. This way you'll know if your yeast is good or not. After 10 minutes the liquid should be creamy/foamy.
Add the salt, egg and flour.
Turn your machine on to the dough cycle. Now if you can be bothered (unlike me) when your machine beeps to indicate the rise cycle you can remove the dough and let it rise in a bigger bowl. I just leave it in there until the machine tells me to remove it or until the dough gets so big it pops the lid off.
Remove dough from machine or bowl, punch and knead it a little. Form into round buns (or hot dog shaped ones). This recipe can make 8 large buns or 16 regular size buns.
Place on a non stick cookie sheet and let rise for 30 minutes to an hour.
Preheat oven to 400F. Bake buns for 10-15 minutes. They should be a nice golden brown when done.
Fill them with something yummy, like pulled pork and enjoy!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
The Front Yard Cottage Garden
My front yard is quickly being turned into a cottage garden. It will mainly contain flowers but I might try to hide a few edibles in here and there.
Here's the plan for the front yard. With just a few changes are house looks completely different and is well on it's way to a more cottage-like style. All work has been done by Limey. He builds what he can himself.
To Do List
Pictures of the front.
This is a good pic of the old haggard window frames.
Our lovely new porch complete with wicker chair. The rails overhang a bit to allow room for hanging baskets.
It's amazing what a little white paint and a couple of shutters can do for a house.
Here's the plan for the front yard. With just a few changes are house looks completely different and is well on it's way to a more cottage-like style. All work has been done by Limey. He builds what he can himself.
To Do List
- re-shingle roof
- paint aluminium siding or restore wood siding or cover with new stucco siding
- replace eaves troughs
- install grids for picture window
- replace front door
- remove screen doors
- add house numbers
- repaint mail box
- add door knocker
- finish picket fence
- install low brick wall around rose bed
- build rose arbor
- install lanterns
- install mosaic pathway
- install window boxes
- plant shrubs
- plant bulbs
- plant perennials
- plant vines
- resurface driveway
- replace side door
- replace side step
- replace explorer roses with rugosa varieties
Pictures of the front.
This is a good pic of the old haggard window frames.
Our lovely new porch complete with wicker chair. The rails overhang a bit to allow room for hanging baskets.
It's amazing what a little white paint and a couple of shutters can do for a house.
Backyard Plans
As you can see from the previous post, the backyard was a complete disaster when we moved in. Those pictures don't do it justice.
Our ultimate goal is to use the backyard for relaxing and food production. We completed the vegetable garden with gravel paths and a bamboo fence. Next year I'm hoping to put in the fruit trees and bushes.
Here's some pics of what's been done so far in the backyard.
The deck was originally red with a plywood floor. It is currently blue but we will be staining it green to match the new shutters on the front the house. The fence has since been painted white.
The vegetable garden after the paths were laid.
The new bamboo fence. The plan for the hill is to make terraces that I'll plant with strawberries, asparagus and other perennial edibles.
Our ultimate goal is to use the backyard for relaxing and food production. We completed the vegetable garden with gravel paths and a bamboo fence. Next year I'm hoping to put in the fruit trees and bushes.
Here's some pics of what's been done so far in the backyard.
The deck was originally red with a plywood floor. It is currently blue but we will be staining it green to match the new shutters on the front the house. The fence has since been painted white.
The vegetable garden after the paths were laid.
The new bamboo fence. The plan for the hill is to make terraces that I'll plant with strawberries, asparagus and other perennial edibles.
Home Sweet Home
In 2005 my husband and I purchased our first home. I had been checking it out via photos on a real estate site for about a year before we decided to look at it in person. The previous owners had done a lot of crazy stuff to this house and it is definitely a fixer upper.
We have always been fans of modern/contemporary design, but after 3 years of trying to fit that style with this house it just isn't working. For our little 50's ranch house the best most fitting style is cottage.
With this blog I will be documenting the changes that this house and garden will undergo in it's evolution into a cottage style home.
Here are some before pics taken before we moved in.
We have always been fans of modern/contemporary design, but after 3 years of trying to fit that style with this house it just isn't working. For our little 50's ranch house the best most fitting style is cottage.
With this blog I will be documenting the changes that this house and garden will undergo in it's evolution into a cottage style home.
Here are some before pics taken before we moved in.
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