Dans le Townhouse

First Basement Update: Paint on Walls

2012-02-24T09:46:00.000-05:00

I promise not to post an update about every miniscule detail of the basement makeover. We work slowly and are easily distracted (especially since I now have so many great ideas for the fireplace mantle). If I posted real-time, it would look like a less exciting version of this:

Day 1: Painted stairwell for five hours, got paint in hair
Day 2: Painted second coat in stairwell, got more paint in hair
Day 3: Gave up on painting, can't get paint out of hair
Days 4-9 Ditto
Day 10: Decided basement won't paint itself
Day 11: Started painting again
Day 12: More painting
Day 13: I hate painting, I quit
Day 14: Started painting in basement again
Day 18: Attacked by centipede, took well-deserved painting break
Day 19: Ignored basement, but then went to buy drywall supplies
Day 20: Put up drywall
Until the end of time: Put up drywall
Day 25: Put up drywall
Day 26: Drywall
Day 27: Movie day, screw the drywall
Day 30: Emptied laundry room
Day 35: Realized I forgot to do laundry before disconnecting washing machine
Day 36: Painted floors
Day 37: Painted floors
Days 38-100 Kept painting basement because it isn't done, I had just moved onto another task
Day 101: Crum, floor needs another coat
Day 102: Where is the washing machine? I can't remember where we put it

Sometime in 2013: Start decorating.

Gosh, I hope I'm being dramatic. But it really did take me two FULL days to paint just the stairwell (and part of a third day to take down everything, putty and prime holes). There was a lot of brushwork and not enough roller-work. Plus, the extendable edger I bought was crummy, so I had to DIY my own extendable paintbrush:

And I really did get lots of paint in my hair. I'm still finding paint streaks buried under the layers (how?!?):

This update, although not very striking (it's a plain beige-ish canvas now) is hugely exciting to me because it's the first bit of paint on the walls. It has been started, and that's the hardest part of any job for me. Even though I love to DIY, finding the time and energy can be a major challenge.

Ta da! (I tried to get photos of the new paint beside the white walls/trim, so you can see the contrast):

Because the basement will never be bright and airy (it has ONE tiny window and we cannot change that), I am going for warm and cozy, like a coffee shop. So, like the all-white upstairs where we painted the ceiling and walls the same colour, the basement ceiling will also be this lovely beige-shade. Yep, we're painting like this again. Then I'm going to make the space pop with graphic black & white artwork, textiles and pops of colour (like my inspiration space).

It already looks so much better than the tired before. Give me some time to spruce it up, and I'll be back with a real "before & after".

P.S. The colour is "glacial till," by Benjamin Moore and it is Brian Gluckstein approved:

Benjamin Moore

Mantle Banter: I Need Your Thoughts

2012-02-23T10:41:00.000-05:00

The fireplace and mantle today

The living room mantle has been an area of our home that has been largely ignored, for good reason. I recently tweaked it a bit, but am still not loving it. Help?

The Before:

First, a bit of history. The original fireplace insert was so ugly, I couldn't stomach glancing at the general area. When we hired a chimney cleaner we learned that, even though the home passed inspection with a home inspector we specifically chose for his knowledge of fireplaces, the insert was illegal. A new fireplace insert could be thousands. Instead, we had it professionally removed and everything was inspected and cleaned - to the tune of $400! We then added new and modern matte black doors and have since used it as a (legal) masonry fireplace. Less efficient, sure, but our house is so wee that even a modest flame raises the temperature substantially.

Working with the Brick:

The brick has been another thorn in my side. Longtime readers know I have long waffled about painting or not painting the brick. With Hubby vehemently siding on "don't paint the brick," I've left it as is. It does pick up on some of the other warm tones in the room, like the apricot upholstery, teak wood and even hits of a brick hue in the artwork, providing nice warmth against my penchant for turquoise. With our all-white walls, it adds a healthy does of colour and texture. So it shall remain unpainted, even if it makes it trickier to modernize the look.

Decorating the Mantle (My Goldie Locks Dilemma):

Even without the added aggravation souring me on the whole fireplace, and the exposed brick making it tricky to modernize to feel, decorating the mantle has kind of stumped me. My childhood home never had a mantle, so the concept is a little foreign to me. And ones I've seen are all "too" . . .

This one, although lovely and almost bistro-inspired, has a bit too much going on for me:


The Lettered Cottage

This one, although really pretty, is still too busy for me:

Glitter Guide

This one, although more pared back in terms of decorative items, is too much of a statement maker. I don't want to draw too much attention to the mantle (I'd rather make the artwork the predominant eye-catcher).

Desire to Inspire

This mantle is more my style: bold artwork? Check. Turquoise? Yep. But it makes too much of a statement again. A bolder styling like this might just detract from the two larger pieces of artwork immediately to the left of our fireplace.

Better Homes and Gardens

But then this one is a little too spartan. Our fireplace and mantle need a bit more of a disguise. I think only a truly gorgeous fireplace and surround can be this unadorned.

Better Homes and Gardens

Our Mantle "Styled"

So how did I "style" ours?

When we moved in, I threw up a quirky etching from a vintage shop immediately, because the former owners had drilled massive holes into the brick to hang their photos. I needed to hang something to hide the screws imbedded in the brick. Some days I'm unconvinced of the scale's appropriateness, but I like that it is subtle and doesn't compete with the other artwork.

I added the candlestick holders, made by Hubby's aunt, because they offered some height, and just recently I added a little wooden box 12 year old Handy Hubby made. Cue the collective "awwww". We were on the hunt for something to hide our kindling, and this box (languishing in the basement) fit the bill. I added a pottery bowl my mom made to hide matches in. I stacked it on top of the box to add more height to my little "vignette". The finished product is hugely practical, but is it pretty?

Here's a closer view of the quirky etching:

Moving Forward . . . it Needs Something

It seems the mantle needs something . . . should I paint the mantle? Make a new one (I cannot figure out how it's attached - it is original). Add different artwork? The box, I think, is there to stay (at least during the winter months).

Or do you think I am just fussing with the mantle to avoid the basement, a large and scary undertaking?

Giveaway Winner!

2012-02-22T08:23:00.000-05:00

A huge thank you to Misty, from Milk and Cookies, for partnering with me to host this giveaway. I really enjoyed the opportunity to thank my amazing readers with a Milk & Cookies discount and a chance to win a fabulous pillow.

Without further ado, from the 96 comments left on the post (wow!) the winner is . . . comment #28 . . .

Who left comment #28, you ask? Dora, from A Drop of Indigo!

Congrats, Dora! If you could email me (dans.le.townhouse@gmail.com), I'll put you in touch with Misty and you can pick out your pillow. I hope you share photos of what you choose.

To my other lovely readers: I promise I will have other giveaways so you can have another chance at winning something pretty, just for following along! Until then, is my sparkling wit enough to keep you tuning in?? How about a basement update? There is paint on [some] walls, and it is not white . . . details soon.

Business Cards: DIY or Don't?

2012-02-21T08:14:00.000-05:00

At BlogPodium and the Canadian Design Bloggers Meetup, I acquired a mittful of gorgeous business cards from fellow bloggers:

Buy Business Cards?

Happily, many bloggers commented on my blog business card, which I ordered from Penny Paper Co (I love supporting Canadian). I knew I wanted turquoise chevron (turquoise and chevron are two of my favorite things, so I knew I wouldn't tire of the design), and Lindsay created the perfect shade of turquoise for me. I emailed her a link to the blog and she picked a complementary font, too. I really appreciated how simple and affordable it was to just order cards from a professional, who could guarantee a crisp and lovely finished product.

Design-wise, I like that my card is simple and uncluttered, like my DIY blog "design," and, of course, like the townhouse.

Make Business Cards?

Some folks prefer to make their own business cards, and I can understand why: a DIY'd business card provides the recipient with a tangible taste of your creative skills - perfect for anyone in a creative field. Plus, you can make small batches of business cards or make each one unique. Sound appealing? I rounded up some inspiration:

Nicole, from Gumption DIY, first got me thinking about DIY business cards when she handed me her card:

I spotted a similarly low-key shipping tag/business card combo, from Beach Brights. I love how relaxed and unpretentious these business cards are.

Beach Brights

Ellie, from Mint, created a great business card from paper, patterned masking tape, and string! So simple, but the finished product is really pretty and eye-catching.

Mint

(She also wrote a great round-up post of DIY business cards over at Pitch Design Union.)

I like the vintage look of hand-stamped business cards and a stamp is so versatile. For a minimal investment, business cards can be made with ease! It is also easy to keep things interesting, by changing ink or switching up the colour of paper. Printing on painted paper adds a one-of-a-kind touch.

Flickr

Mae Mae Paperie Business Card Stamp

Oh So Beautiful Paper

Business cards can be an outlet to get really creative. Some people forgo traditional materials and use what moves them. This card was made from materials the crafter had on hand:

Flickr

This tutorial, by Katrina from Pugly Pixel (found over at Glitter Guide) explains how to make a gorgeous confetti-filled business card (won't that be memorable!):

via Glitter Guide

Amanda, from Here's Looking at Me, Kid, made a business card (and shows you how) from cardstock (printed at home) and reclaimed fabric from an old dress:

Here's Looking at Me, Kid

Or, for something wonderfully simple, labels were put to good use by Kim, from A Girl Called Kim. Simple labels would also look lovely on tie-dyed paper or little mini abstracts painted on cardstock. The possibilities are endless and the beauty of this DIY is that no special tools are required (c'mon, everyone has a printer and paper cutter, right?)

Cases:

Truth be told, even with this DIY round-up I still love my purchased business cards. It was hassle-free and, as an added perk, if you order from Penny Paper Co. you also get a super handy acrylic carrying case (that's what I was clutching at the CDB Meet-up):

However, whether you go the DIY route or not, you can customize a little and make a cute business card case. Check out this adorable idea of converting an Altoid tin (tell me you don't have a million just lying around) from Julie Ann Art. Hubby & I lined an Altoid tin with felt for an iPod carrying case but this is much sweeter:

You can also sew a cute business card holder and Melanie, from The Crafty Cupboad, shows you how:

The Crafty Cupboard

So, in your profession do you have the luxury of designing/creating your own business card? If given the option, do you prefer to DIY or sit back and let a professional do the work?

Snow Day + Home Town Love

2012-02-20T09:42:00.000-05:00

Before you start reading, you have to promise to watch the AMAZING video at the end of this post. Promise? Perfect. In return, I promise it will make you smile.

You might have guessed that I'm not big on holidays - especially the ones that don't even involve time off from work (Valentine's Day, I'm looking at you). Certain "holidays" tend to necessitate more work: baking, crafting, gift-buying, etc. This obligation makes things I like (shopping, eating cookies and crafting) a chore. But Family Day, a day off for many Canadians in Ontario, Alberta & Saskatchewan (any other provinces or countries?) has no rules, no special gift wrap and no chores. Just a day off for the Hubs and I. Seeing as we spent the whole weekend working on the townhouse (I started painting the basement!), today we plan to relax. And then excitedly watch paint dry. And then probably do more painting, who am I kidding? But we will stop and enjoy the day. How could we not, when it's as pretty as this:

On the subject of snow, a lot of blog readers ask me where I'm from and where I live. The latter question Hubby hates when I answer, for "security" reasons, although I still do - Ottawa! The former question, however, I always say with pride: Thunder Bay, Ontario on beautiful Lake Superior. I miss our city and look forward to a time when Hubby & I can move back. In the meantime, my heart swells with pride anytime I see Thunder Bay folks doing something awesome, and the video below is no exception.

Check out these Thunder Bay young'uns create snow jumps at the ends of driveways and ski down some of Thunder Bay's city streets in the middle of the night. So dangerous and I absolutely don't suggest anyone try these stunts on their day off from work today, but you have to watch this video because the editing, the music, and the hilarious ski bombs are all fabulous. It is just so beautifully done.

You can watch a mini-version below or head to YouTube (here's the link, it will open in a new window) so you can see the video in full screen.

Happy Family Day, or . . . just Happy Monday!

Pillow Fabric Picking Fail

2012-02-17T08:54:00.001-05:00

Sugar. I'm super jealous one of you will be winning a fabulous pillow next week (have you entered the giveaway?) because I picked my own fabric to make some cushions and my plan totally bombed.

Remember how I was so gleeful about the Marimekko fabric I bought at Finn Style? Well, after forgetting it in Thunder Bay and finally getting it here to the townhouse I realized that the white background of the fabric is whiter than any white in my house. Much whiter.

My thinking was this: I wanted to mix up the pillow assortment a bit, keep things from getting too matchy-matchy, and I also thought a black & white pattern would help tie together the white/light elements (new lighter sofa, white walls) with the dark (dark ottoman, dining room chairs, etc). I draped the fabric over a pillow form for a trial run and realized the fabric looks . . . odd. It makes the other whites (walls, sheers, etc.) look dirty. It also draws the eye away from everything, so all you see is the fabric. If I lined it with a creamy neutral it softens the white a bit, but I think even the scale is wrong.

Meh, they're just pillows. I know my mistakes (too bright of a background, too large a scale of print) so round two of fabric picking, I know I'll get it right. Plus, I think not shopping with photos of the space, or even scraps of the other textiles, was a no-no. I just kind of got swept up in the beauty of the store.

I'm back to the drawing board, but I wanted to share this little disappointment so you don't think it's all sunshine and rainbows over here. As I search, here are a few inspiring photos of pillows mixed perfectly:

The Nest; Modern Jane; Emily A. Clark; Houzz

Tagged! Random Facts About Moi

2012-02-16T10:10:00.001-05:00

I'm behind with the blogger games but, you know me, I always play along (see this post, this post & this post for previous blog fun). Hilary, from My So-Called Home, tagged me back on January 14th (but it seems like only yesterday!) and I'll be posting more bloggy fun soon-ish because Heather, from Interior Groupie, just recently included me in a different blogging game. Thanks ladies! I love blog love. Ready? Set. Go:

The Rules:

You must post the rules.
Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.
Tag eleven people and link them on your post.
Let them know you've tagged them!

Here are the questions Hilary posed to me, along with my answers:

What is your drink of choice at Starbucks? (Bonus points if you can say it in correct jargon.)
Tall vanilla latte, please. Now do I get one??

Do you use Twitter?
Nope. I only opened a Twitter account to create my Pinterest account (I'm facebook-less too).

What do you wear to work?
Yoga pants! But only when I work from home. Right now, pants and cashmere sweaters when I go in to work - my outfit in this recent post is an outfit I routinely wear to work.

How often do you work out?
When I remember . . . I use my treadmill when someone phones me, so it's getting me into the habit of using it regularly but I think it annoys my friends and family to have a conversation with me over the sound of my treadmill (and huffing, puffing and wheezing).

If you won the lottery today, what would you do with the money?
Pay off the mortgage! Buy a truck (sometimes the DIY supplies won't fit in the car)!

Do you have any pets? What are their names?
No pets, because I have nerdy-girl allergies.

Do you thrift?
I thrift, I yard sale, I estate sale, I troll the classifieds.

Do you pin?
Of course! Check out my Pinterest boards here.

What age do you consider "old"?
100. I wish that our beauty-driven society would do away with the emphasis on looking young. I grow weary of anti-wrinkle creams and lip plumping gels. Even though I wear makeup, I hate how ageist, size-ist and just plain horrible the industry can be for women's self-esteem. I wish I was more confident in my looks, and then I would boycott the whole darn thing.

When is your birthday and what do you want?
June. All I want is for those around me to be healthy.

Blue or black ink?
Blue! And I'm super excited there are other people that have opinions one way or the other.

11 Random Facts:

I clean the house during television commercials because I just can't stand to watch them.

Tea always makes me feel better, no matter the ailment.

Even though using them can be a hassle (mugs are easier!), I still love teacups because they look so elegant.

I finally decided to start using the good dishes, like my hand-me-down Iittala glassware.

Sometimes I buy things just because they are made in Finland or Hungary.

I get inspired by random things, like the Stuart Weitzman store in the Mall of America, which is so pretty with its all-white walls, curvy furniture and shimmery mosaic tile:

I have a fabulous relationship with my Mom and we talk on the phone almost every day.

I'm not really into my birthday. It's just a day. Last year we spent it at my grandparents' in Toronto, chilling with my family (this is my little cousin). 100% low-key.

I always want to blow up and frame photos I take, but then I get overwhelmed trying to decide which one and give up.

I had a pet, a Jack Russel Terrier named Lily. I gave her to my grandparents when my allergies became intolerable. I always felt guilty about it, and she has since passed away which has made me feel doubly guilty because my grandparents were really negatively affected by the loss. Sheesh. Guilt all around. But she sure was a cutie:

I don't actually mind winter when it's pretty, even though you couldn't guess, what with all my griping. But when it gets all mucky and slushy and gross I see no purpose to the cold weather.

I want to be an early riser but just. can't. do. it. So frustrating.

Now, my questions:

How much time do you devote to blogging each day?
What do you think is the best room in your house/home/apartment/lean-to?
What is your favorite colour?
What skill would you love to learn?
Are you sentimental about stuff, or can you de-clutter with ease?
Who is your favorite band/musician?
How do you organize your books? By colour? By theme? Some personalized system?
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Do you buy yourself fresh-cut flowers?
Do you screen your phone calls?
What is the funniest thing that has happened to you?

And I want the bloggers behind these blogs to answer (oooo, that was bossy. Please?):

Cart-Wheels
Adventures in Building Beauty

Casa de Christine

The Sweetest Digs

Let's Just Build a House

Simcoe Street

House Pretty

The Design Enthusiast
Living in Lovely Lalaland
A Girl Called Kim
My Friend Staci

Giveaway: Milk & Cookies Pillow!

2012-02-15T09:40:00.001-05:00

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATS TO DORA!

CHECK BACK FOR FUTURE GIVEAWAYS, AND THANKS FOR FOLLOWING ALONG.

Surprise: I have a treat for you. Want a fabulous & free pillow, made by a Toronto-based company whose pillows have been featured in Style at Home and Adore Home?

Yes?

That's perfect, because I've partnered with Misty (a new blog friend), from Milk and Cookies, to host a fabulous giveway! It is super simple to enter and the winner will receive their choice of pillow (up to a $25 value) from Milk and Cookies, where pillows are made from scratch with fresh ingredients. No matter your style, it will be impossible not to find a gorgeous pillow to spruce up your space.

Here are just a few of the almost 400 pillows Milk & Cookies has whipped up:

Milk & Cookies: Mustard Black & White Pillow

Milk & Cookies: Blue and White Knots


Milk & Cookies: Navy and Cream Chevron

HOW TO ENTER (leave a comment for each entry):

This contest is only open to Dans le Townhouse readers, so you must follow the blog. Just leave me a comment, reminding me you are a follower, and that's one entry!

For additional entries (leave a separate comment for each):

Follow the Milk & Cookies blog, like I do (one entry) - find the blog via the website

and/or

Like Milk & Cookies on Facebook (one entry) - find the facebook page via the website

and/or

Check out the impressive inventory and tell me which pillow pattern you like best - find the store here

But don't delay . . .

CONTEST CLOSES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 AT MIDNIGHT, EST.

AND if you want to purchase pillows from Milk & Cookies, Dans le Townhouse readers receive 10% off an entire order (until the contest closes) by entering the code: DANSLETOWNHOUSE when ordering.

DIY Bead + Chain Necklace (Perfect for Leftovers)

2012-02-14T08:35:00.000-05:00

This project almost looked as if it would be a Pinterest Project Completion Win . . .

1. I pinned a necklace tutorial I loved.

Ecab Online

2. I sat down at a table, with the necessary supplies all ready.

3. I started.

4. Then I lost momentum, for some reason, and said to myself, "Meh, I'm not feelin' this anymore".

5. I had some tea. Then I started fiddling with my supplies, dejectedly. Kind of pushing them around, like kids do to unwanted broccoli at dinnertime.

6. Then I had an idea! I could finally use a weirdly odd number of really pretty stones I had hidden away amongst my supplies (mmmmm, stones).

7. No longer super angry at Pinterest and the world, I re-started my project with renewed enthusiasm.

8. Using a simple method of stringing beads onto coated wire and affixing with crimps to the opposite ends of the chain, in lieu of where a necklace would normally be attached to a clasp (I outlined this procedure in this how to string beads post), I created a fun, off-centred necklace.

And, voila!

Supplies:

Small length of coated wire (perfect for scraps)
2 crimps (plus a few spares for angry-making mistakes)
Length of chain that will fit over your noggin (I salvaged this from another necklace)
Any beads you like - a good project for random, leftover beads

P.S. No Valentine's-y happenings here, but I did blog about a food-colouring-free pink icing last week. That's my contribution. I hope you all have a lovely day!

Rockin' My Rock Collection + How To Get the Look for Less

2012-02-13T08:35:00.000-05:00

I was (and still am) that nerdy kid who had a rock collection. Who spent a day at the beach stuffing her pockets full of rocks. Who had a rock tumbler (like Ross). Who, as a married adult, realized she could bring home twice as many beach stones if she made her Hubby stuff all of his pockets full of rocks too.

With passion like this you can imagine my delight when, every few years, rocks pop up as hot design elements. Right now, there's lots for me to ogle:

Viva Terra: $59-65

Swank Lighting: $4250 (yikes)

Rablas: $152

Om Decor: $825 (yikes)

Rocks are definitely hot right now, but have you noticed that some stone accessories are really expensive? With some of the most coveted pieces out of my reach, I recently unearthed part of my childhood rock collection:

They're small, but they sure add sparkle! I haven't decided on a spot, but for now I thought they look nice in the guest room, where large-scale abstracts demand more subtle accessories.

Want some rocks of your own? Get the look for less!

Think Outside the Decor Stores:

One tip is to avoid home decor stores and head to museum gift shops, science stores and stores for kids. The prices will likely be more reasonable (I'm pretty sure my trio is from a science-themed gift shop). You could also contact a lapidary or mineral club in your city, as many host lapidary sales and know of good sources. I even found a box of amethyst at a yard sale - another item I need to bring back from my childhood home.

Mine Your Own Stones:

Some cities, like Thunder Bay - my hometown - have active mines, like the Panorama Amethyst Mine, where you can spend a day and collect a bag full of stones (in this case, amethyst) for a fraction of the cost ($8.00 entry fee and only $3.00 per lb.). As an added bonus, mining amethyst is something fun and different to do!

Photo of Amethyst (middle) from Canada-Photos; Photos of Mine from Panorama Amethyst Mine

Group a Collection of Smaller Stones for Bigger Visual Impact:

Much of my rock collection consists of smaller specimens (chips, really) which are less expensive but also make less of an impact, visually. But I saw this photo and thought that perhaps smaller pieces could be affixed to an all-white shadow box, or inside an inexpensive Ikea frame (like my DIY needle-felted wool abstracts), to create a scientific-looking grouping with a more impressive "wow" factor. Next time I visit my childhood home, I'm going to find the rest of my rock collection and whip up a stylish DIY display.

Etsy Cori Kindred: $62

DIY Your Own Faux Rocks:

I think making some faux rocks would be a fun DIY project. I've seen faux specimens crafted from wood, fimo bead clay, and some materials you might not think of.

This fimo clay tutorial is fabulous and I think a giant version could easily be made as a decor piece, using the same technique applied for making jewellery-sized faux stones.

Fimo Clay Tutorial by Aesthetic Outbust

These faux faceted rocks, made from reclaimed wood, look so organic but also really modern - like an art installation. Someone handy with wood could craft stones of various sizes from wood scraps and then paint the finished products white or maybe a saturated, gemstone-inspired hue.

Post 27: $16

Begging for a rock-paper-scissors pun or joke, these faux gemstones made from just paper are one of the hippest paper crafts I have ever seen. Can you imagine how much kids would love these? Forget kids - I love these.

Paper Rock Tutorial by Mini Eco

And the crowning glory of DIY rocks: a tutorial to grow your own crystals on an egg. From Martha Stewart, unsurprisingly.

Grow Your Own Rocks by Martha Stewart via Mini Eco

Do you have any rocks on display?

Dessert Dans le Townhouse: Pink Icing Sans Food Colouring

2012-02-10T11:33:00.001-05:00

I'm not just serving up bowls of icing, but pink icing is the main event.

Hubby's Dad, and his partner, are visiting us in a few days so we have been cleaning, grocery shopping and baking up a storm. Last night I tried a really good sugar cookie recipe from my favorite cookie cookbook (see below for recipe) and topped it with a simple, food colouring-free pink icing. Even though Hubby & I are boring and ignore Valentine's Day, I though anyone whipping up some Valentine's treats this weekend might like this simple recipe.

Although you can add all kinds of ingredients (butter or egg whites among them), icing can be really simple to make: just add any liquid to powdered sugar. In this case, I mixed copious amounts of icing sugar with all-natural (dye-free) cranberry juice. The result is a sweet, ever-so-slightly slightly fruity icing. Here's a ratio that works for me:

Icing:

3/4 cup powdered sugar
4.5 tsp. cranberry juice

This makes a small amount (pictured below) but it is better to work in small batches, lest the icing start to harden in the bowl. Depending on how many cookies you need to decorate, you might need more. For the cookie recipe that follows, I needed about three times this amount. You want it to be smooth enough to apply to a cookie, but dry enough that it won't drip. Try experimenting with other liquids (like grape juice) to tint your icing other colours.

Now, possibly because I am a spastic host, I have had some baking bombs these last few days. I tried an inside out carrot-cake muffin recipe I pinned on Pinterest and the muffins turned out . . . odd. Weirdly dry but then weirdly damp around the cream cheese icing. And super bland. I'm trying to fob these off on the Hubs . . .

I made oatmeal cookies that are laughably irregular, but tasty. So maybe they are actually a win!

But some of my iced cookies look like an imaginary toddler helped (can I blame Hubby?). Ah well. I cherry-picked a few pretties for you, but I don't have heart-shaped cookie cutters. I have a flower cookie cutter and then a set of wild animals (moose, bears, squirrels, snails, hedgehogs, foxes) but can I make them Valentine's-y? Let's see . . .

I have a snail of a good time when I'm with you:

I love you bear-y much:

I have no idea how to make a hedgehog or a moose romantic . . .

Basic Cookie Recipe (from the book "Sunset Cookies," click here for a similar title)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
2/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar (although I used brown sugar for both quantities)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. allspice, ginger and nutmeg
2 tsp. cinnamon (I actually added four, my mistake, but it was a yummy mistake)

Cooking-Making Time:

Beat shortening, butter and sugar together until creamy
Beat in eggs and vanilla
In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices
Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture and combine thoroughly
Knead dough for a few seconds and wrap in plastic wrap
Refrigerate for 1-2 hours
Working with small sections, keeping the remainder refrigerated until needed, roll out dough on floured surface until approx. 3/8 inch thick
Cut out using cookie cutters
Transfer cookies to un-greased baking sheets (I lined mine with parchment paper)
Bake in 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned (I only needed 12 minutes)
Transfer to cooling racks and allow to cool for a few hours before icing

Have a good weekend and let me know if you're up to any yummy baking!

Dans le Townhouse is House & Home Approved

2012-02-08T09:13:00.000-05:00

I'm still pinching myself about this.

Canadian House & Home online editors added Dans le Townhouse to their list of "Design Sites We Like". My little blog can be found alongside some pretty fabulous blogs, like coco+kelley, Young House Love, Design*Sponge and MadeByGirl. I love how House & Home clearly denotes Canadian blogs (marked by a little red maple leaf) and on this list you'll find Rambling Renovators, Decor8, Desire to Inspire and Poppytalk, among many other amazing reads!

Take a look:

I'm on the House & Home blogroll too!

Yes, I'll be spending the rest of my day staring dreamily at these screenshots. I'm beyond honoured. I'm just so thankful for the opportunity to blog about fun, home-related topics and interact with my wonderful readers. Blog love like this is just icing! Sweet, pinch-me-I'm-dreaming icing.

DIY "Sheer Sandwich" Curtains

2012-02-07T10:04:00.000-05:00

Yes, you already know that I love sheers. In my constant effort to make the townhouse look bigger and brighter, I have found an ally in sheer curtains because sheers let in lots of diffused light but blur the edges of the windows, making them appear larger (and of the same size). With fabric in similar shades as our all-white walls, I think sheers make the rooms look bigger.

But sheer curtains have one drawback: they're sheer. Sometimes a little too sheer. This was the problem in the living room and dining room where a fabric shortage also meant that the living room set looked droopy beside the noticeably skimpier dining room curtains. Not many people can see into these rooms because we have no backyard neighbours, are nicely nestled a distance from the road and have a curtain of trees, but I still wanted a bit more privacy and a neater, less floppy look. So my Mom came to visit after we went to IDS12 and we tweaked the curtains.

Our backyard - must fix that dilapidated fence this summer . . .

Instead of ditching the original sheer curtains and starting fresh, we just added on to the sheers with fabric my Mom scored for $2.00/meter, but didn't use in her own home. Here's a before & after photo of the sheers, side by side, so you can see the difference before I explain the how-to:

How-to:

We started with the original sheers, which were simply hemmed top, bottom and sides, and then hung on rings with clips, from Ikea. The bottom hem is wider, to add some substance.

My mom reworked the panels so they are all the same size now. Although the curtain rods are the same length, we had originally made the patio door curtains wider. Now all four panels (two for the window, two covering the door) are exactly the same, creating a more balanced look and making the window and patio doors seem the same size.

Ordinarily, when we sew a hem (yes, occasionally - very occasionally - I butcher something by sewing it myself), we fold it under twice to hide any cut ends but, because these panels are hidden, my Mom just folded the hem over once:

The new fabric has nicely finished edges, so my Mom only hemmed the top and bottom. She made them just a tiny bit longer than the original sheers so the old ones wouldn't peak out the bottom.

The real genius of this fabric is that it is extra wide, so each of the four new panels is double the width of the original panel. We folded each new panel in half, and slipped in an original panel into each new, folded panel and then clipped everything into place. From the outside edges, the old panel is trapped inside the new panel and is barely visible. We kind of made a "sheer sandwich". If you rustle around, you can reach the old panel from the middle of the curtains (where they meet) or the bottom. But it just looks like a floaty, gauzy curtain - it is hard to see where one layers begins and ends.

Here are some close up photos, but bare in mind it is really hard to photograph what I'm explaining because these sheers are so, well, sheer.

The outside edges

If you were to push open the sheers from the middle, you could peak in between the layers:

The result is more subtly diffused light, a smidge more privacy and a fuller, less skimpy look. The added layers make the sheers more stiff, too, and thus less droopy. The additional layers really make a difference in real life, but it's hard to capture it on camera. Take my word that this layering trick makes formerly skimpy curtains look much more full (and more expensive, even though this tweak cost only $20).

Here are the old, single panel sheers, the BEFORE. You can even see the window frame & baseboard heater very clearly through the curtains:

Before

With the "sheer sandwich," the AFTER, the window frame and heater are more obscured, and the curtains aren't as droopy at the top, where they are hung on the rings. Subtle, I know. Maybe you should come over for a homemade latte and I can show you?

After

The look could easily be achieved just by clipping two different sheer panels together, sans sandwich. Either way, the look is floaty, less sheer and perfect for the townhouse.

Dinner Dans le Townhouse: Broccoli & Feta Frittata

2012-02-06T10:27:00.000-05:00

A frittata for dinner? Not on Hubby's watch. He once ate a combo #7 at a fast food place around 5:00 p.m. and then asked, "what's for dinner?" a couple hours later. Although Hubby & I ate the frittata pictured here as a brunch recently, if Hubby's out of town for work then it's breakfast for dinner dans le townhouse. And Hubby was out of town this weekend, so guess what I made for dinner . . .

I used to have a mild allergy to eggs that my family refused to believe, so I was served eggs before every car ride and trip to amusement park. That always ended badly. It took me a long time to warm up to eggs cooked any other way other than into a cake. So I figure that if I have a hankering for a frittata for dinner I should go for it, to make up for years of egg-avoidance.

Whether you're going to sneak this in as a dinner, or eat it as a proper breakfast, I hardly reinvented the wheel on this recipe. But even if you and eggs aren't good friends, I bet you'll agree that this frittata is yummy & super easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 onion, finely diced (I use a mini food processor)
6 eggs
1 cup feta, cut into itty-bitty pieces
3.5 cups loosely packed, washed broccoli
Salt & pepper (to taste)

Minus the tomatoes - they just like to photo-bomb any kitchen shots

Tools:

Oven: set broiler on high
Food processor (only if you like your onion diced really finely, like I do)
A cast iron pan or any oven-safe pan that is non-stick

(My le creuset cast iron pan is 9.5" and 2" deep. For a larger pan, try adding a couple extra eggs and a smidge more broccoli.)

Cook Away:

Melt the butter over medium heat
Add the onion and cook until the onion is a bit glossy (3-5 minutes)

(Be careful not to overcook because overcooked onion is bitter)

Season with salt & pepper and stir
Whisk eggs and pour over broccoli and onion
Don't stir, just lightly nudge the eggs over the broccoli and onion so the eggs have spread evenly
The eggs will begin to set immediately, so quickly toss the feta on top but do not stir
Cook over medium heat until the eggs are firm on the bottom, gently life with a spatula to take a peak (4-6 minutes)
Place pan under the broiler for only a couple minutes (watch carefully because the eggs will brown quickly)
Enjoy!

We actually had a nice, leisurely brunch not too long ago. We even used the dining room, something we typically only reserve for guests for some bizarre reason. When I ate my dinner-frittata over the weekend though, I gobbled it on the sofa, watching The Vampire Dairies via Rogers on Demand. So sad.

I Love You, I Love You Not

2012-02-03T10:32:00.000-05:00

Do you love your space unconditionally? I don't.

Too often I berate the townhouse for being too window-less, too small . . . too attached to other homes. Even though we have really turned this baby around, sometimes I feel like our home is deficient and I worry if it can be competitive on the real estate market. If this was our "forever" home I'd also approach it differently, but there are only so many changes we can (and want to) make and still recoup our costs. Plus, I want to keep the home sell-able (so that means no hot pink fireplace, darn).

But then I give my head a shake and think about how fabulous it is just to have a space to call my own (even if I have to share with the Hubs). I'm so fortunate to have a space in which I can craft, create and sleep. Curl up by the fire with a snack. Be alone with my thoughts. I am reminded too often that it is a luxury that many people can't enjoy.

Inspired by a certain little optimistic girl, I have been actively changing how I think. Instead of thinking about what I dislike about my home, I focus on what I do like. So when I was asked to write a post for Design OCD to commemorate J's 100th post, I was excited about discussing 5 things I love in the townhouse. Click here to check out my post and tell me: what do you love most about your space?

Canadian Design Bloggers Meetup (Plus More Swag)

2012-02-02T09:13:00.000-05:00

To my many readers who aren't bloggers: sorry my posts this week have been a bit blog-focused. Hopefully you soaked up some inspiration from yesterday's post about IDS12. I promise that next week it's back to fun in the townhouse as usual. I just want to blog about blogging once more because, in addition to attending BlogPodium and checking out IDS12 last weekend, I also went to the Canadian Design Bloggers Meetup (organized by Vie of Verdigris Vie, and Daniella of Daniella Marie) and had a chance to mingle with fellow bloggers at Brassaii Restaurant and Lounge in Toronto. PLUS I got to stand kind of near to some pretty fabulous people:

Cameron MacNeil, one of House and Home's senior design editors, gave us all a sneak peak into next month's issue of Canadian House & Home (hint: there will be a lot of fun, invigorating use of colour). He also chatted about the process of choosing submissions for his "Ask a Designer" feature. Submissions with many clear photos are more likely of being chosen and sending a floor plan is an added bonus.

House & Home's online editor, Lisa Murphy, also spoke and revealed that House and Home loves blogs! Her enthusiasm was contagious, and also encouraging.

Coco + Kelley founder, Cassandra LaValle, shared her personal blogging experience and even revealed the ups and downs on her way to running a gorgeous blog and successful business. Best takeaway tip: don't create a post you aren't completely happy with because it is better to take a day off if you need it and only deliver your best content to readers. I was surprised she was so down to earth, and so modest!

Brian Gluckstein was the surprise guest and wowed everyone. We all know he's talented, but did you know he's a fabulous public speaker as well? He is so witty! He revealed that he too loves blogs (and blogging), even though other aspects of technology confound him. I can relate.

Between juggling my drink, handing out my business cards and keeping my annoying hair off my face, taking a lot of photos was simply too challenging. But I did manage to find a few photos of the evening, with me in them! (This is for everyone who has written or commented, asking for more photos of me - I'm listening).

Let's play spot the blogger. In the first photo, all you can see of me is my oddly shiny hair (good lighting), polka dot dress, beloved new purse and the odd, show-and-tell kind of way I'm holding my business cards.

Photo by Alessia Lamonaca Via

My Daily Randomness

I actually won something in the draw! Not the $1000 gift card to Ikea, fabulous Delta faucets or the many other drool-worthy prizes. But I'm pretty excited about what I did win, because it is the gift that keeps on giving, as they say:

I won a subscription to Canadian House & Home magazine! It is a perfect prize for me because my mom bought a subscription when I bought my subscription to Canadian Style at Home, with the understanding we'd swap. That never happened because one of us, not saying who, didn't hold up her end of the bargain.

Photo by Alessia Lamonaca Via

The prizes were so fabulous because there was a great line up of sponsors: House and Home Magazine, Delta, Ikea, Cottonelle, CIL, Gluckstein Home and Aya Kitchens, so our swag bags were - again - pretty great:

I'll be sharing the fruits of my blogging labour. As a result of all this networking, I made some fabulous contacts and have some giveaways in the works!

Whether you are a blogger or not, do you enjoy networking? Have any tips or tricks?

IDS12: Inspiration Galore

2012-02-01T10:37:00.001-05:00

When Hubby and I visited the Louvre in 2010, Hubby spent the whole time pointing out importantly historic paintings and thousand year old artifacts saying, "hey, that's kinda neat," and "hey, that'd be nice in the living room". I have teased him relentlessly about this (and tell anyone who will listen the story), but I did the same thing at IDS12.

Although I am somewhat aware of who's who and what's happening in the world of design, I am the first to admit I don't know a lot. I leave pursuit of that knowledge to the many talented designers, interior decorators and bloggers in the industry.

What I pay attention to is what design ideas can be comfortably incorporated into a modest home, namely: mine. And, I'm not going to lie, I look for inspiration for DIY projects, no matter how tacky that is. So, camera poised, I wandered about the interior design show with my mom, looking for design ideas that might look good in the townhouse. I accidentally picked up on some trends, but I was pretty selfish in my tour of the show. Hopefully you'll like the photos I took anyway. I've grouped them into themes of things I like (see? so selfish):

A DOSE OF COLOUR

I spotted this pretty vignette and really loved the pop of blue amidst the natural pieces of wood furniture. That the blue was cheery, bright and referenced the artwork was icing.

Heidi Ernshaw Design

Of course, I mooned over this bright yellow painting. With our white walls, we need more zesty pops of colour.

"Sulfur and Snow" by Louis Helbig

UNPAINTED WOOD

All the men out there (my Hubby can't be the only one) who hate painted wood can breath a collective sigh of relief. Everywhere I looked there were gorgeous works or art, stunning pieces of furniture - even light fixtures - all showcasing the natural beauty of wood.

Kino Guerin

Woodlight

Brooke Batchelor's designs are a perfect pairing of edgy and chic. I meandered over to her website and am now obsessed with her bullet trays.

Brooke Batchelor Design

Anazao

I would HATE dusting this twig mirror, but the texture is so gorgeous and such a nice contrast with modern furnishings or bathroom fittings that I might, might be persuaded to take the leap and introduce more textural, natural elements into the townhouse.

Spotted at the Caml Tomlin booth

FELT

If you've seen my felted wool Billy Buttons or felted wool abstracts, you'll know why I went a bit wild for the felt booth. Although the staff manning the booth were a bit unfriendly to me, I might still order felt for a DIY project, like the fell-wrapped vases I spotted at the Gresham House booth.

Gresham House

VINTAGE & ANTIQUE REFERENCES

If you've been reading along, you know I hate carpet and rugs with every fiber of my being. Like most nerds, I have nerdy allergies and rugs do not help me keep the dust at bay. But this 100 line wool and silk rug, hand woven in Nepal, really tugged at my heart with its gorgeous typewriter key pattern. A typewriter was also used for the cover art of the first issue of Pure Green Magazine (see yesterday's post) - I'm thinking typewriters are experiencing a moment of fame.


"Qwerty" Modallion Collaboration with Glen Peloso (glenpelosointeriors.com): $50-150 /square foot

Elte

The silhouettes caught my eye, as they always do.

Elte

GLASS

David Thai

Gregor Herman Glass

Of course, there was lots more to see but these were some of my favorite things.

Did you go? If you intend to go next year, I highly recommend Trade Day (if you can) because the show wasn't as busy as it was during general admission. There was actually space to walk around and see things at leisure, instead of everyone jostling for a good vantage point:

BlogPodium: Blogs + Media (Plus Swag)

2012-01-31T09:42:00.000-05:00

Friday I attended the first BlogPodium, a quarterly conference series in Toronto, ON. The inaugural session was a conversation on blogs and media. That it was a first of this series was perfect for me, because this conference also marked the first blogging event I attended.

Organized by Jennifer, Shannon and Lindsay, BlogPodium was a fabulous morning of learning, laughing and being a little starstruck. Margot Austin, Kimberley Seldon, Kate Moore, Jennifer Flores and Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault sat in front of a room full of beaming bloggers and happily, and frankly, gave us advice to blog better and successfully connect with media. The conference was top-notch: well organized, fun and informative (click here for photos).

With a geeky, fabric-covered notebook in hand I took pages of notes but a few suggestions really stood out:

Post your own photos (Kate Moore)
Edit your blog and focus on your brand & identity as a blogger (Kimberley Seldon)
Add your own opinions/ideas/comments/thoughts to recycled photos, if you don't post your own (Kimberley Seldon & Margot Austin)
Have a fresh, original voice (the entire panel agreed) & be fun (Kate Moore)
Network with other bloggers and always put your best foot forward (Jennifer Flores)
Make your pitches to media clear, concise and demonstrate your talent, but also your fun side (Kate Moore)
Pitch to the medium (Kimberley Seldon) & study the magazine/website you are pitching to (Margot Austin)

For other recaps of the talk, take a look at Jen's summary on Rambling Renovators or read what Britt had to say on My Daily Randomness And, for any bloggers reading, be sure to keep your schedule clear May, 2012 for the next installment of BlogPodium.

If the fabulous information doesn't lure you, maybe the fun swag will:

There is swag in this bag!

Sponsors included: Delta Faucets, OlioBoard, Home Depot Canada, Chapters/Indigo Books, CB2, Pure Green Magazine, House and Home Magazine, Benjamin Moore Paints, The Penny Paper Co., and Butter Avenue. But our swag bags (I keep wanting to call them goodie bags, but isn't that what kids get at B-day parties?) had goodies from other folks as well, including Beatrice (who included a gift card for a free print from her shop) and Milk & Cookies, a Toronto-based shop that offered a sweet coupon.

We also received a copy of the gorgeous, print-edition of Pure Green Magazine, volume one. I actually met Celine, founder and editor-in-chief of the magazine, at BlogPodium. She is amazing: so down to earth, approachable and really interesting - having met her made it even more enjoyable to flip through the magazine.

The DIY Showoff Featured My Houndstooth Upholstered Chairs

2012-01-30T09:58:00.000-05:00

I'm back from BlodPodium, the Canadian Design Bloggers Meetup & the Interior Design Show. What a fun weekend! I can't wait to share with you who I met, what I learned and what I won. But first, some news:

I enjoyed an internet-free weekend because I forced myself to spend any computer time on the first chapter of my dissertation - due tomorrow. Eegads. So you can imagine my surprise when, upon returning to the world of internet and popping in on a few blogs before bedtime, I spotted my very own DIY project on The DIY Showoff. Roeshel previously featured my DIY Framed Bakelite Brooches and over the weekend featured the houndstooth upholstered kitchen chairs Hubby & I just completed. I love Roeshel's blog and am so flattered she has found my projects DIY Showoff worthy. If you've seen her recent stairway transformation, you'll see why I consider kind words from her about my DIY prowess a high compliment.

These chairs got some love from The DIY Showoff.

These framed brooches got some love, too.

Will I See You in Toronto?!?

2012-01-26T09:22:00.000-05:00

I am headed out the door, off to work, but then I’m immediately hitting the snowy trail for a road trip to BlogPodium & the Canadian Design Bloggers Meetup (plus the Interior Design Show, of course).

Packing was a bit excruciating. As a PhD candidate, 100% of the conferences I typically attend are attended by other academics and, not to be rude, I’ve grown accustomed to being the best-dressed. Ironing my clothes has been the secret to my success. But I have a feeling the other bloggers I’ll meet this weekend will be fancier than me. You’ve seen my closet - you know I don’t have a lot of clothing (I don't even own a dresser). Plus, I work from home most days so my closet is chock full of yoga pants and cozy hoodies. This is my uniform:

Yes, Uggs are Ugly but SO warm.

But I struggled through and picked some outfits – you’ll see photos soon enough! I even fixed my DIY-destroyed manicure.

If you’re heading to the IDS or BlogPodium or Canadian Design Bloggers Meetup, please come and say “hi” to me! These are my first blogging events and I will know no one from the real world, while other bloggers might already have bosom blog buddies. Here’s me:

Well, I’m off! I found some old CDs for my road trip, so if you hear this song blasting from a black Nissan Versa, that’s me (apologies for cutting you off):

DIY Houndstooth Upholstered Vintage Teak Chairs

2012-01-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

You have seen our houndstooth upholstered vintage teak chairs before, but have you ever wondered why there are only ever two visible?

We actually have a set of four, but the other two have been languishing in the basement, un-upholstered, since we wrapped up the first two chairs in 2009. Embarrassing? A little. But I think we should applaud this procrastination because 2009 was pre-blog, so without the procrastination there would be no tutorial of how Hubby & I upholstered these chairs and did our part to keep the staple folks in business. You'll see what I mean because we finally tackled the other two and can now show you the how-to.

Hubby & I have our own way of doing this that guarantees a smooth and secure finished product. However, it also makes it miserable for whoever tries to undo your lovely work, because we use way too many staples. Ha ha.

Supplies:

Quilter's batting (we used three layers - how much you need will depend on the size and number of your chairs)
Upholstery grade fabric (again, dependent on size and number of your chairs - I also bought extra in case some genius spills tomato juice on one)
Staple gun
8mm staples (many)
Pliers
Screw driver (to remove seat)
Patient set of second hands

Get Upholstering:

Remove the chair seat:

Save the screws some place you will find them, just in case it takes you three years to wrap up this project:

These screws have literally been in this bowl since 2009

Remove the staples, using pliers. I really got attached to the tool pictured below because, although it is meant for cutting, it has such a fabulous grip. I used it for pulling 2.6 billion staples from the sub-floor after ripping up carpet for hardwood floors. But pliers are what most folks use.

Throw out the old foam - especially if it is a vintage/used piece. Blech. I've seen people keep the grossest foam that is starting to disintegrate. Trace and cut out three layers of quilter's batting (it is a cheap, cushy alternative to foam), or foam if you prefer, using sharp scissors because dull scissors will only make your life harder:

This is where we deviate a bit from other tutorials (you can skip this step if you'd prefer). Once cut out, we affix the batting to the chair seat with a few staples so we're not wrestling with it and the fabric simultaneously. I don't see a lot of people do this, but it makes life so much easier. After affixing, trim some of the excess batting for less bulk in the finished product.

Throughout the whole process, stop periodically and check fitment. You don't want bunches of fabric on the underside of the seat where it will be affixed to the chair frame.

With the batting wrangled into submission, trace and cut out the fabric (making sure the pattern is "facing" the same way on each chair). You can use the old fabric as a template.

Begin upholstering by pulling the fabric tautly and stapling in a few staples on one side, then the opposite side, checking the alignment and also the tension. These first few staples really anchor your fabric, so take your time. It helps to have a second set of hands so one person can hold the fabric and the other can staple.

Keep working your way around the seat, pulling the fabric tight and stapling. Pull corners especially smooth, even if that means you have a bunch of excess fabric a few inches from the edge.

For corners, we pull tightly and keep checking the make sure it looks sharp from the top. To tackle the bunching, we make slits in the excess fabric once it's stapled in place. This allows us to overlap the fabric and really staple it down smoothly. It is hard to take a photo of that because this print is so busy when zoomed in on.

We go a little staple crazy, I know this. We even add a second "ring" of staples so everything is smooth.

When you're done, you can add a cut-to-size piece of no-fray, very thin material to make the work look a bit tidier (for anyone who happens to be hanging out under your chair, I guess). This involves more staples.

And that's it! Reaffix the seat to your chair and host a dinner party.

Now we have a full set of four.

We like to leave a little love for future DIY-ers. Anyone who is ambitious enough to remove the staple overkill happening here (gosh, I hope it's not future-me) will be affronted by this message:

P.S. Am I the only DIY'er whose nails get totally wrecked?!? They looked so pretty in my latte post but now the deep plum shade that previously looked so chic is all chipped and worn, making me look like a disgruntled teen.

Dessert Dans le Townhouse: Peanut Butter Cookie Sealed With a Kiss

2012-01-24T08:38:00.000-05:00

Okay . . . don't laugh.

This recipe might seem a little counter-productive given yesterday's lengthy post about how I gained weight, bought a treadmill, nearly killed myself & my Hubby hauling the 200lb. treadmill upstairs, and then completely reorganized a closet (including un-installing and then re-installing the closet fittings) to hide said treadmill.

I figure as long as I consume these yummy morsels of deliciousness in moderation (maybe while on the treadmill?) I'll be okay. Plus, peanut butter is health food, right? Right?

Here's the recipe (from the book "Sunset Cookies," click here for a similar title).

You'll Need:

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used smooth)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 & 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (additional) granulated sugar
3 dozen chocolate kisses (unwrapped)

Steps to Deliciousness:

Beat shortening, peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar & brown sugar with an electric mixer until creamy
Beat in egg and vanilla
In another bowl, mix flour and baking soda
Gradually add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture and blend thoroughly
Roll dough into 1 inch balls, then roll in the remaining sugar to coat (I poured the sugar onto a plate and rolled the dough balls in it)
Place cookies 2 inches a part on a greased cookie sheet (I used a parchment lined baking sheet instead)
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, then remove cookie sheet to quickly press a kiss into each cookie, return to the oven for 3-5 minutes more
Bake until lightly browned
Transfer to cooling racks

Yields:

More than I should eat. Recipe said 3 dozen but I was left with about 5 or 6 additional ones which was unfortunate because I'd been eating chocolate kisses while I baked and had only left (the required) 3 dozen. That just meant a few were kiss-less.

How many calories for all 40?

Here's my hot tip:

Eat/serve these within a couple hours or so of baking. The chocolate kiss is still a bit soft but the cookies are cool enough to eat. Pop one in your mouth and it will melt. Heaven. The next day they are still just as yummy but slightly pointier. Eating them whole is not recommended the next day. Ow.

P.S. Try these with a yummy London Fog (latte).

Closet Make-under PLUS Hiding a Treadmill

2012-01-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

Remember when I gleefully revealed that I lost 10 lbs. in Hungary last August? Some of the sneaky buggers found me. They were especially adept at finding me over the holidays.

I FEEL the difference - my "comfy" pants now hurt me because they are so tight.

That's why recent blog photos of me have been kind of stealthily shot. Exhibit A (a different version was used in this post & this post):

It might not seem like a huge change, but I feel it. And someone else might feel it too if a button rockets from my too-tight pants and knocks out an eye.

Solution? Like many others, I decided to get my fitness on. I have a really bad track record when it comes to fitness plans, including unused gym memberships - plural, I didn't learn the first time - and dust-collecting fitness equipment. But I love to walk so when Canadian Tire had a good quality, foldable treadmill on sale for $549.99 (more than 65% off) I decided to spring for it.

But where to put this beastly treadmill?

Not the main floor (too "in your face") and not the basement (too gloomy). I chose the guest bedroom, a sunny and convenient space. If I have to walk by this baby every day, I figure I'll be motivated to use it. But I don't ordinarily spend a lot of time in there so it doesn't feel like it's totally cramping my style. I'm actually excited to use this room which was exclusively set up for guests to sleep and read. Now I get to actually make use of the space myself (and Hubby's been walking, too).

But where to put this beastly treadmill when we have guests?

The new treadmill folds up and just fits into the mini walk-in closet (the dimensions of the treadmill are: 44" x 35" x 61"). But we had to switch around the closet fittings first. I lost some closet space so the weekend was spent condensing, sorting, tidying and saying good-bye to things we store but never need/want/look at (I posted some ads on kijiji over the weekend but also donated many items). The closet needed a good tidy anyway:

So shameful.

After we emptied the contents into the room (which was exceptionally awkward because I hadn't unpacked yet), we moved the closet shelving from the side to the back:

(We plan to switch the closet back when we go to sell the house, so ignore the holes and lack of trim)

We added a shortened bar and shelf for the teeniest bit of hanging storage, moved the ironing board holster to a different wall and got our "go-bags" off the floor by hanging two very high, sturdy hooks. Additional hooks tucked to the right of the shoe rack added purse storage.

With shelf (to left of shelving unit) added:

How I made the most of the space to accommodate the treadmill:

I de-cluttered, selling and donating what we have moved from home to home only to store
I sorted & condensed what I kept, labeling boxes and bins so I know what's where
I made use of vertical space, prioritizing shelving over hanging space & adding lots of hooks
I hung the ironing board & iron (something I did before, too)
I made use of nooks I hadn't thought to use before (like to the right of the shoes - perfect for more purses!)

And now the treadmill can fit into the closet. It's not something we could do every day (it's mildly dangerous) but here's Hubby valiantly putting the treadmill into the closet to demonstrate. It needs to be tilted to rock onto it's wheels and then awkwardly rolled into place, with Hubby balancing the weight. It's especially hard to set it down because it wants to just thunk down (on our DIY hardwood floors - yikes). But, it's doable. They sure do gloss over this bit in the video for this treadmill though.

Check out the magic show:

Best part:

And no guest will know it's in there, unless they go snooping.

It sure is a beast, though. It weighs 200 lbs. and I thought we were going to die bringing it up the stairs. How many calories did I burn hauling it up the stairs with Hubby, I wonder?

Do you have any fitness plans for 2012? What are your tricks for getting your fitness plan to fit your life and your home?

Box Up Those Feelings

2012-01-20T10:07:00.001-05:00

The blogosphere is buzzing with storage and organizational ideas, which is making me feel exceptionally deficient because this is what my house looks like right now (this is just a sliver of the mess):

I have tackled one teeny tiny project, though (and I'm hoping it will result in a snowball effect).

Hubby leaves me the sweetest notes and I find them in random places. When I went to Hungary for a month he hid notes in my glasses case, my toiletries case - everywhere, and they would flutter out of a hiding spot when I needed them most. I have saved all of these notes, along with a whack of other sentimental things like ticket stubs from movies we've seen. But I chose the ugliest box to store them in:

A recent note from Hubby

Finally, I decided I should spring for something prettier. We've been together for more than 10 years and married for 3 years, so I figured I could invest $14.99 in a pretty box to store these mementos.

I bought the box at HomeSense and I could have made one (like the fabric covered box we used to collect cards at our wedding) . . .

I covered a printer paper box with fabric & ribbon for our wedding.

. . . but the store-bought one has a zipper and the fabric is just so pretty. Plus I had a gift card.

Pretty

Albeit, this project was small. It took only a few minutes to sort through the contents and transfer them to the new box, but I figure I have to start somewhere. This weekend I will be working on the larger mess. Check back next week to see how I deal with and organize the mess (there's my motivation). I promise to have a couple neat ideas. More importantly, you won't believe what I'm planning on storing in the guest room closet. I'll give you a hint: it weighs 200 pounds!!!

P.S. When do you decide to BIY (buy it yourself) as opposed to DIY?

My Recent Buy-a-thon

2012-01-19T09:09:00.000-05:00

I'll admit it: I shopped when I was across the border, so this post is about stuff. Stuff stuff stuff. Because Hubby & I don't buy each other gifts - ever - we are able to set aside a little money to treat ourselves to something nice every once in awhile.

I think I must have been inspired by the vintage magazines we found in our holiday rental because I splurged on a brightly hued soft-as-lamb Marimekko wool blanket on our trip to Finn Style. It is such a bold, cheery (kinda retro) colour - and it was on sale! Our house can be chilly, so I'm looking forward to curling up with my new blanket, and a homemade latte, on the sofa. But it also looks good on our bed . . .

I had another blanket that my grandma crocheted tossed on the bed prior to the arrival of the Marimekko blanket. One will live downstairs by the sofa, and the other in the bedroom because I am too lazy to move a blanket around as I need it. It also feel too much like something a toddler would do.

If the pink one stays, I think the paintings (which I have been dying to tweak) need some brightening up. See my horrible rendering below.

One thing to note about the blanket is that it shed a bit of pink fuzz. Bah! So I washed it with my Eucalan, line dried it and now it seems to shed less and less. That's why it's a bit wrinkly in the photos: it's already been through the wringer.

I also scored this Marimekko dress - the same one in the Lucky article that drew me to the store. It was 80% off and covers my skull-crushing knees. Happy dance. I was going to picture it actually on me, but no one needs to see my winter-hairy legs. I'll show you in the summer.

The Lucky article. Spot the dress? Top right, inside the red box.

At T.J. Maxx I bought this Dooney & Bourke purse for a song. I don't normally go ga-ga for brands but I have been burned by random-brand leather handbags from Winner's. I spent so much money having a particularly annoying leather bag fixed that now I only buy labels I trust. In real life, this purse is a gorgeous chalky grey with a hint of purple, trimmed in a lovely shade of purple-ly/plum (Hubby hates when I start naming colours this way).

That's my haul! Lucky for me, Hubby only bought some teeny-tiny-tool-a-ma-bob so there was plenty of space in his suitcase for my finds.

Did you make any fabulous post-holidays purchases? Were there good sales in your city?

Drinks Dans le Townhouse: DIY London Fog

2012-01-18T09:46:00.001-05:00

I am going to start adding a few recipes here and there for Dinner, Dessert & Drinks Dans le Townhouse. Some will be recipes we've tested and others will be ones we've created, but all of them will be tasty and easy-peasy because Hubby & I don't tend to linger in the kitchen. When we want food (or dessert, yum), we want it now.

Sound good?

It is brrrr cold in the townhouse today so I'm warming up with a London Fog, also known as a Tea Latte. I am hoping this warm, slightly caffeinated drink will pep me up because I need to be mighty productive today. I have felt two steps behind since we rang in 2012. Anyone else feel behind in their work?

Well, let me help distract you. Want to make one of these foamy concoctions for yourself?

Ingredients (per latte):

1. 1 cup of soy (or milk, if you prefer)
2. A smidge of vanilla extract (have any left from my DIY room fragrance recipe?)
3. 1 tablespoon of loose leaf cream earl grey tea
4. Pinch of sugar (unless your soy/milk is already sweetened)

Supplies:

5. Large spouted microwave safe pitcher/multi-cup measure
6. Tea ball or paper tea filters (I prefer the latter)
7. Microwave
8. Milk frother (mine was $9.99 from a local shop)

Countdown to Latte:

1. Heat the soy or milk for 1-2 minutes (microwaves vary)
2. Steep the tea in the soy for approximately 2-3 minutes
3. Squeeze the tea bag with a spoon to get every drop out
4. Add a pinch of sugar and a dash of vanilla
5. Froth milk for 30 seconds (your cup measure should be larger than your portion of soy because frothing is a bit messy)

6. Pour the latte into your mug, curl up under a blanket, and enjoy

For you folks who don't work from home (I can't imagine it - I have to be pried kicking and screaming from the townhouse on the two days I have to go in to work), enjoy this latte on the run because it tastes just as delicious in a re-usable travel mug.

A Note on Ingredients:

Why Do I Drink Soy?

I used to drink milk but stopped years ago because being diary-free alleviated my allergies. But cheese is so delicious that I eventually got back on the dairy train. Even though I started eating cheese and yoghurt again, I found I couldn't drink milk anymore because, after years without it, it tasted too filmy. Blech. So I drink soy by choice. I used to buy So Good but then I spotted Natur-a organic soy at Costco and the price was so fantastic that I switched brands. It tastes great, especially in cereal, but needs a dash of sugar for drinks like this. I really like the fact that it is organic and can just be stored in the basement until it's opened which means we are never dashing to the store because we're out of soy. We always have it "in stock".

Loose Leaf Tea Seems Like a Hassle.

Years ago I worked in a tea shop and got hooked on loose leaf tea. It takes a bit more fussing, but the tea tastes so phenomenal I think it's worth the effort. Using a tea filter is much easier than a tea ball (which often lets tea leaves escape) and it has the added benefit of allowing you to pre-make a few bags at a time for transport or just ease-of-use.

If you haven't tried it, check out a local tea store - many offer small samples.

DIY Felt Earrings Spotted on Joy Ever After

2012-01-17T09:29:00.000-05:00

I spotted these DIY felt earrings on Joy Ever After and had to share (My Pinterest account be damned. I still like sharing inspiration on the old blog too).

I think it's the fabulous colour combo that grabbed me first, but I also love how inspiringly simple they are to make. I'm going to flag this as a project to tackle after another project I've tried has gone to pot. I think this will be a "feel good about my crafty self" project. You like? Click here for the how-to.

Joy Ever After

1960s Magazine Eye Candy

2012-01-16T10:46:00.000-05:00

Over the holidays, when we took a break from looking at this view . . .

. . . Mom & I could be found rummaging about in our oh-so-random vacation rental (see this post for even more photos of the home).

Because of our rummage-y efforts, we stumbled across two vintage home magazines from the 1960s and had a blast flipping through them.

My-oh-my, there sure were a lot of ads for paneling.