Customized Topographic Moving Announcements with Coordinates

I just wanted to say a heartfelt "thank you" to the readers who nominated this blog for Apartment Therapy's Homies.  I am truly touched, especially in light of the fact that I really left you hanging with the lakehouse during the fall, and things have only just picked up again. 

To carve out more time, I offloaded the task of notifying our friends and family of our move to my pal Erica, of Wicked Bride.  She tweaked the design of her own moving announcement (adding orange text for Hubby, plus our cell phone numbers) and sent me customized moving announcements, complete with our actual coordinates!  It took two seconds to slip them each into an envelope, scrawl on an address, and mail them away to the folks left totally in the dark about our whereabouts.  It could not have been easier. 

It would have been even easier had Szuka not found my roll of stick-on stamps and eaten $10 worth before gumming another $15.  My Mom's consoling words as I tried to salvage some of the drier ones: "be thankful they aren't the kind you have to lick".
  

This is obviously not our contact information, but you get the idea. 

If you'd like your own announcements, you can order these printable topographic moving announcements in Erica's Wicked Bride Etsy shop (she also has printing options). 

Lake House Living Room Progress!

After painting the walls, trim, and ceiling white, painting the gold fireplace vents and door matte black, painting the faux stone and sauna wood a deep charcoal grey, and adding a chic new ceiling fan, the living room became a beautiful blank canvas.  Now it boasts furniture and artwork!

I've been keeping a secret: before we left Ottawa - I'm talking literally right before - I bought a mid-century sectional sofa.  We actually picked it up with our U-Haul an hour before we began loading our stuff.  I checked its measurements against our floor plan and it should fit nicely but I'd like the opportunity to actually haul it in here and see, before I invest time and money in having it professionally reupholstered.  It's in rough shape, but at its core it's a beauty.  I'll show you photos soon but it's currently in pieces, each perched on their side, in the garage. 

In the meantime, every piece here is from the townhouse.  The teal velvet garbage chair, refusing to photograph true to life as always, is a welcome burst of colour below Hubby's grandpa's painting.  We're still using our handy Ikea Besta wall unit for our television and my McCoy pottery collection.

Our second-hand cream leather sofa made the 1500km journey unscathed, thanks to our plastic wrapping prowess.  It's looking a little bland, so I'm planning to rook my Mom into helping me sew some teal velvet cushions, and maybe even add a bold pattern.  As planned, Hubby's desk chair has been re-purposed as an occasional chair in the living room.  I still think black was a practical choice, but I can't help but wish I'd picked something a little less "safe" because this living room, with it's large windows and tons of natural light, can pull off bold colours with ease.

Hubby & I hung the hundred year old Lake Superior postcards (they were hung in the stairwell in the townhouse) on either side of the fireplace.  It's incredibly lucky I found a couple more at the Ottawa Antique Show to round out my set so I had an even eight.  Placement was tricky because of the paneling behind - I wanted the panels spaced evenly behind the floating frames.  It was do-able, but it dictated the spacing between the frames.

I acquired some large rocks from a family member and set them haphazardly on the fireplace mantle awhile ago, just so they were out of the way.  In the unpacking process I added some rocks from my collection so they'd all be together while I figured out where to put them.  They are still there and, with most of my decorative wares still packed, I'm happy for a little sparkle.  We'll call this "decorating the mantle" for now.

The living room has come a long way, but it's still got a long way to go.  In the immediate future I'd love to add a much-needed lamp, more decor pieces, maybe a DIY sofa table, brighter cushions, plus a stylish DIY dog bed for Szuka.  Then I'd love to makeover that vintage sectional, build a new ottoman, and, eventually, totally re-do the fireplace and rearrange the floor plans.  Anything in the living room is subject to change, but for now it's nice to have an area of the house that beckons us to put up our feet after a long day.

Here's a quick reminder of how it looked before, with photos taken during our showing and also snagged from the real estate listing (the previous owners swapped out and shuffled some furniture):

And now:

Read more »

A Budget-Friendly Bathroom Makeover Using Paint

Last time you saw the main bathroom, it had already been given a top-to-bottom spruce.  With the help of Rustoleum I had refinished the oak cabinetry a warm grey, hidden the dated tile behind a more subtle finish, and painted the gold hardware and light fixture matte black with leftover paint.  Thanks to Canadian Tire, bright white paint on the walls and ceiling made the formerly pink walls a distant memory.  An inexpensive light fixture and a small band-aid repair to the flooring made the room feel newer.  Now I've added some art and accessories!  A full renovation is still imminent although maybe not as soon as we'd like, so I'm happy I took the time to give this room a little attention.

The very first thing I did when we moved in was add a huge piece of art.  I thought my black and white painting would be perfect, and it just fit.  It grabs my eye and helps me forget about the shower portal. 

The other piece of art is a gift from a townhouse neighbor, a talented Ottawa photojournalist, who took this photo in Holland and had it printed on canvas.  She and her Hubby (plus their three lovely children) were the only people we got to know in the neighbourhood.  They moved shortly before we did and we were really sad when they left.  I had originally wanted to paint something for this spot, but the colours in the photo just work so beautifully in the room.  The circular windows reminded me of the white and turquoise polka dot towels we had in the guest half bath, so I decided the lakehouse will be a BYOT (bring your own towel). 

The chrome double towel bar is from PlumberSurplus.com, who generously provided this Danze towel bar, and a matching towel ring for the half bathroom, for review.  After growing so reliant on the convenience of our double towel bar in the townhouse, I searched high and low for the same idea but with a mid-century feel.  This one happened to be exactly what I envisioned, because it pairs so well with the door levers.  I'm trying to make thoughtful choices in the lakehouse, not choose things willy-nilly like I've done before.

On the bathroom counter I'm using a beautiful vintage tray my stylish friend Erica mailed me.  It was seriously fun to get something this pretty in the mail!  It's the perfect hue atop the minty counters.  I know they aren't cool (Jenny's look the same, and they were swiftly covered with concrete), but they're cheery.  I am partial to mint with grey.  A clock is a must for me because I can seriously lose track of time trying to wrestle my fine hair into some semblance of fullness.

Much better!  The best part is, it was easy on the pocketbook.  I pretty much just painted everything - even the cabinet hardware!  Even when it came to adding some personality, I tried to use things I already had.

Here's a reminder of the before:

Disclosure: Special thanks to PlumberSurplus.com for providing my fabulous chrome towel bar.  It arrived carefully packaged and in perfect condition, exactly as described, which is always my biggest concern ordering online.  Any thoughts and opinions on the product and company are my own.

Read more »

Giveaway: Three Gallons of Free Paint, Anyone?

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.  THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED.  CLICK HERE TO SEE WHO WON!

Truthfully, other than picking up on some of the controversies surrounding Sochi's anti-LGBTQ policies, I haven't paid much attention to the Olympic Winter Games.  I've lived in a bubble, selfishly focused on the lakehouse.  Without television, I've whiled away my evenings painting.  Wait until you see how I've brightened the space so far!  With the Winter Games now in full swing, it seems some design enthusiasts are distracted from focusing on the sporting events and politics, and intrigued by the international inspiration that can be gleaned from the event.  Leading Canadian paint brand CIL® has great ideas for bringing colours from around the globe into our spaces here in Canada.  They've looked to the games as a way to pick up some gold-medal worthy design ideas! What a great time to introduce a watery blue palette inspired by the Mediterranean, or mod neutrals imported from Scandinavia. 

In the spirit of the games, how would you like a chance to win something?  Thanks to CIL, one of my Canadian readers is going to win 3 gallons of paint to makeover a room or two. 

Contest Rules:

This contest is only open to Canadians (sorry my non-Canadian friends, but CIL has been proudly Canadian since 1927).
The winner can pick any CIL colour and paint finish.  Literally anything your heart desires.  It won't be difficult to find your perfect colour - there are more than 1200.
Contest closes Sunday, February 23rd at 12pm EST.  Check back Monday the 24th to see if you'll spend a few days with paint in your hair, like me!

To Enter:

It's easy to enter, just leave a comment answering the question below:

Have you ever been inspired by a certain city or country when decorating your own space?  
  
If I were to answer, I might cheat and admit that I absolutely love the chic, Canadiana lodge look I've spotted more than once in Canadian House & Home magazine.  Think Hudson's Bay blankets, warm woods and creamy white walls.  I haven't tried the look yet, but maybe someday!

Bonus Entries (leave a comment for each):

Follow CIL on Facebook
Follow CIL on Twitter
Follow CIL on Pinterest
Share this giveaway with someone!

As always, anonymous entries are warmly welcomed - no Google account needed.  You don't need to leave your email info either, but just leave a first name and make sure that you check back Monday to see if you're the winner.  Without your contact info, I'll need you to shoot me a quick email to claim your prize!

Disclosure: I was approached by CIL to run a giveaway for my readers centered on the theme of the Winter Games.  I was more than happy to partner with a great Canadian company to connect you with a fab freebie.  These words are all my own.  I was not compensated in any way for running this giveaway, although I will be working with CIL in the future for a paint makeover of my own!  All photos and images are from CIL.ca.

Read more »

A Foolproof Way to Organize a Shoe Closet

Amid the chaos of painting, unpacking, and tearing apart the kitchen, it feels promising to open up a closet door and see orderliness.  I'd like the kind of closets where everything has a home.  I'm chipping away at that goal and the shoe closet is now completely organize - and I actually have room for more shoes!!  

Last time you saw it, the narrow closet by our front door had a fun coat of aqua paint, plus Hubby had cut simple white melamine shelves to fit the existing brackets.  But, um, the closet wasn't very functional:

In the townhouse we had a tall shoe rack but it wouldn't fit anywhere in the lakehouse.  In the coat closet (photos soon), we have our small shoe rack from Costco and this is where we keep the shoes and boots we're wearing regularly.

For out-of-season flats and fancy-pants heels, I picked up dozens of Sterilite shoe bins and went to town organizing my shoes.  I was able to double up some canvas flats, but a few really bulky runners wouldn't fit in the bins.

I don't miss the old shoe rack at all.  I can still see all of my shoes clearly, but everything lines up so neatly.  I can even grab a bin and toss it on the bed while I ponder an outfit, without worrying about getting dirt from the world all over my white bedding.  When I was a teen, I put photos of each pair of shoes on their shoe box in an effort to stay organized, but these clear bins make it so much easier!

I've read that shoes are supposed to "breathe" when stored, but if it becomes an issue I can easily drill holes in the back of all of the boxes for some air holes.  So far, no problems whatsoever!

Read more »

So, Dial Up Still Exists

It's only been a couple of weeks, but this city-mouse is beginning to adjust to country life.  Before, I found the lack of city lights and din of cars unnerving.  Now I find it more comforting than creepy.  Although town is only an hour away it feels further, and we try not to make the trek unnecessarily.  We plan "town runs," a marathon day of getting provisions and hitting the hardware store.  It makes me feel very Little House on the Prairie.  Solo town runs are a little less fun, because I'm still scared out of my gourd when it comes to the woods + nighttime.  If Hubs is at work and I'm on my own, I refuse to engage in any type of social activity that leads to my coming home in the dark.  I am The Omega Man, in before nightfall.  I open the door and let Szuka out for her nighttime pees, but you'll sooner see me dancing a jig, naked in a top hat at my high school reunion, than stepping a toe outside alone in the dark.

More frustrating than my totally irrational fear of the woods at night has been a lack of internet.  When our realtor and the lakehouse seller kept saying, "oh yeah, you'll get internet out here no problem," I didn't realize dial-up was still on the menu!  After considering various services (Satellite = reliable, not super zippy, outrageous $700+ start up costs; CDMA network = super affordable, really pokey; Dial-up = makes me cry) we went with a Roger's Rocket Hub, which runs through the 4G network.  It's not cheap ($75 a month for only 20GB, plus a $200 doohickey we had to buy), but not painfully slow either.  Frankly, the $700 was beginning to look reasonable after so many days offline.  But I'm back now, for good, and I have so many lakehouse updates to show you (it seems we're frighteningly productive without internet to lure us into indolence).

But first, I finally snagged my Mom's cellphone photos from our fox adventures in the fall. Oh my gosh.

These photos are super incriminating.  Hubby had one rule when I was working on the lakehouse in the fall: don't feed the wild animals.  I just want all of the forest dwellers to love me and save me from the zombies I know are out there, is that so unreasonable?

Read more »