Keeping busy

Prepping walls for painting is not my idea of fun but that is what I have been doing for the past few nights after work.





This morning after stopping at some yard sales (the first of the season around here, yeah!) I waited for the local Benjamin Moore store to open and picked up my paint for our living room. After three months of indecision, I have finally jumped in and picked a colour. Or not.





Now the next part begins. Painting the walls and trim. The trim that wasn't painted when the floors were installed over 4 years ago!
I'm sheduled for kidney surgery in just over a week and will be unable to work on any large diy projects for a bit, so I really want to get this room painted this weekend. The surgery is similar to one I had several years ago so I'm not worried at all, and is for my kidney stone problem. Hoping you are enjoying your weekend!

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Keeping busy

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Go and Do sign

Hopefully this will remind me to not waste time, and to instead tackle my huge to-do list.  



I was so pleased to receive Kantan Designs "Go and Do" poster that I won from Cassie at Primitive and Proper. The problem is that I received it in the fall, and I just framed it last week. It looked good unframed on a shelf in my hobby room, but I think it looks much better framed. Now to rearrange some photos in the family room to make it fit. Thanks Cassie!

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Go and Do sign

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Happy Easter

Happy Easter!





We are hosting family for dinner today, and I made lemon meringue pies and confetti squares for dessert. Yum!


I've made meringue for years, but my new Kitchenaid mixer made it super easy this year.



A little Easter vignette with my bunnies and some candles in pretty Easter colours from a friend from work.




Some cute Easter dishes for my birthday from another work friend.





Wishing you the peace of Christ and a wonderful Easter weekend.

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Happy Easter

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Happy Easter Bunnies

We came home from Good Friday Children's Celebration of the Lord's Passion today to find the bunnies enjoying a nice sunny day.



There are eight of them and they are getting quite big and keeping mom busy.



This week Calli (aka mom) took them one by one to the water bottles and j-feeder to show them how to eat on their own. Weaning time is very close.



They hardly blink when Remington barks, but scurry into the nest box at the sound of a passing motorcycle or unfamiliar dog barking.



As soon as the sound passes they pop out one by one.



Then all eight are back once again.



Climbing over mom is all part of a normal day.


Wishing you a wonderful Easter Weekend.



I"m linking to SNS at Funky Junk Interiors.

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Happy Easter Bunnies

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Tea Set

My friend gave me this gorgeous tea set for my 46th birthday this past week. 





I love the brown-black paired with the aqua, totally my colours!



  
I adore the aqua glazed lids on the tea pot and sugar bowl and the matching glazed interior of the creamer ~so very pretty! I also love the beaded detail that circles each piece.





I am blessed to have a friend and co-worker of many years, who knows me so well. Yeah, and the 46 years feels way more like 32. Wherever does the time go?

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Tea Set

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Dishmat

On the March Break we went to Mennonite country, Elmira and St. Jacobs Ontario, and I picked up some really thick white hand towels. I had a project in mind at the time.




Deb at Homespun Living shared her dishmat with a link to the tutorial and I knew I wanted to make some for both our home and my sister's home. Dish drainers are fine sometimes, but often we use tea towels on the counter when we wash large plastic containers, glass serving bowls or lunch containers -stuff that just doesn't fit well in a standard dish drainer. I used the fluffy hand towel on one side and a tea towel on the other side. It is really absorbent and super easy to throw in the wash. I love easy sew projects and plan to make more!



I'm sharing this with Air Your Laundry Friday Textile Party at Freckled Laundry.

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Dishmat

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Our Beverage Center

We have a section of counter between our fridge and stove that I decided to use as a beverage center.





My friend made this chunky wood tray and it is the perfect spot to corral the items we use frequently for tea, hot chocolate and my lemon water. We don't keep our coffee maker on the counter because hubby's preferred drink is Diet Coke and I'm more of a tea and hot chocolate drinker. And lemon water. I have to drink lots and lots of lemon water, all day, every day.





Having our beverage essentials all in one spot makes drink prep so much easier. I can quickly open the fridge for ice water and lemon juice and sweeten it all in one area. I use mason jars to store tea bags and hot chocolate. The little honey pot is a gift from a friend and I picked up the cinnamon candle at a little gift shop today.





 A vintage bowl from England holds Sugar Twin packets.





The glass straw dispenser, toothpick holder, and sugar dispenser were found at Home Outfitters. It may not be a fancy espresso center, but we don't drink espresso and this sure works for us! Do you group similar items for convenience?



I always look forward to the weekend, and one reason is because I love visiting all the great link ups at SNS/Funky Junk Interiors. See you there!

I'm also joining the VIP party at Designer Garden.

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Our Beverage Center

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More Bunny Photos

After a thunderstorm this Sunday morning, we ended up having a beautiful sunny day and the bunnies were very active.





There are eight in total and they enjoy hanging out in the nesting box.




It is fun watching them run in and out of the nesting box. They really seem to be enjoying the sunshine and warmer weather.





The kits ears, nose and tails will gradually change from grey to black like Mom and Dad's. Their eyes will remain red. This is Mom, Calli, below.











I hope you are enjoying your Sunday!

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More Bunny Photos

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Barn Photos in the Kitchen

I have been working on being more intentional in the art and accessories I choose for our home.
     




We have been busy decluttering and donating many items that don't have special meaning or the feel we want for our home. Stuff I was given or picked up at yard sales but really just ends up being clutter.  At the same time I am working on adding accessories and art that fits 'us' and that reflect our roots, history and interests.





After adding the board and batten to our kitchen/family room wall, I decided that the long wall needed some artwork for interest. I ordered 8 x 10 enlargements of four photos I took last summer at a family member's farm. This farm in Grey-Bruce, Ontario is my husband and boy's favourite place to visit.





I'm not a professional photographer and I'm still working on figuring out my camera (hence the blurry top photo) so these photos are far from perfect but they are exactly what I envisioned for this space. They actually look way better in real life.





The gate has perfect layers of red and rusty chippiness. The barn is beautifully weathered black with the most gorgeous blue sky. I took a risk and tried my hand at photography and I'm really glad I did.





Most importantly, these prints make us smile as we spend time in our kitchen. In a way that mass produced art couldn't. Have you taken any risks to make your home more 'you'?


Cost breakdown:
2 x 3pack of frames on sale at Michaels for $11.99 x2
4 mats for $4.99 x 4
enlargements of my photos on sale $1.99 x4



I'm sharing my new artwork with SNS at Funky Junk Interiors.



I'm also joining Frugal Friday at the Shabby Nest. There are over 400 links so be sure to stop by.

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Barn Photos in the Kitchen

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Poppies at Play ~Home Tour

  Welcome to our home. I'm joining the 2nd annual Parade of Homes at Poppies at Play.





We live in southern Ontario, Canada in a home of 1900 sq.ft. plus approximately 600 sq.ft. of finished basement. It is a builder home in a small town subdivision and we are the original owners. We are working on making it reflect our family and our casual lifestyle, on a budget. Our home and decorating is a work in progress. Since we have many projects on the go unfinished  I decided to share rooms on our main floor. I hope you enjoy the photos (there are certainly lots!):

Our kitchen is a work in progress (HA! most of our home is!). We are adding board and batten for some architectural interest. The colour of our kitchen, family room, hallway and entry is Stone House by Benjamin Moore CC 120.



I am searching for a large pine buffet and hutch but we are using shelving in the meantime to store extra small appliances etc.













Our family room shares a cathedral ceiling and skylights with the eat in area of the kitchen. I bought an IKEA couch slipcover and it fit fairly well on our non-IKEA sofa. I sewed the other slipcovers.






Our living room has been emptied and is being prepped for painting. Still working out a plan for this room, so stuff is just sort of piled about.











We love the Mennonite furniture and simple white fabrics and dishes in our dining room. I collect vintage linens, especially crocheted pieces, and store them folded on top of the hutch, and in a dish inside. 














Our front porch changes with the seasons, but this is a simple summer look.






Our backyard and patio is not very large, but we love having space for dining, relaxing and gardening. There's even room for bunnies and our puppy!


























Until very very recently our yard has looked more like this, though.





But, we are enjoying a nice warm weekend with no snow left! Hopefully it will last.
I hope you enjoyed the tour and I would love for you to comment. I hope to 'see' you at Andy's Parade of Homes party at Poppies at Play.

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Poppies at Play ~Home Tour

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