My Green Family

Meet Debbie, Ling-Ling, Margie, Tilly & poor, sad (pretty much totally dead) Li Lu.

At my new place I have a plethora of windows. South facing, east facing, west facing and north facing! This was definitely a selling feature for me when I first walked in the door. Thank goodness I had a second set of eyes with me that day to watch for all the important things, because all I saw was windows.

I love windows.

And I knew this meant I would finally have a chance at succeeding at growing indoor plants. As opposed to killing them. Immediately. And with panache.

I bought Debbie first, on a whim and a sale at Target. I felt so sorry for all the little amaryllis bulbs sitting haphazardly on the shelf. They had been marked down, red-tagged, destined for the trash bin. But $10 for a bulb, a nice pot and some soil?! I can tell a good deal when I see one! I only wish I had bought Debbie a buddy, because she is growing like a champ!

Li Lu's original name was Charlie Chan, but not even a new moniker could save this gal. I bought her on a cold cold (read: fucking cold) night, and I think it was just too much. Please ignore my sad, dead plant photo.

Margie & Ling-Ling came home with me from Salisbury Greenhouses on the magical Family Day long weekend. They had been sending me emails and Facebook updates with photos of row upon row of succulents. Well, it was too much sales pressure for this little heart to handle. Deciding on only two to bring home with me was the hardest part.

OH MY GOSH I LOVE AIR PLANTS!! I thought they were only a designer item, destined to be forever front and centre on the Internet, but out of reach for me in the sticks. When I saw the fabulous display at Salisbury, I may have squealed and ran toward it with my hands flapping. They look like the final baddie in the first Hellboy movie! I was too excited to pick one, so BFF had to make the decision for me.

Tilly & David are getting along quite nicely.

I am enjoying this foray into Plant Parenthood so far. I have a lot more windows that need greening up though. I will need to set myself a monthly plant buying budget, because this could get dangerous.

Are you a green thumb or a black thumb?

Any tips for the Newbie Indoor Plant Enthusiast?

later loves

Garland DIY - Say Something!

So I found this website through Elise's blog, and I was intrigued. They have some nice decor and party DIYs. Well, they are really more about giving you an idea then the steps necessary to make that idea come to life. Take this garland for example. The "instructions" start out like so: "simply cut out letters from bright scrapbook paper". Thanks. Duh. Did you trace the letters from something? Draw them freehand? WHAT?! TELL ME HOW!!!

Sigh. Thank goodness I am a fucking crafting genius and can just figure it out on my own. I've made banners before. Loads of them. I got this.

You will need: Scissors, string/yarn/ribbon, cardstock, pen or pencil, tape/glue/stapler (aka something to attach something to something else)

Step One: After choosing your cardstock - you will need something fairly heavy for this - start writing your letters. Mine are about 5-6" tall cause I wanted a fucking huge banner. But make yours whatever size you're comfortable with. Oh, you'll have to have a phrase or word in mind as well. Unless random letters are your thing. "USHLKERZXQ" might look really good on your wall for all I know.

Note: Before we get too far into this, I'm going to go ahead and post a disclaimer that I am really unconcerned with the perfect-ness of this project! If you're real anal-pants you can print off a template from the computer, or use a cutting machine (Silhouette, Sizzix, etc.) to get your letters "just right". Barf, I don't have time for that. Maybe I'll use a ruler, and maybe not. I just want some damn giant letters!

Step Two: Cut out your letters.

Step Three: Maybe have a pee break or get up and walk around or something.

Step Four: Attach your letters to your string/yarn/ribbon. In order. Use whatever you want! Washi tape looks pretty, but a stapler is fast man! I used clear tape on the backs. I was feeling particularly lazy that night.

Step Five: Hang it on your wall or your mantle! Admire with pride! Have a drink...you deserve it!

Cost: $0
I had all this stuff already, and you probably do too!

Time: 1 hour-ish
This project took way less time than I anticipated. Way less. I almost wanted to delete the entire post I had written! Ha! With the damn chilly weather we've been having, I'm not getting to do any of my favourite outdoor winter activities, so I'll just have to make do with some crafting in fits and spurts!

The beauty with a craft like this is in it's simplicity. You got a pencil? Paper? Scissors? You know your alphabet? You got this too!

Best part of the whole project? When I pointed it out to Lucas, he looked super cheery and read it back to me: "Hashtag I Love Winter". My 8-year-old knows what a hashtag is. I can't tell if that's a parental fail, or parental winning.

I think "winning"...wink

later loves

Living Room Dreaming

With some Lego thrown in for good measure.
What are you dreaming about lately?

later loves 

Home Dreaming...

I woke up one morning with a "University dream" on my mind. I have these dreams all the damn time, usually when I am feeling stressed in my life or when things get out of my control. They always involve the same themes: I don't know my schedule, I haven't been to class in four months and I show up on final exam day, or I show up only to find that the paper that is worth 95% of my mark is due tomorrow. Stuff like that. Never naked stuff!

But I have been doing some dreaming of a different sort lately. Hopeful dreaming, because that's the most fun kind when things look darkest.

And it's only a couple of steps before a dream becomes a plan...

Any dreamers out there?

later loves

Builder's Beige

My whole house is "builder's beige"....from 1978! You can tell that we didn't get the best of the best materials when they were putting together these units. In fact, sometimes it feels like we got the stuff that fell off the truck! HA! I joke, but seriously, it's an issue. Thank heavens we own the place and can make our mark on it in whatever (condo board approved) way we wish.

And since my bathroom renovations have stalled right out, I got it in my head one night that I needed to paint the fireplace. So I did...

Before...now that I have seen the after I cannot believe I tolerated this monstrosity for so long! HA!

During...why yes, that is my sweet ass in that photo. Looking good!

The finished product!

Isn't it lovely? It helps that I tidied up as well. And re-decorated the mantle. And bought some new pillows...

My little house on the prairie is starting to come together quite nicely! And to think, we've only lived here for 7 years. Geeze louise! And one of these days that fireplace is going bye-bye, as we never use it and we throw money at it to get inspected every year (even though we never use it....) We have a super tiny living room, and that is space we could really use. One day...just add it to the list!

later loves

UPDATED! February (Bathroom Reno) Goals

I want to spend the next month focusing on my bathroom renovations that have totally stalled right out! It I make my goals specific enough, I think I can "git er done".

#1. Go to Tile World and pick out the tile for the floor, and then buy it!

#2. Write up a "timeline" of the order in which things need to happen, and a list of purchases to make (sink, cabinet, plumbing stuff, etc.).

#3. Put the white shelving unit on Kijiji and get it out of my house!

And since I always make FOUR goals for myself every month...
#4. Umm....do it?! No wait. HAVE PEOPLE OVER FOR DINNER! Yes. That one is more fun, aka better. And that will give me even more incentive to get the task done...if there is a guarantee that the general public will see if before the month is out!

These are all good starter steps for me, to get me moving forward. They are small tasks, and totally working with the "do-able" theme, yet important enough that if they don't happen, the reno won't happen either!

If you are like me when it comes to setting goals that seem to lofty and too "large", and therefore never ever get done, start small, and start do-able. Break apart the final outcome in many small achievable steps and set yourself deadlines for each step. Every check on your list means you're closer to your goal, but not overwhelmed by the enormity of the goal itself!

UPDATED: And since I just love Nicole (and was planning on doing this anyway) I thought I would share a before picture of the offending bathroom...

Obviously I need to do some cleaning first....that target doesn't belong there...wink! But the Scientific American is there to stay!

later loves

Best Friend Favour

I have this wall in my dining room that has been bugging me, design-wise, since we moved in. There have been many different storage and display "solutions" to grace this space. Dark burgundy bookshelves, a white pantry, one lonely LACK shelf. And some days it was just covered in pictures and paintings so I wouldn't have to really deal with it.

Ultimately, I was worried that whatever I put up there, no matter how permanent or temporary, I would end up hating it sooner or later. Cause that's how I roll! My "design sensibilities" are ever-changing. I knew I would need something super simple and easy to install, cheap, and easy to move (when we move) or just leave behind.

I have been seeing these simple (simple) bracket shelves in magazines and on the Internet lately. And I had a flash of inspiration, and confidence! This was it!! It fit the bill, and was just industrial enough and bare bones enough to work and (maybe, potentially) not make me hate it in a month! And I could put all my books on it. All of them. And I love books as decor. Much more than decor as decor.

And now for the installation............which was obviously going to require some sort of skill. i.e. more skill than I have when it comes to hanging things! Also, a second pair of hands might be helpful.

And so I asked BFF for a favour.

This was a big deal for me. I don't ask for favours. I don't ask for anything. I like to keep to myself, and just figure it out and muddle through...yeah...there are other issues there that I won't get into today. All that you need to know is that he said yes! And we made a shelf-install date.

Did I mention he's a carpenter?

I got to use his fancy (professional, expensive) drill. And I didn't swear or make any extra holes in the wall then necessary...well...maybe a couple. Ha! And it didn't even take that long. And he had a much better solution for the actual shelves part than I had! And I was so happy after he left, I just sat and stared at my lovely, straight, solid & sturdy brackets. Sigh...a thing of beauty is a joy forever.

Did I mention he's awesome?

So I spent the rest of that Saturday (many Saturdays ago) driving around town looking for 1x8x10 boards that I could paint. Thanks to the lovely young gentleman at Totem who helped me out, then proceeded to cut each board by hand down to my specified 9 feet. And then carried the boards to the cashier, and then just kept carrying them out the door to the truck! Sigh....sometimes it doesn't hurt to be a cute girl!

And then I got to some painting....with help from the Dude! He was so cute, and messy. Hey BFF, I guess I found me a stud after all!

(wow this is turning in to a long post...)

And then many weeks went by...or maybe just two. And the shelves sat in Mom's garage waiting for the perfect moment to come home. Re: I needed someone with a saw to come to my house and cut them all to fit cause I just knew they would be too long.

Thank goodness I have other handymen in my life...Heath. The day before my birthday Mom & her sweet sweet husband came over with the saw. Russ measured and marked, Heath cut, and my shelves made their way in to place.

And then I immediately started filling them up with my books!

This whole project was definitely a group effort but so very worth it.

(here it is a week later, still a mess work in progress, but I still love them!)

later loves

p.s. I seemed to have conquered a little bit of the anxiety and panic that comes with having people in my house, even if it was "only" BFF. But that's a whole other post!

Inspired To DO

I sometimes hate reading blog posts done by people who are obviously way more organized and productive than me! But sometimes, also, I love it. It's a fine line I walk.

I have been really inspired by Elise Blaha lately, especially with her most recent series about the art on her walls. I know, right...sounds kind of boring. But it totally wasn't!

So in my eternally-procrastinating-cleaning-my-studio mood the other day, I put photos in frames and hung them up around the house. Ooh la la.

I also framed some "art"...meaning what, exactly!? Well, I cut down this inspirational quote that my sweetie Kara sent me ages ago, and I cut down some stamped paper I just bought at TM (gosh this stuff is pretty). Good thing I had a box of frames waiting to be used. Oh my...I emptied a box of stuff in my studio!! THAT COUNTS IN THE CLEAN UP COLUMN!! Woop!

And since - apparently - my wall art is all about being inspired by my friends, I had to include this quote that my BFF texted me back in April. This was a big-deal text because up until that point, I was always the first-texter. And then one Thursday night, when I was feeling really down in the dumps, I heard the familiar "myrum" on my phone and read this lovely quote: "Dinosaurs are extinct today because they lacked opposable thumbs and the brainpower to build a space program." Ah yes. Made my night.

And having these happy reminders of the wonderful people that fill my life, adorning my walls makes me smile more than you could imagine.

Not happy is me seeing how caught up Mrs Blaha Cripe is on her Project Life...argh! More on my epic Project Life FAIL coming up on the blog.

later loves

Simple & Lovely, Makes Me Smile

I like having simple reminders of awesomeness up in my house. So when I turn a corner, or come home from work, I have a visual cue to make me stop and be grateful for something wonderful in my life!

This first spread is what I see when I walk in my front door! A picture of Lucas when he was just a little toddling thing. And the smaller photo is of my sister and her husband back when they were dating...in high school!

This next one is my DR wall. You may remember when I posted the changes to this wall. Well, after all of that, I decided to add some photos to the frames. I have lots of instant photos that I haven't scrapbooked, and maybe never will. But they look pretty awesome up on my wall.

And this last one is just across from the Green Wall. I bought this IKEA frame after drooling over it for a good year or so. I didn't want to bust out the glass to make it a proper message board, so I attach my photos with sticky tack or tape. This is where my love notes from Kara go as well!

See how easy it is to add a visually and emotionally pleasing space in your home! If you're not keen on displaying photos and love notes for the world to see, here is a super simple DIY for you to help add a sweet smile to your day every time you turn on your computer!

I made a super simple collage using Paint.Net to serve as my desktop background. Create a new file, then add some Instagrams or other digital photos to it. Vary the size of the photos to make things a little more interesting. You can easily change this up every month or so, depending on when the inspiration hits. I LOVE my background, and I smile every time I turn on the laptop and see this simple reminder of good times with my best friends!

later loves

My Instagram Display

While I might not be the most energetic of Instagrammers, I have taken my fair share. And I have thinking, loosely, about ways I can display them at home. I tried to include some in my December Daily, but as that was pretty much a "crash and burn" exercise, I was hoping to make a more successful attempt!

Since Instagram is so popular with the "hipsters" there are lots of ideas for creative displays to be found online. There were lots of neat ideas, and I almost couldn't make up my mind...

image one, image two, image three

...but then I did. And here is what I made!

Wanna see how?

First you've got to print them! I always email myself my photos, and then I save them on the computer in my Instagram folder. I'm sure there is a fancy iPhone way to do this, but I'm giving you the low-tech Lisa lowdown!

Now you're going to insert them in to a Word document. It is literally as simple as that!

And you can re-size everything right in Word. Like I said, I'm sure there is some fancy Photoshop way to do all of this, but I like my solutions cheap and quick! And easy, don't forget easy.

Now, you're going to need to print those sheets, and then cut out the pictures. No need for me to photograph this step...I hope!

Then I just glued the photos on to the paper in a giant frame I already had on hand. I got that idea from this post of Talia's. Clever girl, she is...

I used some of that sticky tack stuff on the photos. The glass pane in the frame will help keep my photos in place, and if I still want to use the print on the other side I can. Remember, it's all about re-using things in this house!

I felt the space above my fireplace needed something large and full of awesome. And what's more awesome than photos of things that I lurve?

I hope this gives you some good ideas on displaying your Instagrams, if you've jumped on that bandwagon!

P.S. Just as I had my "Month of Minis" for January, I think February will be the month for crafts and DIY projects around the house. This is number one!

Dining Room Re-Do

I was getting kind of tired of the art wall on my Green DR wall. I mean, how many art walls can one main floor have? So I gave the green a refresher, got rid of the treasure-map inspired paint, and pulled out my collection of vintage wooden frames.

Before...

After...

 

 

All of the frames, cake pans, and the giant "silverware" are thrifted! I have been saving these guys for what seems like forever, for just the right project. When I was a Goodwill a month ago, I found a stack of metal cake pans that were the most fabulous colours! I went back the next day and bought them, and the whole design formed in my head as I was driving home!

I might add some pretty paper or fabric to the frames, but for now I really like the simplicity of it! Plus, it's vintage & quirky, which I guess makes it "kitschy", which I am totally okay with!

today I...

- Started the massive task of cleaning up my Studio. I had to move everything over to one side so we could have the furnace and ducts cleaned on Wednesday. I figure that before I put everything back to how it was, I might try and tackle some of the random clutter that has taken over my space!

- Received some Fun Mail from the UK! Thanks to Ginger for organizing this exchange again.

- Went on a lunch date with my husband to Mucho Burrito!

- Am getting ready to go assist at a Worm Bin Presentation at Lucas' school (not in his class though!)

- Finalized my Halloween costume, and found 90% of what I needed for it at Value Village! Here's a tip: always pull the wig out of the bag before you buy it!! Does this look like a cute 50s Flip with Bangs to you!?!?!

p.s. Jill, that Power Pout is for you!!

Bedroom Re-Do

So if any of you read this blog on a regular basis, or know me as a person at all, this next piece of information will come as no surprise...I start a lot of projects. You will also then not be surprised to hear that I don't actually finish a lot of projects! it's sort of a joke...if I had a nickel for every unfinished project in my house...For instance, I really don't think the Bathroom Reno is going to happen anytime soon (insert sad face). There is just too much hard work to do, like plumbing inside the wall, flooring, tiling, etc. These are things that I cannot do by myself.

But in my bedroom...

So I have been dreaming about my bedroom re-do for a long time now. I have (thankfully) learned not to jump right in and start buying stuff when I get an idea for something because I get bored with things easily and am constantly changing my mind.

First I wanted things to be fuschia and teal (based on the print below, which I already own) and then I remembered that for the most part I can't stand those colours in home decor. Oh my...already off to a bad start.

Now I'm thinking of just sticking with the colours in my duvet cover - turquoise, yellow, red, grey, all very muted - which I actually really love, paint the walls, move some furniture around and get rid of everything on the wall above my bed and start fresh there.

Here is a sketch I did with some ideas...um...wait. I can't find it. I started writing up this post ages and ages ago, so I have since misplaced that sketch...of course. It was good though, I promise! I'll have to see if I can get another one going.

I'm trying to go for a "quirky vintage" look. Lots of colour and patterns, but muted. And lots of old wood and roughed-up surfaces.

And here is a wall decal that I totally won through Kara's blog!! It's going up there as well.

I've also been trolling Etsy, looking for smaller prints I can include on that wall. So far I have a hefty list:

The Robin is from Berkley Illustration. If you like animals dressed in people clothes, you will love this group!

 The next two are prints by Michele Maule. I love everything she does.

Another Portland print coming up...I kind of love that city. And another favourite artist: Stephanie Levy

And this last one (last, I promise) is from another Etsy artist that I admire: Yellena.

There are a lot of amazing artists on Etsy...it will be hard to narrow this list down to a manageable group! And I will have to add something from the Black Apple, because Emily is probably my favourite out of all of them. But choosing one I think will be an impossible task!!

Image sources: Ditto on the Love, Home, Hello I Love You, Robin, You & Me, Portland bridge, Portland collage, Vessel

Adding all this new art into my space, means I'll be needing to get rid of some of the old pieces...
For Sale:
#1. Framed photo of the Coliseum in Rome. There is a small tear in the poster, but is mostly hidden by the frame. It measures " by " in total, no glass so it's fairly light, and is such a beautiful piece and I wish I didn't have to part with it. Plus I spent a butt-load on the darn frame from Michael's only a couple of years ago...

#2. Large frame print of the Grand canal in Venice. I think this was an IKEA piece ages ago. The frame is a dark blue. It measures " by " in total, glass yes, but heavy no.

And for all you married gals out there who, 10 years ago, thought a giant photo of you and your hubby was a good idea...what are you doing with those framed monstrosities now?!?!?

*****

And on a similar "re-do, reno" note, this excites me! I hope everything went well for her the summer and she has this special place up-and-running. I will definitely be making many a side-trip to visit!!

Anyhoo, I guess I'm off for the day. I've already spent my Pinterest time-allowance for the week, and I have gone over my allotted internet time this morning! Eek! At least the dishes are done (Hallelujah!)