Wednesday, September 30, 2015

I WANNA live there Wednesday # 140

Good morning everyone !

I thought we'd head back to my last neighborhood this week - especially when I saw this beauty
( I miss my brick walls so this one really captured my attention ) and the price?
It's a steal for the area of the city !
New York has their brownstones - Montreal has their greystones.
If you love exposed brick as much as I do - you're going to love this one !

759,000
3 beds - 2 baths
2 car parking space
Built in 1896
Realtor - MAXWELL CASTLE

























Oh I could just move in there tomorrow - really I could !

I'm missing my walls -


Which were just 2 streets over from the above listed home !
You can see our last home HERE

Hope you all have a wonderful hump day !
Hugs,
Me


LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?
JOIN ME AT THESE FABULOUS PARTIES!

LIFE ON LAKESHORE DRIVE                                 BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH
CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT

Monday, September 28, 2015

TURN A FRAME INTO A SHELF


Some of you may remember when I met Tracy HERE -
And purchased this off her


Well...................while I was there I also purchased this !


The shelves were created out of MDF - such a great idea !
Whenever we get the downstairs bathroom renovated ( next year - next year - next year - please let it be no later than next year ! ) this will be installed on one of the walls to hold perfume.............the depth is enough to fit between studs so that it would be flush...............for now I scrambled around filling it with things for the post.


Here's the back of it



We're off to see Chris de Burgh this evening - should I wear something red?

Hope you all have a wonderful day everyone !
Hugs,
Me



LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?
JOIN ME AT THESE FABULOUS PARTIES !

FLUSTER BUSTER                                                        ONE MORE TIME EVENTS
LIFE ON LAKESHORE DRIVE                                     THE DIY SHOWOFF
REDHEAD CAN DECORATE                                       THAT'S WHAT CHE SAID
DWELLINGS THE HEART OF YOUR HOME             CARRIE THIS HOME
KEEPING IT SIMPLE                                                    BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH
MY UNCOMMON SLICE OF SUBURBIA                  CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT
LEHMAN LANE                                                            MY SALVAGED TREASURES
DAGMAR'S HOME                                                       IVY & ELEPHANTS
NO MINIMALIST HERE                                               LAMBERTS LATELY
I GOTTA CREATE                                                         FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE
THE GIRL CREATIVE                                                   MISS TOODY GOO SHOES

We DIY'ed Outdoor Shutters !

Good Morning everyone !

Out of guess what?
Fence Planks ( home depot must think we live on a ranch with acres of property to be fenced in )
Thankfully the one thing this house did have was a fenced in yard - in pretty good shape - so we haven't used one of them for their actual purpose lol


We've used them for our faux fireplace ( HERE )


I added them to a frame in a guest room ( HERE )


The kitchen island ( HERE )


A christmas tree ( HERE )


Made built ins in the den ( HERE )


And a plank wall that I can't find the post for.....................

And now?
DIY Outdoor Shutters !
These things are so expensive store bought....................we paid a lot of money for them 2 houses ago - just one pair cost over 300.00 and that was at least 10 years ago - I can't imagine what they charge today.
We made 2 sets for next to nothing !

Each shutter took 2 planks - that's it ............... ( 3 would be more substantial but these front windows lead to the enclosed porch and the wall is not large so 2 were perfect for this project ) cut to the size of the window with the excess being used on the top and bottom to hold them together AND THAT'S IT !


I painted them black ( after painting the frame of the windows black - as well as the grid work )
Can I tell you that I will never wash these windows again?  They HAVE to be replaced - and anyone with old aluminium windows will know exactly what I'm talking about  - it took me hours and hours to get it done - they stick -they jam - they wobble - they're a.w.f.u.l. - BUT they do look somewhat better painted.
We haven't had much time to work on the front of the house - and it desperately needs work so I'm thrilled we've started !
Here's a close up of what they looked like


Isn't that U. G. L. Y  ( they ain't go no alibi ) ?
It was a sunny day working on them ( but a little crisp - Fall is here in Montreal  let me tell you ! ) and perfect drying weather



I painted the shutters ( and window frames ) with Behr Premium Ultra - Paint & Primer in one - exterior with a satin finish..............although I use Behr for all interior work I've never used it for outside - so I'm hoping it's a paint that endures..................


If you buy an old house here's a little advice you can take to the bank..................( well maybe don't take it to the bank or they'll never agree to you buying it in the first place - so maybe just take it to heart )
Measure each window - and each side of each window - do not make a template and cut them all down equally - even if every window looks the same.................you can't assume one side will be the same as the other - all 4 of these shutters are slightly different sizes - they did things differently back in the day lol !


Every job we start with this dump house I end up wondering what on earth I could ever have been thinking of - and then when it's finished I think...................." all it needs is love - da da da - all it needs is love love - love is all it needs "


And fence planks.


Such a cost effective way to implement big change, no?
( I should mention that I gave the front a fresh coat of white paint too )

AFFORDABLE DIY SHUTTERS

Now I have to finish the other side - and then the 2 side windows - and then all the rest of them -
only about - oh - 24 shutters to make..............
Still it's getting less and less embarrassing to come home !!!

EXTERIOR SHUTTERS FOR 10.00 A WINDOW

And I'm not even sure what's made the biggest impact - the paint - the shutters - or the fact that the windows finally were washed -  all I know is that these shutters cost aprox. 10.00 per window..................( we had to buy the masonry screws and the bit to go with it so a little more for us -  but we now have enough for all the windows )
Never has 10.00 gone so far ( with our home reno's anyway ! )
Each Cedar ( treated ) plank cost 2.50 - each shutter took 2 planks ( including the cross pieces )

BEFORE & AFTER WINDOW WITH DIY SHUTTERS

Have a wonderful day everyone !
Enjoy the Fall weather you've all been anxiously awaiting !
( I'm still wishing it was hot - the swimming pool is taunting me mercilessly )
And I've got to wash the windows on the other side - and paint them - and install shutters !
Hugs,
Me


LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?
JOIN ME AT THESE FABULOUS PARTIES !

BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH                            COASTAL CHARM
SAND & SISAL                                                     A STROLL THRU LIFE
CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT                      MEMORIES BY THE MILE
AN EXTRAORDINARY DAY                                      KATHE WITH AN E
HOME STORIES A TO Z                                             FEARLESSLY CREATIVE MAMAS
FLUSTER BUSTER                                                       SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE
REMODELAHOLIC                                                      THE CRAFTED SPARROW
MISS TOODY GOO SHOES                                        FUNKY JUNK INTERIORS
ONE MORE TIME EVENTS                                         LIFE ON LAKESHORE DRIVE
DIY SHOWOFF                                                            REDHEAD CAN DECORATE
DWELLINGS - THE HEART OF YOUR HOME          THAT'S WHAT CHE SAID
KEEPING IT SIMPLE                                                    CARRIE THIS HOME
MY SALVAGED TREASURES                                     LEHMAN LANE
I GOTTA CREATE                                                         LAMBERTS LATELY
LIVE LAUGH ROWE                                                     THE DEDICATED HOUSE
GRACE & GOOD EATS

Thursday, September 24, 2015

A FRIDAY CHAT ( about this & that )

Good morning everyone !

I missed you last week - but you know with Evan ....................

Would you like a cup of tea?

I'd offer you coffee except......................................

My son brought a Keurig coffee maker over - that he doesn't use - we have a Tassimo and the coffee for that particular machine is very expensive -
I don't drink coffee - and John goes out every morning to pick his up...............
Anyway - so my son brought over this Keurig
The next time John went out I asked him to pick up some Keurig's.................

Suzan says - It's probably best if you get a variety pack
John says - Variety pack?
Suzan says -Yeah - different flavors to choose from
John shrugs his shoulders and says - Ok - I didn't know they came in different flavors

AND HE CAME HOME WITH CURD CHEESE !
DEAR GOD !

John says - They didn't have different flavors - and before you tell me I didn't look enough I ASKED a store clerk if they had any
John says - He looked at me like I was nuts
Suzan says - I wanted you to get keurig coffee !!!
John says - YOU ASKED FOR CURDS

How can someone who can hear me whispering on the phone from another room - never hear what I'm saying when we're face to face???

There's farsightedness - and farhear-edness I suppose.

So you have 2 choices
I can make you a Cup of Curd Coffee
or a Poutine -
It's up to you
_________________________________________________________________________________

I'm in a panic.
It's officially Fall - and I still haven't lost the weight I was supposed to lose last Spring - for Summer - and now Winter is the next season up for grabs and that's the season I typically put weight on - so now next Spring I'm going to have double the weight to take off for next Summer.....................
_________________________________________________________________________________

Suzan says - Do you know where I can get a couple of bales of hay around here?
John says - Why the hell do you need bales of hay - you planning on buying a horse?
Suzan says - No - I feel like decorating with them
John says - YOU'RE NOT BRINGING BALES OF HAY INTO THE BLOODY HOUSE NOW - I'LL TELL YOU THAT !
Suzan says - It's for outside !
John says - You made a wreath - we got tons of " mums " out there - it's enough - why do you want to make the house look like a farm?
Suzan says - Maybe because I want to live in a farmhouse?
John says - Well we don't ................and we're not putting bales of hay everywhere

This is what I go through - with every single decor thing I want to do..................

I'm serving him oats for supper tonight ..................

_________________________________________________________________________________

I keep checking online for a wheelbarrow - an antique one................
And finally came across this one


Suzan says - Do you think you could pick up a wheelbarrow for me?
John says - We don't need one...............
Suzan says - It's an antique - it's so pretty - I could use it for decor outside
John sighs - Where is it?
Suzan says - Vermont
John says - I'M NOT CROSSING A BORDER TO PICK UP A BLOODY WHEELBARROW - WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU??????????
Suzan says - We could make a day of it.............have lunch in Burlington
John says - I'M NOT CROSSING A BORDER TO PICK UP A WHEELBARROW.
John says - No one - absolutely no one would believe this..............
Suzan says - I'm not asking you to drive to California - just across the border...................

If anyone's in Vermont - here's the link................Craigs List
________________________________________________________________________________

I saw this on ebay


If that's not the cutest outdoor planter !


I almost bought it but it's only 17 inches long

So.............no bales of hay - no wheelbarrow - no bike planter.

Maybe I'll combine seasons and put pumpkins in my child's antique sled - lol
(except I can't remember where I put them - they WERE in the front porch - but I moved them when I worked on that room and have no idea where they are now )

How's this for a pumpkin holder?  I'm seriously considering it !
Link EBAY


_________________________________________________________________________________

I know most of John's expressions by now - but every now and then he says something I haven't heard before.
He was stuck in traffic ...............and called me to tell me he was going to be late.

John says - I can't move - it's chockablock with traffic
Suzan says - It's what ?
John says - FULL
Suzan says - But what did you say before that?
John says - I'm not repeating it - it'll end up on the blog..............

I had to trick it out of him later that night..............

Suzan says - my inbox is chuckalucka
John bursts out laughing - it's CHOCKABLOCK
Suzan makes a mad dash for her pen and paper..............
John says - is that going on your blog?
Suzan says - no
( but we all know I'm chockablock of sh_t........................)
_________________________________________________________________________________

We're off to Old Montreal today - walk around - have lunch - browse ( maybe I'll find some hay )

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Hugs,
Kiss, kiss,
Me