If walls could talk...

After a gloomy weekend we woke this morning to the bright happy sun. Unfortunately there is more clouds with possible thunder showers later today. The weather is not cooperating in my fight with the dandelions. We are situated between rental properties who don't spend anytime on the upkeep of the yards and are seeding our yard with weeds. Agh! :(

Here is an update on my wall of art/paintings. I've showed you 2 of these paintings in previous posts and how I found them. I had this round frame I really wanted to add and it had no picture, so I painted one. I picked up a canvas board 8x10 at the dollar store and cut it to fit the round frame and found an image I liked and painted it on the canvas board. Waalaa!

 

In the photos you can see a lampshade that I need to change again... I thought it was white and looked white in the store but nope, it 100% matches my grey walls. So another new shade is on my want list.

 

Any suggestions on placement of the paintings or any additions I should consider are welcome.

 

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Over a week ago we got the opportunity to scavenger and salvage what we could from a old property on the edge of the city in an area that is starting to get developed with new homes. The property has an old house, barn and other little buildings that are up for demolition in a week. The property had already got really picked through and squatters had been there but we came home with 12x2 inch planks of barn wood, a retro teak chair, small wire basket and these bookend owls. So shocked to find the owls in the pitch black basement. I hope we get to scavenge again, it was a lot of fun!!!

 

Hoot, hoot, ya later!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I made some of these this morning and MMMMmmm they are so good!!! I have been making these for the past ten years. Everyone loves them and it is hard not to eat just one muffin. Thought I'd share this and it is my first blog recipe. Enjoy!

 

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

 

 

Makes 12 muffins

Preheat oven to 350F

 

In a large bowl mix the following 6 ingredients

 

1/2 cup Parkay margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt

2 eggs

2 large or 3 small bananas mashed

1tsp vanilla

 

then add and mix,

 

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup Hersheys Chipits chocolate chips

 

Use a regular 12 muffin/cupcake pan, lined with some paper cups. Scoop all your batter evenly into the pan. Bake for 20-25min until slightly golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

 

Bon appetite!

DIY Painting

Do you ever have an idea or project in mind, then when it is staring you in the face you hesitate? Will I sure did. I had all the supplies out for painting my own picture and I ended up hesitating badly, so unsure of myself and put everything away 3 times.

 

 

I flip flopped the idea of painting a landscape, a farm animal or an abstract image, I just didn't know what I should do. Finally, after weeks I decided on an abstract picture inspired by a painting seen in Anthropologie. It is a bit of a copy with my own splotches and colors added.

I think it turned out wonderful with the right colors I was looking for but after all that whoa and hawing it just doesn't look right for where I wanted to hang it... oh hummm what to do, what to do?.

Nothing Much

 

I have been a bit bed ridden for the last month due to aaaa....tiny medical issue, annoying, not serious. It so sucks!!! I've become ansy, so when I feel good I then do way too much and over do it.

 

I started collecting bed linens this past year wanting to get away from the classic bed in a bag style of bedding. The first you see is a railroad conductor pattern pillow cases which look vintage to me, then a soft 100% cotton weave blanket I found at a garage sale for a few buck new still in the bag, next is a duvet cover Ikea brand sells for $70 and I found it for $10 at Goodwill seems brand new unused, finally a super SUPER soft quilt I got at Winners for only $29 thats crazy cheap for a quilt like that I think. All pretty white simple and soft.

 

 

On Wednesday I happen to turn the channel to Hoarding: Buried Alive and to my surprise the home they were featuring is in our neighbourhood. I was shocked, gave me a funny feeling. I don't know why, we had an animal hoarder 2 houses down that was bad. We tried to help once, that didn't last. Thankfully they dumped the house, moved away, it was cleaned up and sold to a nice fella. Anyways, the lady with three dogs...poor dogs, it is so sad to see them trying to move around in the garbage. There's so much that can be said but ultimately it is their choice to live that way and its a mental illness.

After watching one of those shows it gets me just a cleaning... again. The next day I emptied under the bathroom sink and drawers, washed everything out, chucked expired or never gonna use stuff, then reorganized. I am guilty of ignoring this area of my home. Out of sight out of mind I'd say, but now it is finally done. I even have another carload to giveaway mostly because our son just grew overnight a feew weeks ago. We had to spend a weekend buying him all new clothes from head to toe. It was shocking how tight everything suddenly was.

Now here is a little DIY recycle reuse idea. I had decided to reused an empty Bath & Body Works 3-wick candle for Q tips. The glue they use for the wicks is super sticky and was hard to wash out. I soaked some Dawn and vinegar spray to get the residue out. The Q tips fit perfectly in the jar. Now I just need to burn some more candles for the jars to sort cotton balls and whatever else I can think of.

 

Yesturdays post I shared a pic of our fat cat in a funny position and today I thought I'd share a pic of my sleeping puppy. Isn't she cute!!! You can see many more pics of her on my Pinterest.

 

Today the sun is shining, we are getting some double digit temperatures today which should melt the last of the ice in my backyard. This weekend will be yardwork and cleaning the garage. OK I won't be doing that but my hubby will getter done. He is awesome and has a cute butt!!! hehe

Another Birthday

Last week was my birthday...blah. It is a reminder that I'm a year old trudging closer to the big huge 4-0 and menopause. Ok, ok that is still a little ways away but not too far off.

 

For my birthday my hubby took me to a liquidation store that I wanted to go to and I found this tin canister set for only $19! I have been wanting a BREAD tin that I see in many kitchen decors but it seem out of my reach. I washed them up and fiddled for 2 days about where to but them. Sadly due to lack of counter space, they went into my pantry. I like my counters pretty bare, ready to use.

 

 

 

One day I hope to either move or change the counters and put in subway tile backsplash. Its on our house wish list.

 

 I thought I'd share this photo of our tubby kitty. What a pose.

 

I'm going to work on another post for you tomorrow.

Later :)

Cupcakes and Caribou

How was everyones Easter weekend? The family gathered, ate, laughed, good times. The meal was potluck and we brought cupcakes. I used golden cake mix, topped with homemade BUTTER cream frosting and mini eggs.

 

 I put the cupcakes in my favorite take along containers with Easter grass on the bottom to snazz it up a bit.

These were so good I think I gained a few pounds from the leftover cupcakes.

 

We were able to squeeze in a little thrift shopping that weekend and found this oil painting called First Snow by Catherine Adams of Big Horn, Wyoming. My photo is not showing the colors very will, maybe after I change the frame the colors will pop.

I wonder if I can scrape the fabric off the frame then paint it. There is turquoise in the painting, should I paint the frame turquoise? hmm...white? I have a few painting projects waiting to get done. The temperature is not cooperating up here in Edmonton. Today is a record low of -14C this morning and we had another dump of snow last week. When will it end?

I better get back to my To-Do List for today. I can check off coffee and blogging. Still need to clean bathrooms, swiffer, fold laundry...a housewives work is never done.

Spring Wreath

We have blizzard conditions today. Driving is trecherous. highways are being closed down. It is almost noon and I've shovelled twice already. Spring where are you?.....

 

I pulled out a spring wreath I had and wow, what was I thinking...it is awful isn't it? Seen below,

 

BEFORE

 

 I removed the fake roses, tightened up the twist ties. The egg twigs I got from the Dollar Store and just bent them into a wreath shape, held by twist ties.

 

With the theme of the spring twig I did here, I decided to wrap some scrap fabric on the wreath.

 

 

 Then I made a mini banner, cut some triangles out and used a Sharpie for the letters. I just simply stitched the triangles onto some cotton string. I could have of glued them but I thought stitching it would last longer.

 

AFTER

 

 

Even with this snow storm I hung the Spring Wreath on our black door. Looks pretty good I think.

 

Don't be afraid of Dollar Store shopping. You can get some great things for DIY's and more.