tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8292010371281503042024-02-07T18:03:49.886-05:00First Home DreamsAshleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.comBlogger199125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-69910877045785551832015-11-02T15:56:00.000-05:002015-11-02T18:17:43.745-05:00Bye Bye BirdieI've all but abandoned this blog, but I have a need to talk about what I'm feeling and twitter's character limit is frustrating so here we are. <br>
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Today was the last good day for my chickens. <br>
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I say "good day" because tomorrow is actually their last day, but good probably isn't how you'd describe it.<br>
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Early morning wake up, put into a crate, transported for a couple of hours, unloaded into a holding area, dead. <br>
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The chickens are going to be processed into whole birds, to eventually become soup, stock, or some version of a pot pie. Don't get me wrong, I have really, really enjoyed having chickens. They are weird and they make me laugh and I like watching them scratch around the yard. Their lay rate is still pretty damn good, but winter is coming. Imagine a Game of Thrones meme here. These are not cold-hardy birds. Their cartoon-esque combs got frostbitten last winter, and I'm still not over the guilt of it. So, away they go. <br>
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Will I be sad? Yes.<br>
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But their purpose was always to be food animals, not pets. First as providers of eggs, and then as stewing hens.<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Although I'm not a farmer, and chickens definitely aren't cows, I really like this post by Modern Milkmaid. </font><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It's helping me not to feel like a completely insane person for the feelings that I'm feeling. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><a href="http://modernmilkmaid.ca/2015/04/its-never-just-a-cow/" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">http://modernmilkmaid.ca/2015/04/its-never-just-a-cow/</a><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Next spring will bring new day old chicks. I've already got my heart set on breeds that are better suited to cold temperatures. And I've got some coop plans in mind, too. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-1522170791932667932014-04-02T21:07:00.003-04:002014-04-02T21:12:33.202-04:00Three Losses13 baby chicks are now 11 baby chicks.
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One died during the night on Sunday, and one died sometime during the day today.
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The one I found Monday morning was a complete surprise. She was generally the same size as the rest, and her wing and tail feathers were starting to grow in. There was no sign of any physical trauma, and she was warm from the heat lamp when I found her. I did move the flock of them into the milk shed on Sunday afternoon, so I guess I'm just going to chalk it up to stress.
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The one that died today...I sort of knew it was coming, although I was hopeful that she was perking up over the past few days. She hadn't grown much at all since they arrived last week, and was always falling asleep on her feet. Though she did eat and drink, it wasn't nearly as much as the others. She also had a case of "pasty butt" which is a pretty clear sign that something's not right inside.
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Poor little chickens.
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The rest of them seem like they're going to be fine. They definitely don't look like they did a week ago! They are easily double the size and they're no longer just balls of fuzz. They're starting to practice their flying moves, and whenever I have the door to the crate open for any length of time, one or two of them are pretty sure they can make a break for it. The picture below is from Saturday - they're way different even from then!
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/13592973304" title="image by Ashley, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7358/13592973304_ce3b17d9aa.jpg" width="374" height="500" alt="image"></a></center>
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Now, the third loss?
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Our old house! We officially no longer own it. I hope the new family is happy there! Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-28687260968608090222014-03-27T21:35:00.001-04:002014-03-27T21:35:13.217-04:00Hobby Farm BeginningsI finally did it - I got chickens!
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/13431884194" title="Untitled by Ashley, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2930/13431884194_7d2accc760_z.jpg" width="640" height="478" alt="Untitled"></a></center>
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I picked up these 13 balls of fluff the other day from my local Tractor Supply Co. When I ordered them, I had originally planned to have them come in on April 9th, but at the last minute I changed my mind and had them come in 2 weeks earlier. Apparently I had high hopes that winter would bugger off in timely fashion.
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/13431497075" title="Untitled by Ashley, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7080/13431497075_1528c20ac1_z.jpg" width="640" height="478" alt="Untitled"></a></center>
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I have them set up in Tassy's old dog crate in the living room right now, but I'm hopeful that it will be consistently above zero soon so that I can move them out into the milk shed attached to the big barn. With 13 of them, it's going to get tight in the crate pretty quick, so I'll have to figure out what to put them in when they move to the milk shed. With their heat lamp and a space heater they should be fine to grow out in there until I have their permanent enclosure finished for them in the big barn.
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/13431879874" title="Untitled by Ashley, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7435/13431879874_a7841035d4_z.jpg" width="478" height="640" alt="Untitled"></a></center>
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The dog already pretty much ignores them. The cat is way too interested for my liking (not surprisingly), so whenever Mike or I isn't in the room, she's locked out. Meowzer's exclusively an indoor cat so I'm not even going to bother trying to get her used to them because once they're out of the house, she'll never see them again.
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I'm spending far too much time watching them, and I pretty much think they're hilarious. They're scared of me, but that's honestly fine. They're livestock, not pets, so I don't need them to be cuddly!
Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-30221938897831243002014-02-24T14:17:00.000-05:002014-02-24T14:17:31.199-05:00Tapping Trees - Maple Syrup 2014Although this seems to be the winter that never ends, spring really isn't all that far away. Which means that maple syrup season is quickly approaching. This past weekend we decided to tap our trees even though it's still a little early. The sap won't start flowing until the temperatures warm up a bit, but at least it's done and we won't have to scramble to do it on a weekday if the weather decides to shift.
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Somehow in the move we ended up misplacing all of our spiles and lids, so Saturday morning we made the trip out to our local maple syrup supplier to pick some up. In the past we've used plastic spiles, but we bought metal this time around since they're cheaper and we're hopeful that the others will show up at some point.
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Armed with buckets, lids, spiles, a battery powered drill, a 7/16 drill bit, a cast iron spile driver, and a hammer, we put out 15 buckets (on 10 trees). The snow has drifted and is pretty deep in some areas, so we kept things pretty close to the house. In the future we may come up with some sort of plan to tap the trees further away on the property, but who knows. We're quite happily "hobby" scale and have no visions of sales in our future.
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This will be our third year of maple syrup making. The trees at our old house produced tons of great sap for us, so we're hoping the trees at the new house are just as good!
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/12752671483/" title="maple syrup buckets by First Home Dreams, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/12752671483_64af93e7f8_z.jpg" width="478" height="640" alt="maple syrup buckets"></a></center>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-91763890891033906682014-02-20T09:21:00.000-05:002014-02-20T09:21:29.098-05:00We got one!Just a really quick update...
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We accepted a conditional offer on the old house last night! There are of course still a lot of ways that it can fall apart, but we're hopeful. If all goes well, we'll be closing on April 2nd!
Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-17684256437493847322014-01-23T12:44:00.000-05:002014-01-23T12:44:01.603-05:00Moving Forward.Our old house is officially on the market, and has been for just over a week now. We've had two showings, but no offers have come in. We'll probably do an open house in a little while, but for now we're in a "wait and see" holding pattern. We've had several people call it a "unique" property (I guess because it isn't your typical subdivision house? and it still needs some work?), so I suppose the right person just needs to come along.
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I have so many ideas for the new house and for my life, and I want to jump head first into everything and do it all at once, but the reality is I need to pace myself and choose maybe one or two decent sized projects to tackle in a year or so. But I am a millenial and having to choose frustrates me. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pm4fQRl72k">I WANT IT ALL. AND I WANT IT NOW.</a>
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Because I want to do so much, and I don't know which few projects to choose for this year, I'm probably going to end up doing very little. I tend to plan, plan, plan, plan something, and then...never do anything with that plan.
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That being said, I feel completely different this year than I have in the past few years. Without major renovations looming over us, or having too much stuff in a too small house, I feel like I can breath, and my mood and outlook are vastly improved. So in completely cliche fashion, maybe this year will be different?
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And just in case it is, here's a look at a few of the things gnawing at the back of my mind.
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CHICKENS.
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I've been talking about getting chickens since we moved into the old house. Enough talking about it, it's time to get some feathered friends. This spring. Mike and I were throwing the idea around again a few weekends ago, and there's still a lot of figuring out to do (where exactly do we house them? will they freeze to death in the winter? how many do we get? dual purpose or straight up egg layers? day old chicks, started birds, or ready to lay?). I'm good at research and planning, so this part of the process doesn't freak me out. When it comes time to order actual birds is when I'll start procrastinating...
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VEGETABLE GARDENS.
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We have seeds. We have cedar to build raised beds. But, we probably won't take this on this summer. There has been discussion about moving the fence that's by the horse barn, because the way it's situated right now results in a lot of 90 degree angles in a short distance and it's a pain in the arse for my father-in-law and brother-in-law when they're running tractors and other machines in that field. Currently there's a great open space behind the horse barn that would be perfect for gardening, but if the fence is moved this space goes away. Which is obviously fine because the farm is the priority. So even though we have most of the supplies needed to get this project going, it's on hold for now until we determime exactly where the garden beds will go.
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THE BATHROOM.
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Mike and I both really dislike this bathroom - both it's functionality and it's appearance. A renovation of the room isn't in the cards, but I would like to spruce it up in the looks department. It'll take a bit more than just paint and swapping hardware to get it to be more tolerable, and I'm sort of dreading the idea of turning our only bathroom into a work zone. But, I've been gathering ideas and sources over the past few weeks, so it's actually something I might tackle relatively soon. Fingers crossed?
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FRONT & BACK PORCH.
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Both the front and back porch need a little bit of attention. At the very least they need to be pressure washed and restained/painted, but the stairs on both could use some work too - they're a little bouncy.
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THE BASEMENT.
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I wrote a post awhile back about there being water in our basement. Putting in a proper sump pit and running an outlet pipe from the basement is a must. There is a ton of room for storage down there, but we aren't using it right now because of there being such a high chance of things getting ruined. So hopefully we'll get to this when things start to warm up. Which probably won't be for a million years based on how flipping cold this winter has been so far.
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In addition to all of that, there are a few small things here and there that need done. Like fixing up the oval window that I started in the fall. And re-attaching some metal flashing around one of the posts on the front porch. And recaulking all of the windows on the exterior, because oh my goodness when the wind gets blowing, does the bay window ever howl.
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One thing at a time, right? Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-69470443631997483612013-12-02T08:30:00.000-05:002013-12-02T08:30:06.138-05:00Obligatory Christmas Decorating PostI had planned to do very little decorating this year. At first I found myself saying I wasn't going to be decorating at all, but then real me laughed at attempting-to-be-practical me and ended up buying a whole bunch of new Christmas stuff. Mike and I won't be here for Christmas (we're heading to BC on the 21st to spend time with my family!), so even though it's my favourite part of this festive time of year, getting a tree would be a bigger pain in the arse than it's worth. Coming home to a gazillion dried out pine needles isn't my idea of a good time.
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But, we're lucky to have a GIGANTIC (propane) fireplace in this house, and it happens to be in my favourite room, so I was pretty excited to throw some stuff at it all in the name of some jolly guy in a red suit.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/11155056965/" title="cottage christmas fireplace mantle by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/11155056965_800aa5a39e_z.jpg" width="431" height="640" alt="cottage christmas fireplace mantle"></a></center>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/11153789405/" title="traditional christmas mantle by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7413/11153789405_91c8a9342f_z.jpg" width="640" height="433" alt="traditional christmas mantle"></a></center>
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I made the stockings myself, and they're really for decorative use only (we have special ones that were handmade by family that we actually use). If someone wanted to turn them into the real deal, they'd probably want to line them with something soft because burlap is pretty much the worst. Also, don't wash burlap unless you want to panic and think that a small furry animal somehow managed to get into your washing machine and then it's entire being <i>except it's hair</i> dissolved into nothingness.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/11153805196/" title="burlap and plaid stocking by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3739/11153805196_cc8ef16d4d_z.jpg" width="312" height="640" alt="burlap and plaid stocking"></a></center>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/11153813964/" title="red green and gold christmas by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5483/11153813964_7c05309ebd_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="red green and gold christmas"></a></center>
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/11155075275/" title="christmas fireplace mantle by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7353/11155075275_307153a2c4_z.jpg" width="433" height="640" alt="christmas fireplace mantle"></a></center>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-2721604973116147942013-11-17T20:42:00.000-05:002013-11-18T10:40:32.589-05:00Carpet and Underfloor Heating
Our house has wall to wall carpeting - even in the kitchen. And while I'd like to find the original hardwood underneath it all on the main floor, having carpet in the bedrooms upstairs is actually pretty nice. Even though we're not even into winter yet, it's nice stepping out of bed onto something cozy instead of cold hardwood floors.
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But (there's always a but), the carpet that's upstairs right now isn't quite what I'm interested in long-term. It's a little stiff, definitely not something you can sink your toes into. I'd love soft, plushy carpet in a neutral colour.
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To make things extra luxurious, I'd love to add underfloor heating. Which, by the way, I completely thought was only possible under tiles. Turns out you can use it under basically any flooring type. With our cold Ontario winters, I think it's a great idea...although admittedly a little extravagant for an entire second floor. Perhaps just the master bedroom, then?
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We aren't doing anything substantial to this house for a looooong time (we're a bit reno'd out right now), but it's something to consider for the future.
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<small><i>This post is sponsored by <a href="http://www.fabflooringcarpetsandhomefurnishings.co.uk">Fab Flooring</a> and <a href="http://www.underfloortradestore.co.uk/">Underfloor Trade Store</a>.</i></small>
<br><br>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-20944450005300215222013-10-28T16:44:00.002-04:002013-10-28T16:44:31.580-04:00There's a swamp in my basement. On Saturday, I made my way down into the basement so I could check off something on my to-do list for the <a href="http://www.firsthomedreams.com/2013/09/living-room-paint-colour.html">living room</a>. I got about three quarters of the way down the stairs before giving the floor the side eye...soemthing didn't look right. I ventured just a bit further, and unfortunately, there was water all over the basement floor. The cat confirmed this when she stepped down and then buggered off in a hurry with wet little feet. I grabbed a piece of lumber that was nearby and poked at it just a bit. Turns out there was a good three inches or so of standing water.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/10542630716/" title="Water in basement by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5500/10542630716_fe4a7f4349_z.jpg" width="478" height="640" alt="Water in basement"></a></center>
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Mike wasn't home, so I gave him a call. He seemed far too calm about the whole ordeal and said he'd be home in a bit to turn on the pump. We knew that this house had a "wet basement", and it turns out my understanding of what that means was WAY OFF. I was thinking damp. Small trickles of water, maybe. Not a freaking swamp.
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So Mike comes home, and heads on down to the basement to set up the pump. The problem is, there isn't a proper sump pit, and the pump just sits on the basement floor. It doesn't turn on automatically when a certain water level is reached, which is most definitely not ideal when the basement is accessed very infrequently. I have no idea how long that water had been there already when I discovered it on Saturday.
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Aside from not turning on automatically, the pump was limited in that it would only pump down to just under an inch. In a fairly big basement, that's a lot of water left to stand with no way out. We decided that we could stand to get a new pump, and ended up with this one from Lowe's.
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<center><a href="http://www.lowes.ca/water-pumps/simer-14hp-thermoplastic-submersible-utility-pump_g1437654.html?isku=9935833&term=utility-pump&linkloc=searchProductItemsImage" title="simer submersible utility pump by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3676/10542835023_e2015cb286_o.jpg" width="400" height="400" alt="simer submersible utility pump"></a></center>
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So far it's been doing a pretty good job, but it can't quite keep up with the amount of water seeping in through our concrete foundation walls. This house was built in 1906 - there's no waterproofing membrane on the outside of the foundation walls, and inside there's just a scratch coat of cement covering the blocks. I knew concrete was porous, but that this much water could pass through it was a bit mind boggling.
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There are some things we need to address around the exterior of the house, but it's likely they'll have to wait until next spring/summer. There are a few areas where the landscaping needs to be graded away from the house, the downspouts could be a little further from the foundation, but that will take some thinking because our driveway is pretty close and we can't be driving over downspouts all the live long day. This cedar tree near the back porch should be cut down, since it's trunk is only a few inches away from the house.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/10543066313/" title="Queen Anne farmhouse by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7318/10543066313_7389aaa82b_z.jpg" width="640" height="478" alt="Queen Anne farmhouse"></a></center>
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Our house sits on the edge of the largest intact wetland in southern Ontario (6,000 hectares!), so it's not all that surprising that we have ground water seeping in when heavy rains hit. Our last house had a bone dry basement despite also being in the wetlands, so we've been completely spoiled up until now in that regard. I doubt we'll ever have a completely dry basement here, but we can hopefully do some things that will improve the situation. I'm dreading spring, though. All that snow melt....ack. Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-79071217037588889272013-10-01T10:16:00.001-04:002013-10-01T10:16:22.388-04:00Four Months InWe've been in the new house for four months now, and my mental well being has skyrocketed. Living in a small construction zone of a house was incredibly draining - I dreaded going home. But things are so much better now, although we still have the old house hanging over our heads (it's almost finished!). There's not much point to this post, I just wanted to jot down some observations.
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1. Quiet country living is a thing of the past.
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The new house sits on a fairly busy road - a two lane rural highway, which just happens to be part of the route between Toronto and Wasaga Beach & Collingwood (major tourist destinations for those not familiar with Ontario). Our setting and the surrounding property is beautiful, but it's loud here. Louder than when I lived in town back in BC, and so much louder than the bumpy dirt side road that our old house was plopped down on.
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2. Wildlife diversity has plummeted.
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At our old house, we were located pretty close to a well renowned wetland and swamp. We heard and saw coyotes often, and the number of different species of birds was awesome...and we were lucky to see some pretty rare ones. At the new house, we have crows, starlings, mourning doves, and barn swallows. All of these species of birds have adapted very well to living in places well populated with people, and they aren't very interesting. Except for the barn swallows. They're kind of funny when defending their hatchlings. They may or may not have dive bombed the dog some days when she did her business out in the yard.
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3. Having more space feels amazing.
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I don't even care that it's more upkeep and it takes longer to do anything - having a bigger house is liberating. And because this house isn't a constant project in progress, it's so much easier to keep reasonably clean and organized. And closets - we have five. Compared to the two we had in the last house, it's like winning the lottery. And with two living rooms, THERE'S SO MUCH ROOM FOR ACTIVITIES!
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4.The animals are so much happier here.
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Meowzer hasn't had a single incidence of her idiopathic cystitis since we moved. I was really worried about moving into a fully carpeted place with her...but so far, so good. Tassy rolls around on the carpet like a lunatic, which makes more frequent vaccuuming necessary, but oh well. She also likes that I can throw her ball from my chair in the evenings and it doesn't hit a wall after 5 feet.
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5. There is so. much. opportunity.
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This is a place we can grow into, not grow out of. I'm not sure what all of this opportunity looks like yet, but I like the possibilities.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/10038286223/" title="golden retriever soy bean field by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2845/10038286223_f46c4e3c41_z.jpg" width="640" height="478" alt="golden retriever soy bean field"></a></center>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-54610632211754208232013-09-15T09:00:00.000-04:002013-09-15T09:00:03.156-04:00Grown Up ArtI've always kind of side-eyed art. I've even gone so far as to say that I don't <i>like</i> art. As I grow up, though, I'm realizing that that's not true. While I still may not "get" a lot of art, I can now at least admit when I appreciate a piece, even though I might not find some deeper meaning in it.
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The living room is looking pretty stark with it's <a href="http://www.firsthomedreams.com/2013/09/living-room-paint-colour.html">freshly painted white walls and trim</a>, and with it's 9 foot ceilings, something is definitely going to need to fill in the expanse above the couch. I'm a terrible shopper, and since I have no idea where you might find affordable art in person, I'm happy to discover that you can <a href="http://www.saatchionline.com/">find an array of art online</a>.
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Here are some examples of what I like...whether they go with what I'm throwing together in the living room is another matter entirely.
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<a imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-vcQuTS7G8NcvxsV6mItCVHKonJoJGo00ERbteUthV08Ehw_eMtGrGrxnGxEU62bn_83A1j-_Ap1qdSr1ffndhdRIAdqJMDa65wsEwdYiEdN3A8YLZ4GE-LeXMBUkaj-ez62cv1SCls/s640/93123-11652750-7.jpg" /></a><br><a href="http://www.saatchionline.com/art/Painting-Oil-Tree-in-Winter/93123/1653245/view">© Thomas Lamb</a></div>
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<a imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1kWcTgqYSKpPsJo3L7tLFmTC-CWAtivqYRp3H5XUAmPwZa9_0PFBnbW6KI6WuhHUoPzXgMq50Pi4ItZd9RfDcwlPA1-ok45O3UvDpVkyxGvNnW4ReG1FSxjjFT9s5_jX5NCDpQOhwj4/s640/176321-1958046-7.jpg" /></a><br><a href="http://www.saatchionline.com/art/Photography-Gicl-e-Subversion/176321/227448/view">© Miriam Sweeney</a></div>
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<a imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTspORIFr9j7Kn_q9FoVjBWw4azcygxvkDcMa46Ygv9dOYTsPoKhhm8ez_FeVfKrsrqAlRviVgTJRi7_wMkExvDaAzUdp8SZ1YS5NlR7PRibG1lZePWfNI5SLrUkrGe052-qrWD0tlmvQ/s640/342443-11654771-7.jpg" /></a><br><a href="http://www.saatchionline.com/art/Painting-Oil-Benevolent-Canopy/342443/1653451/view">© Lara Cobden</a></div>
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I'm especially fond of the last one...it sort of reminds me of home. I guess that's the point. To feel <i>something</i> when you look at it, whatever that may be.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwRKUoz5whddGYGzn_IE85t8qZqvR4dVruzwla8io6I-iRP8T-X6pHlw-2ZmnAFTlIOgdfhcujtAvWchdHSjDZJR-Y0Rzkq8r_CoakYq02XpmH5SH3PVLznTZk2wvjUBl0a2vJqJ3fjA/s1600/firsthomedreams.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwRKUoz5whddGYGzn_IE85t8qZqvR4dVruzwla8io6I-iRP8T-X6pHlw-2ZmnAFTlIOgdfhcujtAvWchdHSjDZJR-Y0Rzkq8r_CoakYq02XpmH5SH3PVLznTZk2wvjUBl0a2vJqJ3fjA/s200/firsthomedreams.png" /></a>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-36218170971475559012013-09-11T18:04:00.000-04:002013-09-11T18:04:16.193-04:00Living Room Paint Colour UpdateImagine me saying that in the same way Barney Stinson says "I gots to know!".
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Although our old house still isn't finished and sold, I spent a few bucks (well, a few dozen bucks) on paint and got rid of the dusty rose in the living room once and for all. It's completely different from anything I've ever lived in before, so it's taking me awhile to adjust to it.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9724988359/" title="para paints white cliffs of dover living room by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7306/9724988359_e1619946dd_z.jpg" width="640" height="521" alt="para paints white cliffs of dover living room"></a></center>
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The walls are White Cliffs of Dover and the trim is Jo Jo (maybe it's Ja Ja) Whitewash, both by Para Paints. Before painting, I patched any holes and cracks with some spackle, and any significant gaps in the trim will eventually get a once over with paintable caulk, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. The difference between plaster in good shape and plaster in bad shape is honestly mind blowing. We will never have to remove the plaster from this house, barring any crazy unforeseen circumstances. Knock on wood!
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I decided to keep the walls light and very neutral because the mint-slash-seafoam green carpet is kind of overwhelming, and because I have no colour sense whatsoever, I had a tough time deciding on anything else that would work with it without me feeling like I was living in a clown house. Many many moons from now when we tear up the carpet, looking for original hardwood floors to refinish, I assume I'll go a different direction. But for now this will do just fine. Like I said, I've never had a white room before, so right now it feels a little weird - but it's growing on me. It's better than what it was like when we moved in though, that's for sure.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9728220494/" title="traditional living room before by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3825/9728220494_fb83d07621_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="traditional living room before"></a></center>
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The living room still has a ways to go. I still need to finish what I started over by the windows, and I have my heart set on new furniture. But on the advice of many people on Twitter, I'm not going to rush that decision even though we have a pretty hefty gift card that I'm itching to use up. I like lists, so here's a "to-do" for the living room.
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<ul>
<li><strike>Paint walls and trim</strike></li>
<li>Put up crown molding</li>
<li>Decide on window treatments - <i>decision made, just need to finish...you can find a post about the roman shades <a href="http://www.firsthomedreams.com/2013/08/diy-custom-roman-shade.html">here</a></i></li>
<li>Buy new couch and loveseat/chair</li>
<li>Mount tv and soundbar on wall</li>
<li>Find something for underneath the tv to hold electronic gadgets and DVDs</li>
<li>Remove a couple of links from the chandelier (Mike can easily bump his head on it) OR consider moving it into a different room and putting something equally awesome in it's place</li>
<li>Remove and restore hardware on door</li>
<li>Sand down bottom of door so that it's actually functional</li>
</ul>
I'm sure I've missed a thing or two, but that's basically the gist of it.
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So, there's a pretty wordy post for something that could have been summed up with LOOK AT MY NEWLY PAINTED WALLS.
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-36709293194188335962013-08-22T22:15:00.000-04:002013-08-22T22:15:32.863-04:00DIY "Custom" Roman ShadeWindow coverings are <i>expensive</i>. Custom options made with the fabric of your choice are even more costly. While I'd love to be able to afford something custom made by an expert, it's just not realistic for me.
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When I first started humming and hawing over what I was going to do to manage light and privacy in the <a href="http://www.firsthomedreams.com/2013/08/bay-window-dressing.html">living room</a>, I thought I might use cheap pull down shades behind a fake roman shade. But when I was at Lowes, they had discounted some pretty high quality shades down to $8 from $32. There were only two left in the size that I needed. The problem was, they weren't the same colour.
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And then I had an idea...why not layer some fabric that I like over top?
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So I grabbed them, and then the next day ordered some fabric samples from <a href="http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/">Online Fabric Store</a> and <a href="http://www.tonicliving.com/Default.aspx">Tonic Living</a>. In the end, I ended up ordering the fabric I had been leaning towards since I started browsing - this P. Kaufmann fabric from OFS.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9571432653/" title="paul kaufmann arboretum cloud by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7403/9571432653_010cb26e1d_z.jpg" width="640" height="640" alt="paul kaufmann arboretum cloud"></a><br><small><a href="http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/drapery-fabric/floral-drapery-fabric/pkaufmann-arboretum-cloud-fabric-.htm">P. Kaufmann Arboretum, Cloud</a></small></center>
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It didn't take very long to arrive, but they do use UPS to ship so I had a surprise $20 charge at the door. Blerg.
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Anyway, here's what they ended up looking like (well, one of them. I just finished the second one before sitting down to write this).
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9567299763/" title="DIY custom roman shade by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3731/9567299763_7fc702cc12_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="DIY custom roman shade"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9567305591/" title="DIY custom roman shade by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5343/9567305591_e231d86367_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="DIY custom roman shade"></a></center>
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I was a little worried that they wouldn't fold up properly with the extra fabric added, but it doesn't seem to be a problem.
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Here's how I did it!
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Lay your fabric out, and place your shade over top. Cut around the shade, leaving enough allowance for you to fold over the edges.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9570126918/" title="new fabric on roman shade by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2891/9570126918_c4cf639788.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="new fabric on roman shade"></a></center>
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I didn't have as much room as I'd like, because to be honest, I misordered (apparently that's not a word). I always think in meters as opposed to yards. The two yards I ordered just barely, barely covered both shades and their included valances.
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Next, iron out the creases in your fabric. This was the first time I'd used an iron and it was strangely satisfying.
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These shades are not no sew, although the amount of sewing is pretty limited. I used iron on fabric fusing tape to adhere the new fabric to the shade.
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To increase the chances of the shade folding properly, I followed the contour of the original shade. That meant using the tape on both the front face of each folding point, as well as the back side. I hope the pictures below explain what I mean.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9567318067/" title="fake custom roman shade by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7284/9567318067_f615366f9a.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="fake custom roman shade"></a><br><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9570108774/" title="fake custom roman shade by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7376/9570108774_449bcc5a58.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="fake custom roman shade"></a></center>
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I moved top to bottom, starting by attaching the fabric to the top of the shade. If you're using a patterned fabric, make sure you're attaching things the right way! Although the tape stays tacky enough to move it if you need to, it's still a pain. If you don't have much leeway with your side allowances, really make sure you're smoothing as you go and checking to make sure you have enough room to fold over the edges. I also found it easier to keep the fabric in a roll, rather than flipping it back and forth over and over again.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9570102784/" title="fake custom roman shade by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5445/9570102784_7a1cf14751.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="fake custom roman shade"></a></center>
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When I reached the bottom, I didn't do the very bottom edge. To get a nice fold, I decided I would do the sides first. Before starting that, though, I decided to hold the shade up to see how it was taking shape, and I was a little worried. It looked sort of baggy. But once I did the sides, everything tightened up.
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Apparently this is where I stopped taking pictures. Use the fabric tape along both sides, and then when you reach the bottom, fold up your finishing edge.
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At this point, you'll need to do a few stitches at each point where the fabric folds over the original shade. Otherwise, when you pull the shade up, the extra fabric that isn't secured will puff out the sides. I hope that makes sense?!
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My original shades came with valances attached with velcro which cover the mounting hardware. I actually started with these, and entirely hand stitched the new fabric to them. This was a stupid idea. Don't do that. The only other thing to note in regards to the valances is to make sure that when you fold over your edges, make sure you don't cover up the velcro.
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If I hadn't hand stitched the valances, this little project would have gone a whole lot faster, but even with that stupid move, it wasn't too bad. And definitely not difficult.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9570096250/" title="stained glass bay window by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5456/9570096250_2db3900f32_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="stained glass bay window"></a></center>
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In other news, all of the window casings and baseboards have been painted, and I'm hoping to get the walls done this weekend, but don't hold your breath.
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Have a good weekend!
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-88765644019398487822013-08-09T07:00:00.000-04:002013-08-09T07:00:04.610-04:00Frivolous FridayThese reproduction push button light switches from <a href="http://www.houseofantiquehardware.com/">House of Antique Hardware</a> makes me happy. I really and truly want them throughout the house, but the price tag is a little scary.
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<center><a href="http://www.houseofantiquehardware.com/switch-plate-covers-classic-push-button?sc=9&category=1425" title="push button switch plate"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5524/9465479845_a43e2f9d56_o.png" width="255" height="408" alt="push button switch plate"></a><a href="http://www.houseofantiquehardware.com/vintage-lighting-push-button-light-switch-with-double-pearl-inlay?sc=9&category=34" title="push button light switch"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7413/9465479847_bd18076fba_o.png" width="261" height="418" alt="push button light switch"></a></center>
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Cost of the actual hardware aside, shipping itself is nearly $50. Outrageous. I'm going to have to poke around on the interwebs to see if I can perhaps find them cheaper, but I'm not going to count on it.
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-52685443702853531392013-08-07T10:04:00.001-04:002013-08-07T10:04:15.783-04:00High HopesThis is going to be a disaster.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9456567841/" title="faux linen sheer stripe fabric by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5321/9456567841_99cabd8f24_z.jpg" width="640" height="478" alt="faux linen sheer stripe fabric"></a></center>
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Apparently I think I'm going to make this pile of fabric into curtains for the living room.
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HA! I should probably dig the sewing machine out of the barn.
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-56769121726563681232013-08-01T10:40:00.000-04:002013-08-01T10:41:02.568-04:00Window Dressing HelpDecorating savvy friends, I need your help.
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In our living room, we have a bay window that is made up of three seperate windows. The big guy in the middle is causing me some grief.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9416639290/" title="Bay window with stained glass by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3723/9416639290_17dab98538_z.jpg" width="640" height="478" alt="Bay window with stained glass"></a></center>
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Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful window and I feel pretty lucky to have some original stained glass going on in my house. But we need some sort of window covering up there for both privacy and glare reducing tv watching purposes. Same level of priority in my opinion.
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The window coverings that were up there when we moved in were way too much. They made the room feel smaller and all of the original details that make me crazy about old houses were completely lost behind dated fabric. I don't want to go down that route again.
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I'm thinking of putting roman shades on the two flanking smaller windows and always having them pulled to the same level as the stained glass in the middle window. Since I likely wouldn't ever move them up or down from there, I could save some money and put up some fakers. In behind I could use less fancy pull down shades for some real light blocking capabilities (it's really only a concern for the right window because the sun goes down RIGHT THERE but I like things to be symmetrical).
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The sheer curtains that were left here before provided enough privacy for us, so I like the idea of hanging up some updated sheer curtains in between each window, that could be moved to cover the windows as needed. That way I still get to see the molding and stained glass, but can close things up a little bit at night.
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We have quite a bit of wall space between each window, so I think it might work out?
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Any advice??
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-47931094780520970222013-07-15T07:30:00.000-04:002013-07-15T07:30:00.986-04:00What Would Happen if I Redecorated the Bathroom ImpulsivelyTHIS.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9269542737/" title="bathroom moodboard by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7361/9269542737_50b9ed1b11_o.png" width="800" height="575" alt="bathroom moodboard"></a></center>
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This would happen because it's all I can envision in my head right now.
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And this is why I take a gazillion years to do anything, because Mike would probably have strong words to say if he came home to find himself using a pink floral bathroom. And I change my mind a lot, so while I love this right now, next week I'll probably want something entirely different.
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Also, I'm pretty lazy. That's another reason things take a gazillion years.
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In case anyone is interested, here's a little breakdown of what's going on up there.
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<b>1. Black and white polka dot shower curtain.</b> Inspired by <a href="http://www.pbteen.com/products/dottie-shower-curtain/">this</a>, if I posessed a craft gene and knew how to sew I would make my own from <a href="http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/oilcloth-fabric/black-polka-dots-oilcloth-fabric-.htm">this fabric</a>.
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<b>2. New vanity light.</b> The one in there right now is off center and it drives me INSANE (it's a two bulber). I think <a href="http://www.homedepot.ca/product/nadia-collection-3-light-bathbar/809322">this</a> three bulbed option would balance things out, though I admittedly have no idea what it looks like behind the current light and if it would even work.
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<b>3. Wallpaper above the existing (fake) beadboard.</b> I told you on <a href="http://www.firsthomedreams.com/2013/07/frivolous-friday.html">Friday</a> how much I love this stuff from <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-wallpaper/20545554.jsp">Anthropologie</a>.
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<b>4. A framed mirror.</b> There's a perfectly usable builder basic plate mirror in there now, but <a href="http://www.addicted2decorating.com/diy-decorative-mirror-with-scalloped-frame.html">Addicted 2 Decorating shows how to create your own </a>version of this <a href="https://www.jossandmain.com/Subtle-Shades-Edie-Wall-Mirror~PDH1900~E5020.html">Joss and Main mirror</a>.
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<b>5. Wall hooks.</b> These would be a huge improvement over the towel bar and over-the-door hanger being used right now. We have dozens of these throughout the house so I wouldn't have to buy any - just need to <a href="http://www.firsthomedreams.com/2012/01/lock-it-up.html">throw 'em in the crock pot</a> to cook the paint off them.
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<b>6. Painted vanity.</b> The vanity is in good shape, but it needs some sprucing up through paint and hardware. I like the idea of a bright raspberry colour (this is <a href="http://www.behr.com/Behr/home">Strawberry Daiquiri by Behr</a>).
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<b>7. Existing faux marble wall tile. </b> This was put in by the old owners, and it's in good shape and not offensive to my eye balls so there is zero part of me interested in tearing it out.
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<b>8. Existing white and blue linoleum. </b> It's a little tired looking, a little yellowed, but it's easy to clean and in decent condition. Once again, zero part of me is interested in replacing it.
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<b>9. New faucet.</b> <a href="http://www.faucetdirect.com/pfister-t43-yp0-ashfield-centerset-bathroom-sink-faucet-with-country-pump-style-handles/p1700401">This one</a> is a pretty pricey little guy, so isn't likely something I'd actually buy unless it were to go on sale. Anything would be an improvement over what we have right now, though. Except no faucet. No faucet at all wouldn't be good.
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If you'd like a reminder of what the bathroom looks like at this very moment, you can check it out at the end of <a href="http://www.firsthomedreams.com/2013/06/did-somebody-say-house-tour.html">this post</a>.
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Happy Monday!
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-3638905777050850692013-07-11T23:02:00.002-04:002013-07-11T23:02:49.902-04:00Frivolous FridayI haven't done a Frivolous Friday post in quite awhile, because it honestly just feels like "filler" unless it's something I'm really excited about.
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And this wallpaper from Anthropologie? It's got me excited. I can't stop thinking about it.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9267245764/" title="anthropologie watercolor peony wallpaper by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7437/9267245764_10e99a2543_z.jpg" width="615" height="410" alt="anthropologie watercolor peony wallpaper"></a>
<br><small><a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-wallpaper/20545554.jsp">Watercolor Peony Wallpaper by Anthropologie</a></small></center>
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Even though there are butterflies on it, and I'm kind of afraid of butterflies (mostly it's moths, but really big butterflies are freaky too).
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But back to the wallpaper. It's so unbelievably pretty, but I'd never have the guts to actually spend the money and put it up anywhere. I think I'd get sick of it far too quickly, and it's <i>probably</i> a little frilly for Mike's taste anyway.
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I wish I could just buy a swatch instead of a whole roll. That would be ideal.
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Have a good weekend!
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-29067815400191576982013-07-09T20:20:00.000-04:002013-07-09T20:20:31.528-04:00Living Room Lift OffWith wedding shenanigans officially over (we had a second reception on Saturday night) and work on the old house starting on Friday, I'm feeling a little more free to actually think about how I want things in the new house to look. The first room getting a makeover as soon as the old house is sold is the living room.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/8949928431/" title="living room by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3770/8949928431_ff6f3a009a_c.jpg" width="800" height="598" alt="living room"></a></center>
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I cannot handle the dusty rose. Or the curtains. Or the mint carpet but I think I'll have to learn to tolerate that for the next 15 to one hundred years. At least it's soft.
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Mike and I made two real furniture purchases in the past week or so, and one of those pieces is this upholstered storage ottoman from <a href="http://www.homesense.ca/en/index.asp">HomeSense</a>. I usually find furniture from here to be pretty pricey, but this wasn't too bad...especially since we had a gift card to burn. It's a great size and shape for us to use as a coffee table, and the fabric and oversized nailhead trim make me happy, despite it not being the most high quality thing in the world. Mike's actually the one who spotted it so kudos to him.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9252666236/" title="grey upholstered storage ottoman bench by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5515/9252666236_c669c7c640_c.jpg" width="800" height="598" alt="grey upholstered storage ottoman bench"></a></center>
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We've got our eyes on <a href="http://www.leons.ca/shared/product/product.aspx?ItemId=0&ChildItemId=1457575">this sectional</a>, which I'm hoping we pull the trigger on sooner rather than later so that we can send the green beasts elsewhere.
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Can I just say that it's really, really exciting to be planning to decorate a room that doesn't have to be torn entirely apart?!
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-58682488799153592672013-06-28T07:30:00.000-04:002013-06-28T07:30:02.408-04:00Look Up, Look Waaaaaay UpFor the first time last night, I went onto the balcony/veranda/second level porch/insert other name here. I'm working on using the appropriate name for things because my own mother told me I was pretentious* for calling what is obviously a formal dining room a "reading room" but, READING. I need more reading in my life. Not more dining. And my couch is a perfectly good spot to dine.
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If you remember all the way back to when I shared a wee <a href="http://www.firsthomedreams.com/2013/06/did-somebody-say-house-tour.html">house tour</a>, there's this oval window.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/8951120792/" title="main staircase details by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5348/8951120792_9da8aea128_c.jpg" width="800" height="598" alt="main staircase details"></a></center>
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And it looks good from the inside. And not too bad from afar, either.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9002146814/" title="Queen Anne farmhouse by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3798/9002146814_2e0d97627d_c.jpg" width="800" height="598" alt="Queen Anne farmhouse"></a></center>
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But when I was out on the balcony...
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9154101905/" title="antique oval window by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3701/9154101905_78e2eda16d_c.jpg" width="534" height="800" alt="antique oval window"></a></center>
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Hey window, your wood is showing. And your crack. Not a good look. Cover yourself up.
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Upon closer inspection, big chunks of glazing are also missing, so this puppy's in need of a bit of restoration work. It's something that will need to be done in place, unlike <a href="http://www.firsthomedreams.com/2012/01/tutorial-fixing-wood-window-sash.html">this window</a>, because look at how crazy this trim is.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9156320924/" title="wood window restoration by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3779/9156320924_b6b16fc9f1_c.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="wood window restoration"></a></center>
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It shouldn't be too bad of a fix...glazing, caulk, exterior paint. This is probably one project that I'll do sooner than later to avoid further damage or water infiltration.
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I have a pretty bad history of following through on things, but even though it sounds ridiculous, I feel like I'm getting my groove back in this new house, so we'll see.
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Before I'm out of here for the long weekend...does anyone reading know anything about antique glass? My gut says that the pane that's in there isn't original, but I admittedly know next to nothing. Let me know what you think!
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<small>*I'm pretty sure she was joking when she said that.
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Mostly.
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Love you mom. :)</small>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-81132605747153455672013-06-21T07:30:00.000-04:002013-06-21T07:30:04.930-04:00Box Stall Gardening ShedThis isn't really blog worthy, but I'm posting it anyway.
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In the horse barn, there are five box stalls, although one is really more of a tack room. Eventually they will probably be removed so that the building can be used more efficiently, but in the mean time, I'm turning one of them into a gardening shed of sorts.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9097237558/" title="Untitled by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3667/9097237558_113db6e3dd_c.jpg" width="598" height="800" alt="box stall horse barn"></a></center>
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$15 worth of screw-in tool hangers from <a href="http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/HouseHome/StorageOrganization/GarageWallStorageSolutions/PRDOVR~0613967P/Vinyl-coated+Tool+Hook.jsp?locale=en">Canadian Tire</a> took care of keeping our shovels and rakes off of the floor and stopping them from toppling over themselves every time we try and grab something. The hangers are only 94 cents each so I grabbed more than I needed because I'm sure I'll find more things to hang in here as we get settled in.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9097269734/" title="Untitled by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3667/9097269734_b94319a217_c.jpg" width="598" height="800" alt="garden tool storage"></a></center>
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At some point, on the other side of the stall I'd like to build a table for a work surface, and I'd like it to have some drawers to keep things like seed packets and bulbs.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9095013067/" title="Untitled by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5468/9095013067_71bcb8b4d4_c.jpg" width="800" height="598" alt="box stall horse barn"></a></center>
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I have some cedar that my dad brought me that would be nice, and I have four farmhouse style table legs kicking around too that would be great for out here. I have no idea how to build a table, let alone a drawer, so that's not happening anytime soon. Especially since none of Mike's tools have moved in yet (which will likely inhabit another one of the box stalls). There's lots more wall space to go around even with a table in here.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9095034493/" title="Untitled by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5458/9095034493_98e070a1ee_c.jpg" width="800" height="598" alt="box stalls horse barn"></a></center>
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Another bonus is that each stall also has a water tap. I don't know anything about gardening yet, but I assume running water might come in handy sometimes? Maybe not. Clearly I have no clue.
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Aside from gardening stuff, bird seed will also live in here (which is why that extra wall space is appreciated). I need a proper storage solution for that otherwise mice will eat it all. And there will be fat mice running around that look like hamsters because they don't know how to stop eating when they are full.
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Ask me how I know this.
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I'm assuming someone is interested, so here goes.
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When we first moved into the old house, I haphazardly threw a full bag of dog food from my fostering days into the basement. It was promptly forgotten about. Fast forward a few months later, and Mike and his dad were down in the basement and found the bag of dog food, except now it was empty. The little buggers had pilfered the entire bag, and ended up storing a bunch of it in the gap between a double brick wall in the basement. The mice had made themselves so fat that they couldn't even run from the cat. It was sort of like this.
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<center><a href="http://imgur.com/PJsRg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DAJrf7j-RueiMzkzF7xMzRDQpiiI8LHeiFj1NT1gD9N7gPRL6xT2CfFD1CXKjaSr9NuuDjlKHwxKS6rrvq1jp_GL8AFYNlc_L0fvNgpuI9FipYDSQ8lbIIHQsu3z1kI7i_sGPu1zJ-c/s400/possum+eating+pastries.jpg" alt="possum eating pastries"/></a></center>
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Happy Friday!
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-31769409263007060332013-06-19T07:30:00.000-04:002013-06-19T07:30:00.608-04:00Things I've Got My Eye OnJust a quickie post for today...a few things that I found over on <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/boards/">Pinterest</a> that made me go hubba hubba.
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THIS ROOM.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9081153712/" title="tommy smythe masculine bedroom by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2872/9081153712_bde805aa29_o.jpg" width="450" height="575" alt="tommy smythe masculine bedroom"></a>
<br><small>via <a href="http://houseandhome.com/design/photo-gallery-tommy-smythes-houses?page=15">House and Home</a></small></center>
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Tommy Smythe is a brilliant man.
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So this next things doesn't make my heart flutter, but I'd like to give it a shot and see what happens.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9081152628/" title="Homemade Wipes by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3743/9081152628_06676e5b29_o.jpg" width="660" height="444" alt="Homemade Wipes"></a><br><small>via <a href="http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-wipes/">DIY Natural</a></small></center>
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I made <a href="http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.ca/2013/05/may-mini-challenge-homemade-cleaners.html">some of these</a> two weeks ago and they've been working great, so I'm definitely interested in seeing what else I can do.
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Next up, this stone.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9078928329/" title="slate stone tiles by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3830/9078928329_795dfce05e_o.jpg" width="400" height="400" alt="slate stone tiles"></a><br><small>via <a href="http://www.homedepot.ca/product/muskoka-slate-stone-charcoal-grey-18-inches-x-18-inches/919947">Home Depot</a></small></center>
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I'd like to use something like this to pretty up the two small walkways we have outside, and possibly also for a little patio to put our picnic table on so that we don't have to deal with grass growing up underneath it. We thought about putting the picnic table on the back porch, but it's so big that it's not a good use of space.
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Finally, this shower curtain.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9078928739/" title="polka dot shower curtain by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5486/9078928739_c736b1985e_o.png" width="476" height="480" alt="polka dot shower curtain"></a><br><small>via <a href="http://www.pbteen.com/products/dottie-shower-curtain/">PB Teen</a></small></center>
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You can see it in action over on <a href="http://makingitlovely.com/2013/06/03/our-vintage-bathroom/">Making it Lovely</a>. I love her entire bathroom and kind of want to copy her colour scheme.
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-63639596982697908322013-06-17T07:30:00.000-04:002013-06-17T09:41:21.837-04:00That Which Has My Heart<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9000966501/" title="Ontario century barn by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7415/9000966501_1a04593bf0_c.jpg" width="800" height="598" alt="Ontario century barn"></a></center>
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I love my barn.
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Ok, I know it's not <i>mine</i>, but I will develop a permanent twitch if I have to explain how we live on a <a href="http://www.firsthomedreams.com/2013/06/appearances.html">shared property</a> every time I talk about it. No one likes a twitchy Ashley.
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Things might get a little weird now.
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I was in exploring the big old bank barn the other day, and although it's full of mud and cobwebs and racoon poop and old hay, it could easily become my happy place. Putting on my boots and walking through the door, traipsing down the dirty aisle, pushing open gates, unlatching doors, imagining feeding and watering animals of some sort and cleaning up their mess...it felt good, like it's something I'm <i>supposed</i> to be doing. Not supposed to be doing because it's part of being a functional adult like vaccuuming, but something that my soul feels like it should be doing.
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And now I feel all awkward and dirty for talking about souls and purpose. Insert Hank Hill-esque shudder here. Blerg, feelings.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9042642111/" title="Old barn by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7343/9042642111_e56347655d_c.jpg" width="800" height="598" alt="Old barn"></a></center>
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It needs a good scrub down, but it will never be one of those fancy barns you see in pictures. And if I'm ever going to have something like chickens in here, I'll need to do a bit of retrofitting to make sure no racoons (or cats) have a feast. It's a job for next spring, because with us still needing to finish and sell our old house, everything that I would like to do at the new place is staying firmly in the dream stage.
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Except for the horseshoe pit. We're building one of those soon.
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>
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I shared this post at the <a href="http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2013/06/homestead-barn-hop-115.html">Homestead Barn Hop #115</a>. Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-48508236400482622702013-06-14T07:30:00.000-04:002013-06-14T07:30:03.267-04:00Floor PlanWhen I shared a quick <a href="http://www.firsthomedreams.com/2013/06/did-somebody-say-house-tour.html">house tour</a> the other day, a few of you mentioned in the comments that you were confused and would appreciate a floor plan...so here you go! Please note that not a damn thing is to scale, since I haven't measured a single wall.
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The first floor...
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9037889554/" title="first-floor by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3745/9037889554_b01465e7eb_o.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="first-floor"></a></center>
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And the second floor.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9035664553/" title="second-floor by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3668/9035664553_b38bbf6721_o.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="second-floor"></a></center>
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I used <a href="http://floorplanner.com/">FloorPlanner</a> to make these, and found it even easier to use than my previous go-to, <a href="http://www.urbanbarn.com/Room-Planner">The Make Room</a>.
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I didn't include the porches, and I'm sure I probably missed a window or misrepresented the swing of a door here and there, but at least I hope you kind of get the gist of it now.
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On another note, I'm still trying to get my image mapped header to center. I've been unsuccessful with everything I've done up until now, so until I get it figured out, I've widened my entire blog so that it at least appears centered. This isn't a permanent solution since the posts are really wide and it's driving me a little bit crazy. Content in the pages is a little sparse right now, but over time they'll fill out and hopefully be a little more dynamic.
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Mike and I have a friend coming home for the summer from Igloolik, so we're heading out with friends tonight to see him. Tomorrow we're taking a day trip down to Buffalo to see the <a href="http://www.bookofmormonbroadway.com/">Book of Mormon</a> - has anyone seen it? We've heard it's hilarious and are really excited! Sunday we'll hopefully sleep in (we won't get back home until laaaaate Saturday/early Sunday morning), and then it's a day full of slo-pitch. What have you got going on this weekend? Hope it's a good one!
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829201037128150304.post-20820082227688993142013-06-12T07:30:00.000-04:002013-06-13T18:55:20.541-04:00AppearancesI think I owe you guys a bit of an explanation.
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58197583@N03/9008499186/" title="farm field soy beans by sciencerules86, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8124/9008499186_6ba6843463_c.jpg" width="800" height="598" alt="farm field soy beans"></a></center>
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We don't own this whole property.
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Of the 100 ish acres, Mike and I own only maybe 2. The rest is owned by his parents, who we co-purchased the entire property with. On paper it's a two-thirds, one-third split, with them owning the fields and us owning the house. What Mike and I got the house for is way under market value (thanks to my in-laws), and for that I am so unbelievably thankful.
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As for the outbuildings, that's still sort of up in the air. The drive shed (which I haven't shared a picture of) is entirely Mike's Dad's for his equipment. Though we did sneak our snowblower in there...
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As for the bank barn, it's basically empty. We have some stuff being stored in it from when we started renovating the upstairs in our old house, but that's about all that's in there. There's the potential for a corner of it to be used for chickens, but that conversation will happen when I'm ready to actually get some nuggets.
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The horse barn will never house horses again - as long as we live here, anyway. Mike wants to build a bar out there, and it's also where the majority of his tools are going to live. The haymow has a huge amount of potential in it, too. But what that ends up being, who knows.
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As for the old house, we're still working on it. We're incredibly lucky to be able to move into the new house so that we can finish what needs to be done in the old house without having to live in the construction. Again, big thanks to my in-laws! This honest-to-goodness would not be happening without them.
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I just wanted to share all of that so you didn't have conspiracy theories running in your head about how we could go from a shack to a really nice house with a huge amount of property. Drug lords, we are not.
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Did you like this post? <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/FirstHomeDreams">Click here to subscribe</a> and be notified of new posts. You can also find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FirstHomeDreams">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FirstHomeDreams">Facebook</a>, <a href"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3661793/first-home-dreams">Bloglovin</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/FirstHomeDreams/">Pinterest</a>.</i></span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16968683314594577902noreply@blogger.com0