Beach Cottage Project

Our cottage bathroom is everything I just wouldn't do in a bathroom if I was designing it myself.  No tub, corner shower (I absolutely hate corner things), a vinyl floor and new white sink unit with integrated sink, plus all the walls have been covered in a vinyl "faux tile" product.  The ceiling has a shiny white vinyl.  I would love to rip it out however, I have decided not to for the following reasons.

• 
  
  It is fairly new and clean and fresh
• 
  
  The workmanship is good
• 
  
  The materials are good quality
• 
  
  It is practical, easy to clean and tidy.  I don't want renters to have to worry about what cleaners to use on the tiles.
• 
  
  I don't want to toss it all into a landfill.  My rule for this cottage is ReUse, ReCycle.
• 
  
  Not in the budget

So, I am going to live with it and embrace its good qualities, adding a few vintage touches here and there. We really needed more hooks to hang beach towels and jammies and things, so I took on a little project using this old window shutter to make a peg board.

I was inspired by Lori's post at Frugal Farmhouse Design where she aged a gorgeous table.

Here's what I did.

I started with an  dirty old brown shutter. $10.00 thrift shop. After a good scrubbing I gave it a very rough coat of Farrow and Ball's Arsenic. (I bought the little sample sizes of Farrow and Ball.  They are a good size and you only need a little)  I Love that for a paint name.  I knew one day, I would have to use Aresnic, solely because of the name.

The Arsenic was applied in patchy areas.(left).  I then applied a 4-1 water to paint mix of

 Cornforth White and splashed it on all over, front and back.

After the white paint was dry I rubbed it down with sand paper to reveal the green and the underlying wood.

On the left is the finished shutter.  However when I hung it, I found it too light and not enough weight against the wall.  So I "Grubbied" it up a bit.  I dry brushed on some Tanners Brown to make the exposed wood darker.  Then a quick very thin dry brush of Green Blue.  You can add more, rub more off and play around until you like the finish.

Once I was happy with the finish, I added a few very simple, inexpensive wardrobe hooks.....

I left on the original Shutter hardware for extra hooks.

Now there's lots of room for towels and Bits................

I am participating in Metamorphis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

Vintage White

I really wasn't looking for, and certainly didn't need, another chair in my house, but this gorgeous retro chair beckoned me over. Covered in creamy white vinyl with brassy nailheads, it has the most lovely shape.

I found it at the Salvation Army for $20.00

In "Design School" we had an instuctor Paul, who made us find images to illustrate the various elements of design such as scale, balance, line, form, rhythmn, etc.  We had to come up with one word to describe a photo as it relates to design. I think this picture would be have been perfect for that class.  This chair has all the elements of great design.  

I love the juxtaposition of the boxy back....

....And the arms.

Sometimes you find a piece that so illustrates great design, it could be used as a design class model.  Shape, Line, Function, Form, Rhythmn, Balance.......Any of these could describe this chair.

So, just in case you are looking for photos for your class Paul,  my word is .................Dynamic

Hey! Would you like me to look after your Shop??

A gorgeous Parlour Table, Farmhouse Table and Brass Birdcage

We have some lovely new Bits in the shop this week following a fabulous jaunt to the country about 2 hours away, where we were actually left not only in charge of a shop, but the owners kid. 

 This shop owner is getting to know us now, knowing we like Farmhouse and Peeling Paint, Old and Faded and anything Scrubby.  He showed us a few things in the yard, however we couldn't go in because his dogs were out and we weren't allowed near them.  He mentioned that he had another piece for us down the road in a friends shed.  Lorraine, being the fearless outspoken one asked him if he could go get it. 

He agreed and told us to watch the shop......oh and the Kid.  The boy went to the attic (a wonderful treasure trove of goodies) while we kept shop.  All of a sudden Lorraine starts running from the shop yelling ans screaming "GET OUT GET OUT, RUN!!!".  I look to my left and see with horror that the dogs have gotten into the house through to the shop. They are growling, lifitng the corner of their lip. I ran clamboring over old doors, bottles and furniture through this crazy chock-a-blog full shop making it outside just in time.  Lorraine and I were outside the shop, pushing the door shut, while 2 large dogs jumped against it barking and snarling at us.

All of a sudden I said "oh my God, the Kid, he's in the shop".  I was panicking thinking of the Boy coming down from the attic and the dogs being there. My heart stopped, I kept saying Oh My God the Kid, the Kid!!!  Lorraine was saying the dogs must be Ok with the boy...(they were).  The Kid suddenly appears at the door with an odd look on his face, somewhat fearful...... but of us, not the dogs.  Fearful that he is now in the care of these 2 screaming, panicking women.  At the same time the owner comes back to find Lorraine and I outside his shop holding the door shut with all our might. He looked at us as if we were mad city women, which partly we were.  We asked him if they would have attacked us....he laughed and said "They won't do anything unless you RUN." 

 Anyway, we got several beautiful tables, but could only bring 2 home so will show the others when we pick them up.  One is a farmtable that he said he dragged through a field for 100 meters.  The other is a lovely parlour table with a faded black to grey paint.  We also got this old brass birdcage which has a gorgeous patina.

Dash and Albert Cotton Rugs.

Our first shipment of Dash and Albert rugs arrived, all pretty and country and fresh.  We displayed them in old rusty milk crates.

Pine Cone Hill Linens

We also got our shipment of Pine Cone Hill linens which we love.  Watch for my own bedroom makeover with the new linens soon.

So thats is for this week.  We hope to get a new load next week. If you could like us to come and mind your shop, you know how to reach us.........

Save a Bee Today

Local honey in glass jars,  Project Genesis,  Bee loving plants.

My cousin recently moved from Australia to Chicago.  She has a dog called Charlie, who was to

 re-locate with the family.  She arranged his safe passage through Jet Pets.  (this is not an ad for Jet Pets).  Her Jet Pet Rep called her a couple of days before Charlie's flight to re-arrange it.  She didn't want Charlie to be in the livestock hold with the swarms of bees that were booked on his original flight, beacuse they were very noise and may upset him.  Yes, that's right.  Swarms of bees are routinely shipped from Australia to North America and other parts, because Australia has healthy bees and we don't.  Our bees are dying.

 I recently attended a huge livestock and produce market. I got chatting to a man about his honey,(not his girlfriend, his gorgeous, golden, fresh honey that you put on your toast).  And about his bees.  He is a local beekeeper, a very worried beekeeper, and he explained to me a bit about the world of beekeeping.  About the North American bees dying. About hives being transported from farm to farm to pollinate crops because there aren't enough wild bees to do the job in these mega-farms that now exist.  (last year in Eastern Canada, a truck transporting hives from farm to farm tipped over causing the whole highway to be shut down while they retrieved their bees).

He told me that when you buy store bought honey in those little beehive shaped or bear shaped plastic containers from the grocery store, it's a mix of honey bought by buyers from various parts of the world (here in North America it is often South American).  They buy the cheapest product they can from various sources and mix it, ship it long distances, and package it in plastic.  Double Whammy.  Not locally produced and a plastic jar.

To help protect our bees you can simply plan a bee friendly garden. And buy locally produced honey. (farmers market, specialty store, local grocer, gift shops.)  Just because you buy organic honey at Whole Foods, doesn't mean it is "green".  Where did it come from?  At the farmers market I was at they had strawberries from the USA.  Now, I buy USA berries in the supermarket when I can't buy locally grown.  BUT, at a farmers market you need to watch out.  Vendors are buying from the Food Terminals and selling at Farmers Markets.  Beware, Just because they are at a Farmers Market doesn't make them a farmer or the product local. !Make sure you ask if they are lcoal.

You can check out Plan Bee for how to grow a bee friendly garden.

Less grass, more flowers, water for the bees to drink, no pesticides or herbicides.

I have planted large gardens to encourage the bees, but local honey is something I buy by the dozen and use for gifts. A whole slew of good reasons.  Locally produced, helps the local small beekeeper, delicious sensible and practical gift.

Think about all those gifts you need for teachers, hostess gifts, your hairdresser???? How about a jar of gorgeous local honey tied up with a vintage spoon.

Or a lovely cornbread sweetened with local honey.

Vintage Spoons, Local Honey, Honey Moist Cornbread. Recipe Here

I am linking up for Project Genesis hoted by Suzan at Old Grey Mare.  Check it out and become involved here.

Mystery Find-What is this thing?

This is my mystery item.....

I bought this funny old box for $2.00.  I was drawn to the color.  However...it opened strangely and at first I couldn't figure it out.  You have to open it and flip the lid. It has very small finger joints.

It says Clapp and Baileys Remnants on the bottom, and I am waiting for you Tamarah to tell me what it was used for....(I know it may seem obvious, but I Googled Clapp and Bailey and all I found was they may have made lace.  I am wondering what kind of remnants ie. lace, fabric, yarn, rugs) Also if anyone knows anything about Clapp and Bailey.

The lid flips open like this.....

Postscript: Tracy from Ms Bake It told me it is from 1881 and was used to store fabric remnants.  Thanks Tracy. oh.....and it smells like 1881 inside.

Muted Pallette

I came across this pretty little handpainted lidded jar in a thrift shop, and thought it would be a very pretty gift filled with lavender.  The colors are so muted, but gorgeous.  There is a soft brown and a pale greyish mauve......I found this little flower in the garden and thought the colors went beautifully with the jar and was especially simple and pretty with white ironstone. It has little "puffs" of pale mauve, grey and cream with little lacy edges.

The old door knob came from my kitchen island project.  I think the worn smooth old metal is gorgeous, and I find it interesting enough to leave around as an ornament.  My husband stumbled upon me while I was photographing it.  "Isn't it beautiful?" I said.  His reply...."Chania, it's a door knob"

Makeover - Cottage Bedroom - Before and After

I have now finished the makeover on the 2nd bedroom at the cottage.  All it needed was a fresh coat of paint and the carpet removed to reveal the original wood floors.  This little cabinet was bought for the shop, however, I just couldn't let it go.   

When we bought the cottage, It had been on the market for a long time and had been reduced a couple of times.  I think the place looked like a frat house and that is what put people off.  Here is the before shot of this room.

BEFORE

Behind that dresser is a sink.  Yep, in a 76 square foot room, they took valuable space for a sink unit.  WHY??????  You can see how the ceiling looks low because of the wallpaper border hung 6" below it.  You can also see the "nook" with the plywood cover.  If you look really close, you can see the creepiest painting ever.  Next to the bunk bed, turned sideways is a painting of a naked persons butt, with their hands tied behind their back with a snake.  Now if you were staging a home for sale, would you leave that thing around??? 

AFTER

Here's the room after.  The floor was quite nice, and an improvement on the carpet.  You can see the pylwood nook has been painted and a map installed over the wood.

There is 18" betweem the 2 beds, and this is the only way you can configure the room and still be able to open the door.  That nightstand barely fit.  I found these 2 hand sewn quilts at the local 2nd hand store.  Because they were quite colorful, and I didn't want this room to be cute, I painted the walls in Farrow and Ball's Cornforth White with Benjamin Moore's Oxford White trim.  I found 2 grey camp blankets in 2 different thrift shops which was lucky.

The bed frame on the left was a road find 15 years ago when my son still thought it was fun to go junk hunting with me.  It says Simmons Canada on it.  Since there is no closet in this room, and only 1 in the whole cottage, storage for linens etc is under the bed in Rubbermaid containers.

 

My daughter painted the picture above the bed here when she was in grade 4. 

 While I am not keen on this daybed anymore, it is in perfect condition, so I used it here.  It came from Ikea.  The little turquoise lamp is vintage and I had it re-wired.  You have to be careful with old lamps, sometimes the wires and plugs are in terrible condition. 

The quilts are made very simply with the prettiest floral rectangles. I bet someone saved old dresses and sheets to make these.

Looking from the day bed to the other side.....

An old caddy on the dresser holds books and odd Bits.  The old medicine cabinet is empty, but I thought renters may like a spot to stash their things.  I need to add several hooks on the wall to the left of this dresset to serve as a closet of sorts.  So that's it.  Une chambre minuscule. 

Faffing Around - Day 4 -Dealing with the Nook

I would like to start this post by saying to those of you who thought I was being a grumpy old cow about the jam, I relented.  I don't stay irritated for long, and took her a jar.

Any way, the spare bedroom has a weird Nook.  It is actually where the front window for the old cottage used to be.  This used to look out to the lake side.

The previous owners added a room behind it and covered the one side with hideous plastic panelling and a piece of scrap plywood here.

I painted it white and added some Bits...........I hung a little mobile made from old Dinky cars I bought from an old man who makes them with a pop can tab to hang it from,  but it was still looking a bit blah.

I had an idea to hang wallpaper in it, but my rule here is to re-use and re-cycle, not buy new, especially something frivolous like wallpaper.

Then I remembered the marina office had maps for visitors....I could just stroll there in my painting clothes and pink Crocs without anyone seeing me and pick one up.  I asked the Harbormaster for one and maybe because of my attire or un-diffused hair, he didn't recognise me (we have dealt with him many times) and he proceeded to point out where we were on the map as if I was some kind of deranged lost child...............................no jam for him:)

Now, I hate to cut a straight line, so I was thrilled that this map fit exactly with no cutting.....1/8 inch each side all around left......perfect....

Now if I wanted to be trendy, I could take the pins out of my voo-doo dolls and place them on the map showing all the places I have been around here............

Faffing Around - Day 3

It is Day 3.  It rained in the night which was lovely and cooling and everything looked fresh outside at 5 am when I was standing in the garden with Gracie in my nightgown.  There is a skunk about so I have to create some noise when we go out....so I have been shaking a tin of stones which is very irritating when you are half awake. 

Did not have the "Resort" breakfast, and decided to get to work early on that 2nd bedroom.  I am right into the painting and have the trim almost done when my neighbor knocks.  I answer the door with my hair wild, paint on my arms, goofy pants and jam on my face. (noticed that later).

Apparently I had forgotten an "old bucket" at the side of the house and the rain dripping on it had disturbed her.  She was quite irritated and mentioned it was the second time I had left something under the eaves that kept her awake. That's no "old bucket" but my vintage sap bucket, part of the decor, enhancing the vintage cottage vibe.   I promise to move it and don't give her the jar of homemade jam I had set aside for her:)

I spent a couple of hours faffing about with this old metal cabinet I purchased at a garage sale.  I tried it all over the place and settled on the kitchen by the fridge to store platters and jam jars and ugly things like the fire extinguisher.

The painting is finished.  Now I need to put everything back and pretty it up.

I collect these old shell boxes and have moved a couple over here.  I had a few peony's in the garden, picked them, plus one from the complaining neighbors side for good measure :)

Spent the evening chatting to a boater about his life re-entering the dating game after 30 years of being married (lost his wife).  Amazing what people will tell you if you don't ask.

Faffing Around - Day 2 - and a Small Earthquake.

Ok, It's day two......I've decided to get off my butt, quit drinking 4 cappucinos in the morning (as well as the afternoon mohitos) and start organizing my kitchen.  Plans are moving right along with the island, and Ken came by today with some barnboard.  It appears he has a friend who has a barn he is slowly (2 years now) taking down.  Ken went by the barn, no-one home, but removed a few boards anyway, and left the guy a note.  Hey, it's the country, it's casual and easygoing up here. 

Some renters bought me this blue jug from a local potter to thank me for renting to them (not sure why...maybe they broke something they didn't tell me about).  Anyway, I thought it looked pretty with

flowers from the garden. 

.

I had purchased this wooden box last week while shopping for the Shop.  I am the type of person who likes things out in the open, but I like them corralled somewhat or it gets out of hand.  That ridiculously tall peppermill wouldn't fit on the counter under the cupboards, so it has to sit on the island.  Problem is when the washing machine is running (under the island) during the spin cycle, it shakes it off (and anything else near the edge) onto the floor.  Problem solved.

Which brings me to the earthquake.  I get up around 5 am for my dog and can't get back to sleep, so I sometimes have a little nap in the afternoon.  I lay down in the afternoon, went dead asleep, and was woken by the bed shaking (don't) and the ceiling fan swaying.  Remember, this little wooden house shakes with the washing machine spin cycle. I could hear my bottles and jars of Bits tinkling.  I ran to the doorway and tried to call my deaf and still sleeping dog to stand in the doorway with me,(I think that is protocol for Tornados I got confused) but then it ended.  5.5.  they said origianlly, down grading that to a 5.0, epicentre in Quebec.  Aparently Georgian Bay has a fault line going through it, so it was quite strong here.  Buildings in Toronto and Ottawa were evacuated as well as the local "Moms Restaurant"  Scared the crap out of me. 

The cupboards were painted last week and I have to find new hardware.  The blue you can see on the island is an undercoat only.

I have removed the carpet in the spare bedroom to expose the wood floors (I found a trap door of sorts, but I am not going to open it while I am alone here. Tomorrow, I plan to paint the spare bedroom.

Faffing Around Day 1 - A Lesson in Self Indulgence.

I have been abandoned at the cottage which I thought a lovely way to get my butt in gear and do some things around here, bike ride, walk and read 2 books on my pile. 

 It's a bit like "survivor"  a warning of a Rogue  Bear, no car, no money (bank machine refuses me money and bank says I have to go the nearest branch of my bank which is 40 km awayto sort it out)  and very slow internet.  Luckily I have lots of old jams jars where I stuff my loose change, so I have been walking to the grocery store with little bag of coins.

The picture above was taken at noon when I finally got dressed and hung up my nightie after sloth-ing on the sofa all morning reading fluffy design books.

I've been cooking.....treating myself to a French Toast breakfast with fresh blueberries.

Followed by more reading....

but so far not the Autobiography I brought with me to read.

 

My "working" week is turning into more of a 5 day retreat.....a rest if you like..an over indulgence of

frothy coffees (my friend gave me her old espresso machine) and afternoon Mohitos with the locals on my deck. 

I am actually networking.  Over drinks I got chatting about my newest project - refacing the kitchen island with old panelled doors.  Turns out Ken, (neighbor) loves workiing with old "Bits" and is super excited and willing to build it for me.....

By the end of day 1, I had finished my half read novel and "read" a whole stack of "picture books"

And...I lay on one of the boats docks in the sunshine....a lovely feeling as the dock sways.....and listened to the "wind chimes" of the pulleys clanging on the sail boats.

Pure-Self Indulgence...

On a Sad Note......

Yesterday, I posted about an elderly gentleman who had wandered away from the nursing home here in Lion's Head on Saturday. Mnay of you have emailed me to say you were sending prayers his way for his rescue, and wanted to know when they found him.  Sadly his body was found last night very close to the Home. 

This has shaken this little village to the core.  Everyone here knew him and his family.  He grew up here.  In a small community like this the fire and rescue department is mostly a volunteer one.  For the entire weekend they joined with the Provincial Police, helicopters, police dogs and hundreds of locals to search for him.  It was truly a community in action and brought out the absolute best in people.  A few hundred people missed out on their own Father's Day here to find this Father.  His name was Clayton.