It's a Woman's Perrogative

Hi all, 

Well it's been a very dramatic couple of days, neighbours all talking upset about the 

trees coming down. The owners words to me  when I questioned him was, 

I don't care about trees the way you do. We are all still very upset and there is something

not right when the company assessing the trees health is also the one awarded the

job to remove it for probably in the sum of $5000.00.

I decided to give my brain a cooling from the anger I felt and

 spent a great day yesterday gardening. We also had a wonderful surprise visit from Josh

and our cutie patootie grandprecious Carrera. It was so great to see them and 

wish they didn't live so far away so we could see them more often.

I thought I would show you about another powder room change, (yes another!)

that I'm excited about. 

So our powder room originally had this mirror in it which I moved to 

our bedroom,

and I replaced it with this weathered wood  one I found at Home Sense,

but I soooo much love this mirror in this powder room

designed by Molly Frey that I 

photo by Molly Frey Design

just could not, absolutely could not pass on this one when I saw

it again at Home Sense marked down due to a little easily fixed damage.

I returned the other one and spent a little more to 

get this one and am a happier camper now.

So I'm filling holes and dings that you can see where the lighter marks are and am going to 

lighten it up so it looks like the one above. 

I'm up early for once for a day off

 and the sun is shining this morning (at least it is right now) 

 so I'm excited for another great day, hope your is too!

How Can They?

Our young neighbours behind us are taking this 100 year old maple down. It is massive and overhangs

our back garden.

It is one of many that line this side of our street that were apparently planted

by one of the Brooks family. 

The neighbours who don't do anything to maintain their yard ever or their home 

(the previous owners slaved over it with love and care) 

and have decided to pave the front of their yard

 for a third parking spot. You see there is just two of them and they have three cars. 

Surely makes sense doesn't it, if mother nature is in the way just cut her down!

I agree she needs some trimming but it certainly is no where near dead. 

This is going to change our streets landscape forever and it makes me very angry.

 When I come home tonight, she will be gone.

I am not happy, not one bit.

Now I learn this afternoon that the second tree is coming down as well.. I called the town and they said

the trees were inspected by three parties and they said they were dead.

Well guess what, they are wrong, Todd saw the trunks and they are not hollow inside nor dead.

Someone has  made a grave mistake and I told the town's office I believe they have but they don't care.

I wish there was something I could have done to prevent this and now every time I look out my back door I will be reminded that I didn't.

 

Heck of a Hall

Ok so by now you probably got the gist of it that we

do bounce around with our projects. For the most part, he finishes all the 

things he has to do and then I 

have my part to do when I have the energy or money for 

the final touches and much to Todd's frustratation, I changed
my mind ALL THE TIME!

So I thought our front hall looked it's nicest at Christmas

 but once the season past I never did anything with it further. 

You see, I have tried to hide the unsightly floor and it has 

worn on me so very much over the years but it has 

not been a priority to my hubby. 

Original lovely details.

As I said before, this hallway still needs work. 

The beautiful curved plaster walls were covered top to bottom with 

wallpaper, whew what fun that was removing it many 

years ago. Our new track light highlights what

will be a feature picture  and or art wall.

This is probably one of my most favourite spaces

in our home and I hope when it is finished we will have

done it justice.

I just love it!

And a cute little ledge that has potential for 

a few chosen pictures or decorative items.

This plaster on this wall
is horse hair plaster that crumbles if you drill into it
and so anything hung here will be
with 3M hooks, you gotta love 3M hooks, don't ya.

Many moons ago I had originally painted the stair treads white but mistakenly used regular
 gloss latex. Next coat will be a more durable floor paint.
I would love a durable striped or sisal runner too for
when we get our next dog but right now it is so easy to
clean bare stairs. I hate vacuuming carpeted stairs!
Todd had repaired the newel post cap but I didn't get to
painting it yet. We can lift if off and on for moving
things down the stairs if need be.

What a curve, isn't it  beautiful! I've tried to think of ways
to incorporate some beadboard to continue the look we will do in the
upstairs hall but the angles and breaks in this stairway
are just too much for it.

I will not be keeping the palladian blue and will
go for something much lighter and fresher.

We have found many imperfections in our home and this crooked
plaster line is one of them, I call it character.

The downstairs floor was in bad bad shape with cutouts from

old floor vents long gone and then newer

strips of oak patched in very poorly.

It was cupped and splintery.

Who does this kind of thing, (actually 

we do know the contractor who did the 

work in our home before we bought it)

and shame on them for it.

really

  

 There are some boards that are salvageable and we

will have some spare flooring 

for upstairs hallway. You see that is how this all started.

 I wanted my beadboard hallway done next

but there is a slight structural problem

in one area of the floor and Todd has

to rip up the floor to get at it and fix it.

Now we will have extra floor to put back down it if we need it.

more cutouts 

and this one replaced 

with plywood because a 

bench used to cover it, oh my. 

So Todd got at her and reveals 

the original old growth pine plank 1 1/2" thick boards below.

 If we could we would remove them

and and reinstall them without the cutouts but when

they did a renovation in 1915 they built the new walls and 

the front doorway over them so that is not an option

which just kills me and is a shame.

There is a one inch difference between the kitchen floor

and now this floor that we will correct with the new

flooring.

And this is where we are at until I decide on a floor tile. It can't be an expensive tile

and it will be porcelain so I'm hoping that it will be done before the fence work starts.

The North York Drive-in

Summer has officially begun and the North York Drive-in had dusk to dawn this 

long weekend. That's 3 instead of 2 movies for just $13.00. We both saw Pirates 

of the Carribean 4 and then we shifted over to another screen and I went to sleep

while Todd watched Fast 5. The back seat of the truck is a

pretty comfy sleep  for a 5 foot and a bit sized person like myself.

We live just 15 minutes away from this wonderful experience. Sadly there are

only a few remaining drive-ins and this one has been owned by the same family the entire time.

Todd has been coming since

he was a kid and I also have very fond memories of going to the drive-in in our pajamas when 

we were little because we always ended up falling asleep

before the end of the 2nd movie and not much has changed

 (only I don't wear pj's, although some adults do ).

We got there around 7:30 and show time was around 9.

I thought we weren't going to get a good spot because trucks, suv's and vans have to be in 

the last 5 rows but we did just fine.

We were running out of time to get ready and eat after spending the day doing the front garden so I had to choose between time for a shower or eating dinner at home. The shower won of course. That's right we had bbq steak and caesar salad at the 

drive-in. Talk about doing it with class!

 But I would say we take second prize to these folks. 

In all our years going to the outdoor movies we have not

seen this, a leather sofa on the back of the truck!

Ha!

There is even a little playground to keep the kids occupied before the movie.

 It was a blast but I indulged in a couple of gluten free peanut butter cookies

that had the evil white sugar in them and that has left me with a big ol food hangover, 

basically feel like I

drank a whole bottle of wine all by 

myself.

But not this guy, he watches two movies, drives me home while I snoozed, 

did the dishes at some crazy hour before bed

and then is up doing more gardening today 

while I mull around the house doing much of nothing! 

and that is after spending the week building this 

He amazes me and I love him to bits.

Fence Finale

The fence is finished and it is one of the nicest
fences I have ever seen. It will weather
to a silver grey like the cedar roof shakes.

The design adds a new dimension to their heritage home
 complimenting it beautifully.

I swear our friends must be master gardeners.
They seem to know how to paint a perfect picture with flowers
 a mix of rocks and garden lighting. As I  showed you before, the
solid lattice is 1"x1" thick, each piece notched to fit one over the other.
The top which you cant see is pitched like the slope of a roof of a house
to shed the water.

I have never seen this one before, 

Bottle Brush, isn't it so neat.

Next up,  a new shed 

for garbage and recycling that will match the barn.

I can't wait to show you when it's done as 

I don't think you will believe how nice it 

is going to be. 

Their gardens are so beautiful, they work so hard

on them and it shows.

It's hump day today for me and I'm stoked for the long 

weekend coming up. The rain has stayed for days and that's

ok with me because that means there is a good chance of sun 

for the long weekend. The drive-in is now open and it is 

one of our most favourite summer time rituals is to go

as much as we can. 

There is nothing like watching the  movies under the stars.

Hope your weekend is a good one too!

Marvelous Molly

Molly Frey has got to be one of my favourite designers. 

 I love her subdued use of

colours of the sea in pastel shades.

 She creates a beach inspired vibe that  is not only airy but

 at the same time  cozy

as she mixes it up with both traditional

 and contemporary touches.

  

I can almost hear the waves crashing just outside

this living room. Look how inexpensively this look

can be done with kitchen cabinetry instead of built-ins. A sheet of bead board instead

of custom panelling, a second hand table cut down, aqua mason jars and star fish

as accessories, a soft pale blue, white trim, a shag rug, gorgeous hydrangeas and your done!



Who could ever feel sad, in this light and bright charming kitchen.

The nice thing about that island is 

that it isn't so wide that  it  require a ladder to 

climb on top just to give it a wipe but it

sure could host a good party.







Such an incredibly wonderful play on texture
in the monochromatic colours of beach sand.

Uncluttered, lots of white trim everywhere agains barely there colour, 

beadboard or panelled walls and white slipcovered 

furniture with subtle hits of seaside colours  

just make me sigh.



Seriously, I must have subliminally painted my door blue 

now that I see this picture again!

LOL!

How gorgeous is this little bar niche.

I love her choice of artwork as well.

What makes her extra special is her ability to create incredible bones

for a space and then she tops it beautifully like a 

rich delicious icing on a cake.

One of her more colourful rooms and still so serene to look at.

All photos from Molly Frey Design

You really must check out the rest of Molly's portfolio

and she graciously shares her design details on her blog to.

mollyfreydesign.com

Do you share my love of Molly?!