Sunday, July 28, 2013

Garden Randoms

I have been lacking in my garden posts of late, mostly because of the weather and some due to my day-dreaming about a new house!

Last weekend we had a bad storm blow through.  If you follow on Facebook, then you already know of my stick picking-up adventure of last weekend...


Our Chinese Elm tree lost many of its small inner branches - our backyard was covered with them.
And when I got around to the other side of the deck, I found this...


Yes, our Purple Sandcherry standard had bit the dust - breaking off at the graft.  So sad to see as it was doing beautifully this year.

The Rose of Sharon trees fared better - losing some of their blooms but none of their branches.


They have a gorgeous soft pink bloom with a dark pink center.



We have another Rose of Sharon at the back of the property by the water feature that sports double blooms.




This tree stands about 15 feet tall and puts on a magnificent show!

We also had some new bloomers this week - a couple of day-lilly varieties sent up some blooms this week.




I found a little garden friend as I was snapping pictures for this post.



He jumped and startled me while I was in the side garden.


Another new bloomer this week are the false-sunflowers (at least that's what I call them).  They are tall like a sunflowers but bloom similar to a Black-eyed Susan.



 Here's a beautiful close-up shot!



Their centers are a lime green.

We also had new flowers on the Hibiscus in the side yard.  A beautiful pale pink flower that is delicate like paper.


But the star of the garden this week has to be the Stargazer Lilly!!



Isn't she amazing!!
I found her peaking out amongst the Black-eyed Susan's!

The weather is cool here today and McG and I are going to work on some lighting for the garden.  I will make sure and take lots of photos and share that with you soon!

Enjoy your Sunday!

Cheryl

Linking up @:
The Tablescaper - Seasonal Sundays 

Friday, July 26, 2013

House Dreaming...an update!

Well it looks like I will have to keep dreaming about a new house for awhile longer...

When we showed up for our appointment at the prospective house, the Realtor advised us that another offer was being presented to the homeowners that evening.  And while he wasn't rushing us, he did want us to have an opportunity to look through the house again thoroughly and then proceed with an offer if we decided to.

Upon further inspection of the house, we found some foundation cracks that we were concerned about.  McG contacted his cousin who does some contractor work and asked him to come to the house and give us his opinion.  He was suspicious that the house may have some structural problems and pointed out a few other things that he saw that could be red-flags.  Based on that and the fact that we have not yet put our house on the market, we chose not to make an offer on that house.

I heard from the Realtor today and he advise that the homeowners accepted an offer from the other party conditional on mortgage financing and home inspection.  

So for now, I will go back to dreaming and making plans for my future home...Pinterest HERE I COME!!!

Cheryl

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Dreaming...

It seems like forever since I sat here to compose a post...July has found me a bit lacking in my blog duties.  Don't get me wrong, I love having this creative outlet. But, lately, I haven't felt like being creative - at least not in the real sense.  I have been spending my time, dreaming about a new home and lots of new projects.

I guess you could say I am ready for a new chapter in my life...maybe this is my mid-life crisis!!  I don't know - but lately I have really been struggling with completing anything new in this house.  Oh, there are lots of projects I could be tackling - but part of me is now thinking, those would be best left for now.

McG and I are going to look at a house tonight.  We've looked at it before, but now I think we are more in a position to really consider this house as a possible candidate.  And quite honestly its all I've been thinking of.  I was so happy that he agreed to look at it again, that I was up all night Monday night, dreaming up a design plan for this house. 
 I know - crazy!!!  

 But it's how my mind works!

I thought I would show you some of what I've been dreaming about lately...I have been spending quite a lot of time on Pinterest (but who hasn't???) and I find that I am really drawn to white walls and worn wood.  So for this next house, I think its going to be more cottage-like decor than the transitional decor I have now.


 Here's the bathroom I've been dreaming about...well I guess more the elements I would like to incorporate.



Well worn finishes, barn doors and white, white, and more white.







I will keep you posted on the house hunting as it unfolds.  

Do any of you - daydream about a new house like I do??  I'd love to hear from you!!

Cheryl

Monday, July 15, 2013

Weekend Finds!

This past Saturday I was out on the yard-sale circuit again!  I really find it a great way to start my weekend!

McG unfortunately wasn't with me for the morning hunt as he had to work, but we did hit one sale in the afternoon.

My morning stops rewarded me with this...

 
A lovely aqua blue enamelware pot - $2, two sets of coasters - 50 cents total - and some FREE Martha Stewart Living magazines...

At the afternoon stop, I found a marble turntable and an adjustable strainer basket for your sink, sold together as a "lot" for $1!!!
The woman holding the sale said she didn't want to bring anything back into the house.  I was excited to find the turntable because I had been looking for one for awhile.  The strainer was just a BONUS!




The coasters have been set out in the living room, the pot has been added to my china cabinet display and that marble turntable was the perfect size for my fridge...


McG thought I was crazy when I said I wanted it for the fridge.  But it helps organize all the little jars of condiments on the top shelf, and now you don't have to move everything to get what you want from the back...just turn the table and find what you are looking for!

Hope you found some good stuff this week!!

Cheryl

Linking up @:

Friday, July 12, 2013

New Blooms and Garden Vignettes

The garden has slowed down a bit.  It still has a lot of colour - mostly oranges and yellows right now with all the day lillies blooming.

Here's what's new this week...

First up - the Button bush - with its space-aged looking blooms!




 Next - the Daisies




A bright orange variety of Day-Lilly - I even captured a Bee collecting its tasty pollen!

 Now a couple of vignettes I snapped out there today...The fountain in the front yard.




And one of the birdhouse in the front garden.



And finally a great shot of the Brown-eyed Susans...I know I've showed you this one before, but they are one of my favourties!



Tuesday, July 09, 2013

New Additions to the Dining Room

Back last fall I introduced to the great deal we got on our dining room furniture.  At that time, I also told you that the china cabinet that came with the set had been relegated to the office.

Well no more hiding...it has come out to play!!  If you follow us on Facebook, you got a sneak peek last night of the accessories on top of the cabinet.



Here's a few more shots...


The urn you have seen previously on a Thrifty Finds post, but the big glass jug and the plates were finds this past week.  The jug has a slight blue tint to it.  It's hard to tell since its up against our blue-gray walls.  The colour is very similar to that of those great blue Ball canning jars. In fact I'm thinking of adding some of those to the top of the cabinet as well!




Here is the dining room/living room combo..I thought it was looking a little crowded, so today I made some more changes.  Isn't that always the way, move one thing and it snowballs into a full house change!!


 I love changing up my home!!  Don't you??
So exciting!
P.S. - Now that I am looking at these photos - I don't really like the way the accessories inside the cabinet look...I'm going to be working on that tonight as well!!


Cheryl

Monday, July 08, 2013

200+ ... Thank You!!


This morning my little blog hit 200 Facebook followers!  A great feat spurred on by a small few who have passed on kindness and shared my posts...

I have always LOVED interior design - I can remember changing my room around every week as a kid and even talking my sister into switching rooms with me a time or two when I couldn't come up with new ideas and I wasn't allowed to paint!!  Having a new room with different four walls was heaven to me.

Some 40 years later I still enjoy home decor and switching my furniture around.  McG never knows what he'll come home to - and secretly, I think he likes it!!  

It warms my heart to know that what I'm putting out there is being "LIKED" - I have never been one to have the latest trends - but instead - I try to find things on the cheap and then re-invent for my home.  I am a big believer in "living" in your home and using your rooms for what suits you best and maybe not always what they are "supposed" to be.  I didn't start this blog in the hopes of ever becoming one of those GREAT BIG  blogs...but I had HOPED that some of what I was doing would strike a chord with someone, and that eventually I would have a few followers.

In the coming weeks I hope to continue to have something that you keep coming back for...until then,


 

Cheryl

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Day-lillies and Other Cool Stuff

This past week has been the week of the day-lilly in my garden.  Several varieties all started to bloom this week.












Here's another look at the roses in the side yard...this tiny bloom caught my eye while I was out there...




And finally...the cool stuff - the hens and chicks have sent up a flower stalk!
 They are planted in an old metal bird bath that no longer held water.



Up close they are amazingly beautiful...





I can't wait for next week - I think the Rose of Sharon tree should be blooming by then!

I'll meet you in the garden!

Cheryl

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

House Tour



Welcome to The Creative Me and My McG's House Tour!

I have shown you snippets of our home but never the full tour altogether in one post.  (There are still a few rooms missing from this tour- but I will update as I can) - and some of these photos came from earlier posts, since I wasn't in the mood to clean and style the whole house at once ( I know, L-A-Z-Y!!)

Now on to the tour!

The Entryway









The Kitchen













The Living Room









 The Master Bedroom

 

  


Upstairs Bathroom




The Family Room





The Dining Room



 Still to come...a reveal of the laundry room, the basement bathroom.

What cannot be revealed...my daughter and son's rooms!!!  LOL

Hope you enjoyed the tour!