project365 week 34...

1. We just got back from our Idaho/Montana/Alberta road trip and I'm starting to plan our New

    England road trip. I am really looking forward to it. Fall is my absolute favourite time of year

    and we're going at the peak of fall foliage season. It's going to be fantastic to spend 2 weeks

    in the middle of all those gorgeous colours. Usually, on road trips, we just drive...no plan, no

    real destinations. We stop when we're tired. This time, I'm going to try to do a bit more planning.

    We'll see how that goes.

2. Some dramatic flowers from my garden. Another gift from my old boss. And I finally figured

    out what they're called...crocosmia lucifer. Maybe not the prettiest name but definitely my

    favourite plant in the garden. 

3. Neon pink pedicure. The photo doesn't show just how crazy bright my toes are.

4. My niece told me my outfit matches my laundry room. I definitely did not plan that but

    she's absolutely right.

5. There's a beautiful nursery right near my house - W.I.G. (wester independent growers) - that

    specializes in exotic succulents. They're actually the only place in Canada that carries them. I

    went to have a look and was overwhelmed with the choices. So I left empty-handed. (I went

    back with Glen on Saturday and picked some. Now I just need to plant them)

6. Our house. That grass in the front is about 5'-6" tall and that little clump of yellow on the left

    are actually a form of black-eyed susan...and they're about 8ft tall. Crazy. Remember what the

    house looked like when we bought it 5 years ago?

7. More flowers from my garden. This is the first year I've had enough for a bouquet. 

project365 week 3...

1. snow in my front yard
2. hung stuff in the entry (it didn't last)
3. working on a new pattern (what do you think?)
4. editing photos. i suck at this.
5. re-hung stuff in the entry. so much better.
6. miserable + rainy out but my house looks cozy.
7. giant chunks of ice in the fraser river.

entry wall...

I finally hung stuff on the entry wall.
I've been meaning to for months.
And now that I have, I'm not sure I like it.
It feels really busy and cluttered.
Maybe because it had been blank for so long?
Maybe there's too much stuff?
Maybe everything is too brown?
Maybe the wall needs to be painted dark grey?
Or black?
I'm going to try to live with it for a while to see if it grows on me.

new roof...

Ok, so we definitely did not want to spend thousands of dollars on a new roof.
But that's what you do when your roof leaks.
So, silver lining and all that...
How much more fantastic does the house look now?

The incredibly slow start to spring ie: it's been freezing and wet) means that the garden isn't yet big and beautiful but it's getting there.
I'll post more photos when it's looking prettier.

This is what the house looked like when we bought it.
(with a little inset of the new paint before the new roof):

Much better don't you think?

lightbulb...

I changed the lightbulb in my Moooi Random Light from frosted to clear.
I only did this because the bulb in the lamp I use every day burned out and the only bulb I had was a clear one.
Too bright for my everyday lamp.
So I switched them.
And look at what my Random Light does now.
So fun.
And this is in the middle of the day.
It'll be even more fun at night.

ta-da...

The house is finally painted.

I've been waiting for this since the day we took possession...about 3 years.

It took a long time to choose the grey. 

They were all either too dark or too light or too brown or too blue.

But I think the final choice is perfect. 

It's just grey. 

Choosing the door colour was also tough.

The first shade of yellow was too washed out.

So I went with a slightly darker shade. 

I'm still not completely happy with it but it'll do for now.

I'm sure in a couple of years I'll get bored of the yellow and paint the door a completely different colour.

Speaking of the door... 

We couldn't wait to get rid of the hideous door that we had (the photos don't do its hideousness justice).

I bought a solid core wood slab door.

And I ordered the doorlite kit (window inserts) online here.

Then Glen put it all together.

He also replaced the yellow glass at the side of the door with some clear ribbed glass.

We were driving along 10th avenue in New Westminster and saw someone in the process of ripping out the perfect piece of glass!

So we pulled over, asked if we could have it, loaded it in the truck and drove home with our 'new' pretty glass.

And we love it.

The next project is to extend the garden on the left side of the house, up towards the sidewalk.

And I need a pretty pot for the top of the stairs.

Here's some before and after shots...

and finally a guardrail...

I finally got around to getting our glass guardrail siliconed into place.

And I absolutely love it.

My boss designed the guardrail for me...took him about 30 seconds to come up with it...probably close to 2 years ago.

I had the frame made and powder-coated at a local metal fabrication shop...at least a year ago.

Bought the glass through my brother-in-law...about 8 months ago.

Why did it take me so long?

Who cares.

Look at it now!

Here's the hallway before:

And here it is now: