Farm-iversary 7

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Over the weekend, we marked 7 years of farm ownership. Seven years of sunrises and sunsets, snow and grass, rain and sun, hikes, renovations, work and all kinds of joy.

Our project pace has slowed down over the years. But our love for this property has grown.

On Saturday morning I bundled Ellie into her snowsuit, plopped her in her sled, clipped Baxter onto his long leash and headed across the fields. Fat snowflakes were falling. Baxter ran everywhere sniffing. Ellie chattered about everything.

Ellie in her sleigh

How amazing that these are our surroundings. How amazing that I can give these experiences to our daughter and our dog. How amazing that I have this for myself.

I listened to a podcast last week that talked about the fulfillment we get from our surroundings and the benefits of seeing beauty every day.

That is what we have found in the farm.

I feel so fortunate in the life that we’re making.

Snow on the farm

Our quest to add to the beauty of the farm is continuous. Looking back over the past 7 years, here are 7 favourite projects.

Laundry room

The laundry room was my first One Room Challenge. It was such a simple makeover. We kept the cabinets and the layout, and simply updated them with trim and paint. I decorated the walls with vintage enamel basins, DIYed a clothespin light fixture, pipe drying rack and an Ikea-hack rug. This project shows that you don’t need to do much to completely transform a room.

Basement TV area

On the other hand, the basement was a huge renovation. We went back to the concrete and rebuilt from there. The result of all of our work is a beautiful, functional space that works and looks exactly as we want. We use the basement every single day and the TV area is our favourite. With our comfy sectional, video game-TV stand, homemade Monopoly art, and lots of other fun little features, this space is casual, personal and comfortable.

Nursery

Ellie’s room was our most recent makeover, and it had to make my list of favourite projects. We coupled the deep turquoise walls with wood, white and neutral furnishings. Then we mixed in family and farm accents for a fun, personal space.

Basement bathroom

Part of our big basement makeover, the bathroom was the most dramatic transformation we’ve had here at the farm. We started with a shower that looked like it could have served as a set in Psycho, And we ended with clean white tile, marble, chrome, a giant mirror, storage, a dramatic black wall… and a bit of barnboard.

Living room fireplace

A farmhouse needs a fireplace. And making it out of stone that looks like it could have come from the fields outside makes it a perfect fit for our little country home. The fireplace is the feature in the living room, and nothing beats a cozy afternoon in front of the crackling flames.

Garden

Vegetable garden

Another necessary feature of a farm? A vegetable garden. I will say that our garden is definitely still a work in progress. We added to the fencing, built raised beds, hung a gate, made trellises, installed a waterline and planted grapes, raspberries and other perennials. We haven’t yet figured out how to stay on top of the weeds and we’re always adding more plants, but simply having this space feels like success.

Kitchen island

The kitchen has a long way to go and will see a major renovation… someday. In the meantime, the addition of our island made such a difference in this room. It’s given us both storage and counter space, and like everything we do around here, we did it simply and relatively inexpensively. We found the doors at the Habitat for Humanity Restore and we DIYed a wood countertop. The island has made it possible for me to tolerate the kitchen until we can redo it entirely.

Whether it’s the house or the 129 acres outside, we have more to go–and probably always will–but we’re also super proud and pleased with what we’ve done so far. And we make sure to enjoy and appreciate the life we have here. Thank you all for following along.

Odds & sods

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Our girl is officially one year old! I know everyone says time flies, and it definitely does. But when I look back over the past year and think of everything she’s learned and how much she’s grown, it feels like it has to have been a year.

It’s amazing to watch a human grow.

Collage of 12 months of baby photos

We celebrated with a big pizza party with Matt’s and my families. It was really special–and also completely overwhelming. So many people. So many presents. So much food. We ended up delaying Ellie’s final tractor picture to the day after her birthday because it felt like we were trying to do too much. But I managed to finish a tractor cake for the big day–after Matt did an emergency run back to the grocery store for more icing sugar.

Baby with tractor pedal car

Tractor birthday cake

Our other excitement this month came courtesy of Baxter. He met up with someone or something in the woods and came home with a few gashes. One on his neck ended up needing stitches. He was not happy with his vet visit–nor the haircuts that were needed for his IV and to assess his various wounds. But we are happy that his injuries were relatively minor, that we have an amazing, kind, caring, gentle, skilled, generous team at our vet, and most of all that he’s home safe. He’s now on leash any time he’s outside, especially since he is completely fixated on the woods, apparently looking for a rematch.

Baxter looking into the woods with stitches in his neck

And now on to some of the inspiration I’ve come across over the last month:

Rambling Renovators living room

  • Jen at Rambling Renovators has amazing style, and she is going behind the scenes, sharing her process of how to decorate a room. She shared how to start and how to layout the furniture. Bonus, she’s updating her daughter’s room, which is a super fun project… not that I’m planning Ellie’s tween bedroom yet… much.
  • A reminder to not get stuck in our to-do lists and make time for family and fun
  • I’ve never made macaroni from scratch. But I’m trying to find an alternative to Matt’s favourite Kraft Dinner. I had high hopes for this vegan version (Chloe’s recipes have great flavours), but it was not a hit. Deb’s endorsement of Martha’s (non-vegan) version is making me think it’s the way to go. Any suggestions of how to get the flavour of KD with more real ingredients?
  • “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Inspiration from Arthur Ashe via Thelma Golden in In The Company of Women by Grace Bonney.

My writing elsewhere:

Did you celebrate anything this month? Or have any excitement courtesy of your pet? Do you have a macaroni recipe to share? What’s inspiring you these days?

The baby’s first build

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Growing up, my parents always included my siblings and me in whatever was happening at our house. Maintenance, building, painting, renovating, cleaning–we were all involved. Some of it was chores. Some of it was just how our family rolled.

Looking back, I can see how these experiences gave us confidence, responsibility, skills, teamwork, work ethic, understanding and much more. This foundation set us up for our own homes and our own lives.

I don’t think my parents necessarily thought too deeply about the long-term benefits their approach would have. They liked doing things with us and wanted us to be involved. Or they needed help, and they had 8 extra hands hanging around. … Or, more likely, they had 8 extra hands and needed to keep them busy.

Today, a year into parenting, my sense is that most people spend a lot of time thinking–and worrying–about how to raise our children. What type of person do I hope my child grows up to be? How do I help her become that? I don’t think our aspirations are too much different than those of our parents. But I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves and spend a lot of time reading different theories, trying different techniques and thinking about how to set our children up for success.

Admittedly, I’ve only been doing this Mom thing for a year. I have a long way to go, and I expect that we will face many challenges. However, I’m hoping that I can channel my own parents and remember how much I benefited from simply being involved in whatever they were doing.

Ellie and I did our first real build recently. You’ve seen her previously helping to make our invisible bookends and supervising some sanding. But this time she actually got her hands on some of the tools and materials. Of course, she also got her mouth on them too.

Baby playing with screwdriver and drill

My Mom gave Ellie a set of table and chairs for Christmas. I decided that since they were hers she should be part of putting them together.

Baby leaning on a box

I of course spent a fair amount of time making sure she didn’t drop the drill on herself, stick the screwdriver too far down her throat, cut herself on the scissors, or eat too much of the packaging. But we also had fun talking things through, finding the right pieces and putting it all together.

Baby excited to be holding a piece of wood

Fun is the best word I have to describe how it felt to build this little table and chairs with her.

Mom and baby sitting a child size table

I hope we have a lot more fun in the future. And I hope that she grows up to be a confident, capable, helpful woman, in part because of the things we do together.

The red room

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Growing up I always thought to myself, “When I have my own house, I will paint one of the rooms red.”

When Matt and I bought our first house, two of the rooms were painted red. We repainted one, but kept the other.

By the time we moved, I was so tired of that red room.

Red room

As I’m gearing up to paint the dining room, one of the colours on my list is chocolate brown. I think it’s a holdover from our first house where top on my list to replace the red was chocolate brown.

However, I’ve learned since moving here that I don’t love strong wall colours. I get tired of them quickly. I don’t feel as relaxed in a vibrantly coloured room as I do in a subtle one.

For example, our bedroom. I painted it trendy Hale Navy four years ago (holy moly how is it already four years ago?). It looks awesome. But I don’t know that I love it and sometimes I think I’m ready for a change.

Navy blue and white master bedroom

In contrast, the living room, hallway and kitchen are all a light greige (Abalone from Benjamin Moore mixed at 75% intensity). I love this area of our house. I spend most of my time in these rooms and I always feel very comfortable.

Hallway painted Benjamin Moore Abalone

Greige may be boring and a non-colour, but it works for me. I’m likely never going to be a white walls person. They look nice on Pinterest, but they’re not something I want to live with.

I’ve learned I need a bit of colour. But not too much.

So as I’m working on the dining room, I’m not thinking chocolate brown any more. I’ve decided I’m going to stick with my tried and true Abalone. Our dining-living room is open concept enough that picking the same colour makes sense, and more importantly it’s a colour that works for me.

Do you have a tried-and-true paint colour? Are you a fan of vibrant rooms, or do you prefer subdued colours? Who’s on team white? Do you have any painting regrets?

The first project of 2019

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I think I’m going to paint the dining room.

I know. I know. Such an assertive, decisive statement.

I find it difficult to plan very far ahead these days, and I’m hesitant to start a project that I won’t be able to finish in a reasonable time. But Matt thinks painting the dining room is achievable, and I really want to believe him.

Baxter sitting in the dining room before it's painted

The dining room is our last “easy” makeover in this house. Easy meaning mainly cosmetic. Honestly, it’s mostly a coat of paint. However, I’ve been holding off on this room because I want it to be more than a coat of paint.

You saw in my post a few weeks ago that I have plans to do something to the ceiling in this room, whether scraping off the stipple or covering it up. The responsible, logical DIYer in me wants to do the ceiling first, then the walls. That way, dust or plaster or what-have-you doesn’t fall on my freshly painted walls.

Vaulted ceiling in the dining room

However, I have no idea what I’m going to do to the ceiling or when I might do it. And waiting no longer makes sense to me. We’ve lived here nearly 7 years. I could have painted the walls when we first moved in, and I’d have no hard feelings about repainting them now.

So I’m going to avert my eyes from the ceiling and work on the rest of the room.

Here’s my to-do list:

  • Sand and patch walls (like all of the walls in this house, the texture is like sandpaper)
  • Prime walls
  • Remove corbels from the archway (too small, not my style)
  • Paint trim (I like to paint trim before the walls)
  • Paint walls

After that, we’ll see what else happens.

I have some things to hang on the walls. I’d like to finally figure out how to style Matt’s grandmother’s piano. I have plans to paint the entertainment unit/china cabinet (and build doors or have them built for me). I’m pondering curtains. Some day I’d like to refinish the table and chairs.

Maybe by then I’ll have the ceiling figured out.

Do you ever delay projects because you want to do everything at once? Or are you a fan of the temporary makeover? What cosmetic makeovers are on your wish list? What have you been working on around your home so far this year?

Odds & sods

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Happy Monday, everyone. I hope that you had a great weekend.

Matt and I marked our 11th wedding anniversary on Saturday (and I have to insert here that this month marks 21 years since we started dating). The past year has been full of a lot of reflection for me, as I think about changes in our family, all the things we have accomplished together, and the many plans we have for our future. We’ve shared so much–not all of it easy–and to feel part of such a strong unit is something I never take for granted.

We celebrated just the two of us with a nice dinner out on Friday while my Mom watched the baby. It was awesome to sit and talk without distraction. Any parents out there who can identify?

Anyways, on to today’s post. I began this odds & sods series last year as a way to wrap up the month, sometimes share something a bit more personal, and pass along some of the inspiring and interesting things that I’ve come across. I enjoy writing them every month, so it’s something I’ll be continuing this year. Here is this month’s round-up.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Brc9LgXhf2d/

Kit and I bought our farms at approximately the same time. I admire her animals, hardcore DIY, all-in approach to life and commitment to authenticity.

Good life lessons from Mr. Rogers

Be okay with your life and your goals and don’t compare yourself to others

The best look. Inside a dog’s. Mind.

I am really enjoying podcasts. A few recent listens that were particularly interesting and inspiring:

My writing elsewhere:

We’re wrapping up January by reconnecting with some friends this week. Matt’s planned a trivia night, and I’m having brunch with five ladies I’ve been friends with since grade school–one of them since kindergarten. In other exciting news, Baxter, Matt and I are all visiting the dentist this week. I’m not sure how we managed to line our schedules up like this, but that’s what we’re doing. Ellie’s six teeth are exempt for now. What are you up to this week?

Plans for planking a vaulted ceiling

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Vaulted or cathedral ceilings used to be no big deal to me. Even when we bought our house, the vaulted ceiling in the living room wasn’t a huge selling point. I didn’t dislike it. I just didn’t really care.

But now, the vaulted ceiling in our living room is one of my favourite features in our house. It makes the room feel bigger and makes the space much more interesting.

Living room with vaulted ceiling

I have a plan to make the ceiling even more special: plank it.

You know that I’m on a continuous quest to add more country character to make our house feel more farmy. I think wood planks would be a great way to do that.

Plus, the planks would be an easy way to eliminate the dirty stipple that covers the ceiling currently. In all of the bedrooms, we’ve scraped the stipple, but the living room is large. There is no way I want to scrape that ceiling.

I’m inspired by this ceiling that Sarah Richardson did in her farmhouse many years ago. I think something like that would be great for our living room. (The chandelier would also be a lovely upgrade from our current terrible green ceiling fan, thankyouverymuch.)

Sarah whitewashed her planks. I like seeing a bit of the wood grain. But plain white paint is another option. What would you do?

The other part of the photo above that’s inspiring me is the centre beam at the top of the vault. Our ceiling has a beam as well. It’s about 6×6, which looks a bit wimpy. It also appears that someone tried to make it look handmade rather than commercially milled (we have a hand hewed barn beam for our mantel, so I know what the real thing looks like and this beam does not compare).

Faux beam at the centre of the vault

We could clad our beam like Sarah did (this would allow us to beef it up and also cover the faux distressing). My other idea is to strip it back to real wood, or cover it with something that looks more like real wood (something like this from The Handmade Home, but without the “vertical” pieces). What would you do with the beam?

The vault extends into the dining room, so I’m also trying to figure out what I want to do there.

I’m more open to scraping this ceiling. It’s about the size of two bedrooms, which feels doable to me.

Vaulted ceiling in the dining room

Whatever I do to the centre beam in the living room, I’d do the same in the dining room. But what about the rest of the ceiling? Would you leave it flat? Or plank it like the living room? Can you coffer a vaulted ceiling? Or is there another treatment that would add some interest?

This project is a little while in the future. So we’re in the thinking stage still. I appreciate your thoughts. What would you do?

Word of the year: Slow

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I honestly wasn’t sure I was going to be here. Actually, I wasn’t sure I was going to be here last week.

A couple of times over the last few months, I’ve thought about taking a break from blogging.

Between the baby and the rest of our lives, we don’t have a  lot of time for projects or home improvements, so I don’t feel like I have as much material to write about.

As well, sometimes blogging has felt like a luxury among all of the other ways I could be spending my time.

Frost covered fields at sunrise

But obviously writing is important to me.

I love writing for the same reason that I love home improvements–they’re both creative outlets for me. While home improvement is a way for me to turn off my brain and not think for a little while, writing is a way for me to think more deeply, work through things and process parts of my life.

And these days, my brain feels very full.

So I’m here. And as I did last year, I’m going to start the year with a word to help guide me through 2019.

This year, my word is “slow.”

Since having Ellie, I’ve found that I’m often rushing. With a baby, I have a narrow window of naptime, or “she’s-content-playing-by-herself-but-this-won’t-last,” or “we-have-to-eat-dinner- bath-and-go-to-bed-before-she-gets-overtired.” So whatever I’m doing, I try to do it as fast as possible. I’d like to slow down and focus on what I’m doing.

As well, I want to remember that I don’t always have to be doing. Sure there are always things to do. But sometimes reading my book or sitting down with Matt and Ellie and Baxter is the thing I should do.

Sitting in front of the fire

Scene from yesterday: I could take down the Christmas stockings. Or I could sit here with my feet up.

Life is short. Usually shorter than we want. Occasionally shorter than we can ever conceive. We have to do our absolute best to live a life that we are satisfied with. I want to feel good about what I do, who I am with and how I spend my time. And the word “spend” is important. Time is valuable. Time is precious.

This year I will be slow and savour my time.

A look back at 2018

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What a year it was. I kicked off 2018 by sharing the news that I was pregnant. Ellie arrived at the end of February and we haven’t looked back. Our new family was absolutely the highlight of last year. We had some low times too–my Dad’s death and some other moments too hard for me to talk about yet. But Ellie is always light and joy and love.

Ellie–or rather her nursery–was also the source of some of the top posts on the blog last year.

I shared the reveal of her colourful, farmy, happy space and then dove into the details of various DIYs and other projects we completed in this special room.

Turquoise gender neutral nursery

Some of the most popular posts were her DIY Moroccan pouf (and a round-up of other poufs you can make yourself), the blackout window treatments (and how to pleat Ikea curtains), and an easy, low-budget Eames Hang-It-All.

How to make your own Eames Hang-It-All

A feature of the nursery is my favourite Strandmon wing chair from Ikea. I finally wrote a proper review of this chair, and it quickly became one of the most popular posts of last year.

DIY Moroccan pouf free sewing pattern

Just before Ellie arrived, I finished a project that’s been in my plans for awhile–a new coffee table for the living room. You all liked it as much as I do, and it ended up also being a top post of 2018. I used the Benchwright plan from Ana White, modifying it to have drawers on both sides. This table turned out so well, and the extra drawers are very helpful now that the baby is turning into a complete busybody.

DIY Benchwright Coffee Table

Obviously, our lives now revolve around that busybody. We didn’t do quite as many projects in 2018, but I can’t complain about how we spent our time. Sharing the farm with our little family is all I want for 2019.