Entryway TLC

Not having a proper entryway makings storing shoes, jackets and everything else that comes through the door a challenge.  Shoes were just being kicked off and pushed under the ottoman and ever since the weather started to turn sweaters and jackets have being making their own little home on top of the ottoman ....

Ikea Hemes shoe cabinet to the rescue!  I've only put a few pairs in it so far but it looks like it will hold a ton. Yahoo!

Then I added some hooks from Canadian Tire and voila!  Entryway organization! The cabinet helps hide the clutter-y look of the jackets and it even provided a home for our new orchid (now it just needs a nice pot).

I'm really happy with how it is coming along :) Yay!

Home Sweet Home

Today I had a list a mile long...  of course I put EVERYTHING on my list so it looked something like this:
-gym (lower body)
-water garden
-shower
-paint 1st coat of the china cabinet
-lunch
-dishes
-walk to bank.... and on and on it went. SEE nothing hard (shower? hello!). The painting was the time consuming part and just as I was planning the second coat Lisa came to the rescue with a brilliant idea to go hiking. Yay for spontaneous summer plans!

After the sweaty and rewarding hike I came home to one of my newest changes.

How sweet it is!
Such an improvement from the mat that we inherited.  Wouldn't you agree?

Thanks to my sister(in-law) and her family for the Pier 1 gift card - I can't wait to use the rest of it! :)

Here are a few other improvements that greeted me when I got home.
My new (to me) ottoman and the cushion I made for it. 

It added some much needed storage and a great place to put your shoes on (something the Mr. takes very seriously!).

I also made new pillows for the couch and you can even catch a glimpse of our new house plant that our friends gave us.

Oh and did you notice the new blinds?  Here they are in case you missed them.

The best part is that they open from the top or the bottom which allows us to still get some sunshine in without the entire neighbourhood watching us. Like this:

Here is what it looked like before all the changes. Now I know you can't really see because the sun is SO bright but those are two cheapo aluminum mini-blinds one of which was bent and yellowed.

There you have it a few more changes making our Home Sweet Home even more comfortable. 

More Living Room Fun

The living room is coming along everyday.  Still lots to do but I don't think it will ever be "done" and always a work in-progress.  Not that it is anywhere close to even being considered done yet anyways!

This is what the yellow looks like in the day and you can see my new silver shag carpet.  I have a thing for shag carpeting, LOVE the way it feels when you walk on it. :)

On the mantel is a picture set that I really like but it is too small and doesn't look right with the new yellow walls so I plan on switching it out for a mirror or some larger art.   There are those terrible cushions again -shudder....

The view of the front window and entryway:

It was super bright and my camera skills are minimal but you get the idea.  The blue stool is where we sit to put our shoes on and it doubles as a door stop - bonus!

People who have been to my house recently will know that I've made a few extra updates already.   So stay tuned for the pictures :)

Tomorrow I plan on tackling something different.  I'm going to try painting furniture (something totally new to me - unless you count spray painting a shelf... and I don't think you should...).  It is a china cabinet I picked up at the Sally Ann.  Should be an adventure at least.

Here she is in all her thrift store glory.  TaDA!

Living Room: Before the Before and a New Beginning

Here is the start of the much anticipated living room progress reveal!

I have been postponing writing this post as I have been looking for the before pictures from when we first moved in but I can't seem to find the camera.  However, I do have some pictures of the living room from the real estate listing.  So here is how the living room looked for the previous owners.

This is facing the front of the house. The front door is down there on the right and if you were to stand by their couch and turn around you'd see this:

 So, as you can see, the living room is very narrow and the colour is very apartment white.

Since the living room in our apartment served numerous purposes (office, craft room, gym) we didn't have much actual "living room" furniture.  Also, it was very student-y (read: cheap crap) that was past its prime and then some.  So the first step was to buy a couch.

We just had one requirement: it had to be big enough for both of us (something our ikea klippan love seat failed miserably at), oh and dark grey AND fit into our space - oh yeah, and be comfortable!  (okay more than one requirement...) Luckily our family contributed a chunk towards this major purchase (love you!) and after only a few bumps and one bad experience we were the proud owners of this baby.

Please excuse the terrible nighttime iphone picture and the hideous throw pillows it came with (eeeekkkk!) the couch is nice - I swear!

Next up was to paint! I chose a lovely yellow which I believe was "Celestial Sun" by CIL however homedepot's code for this number didn't turn out so they ended up doing a custom match off the chip so I'm not sure if it is exactly the same or not. (On a side note, it is never good when the girl at the paint centre says something like this: "oh this doesn't match... maybe I should add more red... or yellow" and then proceeds to spend 15 minutes trying to perfectly match a chip by adding random colours) The final result was a winner though as I love this colour - it isn't too bright or reminiscent of a nursery - but best of all: it makes me HAPPY!!!

And yet another iphone pic, taken at the wrong time of day, that doesn't really do the colour justice (this is where the computer desk was in the listing picture if you were trying to figure that out).

So stay tuned for a much more interesting continuation tomorrow when I'm not so tired and I can actually get up to get the pictures off of something more substantial than my iphone!

It gets better. I swear.

100 Workout

Today I played that lovely waiting game that you play when you are waiting for something to be delivered.  You know the one where you sit there and worry that if you leave you'll miss it but then as time goes on you realize that if you had of left at your normal time you would have been back in plenty of time ... but you can't leave now because you waited too long and ..... AAAHHHHH!  So there I was sitting on my couch fully dressed for the gym but terrified to leave in case the delivery guy showed up.

So I decided to try the 100 Workout that I've seen all over Pinterest lately.  A quick google search yielded this result:

Easy right?  Right...?  Actually, aside from the leg lifts, it wasn't so bad.  Of course, I wasn't about to leave my house for 10 MINUTES to run - what if the delivery guy came!!? - but I did do a minute or two of high knees and called it a day. 

After the fastest shower I could manage (who wants to accept deliveries in a towel?), and a bit more waiting, the bright yellow truck pulled up and I am now the proud new owner of a new set of blinds! 

Can't wait until the Mr. comes home so he can help me put them up!  Weeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Double Chocolate Zucchini Goodness!

Today was officially a rest day from Jillian's workouts but I still hit up the gym for 30 minutes on the elliptical just to keep the momentum going.  I'm starting to feel better already - although a wee bit sore.  All those lunges and squats are keeping things. . . tender shall we say ;)

I spent today scraping paint droplets off my floor and I bought some brand new outlet covers for my freshly painted living room!  (pictures tomorrow) Eeeek! I am so happy that a) it turned out so well and b) that it is over.  Successful projects like this help keep up the energy . . . I'm already planning a few more projects - more on those later.

To celebrate our now functional, albeit sparsely furnished, living room I decided to try this new recipe I was drooling over all morning.  Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies.  Yeah, that's right - Deliciousness and (almost) clean too!

I was too excited to eat these delicious looking treats to snap a pic but luckily Kate from A dash of Sass not only creates excellent recipes but she also takes beautiful pictures.

They are SO easy and SO good. So go.  Try them. 


Now!

Summer Kick Off!

I thought I'd kick off my summer fitness goals with Jillian's "Making the Cut" circuit.  I have started this program twice before (once getting quite far) and I knew it was hard but I'm sitting here right now a big shaky, sweaty mess AND I didn't even finish the first day.  Wow.  4 months of inactivity has really has taken its toll.  Which I knew.  I knew by the way my clothes weren't fitting and by how I was feeling but I chose to ignore those signs so now I will pay for my choices.  I'm getting into shape and nothing will stop me.

So here is what I actually managed to do:

Circuit 1
Dumbbell Presses on Body Ball - 20 reps with 10lbs weights
Dumbbell Flys on Body Ball with crunches - 15 reps with 5lbs weights
Squats - 50 fast
Sprint @ 7mph (so far this circuit was feeling easy - could up the weights and speed of the sprint next time)
30 seconds rest

Circuit 2
Plank 10 seconds
Close Grip push-ups -5
Side plank with inner thigh raises -10 (right side)
Plank 10 seconds
Close grip push-ups 5
Side plank with inner thigh raises - 10 (left side)
Burpies 10
Sumo Squats 50
Sprint 1min at 7mph (still feeling good here -wishing the weight room circuit class (full of fit grandmas and grandpas) wasn't taking up so much room though)
30 seconds rest

Circuit 3
Frog push ups - 20
(I have Squat Thrusts written down next... but I must have missed them b/c I didn't do them! ooppps)
Squat 20 seconds
W shoulder presses with leg extension - 10 on each leg
Sprint 1 min @ 7mph (was supposed to be 1 min of jump rope but I didn't have the room.  Feeling pretty tired now - slightly sick from the sprint)
30 seconds rest

Circuit 4
Bench Dips -20
Rope Tricep Press (supposed to be to muscle failure... think I did like 15? - not too impressive!)
And then I thought my breakfast might come up and I wanted to sit down! So I went out into the hall where there are some chairs but it reaked like paint and did NOT help at all so I left.

Now looking at this list I feel like I could finish the rest of this workout before I shower ... not quite the same effect as doing it all with only 30 seconds rest in between. But better than not finishing it at all.

Here is what I have left to do:
Static lunges with shoulder raises - 10 with each leg forward
Mountain climbers - 1 min
Boat Pose -1min

Circuit 5
Jump Rope 1 min
Bicycle crunches - 50 reps
Plank -30 seconds


Then I'll get that French toast I've been craving and my blueberries with yogurt - Fresh blueberries are SO good!


I'll be back to post later - I'm hoping to finish painting my living room today.  Then I can post some pics!  Also, I have a fitness class I'd like to try this evening. . . you know if I can still walk by then :)

xoxo

Nemesis

I mentioned before that I was going to devote some a lot of time to getting into shape this summer.  This week (which, to my defense, I dubbed the sleep week BEFORE school was even out) I have tried to choose healthy foods and avoid sugar like the black plague.  Also, I've done a lot of work around the house and not as much sleeping as I'd imagined.

While I was poking around on Pinterest, which is insanely addictive if you've been there then you'll know what I'm talking about . . . if you haven't then I can't be held responsible.  Anyways, while I was on Pinterest I created a motivation board with super motivational images like this:

and this:

Motivational right?  Look at her back... and arms.  Holy insanely awesome.

The gym that is just steps out my front door has been closed for a week.  It reopens tomorrow and it has been on the back of my mind all day as has my ultimate nemesis. 

Chocolate.

Covered.

Almonds.

I buy them bulk at Thrifty Foods.  I've been buying them for years - I know all the sale cycles and the bulk code - see, we go WAY back.  I'm very particular, I only like THESE chocolate covered almonds. I've tried packaged versions and ones from other stores' bulk sections and they are good enough BUT never the same.  The chocolate is grainy or too thin or, or, or...

Funnily enough I always want them and buy them but am starting to not enjoy them nearly as much as I used to (good news right? right?).

So here I sit.  Me and a gigantic bag of my favourite bulk nemesis.  If you can have a favourite nemesis. . .watching reruns of Bob's Burgers with the Mr. and enjoying some time before reality hits.

Night :)

(and yes I know all about not labeling food bad or good and giving it power and yada yada yada)

Love at First Sight

My niece just turned 3. Shortly before her birthday her mom asked me if I could fix up her favourite childhood doll so that her daughter could love it as much as she did. She had loved it through numerous be-headings and she eventually loved the stuffing right out of it - literally. 

Here is what the doll looked like when I first saw it:

First impressions?  Well loved.  Look at the attempts to keep it together - I don't know if much of the original sewing was even left.

Anyone recognize the head?  A classic ice cream doll from the early 80's. Awesome! 

 Check out the stains - I guess that is what happens if you don't bathe for 30 years. 

Okay, time for some honesty.  Have I ever tried to remake a doll?  No.  Did I have a plan? Not exactly.  Did I think I could do it? Hell yah... I mean what could go wrong...? 

With that wave of confidence it was time to pull out my trusty seam ripper and get to work.

And this is when Mr. WestCoast walked in.  Totally freaked him out - like "Little Shop of Horrors"  Here was the doll that had been around in his home since before he was born and here I was ripping it open while its head rolled across the floor. 

Actually, I was trying REALLY carefully to NOT rip the disintegrating fabric and so that I could use the pieces to make some sort of pattern.  There was no plan B.

I didn't take any pictures of the actual process but things went fairly smoothly and I even made, what I hope to be, some improvements on the original design.  Mainly using bias tape to create strong "tunnels" to tie the plastic hands and head on with.  I think that was a major flaw in the original.  Or perhaps, what I saw was just a homemade fix.  But it sure didn't look very strong.

TaDA!  Here it is in all its headless glory. (I got tired of stuffing and took a break to snap a pic)

You can sort of see the new white fiber-fill I used.  Although, I did have a fleeting idea to use the original fill.  An awesome blueish mixture of a million kinds of tiny fabric pieces, thread and  dryer lint?!  The only issue was that the original doll was heavy and very firmly packed. I felt like I was stuffing that lightweight fill forEVER to try and replicate the original look and feel.

I'd like to say it didn't sit there for well over a week and I got right on creating some new dresses for it.  But that would be a boldfaced lie.  In all honesty, I decided I better finish it at about 9 the night before her birthday party.  What can I say?  I work well under pressure. 

I ended up making two outfits and a little backpack for the extra clothing.  In the backpack I threw in the original clothing as well.  Now that doll has some super cute outfits!

Here she is in my favourite outfit:

Isn't she cute.  I wish I had of taken pictures of the rest.  But it was very early in the morning and with very few hours sleep my brain was more focused on getting out of the house in time to catch the ferry.

Love at first sight. 

Here is where I wish I was using my acutal camera instead of just my iphone. Because about 3 mili-seconds after this picture she gave it the biggest bear hug.

Ah, love.

Back in the saddle!

So to speak.  Had a mad desire to start blogging again and with being off for summer vacation (for the first time since I was in high school) now seemed like the perfect time.

I just finished devouring the best homemade tacos and now I'm pleasantly full.  I'm sure I'll feel stuffed in 20 minutes when my brain catches up with my stomach but for now I'll just enjoy it.  I have this uncontrollable desire to eat as many tacos as I can - you know so no one else can eat them.  Probably stems from my childhood or something- eat it or your brothers will - course now it is eat it or Peter will... Or perhaps I should just be honest and say that I love tacos. I LOVE TACOS!  Which is also why I don't make them that often.  My new house has narrow doorways and it would be embarrassing to pull a pooh bear and get stuck.

I have big plans to fix up my new house and get into smokin' hot shape this summer.  More about that later.  Right now I have to go digest some tacos.