Tin ROOF! Rusted.

Progress! While I was away the mice started to play. :)

I ordered the steel (no , not tin lol) roofing panels and installation kit this afternoon. I ordered it in a charcoal colour to match the house trim. Once the fascia boards are trimmed in and the last rafters go up, we can install the roof when it is delivered.

I said "WE" like I was going to do any of that....

I cannot wait to be sipping iced tea and laying on my outdoor patio chaise in that, there porch.

YIPPEE

Getcher Porch ON!

So, I rarely come back here anymore. But I am so excited about this outdoor covered porch project, I must put this down for prosperity...

It begins.

12 foot by 20 foot magic...designs done, permit acquired, posts ready to go in....stay tuned chics, this one is being pimped out large for Dharmaritaville :)

Do you swap?

I am planning a Sip n' Swap party again this year and I am waaaay excited. 

Last year we had 10 ladies get together and do a clothing swap in the spring for summer fashions. What a hit! A few of my girlfriends even held their own swaps after that for fall they were so inspired!

This year, I am giving lots of notice (to beat people's urge to purge and garage sale season) to all my ladies so they can start to declutter and build their pile of items to swap. This year it is Home Decor.

I am sending the invite over 5 months in advance to allow them the time to glean through their homes, investigate closets, dig in basements etc. and create a pile of decor / home items (pictures, mirrors, drapes, pillow covers, rugs, art, lamps, clean bedding, small tables/ chairs, coffee table books, knick knacks, paddywhacks - whatever they can carry) to bring to the.....

"Friendsgiving Home Decor Sip n' Swap in July"!!!

If they have a larger piece of furniture, they can bring pictures and we will consider it added to the pile, the donor and the new owner can arrange pick ups smile emoticon

So far I have about 10 pictures, 2 lamps, unused kitchenware, small decorative shelves, a rug or two, decorative boxes, vases, draperies, barstools, outdoor hangers for plants....you would be amazed once you start your pile!!! So if they were thinking garage sale....I say don't do it! 

I am reminding everyone that it is important to be able to truly let go of the items they bring and not to be hurt if the pieces don't have a new home by the end of the evening. Any and all leftover items will be packed up, carted away and donated lovingly to a local Children's Assistance Program for their new store on (where Boy#2 volunteers)

Redecorating your home with new-to-you pieces can and should be inspiring. What's more inspiring than girl time???

Thanks for diving in with me - Dharma

Create More....Spend Less

Hi there. Been awhile huh?

Sorry for the interruption but you know....life.

2016 - When the hell did that happen?

So, to start off a new year, I am resolving to do something new too. I have decided to put my wallet on a diet. No carbs for that beaotch! Let me explain.

Greg and I make a nice living. We have little to no debt other than our mortgage. We own our cars. We have savings. We can afford to do or buy what we want but lately *want* has been a slippery word.

We had a major windstorm prior to Christmas which prompted an insurance claim for roof damage (they sweetly only offered 25% of the cost - ugh!) and we can swing a replacement in cash if we are careful. Bummer that we had plans to renovate the downstairs bathroom with that money but hey, life. Again. Need vs Want!

That said, I am feeling the crush of clutter, the real pressing of *things* in our home that we do not use, don't like, have no use for due to life changes, boys growing up and out of things...so rather than getting freaked out and going out to BUY ALL THE THINGS that would make me giddy (for a while), I have decided to concentrate on getting RID OF ALL THE CRAP.

This seems to be a theme for a lot of people in January judging by blogs and Pinterest lol

Greg and I started taking pics of or posting items for sale or for free on local Facebook sites or on Kijiji and most of it is flying out of the garage :) That is happiness I tell you.
Any funds received will go into those roof repairs. It won't be much but it will help.

In the meantime, I am on a no-spend spree. I got so serious I started unsubscribing from all my fave shopping sites and flash sale emails from sites I like to shop from, cutting the temptation is huge for me. No more THIS IS A GREAT DEAL Dharma....spend, spend, spend!

It will be a journey. I know this. But it is a bit of a relief too. Focusing on what we CAN afford in cash after we do the roof, making room for reducing the mortgage in real time and not at a snail's pace and *buying* experiences rather than STUFF is where I see this headed.

Are you doing anything drastic this year?

Thanks for diving back in the deep end with me.

Dharma

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Louise strikes again!

My "free to me" partner in crime, Wendy (she is the Louise to my Thelma) texted me one morning to tell me she was GUARDING a free desk on the side of the road and I needed to get there ASAP. Greg, who blessedly is always down for a hilarious curb find, and I jumped in the truck and found her parked immediately in front of a home essentially blocking all comers from taking an old warped waterfall desk and mirror.

That, my friends, is love.

I am peeved that I didn't take a before shot cause that thing was SHOT. Glue, sanding and a few brad nails later, the body was in better shape. I started with a pickling stain to lighten the stank but thought the inlay dressers were kinda pretty so I left them. The inlay between the column was done, as in DUN so I applied some Aubusson Blue ASCP. Progress shot:

What's a junk find without a little humour?

A little dark wax, lots of elbow grease and this is starting to look like something I would actually wheel inside (lovely brass casters yo).

Back to trying to finish off the livingroom....did I mention Greg painted the whole room white last week? Now......what to do about that mirror?

Muahahahahahahahahahahaha

Free. My favourite F word.

So after finishing my mermaid spa out of the master bath, I was still lacking artwork for the far wall. How does one find specific mermaid inspired art....for no money?

Enter my girl Louise (I am her Thelma), my garage-sailing babe. She was given 4 weird canvas art pieces of shoes at a garage sale by a man who just wanted these 12x12 canvases gone from his life. Yup, shoes. I mean, I like shoes but I do not want art of shoes. Each to their own.

Weird right? Weirder is it was a set of 2. Times 2. Doubles of shoes. Weird.

I had mermaid stencils, cause what Mermaid doesn't? So I set to work covering the canvases in ASCP 'Versailles". Broke out the stencils and used the same chalk paint in Aubusson Blue (leftovers from the dining table and chairs). Finished these babies off with a bit of white pickling stain to soften the colours and VOILA.

mermaid art yo :) fo free.....fo sure!

From SPAZ to Spaaaaaaaaaaah with only $80

So here is the thing. I am a cheap Scot. No, really. Cheap.

I like a bargain but mostly I don't buy anything because even fabulous bargains have that horrible part of the process where I actually have to lift my wallet out of my purse. If you opened my change purse the Queen would squint from not seeing the light of day in weeks ;)

When I decide to "redux" a room, I always challenge myself to do it as cheaply as possible with the biggest TADA for every dollar.

I feel like I hit this one out of the park, yo!

Here is where we started.

10 year old paint job in BM's Straw Hat, fabulous green laminate and some quite decent cherry-ish builders cabinetry. Not HORRIBLE but not awesome. Not "rustic modern beach cottage"...like my inspiration shot.

So, like all cheap, albeit inspired, Scots....I started planning. The plan started with reusing all my former paint and transformation materials and we got to the point where the green counters were now black ala Rustoleum's Countertop Transformations and the cabinetry was going Old White (ASCP).

Greg busted out and completed painting the whole room BM's Cloud White, which is now going to be the Casa's signature colour (listen for the Steel Magnolias drawl there y'all) and then it stopped.

Like a needle on the record. Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech.

I had the inspiration, I knew what I wanted but how is a girl like me, a.k.a CHEAP, going to achieve that look for NO MONEY? So far, I was in it to win it at $75.

So, I started shopping the house for my accessories, hoping I was only going to have to incur the cost of the paneling for that wood look I wanted behind the sink. I found an old tin Spongebob tub at the Salvation Army ($2) that I painted up and distressed, I printed out a sailor/ mermaid pic for the frame I wanted to use, knew I was going to finally hang our brass door knocker and I located the spa rug and slat.

The shower curtain was reversible to a nicer, softer colour so....I almost had it. I found more shells, a few nautical IKEA lanterns I had bought years ago and a cool stainless basket for the mags I like to have nearby. Switch out the garbage can with the one from the downstairs loo, bring in the $3 table I distressed a few weeks ago and BAM. I am good, right?

Yes, grasshopper....but what about the paneling?

Cue the light tinkling of bells in the background, cause I think this is where someone's (me) Guardian Angel finally came in from having her smoke outside and realized I needed a hand. Friday night, out at a friends for bevvies and I see this ripped up building leaning against his shed. Apparently this is an old hottub enclosure that is about to be firewood....being nosey I go take a gander. As I approach the pile of crud.....I smell it. No, not that. I smell CEDAR. Yards of tongue and groove red cedar slatting jammed into the framing of this pile of walls leaning, waiting for their demise on the bonfire.

"OMG! BILL! CAN I HAVE SOME OF THIS?"

Bless my husband down to his wee boxers, he and I were up and pry barring, removing screws and hauling 3 piles of slats the next morning. I think he may have woken up to me sitting on him, clapping with glee to get going at 8am....and not the way he probably would have liked that to have worked out LOLOLOL

So, Dharma busted out her old friend Chomper. Because these slats were pretty rotted at some ends. You can see that.

Chop, saw, chop, saw, measure, chop, saw, measure, screw, chop, measure, saw, chop.

C'est FINIS! I have never liked one of my redux more than I like this one. $80, I did it myself, I got someone else to do the painting on the walls and I reused all my own beachy stuff I have hoarded around my house forever. The room feels like it grew 3 sizes that day (Grinch shout out).

I am verra proud of this lass, she did her Scots Grandad proud.

C'mon you knew there was going to be a mermaid somewhere!

Thanks for diving in!

Showing off at:

Seeking Lavendar Lane

A Stroll Thru Life

A Bowl Full of Lemons

Vintage Inspiration Party @BlissRanch

Wow us Wednesdays @SavvySouthernStyle

Flaunt it Friday @ChiconaShoestring

Eau de toilet....

I started working on the very first room I ever painted in the Casa over 10 years ago now. How I ever got ready in the morning in a YELLOW main bathroom I will never understand. Maybe I have been jaundiced for years and couldn't tell?

The original room was Benjamin Moore's "Straw Hat", which do not get me wrong is a beautiful shade of warm yellowy green, but maybe not what I would pick now as a hue I'd like to reflect first thing in the mirror....ya know?

The cabinets were the warm cherry-ish that is throughout the builder's special and the counters were the same spectacular green laminate with a scroll design that became the bane of my existence in the kitchen. BANE! Thankfully those were replaced 2 years ago now.

So as it happened, I had 5 days off over the long weekend and I said to myself...."SELF, you are worthy of a new bathroom makeover!". But then my other self (am I the only one who has a few me's in there??) said...OK ShopperJo, you got $200 buckeroonies.

So here is the breakdown so far:

I rejuvinated (which means I busted out the leftover Rustoleum Transformations Kit from the kitchen, where I originally tried to cheap out on new counters) the countertop in the black stone finish. Used my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White and clear wax on the vanity drawers and doors. This is an in progress type post so here is an in progress type picture, LOL.

So far, free to me and only incurred the cost of repetetive motion on my tennis elbow.

Greg is painting the walls and most of the trim BM's (pun intended...teehee....I am 6) Cloud White as I speak. That was 50 dollars....But I have big plans for that blank, square wall behind the sink!

Here is my inspiration from Me and My DIY.

Like Arnold, I'll be back.

Turnin' the tables

I was very busy this very rainy weekend. After purchasing and having a shed built within the last 2 weeks, the garage at Casa Dharma has finally realized it's glorious purpose.

My Workshop LOL!!! 










Seriously though, I have room to paint, turn up my tunes, create....and give me two solid days of rain and create I did. I put all my new workshop skills that I learned at my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint class to the test.

I started with a plant stand Q and I had rescued from the Salvation Army this spring. You have to love my model lololol

ASCP in Old White and clear waxed for protection. The relief work
on this piece makes it!

Then a pair of $3/each beauties picked up a local thrift shop....

ASCP in Aubusson Blue, top coated in Old White, clear waxed,
distressed and finished in dark wax.

ASCP in French Linen (grey), clear waxed, distressed and
finished in dark wax.

This little grasshopper is getting her learning on - WAX on and WAX off.

Partying at Funky Junk Interiors

The table that took 8 months?

No....it didn't. I've just been a bad blogger. Like, really bad. Bite my lip and hope for a spanking bad, Mr. Grey?

So to make up for it, I took on a mother of a project. No, really this dining suite came from my mother :) Here it is all granny'd up for Thanksgiving. Old Country Roses china and everything.

....and here it is all modern and funkified. Dharma-style. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint for the very first time. We now have a distributor here in Niagara! Simply White  with their full ASCP line and lovely staff were a great help. I am planning on taking a workshop there with the lovely owner, Brenda, mid-June.

Tada!!!!

I used Versailles on the chairs which is a taupey sage, and Aubusson Blue on the table. Very Le Francais....no? I will keep you in the loop as to whether all the paint falls off given how much my menthings use this table daily :)

Nice to SEE you, thanks for coming in and seeing if I was still breathing.

Over at Flaunt it Friday for fun!

Happy Halloween!

We shall be very busy tonight. Usually we get about 400 kids, yes, I said 400. I didn't add a 0 by mistake. Be safe, try to dip into those bowls in moderation and have a beverage for me :)

Wicked Wicker!

Just picked up this week, $40 no less :)

Now to figure out styling this baby, stay tuned!

You know someone who had this unit exactly/ something somewhat like this dealio didn't you? If you said yes, I know you lived in and remember the 70s baby!!

His N Hers Headboard

Fit for a King and his Queen, this 7 foot x 6 foot monster was installed today. I have to invest in some seriously sexy hotel type bedding but for now I am ecstatic at my $80 find!

Going from in the yard to in the room (without Boy #1 to carry this with the hubster) was not much fun. But getting it installed and setting the posts properly on an antique to fit modern day frames was lots of fun! NOT!

Like I said, bedding to follow….but it’s pretty boss!

Partying here:

Headboard - Dingy to Delish!

Remember that tease? The KING sized one? Well, it delivered alright. It delivered a blackened, dirty un-loved 7 foot by 6 foot monster a la this to my doorway on Saturday:

Thank goodness the ad on Kijiji was blurry, I don't know if I would have tackled this otherwise. Originally from the beautiful shape, I thought gothic shabby cottage chic? LOL - say that 5 times fast....but I was a bit stumped on a colour.

I had lots of inspiring pieces pinned to my Pinterest board though so I was sure it would come to me.

Then it arrived and it is 100% antique (although a cross brace has been added), dark walnut to the bone and about 200 lbs. 80" across and 65" high. Before I could even think of painting it I had to get the gunge off and see if I could save it. Apparently it was from an old Catholic manse, when the property sold a B&B owner in Niagara Falls bought it. His renovation is my gain :)

TSP, some small sanding, warm water, elbow grease and mineral oil and here it is:

Ready for her close up Mr. DeMille.

NO paint for Veronica! She is far too dark and lovely for a makeover :)

Linking this one up to Beyond the Picket Fence for their vintage soiree!

A round for the whole bar!

....or a new bedroom for everyone? I pick new digs for each of the boys. Mostly for selfish reasons though. :) The upstairs of our backsplit was changed when we blew out a wall and connected two small bedrooms to create the Master. The old master bedroom was given to the youngest at the time.

With the eldest off at University, his bedroom with its adjoining bathroom has been handed down. The college-boy gets the basement lol. Actually he has some pretty sweet digs down there. Do not pity him.

So we had a redux for the downstairs room. We went from this:

To a fresh new navy, cream and lime palette for this guy...

We have been busy upstairs too. Remember that old master bedroom that the kid just got evicted from? Wait until you see what happened in there!

The best part about this project? Only $80 in paint. The rest of the room was shopped from the house. Go me!!

Tap. Tap. - Is this thing on?

I know. I know.

Dharma, in the history of bloggers, you are the worst. Yes, it's true. I suck cheese doodles lately. Well, not lately per se but really for the last year really.

You probably even forgot I was on your reader. Well, surprise! I have dusted off the camera. I have rounded up the paint brushes. I have cleared the VISA and I am ready to party once more.

In my defense, we did try to sell the Casa Eclectica to no avail last summer/fall and I think I just got house-drain. If you DIY or decorate on a budget you know what I mean. The cleaning and tweaking and and and....plus the "dream house" I thought I wanted slipped away by each day our place didn't go off the market to someone new.

Gladly.

The "dream house" was a financial stretch and then the eldest announced he wasn't going to stay at home for college and instead was going off to University 2 cities away. 5 bedrooms for a family of 3? WTF? I was either going to start foster caring or we were in trouble with an offer on a house we didn't need. Sometimes life happens in the way it should and after 60 days our offer went stale. PHEW!!!!!

So I have begun with a renewed vigour around the ole Casa! I am reinventing spaces for boys here full-time and some very part-time. Those posts are coming soon.

In the meantime I shall tease you and tell you I have (almost got this guy hooked into delivery) purchased a Kijiji wonder a la this:

I have been looking for a king sized project for ever! This one would fit that bill big time. I do mean BIG!

So, welcome back, whoever is left. I missed you. I pinky-swear I am back.

Did you wonder where I went?

Family Room Moodboard


Hey! It's only been 7 months, what did you think I was up to?

After a failed attempt at selling The Resort, Greg and I have decided to stay on and that means I REDECORATE!

I know what I said...

I said I hated green....but I am digging this Kijiji find everyone! Would look so ca-ute with my retro buffet and hutch. Thoughts?

Bitchin' Kitchin!

So I started this kitchen redux about 2 months ago. I have shopped, arranged for installs and DIY'd it to death yo! If you forget where I started a couple years back...let me introduce you to my green machine....and the tulip light. My fave :)



Awwww yeah. You are loving it, I can tell. Well I didn't. The rangehood was white, that spray paint experiment should go in the "Why I don't drink wine..." pile. So I decided to try again. Meet my painted countertops that lasted a whole year :) They would probably last someone else a lot longer but we cook tons and I have sons trying their hand at the culinary arts as well. No bueno.

I know, I know. Better right? But still not quite there. So I decided to bite the bullet, make a list and budget and get crackin!

Welcome to Casa Stout now babies!

The list breaks down like this:

Remove kitchen drapery/rods & paint / make drape- CHECK ($20)

Replace diningroom drapes with the ones from TV room - CHECK

Replace pendant light - BOUGHT and READY to GO ($25)
Film on Door Window for privacy - DONE ($5)

Replace vent cover - DONE ($7)

Replace counters - DOUBLE DONE ($2400)

Replace sink with undermount and install Touch2O tapset - DONE-OLA (included with counters)

Backsplash behind stove - DIY'D & DONE ($75)

Install OTR Microwave - DONE ($250)

This was all done in concert with a number of other projects. Replacing all the knobs, locks etc in the house from classy brassy to stainless. rehanging draperies and patching and painting. Changing out all the towel bars and TP holders in the house. Rearranging the livingroom (AGAIN). replacing all the broken musty vent covers in the house. Cleaning, more cleaning and oh, did I mention I have cleaned?

Here's a pic of the sink:

OMG. Isn't that tap gorgeous? Remember when I won that at the Canadian Design Bloggers event last year? I have a lot of patience darling. A lot of patience.

The backsplash is peel-n-stick stainless tile from Home Depot called Aspect. I decided on one row to keep it simple and staggered long and short grain finishes for interest. 

A new Debbie Travis Aurora pendant light in a crackled glass is slated to go in and replace the giant tulip that hangs over my head on the peninsula.

The counters are a Formica180FX product in a finish called Soapstone Sequoia. I went with a straight edge to mimic slabs of actual stone. The slabs are one piece each so no seams for grossness to wander into. Our installers were great and they spent more time installing the taps than anything else. They were cursing my name I am sure as they drove away. Which is why I tip.

This is it so far. FINAL budget for my version of a dream kitchen = $2782.00

Momma is a happy girl.