Perfect ending to a crazy week

I would typically do a Flickr finds post today but I thought since I have some new photos of my own I would post those instead. It was a bit of a hectic week but once it calmed down I managed to get out and do some shopping. There was a fabric flea market in the Glebe that I dragged my boyfriend to yesterday morning and it was an absolute zoo. A big room PACKED with women grabbing at fabrics and yarn and buttons. My boyfriend was one of about 5 men in the place and he and the guys he would pass would joke about how nuts it was. It was hilarious. But I'm glad he came because he held my bags for me while I rummaged. :) Best part is I can't even sew. They do look cute in piles in my office though!

I took one of the batiks I bought and draped it over the sofa since I am not fond of the colour (and it gets dirty very easily) and voila, a quick and easy transformation.

We then went to the Ottawa Antique Market since we were in the neighbourhood and stopped as I usually do at the section of antique rugs and kilims only to find out the seller was selling the kilims at half price! So I picked up an antique one...for $325!! I am absolutely in love with it. I am thinking it will go under the dining table I STILL haven't found, and if not I will find it a home somewhere.

The other day I started demolition for the new kitchen which included the removal of the only closet on the main floor (*GASP*). So I had to create a new landing strip at the back door which will be my new everyday entrance. I have to shrink the bathroom that is next to the new entrance and have a closet built but that will happen sometime after the kitchen renovation.

Jo's place

Like Kim I realised I hadn't shared anything from my place lately. This weekend I started changing out the look in my bedroom. Fresh and bright for the hot summer months ahead. Vibrant yellow, shades of green and lots of 70s and 80s florals. Once again almost everything is from garage sales, thrift stores and eBay. The rug is IKEA on sale and great for covering the ugly grey carpet. I'm using three in a U shape around the bed. The theory is to whip stitch them together with kelly green wool but that's the theory. We stretched some retro bird of paradise fabric over a frame and it really brightens up the room. A lick of citrus green livened up the thrift shop side tables and yet another moss pot sits on a papier mache tray. My taupe bed throw is a concession to a large Labrador dog that won't take no for an answer when it comes to lying on the bed. White would be wonderful but would stay that way for a millisecond.

At the foot of the bed sit two ottomans. They were originally covered in eBay sourced fabric to go with my patchwork couch from hell but now that I've changed my scheme in the living room, they have found a home at the foot of my bed. They need their legs repainted .... white I think. Speaking of repainting what do you think of kelly green for the cane headboard? It's a small room but wonderfully bright now. A friend has helped me with the roman blinds for the bay window but do you think I can make them hang properly??!! I can't take the old hardware down. Ugly vertical blinds once hung from ceiling tracks. The problem is the tracks are GLUED to the concrete ceiling and I'm in a rental and loathe to try to pull them down. So the new shades are still a work in progress. They are fab though :) Vintage Vera fabric in fabulous greens and crisp white I scored on eBay. Maybe next time I show the room they'll be hanging beautifully.

Around the house

I realized it's been a while since I posted about work I've done to the house or results of thrifting trips. That's because I've been so busy shopping and planning my kitchen renovation that I haven't had time to do anything else. I have been trying to work on redoing my stairs, but it's always a work in progress so no photos yet. I went looking for appliances on Friday since I had the day off, and went to a couple of my favourite antique shops since I was close by. There wasn't much that caught my eye, but at Found Design, an awesome mid-century shop, I picked up a really cute wooden cat (can't remember who the owner said makes it) and a gorgeous piece of fabric. Kitchen curtains perhaps??

Kim's place

It's been a busy weekend so far here at casa di Kim. I should be studying for a big test coming up at work, but who wants to study when it's beautiful outside and there's tons of thrifting and decorating to be done? I thought I'd share with you all what I managed to get done around here and some of the things I picked up yesterday.

I FINALLY got around to painting my rattan patio set. Luckily I bought 4 cans of spray paint (Key Lime), because that's how much it took - and it really could use a final coat. But by the end of the fourth can, my fingers were killing me. And next is to stencil the mammoth fence behind it for some added oomph.

About a week ago I went to Zone, one of my favourite home decor shops, in search of some deer heads to put on the wall above my yellow chair in the living room. It was looking a little bare with only my cuckoo clock. I couldn't find any that would work, so instead I bought a box of magnetic plastic flowers by Umbra. Not sure that I like them, but I stuck them up anyway and I hope they grow on me, because I'll have 25 holes to fill otherwise.

A parcel arrived from Jo last week that I was SO EXCITED about. She sent me 4 Balinese flags for my backyard, a bunch of pillow covers made from some awesome fabric she found on eBay (I'll use them in my bedroom if I ever get around to decorating it...the pillow in 2 photos above is one of them), a bust vase and a West German pot. The box showed up totally smashed in on one corner, so I'm amazed everything made it in one piece.

Yesterday I went to pick up a framed Tretchikoff print I won on eBay the other day. Now if I could just find more of these in thrift shops around here. I haven't figured out where she'll be hung yet.

I also went to a thrift shop near me and found a few goodies. (I almost ended up with 2 more peacock chairs but luckily they were too big to take home). The magazine rack is in the living room (see second photo above). The glasses are so pretty, with etchings in the glass you can't really see.

On a walk downtown last night (the rain finally let up), I found a little Asian dress shop that was open and acquired a few more trinkets.

That's it so far....it's still early in the day....

Kim's place...some progress

Like Jo, I have been so busy the last week or so trying to get some work done in my house. There are some exciting things coming up that involve my place and Jo's that we'll tell you about when we can. But in the meantime instead of doing a regular post (since I am lacking in time) I thought I'd post what I've been working on, and purchasing, lately.

For starters, I spent a few hours yesterday (with some help...thanks Jeff!!) putting up a forest mural in my living room. It was painstaking, and worrisome because we ended up with alot of bubbling, but this morning when I went downstairs, I was relieved to find out they pretty much all flattened out once it dried. PHEW. I love the result. It's kind of wacky, and that's my style. The cat on the couch is a pillow I bought on Etsy. Nah, just kidding, that's Jo's favourite cat Lucky.

Now for the office. Last weekend I painted the office floor-to-ceiling white. I finally said buh bye to pale blue walls, and ugly light oak hardwood. The room is SO MUCH BRIGHTER now. It gets alot of sunlight throughout the day, and with everything white, it's just such a nice room to spend time in, as I do...ALOT. My desk was super long, so I cut it down and covered it in some eBay fabric I've had for a while. Jo suggested I paint the door leading to the back deck yellow, and it looks awesome. I have a ton more work to do in there but it's a good start.

I've gone a little nuts lately on eBay and Etsy (and local shops) looking for trinkets and furniture to finish off some rooms with. Today I received 3 parcels, and am waiting for a bunch more. They included the pincushion chair, the resin grapes and the metal tray. The lamp I bought yesterday at a mid-century modern store here, and the table I bought last week at Value Village. It really needs a coat of paint, and I'm not sure what to do with it. I also have 2 chair cushions at an upholsterer so more photos to come hopefully later in the week.