ScrapFest Cookie Recipes...

I thought I would share these recipes from our time at ScrapFest!

ScrapFest Giveaway!

We secured a booth for a local Scrapbooking event called ScrapFest, and this is our giveaway filled with my favorite products!  Ballots will be available in our booth.  See ScrapFest details below.

If you're coming, please stop by and introduce yourself.

Hope to see you there!

PS:  Here is some soap I made for the sponsor CROP bags for ScrapFest.  It's these kind of soaps that will make up the SOAP WORKSHOPS during your stay.

My Mamma Would Be Proud!

First of all, thank you Mom and Dad.

Dad, thank you for teaching me all things handy.  He taught me how to drywall, fix a fuse and light bulb in my car, put up crown moulding, use the saw, use the nail gun, put on baseboards, anything electrical.  See, my Dad will come over and help me with projects, BUT he makes sure to teach me as he goes.  His knowledge is invaluable.

Mom, for teaching me all things crafty, and the lesson in life that I can do anything I put my mind to.  Envision the end result, then find a way to achieve it.  I can do this in my head, I can see it, almost like a scene in a movie, I knew these drapes would be perfect, because I could see them in the loft space.  My Mother is such a crafty lady, sewing everything from drapes to dresses.  She helped me alter my bridesmaid dress when I was 8 months pregnant, she bought me a sewing machine out of university to make sure I had one. Then she went and bought a beautiful sewing machine and then left it at my house while she went to England.  Lucky for me, I still have it, and was able to buy drapery ON SALE at sears.ca.  Only catch is, that everything in this house is odd.  Everything I buy will have to be custom made, unless I can figure out ways to do it myself.  With the drapes, I did just that.

I had a bad experience with drapes when Mark and I were first married, and the hem was all crooked, and off by about 2 inches on one side.  Hems and curtains have scared me ever since.  Being 10 years older and wiser, and with the need to pinch every penny, I decided that hems were mine for the mastering.  My Mamma would be proud!

Here is the latest development on the loft space.....drapes are officially hemmed, and look fantastic!  The soft blue is the perfect colour to add softness and peace to the space.  It also matches the furniture I've been refinishing with Annie Sloan's Louis Blue Chalk Paint.   If you are in Ontario, you can buy them at The Melon Patch.  They will ship it for you!

Look at the bottom - a perfect measure!  I am thrilled that I did this all by myself!

I bought a dual track curtain rod, because I loved the sheer drapes, but knew that we needed privacy up there, so we ended up with 2 sets of drapes (blue and white), which looks amazing and so beautiful!

These windows were harder to approach, because of the way they open on hinges.  The solution was these casual roman blinds, that let all the light in! I love how these turned out.  There are 2 windows like this one, with the rounded tops.

That's all for now, I am onto the next project...finishing that furniture!

See you soon!

Before and After: Furniture and Chalk Paint

I mentioned in my previous post that I have been busy painting furniture that I bought at the local re-use centre.

Below are two pieces re-finished using Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint (Old White).  Painted 2 coats, sanded, waxed, and we are good to go!  No priming or preparing the furniture needed!  I also refinished the cushion on this chair (actually 2 chairs) with some fabric I bought a while ago, before we even bought the house - and it fits so well with the wall colours.

BEFORE (found this chair on the side of the road):

AFTER:

What do you think?  Better or worse?  These will be my Make n' Take chairs.

NEXT.....the coffee table.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

This coffee table is going in the loft where the guests will sleep.  It will help fill out the lounge/TV space up there and make it a little more homey.

FOOD PREVIEW: Home made Ice Cream

It looks yummy and tastes even better!  This is a  very rich recipe and has a tart raspberry flavour.

I did take some photos of the loft space today, but still have more work to do up there before I can show the BIG reveal!

Bye for now.

Lesley

A Beautiful Winter Morning

We woke up to snow that we never knew was coming.  It wasn't a lot, but just an inch of beautiful white snow.  It is the kind of snow that hangs onto the branches and makes the trees look beautiful!

I have to get the camera before it all disappeared.

Building Our Menu

Today is Valentine's Day and we just finished up a lovely meal.  I have spent the last couple days building a web site for the Arts & Crafts House and it's almost done, and now we can start building the menu.

My Executive Chef (aka my husband Mark) made me the most wonderful dish of gnocchi, chicken, portobello mushrooms, leeks, cream, sage, etc.  It was what I requested for our special dinner together, and it was definitely menu worthy for the Arts & Crafts House.

       Gnocchi with Chicken and Portobello Mushroom in Cream Sauce

I have also been busy getting the loft all set up for the sleeping accommodations and lounge space.  To save on money, I have been shopping re-use centres and buying solid wood furniture that needs love.  So, I have taken it upon myself to refinish furniture with Annie Sloan Chalk Paints that I bought from a store near Kingston called The Melon Patch.  It is such an amazing product.  

This is addictive and I just want to paint everything!  I will show you before and after photos once I'm finished.

Bye for now!

Lesley

Coming soon to Brantford, Ontario.  A beautiful Bed and Breakfast opening for scrapbook and craft weekend retreats.  We will be able to provide accommodations for groups of 6-8 people per weekend.

Opening Spring 2012!