Remodeling House

Volunteer Tomato PlantsJune 25, 2010
We've had a fair amount of warm days followed by rain in the afternoon and evenings mixed with rainy days.  The combination has seen weeds sprout up on the garden paths so they are getting to the point of needed to be cleared again.  A couple of days ago I noticed two volunteer tomato plants on one of the paths and there is another one in the first raised bed.

Road DaylilyJune 24, 2010
The large clump of road daylilies are in bloom, waving gracefully in the breeze.  These are a common daylily here quite often found growing wild in ditches and along farm fences.  As such they tend to be fairly common daylilies in many home gardens.  Most daylilies are rather problem free, low maintenance garden plants that naturalize easily.  The road daylily is perhaps

Burlesque DayliliesJune 24, 2010
The Burlesque daylilies are in full bloom now putting on a lovely show.   They are in with the Stella d'Or daylilies and their numbers have increased over the last couple of years.  The Stella d'Or daylilies were fewer this year with only a couple appearing.  I don't know if they have hybridized with the Burlesque or this just wasn't a good year for them.

Happy

I looked high and low for horseradish for the garden unsuccessfully at all the local nurseries.  I even tried the local grocery stores for horseradish root in the produce section hoping I could plant it.  I had had success a few years ago with a piece of horseradish root that grew in the house for awhile.  A kind soul on one of the groups I followed suggested I check out Richters.  Richters Herbs

Things are progressing nicely in the garden.  I am still planting but that is normal for the square foot garden method.  I have a lot more vegetables and herbs planted in containers this year.  This does seem to be the year of dealing with various insects and their damage but with the wild rabbits mysteriously absent there is no large scale damage so far. 

I only have one zucchini plant this

Earwigs (Forficula auricularia) are a common sight in many gardens.  They are attracted to damp locations so can be found under plants, in mulch and anywhere else damp like decaying vegetable matter.  Earwings are more of a nuisance indoors.  Despite their appearance earwigs aren't harmful to humans.  There is the old wives' tale that earwigs get into your ears when you are sleeping and while it

If you're growing basil in your herb patch (and we hope you are), there have been problems the last couple of years with basil blight, and this invasive threat is on the move. The East and Midwest have been affected so far, and the airborne spores of this downy-mildew pesto killer are devastating.

If you notice yellowing on the leaf tips of your basil plants, check the back of the leaf. If you

Having a baby is probably the most wonderful news for the parents, and it comes with a lot of preparation and anticipation. I have some wonderful ideas for parents who would love to do up a room for their baby. Because the design and color of the room would be soo vastly different for a baby girl or boy, I am taking it in different posts.

In this post I bring to you some beautiful ways to do up the room. I have done a post before..check it here; here I am showing some designs for a baby GIRL :D They are so precious the little ones that any amount of trouble is still little compared to the joy they bring.

What more could be more girlie than pink and pretty flowers. This is so beautiful with butterfly and flowers and lovely shades of pink to it. Go all out and pick up the favourite bits of fabric and design your own room with a little inspiration for this.



Since pink is a choice by default for all little girl's room. How about using some more colors for a different look. This design is just that with the brown color on furniture, the brown butterfly print shows up beautifully. The green is so refreshing . In all a beautiful way to do up a room for a little cutie.

















Having posted on ways to do up your little princess room I have to do another for the apple of your eye too; one for the little blue eyed boys :) Watch out for it.

I have had some great response to the Jelly cupboard from you here, Facebook and from my friends and family.  I have a couple of things to add to the last post that have come up. 

Heather asked to see some close up pics of the cupboard for a look at the grain.  I think that’s one of the great things about milk paint is that it still lets you see some of the grain. So Heather here you go I hope it helps making the decision on using milk paint. 

Here is a look at the grain running across top of the door.  You can also see the dowels that are used to hold the half lap joint together. 

 

 

 

 

Here is a shot of one of the knots on the side.  I would imagine you could add another coat and cover up the grain and knots if that’s what you are looking for.

 

 

 

 

 

Okay part two:

I talked with Anne the President over at The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company about some of the things I mentioned in the last post about milk paint and she gave me a few pointers on the milk paint to make it smoother and easier to paint.

Here is an excerpt from the email that she sent me the other day:

Milk paint really is a rustic, crude, lumpy old fashioned paint. Make sure to let it sit for a little while after you mix it, and you can use a kitchen rubber spatula to squeeze the paint on the edges of your container to help get the lumps out. After letting it sit a little while you can also strain it through some cheesecloth or better yet a piece of a nylon stocking or pantyhose- that works great!

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance, and thanks again.
Best Regards,
Anne Thibeau
President
The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co., Inc.

I will be using here suggestions on the next go round.  I hope this helps you guys out. 

Have a Great Day!

I hope you will take the time to add your project to the list.  Everyone loves to see your projects, especially me. 

 

 

 

<a border="0" href="http://groverwoodworks.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz56/groverwoodworks/wwwed.jpg" /></a> Grab the button link from the textbox.

Have a Great Day!

 

Have a sinus headache? Allergies have you sniffling and miserable? Got a cold you just can't shake? Feel better with a steaming cup of hyssop tea. Hyssop has been the herb of choice in treating upper respiratory problems for centuries. It can clear you sinus passages, sooth a sore throat and relax tense and frazzled nerves.

Hyssop Tea Recipe (Not for use by pregnant or nursing women)

1

I posted awhile ago about my waterball garden using Deco beads by the makers of SoilMoist™.  I was impressed enough with the Deco beads that I wanted to try the SoilMoist™ as well.  SoilMoist™ has been successfully used in the horticultural industry as a water management system.  Essentially what the granules do is absorb moisture like a sponge then releases it to the soil as the soil dries.  It

No No, we didn’t paint with milk.  That could be interesting however.  What I did do is use a great product from The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company.  This paint is something akin to what early American craftsmen would have used in painting their furniture or other household items.  Milk paint was made at home by hand typically using skim or buttermilk, and a combination of limestone and more or less anything they could find for color.  What The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company did was create their own recipe for their reproduction furniture business.  After seeing what they were able to accomplish they started receiving requests for their paint and thus what we have today. 

Now this stuff is totally different than anything I have used before, for one it comes in a dry powder form that you have to mix with water to make the actual paint.  This is easily accomplished by adding the powder and water to a nice sized mason jar and shaking the heck out of it.  The directions call for warm water, I used water that was closer to hot so that it dissolved completely.  Once you have it mixed up and ready to use get yourself ready if you are sensitive to smell.  Once you open that jar you will be met with a slight sour “Milk” smell.  Nobody told me about that.  Whew did it catch me off guard.  It really isn’t all that bad I just wasn’t expecting it.  It’s one of those things that you get used to as you are using it and don’t think anything about it after a few minutes.

As I started painting I was really concerned with how the paint was going to turn out.  When I started brushing it on it went on differently than Latex or Oil based paint it was almost streaky and blotchy all at once.  I tried smoothing it out as much as I could but could not get it to lay like I wanted to.  I went ahead and painted the whole piece at this point it was the back slats of the Jelly Cupboard build.  I was so frustrated with the way it looked I went to Lowes and bought some latex paint to repaint with, well they say time is a great healer and well they don’t lie whoever they are.  By the time I went to Lowes purchased the paint did a few other things came back and looked at the paint it had dried and had dried very smoothly.  This was not at all the outcome I was expecting.  I was very pleased.  I decided then I would give the Sea Green color I had purchased a chance.  Boy are we glad I did.  This stuff looks AMAZING.  It recreates the primitive/colonial/country look that I know a lot of you go after.  I couldn’t be more happy with it.  It beats the heck out of using a latex paint and having to work with it to achieve nothing close to what this stuff does.  I couldn’t believe it I had on one of my pieces finally found the look that I wanted.  In order to protect the great paint job I also applied the Milk Paint Clear Coat product that is available as well.  This stuff is also great but a word of warning do not use this stuff in an enclosed poorly ventilated area.  I opened the bottle and immediately knew that I had to open the shop doors turn on the fans and the air filtering system.  It’s some strong smelling stuff, but is totally safe to use.  Make sure you put it on thin I goofed in a few places and let it build up and had to adjust fix it. 

Oh I totally forgot to mention that before I applied the clear coat I took some 0000 Steel wool and “Sanded” the whole piece.  This helped level the paint out and dull the paint just a little. After the clear coat dried I did the same with it.  I did not want a super shiny clear coat and you don’t really get one with this stuff, well at least I didn’t, but the steel wool levels it and make it look even better in my opinion. 

Okay so to wrap up.  I totally recommend and will be using milk paint on future projects.  Here is the skinny though, it’s a little more expensive than what you would pay for latex based paint but if you are going after that period look or just want something different it is totally worth it.  At the retailer I purchased it from it was about $13 per package and each package gives your roughly a pint of paint so I have about $20 worth of paint on the Jelly cupboard.  I used almost a full pint of Sea Green and a full Pint of Oyster White.  Now I usually would by quarts of latex paint so it’s quart for quart about half the cost, but I also don’t have almost a whole quart of paint sitting around taking up space hoping that it will get used on another project, wondering if it was good enough, and if it lived up to my standards.  I mean that’s a hard thing for paint to have to go through day in and day out watching me build and wondering if this is the time that it will get used.  Well I can tell you I will still use Latex paint, but for anything that is going to be even remotely period based or primitive the milk paint will be my paint of choice.  It almost makes me want to go and sand all the latex off the couple of pieced I made last year and redo them with the milk paint. 

Please make sure to check out their website http://www.milkpaint.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a Great Day!

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) is a hearty perennial shrub in the mint family that has a spiky, upright habit and narrow tongue-like leaves. It's a dark, vibrant green when it gets enough nourishment, and sports small, vibrant blue flowers (some variations produce pink, lavender, purple or white flowers). It has an attractive appearance in the garden, but where it really shines is as an herbal

Herbs generally are rather problem free plants in the garden yet this year I have encountered more problems with herbs than in previous years.  The oregano has been attacked by spider mites and fungus gnats.  Earwigs attacked the potted parsley and I just discovered an unidentified caterpillar attacking the potted sweet basil.  I'm hoping this isn't a sign of things to come for this growing

There is something so satisfying about being crafty and using our skills and creativity to decorate our homes. Upcycling/recycling has forever been my favourite craft, and I am on a constant look out for new ideas. Thanks to so many crafty people across the globe, I have a selection of really awesome ways to use your stash of vintage or new buttons.

Take a look and if you have a bunch of random buttons lying around, take up a project and see how pleased it will leave you at the end of the day !

I thought this was  just too good to miss, cans and corrugated sheets (salvaged maybe) and a handful of buttons to achieve this beautiful summery look, pick your bunch of wild flowers or throw in some seeds for your own garden. Redo your window sill maybe ?



From interesting planters to flowers made with buttons. How much cuter can it get ? Simple do make and will leave you with a smile every time.




This is surprising simple and leaves a great impact. Some beautiful mix of buttons, same shade or fun with colored ones, glue gun and a cardboard ! All these come together for this stylish decoration. Go raid your drawers now :)












Did you come cross a bag of buttons in a thrift shop or just a little too many left over from a previous project? This is a great way of salvaging ! The colors shades of thread gives it the uber chic look and you will leave your guest gushing over your craftiness.







Easy peasy !! Just a beautiful shade of ribbon to compliment your curtains, some buttons to sew on and you have this beautiful curtain holder all custom made ;)  If you have been looking for a set of curtain holder and not been able to make up your mind use this idea to make some yourself.








Now that summer is here don your own creations and enjoy all the compliments that come your way. Old neck chain, some jump rings and a selection of button. Search online for your stash of buttons if you do not have it yet. They are cheap and with so many ways to use them you will end up only making loads of craft. Use them for earrings or make a locket with a bunch of them on a large jump ring.


With so many ways of using buttons I am going buttons myself :P So get your creative juices flowing and hunt for interesting buttons to make your own set of decorations. Easy and cost effective way of doing up your place.

P.S : If you have pictures to share of your craft, send me a message nd I would love to post it here.

My friend/neighbor asked me to make some pens for her husband, father and father-in-law.  It’s always a huge honor when someone asks me to make a pen for someone else as a gift.  It on the other hand makes me very nervous as well because I am usually charging them for the pens, I don’t usually try to make much money off of them because it’s a hobby and I enjoy doing it and I have a hard time charging friends full retail for things like this.  I always fret over if the piece(s) are up to standard and up to par and if they will like them all that kind of fun stuff.  I am very pleased with the way these pens turned out.  They are very beautiful in my mind and it was almost difficult to give them up, but I did and I believe that she was pleased with the end result. 

Let me know what you think about them.

The pens are made from Amboyna Burl it’s an exotic wood from several different areas in Asia.  In my opinion it is one of the most beautiful woods out there.  I would love to some day build a piece of furniture out of it.  However it is EXTREMELY expensive and it would cost an arm and a leg to even make a top to a small table but I think it would be worth it. 

Now sorry for the plug but if you would like a pen for yourself or as a gift please feel free to contact me and we can discuss the options. 

 

 

Have a Great Day!

 

Spider MiteJune 17, 2010

It would appear that my oregano in the raised beds has been hit with the double whammy of fungus gnats and spider mites.  Both are known pests to oregano as are white flies and aphids.  At this point all I can say is I'm not amused.  At any rate the infestation isn't too bad so can be controlled.

Spider mites are 8 legged, spider-like creatures ranging in colour from

I took the time today and got the jelly cupboard finished.  We ended up putting chicken wire on it.  I got the handle attached so it can be opened now that the chicken wire is installed.  My wife took some time to fill the cupboard with a few things and now she is trying to figure out what color to paint the bathroom. 

Everything installed looking good, we are trying out some different ideas for the top. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wife filling up the cupboard.  I’m sure she will find more stuff to fill it with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is what we decided on for now.  I am very pleased with the way it turned out. 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a Great Day!

 

Fungus GnatJune 17, 2010


The gardens and yards have been hit with fungus gnats.  Fungus gnats are comprised of a number of species in the insect order Diptera, family Sciaridae (dark winged fungus gnat species Bradysia coprophila, impatiens and paupera) that are about the same size as a mosquito.   These tiny little creatures cause minimal damage to herbs such as oregano where they were having

In June 2007 I sadly said a final goodbye to my garden at our former house.  It was a bitter sweet day filled with memories of how the garden had come to be and excitement at the prospects of starting a new garden at the new house.  I did shed a tear or two that day.  The garden that had been just a though ended up a reality and had matured nicely.  A walk through my garden showed the five older

Quite often you will see the signs of insect damage in your garden well before you see the insect itself and there are times that more than one insect species may be responsible for the damage.  Proper identification is very important because you don't want to kill off any beneficial insects but at the same time you want to control or kill off harmful insects.  In reality my goal in the garden is

Summer SavoryJune 9, 2010

The plant tag on this herb that I planted last year said Summer Savory which is an annual herb.  However, it came back up this year so obviously it is a perennial so I suspect that it is actually Winter Savory.  It does look like Summer Savory but I will be able to tell better when it blooms.  I don't like letting my herbs go to flower because the plant's energy is then

As said, after doing up living room in yellow I am back with some lovely ideas to use yellow in the most loved space in your home. Yellow is such a vibrant and fun color that using in any room brings in lots warmth and cheer. It blends beautifully with white and a whole range of colors to be among some very versatile. Use it a little or oodles of it, go for the perfect balance for yourself.

This dining room is in ivory and yellow, with red and green accents thrown in. totally love the hardware on the hutch and the beautiful porcelain. If you really wish to use yellow to its best affect use it in a sunny room, its just to amazing how the room looks to cheerful and fun with light shining in.




After the expensive look above, this look so much more cheerful and fun :) I am soo partial to this ! The vintage looking chairs and milk glass lamp with retro china and glass, I could snag all of them if I could. The look is simple and has a lot of impact. It is carefully chosen and each piece is radiating with positive energy.

Pressurized Garden SprayerJune 10, 2010
Round-Up® is an herbicide that is banned for home garden use under the Ontario Pesticide Ban except for special circumstances such as poison sumac and poison ivy.   Quite frankly I don't feel the Ontario Pesticide Ban goes far enough but when it comes to toxic plants like poison sumac and poison ivy that can cause extreme reactions that can cause death I am

ChamomileJune 9, 2010
Chamomile is an annual daisy-like herb that gets its name deriving from the Greek from chamaimēlon meaning earth apple or the apple-like scent.  Chamomile is commonly made into a tea for it's calming effect to help relax before sleep.  In the home garden chamomile tea can be used to prevent dampening off in seedlings.  It can also be used as a dye to produce a green colour.

I am so in love with yellow with summer around. Bright and sunny with lots of energy and positive vibe! How about a good look at different ways you can use yellow in your homes, I came across some beautiful designs for all different rooms which beg to be shared :)

Yellow is my favourite specially because it uplifts my mood immediately, who can resist the charm of  sunlight and the immediate warmth (a brighter shade) to the cool lemony. With a hint of green, white or even black (!) give yourself a chance to experience the beautiful color. I here present to you my pick of home ideas in yellow.

Yellow is a versatile color and blends beautifully with white and black and looks stunning if the mix is right. With just two colors (white and black) this room looks uncluttered yet a very polished and elegant. The white just pops out against the walls while the black adds the sense of drama to  it.

This is a look which is so easy to achieve, keep this as your reference for a stunning look for your living room.


Another layout and expansive room but the color mix remains the same. White and yellow,with a little of back/brown for accent. Simple and clutter free. It has a zen affect. The accents, bottles and vase and the painting all of them mimic the yin and yang with yellow as a muted background.






A dash of yellow can cheer up any room, from warm to elegant and the numerous shades of it, its just up to your creativity to make it your own. This sunny color goes well with almost all colors , from royal blue to lovely green to pale pink and the dramatic black and white.



I shall bring to you (next post) some designs for Dining room/space. This color is absolutely fantastic for this special space which holds warmth and some of the most beautiful memories for any family.

P.S : Do leave some love and let me know if you have any feedback and requests :)

Well I finally decided it was time to finish the jelly cupboard.  I am almost there.  I have the main body painted the door painted and need to get the final pieces of the door cut and will have it all done.  We decided at this time we are just going to put chicken wire on the door.  I will post pics once that is done.  I used milk paint and am pretty pleased with it. 

I used white milk paint for the inside and green on the outside.  I also stained the top instead of painting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay now for the guitar.  I have let this thing mess with my head way to much and made a ton of mistakes that I probably wouldn’t have if this had been furniture.  I think I will be able to salvage it and make something of a playable guitar out of it.  I have learned a ton and it has allowed me to get over my guitar making jitters.  I will hopefully get this thing done soon.

But for now here is a picture of it in its current state

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a Great Day!

Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) is an underrated herb in the garden. It doesn't need much attention, but has a lot to offer. It will grow up to five feet tall, and its bright leaves are a delicate shade of green all summer long. It produces long, slender, trumpet shaped red flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds, too.

Did we mention that it really does smell like pineapple? You

A Few Containers in my Container Garden June 10, 2010
My main gardening method is square foot gardening in raised beds using companion planting.  This is a high density growing method.  Currently my raised beds give me 80 square feet of growing space.  Two new beds going in will increase the growing space to 112 square feet.  In addition to that I have several large containers that tend to be

Tomato PlugsJune 9, 2010
Traditionally in our area home gardeners aim for having their gardens fully planted by the May 24 long weekend.  With recent climate changes there has been a push for some home gardeners to start putting their vegetables in too soon.  Our average day of last frost (ADLF) is usually around May 8 but we had a good frost here on May 14 this year so those with warmer weather

One of our kids reacts quite violently to poison ivy to the point of needing emergency medical attention from exposure on several occasions.  Most of the contact has come from when we were camping but the other day a large poison ivy plant was discovered in their backyard so called me for advice.  That jogged my memory to take another look around the yards to be sure there was no poison ivy. 

I

As I work in the garden I am always on the look-out for garden visitors both friend and foe.  I find it amazing the diversity of critters that visit the gardens and yards.  For the most part all of the visitors are wild with the exception of a couple of neighbourhood cats that visit occasionally.  Currently the most noticeable difference in my garden visitors is the glaring absence of the wild

The herb bed is coming along nicely.  Most of the perennial herbs came up without a problem although I did lose the nasturtiums and rosemary.  The bed cleaned up quite nicely though.  I was quite pleased at how robust and healthy the perennial herbs looked!

To the top right there is sage and chives in bloom.  To the top left are two patches of lavender and to the left middle there is summer

This will be our fourth and possibly last summer at this house if it sells shortly.  The house is in a rural area on waterfront property so we have an abundance of wildlife some that are not always as helpful in the gardens as they could be.  Early this spring I spotted a second pair of wild rabbits so fully expected to be defending the garden against rabbits this year as well.  However they are

I have three very important gardening tools that you will not find in the gardening section of any store. They are:
digital camera - A digital camera not only gives a pictorial as to how my gardens are doing but helps serve as an important identifier for both flora and fauna. 
cell phone/wireless phone - A garden can be a very dangerous place in many perspectives even though you don't think of

 Eddie Ross..............well known celebrity lifestyle expert.........is coming to Chicago next week!

Here's the scoop/ schedule;

DAY ONE;   Eddie and Jaithan arrive Monday June 14th and are staying at my home.......YIKES.........YEAH.........OMG!

Remember the post where sister and I stayed at their home in upstate New York?

A warm and relaxed greeting in their countryside setting


This was breakfast on the covered porch

A view of the guest bath and the keeping room


As I sit here in a panic I wonder how to get the guest bedroom in shape since I will be out of town this week.
Well................not really mine, this is a photo from  A&E's the 'Hoarders'..................... but that one little used "I'll just throw it in here for now space", could be a candidate.

DAY TWO; Anyone's guess. Would like to say we are taking them antiquing as they did for us but I am in the process of opening a new shop in Chicago and the grand opening is later in the week. But maybe a small city tour with Marija of Holding Court, Marija???

that is sister hiding, and her new found fear of me wielding a camera

DAY THREE:  Start preparing for our event on June 17th, no doubt. 
Ever want help in hosting an event? Include E+J, everyone will help. I even have a friend, Joyce Scruggs....see previous post.......that drove up from Nashville! 

DAY FOUR;  All hands on deck! Tonight is our event, the WOW party (WithOut Work),we are hosting at Dunham Woods Riding Club.


We are throwing a party that will help you host better parties

Eddie will share time-saving tips and insider tricks for easy entertaining with style.

 As a graduate of the esteemed Culinary Institute of America and an ex-caterer (one of his first clients was Tommy Hilfilger..........how does that happen?!). You will know which corners to cut, in time and budget.

 And learn the insider tips for the ever important............ PRESENTATION!

• Get the recipes
• Get the secrets
• Get to dig in afterwards
• Get to meet Eddie and Jaithan
• Get the tickets! Space is limited

Oh, as an aside...........I will assist Eddie and share my love of utilizing the garden for tablesettings

  Using garden elements in unexpected ways

Sod.........not just for the lawn















As a twenty year antique veteran, I went along on one of their tours last year for fun. Fun it was! But, my eyes were opened in unexpected ways. All antiquing excursions since, are completely different.

  AND ON THE EIGHTH DAY...............


We hope you can join us! 
  And in closing another unintentionally........again........ long post, still with me? Here are some of my favorite Eddie Ross images.....................

                                         House Beautiful 











                                                            HGTV's 'Celebrity Holiday Homes'                                       


                 Winner of Bloomingdale's window contest. Sponsor.....Elle Decor Magazine

This is pure genius. Inspiration is all around us, but Eddie's is so finely tuned he found this photograph and created this tablescape.

Welcome to Chicago my friends we are very excited!
Debra