One crafty mama!!

I am so tickled with today's little project.

Last week I picked up this set of glass canisters

at the thrift store for a whopping $3.25!!

It is a whole lot dated and dirty 

but I have perfect thing in mind for it 

and it does NOT involve sugar or flour!!

After a good cleaning with vinegar and water, 

it was out to the porch for a 

little bit of  Kilz primer....looking better already!

I could not decide if it should be aqua or white, 

so I have to admit the final product actually has both!!

After a bit of distressing you can see a hint of the 

aqua peeking out and I think it is just the perfect amount!!

I am using these beauties to corral the kids art supplies...

one for pencil crayons, 

one for skinny markers,

one for fat markers, 

and one for scissors, tape and glue.

How's that for a craft mama?

I am sharing this here:

Blessings,

Karen

Seeing green

A few months ago my hubby and I 

went and picked up this sweet 

(but sadly neglected) 

spindle table.  

The previous owner was...

shall we say...

a HEAVY smoker. 

Needless to say this table spent 

some time airing out in the garage 

before I could go near it!!

I love the turned legs,

aged brass claw feet

with glass balls in them,

and I love the gentle curves 

of the table top.

However, the old paint can rings, 

smudges and blobs

have to go!!

Why would anyone do this to such 

a lovely piece of furniture?

So I gave this neglected table

 a good cleaning, 

sanding, and priming

and ended up with this:

Are you green with envy yet??

I love the fresh, cool green and it will 

look awesome in my living room 

once I finish working it!!

Only a week and a half and the kids 

are back to school so I will finally have 

more time to dedicate to that huge project!

I can't wait!

I am sharing this here:

  

Blessings!

Karen

4 kids, a dog, and two tired parents....

I finally got around to uploading the photos 

from our family road trip to British Columbia.

It was a long drive there but we had a 

lot of fun with friends and family. 

As usual it was a rushed trip,

 so we did the marathon 12 hour drive

 back home (at the kids' request!)

so they could sleep in their own beds again!

In Alberta there are two seasons:

winter and

road construction!

Needless to say we sat 

on the parking lot

highway for quite a few hours. 

However, there was lots of cool 

sights along the way and 

we stopped to check out our 

favorite water fall.

Last summer they were building this new deck 

and it sticks right out over the edge of this waterfall...

it is so freaky standing there with so much 

powerful water rushing past your feet!

We had a nice man take a family photo of us all

(holy smokes...is my hubby really that much taller than me??

are my kids really getting as tall as me?? )

and we saw lots of wildlife.

This one is a little blurry because I was trying to 

be quick before he ran away...

but he didn't so we took a bunch 

more photos of him as we walked past 

our van on the side of the road

after a while though Mr. Caribou 

didn't think it was so much fun 

posing for us anymore

so we finished the rest of the long drive 

home looking at mountains, 

and then prairie,

 and then home sweet home.

Yup...

Home Sweet Home!

Blessings, Karen

Before & After

I thought it was time to share a little 

before and after 

of this weird hallway we have in our house. 

This hallway does not really

 go anywhere other than a huge pantry area 

and the door to my oldest son's room.

 In fact...it is pretty much a dead end! 

It was also pretty much f-ugly!!

 I actually liked the buttery yellow 

they had in here but it needed a fresh coat 

and I wanted to finish the wall of 

beadboard they had left unpainted

(around the pantry doors)

for some reason. So, I picked 

Martha Stewart's "Haystack" as my color 

and it was a perfect match!!

Next I peeled off the lovely 80's wallpaper

and replaced it with the Waverly 

paper I used in the adjoining hallway.

The previous owners left mirrors all over the house,

 but since they were much shorter than 

both my husband and myself, 

they were hung very low!! 

So down they came. I may be 

able to re-use them somewhere else so they will 

get carted off to the barn!!

I wanted this hallway to be the place for 

the kids to hang their backpacks and lunch bags

since it is right near the kitchen and 

also they won't make a mess in the front entry 

(which is a little...cozy!)

My wonderful hubby came up with this solution to the 

issue of hanging the packs:

I am still trying to decide if there needs to be 

something above the old barn door 

or if it ok the way it is.

Suggestions??

http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/

It must be love....

It must be love...

and my hubby loves me too....

Look what  he brought home 

 for me today!!

Only after 12 years of marriage can a 

man know his wife SO well that 

he knows she will be thrilled with 

a piece of decrepit furniture from the dump!! 

LOL

Blessings!

Karen

One thing at a time

We are back from holiday!!

I am up to my armpits in laundry...

the fridge crapped out while we were away....

the garden is a jungle....

and last nite the upstairs bathroom flooded 

into the downstairs one when the 

kids were showering.

Sigh....

home sweet home!

We DID have a great holiday though!!

On our way to BC we pulled over at 

this cool old ghost town called Nordegg, Alberta

and I couldn't resist taking photos of 

one of my favorite subjects

{DOORS...old doors actually!}

so I thought I would share 

some with you today.

I wish the pediment was still above this door...

great old church door

must have been the old school!

old abandoned garage

hello...anyone home??

aqua doors...my favorite

I am not sure why I love 

old doors so much my they really 

do appeal to me... so thanks 

for putting up with my obsession!

Hopefully I survive the estimates 

of what needs fixing

around here and then I have to tackle 

the rhubarb, peas, and beans

that have gone jungle on me.

Breathe deeply...

just one thing at a time!

Karen

When life gives you zucchinis!!

Ok...so it is a day before we go on holiday  

and I went out to see how my garden is growing....

it is now a dry spell after the long, cool, rainy 

summer we have had so far.

Time for a good watering!!

Here is how the garden looked 

just about a month ago:

and here are the peas now!!

and the beans!!

and the acorn squash

and of course the zucchini!!

there are 3 more plants of zucchini too, 

so when life give you zucchinis...

you make relish!!

• 
  
• Sweet Zucchini Relish
• 
  
• 12 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
• 
  
• 4 cups chopped onion
• 
  
• 5 tablespoons canning salt
• 
  
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 
  
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 
  
• 6 cups white sugar
• 
  
• 2 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 
  
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 
  
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 
  
• 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
• 
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Place the zucchini and onion in a large, non-metallic bowl, 

and sprinkle the salt overtop. Use your hands to evenly mix 

the salt throughout the zucchini. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The following day, drain the zucchini in a colander, 

and rinse well with cool water. Squeeze out excess 

water and set aside. Place the red and green bell pepper, 

sugar, vinegar, and cornstarch into a large pot. Add the nutmeg, 

turmeric, celery seed and pepper. Stir to combine, 

then add the drained zucchini. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, 

then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, sterilize 6 one-pint jars and lids to hold relish. 

Pack relish into sterilized jars, making sure there are no spaces 

or air pockets. Fill jars all the way to top. Screw on lids.

Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway 

with boiling water. Carefully lower jars into pot using 

a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between jars. Pour in

 more boiling water if necessary, until tops of jars are covered 

by 2 inches of water. Bring water to a full boil, 

then cover and process for 30 minutes.

Remove jars from pot and place on cloth-covered 

or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. 

Once cool, press top of each lid with finger, 

ensuring that seal is tight 

(lid does not move up or down at all).

Yield: 6 pints

This is an awesome relish for either 

hamburgers or hotdogs.

Make up a batch and have it at your next BBQ!!

I will be gone for a few days, 

I have so much to share when I get back....

once I finish up with the peas and beans which 

will undoubtedly be ready for harvesting 

upon my arrival!!

Blessings!

Karen