Storage Area Shelving

We've been organizing a corner of our basement.  

Actually, first Hus had to destroy a corner of our basement!  Unfortunately we didn't take any pictures, but one corner had a cold room and a creepy little darkroom circa late 1960s. Our nephew immediately dubbed it the 'kill room' since there was a shower stall immediately outside of it (He's a Dexter fan).  Well the creepiness started to get to us, especially since there was no window in the room, but  the outside of the house has one where the room is!  Who puts walls over windows?  Also the coldness was starting to get to us.  The cold room was immediate below our rather chilly bedroom.  So over a few weekends, Hus pulled it all out.  The dark room was so shoddily built, that he didn't even need tools!

Lo and behold, the window that the wall was erected over, was open a crack.  For over forty years! In Edmonton! It gets cold here; this weekend it hit a low of -38 celsius!  So with the window now closed and air circulating throughout our basement, our house is much warmer and cozier.

But where to put all of our storage?  Another trip to Ikea for utility shelving.  But I wanted to incorporate something 'vintage' from the mess that we pulled out, so we saved this groovy, psychedelic shelf liner to gussy up the boring shelving:

And I cut out some bunting for the shelving:

Close up:

This is the extent of my DIY decorating skills.  At least everything is contained now, in a non-creepy space.

Trio of Tables

When we moved provinces this summer, we came dining table-less.  We now have three places to sit (four - if you count TV trays at the couch).

We needed something immediately, so IKEA came to the rescue to furnish our kitchen in August.

It is a small space, so we bought this bamboo-veneered table.  A better picture is here.  Since the two ends flip up it has come in handy the few times we've had guests.  We decided on the Sigurd chairs, which have a great design but aren't the most comfortable to sit in.

Then in October, I decided that I needed some cheap seating for my 70s rumpus room basement bar.  Not wanting to spend much, I found this vintage '50s metal card table on kijiji.  I had never seen anything like this before.  It's in pretty good condition, and made by Cooey Metal Products.  Due to the wonders of the internet I found out that the company operated on Ontario from 1941 to 1989.  Unfortunately, the plant contaminated the site, which the province is still trying to get cleaned up.

The weird thing is, is two weeks after I bought the table, Hus came home with two of the same card tables in red (no chairs).  He got them for free while helping clean out an office at his work.  One is in our basement pantry now, and the other is in the garage awaiting a purpose.  

And just two weekends ago, I found a use for the money that I made at our moving-out yard sale in the summer.  It took months and months of trolling on kijiji, but I finally found a '60s teak dining set!

The solid top comes off and two "wings" come out from the ends to expand the table.  I'm not in love with the mushroom colour upholstery, but that can be changed at some point.  The important thing is that it is in great condition, was a reasonable price, and is small enough to fit in the space.  We had to pass over so many beautiful ones that would have just been too large.  Now I just have to find a buffet & hutch.  Hopefully it doesn't take another 8 months! 

February Happenings

Hello all,

I hope your February is going well; I can't believe it is almost over!  I have been so busy with my schooling, that I've neglected my poor blog (and a bunch of other things).

We did manage to do Valentine's Day, though!  The night before we went to a wine tasting featuring Australian wines.

Here is how the station was set up before the tasting began:

There were three whites and five reds.  Most were from a winery called Yalumba.  We found a few new favourites including the Shiraz Viognier and the 'cigar' Cabernet Sauvignon from that winery.  No one was sitting at the station next to me, so I sampled those wines twice!

Then on V-day I cooked butternut squash ravioli I bought from the local Italian centre and we drank more Shiraz Viognier.  And we ate at our new dining room table! (post to come).

Then the next day we went out with friends for Ethiopian food and to a swanky bar.  It was a fun weekend.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

....let it STOP!

Second time shovelling today!  Hus did the first round.  But the shovelling is easier in Alberta compared to the North Coast of BC where the snow comes down sodding wet and heavy.  I am also sporting my new (yes, brand new for once!) Calvin Klein parka.  At least I got it on a 50% off sale.  I am thinking that I am going to need the hood once the temperature drops some more (its about -10 C today).  

The wintery, Christmas-y title of this post also suits some of my recent thrift finds:

Like this circa-1978 embroidered picture.  If I can't get cold chills from looking out my window, I can get them by looking at my wall!  Actually I think it is really well done and it goes well with our minty-green walls.  I think I paid 5 bucks.

Maybe I'll be in the kitchen with the blinds closed, and want a reminder of the snow...

....I only have to look at my circa-1980 table centrepiece!  Can you believe that all I need is an aluminum can to complete my snow friend?  That's my kind of crafting!

While I was scouring the Christmas wares at the Salvation Army, I also bought a few ornaments, 'cause I can't help myself.

There are quite a few pink balls in the box, although from the picture you can't tell them from the red ones.  I also liked these smaller ones.  

 

Mocha Pecan Pie and Baby Bum Squash

This post is about two unrelated scenes from my kitchen this weekend.  

Now that we live in a city we finally have access to Costco.  There are some savings to be found in staples, which means some mega-quantitites.  Behold:

So, I baked a Mocha Pecan Pie from the Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant cookbook.  It was delicious!

After I snapped this pic I moved the pie and noticed the middle was still wobbly, so it ended up a bit darker since I had to put it back in the oven.

OK, there really isn't a type of squash called 'Baby Bum.'  This was the beauty (?) we brought home from the grocery store last week:

We cracked stupid jokes about it between ourselves and with the cashier, but the laughter stopped when we cut it open....

...Ewww....  The photo doesn't do it justice, but where the split was the inside was baby-poop brown!  The moral of the story is...don't do crack!

My Sick, Indulgent Weekend

Sick as in ill.  I watched the whole 1st season of Girls, which I found at Value Village for $3.99, and ate Wagon Wheels.  I dunno, I get weird cravings when I have a cold.  Wagon Wheels still taste good, but have you noticed that they are tiny compared to what they used to be?

Back-to-School Fashions....my way

I wasn't going to buy any back to school clothing.  As a mature student, who has been teaching for the past decade, I have a fairly decent wardrobe.  And, I need to pinch pennies since my professional program is an expensive one.  
But, this weekend my parents visited, and my mom is a good thrifting partner, AND a new Value Village just opened near my neighbourhood.  So mom and I went to check it out.  
The stock there wasn't great.  Perhaps they haven't yet had many community donations.  But we did buy a few things.  Mom got a sweater for dad and an audiobook on CD.  And I ended up buying fairly typical back-to-school fashions...Mary Janes & a plaid jacket!

 The Mary Janes are Josef Seibel, and have been hardly worn, it at all.

Whoever priced them probably didn't know the brand, since they were only $9.99.  Value Village often prices shoes like this for $19.99.

And I love the retro vibe of this plaid jacket from Christopher & Banks.  

Look at the buttons! It was a little more expensive at $12.99. I think it would look great with jeans or a dark skirt or whatever.  It is quite light, so I probably will wear it as a blouse.  Even though school starts tomorrow it will be too warm to wear it, so I'll have to bide my time for a few weeks.