Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Adventures in Rental Renos

  Alright so any of you who rent an apartment or even a house know my woes. You want  it to feel like home but at the same time you don't own it and there for don't really want to invest loads of money into making it magical bcause when the time comes you can't take it all with you.

 We lived in our current place for a year before deciding we would stay here till we buy a condo. At that point we went to our landlords and said, hi we love you and we love living here but our place looks like a frat house what can we do? They were more than happy to pay for us to do one project per month and just take whatever it cost off the price of our rent!

 So far we took out the carpet had laminates put in, painted the whole apartment, re-painted and decorated the stairway and had custom curtains made for all the rooms. Now we are onto the kitchen / bathroom. Both came with what is quite possibly the most ugly tile backsplash known to man kind. They have made me insane since we moved it!


 We had planned on ripping them out and putting in a new back splash. But frankly for what it cost and the amount of hot mess and work it would take we searched out other options.

 I have become very friendly with the man in the paint section at our local Home Depot and he knows EVERYTHING lol. So I went to go see him and ask for his suggestions. We ended up leaving with this new prime anything primer to paint over our tiles with and something else ment for decks and patios that would give a stucco effect to the existing tile. Only cost $75 so it seemed like the best option.



 I cleaned all the tiles with just hot water and a rag very well like he told me (I have learned to listen to what the Home Depot man tells me lol). Nate taped off all the edges for me cause I hate doing it. Then I  did 2 coats of the primer and let it set over night.




Today I did one coat with the special textured roller let it set for 3 hours then did my second coat and it was as easy as that! Now if any of you do end up using this paint for something similar be warned it is messssyyyy! The paint it  mixed with cement and sand and it flies everywhere when you are rolling it on. Be sure to wash down all unrealted surfaces as soon as you are done each coat with super hot water and a rag otherwise you will hate yourself later trying to get it all off!


So here is the finished product, not exactly my dream kitchen but way easier on the eyes then baby blue tiles with painted white flowers lol. It makes a hugggge difference!






  Next up on the list is redoing the kitchen floors and then refacing all the kitchen cabinets! Can't wait to have the floor done because our kitchen floor is like a sponge for mess. I can mop it in the am and by dinner time it looks like someone covered in dirt rolled around all over it. Makes no sense/drives me nuts cause I am kind of a clean freak. I think it was a tile that needed a topcoat and or sealant and it was just never done wah wahhhhhhh.

  I am a pretty handy lady so if any of you have questions or want suggestions of what to do chez vous don't be scared to ask!

Thats it for now, off to do my gf Sarah's hair whilst we gorge on the remaining Barbacoa beef !!





Monday, June 25, 2012

A Little House Update

We got around to doing a little more work on the stairs this weekend here is a quick before as a reminder


I had planned on wallpapering  the back side of the stairs but I really just couldn't find a print small enough in scale or in colours I liked that would work so we decided to go with a fun stencil. I chose a metalic paint to really make them pop on the flat grey paint we did on the stairs. We also got around to putting up new moulding along where we took out the book cases because the wall was torn up along the edges.





Need to pick up some more gray paint to finish up the moulding then get up the cluster photo wall and  the stairs are done. Really like how they have come together so far. Such a huge difference!

We found a nice little spot in the livingroon for our Aaron Bell print we got at NIX last weekend.


I got an email from my mom tonight that made my whole day. My parents went out East and visited with my dads parents and my grandmother sent me back an antique set of china dishes she never gets to use these days. Figured they would get more use at our place and I couldn't be more excited they are gorgeous!





The last thing I probly need in life is another set of dishes but really who could say no to a gorgeous antique set of china!

It's Monday night and I already can't wait for the weekend we are having a big Canada Day BBQ at our place should be loads of fun. Stoked for my first Canada day since I entered the work force NOT working lol.

Alright It's bed time for me guys! Night Night!




Saturday, November 26, 2011

D.I.Y. Christmas!

So I am BIG on the holiday season and am starting to put together a little list of baking and fun DIY holiday projects I want to do!

First off some fun hand painted tree ornaments! This one I came accross on tumblr is the initial inspiration!


Next is a delish looking little holiday treat! Oreos dipped in white chocolate sprinkled in candy cane bits! looks so yummy I can't wait to try em!!



What are all you guys doing to get into the holiday spirit? Any fun DIY holiday suggestions? I am open to some more fun little projects!

 Taking this weekend super slow, spent our friday night with chinese take out and Oceans11 to 13. Today consists of pj's on the couch lol pretty crazy life I lead! Next weekend we're going to cut down our christmas tree! I may be a little too excited lol.

Hope everyones having a rad weekend!






Thursday, November 24, 2011

Long Overdue Update!!!

Alright so I know I have been a major slacker over the past year but I am getting back into the blogging game! Sorry for the neglect I had a way busy year. Sometimes lifes craziness really takes over everything else!

In the past little while my newest DIY fun has been doing feather hair extentions! I do them at my place and at a local bars girls night once every two weeks where they do 10$ manicures and have delish martini deals!






If there are any Ottawa followers on here who wants so be sure to get at me! I have done lots more but been very lazy about getting pictures so thats all you get for now!

Other than that I have just been enjoying life up here in Canada with my husband! Gearing up for an amazing holiday season! My parents move back to Ontario next week so I can`t wait to share in all our old family traditions!

Well since its been so long heres a big photo update opf the past few months!



Summer BBQs and cottage adventures




Enjoying Canadian Thanksgiving with the family! And thats not a cell in my hand its a meat therm lol


A couple  cute photos of me and Nate!



And lastly me ready to go out Saturday night and then hungover the next am lol

In other  news I just lightened my hair from black but can`t manage to get a good picture of it so we`ll leave that for a future update but I am pretty stoked to have a change in colour. I was black for far too long!

Missed you all so much and can`t wait to get back in touch!








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