Bathroom do-over on the cheap

This has been brought to you by various sales, Value Village, Dollarama, Winners, the Habitat for Humanity Restore, and Adam's parents (who gave him the vanity as a birthday gift). Paint included, this cost us under $150. Brace yourself for the before (it was so bad, I didn't even like to clean it, because no amount of scrubbing made it even partways livable).

Not great pics, I know, but really not a great bathroom. My favorite part was the impossible toilet paper holder. I can picture it now: "How'd you dislocate your shoulder?" "Well, I was poopin, and...." Anyway, onto the afters.

Done, minus shimming the vanity (yeah, that cardboard is very temporary). My dad and I put the sink in, and Adam put the light in. We uncovered the floor when Adam ripped out the horrible linoleum, and after he spent about 12 hours scraping off the adhesive with razor blades, this is what we're left with. The tile baseboard (repeat the hours of Adam working with a razor) had been painted over several times, and eventually we'll replace the old floor with some black and white tiles. But for now, this is like a little slice of heaven. Now if you'd like to visit, I assure you the bathroom will be clean. :D

In other news, much crafting is happening, and I won't lie, I'm feeling optimistic about the sale on Saturday, so please send some good vibes/thoughts/prayers/sage smoke/etc., in my direction.

Yes. This. Exactly this.

I'm not really, but at least the first part is true. Off to make stew, and clean the floors and tidy up, and hang everything in the bathroom, and implement my brilliant idea to hide my blind-is-too-narrow faux pas, and scrub the shower, and put the second coat on the rad.... Bed is looking like a better option. Oh, and did I mention I started the day by missing the garbage truck and Rocco is feeling a wee bit under the weather today?

My Creative Space

Looking a little different than normal this week, but the bathroom will be done by the weekend, and THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS!! It's looking very good, my dad is coming up tomorrow to install the new vanity; then a few bits and pieces, and it'll be finished! So exciting. Altogether, the entire thing cost us less than $150, which I am damn proud of, and there will be before and afters by Sunday. I just spent about a half hour painting the radiator with rust paint; it's a very small room, and I'm pretty sure my IQ has dropped by at least a few points.
The light got a fresh coat of paint too, since a) it was "antique white" and didn't match anything, but b) it was $18, marked down from about $150. Oh, I love the thrifting!
In other news, there are also cookies...


Back to actual crafting after the bathroom is done; mostly for Christmas, but also in prep for the craft show I'm doing on the 4th. If anyone is in the area, come by! It's at the Halifax Independant School on Connaught Ave; admission is $1, all proceeds going to the school.

Also, completely unrelated to anything, I did a little Christmas shopping today and when I went into Winners, I saw a car that was fully taking up 2 spots. It was a small car, about Corolla size, and it was parked dead centre on the line. Damn it, I hate it when people can't drive (also people who don't return their carts at the grocer, but that's a whole other post). So I left her a nice little note*, that said "Nice parking job. Remember, it's like kindergarten: try to stay inside the lines, douche." Okay, so it wasn't so nice, but c'mon. It's almost Christmas, the lot was packed. In the words of Chuck Palahniuk, you are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. It's free to show courtesy to others. Oh, and I realize I said her; Adam was in the car when the woman came out. He said she put her bag in the trunk, got in the car, then got out and got the note, read it, looked at how she was parked as if she had no idea how that happened, and drove away.
*Yes, I'm aware that this is petty. I just don't care. Learn to drive, and park, or take the GD bus, Effie.

More creative, and probably mostly rant-less, spaces at Kootooyo.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

and what goes better with the cold temperatures than some hot chocolate and doughnuts?

bust.

Well the farmer's market was.... how can I put it... it was le suck. I sold nothing. Not one thing. I did resist the urge to start an altercation with the woman who came by, and commented only on the Christmas frame I'd made by hot gluing dollar store battery powered lights to a dollar store frame; it wasn't for sale, it was simply to say, 'hi! I have great stuff for Christmas gifts, so I'm put lights here to draw your attention to me.' I don't want to be an arsehole here, but really? I mean, really? I know the things I make aren't for everyone, but that was just insulting.

However, I had a very good day with my sister, and we had the most excellent lunch. And she brought me cookies (shortbread moustaches she made for the bakesale at work to raise money for Mo'vember).

That will be my last farmer's market. From now on, craft markets or bust. Quite literally, apparently. Ho-hum, fuzzy bum. I leave you with this:

Discuss.

This has potential...

I know, I know, two posts in one day, but this is pretty exciting! I made stamps! Out of erasers!!I wanted to print some bags to take to market, and I just tried them out tonight. I'm pretty happy with the result. Maybe they'll even bring me good market karma....

Just a wee update...

To market, to market...

Elves making merry...

Or "Glitter: The Herpes of the Craft World".

Craft and craft and craft in an attempt to make it to market a few times before Christmas. And to make gifts. Not that I've gotten to any of that yet...

Still.

So.

Much.

To.

Do.

However, it will get done, or it won't, and time goes on.

Sneaky peeky until it's done...

I would just like to say that I'm the anti-Scrooge, I lurve the holidays, everything about them, and I decorate like Cindy Lou Who. But it's mid-November. Am I the only one who thinks it's far too early for lights and decorations??

Check out some more crafty things at Kootooyo

Because clearly I'm not being productive tonight...

Borrowed from Pip, at Meet Me At Mike's, where it's already tomorrow...

1.Sweet or Savoury?
2.Dresses or Jeans?
3.House or Apartment?
4.Shop Online or Offline?
5.DVDs or Downloads?
6.Cocktails or Juice?
7.Chocolate or Strawberry?
8.Laptop or PC?
9.Magazines or Newspapers?
10.Facebook or Twitter?
11.CDs or MP3s?
12.Kids or Pets?
13.Macaron or Cupcakes?
14.Walk or Run?
15.Breakfast in Bed or Breakfast Out?
16.Market or Supermarket?
17.Sourdough or Grainy?
18.Heels or Flats?
19.Late nights or Not?
20.Coffee or Tea?

1.Sweet or Savoury? I have to say sweet. If I was a superhero, cookies would be my arch nemesis...
2.Dresses or Jeans? Skirts in the summer, jeans the other 10 months.
3.House or Apartment? House. I hope I'm never in another apartment; I hate not being able to do any work to anything.
4.Shop Online or Offline? Online is easier, quicker and less hassle, but offline is more tactile. Either way, it takes me forever, because I have to look at everything and get distracted and oh look! a chicken!
5.DVDs or Downloads? DVDs. Again with the distraction. If I have to download it, I'm probably not watching it any time soon.
6. Cocktails or Juice? Juice.
7. Chocolate or Strawberry? Chocolate. Choco-la-tatte. Do you, uh... have any?
8. Laptop or PC? Laptop. I dislike a desk.
9. Magazines or Newspapers? Magazine. Mostly. Can I say both?
10. Facebook or Twitter? I do not twit.
11.CDs or MP3s? MP3s. Although, I bought cds more recently than I downloaded music. Owing to my iPod dying a premature death. But this isn't the place to go into my apple conspiracy rant. Contact me with the password, and we'll talk...
12. Kids or Pets? I love my hound. If I had a kid, and left in the kitchen with a bowl of food while I was gone, someone would call CPS.
13.Macaron or Cupcakes? Cupcake, as it's more of the brownie/cookie family. Do you, uh... happen to have any cookies?
14. Walk or Run? Walk. I'm too out of shape to run. Although that will soon change if I can't train the hound to not pull on his leash, as I'll be trying desperately to keep up. I'll be the lump that looks like a wheel-less wagon that's squealing it's way down the street behind the brown flash. We'll need a theme song.
15. Breakfast in Bed or Breakfast Out? OUT. If I've learned anything from Ernie, it's not to eat in bed.
16.Market or Supermarket? The market would be lovely, but the options here are limited, so it's mostly not-so-super-market shopping for me.
17. Sourdough or Grainy? Oooh. Tough one. Grainy for sandwiches, not grainy for toast.
18. Heels or Flats? Heels on the very rare occasion that I dress up. I would live in flip flops if the climate would allow it. Which reminds me, I need new snow boots.
19. Late nights or Not? I used to be a total night owl, and on the odd evening, I will see the sun come up, but normally? Comatose by 11.
20.Coffee or Tea? Coffee. Coffeecoffeecoffeeeeee.

Tag! You're it!

The Thrill of the Hunt

Did you ever wake up with a feeling that you needed to be somewhere, right now? Not like you're late for work, need to be somewhere, but just a feeling that you're destined to be somewhere else, right then. I woke up like that this morning. And no matter how I tried to talk myself out of it, my brain was insisting I go to the VV Boutique (I know what you're thinking! 'Oh, what a shock, it's 50% off and you neeeeed to go!'). I got up, I went, and I am sooo glad I did. This medicine cabinet came home with me (the mess on the table, sadly, that was here. And is not anymore. But I digress), and although it wasn't part of the sale, it was $4.99!!! It's in perfect condition. I think it needs some etching magic. We'll see. Did I mention it was $4.99?? You can't get anything for $5!!

A wee sneak peek, because it's destined for Christmas greatness:
Material was on sale, so for $3, I got this...3 metres of medium weight wool. I grabbed one mixed bag for $1.50 (dog not included)...

The black and grey are felt, which I'll probably use for coffee cozees, the blue is satin, which will be the perfect colour to line a bag I was planning, and the green? Well, that is 2m of the finest quality polyester crimpoline. I have no idea what I'll do with it, but I'll tell you the truth: I'm so very tempted to make myself some Christmas slacks. Tell me that wouldn't look good with a red sweater and felt antlers!! Well, on second thought, don't tell me that... What I do know is that my posterior would look positively merry is some tight crimpoline! HA!

Oh, and to show that yes, while my list of things to do is getting longer and longer (I actually have a few on the go at the moment; things to do around the flat, things to do for Christmas, things to do for market. Oh, Yes! And I do need a job still. Joy), I have finished a few things lately. I'm so happy with how this came out! (and I almost never say that).

I hate to destroy books, but this was in hurting shape when I got it. It was already missing some pages, and although originally I had intended to use it for tags for market, but it's actually too brittle for that, since the paper breaks as soon as it's bent at all. It's ideal for this though, and so politically incorrect. My favorite line is on the front: "She had a hell of a life for a pretty girl. "You ought to be married," he would say..." Goes fairly nicely with this illustration

Ode to the VV boutique

I used to be quite the shopping snob. To tell you the truth, I don't know when that changed. What I do know, is that I avoid the mall at all costs now, and I preach the good word of the second hand stores to anyone who will listen. Today I didn't go to my regular store (where I generally make off with some schweeeeet fabric deals), but I got exactly what I was looking for.

I know the little cabinet it rough looking, but it's already mid-transformation, and it's going to look very good while it's keeping my sewing desk organized. The glass is for a Christmas diorama. The rest? Oh, the VV gods were smiling on me today. The plate is yet another troubling addition to my kitschy perve collection (please look away if you're offended by nipples)
Lastly, how could I walk away from a box that says "The Museum of Horrors"? It's in such good shape! And yes, I would have paid $1 for just the box.
But then I opened it....
....and there was no way I could leave this!

Here's wishing you all some good thrifting karma (and hit up VV on Monday; most things are going to be 50% off!).

But will it work?

It has been a decidedly uncrafty day. Cleaned and baked and Rocco took me for a drag through the park (which prompted much google-fuing of how to "loose lease" train your dog, which will start tomorrow before I end up with sprained fingers and gravel rash on my face). I did start my attempt at typewriter repair. It's in worse shape than I originally thought. It was very dirty, which I knew, but also quite rusty, which I didn't expect (how does that happen? A secretary with an excess saliva issue?) . I'm still hoping I don't have to admit defeat (although I'm already eyeing it up as usable components for crafty things). Regardless, I am hoping I don't have to junk it. Assuming I can get it to stop doing this:

Rocco hung out in the kitchen with me. When I came around the corner, I found him having a party by the door with all his friends.

My Creative Space

'Ello.

I'm over here, picking away at Christmas gifts. I feel like I'm at the point of 5 down, 4,000,000 to go. But I digress. I mean, I do have over a month left. Er... a month left?? Uh oh. Well, 2 tears in a bucket, this is what I've been working on for the last few days:

They're Japanese knot bags, not as my Mom thought, Japanese nut bags. That would be something else entirely, and I feel it's not something I would be interested in making. Sounds time consuming and intricate (I'm not sure where I'm going with that. However, it did remind me of going to Tim Hortons with my grandmother, when he would order a mixed box of "titbits". God love her, I think she did it on purpose to see if any of us would say anything). Oh, I do go on.

Many crafty plans for tomorrow, check back in, say hello, and pop over to Kootoyoo to see what everyone else is doing.

Stay tuned...

A real update is coming soon. But right now, I'm going to bed. :D

Things I've been making....

(a post of pictures...mostly).

I ran out of the thread the other day, which necessitated a trip to Fabricville.

Whoops. But who am I to say no to remnants, and grab bags? I mean, it could be anything in there!! The bags are from Dollarama; when I was looking for brown paper bags, I couldn't find ANY, and now they have them 3/$1, and who am I to walk away from a bargain? *ahem*

I also can't walk away from anything that's the magical combination of dirty and kitschy, so I picked this up at VV for Adam. On the same trip, I bought 2 bags of material for $2.99 each. The grey felt up there was in one of them, with some other material. I've used a smidgen of the 2ish metres. To recap, that was more than 2m of wool felt for less than $3! What was I saying? I forgot, I got the material fever, and the only cure IS MORE SEWING!! Oh yea, the mug:

When we moved in here, the place was an absolute mess. Aside from the mess in our flat, literally half the basement was more junk yard than storage room. Everything was pretty much shoveled into bags (literally, the flat was shoveled out before we started cleaning here. With snow shovels. Just gross) but I did keep an old manual typewriter. Tomorrow, I'm trying to bring it back from the dead. Wish me luck.

Rocco would like to know what crafty things you're all doing....

He'd be making Christmas crafts, but he hates getting glitter in his fur.

I'm taking my cramped fingers, and going home.

Or at least, to bed. Everything is finished, which makes me happy. And it's 1.20am, but in 40 min, it'll be 1am, so it's okay. No crafty updates tonight, but I leave you with this:

I love Clint Eastwood. He is my argument for cloning.

And as if I needed another reason to love him, I saw this clip of him The Ellen Degeneres Show. Just watch it.