Yea, that's my built-in bookcase. No big deal.

This is what I started with: ...a pointless closet, that was really too small to be useful, and in an awkward spot. Well, I tore it out, and made a big mess, and it took me forever but here it is now:

It's done! Well. Ish, but I'll not bore you with the details. It's not perfect but it only cost me about $30 (I had everything but the 1/8" plywood that I used for a false back; the wallpaper, which I got from the Dollarama; and the clasp). I've missed my books. I did manage to weed them out as I unpacked them, and I have a box for the second hand store.
Detail shots (since it's been so long since I've actually done anything)

Pop over to Sew Many Ways to see more crafty ideas, re-dos, etc, etc.

A dog who desperately wants ice cream....
...and for someone who's pooped out from working in the heat to get up and play....
(And yes, Adam is still asleep there. It takes pretty much a small explosion to wake him up. Or at least something more than a 70lb dog sitting on him).

I am having some difficulties coming to terms with today being Sunday. I start a new job tomorrow, which is v. exciting, but new people scare me. Srsly. I'm always scared I'll oversleep so I wake up 18 times, and then I'm scared I'll be late, so I end up ridiculously early (not a bad thing, I know, but I feel it sets up false expectations). Anyroad....

Plans for the day:

• Bathe the hound



• Coffee



• Do laundry



• Tidy the bedroom (which is a joke, I need a shovel)



• Coffee



• Swing by Adam's job



• Dog training



• Coffee



• Tidy the storage room



• Make a dent in the sewing room

Hmm. That list seems long... maybe I should start with coffee....

Eeenteresting....

I received an email from Sonia D'Elia, who works in the marketing department at Fabricville, to let me know about a decorating challenge they're doing. The contest is open until the end of July, so (if you have a local Fabricville) you should all check it out as well.

Contest details and rules at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fabricville/144126818123?sk=app_124179144326020. This is definitely the kick in the bum I need to get my bedroom finished. Also, I'm irrationally excited that she emailed me because she say my blog. Yay!
Now, I just need to be able to kick my way into the sewing room, and get some things done....

Quotation Tuesday

"Wild nights are my glory," Mrs Whatsit said. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course." A Wrinkle in Time, p. 26.

(Image from here. A very cool place indeed.)

*Feeling a little off course as well, but I'm not talking about work here. Happy Tuesday everybody :D*

It's a grout day for a trowel.

That made no sense, I know, but I bought my very own grout float and 1/4" trowel today, and I'm pretty excited about it! It's a great weekend for tool shopping apparently; saved $100 (!!) on a socket set on friday, got a ratcheting screwdriver for less than a 1/3rd of the original price, got a new wrecking bar for $13 (I know most of you are bored to tears at this point, and I'm sorry!). Today's trek (in the pouring rain) took us tile shopping, and for $160, we got enough tiles for the counter top, found the perfect complementary floor tile (which you should cross your fingers for me that they'll still be there on friday!), got a hinge set for the garbage bin (since, y'know, it's slightly more effective at keeping out cats and raccoons if there's a lid), the aforementioned tiling tools, olfa blades, and 3 sanding sponges (cause they were $0.50 each). Oh, I LOVE a bargain! I know that makes me sound old, but that's because I am. I realized it for sure (like the white hair didn't give it away) when I couldn't switch the TV from the DVD player back to the cable. On a different channel, you say? Well, what will they think of next?? Anywho. Let's see.... Oh, yes, tiles....

They're 2"x2", and the floor tiles (please, puhleeeaaase be there on friday!) are a dark grey, and 8"x14". Lovely.

I need more coffee. And chocolate, cause today is supposed to be my clean-and-finish-the-bookcase day, and uhm... yea.... *whistles*.... well... about that...

Regardless of the question, coffee is the answer.

Even on days like today, when really, it's toooo hot to drink it. If I wasn't too tired, I'd say it was heat exhaustion (Ha. Get it? I know. So bad. What do you want from me?). I realized today that my camera is broken, which, obviously, I can't take a picture of. The wee clips that hold that battery.... er... flap.. closed are no longer keeping up their part of the bargain. Whose idea was it to make these out of plastic?? I Red-Greened it, and it's closed courtesy of some electrical tape. Oy, I need a raise.

Or maybe a new job. My boss, the WeeMan, I'll call him, lost his flippin' MIND at me today. I did not take it well. The reason? I painted the trim around the window on the door, that's one door, the wrong colour. OMFG. He lost it over the phone, and then apologized when he showed up, which was handy, as it kept me from getting blood on the fresh paint. Just sayin'. It reminded me of the part in The Money Pit, "You wanted this room blue, right? Like the hallway?" Bwahaha, hilarious!

Whatever, he wasn't dampening my mood, because I am one step closer to my new kitchen! See this?

It's mine! All mine!! And this?

Yea, well, I paid $50!! I was channeling Data, from the Goonies FIFTY DOLLAR BILL!! LOOK, GUYS, FIFTY DOLLAR BILL!! Piercey's in Tantallon is renovating, and all of their display hardware is on for $50. Schweeeet!!

Also, Adam named the puppy "Roy". Uhm. Oh. Okay, then. Meet Royston.
Ps. Ignore the evil villain hiding behind the pooch. I don't know what's up with that look, but I swear, he didn't eat the puppy.

2 weeks?? Whoops

I didn't think I'd been away for so long. Let's see... work. Work. Home for the weekend. Happy Canada Day (woohoo). I'll give you an update in pictures, cause, well, that's easier for me. My wee garden by the tree.

$3 hamper from the first yard sale of the season (along with a $.25 copy of The Borrowers).

Coffee mobile was a gift from my super Ma (and the lovely curtain? That was from The VV Boutique for $3.99. I got it long before I had a kitchen window, but I couldn't pass it up).

New kettle (regular $109.99, on sale at the Paderno Blowout Sale for $20). I like the colour a lot more than my old yellow one, and this was a necessary purchase since someone boiled mine dry over the weekend. I won't name names, but it ends with DAM!


Most recent picture of my bookcase transformation. It is almost done, but then this happened:

I accidentally put a screw into a knot, which snapped off, and then the broken bit wouldn't come out, which led to a broken plaster, and a small breakdown, and screw it all, I went home for the weekend.

Dog biscuits, made with leftover biscuit dough and some cut-up chicken wieners. Delish, right?

Don't you wish this was scratch and sniff? They were short lived, but I was pretty happy that the tree bloomed at all this year.

A real post to follow soon, full of raccoon pee, delinquent adolescents, puppy pictures, and a (hopefully) finished bookcase. What have you all been up to?