Summer DIY Inspiration; Episode 2

I still have DIY on the brain, and now that summer heat is here I can take some projects outdoors! Here are the new projects I would love to get my hands on...

SCP

Etsy

Poppytalk

Made With Love

Swoon Studio

Pilli Pilli Handmade

You can see a lot of these projects involve the kids, an essential because they are all around 24/7 these days! How has your summer been going? Are you feeling creative?

Roasted Tomatoes

When tomatoes are at their cheapest and most delicious, I love to roast them. It's such a versatile way of preparing them. Once they are done you can do so much with them! Here are some ways I have used them:

• Eaten right off the baking tray! Addictive!
• As bruschetta - toast some ciabatta slices, rub them with garlic, plonk a basil leaf and a tomato on top!
• Made into delish roasted tomato sauce for pasta
• Freeze them for roasted tomato soup during the winter

So next time you see them at the farmer's market, get as many as you can carry. Then halve them (or slice them thickly if they are big and fat) and put them on a baking dish which you've oiled with some olive oil. chop up a whole lotta garlic and sprinkly them generously. Lots of salt and pepper. Another drizzle of oil and into a 350 F oven until they are starting to caramelize beautifully around the edges. Don't let them or the garlic burn! Finely slice some basil leaves over and devour.

Jello Popsicles

Today I decided I was sick and tired of making healthy popsicles with yogurt, berries and greens in them, so we went trashy and I made Jello Popsicles.

All you do is make up Jello according to the instructions and put it in your molds. They freeze super fast too and make less marginally less mess than a regular one because the gelatine holds them together. Naturally, the kids loved them!

DIYs I'd Like to Try This Summer

I don't know what it is about summer, but it makes me want to take on new projects! Perhaps it is the warm weather and the thought of taking painting projects outside on the deck that makes things easier. Maybe everyone else thinks this way too, because the internet is full of great ideas right now! Here are a few that maybe you'd like to try as well on a free weekend...

Ever since Holly saw her auntie wearing one in her hair, she has wanted a feather of her own. I like that I could customize the colours for her barrettes with these, found at 100 layer cake.

I don't know why I never thought of using Henry's old blocks for cool hooks. And dip-dyed? count me in. Via here.

 These fun little planters found on Bambula would look great on my new horizontal fence, don't you think?

This adorable little cloud magnet found at Casa e trend makes me want to bust out the ol' Fimo again! (I loved that stuff as a kid!)

I could see these sweet clay pots sitting on my kitchen window...

Finally, these fabric flower garlands are just perfect for Holly's (and Hazel's!) room, don't you think? I feel like all these DIYs are achievable on a weekend, feel like tackling one with me?

Sky Lanterns

Oh Happy Day

When Rachel and I were on our last camping trip, a strange thing happened. We were all sitting around the campfire and what appeared to be a small UFO floated across the sky. When it came closer we could see that it was actually a paper (!) lantern with a candle inside.

I was determined to research more on this when I got home and then I forgot. Until Oh Happy Day's post.

You can buy the lanterns (which are actually called Sky Lanterns) here. There is also a neat video on how to light them.

I'd love to buy a whole lot and release them.

Or you can be really crafty and make your own. Confessions of a Fireworks Man has great instructions here, though I think I'd just buy them (they are only about $2 each).

Don't you think this would cool on Halloween?

Summer Dayz

 We just had a mini family reunion at a cottage in Michigan. For those of you have haven't used it or heard of it (I hadn't), I highly recommend VRBO. It puts you in touch with homeowners who are willing to rent out their pad to you. We had a good experience and it was a lovely setting. The advantages of renting someone else's cottage are amazing - you get a fully set up place (lots of cooking utensils etc), there's a personal touch (you get to check out the decor - lots of conversation fodder!), and you can stay in a different place each time without the hassle of buying your own place! Yay!

Yep, that's actually me in that floatie. Jealous much?

Hours of entertainment...

Stayin' Cool

It's pretty hot here at the moment. Every summer we have a couple of weeks of really hot, humid weather and we all complain (and stink).

It's been fun/challenging to devise ways to keep cool. Rachel's just had air conditioning installed at her place, but we don't have it. I don't think I would ever live it down to my Aussie friends if I used air-con in Canada!

Here are some things we have been doing to beat the heat:

Playing with the water table:

Drinking water from a boat:

Tipping water over our heads

Note that Emmett is not feeling at all emasculated with his frilly pink swim diaper! When we go out in public I put more manly board shorts on over the top but at home, we let loose!

We have also been going to our local pool lately (Rachel goes every day!) which has recently been renovated and it's extremely nice.

If it's unbearably hot at night, I take a cold bath, then wet a washcloth and keep it by my side to periodically douse myself and then let the fan evaporate it.

What are you doing to chill out?

Camping Adventures: Aussie Burgers, Hospitals and Face Painting!

Vanessa Pike-Russell via flickr

Well, we had a pretty excellent time camping, overall. Ate lots, drank lots and the kids played lots. Awesome!

I pretty much feel it's my duty to introduce my non-Aussie friends to some delicacies of the outback, so this camping trip we did damper with Golden Syrup (pics way too phallic for this family blog) and Aussie-style Hamburgers with the Lot.

Here's my not-very-pretty pic of the assembly:

It's fairly similar to a North American version, except that it is HUGE and contains more delicious items. Here's what is involved:

• Bun - preferably sesame seed and toasted. We didn't toast ours on this trip (too much work!)
• The Meat - ground beef, finely diced onion, salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce, ketchup
• Fried Onions
• Tomato
• Shredded Lettuce
• Ketchup
• Bacon
• Cheese - the real deal - no processed stuff here!
• a fried Egg - very important! The yolk should be broken and cooked through to prevent mess
• a thin slice of canned Pineapple (omitted because I don't like it)
• Pickled Beets - the MOST important item. It's just not right without it! Try it and see!

So the hamburgers were a big hit. One person in our camp site actually ate 2!

As I was saying, the trip was generally a big success. Though Saturday morning was very eventful and led to 3 people from our group (of 6 families) visiting the local Emergency Room! Holly's eye swelled hugely and was infected so Rachel had to take her home (she's ok now, thankfully), Emmett's pneumonia had not improved so we had to take him in (gave him stronger antibiotics which seemed to work well), and BJ had a terrible cough. Luckily none of these things was life-threatening but let me say that the Goderich, Ontario hospital is fantastic!

...And now, some face-painted cuteness! The older girls painted the little ones' faces!

Eleanor...

 
and Holly!

Was your long weekend eventful?

Canada Day Threadz

So I have to admit here that I've never been one for dressing myself or my kids in holiday themed outfits. It's just not the done thing where I'm from. But this year I sent Eleanor off to a playgroup on Valentine's Day in....black and grey. Every other kid was wearing red. Luckily she's not old enough to realize.

Anyway, to save my kid from being a social outcast, here are my Canada Day picks for kiddoes:

Gap

Ron Jon

Artisan Shoes

Um, adorable! I love living in a country where the national colour is my favourite!



And for boys:

Gymboree

Gap

Kangol

Converse via Skate Shoes UK

I love little Converse! Eleanor has a pair of black hi-tops and she adores them. I am a flexible sole nazi when it comes to shoes and these definitely pass muster! And what's not to like about Kangol for Kids?

Happy Canada Day!

Camping in Style

Along with some other families, Rachel and I are going camping this weekend. We're pretty bare bones campers and don't have a lot of extras but I've spent a bit of time lusting after certain things. Here's my pick of camp heaven:

Peacock Hand Warmers

I was given one of these as a child but never used it. I suppose my parents thought using lighter fuel might be a bit dangerous or something...
But it has a lovely smooth quality to it and now I wish I still had it!

Tim Blair

 The classic Atomic Coffee maker is the perfect thing to take camping. Seems as though they were very popular in Australia, judging by my sightings there and by the location of them on Ebay. I'd love one, but they're pretty collectible nowadays.

Kelly's Camping

It might look like a compost bin, but actually it's a Billy - a classic piece of Aussie camping kit. It's used exclusively for boiling water for tea and coffee. To make tea in it, you boil the water, then put loose tea leaves in it and then perform a very scary but impressive feat - swinging the billy. This is where you swing the billy full of boiling water around and around (as though you were bowling but all the way around) without actually burning yourself. There are several videos of this on youtube, but they are way to cheesy to post here!

Glam Camping

Cute sleeping bags. No explanation needed!


Do you, like us, forgo style in favour of practicality when you camp or do you match your camping gear to your uber-stylish home life?

Indoor-Outdoor Living

Clare Design

Now that summer seems to be here, we are spending a lot more time outside in our back garden and on the deck. But as our house is old, the threshold between outside and inside is clearly delineated.

In my former life as an Architecture student in Australia, I really fell in love with buildings that totally blur the border between outside and in. I may get flamed for this, but I think that the Aussies are pretty much the world experts at it. And it totally makes sense as much of Australia has a climate that is conducive to outside living through much of the year (at least compared to North America!).

So I thought I would share the work of some of my favourite Aussie Architects and their outdoor-indoor spaces.

AIA

The Kerry and Lindsay Clare's Thrupp and Summer House at the top of the post and directly above is a great example of this style of living.  Large sliding doors and louvered windows (try doing this in Canada!!) bring the outside in. Clare Design is one of my favourite firms.

1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die

The Marika-Alderton House by Glenn Murcutt takes things to the extreme! It's located in a very hot, tropical part of Australia where there are yearly floods during the monsoon. The entire floor is able to be flooded. There are no glass windows at all and the shutters/awnings can be adjusted.

Tzannes Assosciates

Marsh Cashman Koolloos

  I love the idea of having walls just disappear when you need them to.

Dwell

And finally...wouldn't you just die if this was your view?

Cottage Country

One of my big aspirations in life is to own a cottage one day; nothing too elaborate, but a relaxing space where kids can run around barefoot and mundane daily routines are forgotten. Until then; these pictures are filed away as inspiration:

House and Home

When I saw this cottage in this issue of House and Home, I was smitten. It has everything a cottage should: Light, white interiors, vintage charm, and an eclectic mix of pieces. I love that it has a midcentury flavour without appearing too mod. 

House and Home

I love the use of outdoor fabrics and furniture inside, this place beckons for you to relax after a swim in the lake...

House Beautiful

I love the open shelving and painted floors in this kitchen, as well as the exposed beams. Something about this kitchen reminds me of my own at home, I think it is the window over the sink...

Skona Hem

I can't even imagine having a luxurious bathroom like this in my own home, yet a cottage! Still, a girl can dream...

House and Home

Finally, nautical touches, no matter how cliche, belong in a summer home! I would love a cottage with whimsical rooms for the kids, an outside fort, nooks and crannies to hide in and tell ghost stories...shared rooms and bunk beds are a must!

How about you? Do you own or rent a fabulous summer space?

A fresh take on outdoor living

I don't know what it is about this time of year, but I can not get the idea of patio season out of my head. Maybe it is the hint of sunshine or the sound of the snow melting off the roof; I can not stop craving late nights on the deck with a cool drink and sandals on! This year, I am leaning towards fresh, citrusy colours and clean lines, like these beauties:

 

From CB2

 

IKEA

 DWR

My first love is always chairs, but for dining and entertaining I can't help but love the look of a long table with low bench seating:

AllModern

For an inexpensive burst of colour, try adding some of these gorgeous side tables:

AllModern

A beautiful option from Kartell, only 195!

West Elm

Another option at 149!

 

I would have to say these are my favorite (and cheapest!), at only 29 dollars you buy them at Loblaws (yeah, you heard that right!). Spotted here first. I may even use a few of these babies as an indestructible childproof alternative to a coffee table! Of course, no backyard would be cozy without some summery textiles:

These two are my favorite, from Tonic Living. Both outdoor friendly, these would be perfect on a cushion or used for a canopy. Last, but not least ,we must not forget a nice outdoor rug, my favorite have been from Dash and Albert, which are surprisingly affordable:

Any opinions? I might be heading off to the grocery store soon to pick up those end tables...are you craving summer?