2012 mini-recap and Happy New Year!

I did my Favourite Five project post yesterday, and while I was looking through the blog files I found my goals for 2012:

A few of my home goals for 2012 are:
1. Furnish / design my living room. I need curtains, more furniture, and a new layout.
2. Finish our kitchen makeover with new counters and everything that goes with them (sink, backsplash, etc.).
3. Get A/C installed (this one is really the Mr's goal...I didn't post about our new boiler, so I'll definitely have to post about A/C when we get it. ha!)

It probably doesn't help that I forgot that I set these out, but here's our progress:
1. Living Room - still needs some work, but we did buy and hang curtains, got a new couch, and found a chair that is currently being reupholstered! Coffee table has been extended into 2013... :)

2. Kitchen makeover is DONE!! See the full reveal here.
3. A/C is INSTALLED! And with our super hot summer this year it was great timing.

Now to think of some 2013 goals...until then, have a lovely New Year's Eve whether you are hitting the town, or hitting the couch :)

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Friday faves - my fave five projects of 2012

I have been visiting, lounging, EATING, and all around taking in the holidays this year. The Mr. and I are currently on a little getaway enjoying some extra holiday time, but new year's is coming up which means it's almost countdown time! Amongst the million countdowns there are this time of year I am counting down my five favourite projects of the year. Speaking of countdowns...remember sitting by your tape recorder to tape  favourite songs from the RADIO every new year's eve?? ohhh life before iTunes.

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Here are my fave five for 2012:


Kitchen Reveal - we were SO excited to get this project done, and are loving every little bit of it. We are currently working on a little extra project for this space (to be revealed in 2013).

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DIY Doormat - this was a fun and easy project, with a lot of impact. Hard to believe I did it almost a year ago!

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Cast-iron pan makeover - This was the Mr's project through and through - super rewarding to get an old cast iron pan from an antique market and fix it up! (we use it ALL the time).

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DIY cakestand - what do you get when you stick a bowl to a plate? This...

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 Curb-find stool make over - these were a great and free find...add some spray paint and cushions and voila!

There were many other fun projects over the year, and I'm sure many more to come in 2013!

Holiday wishes {all wrapped up}

I hope you are all getting ready for the big Christmas hoorah! It is litterally around the corner - stop shopping, stop wrapping, and sit back (maybe have a drink or two).

I'm already enjoying my break...I'm fortunate enough to have an office closure until January (such a good thing) so I am trying to really sink into holiday mode. I figured I should do one last post that includes this year's wrapping. Here are some shots:

 

And...I'm in for a white Christmas...

From me to you, have a happy, healthy and loving holiday season! 

My Christmas tradition

I'm over at Recreated today sharing my favourite Christmas tradition...hint...it has something to do with my tree:

Pop over and check it out!

Weekend recap {mini-Christmas}

Hellllloooo long lost friends! Thought I would give a little weekend recap to get back into the swing of things on the blog...this past Sunday was "mini-Christmas" for me and the Mr. It's a way for us to celebrate Christmas on our own, since we typically spend actual Christmas with our families. In the past we have said that mini-Christmas day is NO chores, NO work NO projects. Welllll it didn't quite go like that this year, but we haven't had a project in a while so it was basically a "gift" for the Mr. to work on a project (or at least that's what I like to think...). Before we get to the details, let's talk food...

We had Green Eggs and Ham for breakfast

and Beef Wellington with roasted leeks and brussels sprouts for dinner (so good).

I will share some of my Christmas wrapping later in the week...but for now onto the project!

A couple of weeks ago we bought an over the range microwave - we are so DONE with not having a hood fan. When we did the kitchen we toyed with putting in a hood fan, but our microwave is currently above the stove...so where would it go? It would have to take up valuable counterspace which wasn't really an option. So a microwave/fan combo was it. Well, those things have plugs that come out the top (instead of out the back), and they need a cabinet above them to be secured into the wall. Enter, project. The Mr. and his friend figured out a plan to get a new electrical wire up into the kitchen, which was then used for a new outlet above where the microwave will be hung.

Now we just wait for the electrical to be hooked up at the panel, and for the actual install to happen!

That was our delicious and busy weekend (although, more busy on the Mr's side than mine)...how was yours?

Book Review - Long Way Down

Today is book review day! Just like I said in my last book post (errr...my last post...sorry it's been super busy over here) make sure to head on over to the Design Pages for Carol's review...I'll be adding mine to the comments section!