No pain, no gain...

As I sit and write this, I am seeing squares in my mind. Actually, 384 of them, and 1536 corners to be exact. I am also reminded of the joy of painting this many squares (and corners) by the dull ache in my back, the creak in my hips as I rise from my chair, and the blister on my index finger (from pressing a can of spray paint for way too many minutes). However, no pain no gain, and I'll do just about anything to get a project finished when I set my mind to it.

Here is the source of my labour: ...the new trellis that my husband built for our front porch to afford us a little privacy when we're sipping our tea each night after dinner. Because our neighbour's home is within spitting distance from us, we figured we (and they) could use a little buffer zone when coming and going from our respective entrances. Luckily, they are the best of neighbours; but a good trellis also gives us a spot to grow a fruit-bearing kiwi vine. My hard-working husband also built me planters which I have had envisioned since moving in. He built them in a lovely raised panel effect/illusion, and they are the perfect spot in which to grow my beloved daisies. Since I had my paintbrush and can out, I swathed them in a creamy paint, too.

Now, 0ur porch feels cozier, more secluded, and truly looks like it is as it should be. It was a busy weekend...many projects, barbequed meals, and wheelbarrow loads of soil and mulch pushed around the yard. But...when we finally sank into the cushions of our porch swing, glasses of wine in hand, and our kids playing before us, the fruits of our labour filled us up with contentedness. Doing it ourselves is soooo rewarding!!


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We didn't just work all weekend...here are some candid shots of "the family" as we went about our weekend.

a perfect day for the sprinkler!
Sophie's crazy garden party hat...worn to a little friend's birthday party.


A quick makeover for Sophie's little wicker chair:

before...
and after:

a "sweet" skateboarding jump!!

and for the finishing touch: a few flowers added to our planters!!

Summer Porches...

This porch (above) was styled by Matthew Mead and is on the cover of the current issue of Country Home magazine. Isn't it gorgeous??

Well, the folks over at Country Home magazine have inspired me yet again. You all know I love a front porch, and lately have been putting ours to good use. Whether it's swinging on my porch swing... sipping tea... while watching our kids ride bikes, skateboard... or perhaps trying to hide from them (which never works...they always find us) or simply perching on the front step and watching the world go by, it is a happy spot to be.

Mine is not yet complete. We still have a privacy issue to deal with, we have plans for some great planters in which to grow my favourite flowers, and I still need to paint the floor of the porch. Still, the necessary components exist: a good swing, lanterns on a dimmer, and the perfunctory white wicker chairs to sit and relax in. Because really...isn't that what a front (or back) porch is all about??

all photos: Country Home magazine

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My porches.........old,

and new. The one above was taken last year. I will take a new photo after I do my "updates."

Snow Porch...

Everyone knows how much I love having a porch. Sure I love swinging on my porch swing, being sheltered while I unlock my door, but if I am to be perfectly honest...I really love it because it is one more place to decorate!! Because I am an avid seasonal decorator, having a nice long porch to add to and beautify is so much fun! I always marvel when I see other homes with front porches that are unadorned...bare...boring!! Why not use this prime real estate to show off who you are and what your style is? A bare porch looks, well, naked...and some things (and, gulp, I can think of a few) just don't look good naked!!
So, after bringing in my handmade Father Christmas and some of the other more blatant Christmas items, I reworked a few things, added a couple of my recent purchases and voila: my new wintry "snow porch"! I left up the icicles and snowflakes, the red lanterns from Homesense, and propped up my new sign that proclaims our home to be the spot for sleigh rides...Tonight...and apparently every night of the winter. Quite laughable really, because with our puny backyard, you couldn't even get a crazy carpet to go more than five feet!! Aah well, it's all about using one's imagination, isn't it? Oh, and the sign also promises hot cocoa...that I can deliver!! Pretty much every time one of my critters pokes a toe outside, they deem it worthy of a cup of hot chocolate!!
I made these snowball stacks myself (pretty impressive, huh?). I had made one a few years back, but the wind took it I think, so these are my latest attempts. I used styrofoam balls and then added that fake snow that comes in a bag and shook it on after spraying the balls with adhesive. I think my fingers are still stuck together, but they're pretty, so it's worth it!!


Here is my bench that is in dire need of a paint job, but will have to wait till Spring. I took an old tartan throw and draped it over the back, threaded lights through a grapevine ball, and placed a cedar swag (very dead by now) over the back. It's the perfect spot for you to wait for the horse-drawn sleigh that's coming tonight...and the next..and so on...
What is your porch doing right now? Is it naked...or all dolled up??!!
As the sign on the door says, Let It Snow...for now!!

A Seasonal Porch...and Happy Halloween!!!!

I love my front porch. I know it is not a big, fancy wrap-around one that has been rocked on for generations; but it is mine, and I have wanted one for as long as I can remember. When we first moved to our town, we built a home we were very happy with, but its one drawback was that we didn't have a porch. We realized that first summer that we are porch sitters. We spent every fine evening sitting on our front step, sipping tea, and watching the boys ride their bikes and scooters. We'd chat with whoever peeked their head out their door, and often they'd join us on our step, and we'd remark that if only we had a proper porch to host them in comfort! When Sophie came along, we'd put her in her exersaucer on the step and she'd shout out baby squeals as her brothers played road hockey and jumped faster when she saw a cat or dog in the distance. That step served us very well, considering...

When I finally got my first front porch (see photo above), the house wasn't even finished before I had hubby hanging a porch swing from the rafters. I remember sitting on it, covered in paint, chatting about how tired we were of the building process. People going by would do a bit of a double-take at us swinging there, as we didn't even have the siding finished! From that point on, I have been a grateful porch owner. I decorate my porch for the seasons, sweep it regularily, and enjoy sipping our tea while swinging on our swing. It is not quite finished... as the porch floor is not yet painted, I still want hubby to build some low planters resembling window boxes (with pretty moulding trim), and we want a trellis on the side to allow for privacy from the neighbouring home. I have big plans for the planters this Christmas, and I look forward to decking my porch all out for the holiday season. Speaking of holidays and sticking to the present, here is my front porch in its Halloween finery...and this my friends, is the end of my Halloween decorating posts!!

***Oh, I forgot to mention that the best thing about a front porch is the opportunity it provides for taking great annual photos of your kids! The picture below is the yearly photo my sister and I take of our kids on her summer trip down to my house. We have been taking this photo since my eldest son was two, and I love looking back on how they have all changed over the years. We have seen new girly additions by the name of Sophie and Ella, and the photo below is the first time Wendy's eldest son, Ben, was not in the picture (he decided to stay at home and relax with his Dad).

This photo is from last year's Christmas card photo shoot. It didn't make the cut for the actual card, but it did get framed and placed in my living room. Speaking of which, I had better get going on this year's shoot...but that's a whole other post! Let's just say, it's never a stress-free scene...!!!

Cheers!