Patio Season Has Begun!!

Last summer got away from me and before I knew it, the snow was flying...I wasn't going to let that happen this year!

I got out my design magazines and this backyard patio/lounge in Style at Home Magazine has the feel and aesthetic that I am hoping to achieve...

My inspiration......

The clean lines, the simplicity, the greenery...

Hostas, cedars, herbs.....black, grey, cream and green...

I plan on also doing a similar fence with horizontal fence boards...

I love this gate/entrance way...I hope to also do something similar to this as well...

And with that......

My backyard makeover had begun! 

A HUGE THANK YOU to my brother, Mike McDonald, of Toronto who has his own home reno/construction business (website is in the works) for putting together this gorgeous patio that I use on almost a daily basis (weather permitting).

Mike dug it out ...wheelbarrow load after wheelbarrow load....and I was able to use the sod in other areas and the top soil in the flower beds surrounding the yard.

We put down gardeners 'paper' to help prevent weeds/grass growing up through...It was a very, very productive first day!

Then came the gravel....I ordered mine from Dirt Cheap in Kitchener. Mike wheelbarrowed every load from the driveway, levelled and then tampered it. Then, the limestone sand went on before the stones were placed.

And......VOILA!!

The stone is pressed concrete from Rona in Guelph and they get their stones from Triple H Landscape in London. I had really wanted to try and source as much as I could from smaller, local companies...and  was absolutely able to with great success!

Cheers! The first glass of wine on my new patio!



The monster fern is from a local nursery in Guelph.



The patio set (I'm still putting all the pieces together) is from The Bay. The coffee table is a rustic crate I found in my parent's neighbour's barn! I did the planters myself, with coleus from Meadowville Garden Centre in Guelph and planters from Home Depot.

This is what it's all about....a friend and I enjoying a summer evening (Canada Day to be exact) on the new patio....

Thanks SO MUCH again Mike...I LOVE IT!!

RR

What a week..a great week :)

Or maybe I should say....what a month!

I have no idea where April went or how May 1st is next week.....

Life seems to get away from us sometimes, but this past Saturday I had the chance to put things on 'hold' and get together with my University Gal Pals here in Guelph. We had a great afternoon chatting, snacking, enjoying some vino...and just having a great time!

For the Gals' arrival, I had bought some tulips (just from the grocery store, nothing fancy) and became enamored with them (as evidenced by the photos below).

They still look great almost a week later.

Then, it was off to a 2 day conference in Simcoe with work. It was a chance to put our work on hold and let my co-workers and I get together from across the province for 2 days of sharing and learning.

We headed to Callahan's Beach House for dinner and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset, amazing fish and fantastic wine/spirits. 

The name just says it all..... ;)

This is going to be a busy weekend too...I'm doing the Spring Sprint for the Canadian Brain Tumour Foundation tomorrow, in memory of a great highschool friend.

What a week...what a great week! 

RR

Go Green...

 

I was flipping through the new issue of House and Home magazine and came across this page that brought a smile to my face....

 

 

 

I have collected green glass for as long as I can remember....it can be found in every room of my home, serving many purposes....some purely decorative, others, more functional.

 

 

 

The bar area...wine glasses, martini glasses, shot glasses and a shaker.....all in various shades of green.

 

 

My 'everyday' glasses are made of a thick, green glass.....

 

 

Bowls on the buffet.....

 

 

The sunflowers in a green pitcher...

 

 

Green goblets I just found in the basement (forgot that I had them!)

 

Green tea cup and green tea/coffee set (2 cups, cream and sugar)....some of these items will soon be listed on my Etsy shop...

 

 

I tend to use green quite a bit in my decorating....it is in my throw pillows, throws and candle holders in my living room and in my bath matt & decor items in my bathroom.

 

I hope you all have a collection you have on display...that you can enjoy every day. I also hope you have fun growing your collection. I always have my eyes peeled for new pieces at auctions, in local shops, at markets etc etc...When I find a new piece that I just have to have, I can't wait to get it home and find the perfect spot for it.

 

Happy Collecting!

 

RR