Elf's Lament

Rudolph Club, November

2011-11-25T19:22:00.000-08:00

Well my friends, we are in the final stretch and at the final Rudolph Day for the year!

Today I ordered this:

With a few clicks of my mouse (and the one day Apple sale) I made cool mom status!
In 7 days it will arrive, engraved and gift wrapped, to await unwrapping by a very special 19 year old son.

I smiled all day.

Holiday Grand Plan, Garage and Storage Week

2011-11-06T15:14:00.000-08:00

Garage inspiration

This week on the Holiday Grand Plan would see me in the garage or storage area of our home - but I do not even dare! Right now it is a mess - leans very far to the left, has amazing fungus colours on parts of the roof and is stuffed to the rafters with 'guy stuff'.
Next summer it is being torn down, and replaced with a hopefully similar model you see to the right! The only changes will be a black side door - on the right side of the building.

I am trying to figure out how to place a running hedge on the left of our driveway, within a retaining wall. But need to think about spacing of vehicles and opening of doors.

Monday and Tuesday look like excellent days to paint the porches - and bring in the windows to start. I have the two old storm windows downstairs, will put a coat of primer on both tomorrow - and some primer on the new door too! Hoping to have the new door and storm door up and working by Sunday!

Need to think about adding a knocker with an 'eye spy' hole, or just the hole? Placement will also depend upon the decorative glass in the storm door! Exciting decisions.

We have placed the order for the final cabinets, and the pieces for my husband to customize to fit our kitchen. We have high hopes (as usual) to have this room ready for Christmas!

Tonight another meal went into the freezer, 3 gifts checked off the list, and 5 cards made. Overall - a pretty good day!

Holiday Grand Plan, Family Room Week

2011-10-30T14:51:00.000-07:00

My living room also doubles as a family room or a library or a media room! It is the multi-purpose room that always has a teenager hanging out in it or a cat sleeping in 'my spot'. This week sees ME still working on other projects as we ready our home for another winter. Too cold to paint outside (night time lows) but looks like next week will give us two days! Keeping my fingers crossed.

Tomorrow is Hallowe'en, my middle sons favorite holiday. I do not do 'scary' so limit the decorating to spiders. Strangely they keep many children off the porch - as it also creeps out their parents! Funny since the neighbours decapitated and 'living dead' things did not phase them.

Working on the Christmas list, adding a meal to the freezer, and starting the Christmas cards!

October Rudolph Club

2011-10-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

Today saw me almost complete - then have to ask for help: to untanlge a big mess of yarn. There is no greater fun I learned, then a ball of almost finished yarn on a pair of knitting needles, to a cat.

Do not let her fool you, she was NOT there the entire time! She was very busy making a big mess of my scarf. A one year old kitten - who is driving me nuts. Good thing she is a little cute.

Holiday Grand Plan, Pantry and Closet Week

2011-10-23T18:09:00.000-07:00

Can you believe how quickly the weeks are going? I am in a bit of a spot, as the cold and wet weather put a stop on our outside painting projects - and we REALLY need to finish the three top coats before it snows! But who am I to argue with the march of the seasons? What is the saying; Men plan, God laughs?

This week we continue with our preparation for the upcoming holidays, our focus is pantry and closets. At this stage in the renovation - I have no closests. One problem with living in a century home, storage is tight. We do plan on having a master bedroom closet - but that will take some time.

I found a blogged project that I ~~begged insistently~~ asked so sweetly for my husband to build me. The cabinet tutorial over at Learning to be me, Is JUST what the space between the wall and my fridge needs! I will free up almost two cabinets once it is completed! Love to utilize space!

Pantry picture from Learning to be me.

Have you discovered Pinterest, I must admit I have spent way too much time browsing what others have found on the big web. I am having a really hard time actually getting anything done looking and adding to my growing list of 'great ideas' to try and convince my husband to take on next!

Holiday Grand Plan, Kitchen Week

2011-10-16T15:57:00.000-07:00

I missed a whole week with Thanksgiving, but that is the great thing - I can catch up! Last week was guest room week, I do not have a guest room - but did work some more on porches. We are fighting the weather on this project - rain and more rain in the forecast. Hoping to do a second coat of primer on Tuesday after work, then start working on the colours (finally) on Friday!

My kitchen has gone through some major renovations since we moved here:

We are still working on installing cabinets, and the new door. We have picked deep tone wood cabinets, with a gold and brown mix granite, the sink is a deep brown granite composite and my back splash is deep brown tile - reminds me of chocolate bars!
We have on order the few final pieces for this room - including a tall pantry cabinet with microwave space and on over the fridge cabinet.
We have an idea what to do with a small piece of granite left over from the kitchen sink cut-out, taking it into the 'granite guys' next week to see if they can make a 'shelf' for our pet dishes!
I also have a project my husband is trying to figure out how to make, a slide-out pantry customized for the space between the wall and fridge.

This week we continue with the holiday prep, I have picked up a pumpkin and finalized plans for Halloween - including costumes. I do not decorate for Halloween until the weekend of - so will update with my spidery theme then!

My youngest son took the box of non-perishables we have collected so far to his school, for the Thanksgiving collection. Starting to slowly fill it up again for the Christmas collection now.

My master gift list has been finalized, and I am getting close to completing shopping. Another batch of cookies baked and put into the freezer, and a dinner of cornbread and chili too.

This is also a checkpoint week, where we ask ourselves how the homemade holiday gifts are going, and if we need to put them aside and think of something or buy a gift instead? So far all is good for me on this account! I did find some fun yarns that I am going to try to make into slippers and scarves - but they are not for gifts, and will do as the mood strikes over the snowy days of winter.

Holiday Grand Plan, Kids' Room Week

2011-10-02T05:47:00.000-07:00

My boys are truly troopers of the highest caliber! They are enduring sharing a limited space with each other as this renovation slowly slowly progresses. The room I am in will be my youngest sons bedroom, the attic space after conversion will be my eldest sons, and the room all three boys are currently sharing will be the middle sons bedroom.

What is holding everything up is that each room must be completed in some kind of 'dominoe' fashion. As we need to shift furniture and people as the previous room is completed and we can move on. Currently we are stuck on the porches, once completed we move into the living room, and then some of the final projects on the kitchen and dining room area.

As we move up the stairs, the master bathroom will be finished, then the master bedroom; this is because we need to move-out of the bedroom we are now in, so the boys can shift to this room. The attic bedroom/ stairs, and the middle sons room, are completed as a single project due to their combined entry/roof/floor spaces!

Then our youngest sons bedroom will be completed, and the main/boys bathroom as the final winter project.

We are planning on putting up the drywall in all sleeping spaces - but most likely will not complete the final sanding or painting till spring. This way we can tape off the room and vent as we sand (having a window open in winter would not be a good idea here!).

This week we continue on with holiday prep, adding a meal to the freezer, keeping up with an hour of evening crafting, buy.wrap.tag: gives to be given, and baking a holiday goodie for the freezer. My sale find this week was Carnation variety pack hot chocolate; will make great holiday treats this winter - or added to a mug, some chocolates and cookies as a small gift for the 'gift closet'. A bonus inside the box, a coupon for a free package of Areo bubbles or peppermint chocolates!

yum, hot chocolate!

Now, I am a chocolaty satisfied gal!

Holiday Grand Plan, Master Bathroom Week

2011-09-25T06:44:00.000-07:00

Before, Master Bathroom

Do I dare show you what condition are 'master bathroom' is in? Yep, I did.
The master bathroom - well it is not obviously in use. It is in the early stages of demolition, that was put on the back burner to work on porches; porches that are still eating up a lot of our time! The section in photo currently being occupied by my purple physio ball - is where the shower stall should be, eventually. Where the toilet (in the box) is will be a small sink, toilet on the opposite of this picture. As you may have noticed - this is one small bathroom! I like to think of it as my 'water closet'.

Another week and we are still working on porches, weather is not cooperating and the wood is soft and wet! I am going to start bringing them in to the house and and using a hair dryer if things do not hurry up! (If I could find it - I think it was at one time beside my hand weights - in the master bathroom).

This week we add to our lists again, and look at clothes needed for the holidays. With growing teenage boys - it seems they are always in need of new clothes. This is also a great time to bring out last years winter clothes, including boots, and plan for what will be purchased/needed over the next couple weeks - before the snow is falling!

As I am cleaning up with the Holiday Grand Plan, we begin to also clean out items, such as too small boys clothing, outgrown books and 'toys' or games. These items all get boxed up and sent to the Salvation Army. This year, it will also include some beach towels with patterns that are too young for my boys now - and mismatched sheet sets (one made into rags because of wear).

Spending time on quilt squares for my husbands gift in the evening. Need to think of a different method of cutting - the scissors are leaving some pretty ugly blisters in spots the sander is missing.

September Rudolph Club

2011-09-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

Before, porch window

A Happy Rudolph Day to you! Another day here of working on windows! Just never ends!

For our Ruddy Day dinner I made a Red Curry Sweet Potato Soup this evening that turned out pretty well, served with some baked ham slices and 'fried' apples.

My husband picked up some very good fresh apple cider from our local orchard to finish off a fantastic, and exhausting, renovation day!

Holiday Grand Plan, Master Bedroon Week

2011-09-18T17:58:00.000-07:00

My master bedroom has become a dumping space for everything and anything. From renovation plans and DIY books, to boxes of office supplies from an office we had to empty, to hampers of unfolded laundry and an ironing board I am currently using to hold a pile of paperwork and my laptop/printer - seriously. I have so little floor space I am thinking of adding a bridge of dressers to get out in the morning!

Before, front porch to right of door

Before, front porch to the left of door

More work done on the porches this week - it is taking even much longer then my pessimistic-timeline-husband believed. I have removed the lower windows to start paint stripping - next uppers!

As we send gift cards to my nieces, and money to my nephews - my 'shopping' this week was to lay aside funds for their 'gifts'. The last Friday in November we mail them out!

We had a wonderful surprise and picked up a new to us mini freezer that will house holiday frozen meals and Christmas goodies wonderfully! One of my plans for our stone basement is to have three smaller freezers, full! Also a large dry food storage area. With three teenagers and husband to feed - I always feel more in control and comfortable when there is food put aside, and a plan for it in place.

Made a list of linens this week that we will need to replace. All the flannel sheets are getting so thin a few have worn down to gauze. I usually pick up pure white for my bed, and a holiday print for the boys. I am wondering if they are getting too old for my traditional holiday indulgences - but since they do not mention an issue with snowman or Christmas tree print sheets, I will continue to go with it!

The master bathroom will need some new towels once completed; some BIG white bath sheets! Kitchen needs are new pot holders and tea towels/cloths. I really need to sew some napkins! Have not found one that I am happy with in store - not absorbent materials, silly patterns or need dry cleaning!

This week canned pasta and noodles are on sale. Always a great item to have on hand for when my middle son needs some carbs between meals. I also picked up a few cans of condensed milk, and evaporated milk for holiday baking.

Holiday Grand Plan, Week Three

2011-09-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

We are already at week three of the Holiday Grand Plan! This week sees further progress on getting ready for the holidays. It sees me still out on the porches and working on windows. On a high note we ordered our new kitchen door - the entrance from last weeks post. The door looks almost exactly the same, and we have a new storm door too! The door should be here in about 3-4 weeks, I am hoping 3 so it is installed, painted and ready for Thanksgiving!

Today there was more progress on sanding, and we installed two of the supports for the railing!

My entrance areas are also under renovation... did I mention that we live in a home that is over 100 years old, and has not had much of anything - thankfully - done to it since the mid 50's? However, someone did insall some crazy flooring upstairs, and added a goldish peel and stick material to all upper 'eyebrow' windows.

Our kitchen entrance, from the side porch, brings you into our much improved kitchen (still in progress):

Kitchen Entrance

Our second entrance, from the front enclosed porch, brings you into the foyer - that is still at the early stages of renovation, and so full of materials that I could not open the door all the way!:

Front Entrance

This weeks freezer meal is Spicy Thai chicken legs (because that is what was on sale this week!) Just double cook everything! I dry cook the legs, just with a bit of sea salt and pepper till the internal temp reads safe, then half goes into a casserole dish, the other half of the chicken legs (10 legs for my boys) into a freezer safe dish; spoon half the sauce on top. The ones for tonight sit in the sauce, in the hot oven, till the side dishes are cooked, marinates well!
Allow 'freezer meal' to cool, and place into freezer with label: thaw overnight in fridge - roast at 350 for about 25 minutes - or until meat thermometer reads safe for poultry.

On sale and into the pantry for holiday meals are 12 cans of organic pumpkin! Yum! Think of all the pumpkin goodness! With the cooler evenings I have been craving some pumpkin pudding, or maybe something new like pumpkin cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting!

We pick up our 'new to us' freezer this week - so after a good clean I am hoping to start holiday baking and freezing. I think gingerbread men sound like a good first start!

Holiday Grand Plan, Busy Busy

2011-09-10T18:48:00.001-07:00

HouseElf - Before?

Would love to have a GREAT after pic for you, but alas, this is as good as it gets till this house is renovated! Running the race of cooler weather, and work schedule balanced with home and school for boys.

Still marching along with the Holiday Grand Plan, preparing frozen meals for the freezer, picked out the holiday stamp and papers for making Christmas cards - and have two great ideas to complete for holiday gifts!

But, first - back to painting windows.

Holiday Grand Plan, Questions

2011-09-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

After removal of screen door

After, oh I cannot feel my hands, hours of paint removal

This week is question week, and I may be asking myself why in the heck did I start this renovation? Oh yes, because I am nuts, and it seemed like such a great idea at the time!

Another full day of renovations today - and I am thankful to get back to work tomorrow!!

Holiday Grand Plan, Week 2

2011-09-04T06:07:00.000-07:00

This week is Question Week, and the cleaning focus will be the living room. My living room currently looks like this:

View to right, built in bookshelf?

View from door

Wonderful! Well, not really - but I have hopes that before Thanksgiving it will be much closer to wonderful then DIY Disaster show potential!

Favorite Family Meals

2011-09-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

The holiday season can be busy, with family, friends, school events and community commitments, healthy eating can take a back seat. "Fast food" on the run can be a drain not only on your wallet, but on your health. Unhealthy eating robs you of the energy you need to stay fit and take care of the people who depend on you. A good list to make is what foods are ‘family favorite meals’, items that can be doubled batch cooked and frozen for a night that otherwise would see you grabbing pizza or take-out? Making tacos? Double the recipe and freeze half the meal (even grated cheese can be frozen), label it and plan on a night you may need it.

Not only will planning ahead save you time, it will save you money! By knowing what food you are going to cook and freeze ahead, you can ‘shop the flyers’, picking up grocery items as they come on sale.

A family favorite meal for my boys is just a basic noodle casserole. On the night I make it I place two casserole dishes on the counter, doubling up the meat, veggies, and pasta etc... as I cook them. Half goes into the oven, the other is allowed to fully cool on the counter in the dish then put into the freezer - labeled with instructions:

~Noodle casserole. Thaw overnight in fridge. Bake at 350 till hot - about 30 minutes.~

In less time then it takes to order a pizza and have it delievered you can be sitting down to eat a meal that you know is healthy, and save money! Clean-up is easier the second night too, most likely just your plates a few cups and forks, the one dish. If any leftover it can be used for next day lunches!

Goodies for Sharing/Gifts

2011-09-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

I like to make things with my hands. I am not 'talented' by any means, but do enjoy the process. Last year I made several batches of hot pepper jelly - both my first time at home preserving and giving gifts from my kitchen. I think it turned out very well. I had surplus of late assorted peppers and could not figure out what I could do with them, and that turned into a very cool adventure for my family. If you ever decide to make hot pepper jelly - DO TAKE the precaution and WEAR GLOVES. It was painfully learned that even after washing your hands several times, rubbing your eyes or touching your nose can turn into a painful lesson.

This year I have a lot of mint in the garden, actually what was my compost pile has a large amount of mint. Sad to say I did not know it was a perennial here - and it is a bit invasive! I found a recipe for mint scented Epsom salts, and think it would make a lovely gift; especially once labeled as Candy Cane Bath Salts!

Another list this week to make are the gifts that you plan to make from your kitchen or maybe items you plan to craft for the holiday? Dividing them between now and the first week of December will help keep the process enjoyable and keep you from feeling overwhelmed!

Gifts to be given

2011-09-01T07:59:00.000-07:00

Gifts can be a big expense during the holiday season! If allowed, it can dwarf the celebration, rob us of joy and take years to pay back. Depending upon your credit cards - the amount and interest rate, it can take you up to 23 years to pay for one holiday spending spree if you only paid the minimum balance on your cards! A shocking and sobering thought!

While ideas like a $100 holiday may not be for all, do not so quickly dismiss! The idea in general has merit, even if the 100 number may seem ridiculous to some; feeding 4 families on Christmas dinner surpasses that total for me! From movies Christmas with the Kranks or even the classic Christmas Carol we are entertained by the transformation of hearts in the spirit of 'giving'.

When making your 'gifts to be given' list for the holiday grand plan, do not limit yourself to thinking about what you need to purchase - include your time! More then half the people on my list receive the gift of my time. I pack the boys into the car and travel for a couple hours to visit with someone, we may bring cookies or a loaf, we may sit and play cards or just listen. The 'visit list' is an important part of our holiday planning, write the dates in pen, on your calendars! Make them a priority.

Holiday Menu Planning

2011-08-31T07:13:00.000-07:00

Hands down, one of my favorite things to do is make a list! I am the queen of paper planning.

The first meal of my 'holiday season' is autumnal equinox. We enjoy a richness of flavors and an abundance of seasoning in our home! As this meal is for my immediate family of five, I play on our favorite foods - including... anything curry, lots of garlic, and farm fresh produce.

A great idea is to print or copy the recipes for your menus, place in a sheet protector and add to your holiday planner. Keeping everything in one place saves time, keeping the recipes in a sheet protector saves your laptop or cookbook from splashes!

The meal I planned for this equinox consists of:

Kitchen Witch

I am still playing with the apple filled acorn squash recipe!

Holiday Grand Plan, Week 1

2011-08-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

This weeks cleaning focus is the front porch. I have two porches, the side covered porch - an entrance to our kitchen (our most used entrance) and the front enclosed porch - entry to the foyer. I have started removing YEARS of paint, varnish and shellac - a long and exhausting process. The house was built in 1907, so there are YEARS of paint types and colours applied - all in poor condition.

The main focus will be getting the wood in shape to paint. This will take longer then one week - but we are hoping to complete the project before the start of the new school year (September 6 - how is that for optimism!).

Kitchen porch window, 3 days of paint removal

Our home is a two story red brick, the new exterior colours we picked are:
Black Magic (porch floors, kitchen and front entrance door, window 'stool', roof and flashing, front porch shakes)
Heavy Cream (front porch windows, railings and porch posts on kitchen porch)
Earthy Ochre (front porch door, house windows, lintel trim on both porches, inside walls of front porch)
Brownstone (porch skirting)

On my Front Porch Checklist I would also like to complete:
1. install 'something' to hold the delivered newspapers
2. create a polite 'no soliciting' sign (is that possible?)
3. plant the fall urn and hanging baskets
4. install new front porch light

Preparing a Holiday Planner.

2011-08-29T06:30:00.000-07:00

I am not a crafty person. I do enjoy making things with my hands that are 'useful', but have found I have issues... I am the anti-Martha! I know hard to believe given my previous success with the ball of yarn and turning it into something that actually resembles a blanket!
Useful link for ideas: Christmas planners

Simple binder spine

I started my planner by printing the 'yearly' forms on regular printer paper. I used card stock for the dividers, adding green or red handmade tabs, then laminating for durability. The binder is a simple red 2 inch three ring binder purchased on back-to-school sales.

Tab two, Cleaning Checklists

Project cost for planner:

Papers and laminate: free (leftovers from other projects)

Binder: 2.00

Time to complete: < 1 hour

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

2011-08-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

No, I am not talking Staples commercial wonderful... and yes, Christmas is coming... but what has me excited is: The Holiday Grand Plan! Yes people, pull out your holiday organizers, dust off the broom, it is time to clean sweep and prepare for the holiday season!

August Rudolph Club Meeting

2011-08-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

This month's focus is UFO's! Not saucers full of green little men asking to 'take me to your leader', but Un-FinishedObject's that (with all good intentions) are taking up valuable real estate in your home! It is time to cull the craft herd and complete what remains.

I completed the one UFO I had, a crocheted lap blanket for my sister. From the garden I dried rosemary, mint and lavendar sprigs - tied them togther and placed inside the gift box with the tissue paper wrapped blanket.

It should smell great come December!

The throw measures 2.5 x 5 feet, not including the hand knotted fringe. It was completed in a multi coloured yarn *that coordinates with her homes colours so she can toss it at the end of the couch till she needs it.

I used a superwash wool, worsted wt... - and that sums up my limited knowledge of my project! The planning involved was: being given a crochet needle and then walking through the yarn store looking for a ball with a colour I liked and a texture that 'felt right'. I know one stitch... and no idea what it is even called!

Items that are on sale that we stocked up on this month included: school supplies - that also double as home office and craft supplies; mailing brown paper, scissors and tape for holiday packages and... canning jars.

Last year we made several batches of hot pepper jelly that we gifted from our garden. This year I plan on making vanilla extract, and candycane (mint scented) epsom salts!