When Life Hurts

Ow.  Life sometimes hurts:pain, fear, uncertainly, loss.  Sometimes it is true that we need to soldier on, one foot in front of the other; through our numbness.  Evenutally though a time comes when we should tip toe away to our safe place; a place where we can cry our tears, nurse our wounds, pray our prayers, write our words of pain.  Whether we visit a trusted friend, a place in nature or just a tub brimming with warm water and fragrance, we need to give ourselves permission to go as often and for as long as we need.




Let me find a hide-a-way.

A shelter where I feel safe and secure

so that when life's flood waters rise and threaten to swamp me,
 

and when I feel lost and alone,

 

I may look around and see that I am in fact surrounded by family and friends and sheltered in their love.

 

 

Thank you for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle Life today,

 

May you be sheltered in love always,

 

Sandra

The Ordinary and the Mundane

Rainy days always produce the most soft and beautiful light.  I couldn't resist these worn and messy corners of my home in the gentle light of this drizzly day.  The beauty of life's little details is worth appreciating; we take so much for granted:  the textures in a pile of white laundry, the design of a splatter on the stove, the patina of a window sill that desperately needs a coat of paint.  Go ahead and put away the laundry, wipe the stove and paint the sill, but not without taking the time to appreciate the beauty of the ordinary and the mundane.

Thank you for stopping by My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a day full of appreciation,

Sandra

From "No Man's Land" to cozy deck




BEFORE




AFTER

Earlier this summer we decided to remove a huge pine tree from our back yard, the tree was encroaching on our house, our neighbour's house, becoming a hazard and completely blocking the view (and the light) from my studio window.


With the tree and stump removed we discovered a huge amount of space that had previously been hidden and unusable.  Also, we finally had a little sunlight in our yard.   I set aside a small space that will become a vegetable garden next year and decided to use some of the remaining area to create a low level floating deck. 



With the pine tree gone all the ugliness of this corner of the yard is exposed!

Tree cut up and ready for removal




A short section of fence (to the right of the chair) used to conceal a heatpump...
that fence had to go too.



I staked out an area for the deck 10' x 10'.....



 and leveled the ground.



Geotex fabric to prevent weed growth and a layer of gravel to ensure good drainage

With the site prepared the fun work of learning to use a table saw and mitre saw could begin.  I watched several You Tube videos on deck construction and borrowed a book from our library.  I was a little stubborn in my determination to build the deck alone; I just needed to prove to myself that I could learn to do something new.  My husband was a great sport about it and let me do just about everything.  He did wheelbarrow in several loads of the gravel and held the end of the twelve foot long planks while I sawed them.  My parents too were an encouragement, every couple of days they'd come by to see the progress and cheer me on. 



A simple frame of 2" x 6" planks supported by patio slabs



Its taking shape but there was too much of a drop to the existing walkway




Building another small 3' x 6' platform solved the problem of the difference in height

I painted a couple of Adirondack chairs and planted some big daisies.



Here's how it looks now, a nice sunny spot for a cup of tea

Thank you for stopping by My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a beautiful day,

Sandra

Nesting

Before I begin this post let me confess that I am not a very well balanced woman.  I don't mean that I am in any way a risk to myself or others; however my tendency is to become completely consumed with an idea or project and to immerse myself in it often at the peril of other interests and even responsibilities.

Over the past couple of months our home has been my obsession.  In July I took a critical look at our home, it was a moment of truth.  (Not unlike the day when a woman stands naked in front of the mirror that she has been ignoring for months or years, and takes an honest inventory and decides that the time has finally come for action). I think of our home as a patient and loving protector, strong, sturdy, humble and unassuming.  For twenty years she has provided our family with a safe environment in which to raise children, deepen our marriage, welcome and love friends, family and neighbours.  She has never demanded expensive repairs or shocked us with sudden "conditions".  She's had a few aches and pains which we have tended to and in return she has continued to embrace us.



Living Room during "facelift"

What I felt was a deep desire to create a beautiful environment that expresses where I am and who I am at this point.  I created a long list, mentally walking through each room. I allowed my imagintion to run from the obscure to the practical making a dream list for each room.  I sketched little diagrams in the margins and visited Pinterest for ideas.  I visited shops and second-hand shops looking for bargains and inspiration.

And of course I got down to work.  The kitchen you already know about.  I painted the living room, hallways and entranceway of our home.  Moved furniture, sewed pillows, changed drapery rods, found vintage linens, quilts at yard sales, bought candles and changed light fixtures.  I garbage picked (a coat rack and a gorgeous pine armoire!!) and I did a little decluttering too.  I took out the china and mixed it in with the everyday dishes and use both together.  I learned how to build a floating deck (thanks to my husband, my dad, You Tube, and a library book) and built it by myself and yes, I used the "big saw" and still have all my fingers!

Living Room - still in progress but with new paint and accessories

Pulling together "forgotten" items from other rooms to create a new grouping

I haven't finished everything yet but I am taking a little break to come up for air and to catch up on some of those other chores that I have conveniently ignored for weeks.  With the cold months approaching and the need to spend more time indoors it seems like the perfect time to create an environment that we can snuggle into in the months ahead, while at the same time nurturing our humble home as a way of saying "You are beautiful and we appreciate you."

Thank you for taking the time to visit My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a day full of comfort,

Sandra

My Top Twelve Rituals that Comfort

It is mid-August, the sun is dipping a little earlier in the evenings, the morning air has the slightest chill and the stores are reminding us that "back-to-school" is closing in on us.  There is one maple tree on our street whose leaves begin to colour early each August.  I noticed those red leaves this morning as I walked the dog and I whispered to the tree, "Nooooo...".  



Withered Hostas Leaves
S. King-Allikas

While we cannot prevent the fading of summer and it's easy-going routines, I have put together a list of twelve rituals and ideas to help comfort and nurture through the busyness of autumn.

1. Gradually set your alarm earlier and earlier over the next couple of weeks until you have created a half hour (or more) of quiet and solitude for yourself each morning.
2. Drink your morning coffee or tea from the prettiest cup you can find (buy one if necessary).
3. Use the good china for breakfast.
4. Light a candle on the breakfast table (remember to extinguish it). You are sitting down to breakfast aren't you?
5. Pack a linen serviette in with your lunch. (mismatched vintage ones are great for this as you don't need a matched set.)
6. Listen to beautiful music as you commute instead of the radio.
7. Remember that God gives each of us enough time each day to do what really matters.
8. Make the entrance to your home welcoming; ditch the withered flowers in hanging baskets.
9. Indulge in the best slippers you can afford.
10. Visit a local farmer's market.
11. Drop one committee or group that you loathe attending.
12. Take time to cuddle your children, your partner, or your pet and whisper "I love you."

I hope this list inspires you to create additional routines that nurture your body and cradle your spirit.

Thank you so much for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life.

Wishing you a happy day,

Sandra

Recycling Inspiration

A recycled bedspread creates subtle texture and colour as a cover for a bench and pillows.
S. King-Allikas

 

 

This short post is just to inspire you to think outside of the box when it comes to throwing or giving away old linens, throws, spreads etc.    I've just spent a couple of hours snipping and sewing a bedspread that my mom was giving away.

 

We have a six foot long white upholstered Ikea bench in our living room (a Kijiji find!).  I absolutely love white upholstered furnishings, but with a mud-loving dog, relaxed life style and my easy-going attitude about cleaning, I loathe taking off those Ikea slip covers and washing them. 

 

BEFORE: Ikea upholstered bench with white slip covers
 

 

My solution, thanks to my  mom's donation, was to sew two made-to-measure covers for the upholstered bench (while one is being laundered I have the other to use).  The scalloped edges  create a soft effect and with the left over fabric I recovered two pillows. 

 

AFTER: Easy clean cover and pillows

 

Now I have the beauty of white furnishings with the ease of washing nothing more than a small cover. 

 

Thank you for stopping by at My Turquoise Kettle Life.

 

May your day be covered with possibilities,

 

Sandra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Kitchen Window Seat - Simple and Easy

Here is the 1930's buffet that we converted into a kitchen window seat. This idea worked beautifully it was frugal, simple and easy.

Kitchen Window Seat - former buffet

 

 

When we were given this buffet a year ago, the legs had already been cut off, a 1960's alteration to give the piece a sleeker more modern look. I removed the handles and sanded off the heavy varnish finish, leaving most of the dark stain. Using semi-gloss latex paint intended for doors and trim, I streaked on two coats of paint, rubbing off some spots to give it a weathered look. I rummaged up some old knobs that had been on our kitchen cabinets years ago to replace the originals, which now looked too large and heavy on the white finish. Two vintage quilts folded soften the seat and a few throw pillows finish off the window seat. By the way, can you believe I picked up the hand stitched quilt complete with cross-stiched details at a neighbour's yard sale for $3!!

This cozy corner has become my (very) early morning spot. For the few minutes that it takes for the kettle to come to a boil, I sit in the darkness and listen to the chirping of the crickets and marvel at the deep blue of the pre-dawn sky. The cool air wafts in and the world seems like a sleepy, peaceful place. That is a nice return on a project that cost a total of about $35.

Buffet - free
Paint - on hand
Quilt - $3.
Pillow forms and fabric $30.

Thank you for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a peaceful place in the world today,

Sandra

Minimalist Kitchen Renovation - Update

Since my last kitchen reno post I've decided to become a lot more hands-on in our kitchen renovations.  I've managed to install the baseboards, do some basic carpentry to finish up the cabinets, painted the cabinets and installed new drawer/door pulls.



Kitchen Reno update

 

Learning some basic carpentry skills

 

 

Last week-end I ordered a laminate countertop which should be installed in about a month.  We bought a new kitchen sink and faucet.  The sink and faucet feel like a little splurge, as I had thought I'd reuse the old ones but recently my veggie sprayer broke (yay!) and I managed to rationalize a new sink as well.  Once the countertop is installed we can finish off the backsplash and the trim around the windows.



Having full countertops will be so nice.

A little bonus has been realizing that a wooden buffet that we were given last year will fit perfectly under the kitchen windows to create a window seat.  We tried it out last weekend.  With a couple of layers of quilts and some throw pillows, it became the most coveted seat in the house.  I'm currently deciding what to do about the finish; it is very glossy dark wood.  I need to decide on the look I want for it.

I can finally see some light at the end of this renovation tunnel.

Thank you for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

May this day be full of happiness,

Sandra

Falling in love with a Fabric

A fabric store is really a visual and tactile feast; when I need to "fill the well", as author Julia Cameron of The Artist's Way explains it, I trot myself over to the fabric store and soak it all up. That's exactly where I was a couple of days ago. I didn't have any intention of buying fabric but they were having a "buy one meter and get two more free" promotion. Well doesn't that make the visit more interesting?

I always begin at the back of the store at the discount wall and work my way to the front. When something catches my eye I begin to visualize what it might become. It is like a huge buffet for the imagination. About half way through the store I found "it", a fabric so beautiful and so perfect that the ideas of where and how I could use it began to gush to the surface of my imagination like a geyser. Within minutes my mind had my entire home upholstered in this beautiful floral Waverly fabric.

Waverly floral fabric

 

I bought my one meter and got two free. I cycled home with the fabric in the basket of my bike so that I could admire it on the way. At home I discovered that I had a half meter of plaid fabric that coordinated quite nicely. Yesterday I recovered the cushions of my wicker furniture.

Here are the before and after photos:

Before:

Before reupholstery

Before: Faded and tired looking.

After:

Newly upholstered in blue Waverly fabric

 

A fresh and summery spot for relaxing

 

I still have one meter left and I've spent the morning draping it over tables, furniture, pillows and windows. Some people have theme music; I think this may become my theme fabric, the fabric of my life. In that case, perhaps I should get a few more meters.....

Thank you for stopping by My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a day brimming with ideas,

Sandra

 

 

Just an Ordinary Day

Pink Spirea
S. King-Allikas

There was nothing out of the ordinary about yesterday.  It was a Tuesday, a day that will soon slip easily into a string of days, undistinguishable from the other ordinary days that weave themselves together into the fabric that becomes my life.  Before that happens though I will be thankful for all of the blessings, I don't want to take them for granted but I so often do.

I so appreciate:

• a phone call to my mom and dad, hearing their voices.
• my sister's wise counsel.
• the sound of my grandchildren's voices in the background of a conversation with my daughter.
• an hour spent puttering in my garden.
• the feel of the wind over my face and arms as I ride my bike.
• the strength of my body as I run.
• my neighbours, a wave, a small chat, a tender word.
• food to cook and my husband to serve it to.
• our local library brimming with books waiting to be read.
• the colour of the night sky and the sound of the wind in the towering trees as I lay between crisp linens and drift safely to sleep.

Thank you God for every ordinary day, I will try to cherish each one.

Thank you for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

May you have a day to cherish,

Sandra

Observations

The other morning as the sun was peeking over the tree tops and casting long shadows on dewy lawns; I grabbed  my camera and headed out just after six a.m. for a quick walk.  I got some nice shots but this is the only one I really wanted to share with you.

Close up of a wild rose
S. King-Allikas

Sometimes I am in awe of the intricacies of a simple flower, the colours, textures, the way the light filters through the petals. 

How often I look without seeing, without taking the time to really notice.  How often I listen with divided attention and miss really hearing... birds..... the wind in the branches.... people speaking from their hearts.  It is only a moment but then the moment is gone. 

It is a challenge to be open, to see, to feel, to listen, to be present.  My mind wanders, it grumbles and finds fault, it makes judgments and creates worries.  As some wise person has said, "The mind is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master." 

As this new week begins, may I be better able to still the chatter of my mind.  May I be able to listen to the quiet beneath the noisy surface and to see more deeply than what my eyes alone observe.

Thank you for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life today,

Wishing you a peace filled day,

Sandra

Minimalist Kitchen Renovation - Update

Since my last post where we installed wide plank pine flooring, I have painted the walls of the kitchen.  I painted the rough plaster walls white and the other walls blue.  For the past month I've had paint swatches taped to the kitchen walls so that I can assess what each shade looked like in various light throughout the day.

There were colours that were okay but it wasn't until we were in Ontario last month that I found my perfect blue paint colour at Lowe's.  It's a Valspar brand paint colour called "morning chill".  Our local renovation centre scanned the colour to match it.  I loved it on the paint swatch and I love it even more on the walls. 



Blue Kitchen Walls



Hand-painted wall motif

I decided to re-paint the motif over our arched kitchen entry to better co-ordinate with the new wall colour.  This week I hope to get the baseboards and quarter round painted and installed. 



Zack indicating where baseboards are needed.

Our kitchen renovation may be minimal in terms of expense but it is taking plenty of time to complete.  Sometimes I feel as though it is the job that never ends.  Today, however, I felt a little better after reading an article in the Montreal Gazette in the "HomeFront" section. A Montreal family was interviewed about renovations on their 1950's semi-detached home. Describing an extensive second renovation of their kitchen the owner said, "After a decade, we realized that it wasn't a very practical work area.  You have to live in a space for a while before problems emerge." 

See what I mean?  Our relaxed renovation pace has allowed us to live with the space, to really consider what is practical for our specific needs and lifestyle.  We've nixed a lot of ideas over the months that, had we completed the job quickly, would have been a done deal.  We moved around cabinets, tried a potential window seat, different sizes of kitchen tables, we've changed our ideas on lighting and on sink/taps a couple of times and don't even ask about countertops... I think we have finally have an idea nailed down, but I can't be sure.  We sometimes get side tracked but always come back to the questions "What do we need to do in this space and what is the simplest way to accomplish that while still creating a space that feels welcoming and is authentically us?"

The remaining jobs include: baseboards, painting cabinets, new cabinet handles, countertop, window trim and a new door to the lower level.  That shouldn't take us too long, should it?

I will certainly keep you posted!

Thank you for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a relaxed pace day,

Sandra

D.I.Y. - 50th Birthday Personalized Message Necklace

DIY 50th Birthday Necklace
S. King-Allikas

Recently one of my favourite people celebrated her 50th birthday.  I wanted to create for her something as special and unique as she is herself. 

I thought it might be nice to make her a necklace and interspersed between the beads would be 50 little slips of paper, each with a message of why I appreciate her, special memories and funny reminicences. 

At our local art supply store I found a "Pandora style" 18" necklace and purchased 26 beads.  I typed out my 50 messages and cut them into strips of various lengths and using a single hole punch, made a hole at one end.  I strung two messages between each bead for a total of 50 messages. 

Think of all the reasons that your friend is so special to you.
S. King-Allikas

Here is the finished necklace.  To wear the necklace she just needs to tear off the slips of paper.

Black & White DIY Birthday Necklace
S. King-Allikas

 

Personalized Message Birthday Necklace
S. King-Allikas

 

Plan on finding or purchasing a good size shallow box so that the papers don't get bent during wrapping. 



Thank you for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a gem of a day,

Sandra