School's out

Here's a new concept , last day of school photos they both seem so much more happy in these pictures , it really does feel like we just started this school year , it sure does fly by.

Happy dance..

School's finally out as you can you see how excited the girls are , we are kicking off day one with sleeping in late , that was heaven , and shopping , Mason has earned and saved this whole year and she is ready to spend it , on a shopping spree, wish me luck , this could be a long day .

Cheers to a happy summer break . We need it .

Kilimanjaro : Beatiful Mount in The World

my "just beachy"

I recently ordered these beachy prints from Rusty Cricket on Etsy , I have been really looking forward to their arrival and I was so pleased when they arrived today .

I added them to this little spot by the stairs , it is such a nice pop of color and I think it really finishes this room off.

I must admit I smile when I look at this room , it is so fresh and welcoming casual and definitely "just beachy" , it is all coming together .

Birthday Party wear out!

The Candy party was a great sucess , all of Mason's good friends and lots of sweet treats were served, glad it went well but I am sure glad birthday's are over for the year, they have worn me out! Customized treat bags .

Swimming , hanging out presents and candy and more candy , that is all this party needed to make Mason's day .

I personally loved the chocolate covered strawberries , yummmm

Instead of a cake Mason requested cake pops like she saw on Bakerella , they turned out OK at best , I think I learned a lot , and I need to find edible pens if I ever try this again .

Mason's great sweet friends , peaceful too .

Sophie bought Mason the nicest purse , everyone loved it , apparently she won't let me borrow it.

A left out little sweetie , a few spilled beverages , one fall {for me chasing the dog out of the mud , which I fell in} , a couple of crazy hyper dogs {they must have been feeding off the energy} , and somehow one very badly burnt lamp shade that nearly went a blaze , all in a day .

Cheers for now !

Candy Themed Party

Here is my beautiful birthday girl , she is 12 today , isn't she lovely , I love her unique fashion sense , she is so much like I was at her age.

I am attempting the Bakerella happy face cake pops , can you tell this is a kids party or what , BTW these are not so easy ....

A few bags of cotton candy .

Mason layered her fave candies .

Making more marshmallow pops.

A project we threw in yesterday, I am determined to get the front walkways all completed as soon as possible. This is easy , with the exception of the cement mixing, next time we get at it we will rent a cement mixer. It will look great after we fill it in with sand and some mosses , I look forward to one material surface , FYI this is dirt cheap to do

Sophie's birthday breakfast request.

The Colossus of Rhodes

The Graet Buddha

Kamakura (鎌倉市, Kamakura-shi?) is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan, about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called Renpu (鎌府?) (short for Kamakura Bakufu (鎌倉幕府, or Kamakura Shogunate?)). Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is sometimes considered a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the Kamakura Period. (In reality its independence from Kyoto was never complete)[1]

According to The Institute for Research on World-Systems,[2] Kamakura was the 4th largest city in the world in 1250 AD, with 200,000 people, and Japan's largest, eclipsing Kyoto by 1200 AD.

As of January 1, 2008, the city has an estimated population of 173,588 and a density of 4,380 inhabitants per square kilometre (11,300 /sq mi). The total area is 39.60 square kilometres (15.29 sq mi).

Kamakura was designated as a city on November 3, 1939.

Kamakura has a beach which, in combination with the temples and the proximity to Tokyo, makes it a popular tourist destination. It is also noted for its senbei, which are crisp rice cakes grilled and sold fresh along the main shopping street. These are very popular with tourists. Read full history of Kamakura at wikipedia

Happy Birthday to my baby girl

Sophie turns 9 today at 9:59 am , she 's dressed in her new birthday clothes and jumping for joy.

Yes I let my kids jump on the furniture , actually normally I don't but I do let Sophie stand on this table to see herself in the mirror above the sofa ....no one got hurt.

Hip hip horray ! Happy birthday Sophie , I love you SOOOOO much!!!

New addition

Isn't it purdy ?

It came in a plain brown box. That is how IKEA rolls , this is an Ektorp Jenny Lund style chair with white slipcover.

Moe checking it out.

It's covered in a lovely unbleached cotton.

I need to do a little ironing , I know.

I love it , I hope my husband likes it too , because we really didn't discuss it .

Lamp slipcover number two

Before lamp : grey and grey shade , it just felt out of place to me.

My after lamp makeover , I sprayed it aqua blue and created a new lamp slipcover .

It looks like I bought new lamps , even my husband approves. Now I just need to do something about that chair it's the wrong colour the wrong pattern , I have toyed with having it slipcovered , or slipcovering it myself {I don't have confidence in that }I don't want it to look hand done , sometimes a new addition is just the way to , it has been at least three years since I have bought a new piece for the house , after all my kijiji second hand makeovers and finds I think a small purchase may be in order.

Do you remember these invitation bags of candy for Mason's candy themed party , well we are officially counting the days only a few more left , I am so thrilled with the candy bar that is coming together , see at the bottom of this post.

Here is a picture of how my back facade looks today ,after two years of work , below is how it used to look , a little flat don't ya think?

Can you spot all the changes.

Before the shutters , looking a little blah now that it has shutters. So yes I did build the shutters from old left over fence boards , I scrubbed them down and then added a fresh coat of grey stain , the same stain I used on the shingles in the front and back of the house. Now my house has as much "curb appeal" as the front , maybe my back neighbours will let me design the backs of their houses too ... doubt they are so inclined , I know I am one of a kind , actually I am not , through blogging I have found there ARE others just like me.

I got those hinges I needed to make my freshly built shutters look more functional .

I ordered this lovely floral fabric from Tonic Living after seeing it here at Rambling Renovators.

Getting ready for another birthday party , the candy bar is turning out nicely, I should throw big people parties I love this stuff.