Cottage Life in BSA

 BSA - Baie-Sainte-Anne is cool, wet & windy today
 so I thought I'd tour you through the cottage, where it's warm & cozy.

As you enter the front door, your in the living-room & those that know Boris...know he's there to greet you too!

 In the living-room is the staircase to the 2nd storey...but we're not going there yet. Let's continue through to the kitchen & dining-room.

Kitchen cupboards were painted blue from an inspiring magazine brought home from England a few years ago...notice the counter space on both sides of the sink, it forces me to keep it clear for preparing meals. The large window in the garden door was cut in, replacing the small screened window. I love the light it lets in now & there's a window next to the door & over the sink to bring in the summer breeze.

 The grey door is where the pantry & floor opening is for the basement...I've not seen the basement, however I did look down this year to see the basement full of water...sub-pump problems, fixed now.
 You'd be surprised at how much stuff you can place in that pantry! it goes under the staircase & every square inch is used. There's only one closet in the whole cottage...my bedroom & I'm a clothes horse, having a difficult time as I brought with me all my summer clothes from the city for here. Can you say 'Over Dressed' I just say I'm from the city...city clothes, right?
A small wrought iron bistro table sits in the kitchen area, next to the window.

 Cooking area & fridge...notice how everything is stuck to the fridge, race events,grocery lists,calendar, family photos. At home I had the fridge covered in wood...magnets no longer stuck to it & it just blended in with the cupboards, as did the dish washer...of which I am the dish washer now, quite the step back in time, I love it :) Notice the wonderful chimes that are located next to the stove, I had them hanging outside & they kept me awake at night. There's always a breeze here as the ocean is not far away. Now the cross venting in the room move them ever so softly creating a quite chime.

This is the laundry room with the HE washing machine that takes 2 1/2 hours to do one load! how is that HE? Loads of storage space in the cupboards above. There's a washroom at each end of the laundry room... 

The main floor has 2 bathrooms, this is the large bathroom with the tub & shower. The sink is a laundry sink with a built in scrub board & is quite deep, making it perfect for bathing Boris.

Shelving  is handy for holding extra towels.

This is the plate rack that is over the toilet,

Sink with a large mirror makes the space feel larger while the window provides natural light.

 China cabinet in the dining-room holds the daily dishes of blue & white summer dishes, the corner cabinet was a great find at the Value Village, it even has a angled drawer.

My desk keeps my business & stationary organized. One drawer holds linens! 

 Now let's go upstairs...

 Notice how the stairs at the bottom were covered with the new flooring this spring 2011....summer does not start until 21st of June! The downstairs air conditioner was also installed in the front window...making August dog days managable. The doll at the base of the stairs is another 'mini me' she's almost complete...I'll write more about her DNA creation later.

 This is the stair well, I just love the descent, even more with the railing running down the wall...that's new this spring too!   The stained glass was a Home Sense find & hangs beautifully in the hall window.

This is where I spend a lot of my time...in my bedroom. I have divided it up into my sewing room/bedroom. You see I don't have far to go after a long day of sewing...if only there was a 2nd storey bathroom! I'd never have to leave, but  wait I do have to eat.  

 A sewing table given to me by my friend Liz, holds my Baby Lock machine snugly & the wall has become even more functional so the accessories needed for sewing. 

 The Ikea dressers hold clothing & bedding as well as more sewing things & the bins...just hold everything else. Bill has wall hanging space for hanging his things. See the LV purse I bought at the garage sale yesterday for $1 dollar, it's going to hold some of the sewing goodies for me.

 The bed is between 2 window which provide natural sunlight to the room & the cat sleeping on the bed is having a snooze. This is Jerry, the 3 legged, one eyed cat, with the heart murmur, he's now 13 years old. I just love the way he's pressing his head into the round 'mother' pillow.

This is the large guest room - it has a single be which is full of quilted items for the Myer Harwicke Quilt show on the 8-9th of July. There's also a bunk bed, great for stacking kids up!

The room is  bright with 2 windows in it, it's also the coolest room as it houses the 2nd storey Ac unit. I made roman nautical blinds for the themed room.

This is the small guest room - cousin Ann was the 1st one to be the guest & she never recognized her mom's bed that was painted a soft white. I thought it was quite fitting that she be the 1st one to stay there.  

The South Shore quilt that was custom quilted by Karen Cole proudly hangs in this room.

Well I must do as Jerry ...I hope you enjoyed the tour through 'petite maison' showing it has put me in kyrotime. 

Big Green Tractor...

 I did it!! I uploaded these photos all by myself...& this week I learned how to ride the 'Big Green Tractor', it was over 2 hours of riding that lawn mower, I mowed to the woods, the center lawn with the flag pole, side yard , & the side yard. Thank you neighbour Joel for the lawn tractor lesson.  Nothing runs like a deer...a John Deer.  Above you can see wee Boris in the lane-way, admiring the freshly cut lawn, he followed me for about an hour, then took to the porch for resting.

 The cottage looks large with the 53' trailer gone, my 2 summer cars in-front of the garage. Waiting on paper work for the Cobra...soon.

The other side of the 'U' shaped lane-way...so much grass! mosquitoes & black flies too!

Binding has been put on the Cobblestone quilt, just needs the sleeve for the quilt show hanging next month. Several more bindings to do...sew much to do

Binding Time!

I did it!! I transfer this photo off the camera & into my blog. I'm so happy Bill called & talked me through it...but I did it. Here is the binding that was made & wrapped onto empty fabric boards that Ann & I garbage picked from the Marsh Stores recycle bin. It keeps all the bindings neatly in place till they're sewn onto the quilt they're intended for. I once lost a binding that was made ahead of time & the frustration of the time lost looking for it, makes me love these boards all the more.
Just when I think that the summer home move went smoothly, today I realized that my rotary cutters did not get packed because of the last minute cutting & sewing that was done. Thank heavens for fellow quilters sharing their tools, thank you Jean. Cobble Stone quilt is the largest, so I'm starting that today & I've got a gluten free loaf of bread in the breadmaker for some aroma therapy. It's cool & rainy, feels like I'm in northern England & that's OK...for it's a vacation...if I'm here or there ;-)

Let Summer Begin!

Bill, Mitch, & I have arrived safely, highway 108 was eventful with the viewing of 2 bears...at 2 separate times at the side of the road...thank heavens they went into the woods, then a very large deer that ran in front of us so quickly that a look at the deer was all we had. Thank heavens again!! It was a full 16 1/2 hours hauling with Bill & Mitch driving & Boris the Boston Terrier, Diesel the Siberian Husky, Tom & Jerry the domestic cats & I, just along for the ride. We arrived safely to find the basement full of water & the water pump not working either, too tied at midnight, we all went to bed to deal with it in the morning.

 Mitch cutting the grass out back...he cut it back to our woods, the mosquitoes & black flies are in full force to greet & sample, the new southwestern Ontario new comers! This was my 1st introduction to black flies & I now look like I'm recovering from chick pox...so many itchy sores! I will not be wearing capri's with sandals anytime soon!

 The 3 rose bushes I planted 2 summers ago, made it through the harsh winter. The weeding was done till I surrendered to the bugs & went inside to unpack some more.

 Bill loved! loved! the mesh coat I purchased for him last year...as he put it 'This mesh thing is worth 100 bucks!' He's painting in the garage, some of my finds & friends cast offs in a lovely summer white for the cottage.

 I just love this clothes line that was installed  the 1st summer & the fresh air that blows through the clothing...this is where my ankles were attacked by black flies.

 Mitch has an afternoon snooze, he gets up at 4am to help on a friends lobster boat, then comes home to the cottage to do cottage fix up's.So much work so little time...Boris just loves his warm body to snuggle into

 Bill in his bug armor, look at how happy he is under his veil of protection! I'm still scratching & using the After Bite & Benedryl.

 The old kitchen floor is taken up exposing the 1960 newsprint that was used under the linoleum. 

Bruce laminate floating flooring is being installed over some of the flooring, there was several types used & now only one floor throughout, kitchen, dining, living, & staircase step.

 Repairs made to the missing parts to level the floor out.

 Mitch riding the lawn mower, you can almost here the grass grow with all this rain it makes it difficult to get a good cut done.

 Finished floor in the kitchen/dining area, just beautiful! Thank you, Bill & Mitch for a job well done.

I'm going to miss them, it's been a fun time together & now their heading home to Ontario with an empty trailer & my summer begins. I've brought out several quilt kits & 3 queen size quilt tops to start...but first the binding needs to be put on all those quilts from my winter projects. Sew much time...