Squares

If you don't already know... we like the contemporary style - simple yet contrasting shapes and designs. We have always wanted to try painting stripes or some shapes on the wall cause we think it just looks really nice.

So we decided to try out a grid of squares on the wall in our dining area with a color that would contrast the BM stonnington gray. The BM website suggested Stampede which is a brown with a hint of gray and some green i think, but it is dark. So we decided to try it out. We bought a small sample size can for $6.

 Then moved on to marking out the grid and decided we would mark the outline and then mark the inner squares.

But guess what after doing all this work we go to measure it again and its not a square - how did that happen. Turns out that the floor is not exactly straight (it has a slight slope) and the wall is not flat it has got slight bumps (bad taping job i guess). Anyway so after all this work we had to take it all down and start over again.

This time we decided to start from the center and move out from there.

We did a 5 x 3 grid which left plenty of space for a buffet below.

 

Then started painting. The paint looked a lot lighter and browner i think it might have been the light as well. But it got darker as it dried.

 

Yaaaay they came out really nice :)

 

I am also happy to say that we have now have 2 functional toilets. We were able to find that 2 inch longer water connecting line at Menard's. Now all that's left is putting the door back on the 1/2 toilet. Just have to paint all the doors, we are researching into which spray painter to buy.

Food Food Food!

 It has been a while since we posted any food pics so this blog is all about meals we loved!

We tried out a meatball toasted sub sandwich....easy and delicious!!!

Mix up meat with eggs, breadcrumbs, seasonings and herbs...

 Butter and toast the bread. Make meatballs and bake.

 Make the tomato based dipping sauce...

 Put it together with some cheese and bake.

 

 Served with lettuce and dipping sauce it makes a scrumptious meal.

Then our very own quick and easy soup - fry some onions, add broth...

 Add some noodle (whatever is on hand), some corn, some beaten egg,

some sauces and spices to taste.

 And there you have it..served hot with some shredded cheese.

 

Next our awesome beef pot roast...marinated with Indian spices for a few hours before cooking...

 Fry some onion and whole spices, brown the meat...

 Add some red wine to de-glaze the pan...

 Then in the oven she goes for 3 hours, add potatoes and carrots and cook for another hour...

 Yummy is what you get, a nice flavorful meal!

Yaaaay it's Asparagus season :) Grant likes only the tips so that's all we bought.

 Marinated with olive oil, salt, pepper (next time i will add some lemon pepper and soy sauce).

 Grilled for 10 minutes...

 It was delicious...the best way to prepare Asparagus.

I haven't posted any recipes, let me know if you want to know more.

Tonight is bacon Mac and cheese night! 

Bon Appétit

Oh weekend...how you have changed!

Friday's used to be party time...well not this Friday. It was time to relax and get more soil.

Then we decided to do something inside the house like finish the half bath on the first floor.

We really needed to put in that toilet, walking up a flight of stairs every time you have to pee is just not fun!

 Grant reading How to put a toilet together :) and Wiki being all sly edging his way towards the door hoping to escape.

 So the last owner put the hardwood floor and now we couldn't slide the two long screws out :/

 Good thing we didn't need to take them out after all we were able to just reuse them.

 Yaaaay and it finally went up.

 Wiki and I checked it out and gave it an A+ 

Oh and then we find out that we need to get a longer water line to connect to the flush cause the old one is 2 inches short....go figure :/

Saturday we went to a local festival, tried a new Thai restaurant, then our friends stopped by with their little baby. I should get some pics of him sometime, I keep forgetting. Maybe once he gets a little older. 

Sunday we found an awesome plant nursery where we got these gorgeous purple Petunia flower baskets on sale. It was one of those buy one get one free deals.

 

Some blooming flowers in our new garden.

 

 We also found these cool solar powered lights for $10. That has a bird, a dragon fly and a butterfly on it.

 We put in the edging, covered the plants with some of the pots they came in making

it easy to pour the mulch on.

 Almost done...

 All done!

 Now all we have left to do is add the stones to create our walkway :) The dead patch of grass 

below is where the walkway will go.

 Look at the pretty things light up. And they change color too! they are almost christmasy :)