Urban Bean Farming

Fee, fie, fo, fum,....my youngest has Jack and the Bean Stock beat.

In less than 24 hours, he went from "look mom, it looks like a green worm". 

To this 12 hours later....

 To this about four hours after that...

To full on bean plants. 

He is trying to look very scientific here.... Mendal watch out.  Urban farm boy is on to beans.

Bathroom Tile Decision - Sneak Peek

I think I have pretty much decided that I am going to rip out the ugly surround around my bath tub.  I can't stop thinking about it which, for me, is generally a sign of an impending project.

Our bathroom has a glass shower with a plain-ish white 4x6" tile in a rather pleasing rectangular relief pattern.  The grout is a warm white.  We we first bought the house, I really didn't like it.  In the years we have lived here, I have come to realize that its not what I find offensive.

Its THIS. 

For what ever odd reason, the builder decided that they should use the 13" floor tiles on the tub surround and make it short and stubby with only 1.5 rows of tile. The creme coloured floor tile with grey grout buts up to the white tile  with the creme grout of the shower making for a super ugly corner. Yuck.

I have  fantasized  about ripping out those surround tiles and replacing them with something white that speaks to the shower. I would also make it higher because as it is, the kids splash and the wall gets wet.

I have pretty much decided that I want some form of subway tile there but I am thinking bigger 12x4" tiles.  I also want a row of detail.

 Hubs really likes this look with the glass and marble.

I had been thinking more along these lines. 

Or mini subway with big subway...

All of those went by the weigh side when I saw this.  I am in LOVE.  I think this will be the detail winner.  Its a glass and marble basket weave.  I just LOVE it. What do you think?  

I wanted to have a little PS. on this post.  Remember my chives?  They looked like this not too too long ago?

They are now in glorious full bloom!  They make me SO happy and they are SO easy to grow. I have only rarely used them too cook with.  I grow them just for these pretty blossoms because I adore the colour.

Subway Tile, I've Lost Track of What Edition This Is....

My friend Squishy keeping a keen eye on what is going on.  

Yucky damage from removing the old counter.

I couldn't get the  trowel  into the tight spot so I ended up  buttering' the backs of each tile.

There was a bit of a funny gap in one place so the Cheez-it box stood in as a shim. Maybe they would like to sponsor my blog?

I got half way through this job and realized I really like tiling.  Its been ages since I've done any but I really like the tactile nature of it.  It looks good when its done and its not super hard.  I looked at tile for the bathroom today and I think I've almost convinced myself to re-tile around my bath tub.

 Poor Squishy is traumatized by being moved around so much.  

Grout will happen tomorrow once these are good and dry.

Subway Tile Patch Up

I have said it here before, I love subway tile.  Our kitchen backs plash has been white subway tile for quite some time.  I love it as much as when I first installed it.  Its clean, simple and always looks fresh.

Always that is until you rip out your plastic laminate counter with its built in back splash thing-a-m-bob and are left with a rather nasty looking hack job.

I am  embarrassed  to admit we have lived with the tiles looking like this for three months.  The problem was, we don't own a tile saw.  Because the tiles were installed before the counter, every single tile needed about a 1/4" shaved off.  Twenty seven full tiles and a few odd bity ones.  Too much to do with tile nippers.

Hubs has a friend  who has a wet saw but he lives 2.5 hours away and I had to patiently wait for a wet saw rendez vous.    Tile saw friend brought it to Hubs two weeks ago but forgot to bring the water pan with it.  Doh.  A golf date last weekend ended in a water pan pass and we were ready to go!

Check out my cute pink utility knife. 

Because NOTHING is perfect in any house, ever single tile had to be cut slightly differently.  

Dry fitting the tiles.  I need to run out and buy some mastic so I can set these tomorrow!  When I bought the original tiles, I bought enough extra to fill in the gap should we ever re-do the counter.  I am am still shocked at my forethought that I bought enough tiles to complete this job at a future date!  No die lot mismatches!  Yeah me!

My friend and I were shopping the other day and she commented that another friend of ours was looking for industrial stools for her kitchen.  I have a single vintage and would LOVE two more.  The modern repros we saw were no where near as handsome or as detailed as the one I have.  I don't know its exact date but my guess but probably 1940's vintage.  It came from my father-in-laws civil engineering shop.  Its a draftsman stool and  appears  to be missing a removable back.  I can't seem to find a makers mark on it.   Its been sitting in my in-laws basement since at least the 1980's.  If you have any thoughts on where I could find some mates for it, preferably vintage please leave me a comment.  My kids fight over who gets to sit on this one.  

Raised Garden Planter Revisited

I know I've talked about this before.  I really want some sort of raised garden planter in my garden to grow tomatoes.  I'm obsessed with the idea of a metal feed trough because I like the quasi industrial feel to them but they are expensive.  One decent sized one is around $150.

http://twomenandalittlefarm.blogspot.ca/2011/11/galvanized-water-tank-trough-vegetable.html

I just can't justify spending that much money my little urban farm project.  I love the look though.

I went to Ikea today and I bought two of these.  They aren't quite the pig trough I had in mind.  They are a bit too polished looking for what I'm dreaming of.

I was in my basement working on a sewing swap.  I have a rather large below grade window in my basement that has a corrugated window well.  I was sewing away and it hit me.  I could use a window well as a planter!

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/galvanized-stock-tanks-as-plan-124689

It has the same metal industrial look and they can be had for as little as $13.99!  I'm going to run off to the home store tomorrow and see if it would work!  I'm so excited!  I'm sure I can bolt two of these together and make an open bottomed planter!