DIY: Bonfire Pit

Anyone who lives in Newfoundland knows that our beautiful weather is far and few between. While most of Canada is starting to enjoy the signs of spring, Newfoundland today is a whopping 1 degree outside and foggy. Depressing, I know. So while this post may be more summertime appropriate, I just needed to post something to remind me that the sun does exist and that hopefully my favourite summer pastime of sitting around a bonfire is just around the corner.

Last summer I was faced with a backyard that was a big blank canvas - no grass, no garden...just dirt. So when I was trying to figure out what to do with my backyard, I decided that incorporating a bonfire pit was a must.

I came across two pictures in particular that really inspired my vision for my bonfire pit...

Source: homedesigncollections.blogspot.com

Source: thisoldhouse.com

I told myself, "I can do that!" and started my research to figure out how. My effort to find step-by-step instructions was proving difficult, so I decided to just figure it out as I went along. Totallllly not something I normally do. If you know me at all, you know that I get anxiety if I don't read and follow exactly as an instruction manual tells you. Approaching this project blindly was a big step for me folks.

Anxiety and all behind me, I borrowed a truck from work one day, made my way over to my local lumber yard, picked up some 12 foot long pieces of wood, some corner brackets to screw them together and then got a whole lotta pea-gravel delivered from a local landscaping business.

Here's the mess I started with...

I spent an evening or two levelling the area and used some fine sand and my tamp to level beneath the wood pieces. I screwed them together using my corner brackets and then moved on to the pea gravel.

I had soooo much pea gravel to move, so my dad allowed me to borrow his tractor for the weekend to make the process much faster and a LOT less labour intensive. The child within me was dying at the fact that I would get to drive a real tractor. That's a picture of me in the tractor below -  I was pretty bad-ass I gotta say.

After working on the project for a week or so (and getting quite frustrated at times!), the bonfire pit was complete. I was soooo impressed with the outcome. It was pretty much exactly as I had envisioned!

What gardening or landscaping projects are you dreaming up for this summer? I'd love to hear about it! Share in the comments below!

~Emily Grace

Staging the Master Bedroom

First of all, thank you for joining me again! I've been MIA the last few months...I've been working on other big things in my life (planning a wedding, moving into a new place, starting a new coaching biz!), and put this blog on the back burner for a short while.

Nevertheless, I have been inspired to share with you how my bedroom transformation turned out (or former bedroom, I've since sold that house).

When we moved into our former house in November, 2013 it took me a YEAR to figure out how I wanted to decorate the master bedroom. It was like writers block (or interior design block I suppose?) except the block just wouldn't go away! Finally one day, I said enough is enough and I made a trip to my go-to decor store, HomeSense.

I wanted the bedroom to feel cozy and serene, with just a little touch of colour. I didn't want to go too dramatic in the bedroom - just nice and simple with the ability to change it up easily if I get bored with it. 

Remember how AWFUL it looked? Let me remind you...

Yep. It was that bad. Sooo... here's what happened. I went to HomeSense and went on a mad shopping spree. I literally bought everything and anything I thought might look nice in the bedroom!

So I returned home and went right at it! The room was a state as I was setting up my new found items as you can see...

Within just about a half an hour of setting everything up - VOILA.

I was amazed at how just a few key items can totally transform a room! Instantly it felt much more cozy and inviting.

Here's what I added:
- Rug from Costco
- Swapped out the bench at the end of the bed for the one I had in my porch
- Mirror I had in storage
- Lamps
- Lots of new pillows!
- Artwork
- Nightstands (more on that in another blogpost...they were an ikea "hack" project)
- Headboard (my FAVE purchase - it made a big difference in the look and feel of the space)

So if you're feeling "blah" with your bedroom right now, just know that a few key pieces added into the space can make a world of a difference! Go out and treat yourself :)

Have a wonderful day!

~Emily Grace

Living Room Progress

While I've posted pics of the fireplace progress in my family/living room (see post here), I was hesitant to post pictures of alllll of that room because it wasn't complete!

You've seen some of the pictures of the progress and I thought it would be nice to show you how it's been coming along...

I found the pillows, curtains and rug at my fave home decor store, HomeSense (only $399 for an 8 x 10 rug...not bad!). I fell upon the tables at Bowring and they so happened to be on sale for $199 each - also called the "Justin Coffee Table" (Justin happens to be my boyfriend's name, so it was a clear sign!). The floor lamp was picked up from the new Target store (on sale!).

Decorating a whole house is overwhelming, especially when it's your own. I'm forcing myself to work on one room at a time as before I was working on all different rooms and feeling like I was going around in circles, never getting anywhere!

My next project is the master bedroom...I'm a little embarrassed to show the before picture...but hey, it can only go up from here! I cannot wait to get this room started as its drab energy is killing me.

I'll post some inspiration photos later in the week and get this bedroom design project moving right along!

Bye for now,

Emily Grace

Christmas Arrangements!

I can't believe we are into the last month of 2013! Where does the time go?! Anyhoo, I am so excited it is December because I am a BIG fan of Christmas - especially so this year because I am able to decorate my first home!

This evening my mom decided to host a "Christmas Arrangement" party which turned out to be a huge success! Seven of us ladies crammed together in a garage filled with branches, boughs, holly, & soil and made our very own Christmas arrangements.

We each brought:

1. Container/bucket to make an arrangement in.
2. Boughs, holly, branches, birch tree branches, etc. (all cut from good ol' nature!) 
3. A small bag of soil
4. Decorative pieces like glass balls, sparkly twigs, spray painted branches, ribbon, decorative birds, etc. Whatever we were drawn to! 
5. Don't forget the wine! :) 

This is such an inexpensive project with a HUGE reward. These arrangements can be made for under $10. All it takes is a walk through nature and a trip to the dollar store.

Start by filling your container with soil.

Insert your "spillers" into the soil. The "spillers" are the boughs that "spill" over the sides.

Next, stick your "thrillers" (the decorative fun stuff) in the middle - or off to the side, your choice! These "thrillers" should be tall so they stand out from the rest of the items.

Finally, the "fillers" - Stand back and see where your arrangement could use some "fillers". Maybe add a bit more colour with spray painted twigs, some more holly, some Christmas sparkly items you may have bought.

I am soooo thrilled at how my arrangement turned out. There were moments where it was looking hopeless, but alas it all came together beautifully.

I hope this inspires you and becomes your new Christmas tradition like it has become for us! Here's what some of the other arrangements turned out like...

 Excuse the mess in the background, these pictures were taken in the garage!

Merry Christmas!


Bye for now,

Emily Grace