Tricia's Musings

Random Thoughts about life in general, living in the big city of Toronto



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Is your home well insulated or do you have energy leaks?

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I live in an older home. It was built in 1927, back in the days when house were made without insulation.  Oh it’s well constructed – it’s triple brick so it’s solid, but yes, it could be warmer, especially since it’s an 87 year old house. The walls of my home are lathe and plaster and there is an air gap between my walls and the brick and mortar.   I think it’s time to spend some money to ultimately save some money!

I’ve been considering getting a company like Imperial Roofing to spray insulation into the walls and also to spray insulation in the small attic.  I haven’t checked to see how much this will cost but our government gives tax breaks for energy wise home improvements so I’d likely be able to write off a portion of the cost.  Plus, once the insulation is in, I know the heating bill will go down quite a bit because the house will not be drafty anymore!  Ok I might have a few windows that also need replacing but insulating the walls and the attic will help the most.

I’m including a fantastic infographic in this post about stopping energy leaks by using proper insulation in your home.  It’s quite informative:

 

 





Will My Interior Décor Stand The Test Of Time?

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Custom slipcover in Thomas Paul floral fabric

I am redecorating my home at the moment and it is not the first time I have given the place a facelift. Every few years I tend to survey my domain and wonder what the hell I was thinking of! I have often been left believing that I have appalling taste but in reality tastes do simply change and we all want the latest in thing. We then start frowning on the styles of previous decades. This leaves me asking myself what features of my new decorative schemes for 2013 will I be looking at in horror in the years to come.

Current Trends

At this point in time it is all about neutral tones and an altogether less fussy and more organic approach. Today’s stylish rooms have plain walls, wooden floors, solid wood furniture and feature just accents of colour. The clean lines and functionality of Scandinavian design are all the rage and clutter, over ornamentation and busy wallpaper are most certainly out of favour. It is difficult to imagine shrinking back in horror at the sight of my cream walls and simple oak furniture in the future but who knows? Maybe we will all find this approach rather boring in retrospect and the psychedelic patterns and bright hues of the 1970’s will return to favour. I hope not because I didn’t like 1970’s décor when it was the height of fashion and I am still haunted by the hideous blue swirly tiles that were a prominent feature of my last home when I bought it.

Bathrooms

Talking of bathrooms, having rid my life of several coloured monstrosities over the years and replaced them with simple white affairs, I am really hoping that some style guru somewhere doesn’t start a trend for avocado and pink. It always seems that after a few years the stylists become restless and have to start experimenting. The goal posts get moved and we are all suckered into thinking that we must make changes but they are not always for the better. Who decided that a brown bathroom suite was a good idea? Well clearly someone did because when I was last viewing houses I stumbled across a few of these shockers.

Cupboards

My biggest issue with interior décor is fitted cupboards. I have never liked them and almost certainly never will and so have pulled out all the cupboards in my house and replaced them with free standing furniture. I know that at some point these things will be all the rage again and my home will look like an anachronism and a monument to poor taste. Whatever we do in our homes and no matter how hard we try to achieve timeless elegance the results will always be of their era and at some point are going to look dated. The trouble is we can never know which things are going to fall out of favour.

The Future

I guess I can see the day when I will grow tired of neutral walls and I may fall out of love with my bright nautically themed bedroom but I am never going to have a coloured bathroom suite again and that is final. I also refuse to contemplate the return of swirly patterned tiles, carpet in bathrooms and the ultimate nightmare – a lava lamp! My stylish Porta Romana lamps, simple white bathroom and plain tiles should stand the test of time but then again I said that about my old floral curtains in the living room!

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Outdoor Furniture- Spicing Up Your Backyard

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Outdoor Furniture Can Spruce Up Your Backyard

When you want to add extra living space to your home, look no further than your backyard. You can create a comfortable and attractive space just by adding outdoor furniture. The area can have multiple uses. Use it for parties, as an outdoor office area, or just for relaxing.

Tables

When choosing an outdoor table, consider what you will use it for the most. Will it be used as a breakfast table, a party table or as a worktable? A breakfast table to seat two people can be just a small pretty table. It doesn’t need to be as sturdy as a party or work table.

The type of table you should choose also depends on if you have a screened-in patio or not. Some outdoor tables have glass tops. These are attractive and easy to clean, but could be damaged during a hailstorm if left out in the open. If you want a similar look to glass but without the fragile nature, choose a table with a Plexiglas top.

Wood, vinyl or wrought iron are also popular items and more durable than glass top tables.

If you plan to host large parties or picnics, your best option may be to buy a few picnic tables. These seat several people at once and hold up well to the weather.

You should also purchase end tables or coffee tables if you are buying outdoor sofas or loveseats. You will need these as places to set drinks or other items.

Seating

Outdoor seating has come a long way and is far beyond plastic lawn chairs. While there is nothing wrong with lawn chairs, keep comfort in mind when creating your backyard living space. Wrought iron, wicker, resin and teak are among the materials to buy for your outdoor sofas and chairs. Washable cushions are often included. If not, you can buy them separately.

Hammocks and hammock chairs are a great idea if you want to create a relaxing space for reading or napping. If your yard lacks trees, you do not have to give up on having hammocks. You can purchase hammock stands or poles for hanging these.

Swinging chairs are not just for porches. You can find freestanding swinging chairs for your backyard. Most sit at least two people.

Accessories

Unless your patio is already covered, you should consider buying a patio umbrella or canopy. This way, you will be able to enjoy your backyard even when the sun is glaring down or on rainy days.

Some patio tables come with patio umbrellas, which are usually removable. Another option is to purchase a freestanding patio umbrella. These can be more convenient as you can move them to any area shade when desired.

Adding an outdoor rug can make your new backyard living area feel more inviting. There are many styles made of weatherproof or weather resistant materials.

After you have purchased your outdoor furniture, the only thing left is to add some decoration. This can be a simple as adding a few potted trees or plants to the area. However, you can make it as simple or as elaborate as you want.

Featured images:

Mother’s Day Cookies

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Image by Gourmet Cookie BouquetsMother’s Day, a wonderful day to celebrate the important moms in your life – and a great excuse to get into the kitchen and whip up some magic.  If you look forward to holidays just so you can experiment with new recipes, techniques, and supplies, you’re not alone!  We all love cookies, and special occasions are tailor-made for those who love to make them.  This Mother’s Day, give the special mom in your life a sweet treat that shows her how much you care.

Basic Cookie, Spectacular Results

If Mom enjoys gardening and the great outdoors, create a garden cookie bouquet.  You can purchase sets of garden cookie cutters, or you can make do with what you already have.  Make your favorite sugar cookie recipe (chilling the dough before and after shaping will help the cookies keep their shape) and roll your dough about ½ again as thick as normal.

Cut your garden shapes; butterflies, flowers, ladybugs, watering cans, and seed packages are all cute ideas (and you can make ladybugs with regular circle cutters and seed packages with a square cutter or butter knife).  Insert wooden skewers or craft sticks into the bottom of the cookies and bake.  The thicker cookies will take a little longer to bake so keep your eyes on them to prevent burning.

When the cookies are cooled, use icing, decorating tips, colored sugars, edible markers, and candy bits to decorate in bright, summery colors. If the cookies are not going to be eaten right away, you can wrap each one with plastic wrap and tie with a ribbon.  Place a piece of Styrofoam or florists’ foam in an unused plant pot or galvanized pail and insert the skewers. Cover the foam with tissue paper, and voila, a gorgeous, delicious cookie bouquet.

A New Arrangement

If your recipient really loves chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies, or another variety that doesn’t lend itself to being skewered, think about different ways you can present your cookie gift to her.

  • A gift basket starring cookies.  You can fill in your container with teas, coffees, fruit, and other goodies.
  • Get treat bags and wrap each cookie individually. You can then write a sweet message on each.  This is great if you have children who want to make a special mom a treat.
  • Use a fun container. Try a galvanized pail, a giant coffee mug, an elegant glass canister, a recipe box she can reuse, or give her cookie mix in a jar.

But you can also use cookies as the container.  Why not make cookie bowls and fill them with a little baggie full of ice cream sundae accoutrements like sprinkles or sanding sugar or serve mom dessert in one of these fun bowls?  You simply make your dough, flip over a muffin pan and form the dough over the cups. Bake and you have an edible bowl!

It’s the thought that counts, so be sure to put a little extra thought and care into your Mother’s Day cookies!

Attached Images:
  •  License: Image author owned

Weight Loss – 3 Steps To Fitter, Healthier You

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weight loss

There is a very common misconception that weight loss has to be painful, uncomfortable and hard. Now, while I don’t want to make little of the difficulties involved, it is clear that for many people, this misconception makes the whole process harder.

Over the years I’ve seen many people facing the same challenges and problems. In most cases, all it took was for them to change the way they approached the problem. Health, fitness and weight loss shouldn’t ever be a short-term thing. It should be a fundamental lifestyle change that benefits you for years to come.

Here are the 3 crucial factors which will help you on the road to long term fitness and health:

1.  You Don’t Have to Eat Less!

When most people set out to lose weight the first thing they do is cut down on how much food they eat each day. Now, although this will often result in short term weight loss, it will also make you hungry and low on energy. In most cases this results in you reverting back to old habits after only a few weeks.

A much better approach is to eat more of the right things. Green vegetables, beans, pulses and protein sources will all help give you the energy you need without giving your body the sugars and fast release carbohydrates that most processed foods will give. This way you won’t be hungry, will have lots of energy and lose weight over a much longer period. The best thing about this approach is that you will actually keep their weight off once you’ve lost it!

2. Don’t Avoid Fat

Fat isn’t always bad. There are many different types of fat. If you are looking to lose weight and improve your health then you should try and avoid ‘saturated fats’.  However, there are also many ‘good’ natural fats which you should still eat (in moderation). These fats make sure that your body maintains its ability to process fat and will also help your skin and bones to stay healthy. You will find natural fats in most meat and nuts.

3. Create Habits 

If you are serious about changing your lifestyle in the long term you need to replace your old ‘bad’ habits with new ‘good’ habits. Most people think that habits take years to create. In reality, you can make something a habit in only a few weeks, once it has become a habit it then takes years to reinforce.

To make a start, focus on eradicating one bad habit each week and replacing it with one good one. Start with something simple, like starting the day with a glass of water. Over time, all your bad habits will eventually get replaced with healthy, good habits and you will start feeling the benefits.

Don’t fall into the trap of following the latest crash diet. If you are serious about changing the way you look and feel, commit to achieving long term results. If you’re not sure where to start, just follow these three easy steps and take it from there.

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