Day 1: Paint an IKEA Step Stool Red

I love the kitchen in our new apartment with its tall cabinets, but even at 5'7" I find it difficult to reach the top. The best solution seemed to be a little step stool I could have tucked away in the corner. It would even be great for an occasional seat when we have lots of people over.

I found a great stool at IKEA that fit the bill, but they didn't have it in the colour we wanted, so I decided to paint it.

Before assembling the stool, I sanded every surface with 600-grit sandpaper to prep the surface for the paint.

Following the instructions in the box, I put together the stool.

Then I used this apple red indoor/outdoor latex paint I found at the hardware store. I used a small foam brush to apply a thin coat all over and let it dry for a few hours. I applied a second coat, let it dry completely and then did any touch ups. The expert in the paint department recommended this paint for its durability, however if there are any scratches, I can touch it up with the leftover paint.

Here is the final result! I love it! Its a great pop of colour in our kitchen.

It is also very functional.

When its not in use, I have it tucked in the corner of the kitchen by Whiskey's bowls.

Speaking of my favourite little pup, next up on 10 Tasks in 10 Days, I'm making Whiskey a new dog bed. See you tomorrow!

10 Tasks in 10 Days Challenge

Today kicks off the 10 Tasks in 10 Days Challenge! Woo hoo! I'm really looking forward to getting some things done around here. Here is my list of what I'm going to accomplish. I'd love to hear what you're working on too, so please send me an email or add a comment at the bottom of this post.

1. Paint an IKEA Step Stool Red

Back in October we bought this bench from IKEA and since then it has sat still in the box in the front hall closet. We originally wanted it in black, but when they didn't have any in stock we decided to buy this one and just paint it another colour. Most of my kitchen stuff is red, so a nice big red stool seemed like a fun idea. Now I just have to put it together and paint it.

2. A New Dog Bed for Whiskey

Whiskey is an expert cuddler and if given the chance he will try to sneak into our bed every night. As sweet as it is, it can also be super annoying when he gets tossing and turning. His old bed just isn't keeping him warm anymore, so its time for a new one. I'm hoping that by making it myself it will be cheaper. We'll see!

3. Put up the Bathroom Shelves

I talked about these shelves earlier in the month when I painted them, but now it is time to get my act in gear and actually install them. I can't wait to see what they look like when they go up.

4. Set Up the New BBQ

For Christmas my parents gave me an amazing new BBQ for us to enjoy some outdoor grilling. Even with the ridiculously cold weather here I am determined to fire it up for the first time. Even if I have to do it in my parka. Maybe I'll even make my Grilled Lime Chicken.

5. Organize my Craft Supplies

I have a little too many bins of craft supplies - from sewing and beading to floristry and embroidery. Its time to go through all the bins and purge what isn't needed. (And maybe make room for new crafts!)

6. Replant the House Plants

At our housewarming last month, my friend Amy gave me this huge Christmas planter. I love it so much, but I need to transfer them over to more season appropriate containers.

7. Put Pictures in Our Empty Frames

While walking around our apartment, I've noticed that we've put up many frames, but haven't gotten around to printing off pictures to put inside them. I need to pick my favourite photos, have them printed and then pop them in the frames.

8. Recover the Dining Room Chairs

I've mentioned before how I plan to recover these chairs I picked up for free. The fabric has arrived and now I just need to reupholster them. I can already tell this is going to make a big impact in our little dining room.

9. Napkin Rings for Dinner Party

This week I'm having a small dinner party with friends and I would like to be able to put out these lovely new fabric napkins I bought on clearance after Christmas. I think a little napkin ring would be a perfect accent to the table, and its something easy enough that I can do it while watching TV after work. I love projects like that.

10. Stain and Install Spice Rack

At the old apartment, I had a wonderful spice rack that I used all the time, but so far I've been keeping my spices in a cardboard box at the new place. This system worked for all of one day until I realized I now have to dig into the box every time I want basil or cinnamon. We've bought some of these spice racks from IKEA and we plan to stain them the same colour as the cabinets and install them.

There are the 10 Tasks I selected. Wish me luck on my journey to complete everything in the next 10 days! First up is the stool, which I'll be posting about tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Our Little Hunting Dog

We've had a pretty mild winter so far, with very few snow storms or accumulation, which has meant more walks around our area. Of course as I write this we've got a big storm going through Ontario which is effectively leaving everyone housebound, but yesterday it was a different story.

It was a crisp beautiful day, so we decided to head out for a walk in the woods nearby.

It was incredibly quiet and serene out there and we only saw one other person the whole time we walked around.

Garrett helped Whiskey get the best lookout post for all the squirrel sightings.

These two are quite the pair.

Whiskey was on complete overdrive the whole time as he tried to scope out all the creatures in the woods.

While Whiskey sniffed every tree, we enjoyed the fresh air.

How cute is this little coat that he is rockin'? My mom made Whiskey and Shadow these matching coats that are super cozy and easy to put on.

It makes him look fashionable even in his "hunting mode". If we let him off leash in there, I can guarantee you he'd come back with some squirrel/bird/rabbit tail in his mouth. He is quite the little hunter.

I'm off to add on another pair of socks before we head out on a walk again. Its cold! But thankfully its Friday, which means a nice weekend to relax (and get things done) before work on Monday rolls around again. Happy Friday!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I love cajun food with a little bit of kick, but its hard to find it up here in Canada which means that I had no choice but to try and make it myself. This Cajun Chicken Pasta is loaded with great creole flavour, juicy chicken and crisp vegetables tossed in a creamy pasta sauce. Usually a dish like this at a restaurant would be loaded with calories, but I was able to cut this back by using less butter and olive oil, and swapping out heavy cream for low fat sour cream. You won't even notice the change as this dish still packs a great punch. We had lots of leftovers and I have to admit that this tasted even better the next day as leftovers. If you're looking for a dinner to shake up your routine, give this a try.

What you'll need:
8 ounces Linguine Pasta
1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, chopped into bite size pieces
3 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Butter
1 Red Pepper, seeded and sliced
1 Green Pepper, seeded and sliced
1 Onion, sliced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
6 Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp Dried Basil
1 cup Low Fat Sour Cream
Juice from half a Lemon
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Toss the pieces of chicken in cajun seasoning until well coated. Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large skillet on high heat, melt 1 tbsp of butter in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Place half the chicken in the skillet and do not stir until it is browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook for a few more minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken to a clean plate and repeat the process with the remaining chicken. When cooked, remove the rest of the chicken to the plate.

Toss the linguine into the boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Meanwhile add the remaining butter and olive oil to the skillet and saute the onion, mushrooms, peppers, garlic and dried basil. I also tossed in half a jalapeno for some extra heat.

Add more cajun seasoning to vegetables if you'd like more heat, but just be careful to not add too much if your seasoning contains salt. In that case use a little bit of cayenne pepper instead.

Add the cooked chicken and all its juices back into the pan, along with the low fat sour cream. Stir until it is all combined.

Add the sauce mixture to the drained pasta and toss until well combined. Tongs are great for this step.

I also added in the juice from half of a lemon for a little more flavour. Give it a taste and add any salt or pepper if needed.

A little bit of Cajun on a cold winter night is a welcome treat.

Printable Version

10 Tasks in 10 Days - Starts on Monday!

Everyone has that growing list of things to get done around the house and I'm no different. It seems that I have all these fun ideas that I want to do or even just horrible chores that I have to finish and I never get around to doing them.

 

This is what prompted me to make the 10 Tasks in 10 Days Challenge starting next Monday. Basically you pick 10 things you want to accomplish around your house and you do one a day until they're all done. It requires a bit of forethought to pick your tasks and have all the materials you need, but its a great way to give yourself that push to get things done.

I'd love for you all to join me on this challenge. The tasks can be as little as organizing your sock drawer and as big as repainting a room, its all up to what you need to accomplish. Start brainstorming your list and we'll start on Monday. I've already got a (growing) list myself!

Easy Mini Cinnamon Rolls

Weekend mornings occasionally call for something special at breakfast. I surprised Garrett on Sunday morning with a big pot of coffee and a plate of these little goodies, which turned out to be the perfect sweet breakfast treat.

Usually I made my mother's Cinnamon Rolls, but on a morning where I don't have time to make the dough I make these using a can of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. They still have that great homemade taste, but without all the work.

What you'll need:
1 can of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
2 tbsp Butter, melted
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Cinnamon
1 pinch Salt
3 tbsp Raisins
1/2 cup Icing Sugar
1 tbsp Milk

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Unroll crescent roll pastry and pinch seams together to make a large sheet.

Mix together butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

Spread cinnamon sugar mixture over dough and dot with raisins.

Roll up pastry into a log and slice into 12 pieces.

Place each piece upright in a muffin tin.

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes until golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes while you mix up the icing. In a small bowl combine icing sugar with milk until a thick consistency, adding more milk if needed.

Pour icing over mini cinnamon rolls and serve warm. These little goodies fly right off the plate, they're that good.

Printable Version

Refinishing the Dining Room Table

A few years ago my dad went out for a drive and found an old table on the side of the road. He didn't think anything of it and just casually mentioned it when he got back. Within seconds I hauled him back to the car and insisted he show me where it is. It was a beat up old solid wood table, but I could see the potential.

Three years later it now sits in my dining room and it looks much better than it did back then.

Here is what it looked like back in October this year when I started working on the table top. The legs were in pretty good shape, so I didn't strip them, or the sides of the table.

 The top was a mess of thick chipped finish and lots of marker and crayon drawings.

I quickly got to work sanding down the one side and immediately I could see a huge difference.

I decided not to strip the sides because they had this beautiful two toned inlay that went perfectly with the stain I was looking at.

 It took almost a whole day, but I finally got it all sanded down to a super smooth finish.

 I love the look of clean wood that's ready to be transformed!

I used MinWax's Jacobean stain, which ironically is the colour my parents did their dining room table in years ago. I had no idea, but I guess it unconsciously inspired me. My dad helped me out by doing the many layers of varnish (and sanding in between).

 The table also has three small leaves, which I have yet to finish. I figured I'd leave those for next Summer.

 This is what the table looks like now, with these new chairs I picked up from an old office for free.

I love the finish and the rich colour of the stain. Its the perfect backdrop for my recipe pictures now!

The chairs are in pretty good shape and just need to be recovered.

For the upholstery, I've ordered this cotton print canvas from Tonic Living. They are the same company who made my striped futon cover I use in the warmer months.

Now I just need to find time to finish the chairs and then we'll have a full dining room set for next to nothing. Gotta love that!