We Are Finally Able to Eat On Our Deck!

When we last left off talking about the deck we had sanded and stained it, and it was a great big blank gray deck just waiting for some furniture.  Well, I am happy to say our deck now looks like this...

Well, obviously not exactly like this all of the time.  I rarely keep glassware and wine bottles on the table with a very busy toddler running around, but I can pretend that this is my life for a little while, right?  Mr. Swell thinks it's very odd that I take such joy in setting a table for nobody.  I think it's sort of fun to shop around our house and figure out what I can move from room to room.

This year we've only purchased 4 new things for the deck.  

The big umbrella is from Ikea. 

It's the big brother to the Baggon Umbrella, but I can't seem to find it on Ikea's website any longer.  We spent way too many hours looking at umbrellas at different stores (a toddler and umbrella shopping are not really the best of friends!!), and found the Ikea umbrella to be the best deal without being total junk.  It's actually not junk at all for $89.  

I love that it covers our whole eating area. 

The only thing that it didn't come with was a heavy base, so we had to buy 4 cement pavers to hold it down, which were another $30.  Still less expensive than umbrellas at many of the other big box home improvement stores.  Although the pavers take up a lot of room, I actually prefer it to a heavy base as I can move it around easier when Mr. Swell isn't home.  It doesn't do really well in wind (the actual shade part flaps around quite a bit), but then again, what umbrella does?

The outdoor rug is also from Ikea.  It's the Springkorn rug, and it comes in a multitude of bright colours, but we both really liked the teal.  The Ikea website says it's $49, but our local Ikea had it on for $40.  Strange.  At $49 it was WAY cheaper than any other rug that I could find.  We've tested it out quite a few times and it washes down really easily - even blueberry smoothie came right out!

The placemats were $2.49 each at Target and I love how they bring together all of the colours in the rug.  A total steal. 

The last thing I bought were the flamingo napkins.  I am not sure if napkins count as something I bought for the deck, but I did buy them with drinking outside in mind, so I guess they sort of count.  They are also from Ikea.  

I really wanted the flamingo glasses that they have that match, but I couldn't justify the purchase as I have nowhere to store them.   

Fin really liked the glasses too. 

This is how we roll at Ikea.  Immerse yourself completely in the scene.  

I plan on putting some flower pots with herbs on the cement pavers, but for now a few of my garden-y type things are holding down the fort.

We have a long way to go with the back yard still, but at least the deck is looking about a million times better than it was.  For 3 summers we have hardly eaten out on the deck, and this year I think we've managed to eat out there at least a couple of times a week.  I love being able to take messy snacks (aka blueberry smoothies) outside and then just hose down the rug afterwards.  

Anyone else working on a deck?  Anyone have those flamingo glasses and want to bring them over to my house?  I'll fill them up with a cocktail for you and then keep them.

The Week's End - May 19, 2013

{13 Things}

1.  I feel like I have been lacking on the DIY lately.  Hopefully you guys are cool with a little DIY break.  I have a bunch of things in the works, just nothing quite finished.  May seems to be flying by faster than I can keep up.

2. Which brings me to my next point...the basement bathroom.  I promised you a reveal, didn't I?  Ack. Close...so, so, so close.  All I have left to tackle is the mirror above the sink issue (it's totally not centred).

3. Let's ponder it over this, shall we?

It's Summer Squeeze Grapefruit Ale by Alley Kat Brewing Company.  Alley Kat is a local brewery and we are regular (if once every couple of weeks counts as regular!) drinkers of the ApriKat, but this grapefruit is perfect for summer.   (this pic is pre-deck sanding....obviously...)

4. Target opened in Alberta last week!!! I know you Americans are rolling your eyes because it's OLD news to you, but seriously, this is a big deal for us.  We needed coffee cream the day it opened so I decided to check it out....to buy cream....was I insane?  The line up to pay was about 40 people deep and the cream was not worth it. 

Hot pink gnome - I was seriously tempted!  (Julia - the white one sort of looks like your kitchen gnome, doesn't it?)

5. I saw these Jelly Fish Air Plants on Yellow Brick Home this week and fell in love.  They are from Petite Beast on Etsy (and are totally affordable). Unfortunately they don't ship to Canada.  Not to worry though...I smell a DIY.

6. While we are talking Etsy....this is amazing.  Don't you want one?

7.  I downloaded the RunKeeper app a few weeks ago and it's my new best friend!  It records all of my runs, tells me distance, elevation, time, etc.  The best part is that it lets you take a picture and store it with your run data.   

My runs from this week:

Does anyone else have favorite running apps?

8.  My new favorite song to keep me motivated (which usually happens right around kilometer 4) is Serena Ryder - What I wouldn't do.  Love it.  (On a side note, have you heard Sleeping at Last's remake of 500 miles?  It's a slow song, so not so good for running, but it's ah-freaking-mazing.)

9.  I bought this buffet at a garage sale a few weeks ago.  It was a total steal.  I am still undecided on colour.  Any suggestions? I plan on selling it.

10. Chris wrote about his method for roasting potatoes.  As a potato lover, it has changed my life.  

11.  We bought a new laptop so that I didn't have to sit in the basement all the time when I'm on the computer. That sounds sort of wimpy, doesn't it?  I guess it sort of is.  With spring finally arriving I wasn't digging spending hours on end (I work from home some days) in our dark cold basement.  I am in love with our Mac, but we couldn't justify spending the money on a MacBook for a second computer.  We bought a HP that was a pretty decent deal.  BUT...what the heck is the deal with Windows 8?  It's enough to make me want to pull my hair out.  Has anyone else had to deal with it? Tell me that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Right now every time I seem to move my thumb against the track pad (which apparently I do A LOT), it switches from the internet to the email.  Annoying.

12.   The flooring is going into the rental house this week.  ya hoo!  We are hoping to get down there on Monday, so I will make sure to take some pictures.

13.  Lastly, I want to take a moment to say a huge thank you for all of your support of The Week's End posts.  I am really loving having a day every week to share my photos with you, and am so happy that you are digging it.  I have officially turned into a mamarazzi, and I am sure it's driving my family nuts, but I am just loving everything that I am learning and that I am able to capture our daily life in an authentic but still (somewhat) polished way. 

In case you want to learn more too, I will tell you that I have found Clickin Moms to be the most useful site in learning all about photography.  It's an online forum that is packed with tutorials and others who are willing to help.  It does cost a small fee to join, but is honestly the best money I have spent in a long time.  The advice is so down to earth and doesn't tend to hurt my brain too much.  (p.s. their blog is really good too!).

I have committed to taking a photo a day for May.  It's definitely challenging me, but I am really looking forward to having a full stack of photos at the end of the month that capture our memories.  

Have a great weekend!  I'll be back with The Week's End on Sunday and then some actual DIY stuff next week....