Building a nest

And here is begins... What begins you ask?  Nesting.  Horray!!!

This week will mark the official signing of the documents that will symbolize (legally) the final step in us owning 42 Baltic Avenue.  We meet our lawyers on Thursday, and if all goes as planned (cross your fingers), we will have our keys a week from tomorrow (May 10th), and start our planned demolition and renos May 11th.  Tick. Tock.

Speaking of time ticking away, our weekend was jammed pack yet again with house details, reno details, moving details, Josie’s wonderful baby shower, and a yummy dinner club dinner too!

And today... Despite the weather warning, Peter and I decided to venture out to do something we have been dying to do forever. An Antique hunt.  And oh what a hunt it was.

Since deciding to buy a house I have of course become absolutely addicted to HGTV.  Peter and I endlessly watch house hunters, property virgins, DIYers, Sarah’s House, Holmes on Holmes, Flip This... And the list goes on. The more we watch, the more ideas we get for our own particular style which my ever so stylish friend Lou has helped us name, it’s a modern farm house mixed with a few touches of shabby chic (wait until you see the gorgeous wide plank barn board hardwood we’re putting in).

So, one of the wonderful things about living in Toronto is being a close proximity to all the shops and antique fairs that many of the designers on HGTV use for their renos.  Sarah Richardson is a name you all know... But where she is able to constantly find dirt cheap deals on fabulous antiques, accents, and amazing pieces of furniture that she simply paints and adds some elbow grease and new hardware to, probably not.

And here began our Antique hunt.   We need some stuff for the house, and with the renos and some things being a bit more than we had planned... We need some deals. So, I have spent the last couple of weeks searching through blogs, the HGTV website, and Sarah’s own design site to put together a list of the “must” visit antique fairs and antique stores. You know, the ones far far away from Queen Street in Toronto... In hopes of finding the bargain prices Sarah does.

Jack Pot.

Today Peter and I headed to a huge antique market outside of Guelph in search of a dresser for the baby’s room and whatever else we may stumble upon for the house.  We were not disappointed. We found the cutest solid oak high boy dresser that even has it’s own hat box, a shabby chic mirror with a separate matching hook piece for the front door and a bright yellow school bus sign that we just couldn’t leave behind. It’s going to go in the baby’s room.  The best part is... All of this cost us less than $200.00!!!! Believe it.  Oh... And we met a very talented furniture maker who more than likely is going to help us with a harvest table sometime down the road... When we sell my black high top.

So our first nesting project has begun.  We’re going to refinish the highboy. Today we started simply with some good cleaning and prep before we sand. I washed the inside and out with Murphy’s Oil while Peter did some work on the drawers outside. It might not look like much right now, but it’s solid oak... It just has to be gorgeous.

So. Much. Fun.

PS. I ache everywhere.

Bedtime.

xo