By Janice Hudson May 18, 2012
I’m pretty stoked about my tulip garden.
Since it may be the only photo-worthy garden I grow this year, I thought I’d best do a blog post about it.
I planted the bulbs back in early November—I think I put in at least 100, plus some crocus and blue hyacinth bulbs. My back just stopped being sore a couple weeks ago (blub planting is HARD work…)
I didn’t really stick to a colour palette—I planted pretty much every colour (except red and orange). My faves are the purple, pink, black and the double-blooms.
Those are alliums in the back–they look like the tops of pineapples. These were an impulse buy at Halifax Seed. I thought they’d be nice and high to soften the blah concrete foundation at the back. Fingers crossed they work out! I also planted irises along the edge at the back but they started sprouting in early December. I fear they might not do anything now.
I wish these tulips would last for months. Any thoughts on what I should put in once the glorious spring show is over? I’m really hoping for something low-maintenance (aren’t we all?). The garden gets mostly morning sun. Let me know your thoughts—and what you would do with all those tulip leaves.
Read more:
By Janice Hudson May 14, 2012
A roundup of delish spring recipes and photos
I thought it would be fun to post some eye candy and recipes of spring-inspired food. I’ve heard rumours that asparagus is already for sale at local farmers’ markets in the Valley. Wow—that’s pretty early but I’m not surprised.
Here’s a shot of Pete Luckett’s recipe for Asparagus Pasta Salad. Photo by James Ingram. Click here for the recipe.
This is a shot of Seared Lamb Loin with Celery Root and Pear Purée, Nutmeg Scented Baby Spinach and Gorgonzola Sauce (mmmm, what a mouth full). Instead of lamb and mashed potatoes, this luxurious alternative by Gordon Bailey, chef at Lot 30 Restaurant in Charlottetown, uses celery root and spinach. Photo by Louise Vessey. Click here for the recipe.
We feature rhubarb in our Spring 2012 issue that’s on newsstands now. Here’s a photo of Halifax chef Richard Julien’s amazing Rhubarb Strawberry Pie. Isn’t it incredible? Chef Julien is with Chef Live catering in Dartmouth. Photo by Dennis Evans. Click here for the recipe.
Read more:
By Sara Samson Apr 27, 2012
Today is, sadly, my last day here as the editorial intern for East Coast Living…did April fly by for anyone else?
During my time at the magazine, I have been inspired to decorate my own home and I constantly find myself wandering around décor and furniture stores. One of the biggest things I have learned is that you really don’t have to be a designer or “the artsy type” to have a chic, fabulous place that feels like a real home.
You also don’t have to have a tonne of money. In the summer 2012 issue of the magazine (out June 17), I write about DIY furniture refinishing. I am in awe of people’s creativity. It has me hunting down old furniture and wishing for a bigger outdoor space to work on projects. (Word to the wise… DON’T attempt spray painting in an apartment.)
I love the idea of reusing old pieces of furniture, instead of tossing them and spending a fortune on something new. As I said in my last post, I discovered the joys of chalkboard spray paint but I have also just realized how much you can do with a little inspiration and paint.
Below is a kitchen table that Yvonne Lloyd-Karnik (our production coordinator, Dana Edgar, is Yvonne’s niece) turned into a coffee table. It’s genius!
To begin the transformation, Yvonne cut down the pedestal and glued it back together. After that, she sanded the table of any rough patches. Then she painted it with Home Hardware’s velvet paint (in Goat Cheese) and it let dry. For a more rustic look, sand where you want the wood to peak through; this looks best on edges. Another way to achieve the rustic look is to spread Minwax golden oak stain on the table with a dry cloth. Let dry for at least a couple of days. The final step was to varnish the table top with three coats of varathane to give it a nice shine. Yvonne notes that you don’t have to use varathane if you’re not using it for a table.
The biggest secret I can share from working on this article is to be fearless! It’s just paint and really, anyone can create beautiful pieces by just using the right techniques. Look on fellow DIYers blogs (two of my faves are Urban Squirrel and Modern Jane) and of course, check out my article for all you need to know.
Happy DIYing!
Sara
Ps. Since I am always looking for an excuse to cruise around Pinterest, check out my DIY inspiration board and follow East Coast Living on Pinterest!
Read more:
By Sara Samson Apr 13, 2012
Hi! I’m Sara, the editorial intern for East Coast Living.
Janice was kind enough to let me post on the blog to share with you my experiences at the magazine. I am kind of new to the world of design and décor, but I am currently working on a DIY piece that is inspiring me!
I have a confession to make: I’m obsessed with chalkboard spray paint. While doing some research for my upcoming article on DIY paint techniques (look for it in the summer issue), I kept coming across this stuff. Basically, it’s exactly what it sounds like; you can buy spray paint that turns into a chalkboard when dry. You can spray it on just about anything; glasses, cabinets, furniture, walls, and then chalk away.
Look how amazing this is! Put it on a wall in your home office and then beautifully and clearly organize your family’s schedule.
Photo: Benjamin Moore & Co.
If you’re not ready to go for a whole wall try these little memo boards.
Photo: Benjamin Moore & Co.
Another practical way of using this paint is spraying it on clear bin to keep all of your stuff organized. It’s so smart, right?
Photo: Benjamin Moore & Co.
I tried it myself on martini glasses. I painted the stems and then was able to personalize each person’s glass with their name.
Photo: Matthew Healy
Of course, everyone is buzzing about it on Pinterest. Check out East Coast Living’s Pinterest page where I have created a Chalkboard Spray Paint board.
I am feeling so inspired by fellow DIYers. There are so many creative people out there! Look for my piece on DIY furniture refinishing from regular East Coast ladies with a knack for paint.
Are you doing anything creative with chalkboard paint or DIY paint techniques? Post them to our Facebook wall so we can check them out.
By Janice Hudson Apr 2, 2012
A taste of what’s coming up in our summer magazine
In the span of one hour, I’ve watched the weather go from sunny and warm to windy and rainy and then to cold and snowy. I am not sure if I dare risk walking home from work tonight—perhaps I’m better off taking the bus?
With such finicky weather providing precious little inspiration, I’m finding it harder than usual to begin preparing our upcoming summer issue. I’m due to start writing a story about a beautiful home near Chester, Nova Scotia. I’m hoping these photos will help me get into the spirit.
The homeowner has an incredible collection of artwork from local Nova Scotia artists. I love this work by Andre Haines in an upstairs bedroom.
This is a shot of the downstairs bedroom, my favourite room in the house. I really dig that light seafoam green paint colour. Shot by James Ingram.
This is the oceanside firepit—the perfect spot for making s’mores and taking in the ocean view. Isn’t it cool?
Stay tuned for more sneak-peeks in the coming weeks as we being putting together the summer magazine. It will be hitting newsstands on June 17. Fingers crossed that by then we’ll finally be having better weather.
Read more from East Coast Living:
By Janice Hudson Mar 22, 2012
Getting ready for spring—photos of a fabulous bulb garden in Halifax
With the weather being so glorious today, I thought it would be fun to share some photos of an incredible spring garden here in Halifax.
This is Stewart MacInnes’s garden in the South End.
His garden has over 12,000 bulbs, including crocus and hyacinth plus many tulip varieties, and also features numerous stone carvings, bird baths and statues. The tulips alone create dazzling carpets of colour and panoramic texture from April to June.
It’s really making me look forward to the spring bulbs I planted last fall. I’m already seeing a few brave shoots poking up—hopefully the warm sun we’ve been having this week we’ll really get things going.
What are you planning for your spring garden?
Check out more gardening topics from East Coast Living:
By Janice Hudson Mar 19, 2012
A few outtakes form our recent cover shoot—making November look like May
I thought it would be fun to post a few behind-the-scenes outtakes from our new Spring 2012 cover, which features homeowners Tim Amon and Nancy MacDonald and their dog Osiris, an American greyhound. All photos by James Ingram of Jive Photographic in Halifax.
The photo shoot took place at Nancy and Tim’s seaside cottage in Pugwash, Nova Scotia. Although it looks like a warm sunny day, it was actually a cold weekend in early November 2011. But you’d never guess the time of year judging by the bright sunshine, the summery clothes Nancy is wearing and the white wine she’s sipping.
We have some clever ways of masking the current weather whenever we have to shoot out of season. I can vouch that it’s always much easier when you don’t have surrounding trees/landscape that would give away the time of year (bright-red leaves, a snow-covered yard, for examples). We were lucky that this cottage had mostly evergreen trees surrounding it. I had also taken quite a few summery photos myself when I visited the cottage in the summer, so we able to use one of these shots inside the magazine where we show the cottage exterior.
This is the image we went with for the cover. I thought it was key to have both Tim and Nancy in the shot because the renovation really highlighted both of their building and design talents. I initially would have loved a final cover shot that featured both Tim and Nancy AND Osiris. But when we were laying out the cover, we needed a little more space for captions and didn’t want Osiris to be covered over by text (don’t worry–she gets lots of play elsewhere in the spread).
What do you think of our choice?
More East Coast Living photo shoot outtakes:
By Janice Hudson Mar 13, 2012
Fun décor inspiration for spring
I’m starting to see a few brave shoots poking up in my garden. Oddly, they’re not crocus or hyacinth shoots, which I had expected to see first, but are tulips, irises and alliums. Though I know we’ll probably be walloped by at least one more winter storm (isn’t one coming this week? ugh), I thought it would still be fun to post some outdoor décor items. We can dream, right?
Chic gardening tools from HomeSense. Love the cheerful polka-dot handles. This bright-blue painted wooden lantern, also from HomeSense, is great for perking up a bland deck.
I adore these playful designs from J. Shatz. Both the bird feeder and the planter are made of handcrafted glossy stoneware. Each design comes in seven different colours, giving a really modern, chic look to any outdoor space.
A fun outdoor pattern from Pier 1 Imports. Love the mix of blue and green tones in this outdoor rug and pillow—it’s so fresh and bold for spring. Both items are from the company’s Catalina Cove collection.
What are you planning for your spring décor?
See more trends from East Coast Living:
By Janice Hudson Mar 6, 2012
See what’s coming up in our new spring issue
I thought it would be fun to highlight a few stories and some of the photography we’ll be showcasing in our new Spring issue, which hits newsstands March 18.
A shot from our charcuterie story taken by Dennis Evans. Our story by writer Simon Thibault shows how you can make your own patés and cured meats at home.
I’m stoked to be showcasing more coverage from Newfoundland in this issue, including a story by Denise Flint on this unique home in St. Philips owned by Dell Texmo and Keith Storey. They enlisted St. John’s architect Robert Mellin for the project. Photo courtesy Brian Ricks.
We also have a story by Lezlie Lowe on perfecting knife skills. Here’s a shot of chef Dennis Johnston in the kitchen of Fid Resto in Halifax, demonstrating proper knife technique. Photo courtesy Andrew Chow.
I can’t wait until the magazine is out! In the meantime, I’ve already started work on the summer issue. Feel free to send me your story ideas and tips on houses or designers you know of you’d like to see in the magazine.
See more:
By Janice Hudson Feb 14, 2012
Highlighting some Valentine’s Day inspired swag
I decided to throw together a few fun Valentine’s Day inspired items for the home. I’ve been coveting the Vinello wine rack from Umbra for quite some time. It’s also available in black but I prefer the red.
I am drooling over this chic multipurpose sofa bed—the Janus sofa bed from Ligne Roset. I’d love to have this in my tiny spare bedroom—it’s much more stylish than the ugly futon I’ve got in there now.
The classic Stool 60 from Artek gets a bright update in a punchy red hue.
And one for the foodies: this is the Piccantino chilli cruncher from Alessi. This kitchen gadget chops, spreads and stores chillis. I love its fun chilli pepper shape and ingenious function (it keeps you from getting chili seeds on your fingertips).
See more:
Email / News Signup
Sign up with your email address and East Coast Living will deliver the news directly to you.
Poll