+Backyard Makeover - Day 24 ...HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Day 24: Base for the retaining walls/steps of the vegetable area is started. Crew working on a strong base for the retaining walls and steps. ra-tat-tat-tat-a-tat-tat-tat.... I HATE THAT MACHINE! Our new 8 Emerald cedars and 1 bloodgood Japanese Maple...a gift from Plantenance. So much excavation still to be done. Guess who took residence in the port-a-potty? I swear, it wasn't me who put that skull there. Who's the prankster??? Last time I heard, no one is admitting. That's hilarious! It is Halloween after all. It could have been worst. OK Stop kidding around...Get back to work! ;-)

To be continued...

+The reveal

6 weeks from design, pattern to sewing,
800 something yards of tulles to ruffle BY HAND,
1 mask to make,
3-4 fittings,
countless sewing needles broken by the beads

...and TADA!!! La dress!!!

These picture are taken just before Cinderella arrives to get prepped for the masquerade ball. In the spirit of Halloween, I had decided to call this gown...GREY GOOSE...Black Swan's hip younger sister. *smiles* The sequined top is taken from a dress I found from The Salvation Army for $39.99. I salvaged the sequined sheer part and try to find pieces big enough to fill the top part of the gown. If I bought a brand new sequined fabric, it would have cost a lot more. The colour of the sheer was perfect. It was my starting point. From this, it was easy to choose the tulle colours. I bought the tulles from Canada Tulle. I chose charcoal grey, black, Williamsburg blue and glimmer light silver for some added sparkle. I used two colours together, like the black+charcoal and blue+glimmer silver, to add dimension so when she moves, the colours change. It's amazing to see in-person. Nothing adds instant volume than ruffled tulle. The volume depends on how tight the ruffles are. For this dress, I ruffled 5 yards down to 1 yard. So, eventhough I used 400 something yards of tulle (two layers), after ruffling, there were 80 yards sewn onto the long skirt part. It wasn't heavy at all.

Cinderella, aka my good friend, is about to arrive in a few minutes. I need to do her hair and makeup, and get her to the ball on time!!! Pictures to follow.

Panic time! I need a drink! Later!!!

+Backyard Makeover - Day 23

Day 23: Hot tub base, planting for privacy, etc... Main top level grout drying. Love the grey grout. Base for the hot tub built...a 9'x9' base to fit our 7'x7' hot tub. Cedars planted along neighbour line to add some privacy.

To be continued...

+Backyard Makeover - Day 22

Day 22: Grouted main deck level. More excavation for the side part (aka vegetable area) of the garden. Prepping area for the hot tub...that's right...HOT TUB! YAY!!! Vegetable area. Gravel sand for base of hot tub, black top soil.

To be continued...

+The Mask

Cinderella can't go to a masquerade ball without a mask, right? Here's one I made myself. Sorry, I didn't have time to document the steps for making the mask. Between the backyard landscaping and the masquerade ball gown, I am scrounging for time these days.

Materials used:
plastic mask
feathers (long, short)
sequined ribbon
sparklers (craft store)
glue (heavy duty for feathers, ribbon, etc)
craft glue (for sparklers)
satin ribbon for straps
...and that's it.

+Backyard Makeover - Day 21

Day 21: Excavation of the side (aka vegetable area) has begun... The big digger... That's Angelo (driver) and Fred (looking on). John helped me replant some of the rescued shrubs. That's a boxwood (upper) and a sedum (lower). More rescued boxwoods replanted along side of deck. Check out that slope from top of main deck to grass level. That's going to be some crazy gravity-defying rock garden. I ordered 8 emerald green cedars: 5 of them will be planted along the curve of the main deck to add some privacy. Shot taken from very corner of lot. The house seems taller. Side...another multi-level challenge.

To be continued...

+Backyard Makeover - Day 20

Day 20: Black soil delivered and distributed onto planting areas. Ground is levelled around the main deck, prepping for the sod. Black soil transported from front driveway to side of house. Planting levels hugging the main deck. A more sandy soil for prepping the sod...the grass areas. That's Angelo. This is where a new Japanese rock garden -ish going...quite the slope from top main deck to the grass level. That's Angelo again. Like my cheap Made-in-China croc?

To be continued...

+Backyard Makeover - Day 18,19

Day 18: Oops! Forgot to take pictures. Paving started on the main deck.

Day 19: Paving completed on the main deck. Paved main deck. That's Louis. That's Angelo, levelling the ground prepping for sod. Trees at south-west corner were taken out. Don't worry, they'll be replaced by a gorgeous sour cherry tree...as requested by the hubby...only next spring though. Around this time, it's slim-picking for good healthy trees at the nurseries. Twenty pallates of hardscape materials later...mostly went to build the main deck and it's retaining walls.

To be continued...

+Backyard Makeover - Day 15,16,17

Day 15: No pictures were taken. It rained so much, the crew worked for a few hours until the rain became unbearable. The backyard was like chocolate soup!

Day 16: The main deck was leveled more. The steps leading up to family room doors were started. The top most retaining wall is continued. The crew works non-stop. It's amazing how much is done in a day. The steps leading to the family room.

Day 17: Woohoo! Putting down the pavers has begun. It looks great!!! Every angle has an interesting look. This backyard will never be called boring again! Well, except for the background...that hasn't been started yet. Soon!!! Darn! So the wrong shoes.

To be continued...

+The Attack of the Fluffy Tulles

It took over 600 yards of 6" wide tulles...all ruffled. I can't believe it either but it's true. My large sewing table was overtaken by tulles...and that's just the skirt part of the gown. Somewhere in all those fluff is the sewing machine. It became clear early on that this was going to be challenging...not because of the weight, which is really light but rather twisting, turning, feeding the material through the sewing machine while balancing all that fluffiness. I was, literally, drowning in tulle. Good thing no one was there to take a photo...well, except for the four men working outside on our backyard makeover.

There are only 7 days left to complete, what I started calling, "Operation Parfait". Why? 'Cause this dress is going to look light, airy, dreamy and sweet!

+Backyard Makeover - Day 12,13,14

Second retaining is almost done. Second wall done. Prepping the stones for the next and top-most retaining wall. Top-most wall almost done. Prepping the base for the pavers. Looking really really good!!! Isn't this exciting? OH NO!!!The weather forecast not looking great. Rain rain go away. Come again another day...like April.

To be continued...

+I'm a fairy godmother

So back in mid-September, a close friend of mine (and neighbour) mentioned that they had been invited to a masquerade ball on October 29. I asked "What are you wearing?". She said "hmmm I don't know. I guess I can rent something at a Halloween shop." I shrieked "What?!? No way, those clothes are awful. It's a masquerade ball. You gotta shine!". Then, the next thing I knew, I was offering to make her ballgown including the mask. Um, did I have an aneurysm? On one condition though...I must have carte blanche. I have free rein to design it and to choose fabrics. WOOHOO!!! And, oh yes, one more thing...I will be posting the final product AND she has to be a supermodel for a few hours. How sweet is that?!?

I started on the design immediately, not wasting any time since I had 6 weeks to complete it. The fit is more-or-less done. Probably one more fitting just to be sure. I can't show too much because I want to keep her gown a secret as much as possible, but I'll show you a little peek. Most of the gown will be drowning in tulle. She's gonna look like a parfait...a seductive parfait. *smiles* I bought the tulles from Canada Tulle. Believe me, I compared prices between Fabricville, online, etc... and Canada Tulle has the best prices on tulle. I ordered close to 800 yards of 6" wide tulle, which I will ruffle and then sew on the main fabric. AM I NUTS?!?!? I will be drowning in tulle for the next few days. Enough chatting, my tulles are waiting. There's just 9 days to go. EGAD! Quietly freakin' out.

Just call me Fairy Godmother. On second thought, DON'T CALL ME I'M BUSY!

+Backyard Makeover - Day 11

Steps leading up the main patio start taking shape. Two steps down...eight more to go. Good grief! I told you we have major elevation issue in our backyard. Entrance to my "atelier" in the background. Retaining wall against the "atelier" side. Top view of the retaining wall where I plan to plant lavenders and other fragrant flowers. Weather looking yucky! BOO!!!

To be continued...