Friday, July 6, 2012

Romantic Garden Style



 Welcome to our romantic style garden as today I would like to share a few of my favorite highlights in the garden now.
 The Prairie Princess rose is blooming around our garden terrace as well as a Japanese Ivory Silk lilac adding a wonderful fragrance as well as beauty.
 It is still peony season here so I have picked some for bouquets.
 The hydgrangea with the lacy iron chairs in the background.
 This is the other side of the terrace.
 I love the combination of peonies and roses. The peony is Festiva Maxima one of my favorites as it originally came from my Dad's garden.
 This romantic rose is Lambert Close.
 Bowl of Beauty peony
 I love this Constance Spry rose with the white and blue clematis around it.
 Love the delicate beauty of my new Petticoat Fairy Tale rose. I love the blush of apricot in the centre.
 The Mary Rose with beautiful peonies.
 The Queen of Denmark is loaded with blooms this year.
 Krinkled White peony was loaded with it's delicate single blooms
 The arbor with Constance Spry and William Baffin in the background.
 This is one of my favorite lilac for scent as it is a delicate sweet scent that wafts around the garden.
 Constance Spry again.
 Sarah Bernhardt -a late Lactiflora, double, soft seashell pink, has a slight red edging in the middle of the flower, fragrant, slow grower, many stems, it belongs on the “good” list of well paid cut flowers, (Lemoine 1906).
 abundant peonies
 Hope you are not sick of Constance Spry yet-notice the clematis in background,I love this combination.

 Earlier this week we had a camera crew come in from Japan to film our garden for a September viewing of our garden and other spots around the Island and Nova Scotia.Wo hoo!
 A romantic place for a cup of tea in the garden.The beautiful hardy rose behind the bench is a soft mauve pink with a wonderful old fashion rose scent-it is Snow Pavement.
 Or maybe you would rather sit here for a spell and admire the peonies and roses behind you.


I hope you enjoyed a peek at some of my favorite garden shots. I love having some of my favorite romantic blossoms all in bloom at the same time.

I didn't forget my garden post where I will answer  your garden  questions -it is coming soon! I confess I have been enjoying some down time with family and friends the past few days.

I am joining My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday.

Enjoy your weekend.

Carolyn

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Breakfast in the Garden with Friends



 Hello everyone,
          We have been having beautiful sunny weather here so what better way to enjoy a morning then by having good friends over to enjoy a leisurely breakfast in the garden terrace.


 Breakfast was casual with homemade waffles,saugages,eggs .muffin,s and fruit and yogurrt parfaits.

 orange juice
 belguim waffles,whipped cream and strawberries


 Our friends Heather and Keith
 Thanks for joining us for breakfast-we will have to do this again soon!

  I have been asked to do a  review for some wonderful garden products at  Hayes Garden World. I looked at their site and they have many wonderful products for all  garden/summer lovers - I know I would love to have in our garden,everything from garden benches to barbeques and they even have a big sale on many of these products right now! Be sure to check out the Jamie Olivier giveaways and the seasonal garden tips too!

I am joining Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

Thank you for visiting,

 Carolyn

House Cleaning Rates

House Cleaning RatesToday's life is indeed very hectic, busy and full of distractions than ever before. Most of us today do not have time for house cleaning. After a hard and exhausting day at work the last thing that we want to come home and do, is vacuum the house and dust those cobwebs in the corner. But of course, we cannot live in a dirty house. A popular solution is to hire a house cleaning service. But, before you rush and call up your nearest house cleaning service, you should get all the necessary information on house cleaning services included, house cleaning rates etc.

House cleaning services have gained a lot of popularity in recent years. The reason for hiring a house cleaning services are varied. While some people do not have time due to long hours of work and hiring professional cleaners saves their precious time, others may hire cleaners because they may have allergies or are unable to do specific cleaning chores because of health conditions, age or other factors. Besides all these reasons, many people also hire cleaners for one time services to prepare for a party, vacation, spring cleaning etc.

House Cleaning Services
There are no fixed services that are offered by all cleaners. The cleaning services vary depending on the cleaners, conditions, frequency of service and size of the home. However, the standard package includes the following services according to your requirement.

  •  Dusting
  •  Vacuuming
  •  Making beds
  •  Cleaning and sanitizing
  •  Bathroom fixtures Cleaning and sanitizing kitchen fixtures
  •  Cleaning the microwave
  •  Sweeping or mopping floors
  •  Loading dishwashers
  •  Spot stain treatments when necessary
  •  Vacuuming or dusting furniture
  •  Laundry and ironing

However, there are other optional services available that can be done on a higher rates. For example services like polishing silver, window cleaning, cleaning walls, basement, garage or attic cleaning etc.

House Cleaning Rates and Estimates
These rates are generally based on the number of rooms, the area of the house and the services included. Another factor which affects the prices, are if the house cleaning services are offering a packaged rate. Discounted rates are offered by many cleaning services for weekly or biweekly cleanings, while one-time cleanings are more expensive as generally,one time cleanings require more work to be done by the services. The following are a couple of house cleaning estimates.

Once a Week Cleaning

  •  For a 900 square foot apartment, house cleaning service costs an average of USD 74 to USD 200.
  •  For a 1,300 square foot home with seven rooms, an average cost is about USD 95 to USD 300.
  •  A 2,200 square foot home costs an average of USD 149 - USD 400.

Bi-weekly Cleaning
The following are a few factors affecting the house cleaning prices.

  •  Size of the House: The size or square footage of home is the primary factor considered when setting a standard price.
  •  Layout: The layout of the home, that is the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, stories, etc., will have an impact on the cleaning price.
  •  Number of People: More people living in the home generate more cleaning chores and command a higher price.
  •  Pet Animals: It is a fact that homes with one or multiple pets will require more cleaning and hence, will be more expensive to clean.
  •  Children: Also, homes with younger children are sometimes more difficult to clean and may be a little expensive.
  •  Types of Cleaning: Another factor which affects the cleaning rates are the type of cleaning required. The homeowner will be able to determine how detailed the cleaning is, including costs if additional services are required. Most homeowners keep a house cleaning checklist for maid.
  •  Weekday or Weekend: If the homeowner prefers the home to be cleaned on the weekend, rates will be higher.
  •  Location: Cleaning rates vary in different parts of the country and may also depend on travel distance from the service's main office.

These were the factors that will have an impact on your house cleaning rates. Hiring a house cleaning service can save time, effort and depending on the services requested, can be reasonable. You can come back to a clean and comfortable home after a hard day's work.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Cool Aqua

 Hello everyone,
            Hope you all had a happy weekend and for us Canadians it is a long one as today is still a holiday.We had beautiful weather here but my heart goes out to our American friends who have had extreme weather conditions.
 This old sea shell belonged to my aunt and I would like to know the story behind it but alas too late.
Aqua pitcher with white roses


I took these photos last week after my aqua daze tablescape and they were a lot less work and in the end I think I liked them better. There is something to be said for keeping it simple!

All thrift shop or yardsale dishes.




I hope you enjoyed some cool aqua!

Thank you for visiting,

Carolyn

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Home Appraisal Tips

You may be thinking of moving on from your present home or may be thinking of a refinance to buy another one. But then, how would you determine the price you would want for your property? This is when a home appraisal or your real estate appraisal would come in handy. On the other hand, if you are thinking of a refinance, an appraisal of your home would give you an exact idea of the amount you are eligible for getting another home loan. We give you some home appraisal tips, which, if followed, would assure you the best possible value.

If you are thinking of a refinance, the lender would usually use the services of an appraiser they prefer. However, on the other hand, if you want to sell your home, you can opt to choose an independent appraiser.

During the appraisal an inspection of your home would be conducted. This would include a visual examination of your house and the condition of the bedrooms, bathrooms, the kitchen etc. The appraiser would provide an estimated value of your house, which is based on two factors. The first factor is the cost required to construct a similar house and the second element that he would consider is comparing other houses in your locality which have been recently sold.

Getting the House Ready for Appraisal

Make the House Shipshape
One of the most important home appraisal tips is to make your house appealing, you can do this by improving its exterior. The outdoor surroundings of your home should look attractive, with green grass and not dead brown one. Make sure not to leave gardening tools like lawn mowers lying around besides, keeping the plants trimmed. It's good to have landscaped garden with ponds, gardens, etc. provided they are maintained well. Ensure that not only the overall surroundings of the house looks great, but the exterior walls are also well painted.

Clean the Interiors
A day or two before the appraiser comes make sure that you clean the walls, kitchen, and bathroom. The most challenging part is managing the clutter. If you don't want your house to look small and unappealing, make sure that clutter is managed properly. Even if, you are planning to take away all the furniture, it may still look dirty. Moreover, random things here and there is bound to affect appraiser. More the space your house seem to have, more the chances of its higher valuation.

Renovate Your House
Renovation would require some money. Buyers are attracted towards renovated houses thereby, increasing the value of your house. The most important rooms which should be renovated are the kitchen and bathroom. Try replacing the cabinetry of the kitchen as it takes much of the wall space thereby, affecting the kitchen style. Even though the other parts of the kitchen are up-to-date, but if the cabinets are old, it would reduce your home's value. On the other hand the bathroom should look spacious and there should be enough storing space. If there is enough space, try to include double sinks as they are very popular. If the floors are old, update them or else the appraiser may be put off and it may affect the valuation.

Color and Decor
Always keep in mind that buyers picture themselves living in home they are going to buy. So put efforts in making the house look as big as possible. The walls and floors should seem as if, they are well maintained. You need to make sure that the colors are warm and inviting which would ensure a better deal for you. It's affordable and easy to replace paint so make it a point to do it before you show your house to your prospective buyers or the bank agent if you are looking for a refinance. The decor of your house will also effect the value of your home. It may seem troublesome as you may be moving your furniture and other belongings out, but then if the buyer sees the home dirty and things scattered here and there, he is bound to have a negative impression. So make sure that your house looks spacious, large and tidy.

Repairs
If there are any problem areas make sure to fix them. Not only would the appearance of the house be effected, but it would have an impact on the price as well. For example, if there is a leakage make sure to fix it. You give a negative impression to potential buyers and home inspection professional by not fixing problem areas and it may get in the way of you getting a good value. If you don't fix things, your chance of asking for a better deal would get effected. So take care today as broken or things working not properly look bad.

The bottom line of home appraisal for refinancing or for selling your house is to make sure that your house is in the best possible condition. It should not only be inviting, open and clean it should look as big as possible. If you keep these things in mind the asking price would definitely increase by a great extent. On the other hand, if you are the one who wants to buy a house, don't overlook these points mentioned above.

The Garden Bench



 Hello everyone,
             I hope you are enjoying a lovely weekend. Here in Canada it is a long weekend as we are celebrating Canada Day .today.
Come and sit for a spell on the garden bench and smell the roses. The roses are Snow Pavement and they have a wonderful fragrance.

A basket full of peonies

The hydrangea in a planter.
The roses are more abundant this year then ever before-must be the weather.



I hope you have some time to stop and smell the roses and to all my Canadian friends Happy Canada Day!

Thank you for visiting,
Carolyn