Hello everyone.
Wow, there is a lot of confusion out there concerning the various energy grants and tax credits available to us. Thankfully, Nico teWinkle knows all about it. He’s here to clear some of it up:

ecoENERGY is Alive and Well.

  When I tell people that I’m a Certified Energy Advisor doing ecoENERGY assessments, I often get the same response: “I thought they canceled that”.

It’s true that our provincial government has discontinued most grants in the “LiveSmart” program, meaning homeowners do not get quite as much grant money as before; however, LiveSmart was only part of the funding that was available – the federal government is still going strong with its ecoENERGYprogram, and people can still receive up to $5,000 back in grant money.

Now, before you dismiss that with a frown and a wave and an utterance to the effect of  “yeah, but that ends soon”, let me clarify that ecoENERGY is completely separate from the Home Renovation Tax Credit program, which is available until January 31 2010.

The ecoENERGY program is good until March 2011, so anyone interested still has a year and several months to make upgrades and apply for the grants.

Just remember: you do have to get a “pre-retrofit assessment” of your home completed before you make any upgrades. In essence, somebody has to come check out your house so that the grant program has a starting point to base the grants on.

This assessment comes with a lot of great advice and includes energy modeling to help determine where your energy upgrade dollars will be most effective.

Even more grants are available through SolarBC for those intending to go to the next step by installing solar energy setups such as solar hot water heating.

So before you start those renovations, check out what grants may be available to you – you might be surprised!

For more information, visit LiveSmartBC.ca, ecoAction.gc.ca, and SolarBC.ca.

For details on grants still available, visit http://citygreen.ca/energy/ecoENERGY_grantchart.aspx

Nico teWinkel is a Certified Energy Advisor for City Green Solutions, living in the Comox Valley. Alternative energies and energy efficiency are his passion.

To book an ecoENERGY assessment, you can call City Green Solutions at 1-866-381-9995 and ask to book an appointment with Nico.

Recipe Via: AllRecipes.com

www.JackieConnelly.com

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FLOR:

I’ve decided to do a group order of FLOR for anyone reading ComoxValleyDwellings.com. You may have seen the links and comments about this on the facebook page.

www.Flor.com

If you live in the Comox Valley, and want to put an order in as well, please email me. We should be able to save on the shipping costs for a larger order. Once I get an idea of the number of people who want to order, I’ll get an estimate for price of shipping. It’s a great product! I’m looking forward to using if for our loft renovation.

~b

~ b

“What is Wall Art?”

This is a technique that many people are unaware of. You may think of it as a type of mural/ or decal, but surprisingly it is actually an original work of art painted right on your wall.

Today most people are looking for unique, individual ways of expression when it comes to artwork. Some clients are on a budget, or cannot find that piece of artwork that will be appropriate for their space. When this happens, I like to introduce wall art. I usually take one basic color from the client’s pallet, match the existing theme, and consider the space in order to come up with a design. Then I will take that design and enlarge it onto the wall or other surface.  I recommend always going with the theme at hand, if there is one.  This is a great way to make your space look aesthetically pleasing and also adds a fantastic conversational piece.

Wall Art is painted directly onto your walls. It is an alternative for traditional artwork, but can still be refreshed or updated with a new coat of paint (great for kid’s spaces!).  Remember Wall Art is an original piece of art and it will have the characteristics of a regular piece of art work.

Recently, my Wall Art has moved to the great outdoors.  This idea has helped many boring fences come alive. Yes, fences may keep the deer from eating plants and give privacy, but lets face it… they can look quite displeasing. For exterior fences and exterior walls,  this is the new way to add color, interest and balance between your interior and exterior spaces .

WALL ART: The new and upcoming trend in décor.
Make a statement today and tomorrow …

Hi!, my name is Kacy Bolton and I am an Interior designer and artist in the Comox Valley. My business is called Dali Designs. I provide design services for Interior, Exterior and Landscaping. I have been a designer for years and have incorporated my custom art pieces into many projects. I am always looking for something different when it comes to artwork.

www.DaliDesignz.com

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pssssst. I dislike adding “disclaimers” – but I’d like you to know that Kacy has not paid to be on this site. I invited her to share some info because I really think she’s a promising local interior designer. All things “sponsorship” have been put on hold until I can figure out how to do it the way I want to. When I start accepting money from advertisers, I’ll let you know.

~b

Wow, what a week! From flooding to blizzards – we’ve experienced our share of crazy weather out here in little Comox Valley. Not the best week to be on the roads commuting to school…. I’m happy to be devoting some quality indoor time today to the cleaning of my house – with little car-time.

Here is Jackie Connelly with a recipe for cozy-morning granola:

RECIPE: from “Baked: New Frontiers in Baking” by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
VIA: TheAmateurGormet.com

WEBSITES:
www.JackieConnelly.com
www.TerraBreads.com

~

“WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS” - Local Screening this Weekend. 

You may have heard about a film called “Who Does She Think She Is?” that will show here in Courtenay on Sunday at the museum. The film is a documentary exploring the challenges women face when it comes to their fulfilment. We are so often asked to choose between parenting, career or creative desires. This film explores the idea that perhaps we do not need to choose. I’m eager to see this film. I know it will inspire awakening thoughts and inspirational conversations.

The battle to balance my own ambition, crazy ideas, creativity, marriage and parenting has been a bit messy. Sometimes I feel as if I’m barley hanging in there. (Not alone in this, I’m sure). But at the same time I need to be doing this because it is WHO I AM. I can lay-low for only a short while, allowing myself a reprieve to recharge I suppose. But it doesn’t take long before the drive inside of me starts brewing up ideas and creativity in almost unmanageable quantities.

I was asked to be at this screening as an example of a local women who is doing just as the film is suggesting – refusing to choose between parenting, career or creative desire. I will be there along side some other local women whom I highly admire.  This is a great honour, and quite humbling, as my journey with this lifestyle has been openly challenging (such is the nature of “blogging”).

There were limited tickets for this event, but there may be a few spaces left. For tickets, you can visit this website: http://lianne.typepad.com/womenart/

Doors open at 1:30. Film starts at 2:15.

www.JackieConnelly.com

Chicken Satays

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

6 skinless chicken thighs cut into strips
1/4 cup lemongrass paste
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 inch sliced ginger
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 tbsp. coriander
2 tsp. cumin
3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
4 tbsp. fish sauce
5 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

METHOD

• Place all marinade ingredients in a food processor and process well. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

• Slide the pieces of meat onto the wooden skewers. (Tip: soak skewers in water beforehand to prevent splintering.)

• Pre-cook: Barbecue the satays on high heat (400-500 degrees) for 10 minutes (place the satays diagonally on the grill for 5 minutes; then same side but opposite diagonal for the next 5 minutes).

• About 10 minutes before you’re ready to serve, pop the skewers in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes (check thoroughness of cooking before serving)

• Serve with thai peanut dipping sauce.

Enjoy!

Good morning and a happy Monday to everyone.  As you may have noticed, the website has been looking a little different these days.  Over the past couple of weeks there have been many changes happening in my household, including ongoing  discussion to relocate and pursue our dreams of farm life and self-sufficiency.  The results of this discussion and deliberation have led our family to take a leap of faith, and on December 1st we will be leaving the Comox Valley to re-establish ourselves in my husband’s home town of Didsbury, Alberta.  This has been both an unexpected and exciting  turn of events in our lives, and we are moving forward with our decision to pursue an incredible opportunity.

Obviously this has an impact on my involvement in our website, and unfortunately I have to step down as the contributor for our Interior Design component.  While I am excited for the future and what this change may bring for me and my family, I am also disappointed  to have to leave the Valley and the Comox Valley Dwellings venture.  I have greatly enjoyed my time working with Bethany on this project, as her vision for this website has been so inspiring.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the home owners, shop owners, and readers that have supported us through the start up of the website, the local support in this community has been amazing! 

Over the next couple of years we plan to devlope a self-sufficient farm, that includes chickens, pigs, goats, cows, and of course a vegetable garden.  We are ambitious about our future at the farm, and have been brainstorming our way through impending projects.  As we settle into our “new home on the prairie,” I look forward to many days of garden designing, animal tending, and enjoying all the perks that wholesome country life has to offer. 

I will always be grateful to the Comox Valley for providing my family with such a lovely life experience.  We have enjoyed our time here immensely and look forward to many returning visits.  Thanks again to Bethany and her family for such a wonderful opportunity, your passion for the website is beautifully earnest.

~ Kari

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks around here as we shuffle around the website with sick children on our laps and deal with changes of the “left-field” variety.

How does that relate to pancakes? Well normally it wouldn’t. But this weekend I’m vowing to put the books, work and other stresses of life aside while I sit around the table with my family to share some simple pleasures.

… then, perhaps, we’ll install the new loft window :)

www.jackieconnelly.com

Today we have a guest to teach us how to make a custom pillow slip cover. Thanks Katie!

Enjoy…

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If you haven’t used your sewing machine in a while this is the perfect quick and easy project to revive your sewing inspiration. If you sew all the time then this is a totally satisfying project to freshen up your home décor.

I was inspired by this gorgeous piece of silk fabric recently given to me (Thank you Mo!).

Fiber Facts ~ Silk is a natural fiber that is highly regarded for its strength, luster and dye-ability. The intense and vibrant colour of silk fabric is inspiring in itself. Silk production is labour intensive and therefore costly, but its luxurious and luminous qualities can’t be matched by any synthetic fiber that has been developed in imitation

A small project such as a pillow slipcover is THE perfect way to indulge in this spectacular fabric without spending a fortune. Of course, you can also use any of the beautiful home décor fabrics currently available locally.

You will need:

• a pillow form in your desired size (mine is 20” x 20”)
• approximately half a meter of fabric (your measurement will depend on the size of your pillow)
• matching thread
• ruler, pins, marking pencil

Cutting:

1.) Cut the front of the slipcover to the exact size of your pillow.

My piece is a 20” square.

2.) Cut two back pieces ½ the length plus 4” for hems and overlap.

My pieces are 20” x 14”.

Note ~ This is one of the few times when you are not going to add seam allowances – this creates a plumper and more professional looking pillow. If you add seam allowances the slipcover will actually be loose.

Sewing Instructions:

1.) Measure and press ½” to the wrong side of one long edge of each back piece. Fold ½” again to hide raw edge and press. Stitch close to the folded edge as shown.

 2.)Lay front piece right side up. Place back pieces face down, overlapping in the middle. Pin. Use a pencil (any colour that will show up on your fabric is fine) to mark ½” pivot points for the corners.

3.) Using the ½” seam guideline, start sewing in the middle of one side (do not start sewing at a corner). Stitch around the entire pillow cover, backstitching when you meet your starting point. You can pivot at the corners or try the professional technique below. Trim excess seam allowance at corners.

Professional Tip ~ One stitch across the diagonal at the corners actually creates better-formed points when the fabric is turned right side out.

4.) Turn right side out, stuff with your pillow form, and Voila!

There are endless options for embellishment with contrasting stitching, appliqué, hand embroidery… Watch out for a future DIY pillow post…

Happy Sewing! 

Author Bio

Katie Leikermoser is a Home Economics Teacher, enviro-conscious mother of 4, living with a renovation-in-progress who loves to share her passion for sewing and all things related to making a house a home. When she’s not in the kitchen she tries to find as much time at her sewing machine as possible.

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Recipe Feature with Jackie Connelly

This recipe for Harissa Prawns calls for the sauce on the side, but I like to marinate the prawns in the harissa sauce for a short while before pan frying. Served with something fresh like this cucumber and tomato salad with fresh mint balances the heat of the harissa. Source local, in season prawns in your area to make it even better!

Harissa Prawns Recipe
 

©2009jackieconnelly

www.JackieConnelly.com

Before

After

Inspiration photo via: RemodelingCenter.com

Building a detached garage can be a very exciting home renovation project, as it can add additional storage space, and increase the value of your home.  The process from start to finish is much like that of building a home, but on a smaller scale.   Most of the same stages in construction occur during the project such as drawing up blueprints, applying for permits, gathering quotes, and finally physically constructing the building.  A detached garage  provides an excellent opportunity to experiment with colour and an assortment of building materials, since it is not attached to the existing home.

This inspiration picture really has the look of a mini house, as it mimics many of the same great architectural details used on houses on the exterior of the garage.  Like the before shot that our reader has sent in, the garage in this photo has chosen red as an accent colour for the upper part of the garage.  I think this a great use of colour, and in order to create a unified pallet, the red should be carried to the lower portion of the garage.  Let’s start at the top of the garage and work our way down.

To soften the red shakes in the gable, try using a white bracket in the centre of the peak as shown above.  Since the roof is a dutch-hip style, there would only be room for one bracket, but it will still give the desired effect.  You can duplicate these brackets on either side of the garage man door with or without a pergola above.  In my opinion the brackets would look just as good without the pergola since there are deep eaves around the building, and little headroom above the door.

Next, I would suggest using white shutters on either side of each window to break up some of the blue siding and introduce more white to create a more balanced colour pallet.  I love the white planter boxes below the windows, so if you have a green thumb, they would be a charming addition, especially with some red flowers to coordinate with the other red accents.

Since the siding has already been completed, there is no option to incorporate red brick directly on to the building, so perhaps some red brick planter boxes, or something with a similar red-tone on either side to the overhead door opening would work instead.

I contemplated red for the garage overhead door, but I feel it would be too overwhelming.  Instead, I think the overhead door should remain white, and the garage man door would be perfect painted red.  This way all of the colours will have be evenly distributed across the whole building, creating a uniform and cohesive look.

~k

I have been leaving little twitter/facebook updates regarding our attic loft. Many of you have asked me how this renovation is going. This tells me that you find inspiration in local renovation projects.

I was going to talk about cleaning grout (exciting! not…) but I decided that it would be much more interesting if Joe and I shared our renovation progress with you. I hope to share an update with you every Friday along with other DIY features. This of course will depend on how much we can accomplish while running two businesses, working full-time, going to school full-time, and cramming in family-time. Amazingly enough, we do get a lot done!

When we first looked at this house a year and a half ago, one of the biggest selling features for us was the vaulted attic. Although it only has a 6/12 pitch (meaning the peek is at 6ft.), we could see right away how it could be included as living space.

We contemplated taking off the existing roof and replacing it with a steeper pitch, but when the economy slumped we decided that concentrating on doing things to give the BIGGEST impact on the SMALLEST budget would be the smartest choice. Therefore, we decided to keep the 6/12 pitch.

We have had many ideas for this space and we’re still not totally sure what the “official” purpose of the space will be. I’m leaning towards making it a flexible space which can be used for different purposes depending on the needs of the current owner (see CMHC’s FlexHousing™ program). Right now, we’re leaning towards making it a “bijoux” master bedroom loft and converting the existing master bedroom (which is directly off the living room) into an office complete with built-ins.

I don’t have a before picture of what the attic looked like when we bought it, but I can show you what it looks like currently:

I have collected many photographs for inspiration over the last year. Here is my current favourite:

Via - Better Homes and Gardens

One of the biggest sources of my learning when it comes to making a small house livable has been a book called “Little House on a Small Planet“. I first heard about it on PeekMoment.tv (highly recommend checking this site out). In this book, author Shay Salomon takes readers on a journey through North America to visit and discuss small-home living.

Another great source of inspiration for sustainable based renovating is the Canadian Housing and Morgage Corporation’s website. I have spent countless hours on this website dreaming of the day when I can play a role in the Comox Valley concerning affordable housing. This website is well organized and I find it easy to get the information I need.

Today we’re going to continue working on the attic. Our “to-do” list includes finishing the taping and mudding, and sourcing out some flooring that will tie into the look of the rest of the house.

I’m looking forward to sharing our progress with you! Best of luck for any DIY projects you’re undertaking this weekend.

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Recipe Feature with Jackie Connelly

“I recently got the chance to photograph (and eat!) some fabulous Indian food from a very well known Chef, Vikram Vij, while sitting in the middle of a farm; I was in heaven! This is a recipe for his pakoras, and if you’re craving Indian these won’t disappoint.”

Vij’s Buttemilk Pakoras Recipe

‘©2009jackieconnelly’

www.JackieConnelly.com