when i picture perfection....

it comes in a subway tiled wall, a soft cream viking, and beautiful porcelain numbers that line my kitchen cabinets drawers.....

*images courtesy of jill sharp and country living

no words...

just pretty pictures.

*images courtesy of chocolate therapie, country style magazine, trisha brink design, beautiful paper

let's play...

i love this breakfast table combo from martha stewart....it made me want to play designer...so here are my thoughts on how to recreate a cute space on the cheap...let's get started w/ the main components:

(a) ikea docksta table will work perfect- cheap: check

(b) 4 bentwood bistro chairs...you can find these at any antique store/thrift shop/ yard sale (or maybe your parents attic or garage); and to add a twist, let's make sure they are all different styles of bentwood chairs...i would say you can find these bad boys for $25-30 a piece. and it doesn't matter if they have cane or wooden seats b/c we are adding a cushion.

(c) paint for the chairs...benjamin moore prescott green HC-140 (you will need to prime the dark wood first).

(d) stripe fabric...i like the unexpected pop of coral w/ this combo....so i am keeping it. any local fabric store should have a variety of stripes available...

(e) creating the diamond pattern for the fabric: cut the stripe on a diagonal (you will need 4 peices) and then align them together to form a diamond....simply take to a seamstress/ upholsterer/ your mom and create seat cushions

alright, now that we have the main things at a great budget...let's add a killer light...i love the goodman hanging lamp by thomas o'brien w/ the antique brass chain and white shade...circa lighting carries this little diddy. a little bit of a splurge but w/ all the money you saved, so worth it!!

that was fun! let's do it again soon :)

*first image from martha stewart

ART work

As most of you regular readers know my sister Patti is an artist. Our house is full of her pieces and almost every month we switch out some of them with the most current and newest works she's done. Here is a piece that has won her some awards and prestigious mentions in her University's papers as well as being selected to hang in a downtown gallery. It will be replaced (sadly) in a week's time when it goes off to the gallery for one year...so all I can do is enjoy it for now. Interesting fact, my sister is also studying to become a doctor so all of her art features medical subtext and inspirations. Her painting below is actually a zoomed version of an iris (someone's eye) and her print is actually a cross section and zoomed view of blood cells.

She also does prints as well (last picture shown). Can you tell I am a very proud sister!

If anyone likes Patti's work you can commission her to do a custom piece for you or pick from her portfolio of work. Just email me.

DIY Laquered box

I have been doing a little early Spring cleaning. You know, throwing, donating or my favourite of all recycling. I have an idea of what to do if like me, you have tons of boxes, be it shoe boxes or how about those decorative boxes you get when you buy perfume, you know the gift box sets that come as a "bonus" when you buy your regular fragrance or during holiday promotions. My mother had a great little gift box from a perfume she bought and asked if I wanted it (before she was about to toss it out). I quickly saw the great potential of this uber chic little box, that was an eggplant hue.

I primed and sprayed the box grey. I then taped off the box where I would be adding the white lines and painted them. Last step I let the paint (grey and white lines) completely dry for 1 day and then took some spray laquer finish and gave my tres chich box a high gloss laquer finish.

I know my box isn't perfect ( you can see some slightly smudged white lines) but I think it turned out great, and I love that I can hide all my papers and stuff away and off my small desk area. The greatest part... it cost me nothing! I had all the paint and spray...so next time instead of tossing an old box think of what you can do with it first.

two weeks...

i have officially been on bed rest for two weeks. you learn a lot about yourself when you're stationary.... and while i try (really hard) to have an optimistic outlook on the situation, i would be lying to say it's not incredibly hard. you might find some tears rolling down my face on any given day. mostly b/c i hate having to rely on someone else to do everything for me (and b/c i am pregnant and pregnant people cry a lot). it's hard to give up control of yourself. and while i never knew i was a controlling person, i have realized that i like to have an opinion in most all situations. i cannot thank my husband enough for what he has had to become. i always knew he was amazing but to watch him be a dad, a husband, a housekeeper, a cook, a chauffeur, a grocery shopper, a dog walker, a waiter, a laundry folder, a carpool picker upper, and so much more- amazes me. he does funny things like hide the receipts from me when he gets home from the grocery store, he buys taylor outfits that maybe a little bit more tomboyish then i would prefer, he asks girls in the make up aisle what concealer is (and bless his heart, he comes home w/ some that would look amazing on a really tan person), he goes into freak out mood when i have contractions and makes me call the doctor....but mostly, he makes me so incredibly proud to have him by my side....and he puts a smile on my face everyday (even if i sometimes don't feel like doing it).

*images courtesy of aubrey + lindsay, curls and coffee, girly me

Outdoor Inspiration

With the great weather we've been having lately in Toronto I have been thinking about furniture for the new deck we built last summer. Come this spring and summer I will be decorating my outdoor living space. I actually need a patio set and lounge set as well as some accessories, an outdoor rug and yes even plate, glasses and cutlery sets (that will come later). So I went online to Pottery Barn and found some inspiration photos. I probably won't be actually purchasing any furniture from PB (a little pricey pour moi) but I have seen similar pieces at Walmart and Home Depot. For now I am just brain storming, trying to figure out colour scheme and all.

I love the burnt oranges and bright yellows

This is by far my fav, chic black and white with moroccan inspired lanterns

I really like the bright blue, very Mediterranean with the lemons

Calm and serene, pale blue and green palette

My outdoor living space checklist:

1.patio set

2.lounge set

3.pillows

4.area rug

5.moroccan lanterns

6. timer lights for the deck

7.Industrial outdoor lights for the deck

I have some more inspiration pictures coming soon...