3.31.2010

Whats in your Purse?

There was a time when I would leave the house with some cash, a key, and a lipgloss..

I refused to have a cell phone, not wanting to be accessible at all times, until it was thrust upon me... suddenly a purse was required. 

Once the kiddies were born those enormous diaper bags became a constant companion.

I once attended a bridal shower, where a party game involved choosing the person with the most "stuff" in their purse.
 I started to sweat.
 The ladies eyed my bulging sack and I was unamimously voted for -
which led to dumping out my bag on the living room floor, revealing ziploc bags of cheerios and several suspiciously crumpled tissues, among (many!!) other things...

I never brought a purse to a shower again.

These days I find myself wanting to simplify - everything.

So spring has me seeking out a perfect little bag... 







 The Miss Nina by Miss Pretty Perfect
The Secret-Keeper Mini Bag at Anthropologie
DeadMau5 - Stellar (VEGAN/RECYCLED) by Matt and Nat
The Kiltie by Roots
Kristin Leather Crossbody by Coach
Tie Front Mini by Fossil
Kimichi Blue Flap Pouch at Urban Outfitters



What do you think, Ladies?

Are you guys in on this small bag movement?

Just large enough for cash, keys, and a lipgloss... and a cell phone :)

til next time..

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3.30.2010

Murray Duncan's Industrial Chic...


A while back I remember gasping over this living room in the home of Molly Sims.
You have all seen it, I'm sure..


It was before grey had become mainstream, and the silvers, mauves and greiges really made for a cutting edge colour-combo.  
Thats not what got me- it was the art which caused my heart to a-flutter...


I still don't know the name of this artist (do you?),
 never wanting to pursue something that I really cannot justify buying when there a three college funds to be filled.. but I thought about it often..

Later, Canadian House and Home ran a feature on rustic Italian dining, and presented this table:


Instant art lust!  The mix of graffiti-style typograhy and patina are incredible.
This one I did look up...

Murray Duncan is a Toronto artist  and co-creator of the hip store Hardware Interiors, known for their vintage and salvaged pieces.




Industrial Chic anyone?

Mr. Duncan's art melds perfectly with the exposed metals and reclaimed woods. Patina heaven!





Mixed media on wood under resin:



sigh.

til next time...


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3.29.2010

How Mokum Can Update Your Space...



Mokum is a Sydney based design studio that produces distinctive interior textiles.

I love their new Moderne Collection. Inspired by the 1920's, luxurious fabrics in gorgeous prints offer your home a little modern drama.

Aren't these graphic takes on rose prints wonderful?
Those are florals I could put in my home..




There are more than just florals... Navy is my current fave colour...






They also do carpets...








Yes, please! These are the kinds of textiles that help give your home some soul...






til next time...


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3.28.2010

Ooh, glamour at work...

Are you looking for a bit more oomph in your office?

I tend to want to keep the walls neutral, something about no distractions, staying focused (although my mouse keeps finding its way to etsy :) but here is a gutsy colour choice by TamStyles of Get It Girl.




Isn't it gorgeous? 
That colour could be overwhelming but she balances it out with sleek furniture and great accessories (love that art, above)

So chic!
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3.25.2010

Would You Sleep Here?


Last summer our family returned to Barrie. It's a small city (pop 125,000) just north of Toronto.
We have quite a large lake, Simcoe, that allows for plenty of beach time in the summer, and ski hills all around - Barrie is known for it's abundance of snow!
It's a fantastic place to bring up kids - the only downfall is that our families are a little farther away now.
So when we found this house, the guest room and semi-ensuite were big selling features.

Now, the last people to have lived here were pretty adventurous with colour (I'm trying to be gracious here).
We moved into quite the rainbow of rooms... the guest room was no exception - pumpkin.
For a small basement space with limited light this was too intense for me.

The decorating budget for this room was VERY minimal so I had to be a bit creative.

A leftover can of paint from my sons room did the trick


It's called County Cork, Ralph Lauren - a warm camel.
Do you see that orange?!

We had these canvases, from our master bedroom in our last home.



Although it's a small room, we had just replaced our king mattress and wanted to use our other one here -  a big bed is so comfortable and this room has a closet for guests so no dresser is required.
With no room to spare, I decided to use the art like a headboard, and got two of these twin bed bases from Ikea.
TOLGA Bed frame
This creates a platform feel (for $120!) which doesn't crowd the room any further..



These tie-dyed sheets have been waiting for a purpose for years - they are DKNY, and when I found them at Winners (for $12 each) I bought them because they matched those canvases - although I wasn't really sure what I was going to use them for.

 This is why my husband loves me LOL.



So the other day the tiny temporary curtains (from previous owners) gained a new life as curtain lining for my sheets!  Sewed the sheets onto the tabs, leaving a little excess fabric all along for fullness, and voila - new curtains that emphasize the ceiling height (and still need steaming!)





The chair ($4 at the thrift shop) was updated with some silver paint and a new seat. An old cord set was covered with twine and given a new paper lantern.

The shelves were moved here from the kids playroom, I didn't want glass around flying floor hockey balls...
My Grandmothers bookends finally have a special spot, and the other accessories were presents from my Sis over the years.. obviously I'm a sentimental fool!





I think it's pretty cosy! Just a few things left to finish..

I'm trying to decide what to make the bedskirt from - another bit of the tie-dye or plain white?
Also, I'm thinking of sewing that teal throw on the bed into a cover for a body pillow to place across the top, and adding a navy quilt across the bottom of the bed. And we definitely need four new king sized pillows, those little ones are pretty skimpy...

so what do you think?
Would you be comfortable staying here??!

Love to hear your feedback!

til next time...
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3.24.2010


it's a sunny spring day..
the kind of day that makes you want to get out of bed
walk the pooch
plan out your gardens for the summer
even...
start spring cleaning!!
(especially those windows - wow, what happened here this winter?!!)

                                                                                     countryliving

Lately, I have been looking at old pics of women working around the home.
Have you noticed they are always in an apron?



Everyone that knows me understands that while i am a creative wonder (ha), there is a substantial mess that goes along with all that creativity... I am all thumbs some (most!) days, and end up changing clothes three times, so this apron thing is starting to seem like a good idea..

So, where to get a stylish apron?

Here is a great site, The Hip Hostess.
It's a Mother/Daughter team, and they have come up with the most fab designs..



Love that rik-rak trim - and the ruffles below...

Click to see full size image
I love this Cafe Style one, with all the pockets for stashing tools and supplies in..

Click to see full size image

These lovely ladies also make a version for your little ones...



Too cute!  Any apron wearers out there? I think I am a convert...
The Hip Hostess has free shipping on orders of $75.00 or more :)

til next time...

by the by - I have been working on my guest room and hope to have pics up here tomorrow.. love to hear your suggestions...
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3.22.2010

TO Glass Artist Nick Chase Has Geometric Grace



The Artist Project in TO was on while I was away, so I have had to settle for an online tour...

Nick Chase stands out in particular.

He says the inspiration for his work is derived from urban and natural landscapes.

These pieces leave me wondering how geometrics can be so graceful..







The splintered geometrics and sculptural shaping almost feel like pottery - but with the translucency of glass and the glorious color,  I can only imagine how brilliant these look when lit in a darkened room...

til next time...
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