Home Feature: Rustic Styled Shelving

Hi All!

Last week, Randi, an old friend from grade school shared an amazing shot of her new shelves on her Facebook page and I was IN LOVE and super jealous of course!! 

Can you believe how amazing this shot is?? I can't stop thinking about this and wanting to add something like this to my Dining Room wall!! 

Of course, the lucky duck has a family member with land and so the weathered wood was completely free and already included that great hardware poking through! 

Randi added some hooks, hung them up and styled this beauty to chippy, vintage perfection!  

Here are a few more shots for your enjoyment:

I can even spot a cute little vignette happening in the bottom corner there.

What a great little pairing of a chippy bird, floral covered book, chippy frame with pic of her kids, vase with pussy willows and a fun, brightly colored pot in some of the more muted colors seen. 

I love the chippy blue vase with wildflower looking arrangement, silver frame, antique tray, branches and of course a pretty floral scarf to showcase those hooks! 

Great job Randi! I love this and am inspired to add something similar to my dining space!  I even got an email from a FB page I like last night advertising some old barn boards for sale, So I will be checking that out!! 

I'd love to see and share some other great spaces, so if you have one that you'd love to see here, or know someone who does, let me know!!

Fab Fit Fun Spring 2015 Review

Apparently my mobile Blogger hasn't been publishing a few of my scheduled posts...but since I'm sick, that works out well since I had nothig else ready to go. So here's a post from a few weeks ago that never made it. Enjoy!

 Friday was a great day- not only did I have the day off since my family was coming into town, but it was a fantastic mail day!!! My long-awaited <a href="http://fabfitfun.com">Fab Fit Fun</a> box came in! The worst part about quarterly boxes is waiting....

This is my third Fab Fit Fun box and I'm always pretty happy with my box. 

Here are the details:

What: A quarterly box with an assortment of goodies that fall within their fab, fit, fun theme. A variety of accessories, beauty, lifestyle, fitness, home decor and often some food (usually sponsored) products. 

Cost: I have an upgraded VIP membership which works out to $45.00 per quarter.

Ships: US and Canada. It costs $8/mth to ship to Canada but US is free. 

If you're interested in signing up use code: FRIENDS at checkout to save 20% on your order!! 

Here's a first peek:

Their info card is always pretty great and lists details for all the products. 

As always, there was a nice mix of lifestyle products so I was happy to check everything out!! 

Here's what was inside:

Jules Smith Scarf

This scarf came in either Watercolor or Modern Art print. I'm quite happy wih the Watercolor print, but to be fair, i haven't seen what the other pattern looks like. This scarf is very lightweight and perfect for adding a little color to your warmer weather outfits. It's very pretty and I'm looking forward to wearing it with a cute dress.  

Valued at $42 (seems a bit jight to me and certainly more than I'd ever pay....) 

Palmetto Derma Collagen Booster and Restoration Serum

I'm just starting to pay attention to anti-aging products (I'm 32...) and while I have no wrinkles, I do have some deep smile lines that I might try this out on!  This is not a brand I've ever heard of before so I'm interested to try them out. 

Valued at $48 

Merrithew 3 DVD Set "Intense Body Blast" + $25 Gift Card

This is supposed to be a combination of High Intensity Interval training and STOTT Pilates moved so  interested to trying this. I'm also much happier for an actual DVD instead of just a code like last time.  I haven't yet checked to see if the gift card works for Canadians or what they have but I will be looking shortly to see what I can get from their 500 fitness products 

Valued at $61 (this will be dependent on whether I can actually use the gift card) 

OFRA Cosmetics Eyeshadow Brush Duo (#11 and #20) 

I think a makeup brush set like this, is nice for a sub box especially since I always seem to misplace my brushes.  However.. I am a little confused by them listing this as a eyeshadow duo since the listing says #20 is for concealer or foundation. Anyhow, they seem very soft and quality so I'm looking forward to adding these to my bag! 

Valued at $45.90

ORLY Nail Polish in "Cake Pop" & Nail BB Creme

The Cake Pop color is a very subtle light pink which is perfect for spring and French manicures. I've never used the Orly brand, but I've heard good things,  so I look forward to seeing how long it lasts. I've also heard heard of Nail BB creme but for someone like me, this seems like a quick and easy way to sport great looking nails- I anticipate this will be a new fave! 

Valued at $8.50 and $15 respectively

Yasi Metallic Flash Tattoos

I'm actually a big fan of metallic tattoos and am glad to have some more but I am not sure about the color of these. While the gold is fine, the other color appears purple? So I'm not sure how that will look on skin... But I've got some fun summer plans and a music festival to try them out at! 

Valued at $36 (this seems high considering I balked paying $25 for my other ones...) 

Rifle Paper Co. Cities Coasters Set

These are actually super pretty and come in 4 different patterns. Even the box is pretty and I've added it to my Spring coffee table-scape.

Although, to be quite honest, I don't LOVE that they are paper cause then they are just gonna get soggy and tossed out. However, that being said. Glass and porcelain tend to stick to glasses when the glasses sweat and that's never fun crashing down on my glass topped table so this might be the best option. I like that they've included something for the house and Rifle Paper Co is so huge right now so this was a fun addition and great for summer when you're entertaining. 

Valued  at $16

Sprout It App Card & Miracle Grow Gro-able Seed Pod

I love that they included somethig gardens inside this box! Unfortunately, I HATE cilantro.... Any other herb would have been a hit though. So I will be picking up a quite French-looking pot and starting this one up for a girlfriend who has a bday coming soon. She loves to cook and while not very garden friendly, she does grow some herbs on her balcony so I think this is a nice idea. I'd definitely be interested in seeking out some different options for these seed pods though and will be checking out Home Depot today.  I'm also a newer gardener so I might check out the app and see what useful info it yields for me! 

Valued at $1.49 + free app download

Cosmos Creations Premium Puffed Corn (sponsored item) 

I originally thought this was caramel popcorn and see now that it's puffed corn which is different, but I typically like caramel snacks so I am interested to try this and will be adding it to my lunch bag for tomorrow! It's also gluten free which I wish I had known as I would have opened it this weekend when my mom was here. I love when they add single silencing sized snacks to the boxes specifically for my lunch, so this is a nice treat. 

Valued at $1.49 but sponsored so not really counted.

Overall Thoughts: I liked this box quite a bit. Definitely more than the winter box but maybe less than fall..? Lol. The value was $273.89 according to their calculations, which is still great considering the cost of the box but I felt like some of the items were over priced. That being said, I will be using everything in this box, almost right away so I feel that is a big perk. Sometimes I get items I won't really use or that are cute but not really workable for my lifestyle so having items I want to use and try and enjoy is a better fit for me. 

Did anyone get anything different in their boxes? 

Remember to use code:FRIENDS to save 20% on your subscription for a limited time only! 

Cricut Project: Silver Feather Decals

Last weekend,  I finally bit the bullet and after years of wanting one, finally purchased myself a Cricut
machine.  Actually, it's the newest version, the Cricut Explore Air and it's kind of amazing!  I actually spent the entire Friday evening and almost all of Saturday playing with it!

Of course when I came across a sweet feather image, I immediately remembered this image from over at Freckles Chick . 

 

I originally saw the post on her Instagram but sadly, our Canadian Target wasn't carrying them.....  I wrote her back saying I was so sad and she kindly offered to send them my way and then I was a bad internet friend and forgot to reply.....  oops

 

Anyhow, fast forward several months and here I am sitting in my kitchen with my own personal cutting machine that just so happens to work with vinyl and I have a Sample Pack of 12 different colors!!!!

 

So of course, I used the Design Software to size out my feathers to pretty much as big as my vinyl sheets would allow, tossed in my vinyl sheet and sat there, mesmerized as "Crick"  (my affectionate nickname for her....) cut out my pretty little feathers.

 

I went with silver vinyl since I thought it would be a better match to the grey/blue wall color.

 (Antique Sterling by ICI)

 

Are you as excited as I am?  I couldn't believe how happy the page of feathers made me!  Plus, it was super easy - the hardest part was figuring out where I wanted to put them and they sat for like 3 days before I came up with a plan!

 

The stairwell to upstairs, which is also home to my vintage-looking white frames and mirrors collection was looking a little sad.  I hadn't bought anything new to add to it for a while and the tall wall wasn't very filled out.  So I figured that since I had already added my little collection of Anthropologie Animal Hooks

to the wall, it might be neat to add some of my other absolutely favorite things and make it more of a fun gallery wall installation. 

 

So, I added a feather!

 

I like how whimsical and fun the arrangement is turning out to be!

 

Here's a close up of the decal:

You can really see the metallic-ness of the vinyl here as well, it's just the perfect amount of sheen and it a pretty good pairing with the wall color!

(Note:  I realize the decal has bubbles, they have since been completely smoothed out.  I was just worried I might change my mind and hadn't fully committed when I took the picture! :)  )

 

 

 

I also added the new galvanized "C" to the wall as well as I didn't want the feather to be the only silver-toned item on the wall and stick out like a sore thumb.  I picked that up for like $3 at Michaels and kind of want to go back and pick up a ton more letters for other projects!

 

Here's the view I see most often, from the main floor.  I really love it here and think that if I get my butt in gear and start filling up the wall with more frames, this space will be really cool looking when I'm done!

 

I have a few more Cricut projects to share this week so stay tuned!

 

Do you have a Cricut?  What kind of projects have you made with yours?  I'd love to hear!

Some Pretty Little Things.....

Ugh.... I don't know about you, but the weather here absolutely CAN. NOT. DECIDE on whether it's ready to be Spring, or if Winter is gonna stick around for a little longer...

 

 
 
As such, the outside spaces around here are a little less than lovely looking right now.  Namely, my backyard which I have refused to even step in. 

 

The other day, while picking up supplies for my Easter Baskets , I came across the Holy Grail of cute bird-themed Garden Accessories at the Dollarama.

 

I may have mentioned this a time or two, but birds are my jam. I especially like them for outdoor spaces.  I never thought I would be the type of person who likes "gnome" style items in their out spaces and then last year I came across some birds and that was it for me.  Plus, I like whimsy and the addition of little things among the flowers in the summer makes me happy.  As such, I picked up quite a few little tchotchkes....

 

Since it will be a while before I can get to place these in the actual garden beds, they are currently residing on the table of the top deck.  I figure the additional time outside might "weather" them a bit more and tone down some of the brighter colors on some of them.

 

I snagged a little of everything.  A few of my favorite finds from last year were the solar powered bird lights.  These are a little smaller in stature than the ones I got last year, but with cuter faces.

 

 

 

 

I also liked a few of these "wishful thinking" stones. 

 

 

 

 

It's a little hard to see, but the one on the left says "Please grow", a sentiment I repeat over and over again every year.  My green thumb is just starting to develop and I am self-taught in the ways of gardening so sometimes it's a little hit and miss....

 

Then of course, there are the purely cute statues like this little trowel-wielding blue bird.

 

These "weathered" looking guys are pretty fake looking, but I liked them anyhow. 

 

 

But I was most happy to find the next two little stones.  You may remember last year I lost both my cats.  Mischu passed away in June and then Greyson in November.  After Mischu passed, I planted some roses in the garden in his honor and then spent the rest of the summer looking for the right little garden ornament to go along with it.  Unfortunately, I never did find the right one - until this weekend.  I wasn't even looking for them, but I came across these two and they are absolutely perfect!!  One for each of my boys! 

 

 

Greyson was my "bunny cat" (his ears were always a little big) and Mischu was my "little bird" ( his meow was the perfect little bird chirp!)  With their little "Peace" and "Hope" blessings, they couldn't be more right.  I can't wait to add them, and some flowers in Greyson's honor to the back garden.

 In the meantime, I will leave you with some of the depressing shots of my back deck, which will be getting some attention in the next couple weekends.

 

The dead flowers in these pots need to be cleared out ASAP.  Plus I have a feeling that "someone" may be picking the tomatoes off the plant and then stepping on them and making a big mess.....

 

A few of the coffee mug planters in the wall baskets broke so those need to get cleaned up.  A few more dead plants to clean up and this area needs to be cleaned up in general.

 

 

That dead grass is going to need a LOT OF WORK!!

Yes, those are rust spots on my deck from beverage cooler cart.  I think a couple bottle caps got kept in the cap bin and over the winter - rusted and dripped.

 

I can't wait for warmer weather so I can get out there and start tackling some of this mess and beautifying my space with the pretty little garden additions.  What outdoor projects will you be tackling this Spring?  I'd love to hear!

A-tisket, A-tasket... The Easter Bunny Brought Baskets!

Here's hoping the sweet Easter Bunny made sure to stop by your place and leave some goodies for ya!  Around these parts, I won't be seeing my family til the end of the month, but that didn't stop me from getting their baskets ready to go this weekend!

In lieu of doing traditional "themey" Easter baskets, I decided to go with something a little different and as soon as I saw these Galvanized buckets at the Dollarama, I knew right away what I was using as a basket.

 

At $3.00 each, these are a fantastic size and can be used again for whatever the recipient chooses.

 

 Next step was deciding how to decorate/personalize them.  When I saw this chalkboard kit with sticker labels, I was sold!  Super simple and cute - done and done!

.

 

Instead of using the chalk that came with the kit (which creeps me out... ) I got out my chalk pens and simply wrote everyone's name on a tag.

 

 

 

 

The fun part was grabbing tons of stuff from the Dollarama to put inside each basket.  I only really struggle with what to do for the men, so they got less stuff (same issue I have with stocking stuffers)

 

I put all the baskets on the coffee table and then just grabbed handfuls and walked around popping things in each person's basket

 

I kept things very light on the chocolate this year, but did get the good stuff and visited the Lindt outlet.

 

I put a couple cute projects in my nephew's with the hope that maybe he will want to help me paint a birdhouse or maybe create some zoo animal suncatchers for his bedroom window.

He's also got lots of books, some chocolate, coloring stuff, a barrel of monkeys, etc.

 

 

For the ladies: 

Candles, kitchen tools, notepads, recipe cards, garden seeds, books, puzzles, etc.

 

For the Men: 

Armorall wipes, tools, tech gizmos, chocolate, etc.

 

Everything in the baskets is $3.00 and under, so very reasonably priced and since everything is practical, I think they'll all get some  use out of their goodies.

 

What sort of goodies did you prepare for your friends and family?  I've love to see what you've created so feel free to share your links!