Pretty Little Things For Home & Life

2012 Home Goals

2012-01-22T10:25:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been reading everyone's 2012 Home Goals and feeling inspired and definitely a little lacking on what we've done to the house.

In my defence, I need to get more comfortable tackling working with tools and the such, since Cory has absolutely NO interest in helping with the home related tasks. He just doesn't get the same enjoyment out of it as I do and he saw the house as "finished" , the day we moved into it. Of course, he appreciates my hard work, trusts my judgement and loves how things look when I am done, but he really just has no desire to work a minimum of 12 hour days, 6 days a week and then come home and tackle home improvement projects. So, I've decided that this is the year I will learn to do more of the stuff I typically asked him to do, so that I can only bug him when I REALLY need his help!

I have a lot of stuff I want to do around the house, but thankfully it's most just cosmetic. I'd really like to move into a larger home, but we've decided that it probably isn't going to be a reality for another 1 - 2 years and so, I'd rather just make the place better suited to how I want it to look for now. But we've got some big financial goals for the year so everything we DO tackle will need to be done on a serious budget. Here's a room by room breakdown on what I'd like to do:

Powder Room
~ finally hang wallpaper that we started cutting out over a year ago
~ possibly hang the towel ring we bought around the same time
~ find art better suited to the space

Dining Space
~ BUY NEW DINING CHAIRS (this is a top priority as our chairs are not only unattractive, but broken)
~ refinish dining table (Cory has told me there is no point in buying a new table that we'll only end up replacing once we move to a new house in a few years, which I sort of agree on...) so something less chipped, cherry toned and glossy is in order
~ do something to the large wall behind the table (maybe wallpaper, maybe a stencil, maybe just different art work)
~ replace the ugly, broken, white plastic vertical blinds we hung on the slider door in there shortly after moving in as a "temporary solution until we decide on something we love".... since it has now been almost 2 1/2 years.... yikes!
~ hang light fixture I received LAST YEAR as a Christmas present

Living Room
~ purchase new sofa and loveseat (or second sofa) to replace our current, ugly, stained and broken set (something slightly feminine but comfortable and most likely grey)
~ hang drapes on the wall of windows behind sofa. I have a couple fabric options in mind, just have to get the sofas first to commit to a fabric and then attempt sewing these myself
~ re-re-finish the coffee and sidetables since we did them in a cold garage last year and they didn't turn out as I quite hoped
~ new art for the large wall above loveseat
~ possible crown moulding for entire main floor

Master Bedroom
~ decide on new duvet cover for our bed. Since our bed is a very difficult to find size, this will determine everything else in the room so is a required starting point
~ Make upholstered headboard once duvet fabric is decided. We have had the frame sitting in our garage for almost 4 years.... just need to execute this one and stop waffling on fabric choices.
~ Decide on drapery fabric once the other two main fabrics in the room are selected
~ New bench or chair for underneath window

Guest Bedroom
~ Decide which of the following pieces of furniture are staying in the room (armoire, nightstand, dresser and hope chest) and paint those and all new hardware
~ make headboard for bed
~ Drapes for this room
~ possible new ceiling fixture
~ accessorize properly

Office
~ PURGE
~ Drapes to finish window wall
~ Paint frame on cork board to hang above desk
~ Re-arrange furniture for better layout
~ fix or replace dresser in closet for storage

Backyard
~ fix sod that was damaged by dog shortly before snowfall
~ paint fence
~ clad posts from upper deck that builder never did
~ replace upper deck light fixture
~ purchase lounge furniture for lower patio (possible sectional, 2 chairs and coffee table)
~ purchase moveable pagoda-style fire pit
~ add stepped, raised retaining wall-style flower beds along rear fence
~ add lush, tall trees and shubbery to top bed; brightly colored annuals and perrenials to lower bed
~ create fretwork panel to hang from upper deck to create privacy on lower patio from peeking neighbours

Basement
~ Start and finish!!

We have a very small basement (and house I suppose) so this space will contain a small laundry room, a 2nd powder room, the furnace room and a family room at the back.

I also would like to install central air and we are toying with the idea of getting the central vac installed as well.

Lots to do so we hope to make a nice dent in it this year along with some other, fun projects!

Just a little peek

2012-01-21T10:00:00.002-07:00

Popped into HomeSense the other night to grab a gift for a babyshower this weekend. Wish I had some $$ to spend as it was FULL of gorgeous furniture. My phone was dying, but I managed to snag this photo of these great Hollywood Regency style nightstands that I LOVED!!

excuse the crappy photo with my crappy bb....

While I have no place to use them as nighstands, I'm now thinking these would be perfect to use as sidetables in our living room. The white would really lighten things up. The mirrored tops are glam. The pattern on the front is GORGEOUS and the drawers would give us some much needed storage for the most commonly used space in our home!

The price point was a little high though at $350 EACH!!
Sigh...

P-interesting

2012-01-20T23:43:00.001-07:00

After many months of requesting a Pinterest request to no avail, I cheated. I used my work email account to request one and finally got my invite. I'll be busy pinning like crazy for the next couple days I'm sure...

Follow me on Pinterest by clicking on my link!!

Have a great weekend!

2012-01-19T10:00:00.010-07:00

For a while now, I`ve wanted to lighten up the look in the guest room. I never set out to decorate it that way, but all the furniture in there is pine, which isn`t really my style. Admittedly, we didn`t really do much to the space after we moved in, other than set up the furniture and occassionally arrange a few items accessories on the dresser since we semin0regularly have family come in from out of town.

It has long been on my wishlist to actually get something going in there that I would be a little happier showcasing to our guests, but time and budget haven't really allowed for it, so we made due with what we had. I've decided that this is the year we're gonna see it through.

The first step was setting a color scheme. This past summer, we found the perfect bedding set at Walmart and somehow managed to snag the whole bed-in-a-bag for something like $20!! I absolutely love the color combination of the grey and silver so it's the jumping off point for the room. I like to think that when I eventually get around to having kids, this will be the perfect bedding for our little girl to grow into so a nursery would definitely be these colors! :)

(excuse the fabric swatch, I was testing out some drapery options and these obviously do NOT work)

The crazy fur bolster is from Ikea YEARS ago, in my teenage bedroom. I love it in here and it works well with the bedding. We still really need a headboard and I plan on getting that done in the spring once we tackle the one in our bedroom first.

I finally hung the painting to get it out of the way am not really loving it. The green is throwing me, plus the height and scale of it aren't working.

I'm also starting to think we need to switch the paint color out to something with a bit more grey or more white.....

Currently, all of the furniture in the room is pine. (Nightstand, armoire, tallboy dresser and hope chest) That color scheme is absolutely NOT working for me! So I hope to get a paint sprayer this summer so we can spray it all out white. Plus, we'll most likely move one or two pieces out altogether and bring in a nice chair. Although, I was a little worried that going all white would be too "cutesy" and little girl....

We did however pick up one new addition last week, this feminine little table:

I love her curvy lines! There's something so feminine about her that I love for this room.

So, to test my theory, I shoved her in the corner so I could take some photos and see how I felt about the color change for the space.

She's actually a lot more cream than white, but I figured it was close enough for me to judge.

So far, I am liking the lighter option! We may choose to paint this a brighter white when we do the other pieces for the room, but overall, a better fit!

I'll have to stage the table to see how well it works for a nightstand, but for the meantime, I am gonna try playing around with some item placement in there to see if I can come up with something a little better!

We're also going to be adding some curtains to the window. Ikea used to carry a nice grey velvet drape that I can't find online, so I may have to do some sleuthing to find those.

Once the drapes are hung, the headboard complete, the furniture revamped and the addition of some new art and accessories, this room will be a lot fresher and ready for guests! :)

Bargain Beauty

2012-01-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

Back in December when I was busy picking up stuff for my Secret Santa, including this frame I also found another white beauty:

This little white mirror was too cute to pass up. At $1.50 from the Dollarama, I didn't even feel guilty about starting to have more items in my cart for me than my Santee!

You see, for the longest time, I have wanted to do a little arrangement in our stairwell of old vintagey frames painted white, but haven't yet gotten around to starting a collection of them. I figured that if I removed the mirror, this might be a good place to start. Even though it's plastic, I figured I could always throw some matte white primer on it if it clashes with the rest once the collection gets going.

(I don't think you can tell at all how cheap it really is)

For the meantime though, I really wanted to see how it looked on the wall, so I hung it next to my desk in the office beneath a little magnetic board we have with some photos of loved ones pinned up!

The scale is a little off, so it won't be staying there long but for now, I am using it as inspiration for the design direction I want to take as I slowly undertake the office makeover (more details on that coming later next week!)

Simple and Beautiful

2012-01-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite snags from the big warehouse clearout at work has got to be this GORGEOUS Ginger Jar. I'm not actually sure that's what it is, but that's what I am calling it....

This thing is HUGE and actually pretty heavy. I'm pretty sure it was originally from HomeSense as well and even though the colors are a little different than what we usually go for around here, after a few months of thinking about it, I had to snag it!

I love how the paint job is kinda imperfect and really looks hand-done. You can see the great patina on the metal on the top and base. The latch top is nice and you could even put a lock on there if you wanted. I mean, you'd have a have a gorgeous old, weathered padlock or something.... I wouldn't rightly go and use the brand new, bright blue master lock that Cory has on the kitchen counter from a brand new 3 pack he bought...

Until the office gets cleared out, cleaned up and re-done, it's sitting atop a filing cabinet and I get turning around to peek at it! :)

Reflections of a Mess

2012-01-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

After taking some measurements and realizing that I need a gigantic new house, I realized that for the meantime, the only place we have room for the new mirror where it can lean against something is in the office. I begged Cory to help me carry it upstairs and it is now resting in its temporary home.

It's obviously too large for the bookcase below it, but it's the best I can do currently. Plus, I must say it actually looks a lot better in person than its showing here.

It will look a ton better when I get around to cleaning and organizing everything else in the room. Epsecially since I moved a ton of stuff to accomodate it in the first place :)

2 more new additions: these very tall silver lamps. They're originally from HomeSense. While the shades aren't my favorite, they'll stay until I find them a new home.

I think they help the balance out the scale of the mirror.

Thoughts?

Mirror, Mirror on the wall floor?

2012-01-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

About a year ago, one of our showhomes sold and the new homeowners opted to purchase the home with MOST of the furniture and accessories. Of the items they chose NOT to take, I sold a good portion of them on kijji however, one of the items, the one I wanted soooo badly, was rather expensive and just was not getting any bites, which really surprised me.

It's come time for me to find something to do with the remainder of the items as we desperately need the space in the warehouse so the next couple days will be the last time to snag some incredibly discounted home decor and furniture if you're in the Edmonton area before I pack it all up for charity. Unfortunately, due to the bed bug outbreak that ran rampant around the cith the past year, NO ONE will take anything upholstered, as there is foam inside, it's considered upholstered despite the fact that the exterior fabric is more like a vinyl and wipeable.

This worked out well for me, especially since I just could not bear to see the mirror go to someone who didn't really appreciate it, so I snatched it up and can't be happier!

Sorry about this crappy photo, I took it last night since I just couldn't wait and then was gone during daylight hours today.

The mirror was custom made and is really large (probably 4 feet x 4 feet) and is ridiculously heavy. Cory estimates it was about 60 lbs. so it would be best leant against a wall atop a dresser or something similar.

There's just something about the upholsterey that I LOVE!

I'm not sure exactly what it is, but it's kind of like a shagreen, almost like a python texture.

The color is a nice mix of cream, grey and beige so even though it's a little "funky", it reads as a neutral which is perfect.

Then of course, there's the nailhead detail. Who doesn't love a little nailhead?

For the meantime, it will be getting moved into the office since it is the only place right now with a big enough wall with a large piece underneath for it to lean on. I'll be clearing the space tonight so I will share pics of it in the space when it's moved!

What do you think?

Clean-up Day

2012-01-07T15:00:00.000-07:00

Arrgh! We've had a rough week! New Year's Eve started out with someone walking right into the shop where Cory works, stealing his wallet from his (and someone else's) locker, taking my keys outta his jacket and helping himself to both his and my gym bags.

Didn't think it would amount to much but after tabulating everything up, looks like we lost $1200 worth of stuff! Yikes! Least the thief didn't take my car, just left the doors open and threw the keys underneath it. Unfortunately, the camera weren't able to make out a plate :( .

So the week was pretty crummy and since I had nothing nice to say, I said nothing at all. But I am over pouting. Today was suppossed to be a Girl's Weekend at the lake house but since people were dropping like flies, we've postponed it to another weekend. Unfortunately, since I had planned to be away, Cory picked up a shift at work, so I am all by my lonesome. Gonna use the time to read magazines, put away the Christmas decor and general cleaning.

Hoping to share a few new house finds either today or tomorrow, so I might be back.

For now, before I completely dismantle it, here's a pretty shoddy shot of our tree this year (lights off). It's the same as the last two years with the addition of the Antiquey looking initial ornaments and some new vintage mercury glass balls from Restoration Hardware. And the addition of white pointsettia garland (which I will definitely pick up more of next year!!)
It looks pretty sparse by now since the ornaments have been moved around as they taken a tumble from a wild animal whipping past, plus without the lights (blue and white) showing, there are some obvious gaps but it looked great when we first put it up, I swear!

In addition to glass balls of various white, silver and peacock-y and teal blue, there are some fun stuff like the glittery snowflakes, disco balls, glass birsds and the glass picture frames in need of photos and of course coordinating ribbon!

I searched high and low for more of the Restoration Hardware monogram ornaments but they didn't make an appearance this year. Good thing I substituted an upside down "W" for the "M" I couldn't find last year!

Getting Back in the Swing of Things and a Great Frugal Find!

2012-01-01T18:54:00.001-07:00

Yikes, it's been a while.... :( I never meant to take a break, but with my mom being pretty sick and me working a lot of long nights (and getting a promotion to boot :) ) I just didn't have anything in me to get things done around the house, let alone try and find something to blog about.

But now that my Christmas vacation and much needed break, is dwindling down to the end of its days, I am feeling refreshed and re-charged and ready to tackle 2012, Head on!

We have big plans to make some big changes around here in the next few months so I am eager to share. Our biggest being some new furniture that we're diligently saving our pennies for (even forgoing gifts for one another this Christmas to instead save up for the sofas I have my eye on).... Actually, I followed the rule, Cory cheated and spoiled me anyhow like the little sneakster he is, which left me feeling like a jerk!

Before I head off to bed, I wanted to share one of my favorite new buys. I spotted these when I was out shopping at the beginning of December for something to put in my Secret Santa (at work)'s stocking.
These frames stopped me in my tracks:

Love, love love them. They had them in silver, white and gold. I grabbed 2 white ones for myself, a silver for my Secret Santa receipient and opted out of the gold. I loved them so much that I decided that 2 just was not enough and went back a week later to get more... unfortunately they were all sold out :(

That'll teach me!

I've since printed off a black and white photo of Cory and I for my dresser and love how it looks with this frame!

What great things have YOU snagged from the dollar store lately?

Thanks Dad! A fantastic gift for me!

2011-11-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

I got a surprise call from my dad at work the other day. At first, I was a little worried as he rarely calls me, especially not in the middle of the day, at work, on my work number....

Thankfully, all was well and he actually wanted to know if I wanted this:

Oh sorry, not the gigantic mess in my garage... look PAST that. The bf was suppossed to clean that just like he was suppossed to tear down the patio.... but I digress.

What I am talking about is that large tarped thing that kinda looks like a small tarped car.

It is actually a 10 x 8 garden shed. I had mentioned we would be buying one next summer and when the box for this one arrived completely destroyed, Home Depot ( the company he delivers for), dad snatched it up for me!

The only catch is that it is obviously NOT in a box. Plus, they cannot guarantee that all the parts are there. But dad says that even if we have to purchase something for it, it will be a heck of a lot cheaper than anything we could buy.

I just took a look at the owners manual, and while it is not really the style we were looking for, we are definitely gonna see how it works for us next summer!

I mean, we fully intended to get started on assembling it, and then we finally got snow today. :(

Hard to complain though since we usually get it around the middle of October.....

Unfortunately, it now means we definitely are NOT parking in the garage this winter!

What cheap or free items have you scored lately....

Garage Sale!

2011-11-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

I've been super busy at work lately which is why I haven't been around. I've mentioned before that I work for a homebuilder, and while we try to sell our showhomes fully furnished, sometimes the homeowner chooses to forgo the furniture. Needless to say, we had a lot of stuff kicking around in our warehouse.

Since we needed the space, the boss decided to hold a litle garage sale to get rid everything. I was appointed in charge, which I don't mind doing, so I have been up to my eyeballs in dust and random home goodies the last little while.

While the designer gave me a ton of brand new stuff to add to the sale, there is of course a lot of older stuff. However, I was able to find a few diamonds in the rough.

The first thing we got was the cute little Ikea table for the porch that I showed you at Halloween:

I've really liked these silver floral art pieces for quite some time now so they were the next thing to come with me when our designer decided she was willing to part with them. Cory's not the biggest fan but I don't care. I have one hanging in the front entrance currently and while I am not entirely sure I love it, I think it's nice to get something new in there.

Next up were these candle holders that I've had my eye on for about a year. I like their shabby chic-esque vibe. Again, not entirely sure where they'll go, but I think they will definitely make their way to our deck next summer when we have people over.

This sweet vase was the perfect color, I just couldn't pass it up. I think it would look best in a reall amazingly style bookcase.... if only I had one. woop woop!

The largest piece we got was this Ikea bookcase. I really love pieces with cubbies, but this one has a more "furniture" vibe than the usual expedit case which we also have. I am thinking it will most likely go into our basement when we get that under way.

I have my eye on a few other pieces including a pair of silk toss cushions with feather inserts, some cute little blue pots, some great (in package) curtain panels and a gorgeous custom made mirror.

Depending on how things sell tomorrow, I might snag a few more things. I will keep you posted on that AND for info on where things end up.

2011-11-01T10:00:00.000-06:00

The latest < ahref="http://restorationhardware.com">Restoration Hardware Gift Catalogue's (and Baby) arrived this week. I was beyong excited at some of the stuff inside, and of course the sale prices.

Here's a few things I am pretty sure we'll be picking up:

These luxury plush throws are right up our allet. We'll most likely be grabbing 'em in silver sage and ivory which will look even better when we get around to finding a new (grey) sofa.

I like this fur throw in lynx and also the arctic fox one as well. But I'd have to see it in person as sometimes these faux fur ones loose too much fur or are itchy.

I really need me some flameless candles. I love the look of candlelight, but I go through a lot. The one-time cost of these would definitely pay off. Plus, these are indoor/outdoor which I am sooo excited about. Now, I just need to find some great outdoor lanterns!

I want two of these. One for Phoenix. One for me. Great for warmish fall days when you don't wanna wear a coat.

Phoenix definitely needs his own monogrammed bathrobe. This is for sure on my wishlist for him.

Now, here are some items I am DREAMING about:

I'd love to be able to afford to spoil Phoenix with this gorgeous pedal plane for Christmas!

I dream of this fixture in my stairwell.... sigh!

and I would take one of these anywhere in the house. You can bet that as soon as I have a bigger house, I am gonna try and get this somewhere!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T22:57:00.000-06:00

We've never really done Halloween decorating around these parts. I think it's mostly cause we don't have kids and also because Cory's just not a fan. I think next year I am gonna step it up a bit cause I really like seeing other people's decor, so I will be hitting up the clearance bins all over the place for sure this week.

Since I decided, pretty much last night that I wanted to do something, I didn't have time to buy anything. So in working with what I had, this is the very basic set up we arranged:

I wish I had taken some better pictures earlier in the day....

Luckily, I knew that I wanted to get a reusable pumpkin, so I picked one up earlier this week at Walmart. I know, I know it kind of takes the fun out of the whole thing, but until we have some little ones to carve pumpkins, plugging this smiley guy in, suits us just fine. Plus, he's nice and tall so I don't have to worry about finding a nice sized one to carve.

We're clearing out some of the old showhome furniture in our warehouse at work, I snagged this little cream Ikea table for $10 from work. I knew it would come in handy for a ton of different things but since it matches the trim on our house, I knew the porch was a good spot for it.

My little scarecrow was a $2 buy from Dollarama last year. I wrapped his hand around the doorbell and it looked pretty cute. You can't really see, but he's holding onto a little oil rubbed bronze Princess House basket filled with fake pumpkins and gourds.

On the lower shelf, I put this great little lantern. It's a Partylite lantern that came with interchangeable magnetic templates which I can change out based on the season. This is the first time I've used this Autumnal template and I LOVE IT!!

Here's a closer view:

It actually put out quite a bit of light and added to that great spooky Halloween vibe. I also unintentionally used some cranberry smelling candles inside so the porch smelled nice and pretty :)

It cetainly needs a lot of work, but I think I have the bug for next year!

Family Visit Weekend

2011-10-30T19:32:00.000-06:00

October is a busy month for my family. With Thanksgiving and my birthday, there's usually a lot going on. Unfortunately, my brother and his family weren't able to come down for the big dinner earlier this month, but they were able to join us this weekend instead.

Since it had been a while since everyone had seen them (since their move to Saskatchewan in August), my mom called up and let me know she'd be coming in as well. Plus, my dad made it out today as well.

So, it was a pretty full house. Especially with all the baby stuff they brought. We did manage to grab a lot of photos of everyone with Phoenix (who turned 6 months earlier this week!!)

He has gotten soooo big and it's greast to see how he's learning.

FOUND: Blogger who took an unexpected (extended) absence

2011-10-26T21:42:00.000-06:00

Ha! For someone who had really high goals set for all she wanted to acheive this summer, I sure failed miserably.

Yes, I was dealing with sicknesses of both my parents :( and putting some longer hours at the office :( :( but really, I was just concentrating on spending time with my family and trying to set a schedule around here.

It was a relatively unproductive summer, but I am happy with what we did do:

~ Finished the fence and laid sod in the backyard (as previously blogged about). It took us forever to get our butts in gear, but seeing Finley do crazy laps in the yard makes ut all worthwhile!

Yup, that's it! haha whoops!

So, I guess it's time to get back on track and get things going around here.

First up, I mentioned http://prettylittlethingsforhome.blogspot.com/2011/07/vacation.html>here about how we really needed to get started on completing our master bedroom. So that's where I have decided to start.

This weekend, I took a leap of faith and decided to go and order the two sets of blinds we were missing for our master bedroom. For the record, I ordered them over two years ago, before we even moved in and waited and waited for them. Only to weeks later find out they were never coming - those sizes were discontinued(??) I was told.... I did a search the other day and found the blinds were still/once again(?) listed online. So I am praying that they magically are available again and come next week, since the anticipated date is November 4th. (fingers crossed for me).

(this photo shows one of the windows that needs blinds; the other is in the closet)

Up next, I am determined to finally complete our headboard. The wood base will be moved into the basement this week and I just have to commit to a fabric, buy the foam and execute the plan! I'm taking fabric suggestions.

Stay tuned!

Enjoying it!

2011-09-24T14:27:00.001-06:00

Guess I took the summer off...

We didn't do much inside the house, if at all. But we sure got a lot done outside.

The fence is finally finished and we have grass!
It's still a blank slate, but that leaves me all summer to plan out exactly what I want out here (and save some money for everything...). Thank goodness I finish paying off my suv next august!

Here's hoping your summer was a blast. I have a ton of blog reading and obviously posting to catch up on, so you'll see me around these parts soon.

For now, we're enjoying the last of the nice days and playing outside while our carpets are cleaned in preparation for being cooped up all winter.
Enjoy the day!
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

Weekend Wrap up!

2011-08-22T11:07:00.001-06:00

Whew! What a weekend! It was jam packed and productive, but I honestly feel like I didn't even have one.

Friday evening we had a little Date Night and went to dinner and a movie. Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Good but sad.

Saturday, in addition to cleaning, we got started on the fence! Yes, you heard that correctly. Those fence posts (at least 1 side of them) that we put in months ago, finally have something attached to them! I'll be taking photos tonight to share with you tomorrow as Cory has one more tiny thing to do on that side today before we finish. I'm uber excited, and it's starting to look like a real backyard now... You know, except without a yard, and just dirt. ;)

We hit up a bonfire at a friends' house Saturday as well. Sunday was full of more building, free lunch at Rockford (thanks to a golf tournament prize) and a delicious dinner was had last night at <a href="http://themeltingpot.com">The Melting Pot</a> . It was our first visit and we left Sooooo stuffed! Thank goodness though for a gift card we had, as it was pretty pricey (didn't realize my drinks were $18 a piece- yikes!)

Got a great surprise today too. A co-worker brought in 4 books of coupons! Great to hear how helpful my friends and family are being.
What'd YOU do this weekend?
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

Barcelona Blowout!

2011-08-18T13:40:00.001-06:00

Just a quick note, if you're a fan of the iconic Barcelona chair (but aren't too hung up on a reproduction), the Interior Designer at work just mentioned that London Drugs has them on super sale for $199 which INCLUDES the ottoman!

She's seen them there for 399 before, but never this low! Go quick, at that price I'm sure they won't last!
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

Bangles!

2011-08-17T10:03:00.001-06:00

Two weekend ago, I bought a bunch of new jewelery. The dress I wore to the wedding had gold in it, and I didn't own any gold pieces except the earrings I bought in January to go with it.

I wanted something fun and a little chunky. I lucked out and found a package of about 10 bangles. They're all different and gold. With two also being the perfect blue to go with my dress. There are some bamboo looking ones, one with animal print looking cut outs, a nailhead looking one, etc. At $15 it was a little more than I wanted to spend, but they've been working their way into my wardrobe a ton lately so they're cost per wear seems to be paying off!

I never thought I was a gold person, since my cool toned skin looks best with cool colors but I was surprised to see how often the gold is more applicable for certain outfits.

Just goes to show you, sometimes it's nice to throw a little unexpected accessory in your cart to add a little WOW to your wardrobe!
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

A little bit of Savings

2011-08-12T15:22:00.000-06:00

Sorry no posts the last two weks. We had a wedding last weekend to attend and then I had a ridiculously busy week this one, getting ready for our Golf Tournament at work, which was yesterday.

It turned out great and we raised so much money for charity. I am beyond excited. Plus, I received a gift card for The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant which I am excited to try!!!

Anyways, I have the afternoon off, so just running around doing some errands, napping and getting things ready for Cory to get off work so we can head out to the lake. But I wanted to share another coupining story with you, since that's all I've been up to lately.

Here's this afternoon's loot:

Johnson's Bathtime Essentials Gift Set - $20.99 - Manufacturer's Replacement Product Coupon = FREE!

Crest toothpaste - $2.49 - $0.75 off Websaver coupon =$1.74

Satin Care Shavegel - $3.49 - $1.00 off Websaver coupon = $2.49

Total= $4.23 before taxes!!

Quick note: SDM also had Purex laundry detergent on sale for $2.99 last Sunday and Monday only. Unfortunately, my store was sold out when I went in. I asked about a raincheck and they gave me one, even though I later found out they aren't suppossed to do them for the special buy prices....

This worked out perfect as my Purex coupon/sample had not arrived yet.
It came in this week $3.00 off, so I am looking forward to picking up my FREE bottles when they are in!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

HomeSense Love!

2011-08-05T19:00:00.000-06:00

I was in HomeSense the other day and found myself constantly whipping out my camera phone! I actually texted Cory some photos with the words "I love these, so hard!" In fact, there was a million things in the store that had me wishing I didn't have a vacation and a backyard and fence in my budget already.

There were a ton of things in the store that I thought would be perfect in our house. Everything had that perfect vintagey-french look I love, combined with a slightly rustic, well worn, industrial Restoration Hardware vibe that we both love.

Here are a few things that had me swooning and declaring aloud my desire to save my pennies:

These gorgeous grey beauties were the first thing I saw when I walked in the store! There were six of them. Exactly what I want. Loved the fabric - perfect linen! Love the button tufting. Love the nailhead detail. Plus, they were super comfy!!

When I sent them to Cory, he loved them as well. We decided that maybe these would be great in our space if we switched out our table to something white. Perhaps, a simple white lacquer Parsons table?

They also had them in a neutral linen and pretty white. Which would look good with our current table.

swoon....

I immediately thought of Cory and our eventual basement when I saw this table. It's exactly the kind of thing he's typically drawn to. Surprisingly enough, I've also become enamored with the style as well. Plus, I bet it's about 10 times cheaper here than RH!

There was a ton of amazing artwork. Unfortunately, that's where my stupid phone died. I did manage to snag one pic though.

I thought this great birch print would look great in our house. Infact, I just about bought a couple pieces before realizing it would be smarter to save my giftcard and a few more to eventually get something awesome like a whole set of chairs!

What have you found at HomeSense lately?

FAH-REE!

2011-08-05T10:00:00.000-06:00

Since getting into Couponing pretty crazily last week, I am happy to say I've scored a bunch of amazing deals lately. In addition to getting some great prices with coupons, I also managed to score some free items, simply by paiying attention to my bill!

One thing I found out last week was that I really need to pay attention to the prices of items I'm purchasing. Two items on my bill the other day were scanned incorrectly! That error on Walmart's part got me some free juice AND some Skinny cow fudge bars!

It also got me thinking about how many times, I had purchased something because of the low price, only to feel confused and shocked when my total bill was quite a bit more than I expected. I never, ever double checked it though!!

Guess who's changed the way she shops? I'm now carting a notebook with me to the grocery store and writing down my prices and verifying them when they scan. I'm thinking this little act is gonna save me a ton of money....

Bedroom Artwork Re-vamp

2011-08-04T14:00:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week, I mentioned that one of the things I wanted to get done this week was rectify this disaster on my bedroom wall:

Yikes!

The rest of the art in the room is black and white, so I wanted to keep it the same but I also knew I wanted to do something a little more "personal".

So I found one of my absolute favorite photos of Cory and I.

and used Picasa to make it Black and white.

Then off to Walmart I went to have this baby printed into an 11x14. They didn't have a 12x12 option they way I was printing (I've learned my lesson now and will most likely re-print down the line).

I simply popped off the backing and using a fresh piece of scothc tape, adjusted the scrapbook paper.

The re-positioned the photo and attached it to the backing with even more scotch tape (yeah, we're fancy like that over here!)

Then, just like that, pop the backing back on, and hang back up on the wall!

Admittedly, I want to get a better quality copy of the photo so that the resolution of the print is better when I print it. I will also print the photo to the proper size so it fits entirely behind the mat.

But for now, it's 100% times better than what we had before. Remember:

And the much improved After:

Don't you agree?

Currently Loving: Mason Jar Stamp

2011-08-04T10:00:00.000-06:00

I had a weird dream the other day about using a Mason Jar stamp in a craft project. I'd seen some really great projects that this soon to be momma has been creating. I'm loving their simple beauty!!

Once my office is back up and running, I'll be snatching one of these up for myself, to work on

re-stocking my slowly depleting card stash.

But, if you're not so crafty, you might want to visit Kerri's etsy shop and snag some of these cuties for yourself!

Back to the Big City!

2011-08-03T22:23:00.000-06:00

We ventured off for a couple days to actually make something of our vacation and do some camping. It was only 2 hours away, but it was pretty secluded, near Rocky Mountain House, and there were warning signs for Bears, so it was pretty rugged. Not to mention that there were no showers... or flush toilets.. or running water like Cory promised there'd be. Nope, just really stinky outhouses and a ton of baby wipes and hand sanitizer the last 2 days. I'm glad to be home!

I figured I would share a couple shots of our set-up, since we really didn't take too many photos.

Here's a quick shot of our kitchen/dining space:

That little awning deal is a lifesaver. It's perfect for when it's raining, cause at least you have a place to cook, eat or even play some card games. Especially when there aren't any good trees around for hanging tarps!

Then onto the living room:

Yes, as you can see, we forgot that the only tarp we had was the world's smallest and most expensive tarp. We bought it last year last minute when it poured all weekend. Unfortunately for us, we bought it at a Sports Equipment store, right on the main street in Banff. $$!

you may have noticed the sleeping bag laying on ground next under Cory's feet. That's Finley's play area. It's a cheapo nylon sleeping bag we open up and put close enough to a tree to tether her, close enough to the fire that she's warm at night but far enough away that the bag (nor she) gets hit with flying embers. Plus, her toys and her food and water station is right there. Our little girl loves it!

Next up is the bedroom. I didn't get any interior shots, but here's the exterior:

You can't see just how big it is, but it took up the bulk of our site. They market is as an 8 person tent. But in my opinion, with a double and a single air mattress and two overnight bags. This perfectly fits two adults and a medium to large dog. LOL Who rates these things anyhow?

But the biggest lifesaver of the weekend was the addition of a new storage item for our camping gear. Regularly, we cram almost all our camping stuff into two large Rubbermaid bins. Then, anytime you need something, you have to take every single item out as invariably, the item you need is at the bottom!

Not this time, I decided instead to repurpose a plastic drawer unit that was going underused in our guest closet. Perfect!!

The top drawer held clean-up items: rags, dish soap, grabage bags, wet wipes, paper towel, toilet paper, etc.
iIddle drawer was for serving pieces. Plates, bowls, cups, cutlery, table cloths and clips, salt and pepper.

The bottom drawer was for cooking items. Pots, pan, cooking utensils, aluminum foil, ziploc bags, lighters, etc.

It was so much easier to find things. Plus, I found that since everything had a place, things actually got put away!!

Fitness for Friday

2011-07-29T02:17:00.000-06:00

I had a sobering experience yesterday. Upon viewing myself in a photo, I suddenly saw what I had been feeling for quite some time now. IT IS TIME TO LOSE WEIGHT!

At 5'1", I've always been tiny. At least until I turned 24... It used to be a running joke in my very early twenties that if I ever had kids, I'd finally be able to fit into "Adult Clothing". Yup, I wore kids clothes (at least bottoms) for the longest time. Actually, I still sometimes do, but that's more due to my height than my weight.

I had no hips, no boobs and despite being athletic, I was tiny.

This is an old softball photo! Oh, and you might be able to notice, there's some six pack going on under those abs....

And then I stopped working at a job where I stood on my feet all day long, for 8+ hours, eating when I could. I started working an office job at the hotel, where a couple of the chefs were vying for my attention and did so by bringing me delicious treats.

I had also stopped dancing and playing sports due to work.

Over the course of the next few years, I steadily gained weight and I don't exactly remember what caused it, but suddenly, I was very uncomfortable in my body and clothes didn't fit.

I've done various bouts at the gym. I signed up with a personal trainer. I even had said trainer hired on at my work when we opened the gym in our building.

But I've not yet been able to get in a groove. Oh, don't get me wrong, I go thru stages where I am in there every day, working my butt off. It's usually for an event - Mexico anyone? And then as soon as the event is over, I let it all go downhill.

This year, I am focusing on eating better and I have vowed to get my self into shape.

I'd like to drop at least 30 lbs by the end of the year (but I am less focused on lbs. and more on how I look and feel.)

My current biggest area to work on is my stomach. I want that flat (maybe six pack) ab section back!

Plus, if the overall weight loss causes my face to go back to the way it used to be, I will be forever greatful.

I've recently started sharing my fitness progress with a gf and thought that it would be great for me to share here as well. Once a week, I will be updating my progress and anything else related to keep me on track.

Wish me luck in this fitness journey!

A Walk in the Park... and all around Downtown

2011-07-28T20:41:00.000-06:00

Today I had a great idea to take Finley down to Kinsmen Park and walk around. The weather was perfect. Not too hot, but hot enough.

Then we crossed the High Level Bridge

Something about this old bridge that is very appealing to me!

We got our workout in, by taking the stairs...

There are even ramps on either side for bikes!

We saw some inspiring graffiti:

Cory refuses to smile for photos....

We then walked all the way to Jasper Ave, where we enjoyed a dinner on the sidewalk outside Subway. Little Miss Finley got quite a lot of attention.

Then we headed back. Here's a view of the High Level from the Walterdale Bridge we returned on:

Yeah, we walked FAR!!!

Someone was kind of nervous on the walk back. Not sure if it was from seeing the water down below or the vibrations from all the cars....?

On the drive home Cory stopped at Twisted Yogurt and we got dessert.

Kind of defeats the purpose of all that walking, but I like to think they didn't do too much damage since they are no fat!!

I selected White Chocolate Strawberry yogurt with caramel sauce, reese's pieces AND peanut butter cups, butterscotch chips.

YUM!

Vacation...

2011-07-27T11:37:00.000-06:00

Today is the first day of my vacation. We originally had a big camping trip to BC planned, but then the dog got sick and we knew i just wasn't going to work...

We're sad yes, but there's no use in getting upset about it, so we're gonna make the best of things and kind of plan our own little "Stay-cation". We've got no real plans and have a few things around the house to attend to, and maybe some fun stuff to get done. Plus, we might even be adventurous and head out camping for a day or two, but we're taking it day by day.

As of right now, this is all we've accomplished...

Oh yeah, we're still in bed! Save for an "emergency call" from the office an hour into the workday, we're taking it easy!

But just laying in bed, taking photos, I realized that this week off might be a good time to tackle some things, includig:

Finishing the window treatments in this room. I need two more sets of the wood blinds (one for the window in the closet). Once that's done, it'll be time to get some drapes hanging in there as well. At least on the large window...

This eyesore needs to be fixed. The blue paper was serving as a mat for a print, but I took the print out and then the mat shifted.... It's been like this for months - don't judge.

That's correct, there is still no headboard behind our bed. I have the frame AND I have the fabric (or at least the fabric I thought I was going to use). Now I just need to make a decision, buy the foam and execute the plan. This NEEDS to happen!!! Our pillows are all helter skelter and things fall behind the bed.

Well yes, obviously, we'll MAKE the bed. But I think it's time to seriously start looking at new bedding. I'll for sure be buying new sheets since ours are on their last legs, but I am over the blue and brown duvet. The colors just aren't right for what I'd like to do in here....

This will most likely take a while - there are limited options round here for Super King sized beds that aren't ridiculously expensive.

Spend some time with this good boy. We think he's sick.... Not sure how or why or what, but something's off. He's picking fights with the other cat; hissing and growling.

He also started "messing" where he shouldn't have been messing. Namely, on my bath mat.

I know that's never a good sign, but I'm crossing my fingers it's just cause he doesn't want to leave our room for fear of running into this week's nemesis, Mischu, his Egyptian Mau brother.

I'm staying positive and hoping that the heat has just made him grumpy.

Here's hoping we can make some progress in this room and finally call it complete!

Deal of the Day: Paper Towels

2011-07-25T09:30:00.001-06:00

I know its not very "green" of me to use paper towels but with 3 animals, they're just a necessity around Casa Savoy!

We ran out this weekend, which was the worst as we have two sick animals and someone who is secretly going to the washroom where they shouldn't be....

Last night I scouted some online flyers to see who had the best buys!

Shoppers Drug Mart had a couple of deals that worked for me:

~Scott towels are currently on for $4.99/6 pack. With my $2.00 off coupon=$2.99

~Life brand towels $0.69/2 pack. Limit is 4. Making cost for 6 rolls $2.76.

So for under $6.00, I am scoring 12 rolls! Pretty good!
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Date Night: Taste of Edmonton

2011-07-25T00:17:00.000-06:00

We had a very busy weekend over here at Casa Savoy! Friday night, we had plans with Cory's sister and her husband but since our plans were outdoors and it was raining, we opted for getting some pizza delivered and headed out to Friends with Benefits which I really liked. Yes, we thought it would be very similar to the recent "Just Friends", but MUCH better!!! I loved Mila Kunis in this. She's so cute. Loved her wardrobe in this as well!

Yesterday, we did some running around and a trip to the vet for Finley who apparently an upper respiratory infection or "kennel cough" if you will. She most likely contracted it from another dog at the dog park. Not fun!! Our poor little girl is hacking and vomiting and sneezing and sounds awful. She's really not doing well with it/ But thankfully, we got her on some antibiotics now and a cough supressant. But we're quarantined and must keep her away from other dogs for a minimum a week... and our vacation plans are up in the air! But since her medications make her drowsy, we took advantage of it and headed out of town for a party out of town at a friend's parent's home. I wish I had brought my camera or even my camera for that matter... I snagged a couple poor quality shots from Cory's phone that were even worse when I emailed them to myself....

Gorgeous 5400 sq. ft home with an amazing backyard that included this little beauty:

We just don't DO pools in Alberta.... soo jealous!

Today, we hit up Taste of Edmonton for a lovely little Date Night!!

$55 dollars worth of tickets and we were both stuffed!! Some of the delicious goodies we sampled were:
~Chicken satays ~ chocolate peanut butter chunks ~sweet potato fries ~pyrohy ~spankopita
~garlic and tomato salad ~chicken enchiladas ~strawberry frozen yogurt ~green onion cakes

Plus much more! I like going with Cory cause we each get a dish and then split it, and then we move on to the next set of booths. Yum!

It was a beautiful evening and we really had a great night!! Hope you had a great weekend as well!

Frugal Friday - "Extreme" Couponing

2011-07-22T09:00:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you, but I was beyond intrigued when the show Extreme Couponing aired. I could not get over how much money these women (and a few men) were saving. I mean some of them were getting thousands of dollars in products EACH WEEK for FREE - and sometimes even EARNING MONEY ON THEIR PURCHASES!!!

Growing up, I was no stranger to coupons. My mom would use them when she got them in the mail or the paper, if it was a product she was regularly going to purchase. I remember her little coupon holder and even found one for myself when I moved out on my own. It had a clear pocket on one side for the coupons (stacked in order of department of course) and the other side held a notepad, perfect for writing this week's list on.

A few years back, I even started subscribing to some online sites where I could go and choose my coupons and have them sent to me: Save.ca was my favorite.
But I was pretty forgetful with my coupons and time after time, they sat unused in my little coupon holder, so I kinda stopped doing it altogether.

And then I saw some episodes and got excited about it again. My excitement subsided when I realized that in Canada, there must be some different coupon legislations as there's no way we could EVER get those kinds of deals!! Apparently, there is only one store in the Country that allows coupon stacking and my grocery stores sure don't coupon match!.... so I forgot about it....

Until this past weekend when I saw it for the first time - a SERIOUS COUPONER!! Yup, strolling the cat food and litter aisle at Walmart, there she was!! A thirty something gal with her binder opened up, as she scanned the prices of cat litter!! She noticed my look right away, I was so intrigued I wanted to ask her questions like where do you get your coupons? is there a tip to organizing your stash? How much money do you really save? But I didn't know how to do it without coming off like a totally lunatic. Then, as she passed me again, I tried to sneak a peek at her binder and she got really embarassed, closed it and booked it down the aisle, never to be seen again!!

Shoot!! Missed my chance. I'm not so sure why she was embarassed. I wasn't judging her, I was thinking she was awesome! It got me excited and inspired again. Obviously, this lady relied on coupons enough to need a binder, so there must be something to saving money this way after all!

Later when I relayed the story, my brother mentioned his girlfriend had a binder and even brought it out for me to see! That was enough for me, I immediately got out the coupons I did have:

Got myself a binder

Labelled up some dividers and some great little plastic pages

and until I have a second to buy some proper business card pages for the coupons, I subbed in some regular plastic pages to file them in

Oh, and then I set to work ordering all sorts of coupons online.

Now all I have to do is get our printer working so I can start printing even more coupons for some of our favorite brands!

I'm excited to see how this goes and will share my progress with you!!

Are there any couponers (extreme or otherwise) out there that want to share some tips with me?

Cheap and Cheerful- Alternative to Pots!

2011-07-20T09:58:00.001-06:00

It's turning out to be a nice day. Hopefully it will last into the evening so I can actually enjoy it when I am off work.

If not, I am in the midst of a big project with the office to keep me busy.

Speaking of offices, thought I would share with you the great little plant that sits on my desk cause I think it's so great!

We received this as an "office warming" gift over a year ago when we moved into the new building. We received so many gorgeous floral arrangements that week, but this was the only plant, and is obviously the only one still kickin'.

A sweet woven basket that I recognize from the dollarstore, with a fitted clear plastic liner, some dirt and what appear to be cuttings(?) from at onetime 5 (now 4) different plants and BAM! Instant gift.

Honestly, I don't know how I've managed to keep it alive this long. I'm not really close to a window, but I suppose all the glass still allows it to get enough natual light? And I only water it once in a while, with the dregs from my waterbottle. But this little arrangement apears to be thriving!

Maybe I'll throw something like this together next time I need a cheap gift. It lasts much longer than flowers and looks great!
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Friday Style Feature: Eclectic Traditional Home

2011-07-15T09:00:00.000-06:00

I'm suppossed to be getting together with my sister in law this weekend to do a garage sale, but thought I would share one of my recent favorite homes.

This home, belongs to Style at Home Design Editor Christine Hanlon. Her home has been featured in the magazine a few times and each time it gets an update, I still love it. Here's some snaps from the most current incarnation:

The gorgeous white mantel reminds me a lot of ours.

I'm also now thinking that maybe line for our sofas is a good idea. Love the garden stool and the bamboo table!!

While I wouldn't probably pick the chartreuse for my own home, I love it here!

Great mix of texures, patterns and colors on the sofa.

I like that they have layered the side tables, as we all know it's sometimes hard to actually reach them.

From afar, the chairs look grey. I love that they have a patten that still can read as a neutral.

Perfect looks with such a simple color palette.

Love the simple wallpaper. The doors are awesome.

I'm not sure though if there are 2 dining rooms in this space or perhaps her "nook" is also done up quite nicely.

I think I might want to try out a white table. Looks a lot less maintenancey than my glossy dark one....

I am totally gonna steal this idea of using a small chest instead of a whole sideboard. Since we don't have room for one in our space, a pretty blue chest like this would be perfect!

Hope you have a wonderful Friday! Who knows, I might be back with more later on!

Highs and Lowes...

2011-07-14T11:00:00.000-06:00

First up, the lowes:

We've been having a RIDICULOUS (and that's an understatement) amount of rain here lately. Over the past month we've had very few nice days. But it's rained a lot. And hailed. and rained REALLY HARD FOR DAYS. So needless to say, the lawn was getting it's fair share. While that saved on our water bill, it also presented a problem:

The rain, coupled (i'm sure) with the fact that we grass cycle and leave our clippings on the lawn, atributed to some new occupants in our lawn.... MUSHROOMS!!

There are no pictures of the offenders as I am out there getting rid of them as soon as one appears. Plus, I'm actually horrifically embarassed by them. I mean, the lawn is less than a year old!! Plus, I am pretty proud to admit that I was taking wonderful care of the yard. I'd be out there every night after work, pulling errant weeds from the shrub bed, mowing and whacking the grass to keep it sporting a chic and stylish 'do. But apparently, it's not uncommon in new sod, especially in new builds as often time careless builders leave construction debris, and then it gets covered and decomposes, making it ideal mushroom growing conditions.

So, off we headed to get something to take care of the problem. I'll admit, we were initially headed to Home Depot, since it was always our go-to place. But on the way, we remembered that Lowes had recently opened, and we hadn't been in there yet. Plus, it was a tad closer...

We were pleasantly surprised when we went inside. The variety of products was different than everything else we'd been seeing everywhere lately. We did get sidetracked, but eventually found ourselves in the seasonal section picking up a fungicide. We couldn't find something specifically for mushrooms, so we ended up going with this option:

I've been picking the mushrooms as soon as they sprout, and then giving the affected area a good blast and then covering the whole area around the tree that they're growing a good coating. But so far, they seem to still be coming back and quite rapidly I might add.

I'm wondering if anyone else knows a good treatment. Or are we just gonna have to dig out the area and either put in new sod a bed of some sort....?

But, the visit to Lowes did have a high: I spotted the gorgeous quatrefoil mirror that John and Sherry have in their master bath window!!

I'll most definitely be making a trip back there to pick one up for myself.

But seriously, about the mushrooms, HELP!!!

Learning a New Trick!

2011-07-13T21:38:00.000-06:00

So I used a palm sander for the first time tonight... No, I'm not kidding - I have a thing with sandpaper, so it's always been one of those nails on chalkboard kinda things for me.

When it's come to projects, either my mom or Cory has always had to do things for me. But since the pile of projects waiting to be sanded so that they could be started was getting bigger every day, I figured I could maybe talk myself into it.
Cory was pretty sure that something going fast, like a palm sander wouldn't creep me out as much as literally scraping a sanding block on wood would, and since mom had gotten us one two years ago for Christmas, I figured I could at least TRY it before admitting defeat.

So after work, I found the thing in Cory's workbench and then proceeded to try and figure it out. I was completely lost, and the manual made me even more so.... So I set it down (not away...) and waited for him to get home. Once we figured out how to get the paper on there (he's not so handy either...) I got to try it out.

And you know what? It DOESN'T BUG ME!!!

Unfortunately, the whole thing lasted about 7 minutes because all we had for sandpaper was the sample sheets that came with the sander, but I am excited to get to work on the piles of stuff waiting to be refinished!!!

Practical and Awesome or Worst Idea Ever?

2011-07-13T11:17:00.002-06:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about changing the way we do towels in our powder room.
We moved the awful builder basic towel bar about a year ago, when we were going to wallpaper (that was postponed due to a purchasing error; possibly to be re-started this fall...) and then I decided I didn't want another bar. So I bought a cheapo towel ring, which is sitting in the cupboard cause I ended up getting a cute little stand in my suprise sample box from Princess House.
We've been using the stand ever since and while I love it, Cory apparently does not. His big hands find it awkward and he knocks it over all the time. Plus since my towels are big but folded down, they are snug on the stand and stay damp.
There's nothing nastier than drying your hands on someone else's damp towel spot. Yuck...
So I think it would be fantastic to try individual towels. We use them at work in the client washroom and I love everything about it.
1. There's nothing better than a crisp, white (dry) towel.
2. Let's be honest, this looks so chic! Plus, I have the room for it and the "discard" basket under the weird counter cut-out.
3. Yes it's more towels, but they are smaller and I would still only be doing full loads, so I don't feel wasteful.
What do you think? Is anyone doing this in their house already?
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EDITED TO ADD: The photos above are of the client bathroom at work. NOT our home!

Children's Items I love!!

2011-07-11T10:00:00.000-06:00

We had the Restoration Hardware Baby & Child Catalogue delivered to work the other day and I was absolutely in love!

It was the first time I'd seen this one and couldn't believe all the amazing pieces. While I neither have kids, nor am expecting any time soon, I couldn't help but fall in love with a few items that I think would look great in our house right now!

These industrial baskets with numbered liners would be perfect for storage in our basment when we eventually finish it!!

I absolutely love these ABC floor cushions. Yes, I know they're pretty kid friendly, but they'd also be pretty awesome in said basement. Or a really expensive dog bed.... Ms. Finley would definitely love something chic like this!!

Alright, so while I would never actually pay this much for a pinboard. But I have been searching out an antique frame at a reasonable price for a really long time to no luck. But since I am in the process of re-doing our office, I will definitely be on the lookout for something similar to this for our space!

I'm also totally awaiting the day I have kids so I can do up a ridiculously ostentatious room like this!

Shoe Love!

2011-07-10T21:03:00.000-06:00

We had grand plans to finish the fence and get started on landscaping the backyard this weekend. However, as usual, since Cory had the weekend off, it rained. Actually rain is an understatement - it poured... all weekend. I mean, yeah this afternoon was nice, but we had so much rain Friday and Saturday that the backyard was a lake. So, we did some shopping instead.

I only bought one thing, but I am ridiculously in love with them:

Yup, I needed a new pair for work as 3 pairs of pumps became "too tired looking" to wear to work this year.

I was actually looking for something a little less... black. But the asymetrical box detail caught my eye and there was nothing I could do about it. They're Nine West's and were clearance at The Bay

I'm currently loving them with cuffed up jeans. But they look good with everything so far!

I also fell in love with a gorgeous pair of Badgley Mischka pumps similar to these:

Unfortunately, on clearance, they were still $250.00 and with only 1 wedding reception to attend this summer, I just couldn't justify the purchase! Maybe I'll keep stalking them....

Any great shoe finds lately?

Our Outdoor Space... or at least 1 of 2 (In progress)

2011-07-07T20:59:00.000-06:00

I guess I haven't really shared much about our outdoor space before. I guess that's both because it's no where near finished and a little cause I am ~~lazy~~ forgetful.

Actually, we essentially have 2 outdoor spaces: the upper deck and the lower patio.

But the only space we're currently using is the upper deck. The lower ~~disaster~~ space is a post for another day... and we;ll eventually get around to it when we've actually got some landscaping down there as well.

Anyhow, back to the upper deck - immediately after we moved in we placed the bbq up there (which I thought made sense since it was off the kitchen) and bought a patio set without measuring anything.

The deck was actually narrower than I thought ( we had looked at 3 different options when we built), but since getting the set home was so difficult, I was NOT about to return it, so we made do.

Plus I really liked it and we got it on clearance at Walmart.

I really love the detail on the backs of the chairs. The cushions are neutral, which we like, but sometimes I think it's all too "beige" out there and I need some brightly colored toss cushions on the chairs. It has six chairs, but only 4 fit comfortably around the table. We also love the rectangular umbrella, which is perfect for the space!

The other two chairs were perfect for creating a little sitting area:

I also added a little round wicker table with glass top. It's vintage, handed down from my mom. I had originally sprayed it glossy black 3 years ago but the "elements" of a Canadian winter have taken their toll and I kind of like the natural look.

This spring, after buying a new(er) bbq, Cory decided he was going to keep the bbq downstairs. I told him it could stay until we get the lower space finished.....sometime next year most likely.

That left this corner free:

I'm thinking I might try and move the sitting area to the corner or maybe find a few more matching chairs to add some extra seating since we always seem to be bringing kitchen chairs outside when we entertain.

It looks really squashed here, but it's actually perfect.

The one area I am not too keen on is this:

Our neighbours house is set further back on the lot than ours which means that we have a full-on view of our deck. Plus, sometimes their three kids are strange (and don't appear to have any toys... so sometimes they stare at us out there, or even into our house for that matter....

So obviously, I'd like to add a little privacy. I don't want to add a lattice screen or anything here, but I think it might be nice to add a tall cedar in the corner. I mean, there's already a huge empty pot there.

Well actually, that's a smaller pot (full of last summer's dead plants) sitting inside the opening of the large blue pot!

We've been keeping the babygate at the top of the stairs cause the animals like to hang out on the deck with us sometimes. But there is nothing better than a little color in that otherwise bland space. Especially when this is what the stairs are currently looking down onto:

Yuck, not much to look at! But hopefully we'll made some headway on the lower level this weekend!!

A surprise Project completion and a lot more work to go....

2011-07-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

I mentioned the other day that Cory was suddenly productive...without even being asked. Well, actually I have been asking for almost an entire year, when I got this as a Birthday gift from my mom:

Yup, it's nothing fancy nor really all that exciting, but it's UP!!

It took a couple hours over 2 nights after work, but with only 5 minutes of assistance from myself, Cory got this thing mounted all on his own!

Considering that he doesn't have much handy-man experience and that the ceiling in the garage is very high... I'm pretty proud of him!

Now that the opener is installed, we just need to clean it up a bit and clear out some of the crap and finish some of the projects currently taking up valubale floor space!

Here's a sneak peek at what I'm talking about:

The workbench area isn't TOO bad... but I think it could use a lot more work.

This wall (or actually the floor in front of it) is the biggest culprit. There are furniture pieces waiting to be worked on. Camping gear that doesn't have a home, a couple bikes, lots of gardening tools, garbage and random landscaping blocks and the like that need to be re-located.

The floor to ceiling shelving that extends the entire other wall is fantastic. But again, as the garage is Cory's area, it needs a little help.

I'll be tackling the garage this weekend while the guys get the rest of the fence up. Hopefully, we'll be able to fit the SUV in there by the time I am finished!!

An epic fail... But packed with goodness all the same!

2011-07-04T10:21:00.001-06:00

The past (long) weekend was great! Full of friends, some family and fun. Yet, despite trying to put some effort in, I took not one photo. That's right, not even a shoddy cell phone snap. Whoops!

While I'm totally sad that I'll have nothing to document this little slice of life. But I'm not beating myself up over it- cause it means I was living in the moment and experiencing!

A quick run down: Friday was spent at the lakehouse, where I stayed til Saturday afternoon. Saturday evening, a little shindig at J and A's place for their 2 year Wedding Anniversary. Sunday we started some prep work for an upcoming garage sale and had dinner with Cory's sister and her husband. Good times!

In other news, someone has been productive around our house and it isn't me! I'll share a peek at the newest addition to our casa tonight!

I'm gonna get started on a table re-finish this week as well. I don't know where it'll end up, but I know it has to leave the spot in the garage it's sat for almost 2 years...
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Happy Canada Day!

2011-07-01T13:42:00.001-06:00

I'm on the road headed to the lake house for a great day with friends. We'll be back in the city tomorrow night for a party though.

In the meantime I'm looking forward to this:
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And it continues...

2011-06-30T14:46:00.001-06:00

The weather Gods do NOT want us to finish working on the yard. We had crazy weather yesterday in the form of this thunderstorm complete with Snowball sized Hail.

The backyard is once again flooded (due to the fact that on either side of us, yards are completed and sloping into ours) and needs time to dry out. Guess it's all for the best as I'd much rather enjoy my long weekend than work!

I've got a busy one in store - hope yours is a good one! Enjoy the long weekend!
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This week's update!

2011-06-28T11:44:00.001-06:00

We haven't been doing much around the house so my posts are few and far between and totally random, I'm hoping to amend that this week...

It's not that we aren't trying, believe me, we are. But first it was the weather (it was like crazy rain for 4 or 5 days last week) that prevented us from finishing the fence and getting the backyard landscaping done. Even now that it's stopped, we still have a lake in the backyard we're hoping dries out this week!

Then, this weekend, my dad was admitted to hospital. He's fine now and is most likely off work for a week, in bed with a bad case of vertigo.

But just when we thought we were in the clear, mom took an ambulance ride to the hospital herself yesterday. In addition to all the regular complications she's been having, yesterday she thought she was having another heart attack...while driving!

Turns out it wasn't but she's in hospital for more tests and finally some treatment. Here's hoping we can get to the bottom of this.

I am hoping to catch a break tonight and get some yard work done. I've also got some inspiration to get some pieces painted this week, so keep an eye out for finished pieces in the next few days!

The weekend is shaping up to be super busy as well. Headed to the lake for Canada Day, with possibly an additional roadtrip added on for some shopping. We have a wedding anniversary cocktail party to attend. Then, I'm off to Devon to prepare for an upcoming garage sale with Cory's sister.

I've set a goal to carry my camera (at least the point and shoot) for the rest of the week, so I'll have plenty to share and spare you the crummy Blackberry shots!

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Pets in the Park

2011-06-26T23:41:00.000-06:00

I am officially pooped! We had a big day planned for today. It started out a little crummy this morning and I was worried as we had a bunch of outdoor activities planned.

FIrst up, we were slated to head outside for Pets in the Park.

Finley had a great time.

It also ended up being a really gorgeous day out.

She was fascinated with this sheep hearding dog. We might have to try it next time....

The day was great and we ended it off with a bbq for my brother's b-day, my sis in law's bday and a belated father's day but dad couldn't make it as he was pretty sick.

This little monkey however, DID make it. He's 2 months and 2 days old now and has gotten so big!!

Almost too heavy for grammy to hold anymore...

Where I've been... Loud Tour!

2011-06-23T10:17:00.001-06:00

This is where I was last night. A girlfriend from work and I scored free tickets to watch Rihanna from a skybox last night. Who could say no?

It was a pretty good show. I like Rihanna. Her tunes are catchy and really get me movin' on the elliptical. And I'm not even gonna pretend I don't shake my booty around the house when a song comes on, so of course I was excited to go.

I do however think the name of the show, "The Loud Tour" more applied to the vibrancy of the colors in the crazy costumes worn by her and her dancers than anything else. In fact, I believe a better name for the tour should have been "Sex" as it was quite provocative as a whole.

I'd even go so far as to suggest that maybe the show should have had an admission rating of 14 +, if not 18A. I was quite shocked to see how many "tweens" and kids were at the show. Let me tell you, if I was 12, I would have felt real awkward watching that with my mom sitting next to me!

I appreciate Rihanna's saucy attitude and think the show as a whole was fun. Heck, I can't say that if I was a performer I wouldn't be busting out some sexy dance moves of my own! But I'm 28... If I was a mom bringing my kids out, I might have a different attitude.

Opening act B.O.B was good with some catchy current radio faves. We missed the 1st opening act as we opted to go for dinner though.

All in all, a great, fun start to summer with a good girlfriend. If you have tix for an upcoming show, prepare for a jaw-dropping show from this fun loving Bahamian!
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SHATTERED!

2011-06-21T11:40:00.001-06:00

Just my nailpolish that is! I am officially obsessed with this new(ish) product by <a href="http://opi.com">O P I</a> .

After applying 2 coats of your choice of color (this time I chose hot pink), you layer over a think coat of the Shatter (this time black) and it immediately shatters, creating an awesome pattern of nail art!

So far I've only picked up the black, but I've layered it over silver, teal and hot pink in the week since I bought it.

I'll definitely be picking up some more shatter colors and obviously some fun base colors!
Since I'm on the phone and computer all day long, my nails get a lot of wear AND display time so it's nice to showcase them looking fun!
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Outdoor Rug Love!

2011-06-18T12:00:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking about getting an outdoor rug for a while now. Everything on the exterior of our house right now (including the house itself) is pretty neutral. We even selected a neutral patio set so that it would "blend" nicely with the house.

Unfortunately, I'm starting to think it's kind of bland now. If it wasn't for the flowers I put out there, it would be so lifeless.

On a little online perusing today, I came across these beauties at Home Depot:

Of course I'm attracted to this one, it has my favorite blue! Plus, who doesn't love a nice botanical.

But without seeing it in person, I think it might be a little too neutral.

This one is definitely dramatic. But I'd have to see how the colors read in real life.

But at $130 a piece, they're currently out of my price range for an outdoor rug ( I mean, it only gets 3 months of use each year...)

I did however see two different options at Walmart the other day, that unfortunately, I can not find online.... so I'll keep looking since I will most likely want to get two. One for the upper desk (dining space) and one for the lower patio (relaxing space).

Sofa Scouting and a Fabric FAIL!

2011-06-17T00:27:00.000-06:00

Tonight, Cory and I went to look at sofas. We've been talking about getting new living room furniture for quite some time now. However, this spring we finally decided it was time to officially take the plunge. Now, keep in mind that while the living room is currently serving as our all the time room, once the basement is finished, we'll be spending most of our time down there. Which means I get to take over the living room and glam it up a little more.

So, since we're designating the family room in the basement as more masculine, the living room is MY space. Needless to say, I had something specific in mind. I knew a white or a cream was completely out of the question so I figured a gorgeous dolphin grey would be perfect.

A while back I spotted this gorgeous grey set:

(excuse the awful shot from my phone)

The color is hard to see here but it is a gorgeous light grey. A very soft velvet.

It's also super comfy and has gorgeous tufting.

But Cory has convinced himself he does not like it. He's tried telling me it wasn't comfortable. I obviously know he's crazy as it's possibly THE most comfy sofa I've ever sat on!

So, in an effort to find something we actually both like, we went out tonight. We actually managed to find a style we both agreed on:

This is the Magnus.

He's very comfy and very deep. Which is perfect. Our room is shallow but super deep, we'd love something that would let us be closer to the coffee table in the middle of the room.

We even wandered around for almost an hour looking for fabrics, and finally found something that we were pretty happy with.

A medium looking grey with a wave patttern stitched in a very faint baby blue.

Since the couch also comes with throw cushions in any fabric of our choice, we spent even more time ~~arguing~~ debating over pillow cushions.

YAY!! We were so excited to finally agree on something. Since it was really the first sofa we'd looked at, we weren't prepared to purchase anything right away, so when the sales gal told me we could borrow a sample to take home, I jumped at the change to see how it would look in the room.

And that's where the story comes to a screaching halt....

That is our current sofa.... yeah I know - YUCK!! Hence why we're looking...

Anyhow, the grey pillow on the right is what I had in mind. The fabric sample draped over the top is what we THOUGHT we wanted.

As you can see here, it's not grey, it's BROWN. The cream, brown, blue and green graphic fabric was our compromise on pillows.

While I don't HATE it, it is definitely not the right choice for want in here.

So.... I guess that means we are back to square one. Which means NOWHERE!!

I like to Mo(w)ve it, Mo(w)ve it!

2011-06-15T14:00:00.001-06:00

Yes, that's right! This girl mowed her first lawn this month!! Last weekend Cory picked up this beauty:

(try not to focus on our filthy driveway, and on the bright shiny green metal!!)

And yes, I did just express my delight in our new lawn mover.

We toyed with the idea of getting a manual powered mower for quite some time. We figured that with the size of yard, the exercise it would give us, the fact that it was better for the environment, the price point AND the fact that it would take up less space than a gas or electric mower gave it a heads up over another option.

Then we went to the store and Cory looked at a bunch and decided he wanted a gas mower instead. In fact, he went to get one but they were out of stock. Two days later I came home to this beauty in our driveway. I was admittedly quite happy!

I'd never mowed a lawn before and I was actually a little scared to operate a gas or electric option. I always envisioned slicing my hands or feet off or something crazy morbid.

Not with this baby!! I wasted no time in getting myself acquainted with this mower. I've actually mowed the lawn twice!

We were a little worried that it would be incredibly annoying to have to push this baby around and resent getting a push mower, but I love it. There's something great about the sense of accomplishment that slicing and dicing each blade of grass!

If you're thinking about getting a push mower, I say go with it!! Unless of couse you have like acres or something...

Posted!

2011-06-14T23:32:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned the other day, we finally got around to starting our fence this past weekend. I mean, we only managed to get the posts done since our help ended up not showing up and we needed to make other arrangements. But it turned out fine since the concrete needed 24 hours to set anyhow.

This was the view of our front yard this weekend. If you look closely on the left side you'll see that yes, there is a man laying on the ground..

Here's a peek into the disaster that is our garage. I know, I know. But once all the landscaping stuff is moved, it will be much better in there.

Here are some of the guys working on getting the posts all lined up.

It kind of butchered the rocks on the side of the house there. We'll most likely be digging them up and laying down new rock.

A view from the deck at the posts. YAY!!

Yay!! This mud pit will soon be our backyard!

Can't wait until the next weekend Cory has off so we can get this project finished!!

Mexican Chorizo Pasta!

2011-06-14T10:26:00.001-06:00

Last night's dinner was another <a href="http://simplysupper.ca">Simply Supper</a> creation. It was absolitely delicious!

While I don't get the recipes, I can tell you this one was pretty easy. Chopped chorizo with onions simmered while rotini cooked.

The sauce, which consists of black beans, salsa, diced canned tomatoes, mexican spices and a few other things I can't recall was added to the sausage mixture and left to simmer. Then mix it together and bam! Deliciousness.

We made the official decision last night to keep going. We are definitely fans.
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Little indulgences

2011-06-13T13:04:00.001-06:00

I spend more time at my desk at work, then I do at home... Is it any wonder that sometimes I'd like to surround myself with some beauty?

I snipped these from our rooftop "green roof" patio garden at work. They smell amazing and look so pretty! I love garden roses.
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Weekend wrap up!

2011-06-13T10:38:00.001-06:00

Wow! This weekend was jam packed. First up, I did my Simply Supper thing on Friday night and drove around borrowing tools we'd need for Saturday.

Saturday, we got the posts for our fence put in. I'll post about all that tomorrow! Let's just say we were so tired we were supposed to go out that night and "briefly lay down" while getting ready, and then awoke at 3am. Oops!

Sunday, I completed the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes. It was only 5 km, and the weather was perfect. It was my first every charity walk and I was so happy I did it. I've already set a bigger team size goal and fundraising goal for next year!

I have a lot of housework to catch up on now, since we were outside all weekend. But I have great yard work related posts scheduled for the week! Happy Monday!
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JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes

2011-06-11T12:06:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow I will be up bright and early as I am walking 5km for the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes. We've partnered with them this year as one of our charities at work and my boss really wanted us to have a team that participated in the walk, so he told me to take care of it. Which essentially means, I volunteered myself....

Which is actually fine. I love that I'm doing it. I also had the opportunity to attend a team captain's meeting where we got to hear from "ambassadors" who were the children affected by the disease and their families. It was so touching to hear from these kids about how their biggest wishes were to someday find a cure. Or to hear their parents tell stories on how they creep into the rooms of their small children in the middle of the night and give them finger pokes as they sleep so they can check their insulin levels. I couldn't possibly imagine how life-changing that could be to have a child diagnosed with something that would change the way they do absolutely everything. It was sad to hear their stories and I wanted nothing more than to help out so that maybe one day, these kids can just be kids!!

We had quite a few people express interest in the walk right off the bat, but I think there will be about 4 of us actually walking on Sunday, which is fine. I told everyone if they're not walking - they're donating!!

I've actually done pretty well with the fundraising, and that's not counting the mini bottle drive I have organized at work and still have yet to tally up and contribute to the total, but you can never have too much. Here's a site so you can see how we're doing: Cindy's JDRF Site

Simply Supper

2011-06-09T15:50:00.002-06:00

Not sure if I've shared this before, but I do not cook. Like, AT ALL!
I mean, I love to eat, and can find some very yummy recipes, but I have no desire to execute them.
I've been very fortunate in that Cory is a wonderful cook, and actually likes to cook. The problem is that when he's working 12-14 hours a day, the last thing he wants to do is think of something to make, cook and clean up. So it's started to become a point of contention around these parts. However this week I decided to start helping him out a little more and figured there was a way I could get some food out to him without having to do too much. But I wanted to make sure it wasn't junk food.
Enter Simply Supper :. I'd heard about them a few years back but always assumed it would be too expensive. They actually seem pretty reasonable, so I decided to try it out. premise is this: they provide the kitchen, the recipes and all the food and storage containers for you to prepare your meals. You bring them home and freeze them and BAM! you're all stocked with dinners! Love it!
Since it's a little more complicated than that, here's my experience so far:
First, you select you kitchen time. The first two dates I wanted were sold out, apparently this place is busy!
Then, you choose what sort of package you want. There are 4, we chose the "skinny six" which gives us 6 meals with 2 to 3 servings each (there are options for larger families as well as an option to do 12 meals for both serving options).
Then you choose from the menu options. I thought EVERYTHING sounded good. It was hard to choose. But I decided to sample a bit of everything AND opted to choose items with different cooking methods; bake/grill, stovetop and slowcooker! (since we only did 6 to start, I chose 2 pastas, a salmon dish and 2 chickens). Since they have to buy the groceries, you need to choose your meals in advance to ensure they have enough.
You prepay, obviously since they are gonna buy your groceries! Then you show up at your time and get everything together.
Each day, you thaw your meals and then cook them up.
Sounds easy enough to me!
I have to admit, I am really looking forward to it! I never thought I would ever say that. Plus, it will be a chance for me to give him a break especially on long days. I'll fill you in later next week with how they turned out and some photos and all that fun stuff.
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Walk this Way...

2011-06-04T14:21:00.000-06:00

I totally forgot to share another quick little landscaping task we took on a couple weeks ago. We started adding a slate walkway from the front step to the backyard!

Last summer, my boss' wife kindly offered up some free slabs of slate. We drove over and Cory loaded up a big stack, thinking it would be perfect. Unfortunately, we only grabbed enough to cover from the front step to where the grass turns to rock (which will also be where our gate is when the fence gets started... next week?).

Once I started to lay the slabs down, I wasn't exactly sold on it. Infact, I believe my words were "I hate it, let's get rid of it and buy those pre-made stepping stones". Something about the fact that they were all different shapes and sizes, didn't mesh with the clean-lined, symmetrical plan in my head. But Cory really liked it and said it looked great. Especially with the colors of the slab playing off the exterior stone we had surrounding the garage. So I decided I would live with it for a few days and see how it felt.

You can see behind Finley how the path leads from the front step to the back.

She's looking very intently at a bug or something...

I've actually grown to really like it. The grass has definitely filled in a ton since we laid them down, which is nice.

Plus, it adds a ton more character and interested to the sideyard than those perfectly round, grey concrete ones would.

I'll hopefully be heading over to my boss' old house this weekend to pick up a few more pieces so we can finish the rest of the walkway to the back!!

Still reeling and an update!

2011-06-03T15:05:00.001-06:00

I am still reeling for the amazing time I had Wednesday at U2's outdoor show! The stage setup was ridiculous and it was packed at about 65000 ppl there.

We also got some uplifting and better news about my mom who has been quite ill. We finally got into see a specialist who made a prognosis after just talking to her and doing an exam that he believes is 95% correct. So I am looking forward to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel here soon!

Plus, I'll actually be able to get some stuff done around the house and get back to blogging regularly.

As of late, I've been spending lots of time tending to the front yard and not much else. I've got a date with my laptop tonight to download some photos. Have a great day!
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Starting June off with a Bang... Or should I say Bono?

2011-06-01T11:30:00.001-06:00

Whoo hoo! June is here and it is slated to be a very busy one for me. Lots of birthdays, father's day, a charity walk, working out hard, a busy work schedule and some serious yard work among other things.

But I figured what better way to start the month off than with an amazing concert? Last week, courtesy of the miracle that is <a href="http://facebook.com">Facebook</a> I noticed that a gf who I don't see enough needed a date for the concert. I emailed her and guess who scored herself a free ticket to see U2 at a fantastic outdoor concert tonight? Yay me!

Here's hoping the weather stays nice.

Photo courtesy of <a href="http://beatcrave.com">this site</a>m

Hope your first day of June is great too!
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Garden Early Last Week

2011-05-31T15:53:00.001-06:00

Our front landscaping was started late last summer. It was taken care of through the builder so we didn't have any say as to what was done, which was pretty sucky but I have tried my best to turn it into something ok.

In addition to the sod, they planted the requisite one tree. In our case, a crab apple, which I am not too keen on, but it sure looked pretty last week all in bloom:

I'm not sure if we'll get any apples on this thing or not this year though. Plus, I am still on the fence about switching it out for something I love a whole lot more, like a lilac.

We also have a little shrub bed that kind of wraps around the walkway/front step area. It wsas really weird how they did it, and didn't put any ladnscaping border or anything. Plus, they literally wrapped the sod right up the slight incline to it. I believe the area guidelines actually stiplate 6 bushes, but they got away with only putting in 4 and I am not exactly sure what they are. Plus the end two were looking pretty dead....

I added the pagoda-style solar lanterns last summer in between each bush for added interest and obviously, practicality. They were a fall clearance item from Zellers and I actually like them quite a bit since they're larger than most.

Back in October, right before the snow came, I had the forethought to pick up and actually plant some tulip bulbs. I'd never had much luck with bulbs so imagine my suprise when I saw some sprouting through the soil! I've been lucky in that the first few to come up, are still kicking around. Here are the shots from their first few days.

It's been so much fun watching my first ever in-ground garden take shape!!

We had originally planned to add a stone retaining wall around the whole deal, but ended up scraping it for the time being.

We had however added one more change and I will show you that tomorrow! It's nothing extreme but I find it makes a huge difference!

First Photo Shoot

2011-05-27T08:46:00.000-06:00

My sister in law sent me the link to my nephew's first photo shoot yesterday. The pictures turned out sooo cute!!

So here's a quick little shout out to Helena Knittig of Apple Fresh Photography . She only shoots in natural light so it was a wonder she managed to get such great shots inside the pretty dark condo!

Here's my fave and of course, check out her blog with a few more sneak peeks at little Phoenix.

Gotta love this little stinker and the funny faces he made for the camera!

Open for Business!

2011-05-24T10:08:00.001-06:00

The tulips in my front flower bed opened up over the weekend! I have 20 bulbs that managed to do their thing and about half were blooming or on the verge. The rest will be on their way short enough.

I have some better photos on the way, but it's all still in progress. I had hoped to get the front bed finished this past weekend, but we had some family stuff to take care of and with my debit skimming escapade, I couldn't pick up the last piece I needed.

I am gonna go buy the last block tonight and hopefully finish off the retaining wall (provided it doesn't rain). Then top it all off with the mulch.

We also made some other progress but you'll have to wait til tomorrow to see !
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Bad news Bears!

2011-05-20T11:02:00.001-06:00

I've been a little busy this week. In addition to my mom being in and out of the hospital, I had a little unexpected disaster! My debit card was skimmed and earlier this week and my bank account was cleared out. :(

I didn't notice until I went to by a $1.50 pack of gum and was declined. A trip to the atm to figure things out, spit out my card and told me I was unauthorized to use it. Minutes later I was told someone skimmed it.

Yikes! Not good. Thankfully, the bank is reimbursing my money (hopefully today) and my work has loaned me some money so that I can have something in their for my mortgage and car payments scheduled today.

But I really hope they catch whomever is doing this. Both the scanner and the person buying my info. Since it appears they spent thousands at a grocery store(?) in Montreal, I'm hoping they at least used it to feed their family in addition to whatever else they bought via the cash withdrawls!

If there's anything I can say about this situation it is that I will be 100 times for careful when using my card going forward.

Here's some tips to keep you safe:
* always cover the keypad when you enter your pin
* always watch your card when it is being handled by someone else (if you're like me, you most likely do something else when you hand off your card. Flipping through magazines, loading your groceries into cart, talking to your spouse). All these things give people an opportune time to swipe your card!
*be wary of using your card where you can not see what they do with your card (ex. drive-thrus)
* never give out your pin
* check your bank statements regularly

Hope this little bit of info makes you all take heed when shopping! I know if has certainly opened my eyes to the type of awful things out there.

Enjoy your Friday!
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Bouclair Bench

2011-05-16T14:00:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago, I hit up the new to the city, Bouclair Home and then completely forgot to post about it!

It was actually a pretty neat place. Lots of affordable, on-trend accessories! Today, while perusing some old magazines, I noticed a few ads in them for the same store and loved some of the stuff, especially from last years' Christmas issues. So I will definitely be checking out their seasonal stuff when the time comes around!

But back to my shopping experience - I wasn't actually in the market for anything that particular day, but wanted to check it out nonetheless. Well, I didn't leave empty-handed:

This cute brown ottoman came home to replace the lovely one that the boys took to destroying during the "stressed out" stage they went through shortly after we brought the puppy home....

At only $30.00, it's obviously not real leather like the old one, but looks just as great!
It still has storage inside; featuring a great hinge top that I don't have to manouver when my hands are full. Plus, I love the tufted top that is a lot more plush than the old one - perfect for perching on when you want to put your shoes on.

All said and done, I'll definitely be back to Bouclair. They are the perfect price point for adding pops of color and on-trend pieces since they are so affordable.

Under pressure...

2011-05-16T00:34:00.000-06:00

I have been trying to get this post out for a couple weeks now, but I was having some photo loading issues... So here's my shot:

Since the weather finally decidd to get it's act together a few weeks ago, we really wanted to freshen up the exterior of our house. Not having any rear landscaping has made everything incredibly dust-covered and overall, filthy! Not to mention the "mess" Finley created in her pen over the winter... Yuck! So, a few weeks back, Cory and I hit up a few stores to check out some pressure washers. We actually managed to luck out at our first stop, Sears and an hour later, were able to work on the house!

This beauty was perfect for us!

Small enough for us to store, considering we have absolutely NO place to store things, it also offered a soap dispenser so that we could clean cars,etc.

We managed to grab it on super sale. PLUS I already had a $110.00 gift card so in the end, we only ended up spending just over $100 for this baby!!

Of course, since it's been a few weeks since we purchased it, it looks like we deleted the photos of the BEFORE and AFTERS. I had planned on taking some more photos this weekend, but with the crazy winds we've had around here, the house seems to be covered in dust again...

I promise though that when these chinooks calm down, we'll take some before and afters just to show how great my new toy is.

A little insight

2011-05-11T10:18:00.001-06:00

When I set out creating this blog, it was just an outlet for me to share beautiful home things I found. Then, we moved and I wanted to record some of the things we did around our home. Unfortunately, it has less become about that, and more about... Well a little of everything. Which I don't mind, cause it's nice to be able to post about whatever my mind wants that day. But lately, I've been a little consumed.

You see, my mom has been struggling with some health issues for the last while and just recently, it has taken a turn for the worse. She is constantly in and out of hospitals, and in and out of the city for this test or that. We're still not even entirely sure what's quite wrong... She has completely lost her strength. Basic tasks like walking are harder each day and doing laundry is a 3 day ordeal.

She currently needs surgery but can't even proceed with that, as she's not strong enough to be put under...

The hardest part, for me, is that she doesn't live here in the city with us. She's only an hour and a half north, but the drive is still long and exhausting. Especially during the week, when I still have to go to work in the mornings.

I had briefly broached the subject to her about looking at an alternative living arrangement a while back. Surprisingly, I wasn't shut down. In fact, she was the first to mention an adult living facility... My original thought had been a small place in the city, so she could be close to us.

I've started researching possibilities and realized it's a lot more daunting than I believed. I mean, she's totally still capable of taking care of herself - she's just not strong enough to do so. Especially living in a very old home that requires a lot of work.

Then there's the expense. From what I have inquired about, those facilities DO NOT come cheap. And that's if you can even get in one! There are long wait lists...

Mom was admitted again last night. She told us not to come. We respected her request, but at the same time I feel awful, leaving her alone there. Especially since she is not well.

I will most likely be making a trip out there tonight to see if she needs anything. And mostly just to be with her.

I do actually have some posts, now that the weather is nice and I can work on things, so they will come. But for now, this is where I am.

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Bloomin!

2011-05-09T19:04:00.000-06:00

I got a bit of a surprise yesterday when I went to take the dog for a walk and noticed something green poking through the shrub bed in our front yard.

Yup, they're a little late cause of the late season snow storms we had, but 12 of the bulbs I planted last fall are finally making their appearance.

I'm not sure if I will actually get some flowers since it's their first year, but I am hopeful. I choose some very cool white and pink tulips for this spot and can't wait to see what they look like.

What's bloomin' in your yard lately?
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IMG00118-20110508-1324.jpg

2011-05-08T13:34:00.001-06:00

Happy Mother's Day!

Since I am not "technically" a mother (apparently fur babies don't count?) I am anxiously awaiting the day when I can celebrate this day. In the meantime, I am enjoying a day on the couch, snuggling with my 3 "babies" doing nothing in particular, just enjoying life.

Although, I am starting to think maybe motherhood isn't that far off for me! Last night, we spent sometime at a friend's housewarming party. We don't see them all that much as they have 2 kids and the next group of kids in our circle, are infants. However, somehow all the kids last night took to me right away and there was quite a few people who took notice. Including my own man. It's no surprise that I want kids of my own but he's never felt fully ready to take on that responsibility. Something seemed to change last night, and after a half-joking conversation, he seemed ready for the challenge!

While we aren't trying, or not not trying. I look forward to someday (soon) joining the ranks of the wonderful ladies who hold this day special in their hearts.

A very happy Mother's Day to my own mom, Cory's mom and of course our very own brand-new (2 weeks now) momma Fairlight!
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In the works...

2011-05-04T10:40:00.001-06:00

Just a quick post to say I am trying to get some posts out. I've started some, but Blogger seems to be having problems loading my photos, I leave them loading all night and still, nothing!

I also can't access any loaded pictures from my phone... So trying to finish them up here, doesn't work either.

We got a few new additions around the house so they're coming soon!
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Bits of here and theres.....

2011-04-26T01:15:00.000-06:00

It appears Spring has finally decided to make an appearance! In addition to the gorgeous sunshine we had yesterday and today, we got some nice rain tonight. It'll be so nice to wash away all the dust and snow mold, and maybe get rid of the last bits of snow lingering.

One of my favorite things about Springtime are these babies:

For some reason, I only grabbed 1 bunch and totally regretted it when I got home.

Thankfully, I smartened up and mom and I jam-packed three bunches into a bright turquoise vase and took them to my SIL in the hospital yesterday. They ended up being her only flowers so far, and were the perfect touch to cozy up her hospital room. Especially since I just found out, they weren't released today since poor little Phoenix has a bout of jaundice.

Sending warm wishes to their little family, holding up court in the hospital!

As for me, I renewed my library card this weekend and started loading up my queue!

I have a ton of books to get read before I see the movies (Water for Elephants and Something Borrowed to name a few). Until they arrive, I have these two that I am looking forward to:

I'll do a little review when I get them finished!

I'll have a few home decor items coming soon as I had a fantastic light bulb moment yesterday!

Stay tuned!

Happy Easter (and a Birthday!)

2011-04-25T08:45:00.001-06:00

My apologies for no Easter posts. However, as we didn't do Easter this year, and already celebrated Cory's sister's birthday on Thursday, there were no fancy tables to photograph or decorations about.

Besides, even if there had, I was too busy taking photos of my new nephew! Yup, we got the call Saturday evening and spent a good portion of the weekend at the hospital. It's safe to say that I'm pretty smitten with him.

Presenting Phoenix Cole. Weighing 7 lbs 11 oz.
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FLOR Possibilities!

2011-04-23T10:00:00.000-06:00

A couple weeks ago, I decided it was time to finally get rid of the rug we had in our living room. While I loved the idea of it and how it looked in the room. The poor cream shag was filthy. Really gross. Finley had used it as "grass" when she was still a potty training puppy and despite us cleaning it, I still couldn't get it out of my head. Plus, since it was the only carpeted spot on the main floor, it's where she took to sleeping and also bringing her toys and treats to chew on. So, yeah the outter perimeter (that wasn't under the coffee table) was looking pretty skanky. So, it was time to bite the bullet and get rid of it.

(here's what it looks like now without the rug)

Once I just about gave myself a heart attack, getting that thing out of the room, I really liked the exposed dark wood floors again. Plus, it would be so much easier to clean the floors! Cory however, was not on the same page. He wanted a new rug, but man those things are so expensive.. plus I am pretty picky about what I like.

So, I've set about keeping my eye out for something to replace the old one, that doesn't cost a fortune. Especially since we'll most likely have to replace it in a few years with three animals...

I did have a great idea the other night about using Flor Tiles (my idea way back before we moved into the house) to create the perfect rug that we can just add new tiles to in the event the thing gets stained.

So I set about to see what new styles they had since it had been a while since I perused the site or a catalogue. Here are some ideas I liked for our space:

The bisque / moon faux bois carpet has always been a favorite of mine!! I love the faux-bois look. It's both campy and natural. In this color pallette, it'll be a neutral, but still adds some fun pattern and texture to the space!

They have it in other color ways, such as this bisque/raincloud style, which would pull in some of the blue accents we already have in the space.

The Moon Velvet twist carpet looks gorgeous here, but I think it might be a little too plain for me.

Graphite Posh Croc Carpet looks stunning. Love the croc pattern, but not sure about the graphite color with our already dark floors. Plus, eventually, we will be getting new sofas in here, and I think that it might be too much grey.

In this chocolate color, it might be too matchy, but maybe perfect for the basement?

My current fave, the Damaskus in silver. I love how it's neutral, but not, with the metallic. I love the tone on tone pattern to keep it from being too boring. The damask is so pretty and fresh. Plus, it would work well with current sofas and anything we like in the future.

Let me know what you think. Or if there's another option you think would work better!

Bouclair Home

2011-04-22T16:45:00.000-06:00

On a recent trip to the Northside this week, I couldn't help but notice the surge of billboards for a new furniture and decor place.
The advertisement depicts a picture of a vase + 2 throw pillows + a lamp = $ 79!!

To say I was intrigued was an understatement. But I was a bit skeptical about the price, so I decided to look into it a bit online to see what I could find out. Turns out Bouclair Home is new to us in theWest, but has been around for a while out East.

After looking at the site, I was pretty sure that I had even seen some of the stuff mentioned in Style at Home! The prices are totally reasonable and there are a few things that caught my eye:

This pintucked duvet set reminds me of a certain other set, that is at least twice the price...

The Midori bedding is the one I believe was mentioned in a recent magazine!

This felt looking throw cushion is the perfect tone on tone pattern. I love the dark grey.

I can never get enough dark woven baskets, especially ones with attractive liners!

I think these would coordinate nicely with the blue and cream planters I already have. Starting at $7.99, they are easy on the wallet too!

Available in other colors, this faux-leather ottoman is an interesting space, appears to have storage and is totally fun. Maybe a brown or blue for our front entrance to replace the one that got ripped?

A pretty framed mirror for under $50!

This silver owl guy is too cute and only $10.99.

A great little pub-style patio set. So simple, so chic!

And of course, to appease my love of white ceramic animals, this little penguin is a steal at $6.99!

I'll be popping by the store tomorrow to see what it's all about, gauge the quality of the products for myself and maybe do some shopping! I'll let you know how I make out and what I find.

Happy Good Friday!

Beautiful Blooms

2011-04-22T14:32:00.000-06:00

I'm off work today, which is such a treat, but unfortunately, Cory did not have the same luxury and works all weekend. So I am using this gorgeous spring day to get some Spring Cleaning done. Here's a little of my checklist so far:

~ Windex all mirrors, glass and windows on main floor (inside and out!)
~ wipe down all doors, baseboards and trim on main floor
~ clean main floor powder room
~ start dishes
~ wipe down kitchen counters and cupboard fronts
~ sweep and prep floor for washing

I still have a ton to do, but I will be spanning the cleaning over the entire weekend to give me something to do. Since it's finally so nice outside, we will for sure we logging a nice long trip to the dog park in as well.

While, we're still waiting for my first nephew, "Baby T" as he's being called currently, to arrive, I figured I would share with you some photos of something that HAS bloomed. This gorgeous arrangement I received yesterday from my bosses!

Yes, that is BLING on both the vase and the stems!!

Aren't they GORGEOUS??

I had to put them on the mantel, since the vase was so tall and narrow that I was sure the cats would end up knocking it over if I put it on the table or counter.

Here's a closer look at the stem jewlery which I think is such a cute addition!

What's blooming at your house?

Running Late...

2011-04-19T07:59:00.001-06:00

Just a quick note to say that we're all anxiously awaiting this little Bean! He's running a little late, having been expected on Saturday... As the first baby in our family, I am beyond excited to be an auntie!

Dear Baby T,

I spoke to your mom and dad on the phone yesterday and they are issuing your eviction notice. They have however created a lovely little jungle themed space for you to nap/play/learn in instead. We think you would like it much better and I want to meet you and make you the best dressed little dude out there. Can't wait to meet you!

Love Auntie Cindy!
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A Very Slow Start to a Very Long Project

2011-04-18T10:43:00.000-06:00

We have unofficially started the basement development! This project will take FOREVER! I am sure of it. Since Cory will be funding this project with cash, he will be "running the show" or at least that's what he thinks.

We'll be operating on his schedule so I know work will always get in the way, but I'm excited nonetheless.

The first thing to get done? The framing of the wall between the basement washroom and the laundry room. The builder never did it before we moved in and I noticed it on some blueprints so I had them out to fix it. It looks so much different down there now! This is just a quick photo taken on my phone, so I will share real shots when things get going down there.

What have YOU started on lately?
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A Heavy Heart and Realization

2011-04-13T09:55:00.001-06:00

This morning I realized I am a crap friend. I mean not really, but yes all at the same time.

I have three gfs who I haven't seen in what seems like ages, nor have I really spoken to them in almost as long. One is a single gal who lives downtown and travels a lot, so we see each other when we can.

The second is a gal who is married and the mother of two who moved out of the city... We do the best, considering...

The other is a gf I've known forever. We were besties for a while and then she started dating a guy I didn't care for. She also sort of adopted his sister in law as a new gal pal and I kind of dropped from the equation. It was no one's fault but neither of us really made the effort to spend much time together or contact the other.

The last I saw her, they were gonna try and have a baby. Then shortly after, I heard they were successful. I sent my well wishes and that was that... Until today!

I had to log onto my fb at work and noticed her odd status. At 5 months pregnant, they lost the baby. I'm not sure yet what happened, but I am devastated for her.

What sort of crap friend just drops off the face of the earth only to re-appear when it's needed? Mind you, I guess that does symblize a good friend...
Anyway, I decided today to re-connect with these three girls and anyone else I've fallen out of touch with.

This all made me realize that life is too short and precious not to spend it with those you love. While we all may be at different stages in our life, these girls all mean a ton to me.

So my goal for the week is to connect with these three and make a genuine effort to get caught up and active in one another's lives! Cause we all need a shoulder to lean on once in a while!
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A little something I like...

2011-04-11T11:25:00.001-06:00

I've been a bad blogger, but for good reason: my mom's been in the hospital again, so I've been pretty consumed with driving her back and forth into the city and generally sitting in hospital rooms and the like.

She's doing a bit better now and while we still don't know what's wrong, so we're hoping for the best.

In better news, my first nephew is due on Saturday so I am anxiously awaiting his arrival.

This morning, we had someone over to examine and possibly frame out the half wall in the basement that was never done before we moved in. Upon further inspection it looks as though they may have to rip everything out of our laundry area and re-plumb the whole space. Though inconvenient, I am actually hoping this is the case. It will mean more space in the washroom next to it, and will eliminate a lot of the awkward plumbed lines that we weren't sure how to accomodate and work around... Fingers crossed.

Oh, and in addition to the new furniture we'll get for the basement when it's finally finished, our living room set will be replaced as well. It has been bumped up on the list due to it's awfulness.

So, I have started my search for a new set. Here's just one of the beauties that caught my eye (and my butt's comfort) this weekend!
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Avoiding puddles

2011-03-31T13:31:00.001-06:00

I am officially on the hunt for a new pair of boots! In addition to the hole they are sporting near the sole that left my sock soaked last week, I didn't realize someone decided to snack on them!

Unfortunately, stores don't seem to be stocking knee-high black boots anymore. Guess I will be waiting til fall and searching for some cute spring pumps!

If anyone finds some cheap black pull-ons with a fair heel, in the Edmonton arae, shoot me a message!
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Recovery

2011-03-30T09:40:00.001-06:00

Excuse the awful shot. Exhausted! That's how I feel today. Last night was pretty trying.

Our poor little girl was pretty out of it last night. We spent most of the evening trying to convince her just to lie down and go to sleep. She wasn't buying it though...

Obviously, she's pretty sore and just wanted comfort. She desperately wanted to lay on the couch with her momma, but since it wasn't good for her to jump up, I spent a good portion laying on the floor, until my legs fell asleep from a heavy puppy laying on them.

I'm admittedly a little squeamish when it comes to blood so checking her incision is hard. Administering her pain meds is awful but necessary. Watching my poor puppy wince and cry cause she's moving too hard or too much makes my heart hurt.
Trying not to laugh when she gets stuck sideways in her kennel because the cone she's wearing round her head is caught in the grooves, is sooo hard.
But knowing that this little girl bolted past dad this morning to catapult herself onto our bed, just so she could snuggle in, next to me and forgo an early morning potty break, melts my heart!

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Mama's girl

2011-03-29T08:52:00.001-06:00

This little bear is at the vet today getting spayed. I'm not gonna pretend it doesn't break my heart and make me nervous. I've only ever had boys so I wasn't prepared for an invasive surgery. Nor apparently was I prepared for the cost...

Yikes! Big dogs cost a lot! Holy mackrel.

Anyhow, I'll be making sure this little girl is comfortable tonight and maybe setting up a little crafting so she can sleep underfoot.
Enjoy your day!
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Sometimes you just wanna sparkle....

2011-03-28T10:00:00.001-06:00

however, usually the feeling of confort prevails. On those days, I'll be reaching for this comfy new Calvin Klein hoodie!

I picked it up super cheap last weekend at The Bay and will be wearing it EVERYWHERE!

I love when casual clothes are a little "fancified" (yes, that's the technical term) so that I can get away with wearing them outside the house or gym!

(excuse the awkward boob shot)

Here's hoping your day has a little sparkle in it! Happy Monday!

Home Scents(y)

2011-03-27T17:53:00.000-06:00

Back in November, I was working a very slow craft fair and in order to keep my boredom from setting in, I wandered around and perused all the other booths' offerings. That is where I decided to try this Scentsy deal I kept reading about on blogs.

Being newer to Canada, I hadn't really even seen them before that show, but I could definitely SMELL them that day and fell in love with the scent wafting through the church that day, so I wandered over and after a good couple hours with a catalogue and the sample scents, picked out a combo for myself.

When it arrived a few weeks later, I was excited at how big the warmer actually was. Unfortunately, that meant it wouldn't work in the room I had purchased it for - the powder room. Since we had eliminated the towel bar and were working with a towel stand in front of the plug in, there wasnt much space nor did I like the idea of anyone getting electrocuted.

So it was moved to the living room instead and I am pleased to say I LOVE IT!!

First of all, I chose a neutral white warmer, so it works very nicely with our decor.

My absolute favorite thing about it is obviously that it is NOT a candle!! With a dog and 2 cats, candles are always something we really have to watch around here. Plus, I don't have to worry about changing out the candles when we have a party or anything.

I also really love the scents I chose:

Coconut Lemongrass is light and refreshing.

Perfect for having a big group over cause it's not too overpowering.

Paradise Punch is fun and fruity. I like this one for when we're just chillaxing, watching a movie or when I have the girls over.

Blueberry Cheesecake is a great scent but really strong. This was nice during the winter months when I wanted to curl up in front of the fire and read while Cory was at work. I only ever use one block at a time, and you could even split 1 block in half with this scent.

I love that when I want to change scents, all I do is pour the melted wax back into it's container, wipe out any residual with a papertowel and pop in a new block.

I did just notice on the website that they do have wall plug-ins, so I may have to snag one for the powder room that was my original plan.

If you use a Scentsy, please let me know what YOUR favorite scents are. I am always looking for suggestions, as it was hard to smell and the samples and not start to think they all smelled the same!

Have a great Sunday!

Favorite Things: March Edition

2011-03-26T20:49:00.001-06:00

I thought it might be nice to do a fun feature of some of my absolute favorite things each month.

One might wonder how it's possible to compile a list of "favorites" each month, but I think it's easy... I'm fickle like that...

Anyhow here's what I am loving currently:

Coach Poppy Signature Sateen Glam Lurex Tote is my newest bag and latest love! It's HUGE! In addition to my wallet, keys, cellphone, makeup bag and gum, I can fit my gym clothes, lunch and random papers in here. I could probably also cart my laptop around if I wanted to as well! Plus, in silver, it stands out a lot more than everyone's black bags. Everyone stops me to comment on it!

Pumped up Kicks by Foster the People This catchy little tune is ALWAYS playing on my computer... at work, at home and when I get my ipod fixed or buy a new one, in my car! Love the whistling, love the tune, love the cuties in the video!

Princess House Appetizer Plates These little babies are constantly in rotation at our house. The perfect size for absolutely any snack, they sit in their caddy on my countertop and we can't wash them fast enough! Not available in stores, you can only get these from a Princess House consultant. In the Edmonton area? THAT WOULD BE ME!! Shoot me an email if you want to order these, or any other products!! :)

Old Navy Sweetheart Bootcut Jeans I have been on the search for some new jeans for a really long time. I used to always shop at Gap Kids, then they went and stopped making their jeans with lycra in them, which is just stupid - kids (and smaller adults) need some stretch. Plus, it helps retain shape in demin.... Anyhow, I resigned myself to the Adults section today, and tried these babies on. Couldn't whip my debit card out fast enough!

This cute Calvin Klein top I can't find on their website, but I snagged off a polyvore site somewhere and then lost the website.... oops. I picked this up, on sale today at The Bay. It's very forgiving, if say you haven't been to the gym in almost 2 months... or something like that!

So yeah, those are 5 things I am loving right now. How about you? Anything you're loving lately?

share! I'd love to hear!

Happy Friday!

2011-03-25T10:31:00.001-06:00

Hope ur all enjoying your day. Help yourself to a slice of the delicious chocolate cake I made!

Brought it to work today to share with the gang, it's sitting here on my desk tempting me with it's sweet smelling French Vanilla icing.

We're headed to the casino tonight with some friends, essentially to hear a good band play, but I'm sure we'll be trying our chances and venturing out onto the floor. I'm a blackjack girl myself so fingers crossed I can maybe do some winning tonight so I can do some shopping tomorrow while cory's working! :)

I have a couple gift cards burning a whole in my wallet, so I am heading out tomorrow to see if I can find some good house finds.

Have a great one!
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Frugal Find: Birdcage Candleholder

2011-03-23T15:33:00.001-06:00

My latest find is actually pretty great! Of course it helps that this little find was FREE! It was collecting dust in our warehouse at work.

As you can see, it was "showcasing" some faux ivy for that lovely cottage look. Other than that, I actually think it's pretty charming as is. The top and bottom are a creamy ivory with a slightly distressed finish and the metal is pretty rusty looking which adds a nice element.

I'm not actually sure whether I will paint the whole thing white or leave it as is, or even where it will end up... But I think it's perfect for adding a little spring time whimsy.

I'll make sure to share pics when this beauty finds it's new home!
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Your opinion needed; In the market for...

2011-03-23T11:18:00.001-06:00

Cory and I have been doing a little research lately on a nice air compressor and obviously, a paint sprayer. Seeing as our nice weather days are limited in Edmonton, and I do not have the space for an indoor workshop during the summer, and paint projects are limited to summer days. That usually means I have a ton of projects to work on come Spring and only a handful of days to work on them.

I'm thinking it would be a good idea to splure on a sprayer to speed up my time and allow me to tackle more projects. Plus, give me better quality spraying.

While we're a little ways away from actually getting started (due to the snow we're still getting), I was hoping some of you could let me know what brands you're loving! And maybe some that you hated so we can get a comprehensive idea!

Thanks!
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If only...

2011-03-18T13:24:00.002-06:00

No, I don't have anything to announce. But if I did, I would definitely want to try this beauty on!
this site is a gold mine for gorgeous stuff that isn't cookie cutter! I am in love!
Maybe someday...sigh!
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Currently loving!

2011-03-17T13:08:00.001-06:00

Yes that's right, Scotties with Lotion have become my best friend! I am once again battling a killer head cold and I am starting to believe that maybe all this sickness is related to something else, like maybe allergies?

I am on the look out for a new doctor to see if I can work towards a proper prognosis and maybe a recovery sometime soon.
I'm sure everyone around me is sick and tired of my coughing and nasty sounding hacking.

Hopefully I will be feeling well by the weekend!
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Lightening Up!

2011-03-14T18:25:00.000-06:00

We recently sold one of the showhomes are work. Our goal is always to sell the homes fully furnished, so that we don't have to store the furniture with the hopes that the decorator will be able to use it again. Sometimes however, the buyers choose not to take the furniture, and I'm left to list it online.

In this particular instance, the homeowner took about half the furniture and while there was no furniture that I was particularly fond of left, I did manage to snag myself something pretty great:

This pretty little porthole mirror was gracing the little girl's bedroom in the showhome. I first spotted it a few weeks ago and couldn't get it out of my head.

You can't really tell from the picture but the paint is pearlescent.

I wasn't exactly sure where I was going to put it when I said I wanted it, but I knew I would figure out a spot. When I brought it home, it was pretty easy to decide where I wanted it. This small wall between the living room and dining area was begging to be lightenend up.

Previously, it had a painting my mom had commissioned for me. While gorgeous, this Northern Lights painting and frame were much to dark for the space. You can see a picture here (mind the Christmas tree, I didn't have many photos of that spot). Oh, and yes, Cory had it hung waaayyy too high.

I think the new addition is much better. It really lightens the space up.

I had been wanting to replace a lot of our dark furniture with white for quite some time now, but was scared to make a commitment, unsure if I would love the look or not.

But seeing this addition today, confirmed that I am much happier with the lighter color.

It looks a little small in the photo, but in real life, it actually fits the space perfectly.

Here's a bigger picture so you can get a better view.

Oh, and the best part. It cost me NOTHING!

Bringing Spring Inside

2011-03-13T13:08:00.001-06:00

Just a quick post to share one of my favorite new things around the house. I've actually had it for a while now, but don't think I have ever shared my Bird Nest Bowl:

I snagged this cute storage/decor piece at work. I'm pretty lucky in that I'm friends with our in-house designer, so I get to take advantage of her discount and snag some cool finds direct from suppliers.

This particular find is available in some local stores, of course with marked up prices.

I was originally gonna see if she could order it for me in white, since I do love me some little white birds. But she had an extra one in pewter, so I just snatched that one up instead.

I think it looks great over in the corner here. Plus, it provides a good little hiding spot for small things:

cat toys, tealights, nail clippers are rounded up in this corner of our living room!

The perfect addition for spring, which I hope shows its face soon!

Fill the void!

2011-03-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

We'll have been in our house 2 years this June, and overall we've been pretty happy with how it was built. Other than wishing it was bigger, we don't have too many complaints of the builder. However, there is one area that has bothered me since the day we moved in:

Yeah, the fridge. Or more so, the huge blank space above the fridge. (sorry for the dark photos, pretty gloomy out today) You see, when we went down to the appliance store, we had decided that we were most definitely upgrading the fridge since we wanted something with an ice and water dispenser since we entertained often. One thing we also remembered to do, was ask the sales guy to make sure that the fridge would fit in the space designated for our fridge. His response after looking at the model "oh yeah, it's a standard size, so it'll be fine."

Being that he probably did this hundreds of times a week, I trusted him. That was obviously MY mistake. So a few months later, when we got the keys and took possession, I saw that the fridge was not only a bit too deep. But it was too short. We had this lovely gap between the fridge top and the cabinets... I was NOT impressed.

However, I didn't ever think to complain to the appliance company OR the builder. Why? I really have no good answer for you. I just didn't. Somehow, I think I decided that it was obviously MY fault.

Anyhow, eventually, the top of the fridge became an eyesore. It was the spot Cory decided to keep all his large, odd shaped kitchen items. Creating this lovely look:

I was constantly emptying it out and telling him to keep it clean, but then a week later, there it would be again. So I knew I had to do something about it.

My first thought was to get a piece of wood stained the same as the cabinets and simply add a false front and just cover up the hole. I even went so far as to ask the service guy to keep an eye out for trim in our color. He unfortunately, never found any.

My next option was starting to price out how much it would be to get a millworker to come in and create something there, like maybe a built in wine rack or something handy. But I just couldn't justify the cost for something so silly.

Last week, I have a great idea while grabbing a magazine. You see, I kept them in these baskets.....

Five minutes later, I had my solution:

They're a pretty goosd size. Almost the same color as the cabinets, provide hidden storage, PLUS they are shallow enough to still allow us to keep big, bulky things behind them!

SOLD!

We're always short on storage, so I use the baskets to store dishtowels, rags and cloths, freeing up space in the jam-packed tupperware drawer!

Here's the finished look:

Not perfect, but definitely an improvement! Don't you agree?

The baskets were part of a 4 pack from Ikea . Although, I went back to get more since my magazines were now loose and they don't seem to carry them anyhow... I am sure you could find something similar though.

Currently on sale!

2011-03-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

I got the latest Pier 1 flyer today at work and took a quick peek before I passed it on. I have to admit, I don't think I have ever bought anything there that wasn't for someone else's gift registry. I typically find it a little too expensive. Plus, the exotic, brightly colored Asian zen vibe that my local store seems to favor, doesn't necessarily blend well with my creams, whites and blues. But today, was definitely a different story. In fact, I will be popping in there tomorrow to check out a few of these items:

This Sea Glass lamp obviously. But I think I am more drawn to the color than the shape....

I'll be snagging myself a pair of these saly & pepper shakers. They have three of my favorite things all wrapped into one sweet package: white ceramic animals, pretty birds and whimsical salt and pepper shakers! Plus, they're only $3 US!

Lastly, I have have my (online) eye on the next two tables for a couple years now. Since before we moved to this house actually... I've never actually checked them out in person since my store has never had them in. But I am hoping since they were in the local flyer, they might be in stock.

This Directoire style table would be perfect just about ANYWHERE in our place! It looks small enough that I could even pull it up to the couch when I am lounging and too lazy to reach for the coffee table. Alternately, I think it would look amazing in a little girl's room. Or even in our bedroom when I eventually get around to finishing it and putting a great reading chair in front of our window.

They also have it in a console! I am thinking that this one will most likely need to sneak it's way into the house somewhere as well. We could use it in the front hallway for sure as a place to stash keys and the like. However, that space is a bit small so I am thinking the stub wall between the garage and kitchen might be a good depth! Although, do we think it would look better sprayed white?

Remember, I have a grey-blue wall color and bright white trim with dark wood floors.

I'll let you know tomorrow if it makes the cut. Plus, I'm not sure what Cory will think. Perhaps if I snag my gf's designer discount in addition to the already great price?

got my eye on...

2011-03-11T19:04:00.000-07:00

I currently have my eye on these chairs:

I am loving everything about them: the color, the shape, what I imagine the fabric to be, the nailhead detail and most of all - the fact that they most likely won't work with our current dining room table!

Leave it to me to find an addition that requires me to get more new stuff!

I just don't know if I can convince Cory....

Thoughts?

Some recent Destination Shots

2011-03-10T22:34:00.000-07:00

I have been having a heck of a time with the internet at home lately. It seems to only work on certain sites, when I am doing certain things... it's getting very difficult to load photos and get some blogging done.

I did manage to get some photos from our trip last month uploaded, so I thought I would share some of those for you, until I get some other good stuff up here. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth - just technological impaired right now.

Enjoy!

The gorgeous wedding location:

The yellow bird of happiness paid us a visit!

A great fish-eye view of the ceremony area

Yes, this is the only semi-good picture of us both from the WHOLE ENTIRE TRIP!!

Cory's face is sunburnt, his glasses are awful and his outfit a mess!

My hair is blowing round in the wind and I am standing awkward.

So much for buying a nice camera to take nice photos, specifically for THIS TRIP! oops...

I did however, capture some nice stiill-lifes, like the gorgeous flowers!

Note to everyone: Don't forget to actually carry your camera around with you while on a trip. It will be cumbersome, and you'll hate it while you are doing it, but you'll thank me later!

Can't wait for Garage Sale Season!

2011-02-17T10:14:00.001-07:00

I never shared our household's latest big purchase as we got it right before we left on vacation.

But this baby is why I can't wait for the weather to warm up and take me garage sailing!

Not only can I fit large pieces of furniture in here no problem. But this beast will come in handy big time when we tackle our backyard landscaping and our basement renovation.
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Messy but delicious!

2011-02-16T10:25:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I am a little late, but I wanted to share my shameful Valentine's Day contribution.

Cory hates v-day so we didn't officially celebrate it this year. However, on the way home from work I got the urge to make something so I whipped up this cake, in a pretty heart shaped baker from Princess House (ask me about it if ur interested, I sel them!) The only photo I snagged was right after I iced it, and it was a little melty, so excuse the mess. I don't bake or cook often so regardless of it's appearance, anything that survives is an achievement!

Hope you had a wonderful love day!
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