A deal from my Favourite Store!

My most favourite store in the whole world in Tradewinds in Waterford, Ontario.  It's a second hand shop where you can find some pretty unique treasures.  Oh, how I miss going there once a week.  Now, I just drag my mom-in-law everytime I go for a visit.  Actually, I don't really need to 'drag' her, do I??? ;)

Anyway, here is my latest purchase.  It was $29.  A little pricey, but I just loved it.  I think I'll re do it for Grace.  It's quite small, which you can't tell from the picture.  But, it's a perfect kids chair.

What little girl wouldn't love her very own Hello Kitty chair?!?!?

fabric.com

Or how about this for a "story-time" chair?!?!

fabric.com

Favourite Finds Friday

I love cable knit stuff.  I got a wee bit obsessed with it this week.

Cable Knit Euro Shams.  Pottery Barn.  $64.70

Cable Knit Tea Cozy.  Indigo.ca.  $14.50

Cable Knit Ceramic Serving Bowl with 16K gold Edge.  Etsy.com.  $145

Cable Knit Lampshade.  Etsy.com. €69.00

Family Room is Complete!

I am so excited to share this room with everyone.  It's actually my favourite in the house so far.   It's so cozy, and now that I finally have the PVR hooked up to the TV in there, I can snuggle up with Marley and some pinot and watch my shows after the kids go to bed.

Here is it!

This is what it looked like before we moved in.

Remember when I painted the fireplace surround??

And here it is today....

Yes, hello Marley.  We all see you and love you.

I painted the walls Ancient Marble (Behr) on top, and Crisp Linen (CIL) on the bottom.  The TV cabinet is from IKEA, but I replaced the knobs with some EBay finds.  The coffee table is also from IKEA, but it is a project waiting to happen right now.  I'll be experimenting with nail heads soon!!!  I Love  a good Ikea Hack.

The rug is the rug from Ryan's office.  I hated how my 'make two rugs into one' turned out (see post here).  The seam was way too visible in the open space of the office, but it works perfect in this room.  The 2 rugs are from JYSK.

Here are a few of my favourite things in the room:

My Sister-in-law (and Brother) bought this jug for me for Christmas last year.  It's honestly one of my most favourite things ever.  The candle stick was an engagement gift from my Maid of Honor Lisa waaaaayyyyy back in the day.  

"Remember as far as anyone knows, we are one big happy family" hehe.  My Mom-in-law has a matching one.  LOL

The framed 4 leaf clover was a gift to Ryan.  I bought it as a house warming present to him.  But Lord only know what house it was from.  Anyway, it's a real 4 leaf clover.  I thought it was cool, he however shrugged at it since it wasn't found "au natural".... it was grown in someones green house.  Oh, Ryan.

Those beautiful mercury glass vases are from m mother in law.  I have a thing for mercury glass.  That white jug was a wedding present from Ryan's friend Paul.  Although I am sure he has no recollection of giving it to us, he did.  

And here is my poor naked couch wall.  I have a few things to do here. One, I am going to spray the mirror from Ryan's Office white and hang it.  And two, I found these beautiful frames at Home Sense that I'd like to put up.  Also, my mom bought me this adorable shabby chic mirrors that I'd like to incorporate some how.  It'll be a progress.

I'd also like to spray that lamp blue.  Add it to the list.

Anyway, that's my new cozy family room.  Hope you like it!

Favoruite Finds Friday!

Happy Friday!

I LOVE patterned stair runners.  I saw this picture and was determined to find the runner online.

I think I came close!

Payless Rugs $27.99/ft (they ship to Canada FREE!)

I absolutely love these marquee letters from Home Outfitters.  I would love to have them in James's room, but to spell "James" it would cost me $900 bones.  Maybe I can DIY them some how?!?!?

Urban Outfitters, $179.99ea

My dog Marley gets into EVERYTHING when I am out of the house.  His most recent bad-dog-meal was a batch of home made play dough.  Ohhhh, how I would love to get this for him...

EYENimal Pet Video Camera by DOGTEK

Wreaths!

One of my most favourite accessories to any home, is an inviting, interesting and beautiful wreath on a front door.  Wreaths come in so many different colours and styles, they are an easy way to show the outside world, your sense of style.  Here are some of my favourites for this season.

Peacock feather wreath.  Pier1 ($29.95 US)

Country Living Wreath.  Sears. ($68.54)

Modern Wreath.  Etsy.com.  ($65.00)

Boxwood Square Wreath.  West Elm ($61.68)

Debbie Travis Gold Magnolia Wreath. Canadian Tire. ($22.99)

Grains Wreath.  Williams Sonoma.  ($73.69)

Peony Wreath. Etsy.com.  ($120.00)

Favorite Paint Colors

Head over to Favorite Paint Colors today and see my Entry Way!!!

It's one of my favourite sites.  You can see paint colours in actual homes.  You can browse by colour or room.  And she even has painting tips.  Great resource site!

Entry Way is Complete!!!

Have you ever been to Houzz.com???  Some times I post questions on the discussion boards just to get my creative juices flowing, or when I am being indecisive.  A few weeks ago, I posted a question about my foyer.  Here's what I wrote:

Need Help Designing Front Entry
Looking for some design suggestions for my entry way.
I posted pictures of how it looks everyday - A MESS!
I wanted to be honest in how it looks all of the time so I
can get some real suggestions on how to clean it up
and organize!!!
We just moved in in June, and as you can see, we just
 installed a new front door. I wanted to really brighten up
 the space. We also just had all of our electrical redone,
so the entry way is missing a light fixture. The ceilings are
only 8', so I can't do anything hanging too low.
I'd like to get a new piece of furniture, but I am also up to
painting the bench that is there now.
Are there any chic hall trees?? Or are they just tacky???
I love warm spaces. I'm into geige walls, mixed with rustic
red and black pieces. But I find myself resisting that look,
 since it can be quite dark.
I love the look of grey walls, with white furniture and
 chrome or nickle fixtures, but I have kids, so I want the
space to be liveable and not too cold.
Just having a hard time defining the space and getting
a real 'look'. 

(Before pics)

Majority of the responses were genuine and helpful, but then, there was this one:


despinachYou do have a very nice space to work with, but there is absolutely
no excuse for you or your children to just throw shoes and clothes
away like that... I find it wrong to believe that this is so just because
you still don't have the right hall tree or the right bench...

Oh boy, I laughed hard.  It was a little douche-like to write that, but at the end of the day, he was right.  So I got to work!!

Here's what I did for my little, messy, monkeys.  I sacrificed an entire hall closet for them!

 I just drilled in 4 hooks for the kids and labeled them all colourful.  They LOVE it!! They go right to the closet every day and hang up their stuff.  Works like a charm!

Then I got busy on my foyer.  (Ignore the red tape around the door.  Still haven't put molding up.)
I really wanted this apothecary cabinet from Pottery Barn, but I'm not into blowing $1000 bucks right now on it (especially since my inherited, 16 year old Sub Zero fridge just died).  So I went shopping in my own house and remembered this cabinet I bought when I lived on the farm.  I bought it with my Mother-In-Law at a local craft show.  I love this piece and it was hidden in my dining room.  So now it has a home in the front entrance and holds a ton of stuff.

I was searching every where for a  coat rack.  I put an ad up on kijiji in the "Wanted" section, and some awesome person wrote me and told me to check out XS Cargo around the corner from me.  Sure enough, I scored this solid wood coat rack for $14 bucks and sprayed it high gloss barn red.   I LOVE red furniture!!

I bought the orb light from Concept Lighting in Burlington.  Best place ever to buy lighting.  They have the trendest pieces at awesome prices.

And I painted the entire hall Perfect Griege by Sherwin Williams.

I love how my dog is in every picture.  I can't help it.  He won't leave me alone all day!!!

Favourite Finds Friday

It's it just me or was this not the longest week ever?!?!

Favourite Finds from this week.....

I'm hooked on updating my bedroom right now.  My brother and sister-in-law bought me euro pillows for my bday, so now I am even more obsessed with designing my master bedroom and investing in some decent bedding.  This is the one that I desperately want.  Barbara Barry's Poetical Collection.  Unfortunately it's going to cost me a fortune to get all the pieces I want need.  So I may have to bank my pennies for a few months! Check out Centsational Girl's blog.  She did her Master with the  bedding and I love it.  Definitely using her room as my inspiration.

I came across this interesting idea on Pinterest.  Ever heard of Pond Pools?  So weird.
Check out this article at The Daily Green

Ryan has always wanted his desk in the middle of his office, but really, who wants to see the back of a computer and all it's mess.  I may have found a solution!!! A start anyway!!  Cord management solution from Room and Board.