peace love sweater

What I Love Most About Owning a Chalkboard

2011-11-24T11:51:00.001-08:00

Enough said!

These Boots Were Made For .....

2011-11-21T09:21:00.000-08:00

Accessorizing?

Source

If you are fortunate enough to own a great pair of boots - flaunt them!

Don't hide your boots in the closet - a great pair of boots could look great anywhere.

Here is where I park mine...

And every time I pass through this corner I smile.

I love the boots with this union jack pillow made from recycled wool sweaters.

Here are a few more yummy examples.....

Source

And even if you don't own a great pair of boots

wouldn't a photo like this be adorable in a mud room??

Source

I hope you see your boots in a whole new way!

Finally! Something to Blog About!

2011-11-18T11:25:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have been an extremely absentee blogger for a while now, but hey, life just gets in the way sometimes!

But for today anyways, I am back!

I decided to try to make a few recycled wool items to listed on Etsy.

(I haven't ventured into Etsy yet, so I'd be extremely happy to have any advice that you'd like to share.)

Here are few little owl's I've been working on - which one is your favorite?

I've been working on some sweater pillows as well,

and even a few recycled wool blanket pillows, too.

More to follow......

Subway Inspired Words to Live By

2011-04-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

Ever since the first time I saw subway art I have loved it -

I guess I'm a sucker for typography.

A while ago I discovered a great post by Ashley at lilblueboo

on her amazing take on Resolution Subway art.

She was kind enough to offer instructions as to how she made it

and even included the artwork to reproduce it.

She creates amazing things!

I fell in love with Ashley's version and loved the idea

of having such positive words displayed in my home.

I ran it past my husband and we decided it was near perfect for us.

We wanted to make a little change to it to suit our family better.

So my husband made up a pretty good version on our computer

and I brought the file to the local print shop.

They printed it on to canvas for me then I stretched that around an artist canvas.

It now proudly hangs in my kitchen for our family to read each end everyday.

Thank-you Ashley for sharing your words!

Island Chick Vintage Sale

2011-04-22T16:16:00.000-07:00

My sister and I went to Anacortes a week ago to the Island Chicks Vintage Show. It was a super fun and inspiring day and I came away with so many ideas and saw many items that I'm sure were inspired by my favorite bloggers!

There were a bundle of items that I hesitated to purchase and am now kicking myself for not buying, such as the perfect antique black typewriter in the case - the beautiful classic kind with the lovely round keys. Also, there were a couple of "old school" silver cup trophies that I wish I'd picked up. Darn, don't you hate that?

Anyhow, I did come home with this perfect little clock!

It still works and even has a snooze feature!

I didn't take too many photos but you can check out this link and there are many great photos for you to really get a good idea of what the show was all about.

The next Island Chicks is scheduled for October 29th if anyone is interested.

Vintage Industrial Metal Letters for the Cheap

2011-04-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

About four years ago I saw some beautiful industrial vintage metal letters at a high end kitschy antique store. I fell in love instantly and haven't stopped thinking about them since! I knew that they would be perfect for my kitchen but was too cheap to dish out the $60 per letter. I knew I'd eventually find myself a set on ebay or somewhere - but no such luck. I was at Joanne's in the states last weekend and saw these great letters and picked them up for $1.99. Yeah baby!

I gave them a quick coat of black spray paint, then another coat of antique bronze - which to me looks more like an aged stainless steel. Then I finished them off by rubbing on a little black craft paint in a few spots to "age" them a bit.

I wasn't sure if they just looked good to me - but so far everyone who has seen them has asked where I picked up the metal letters from. Did I mention they are made from paper? Success for under $10.

Happy Easter Friends!

Our Spring-break Bedroom Re-do

2011-04-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

My eleven year-old daughter Olivia and I decided to tackle redecorating her bedroom over the break. She is done with pink - so we removed all the super-girly stuff months ago and even sold her cute little Pottery Barn Kids bedding on craigslist. We then made a denim duvet cover to replace it.

That's as far as we got for a good six months.

We are now on a roll - here's a few images of our progression so far.

I hope you enjoy!

We bought an Ikea Ektorp chair in perfect shape on craigslist, and then we bought bright coloured fabric makers. My daughter took on the project of doodling all over the chair. It was a super fun project for her and she is so proud of it!

I found this old white painted wooden frame at a garage sale for one dollar. We turned it into a chalkboard and in no time she had that all doodled-up too!

That's Liv's own photography on her new violet wall.

We purchased some new sheets and shams, in multi-coloured stripes and polka-dots.

She is really happy with it so far and I notice she is actually keeping it clean!

Want to hear something funny?

2011-02-20T21:07:00.000-08:00

I'm about to make you feel a whole lot better about yourself....

If you can believe it, these babies just came down yesterday!

Just curious, does anyone else still have Christmas to remove?

Mark Your Calendars All You Junkers!

2011-01-17T12:17:00.001-08:00

I don't know about you but I drool at the mere mention of the Farm Chicks show in Spokane!

I have thought a lot about going, but with three kids, and an eight hour drive it seems like a bit much to pull off just.

Well now there is something for us in the Pacific North West -

The Island Chicks Vintage Home Garden & More sale.

This vintage sale takes place in Anacortes, Washington

which is about 45 minutes drive from our Vancouver - Bellingham border.

The show is on April 16th, and the doors open at 9 am with a $3 admission.

Exploring "deconstructed"

2011-01-14T21:53:00.001-08:00

Did I tell you?

I've been thinking a lot about what to do with myself once the kids are all in full time school. So on the spur of the moment I rather impulsively signed up for a part-time Interior Design program at our local Technical Institute. I'm just starting with the intro class for now and I'm excited to see where that leads me.

My second class assignment is to research a hot design topic. So being the junk lovin' gal that I am I had to stay true to my taste. Here is a what I came up with.....

I love the casual comfort of the...

Deconstructed Chair

Can you relate?

These chairs look like they haven't been finished yet, or perhaps they've wore out and haven't been patched back together. Maybe some well meaning DIY'er had started to reupholster their favorite chair with the best of intentions but realized they were in over their head and gave up, or suddenly got distracted.

I can so relate to this trend - I may very well be ahead of my time on this one!

How it all began!

2011-01-08T22:24:00.000-08:00

One Christmas a long time ago

Santa brought me the greatest gift!

Yup!

That's me on Christmas day with my brand new

Holly Hobby sewing machine.

I sewed many a make-up bag for my teenage sisters and thier friends

with that baby.

I'm pretty sure I was in third grade there.

After I mastered the battery operated chain-stitch machine I took a

Singer sewing course at the local mall and made the most hideous

outfit ever - complete with a pinking shear accident on the sleeve.

It was nasty!

The instructors made me model it in the year end fashion show regardless.

Thankfully I didn't give up after the pinking shear incident

but rather found a love for creating and carried on.

Where did you get your start?

What are your first creative memories?

Merry Christmas To You All!

2010-12-21T16:11:00.000-08:00

From my family to yours.....

....we wish you a Christmas filled with all the things that matter most!

peace, love and hugs,

Antique Books, Flowers, and Twine

2010-09-19T13:28:00.001-07:00

Has anyone been to Restoration Hardware lately?

I love some things about their new look, like their use of linen,

and reclaimed wood pieces.

I would say over all that the store has lost me.

Even though most of RH's furniture is oversized and over priced,

I still did enjoyed shopping there and there was always something

that was well within my price range.

I loved the quality and the old retro touches they had,

as well as interesting cleaning and kitchen gadgets.

But this last visit was a disappointment.

I did however spy these old antique books with the covers torn off.

The colours of the old pages speak to me, and I really think they'd look beautiful any place

you choose to put them.

But who needs RH to rip the covers off of old books when I can easily do that myself.

I'm sure I can round up a few old books and some string for less than the $29 US price tag.

So I left for home on a mission to tear covers off my old book collection, but of course by the time I got home I had forgotten about the idea it completely.

(So much is going on at home these days that forgetting about creative ideas is easily done.)

Then I came across this post at one of my favorite blogs, My Sweet Savannah, that reminded me of this idea in the nicest way! She adds such a sweet, flea market twist to these old books -

and actually I like hers so much better than the ones at Restoration Hardware.

Aren't they beautiful?

My sister and I split a box of old books that we found while out at a garage sale a few weeks ago.

I got these three sweet books but I couldn't for the life of me bring myself to pull the covers off.

I added a forgotton old flower pin of my grandma's, a little twine, and wha- la!

I think they go beautifully together!

How do you display your old books?

I'm linking up to "Make it 4 Mondays"

at my friend Cindy's blog,

"Cottage Instincts".

Please pop over and visit!

I'm Almost Back!

2010-09-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow my baby starts Kindergarten!

(I promise I'm not gonna cry.)

The thought of having the time to finish a thought seems like a luxury to me.

Yes, I LOVE my kids ...

but who could blame me for being excited about having a few hours each day to myself.

After all I will probably be doing laundry and breakfast dishes anyhow.

I hope all your back-to-schools go smoothly!

Talk soon!

If Only My Life Had a Pause Button!

2010-06-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

Wondering what I've been doing or where I've been?

We began the month with a year end stage performance and movie premiere!

My husband started a drama and film school for kids and teens a couple of years back.

It's been a big hit in our area - feel free to check it out here if you are interested.

Then we filled up the middle of the month with summer swim club, which includes everyday practices, and for us water polo, diving and swim meets!

My middle son's first swim meet. He did really well and I am very proud!

For my daughter, swim meets are all about hanging out with friends.

(She is an awesome swimmer too!)

I watched a Grumpy Old Troll in the Three Billy Goat's Gruff!

Then ended the month with my youngest son's preschool graduation!

I'm really excited about this - my kids will actually all be at the same school for one year!

Yeah!

Then I made costumes for an Eighties party.

Decorating the school gym!

Organizing a class gift for three teachers.

Got kids to year end picnics and barbeques.

Attended a school BBQ and a movie night.

Not to mention a leaky water heater, van repairs, fundraising......

If you're a Mom you know what I mean - please give yourself a pat on the back and pour yourself a big glass of wine for surviving June!

What now?

I am headed up here....

It's time to get the gear out of the attic! - We're going camping!

And when I get there I'm gonna read this!

Happy summer to you all!

My Simple Homespun Look

2010-06-07T12:28:00.000-07:00

I went to our local fabric store and found a lovely little bolt of tea-towel fabric.

It reminds me of the beautiful vintage grain sack table runners

that I see being sold all over the internet for a fortune.

I'm loving the way it looks and it comes with the sides already pre-hemmed.

Check out this find!

2010-06-01T21:48:00.000-07:00

Well this find isn't even mine but it's worth blogging about.

My sister got this little old scale at a garage sale for a buck!

Can you believe it?

Some people have all the luck!

I love it!!!

P.S. I think my sister secretly wants a blog,

but for now I am happy to show off her finds as well!

Speaking of Ladders...

2010-05-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

Don't you see beautiful old chippy ladders in books, magazines and blogs and just drool?

I do!

For years I've been thinking I'd find the perfect wooden ladder at a garage sale, but sadly I never did.

The day I went to Donna's open house I made a quick stop along the way and found this beauty!

She was just sitting there in the rain with a $10 tag on here amongst a pile of other "junk".

She was mine!

You gotta admit she is sweet - as far as ladders go!

I love the touches of rust, the blue-green paint, and even the tiny bits of pink.

But now what???

I searched the internet for inspiration and came up with this.....

source - a rustic garden

I love the simplicity of the two horizontal ladders.

source - Women's Day

And this - the nicest pot rack I've ever seen.

source - Women's Day

I love this one!

Simple, bright, functional, fun, and junky... what more could you ask for?

source - networx

I even love these metal ladders... though they wouldn't work in my house.

source - Decorating Junk Market Style - you should read this one!

(Excuse the horrible photo, I photographed a page in a book.)

Look how the ladder is mounted onto the wall, and on each rung there is a shelf made from vintage heat vent covers. So clever!

So with all my new found inspiration

I dusted off the old ladder and brought her into my house.

First I propped her up right here...

Not bad.

I tried to add a few nicknacks but the rungs need to be level for that!

So I moved her to here.....

Well a beautiful ladder like this one would look good anywhere but

this wasn't doing it for me either...

So I moved it again.

If I can't balance nicknacks, maybe hanging things is the way to go.

I dug out some retro bedding that I love and ....

although I like this to look at... I really would have to completely redo our bedroom...

this was just too much of a new direction!

So I plopped her here and I am quite happy with the simplicity of this.

I'm sure she's just happy to be inside!

I'm linking up with Donna's Saturday Night Special Ladder themed party.

Care to join?

Catch of the Day

2010-05-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

Today's fishing expedition was successful indeed!

It was one of those days where I was not too hopeful about what might be out there and almost considered not going out... so glad I did!

Here's what I found.....

A bunch of vintage doorknobs (I've wanted to find some for a long time!)

I've been on the hunt for some old books to decorate with and found these!

I am so excited about these little gems.

They are children's school books some as old as 1836!!!

My favorite is called, "Arithmetic for the Slate"!

The best part is they were $2!!!!!

Can you have enough crocks?

I searching for a carboy ever since the Pottery Barn Catalouge came out with them for $256 US. I knew I could do better - I found this baby for $5!

And this wicker chair will most likely end up in my bedroom somewhere.

perhaps with a new coat of paint and maybe even

a granny square throw slung over the side....

we'll see.

Did you get any good finds this weekend?

A Fun Mother's Day Word Gift

2010-05-06T21:03:00.000-07:00

My eight year old came home from school and told me about a fun website called

www.wordle.net

He made a fun word collage out of Pokeman names in computer class.

I immediately thought it would be fun to use this sight to make my mom something for

Mother's Day with all the words I could use to describe her.

It was super easy to do and you can play around with the colour and fonts as well.

Here is what I came up with.....

I think I will use it for a Mother's Day card but this could be fun to use in so many ways!

(A little tip my boy told me - the more times you type a word the larger it will appear. So less important words type once, more important words type two or three times. Good luck creating!)

Hidden Treasures of May

2010-05-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

Lilies of the Valley are one of my favorite flowers.

For some reason or other I had forgotten that my ten year old flower-loving daughter

had planted these during her Flower Fairy phase.

Luckily today I noticed a dainty little white bell peeking out from behind it's big green leaves.

Almost missed these little treasures this year as this was all that was left for us to enjoy.

Looking forward to seeing you next year!

Collecting for my Someday Cottage

2010-04-30T00:02:00.000-07:00

I don't know why but I am always drawn to Granny squares! Whenever I see a granny square throw at the thrift store I always pick it up and walk around with it for the duration of my browsing and then somehow I talk myself out of bringing it home.

Well today I finally bought one and a lovely little white vintage-ish chenille bedspread too!

A cheerful, homey pair.

And I'm loving the look of them!

I have no idea where I will put these two beauties, but if I ever get my cottage I'll be ready!

Have I Missed the Mark?

2010-04-29T23:13:00.000-07:00

Well it all started innocently enough.....

I was just flipping through the PB catalogue and saw this....

and this...

So I thought to myself,

"I should look on craigslist and see if anyone has any old wine making bottles."

So I checked craigslist, and sure enough right down the road someone did!

I made the arrangements to check them out and came back with this....

I sent this photo to my sister at work.

I was all excited about my great find.

Then my phone rings, it's my sister......

"Cath, why did you send me a photo of your recycling?"

Clearly she doesn't get me!!

I spend the afternoon cleaning them out,

then I display them proudly on my big old dresser!

Is anyone thinking this is a few too many!

(And this is only a few of them.)

My husband did!

His first comment was,

"What's with all the bottles?"

He doesn't get me either!

So now I've whittled it down to this.....

and this...

Ever get the feeling that you've missed the mark?

This dresser needs something and it's so darn huge!

Maybe a funky old chippy mirror perched above it?

Obviously, I need some candles, and a few flowers and some help.

Any suggestions?

Please excuse the laundry hanging out of the bottom drawer.....

Oops, How'd I miss that?

By the way, if you are looking to collect a few old bottles of your own try using the word

"demijohn" or "carboy" in your search.

(Wine making terms for large bottle and larger bottle!)

Or you could just e-mail me, I think I have a few to spare!

A Visit to Funky Junk Interiors

2010-04-27T16:27:00.000-07:00

If you don't know Donna from Funky Junk Interiors yet you really must check her out!

When I began blogging, Donna's blog was one of the first I found and the first one that I decided to follow, and it has remained a favourite for me. I'm sure we all have blogs that excite us - well her blog has always done it for me.

So when Donna put the invite out for all of us locals to drop by her home during her Spring open house I was on it. She actually participated in a similar tour at Christmas time, but truth be told I was a little afraid to show up for fear of appear stalker-ish! This was different though as I now had an invitation!

I gathered up my sister and off we went on a road trip to Donna's place. But as we made our way out to her place I started to get a little nervous. Before I had kids I worked in the film industry in the costume department and had met a lot of celebrities. I had romanticized what they might be like and some sadly turned out to be nothing like what I had envisioned. I could never really look at them the same way again. I didn't want this to happen to the way I felt about Donna. I have always admired Donna's creativity and how she speaks so honestly and from the heart. I am happy to say that Donna is every bit as lovable in person as she is in her blog - very warm, hospitable and funny too. She did not disappoint.

We had a wonderful visit which really didn't last long enough.

She was nice enough to put on her now famous mac jacket just to humour me.

Click here to see Donna's post about our visit.

This bedroom is my absolute favourite.

The colour palette, texture, chippy wood door, the garden gate, ladder, everything about this room is perfectly put together and there just couldn't be a more calming,

or comfortable place to rest.

If you can believe it this "White Trash Bedroom" as Donna calls it,

is even more stunning in person.

After re-reading this post through I realize that I sound a little gushy and perhaps a little star struck, oh well! Go visit Funky Junk Interiors and I'll know why!

Nice Lines at a Nice Price

2010-04-23T10:57:00.000-07:00

I was in the lighting section of Home Depot the other day and noticed that they sell these replacement jars for the classic old glass jar exterior wall sconces.

The sell for $1.99 and their so cute!

Here are a few uses I came up with.....

Wouldn't it be fun to have a bunch of these lit up it the evening, hanging from the trees that surrounding your out door space?

I also found these painted jars,

this is simple to do but would be pretty with little tea lights in them and used as table decor

or placed around the yard instead of patio lanterns.

Remember seeing these around?

Can you think of anymore uses? What would you do with a few of these jars?

A Must Have

2010-04-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't this be so perfectly cute in a craft room or workshop?

I love it!

I found free downloads of this on-line if you want to print this up for your space.

It is available in five pastel colours.

Click here to go there.

A Little TLC in a Can

2010-04-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

As promised here are a few photos of my little roadside

find after a little love.

As mentioned in a previous post, last week was spring

clean-up week and there were many

finds to be had at the side of the road.

I did a lot of giggling as I filled my van with three loads of

free potential!

I found this little sweetheart after my van was already filled to the brim,

so I did what any serious junker would do

- I took the drawers so no one else would scope it,

then came back for it later.

Armed with a can of Heirloom White spray paint,

and some minwax stain, and a few glass knobs she is

now transformed

and happy to no longer be tragically left by the side of the road.

Just a little love was all she needed!

Christmas Morning for Junk Collectors!

2010-04-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

My favorite time of year!

Not only is it the start of garage sale season, it is spring clean up week.

In our community we have a city wide garage sale weekend one each year.

The city wide garage sale is meant to get rid of as much as you can for profit before you start to bring your unwanted items to the curb.

For one week you can drag anything that you don't want and that can't fit into your garbage can to the curb and the city will come and take it away for you - for free!

What I love about this is that a lot of people (including myself) drive around

and find perfectly good, reusable stuff and save it from going to the local landfill.

I'm always amazed by what people throw out.

Last year the highlight of my spring clean up week was a perfectly good industrial sewing machine.

The owner of the sewing machine saw me hauling it away and came out with spare needles.

It works great once I played with the tension a little

and it really helps me sew through all those thick wool sweaters.

Here are a few of the free roadside finds that I've picked up this year.

This old wooden bankers chair - in great condition!

I've always wanted one of these. The little case beside it is a roadside find as well - I love collecting old suitcases.

My boys needed a dresser big enough for the two of them to share and I spied this baby on the side of the road just waiting for me.

I couldn't lift it by myself so I took the drawers and put them in my van.

(I knew nobody else would take a dresser with the drawers missing!)

The little desk has already received new knobs and a new paint job - I'll show you that soon.

I also picked up this solid oak mantle with the intentions of turning it into a headboard for a king size bed. It is the perfect width and height for it. Sadly I don't have the bed yet and I don't have anywhere to store it so it may end up on craigslist we'll see.

My sister and I had a super fun day. She is single again and in the process of decorating her whole house so she really picked up a fabulous haul. Between the two of us we had three full van loads, and a ton of laughs trying to fit this stuff in. In addition to my free finds I spent a total of $28 on a few other bits and pieces. And my sister has got a super good start on her decorating for $120.

Kitchen Before and After

2010-03-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

I thought it might be fun to take a little tour of my house starting with the kitchen.

We bought this place 3 years ago and knew there had to be a few changes made.

The kitchen had just been redone so it was a hard decision to remove a perfectly good kitchen but you will soon see why we did it.

The cabinets the previous owners put in blocked the flow of the house. In order to get more counter space they blocked off a walk through to the dining room and turned it into an impractical pass through. We also wanted to put in hardwood floors on the entire main floor and I think it would have been far too much wood for my taste.

Heavy drapes in the kitchen - blah!!!

It's all not working for me.

The sunshine ceiling has got to go!

Do not fret - this kitchen and appliances did not go to the landfill. I took these photos, listed it on craigslist and had them sold and removed within four hours of turning the key. Yay!

And I actually got a fair bit for it all which helped pay for the new kitchen.

Here is what we did with our limited time (thirty days) and a limited budget.

(Sorry these aren't the best pictures but it is a super dark rainy day here so I'm using what I have.)

The sunshine ceiling has been removed and replaced with pot lights -

sadly the ceiling still needs to be painted to this day. (On my to-do list though.)

Removing the tile was no easy task, and the subfloor might have been even harder to remove but it was worth getting rid of to have the floors that we have now.

We put in this beautiful wide plank hand scraped oak flooring.

My brother sells wood flooring and was able to get us a good deal,

if not for him we would never have been able to splurge on this!

We had the cabinets installed to the ceiling which I think looks much better.

The appliances were replaced with stainless steel and we had gas brought in for the gas range.

An over the counter microwave was installed to help save counter space.

On the wall opposite the sink we designed it like a pantry wall, I had the wine rack and little shelf for cookbooks thrown in to break up the wall of cabinet doors and we went with a counter depth fridge so it would look like it was built in.

Beside the fridge I added a few pot drawers, which you can never really have enough of.

I used a butcher block counter above the pot drawers and had glass cabinet doors put above it.

This little niche almost serves as a little butlers pantry, I really like this little spot and I think it makes the kitchen a little different and I like not having everything too matchy-matchy.

Of course we opened up the walk way - having that walk way open again makes way more sense in my opinion.

A better shot of the butcher block counter and glass cabinet as well as the only picture with the backsplash tiles installed. The tiles are a matte finish, oversized subway tile in a light gray green which is a colour that I gravitate to.

The heavy drapes were removed and replaced with wide slat wooden blinds and I had a bench seat built along with the cabinets. The top of the bench flips up and hides all our playdough, colouring books, and other assorted kiddie craft stuff.

With limited time and a limited budget this kitchen is be no means top of the line.

We looked for deals where ever we could, I scoured Ebay for deals on hardware,

and we did what we could do ourselves.

When this reno was happening I had a two, five and seven year old and my husband was working fourteen hour days in the film industry. We had sold our previous home, put everything in storage but the minimum, and were living in a rental which we could not wait to get out of.

I had my hands full, I shed a few tears, but am still happy with how it turned out all things considered.

Last but not least we added a few little things to make it our own......

I'm still in need of art work above the bench seat - thinking about a chalkboard or perhaps subway art like the one Ashley at Lil Blue Boo made.

Treasures in Black and White

2010-03-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, I feel like I have been a little out of touch with the blog world and my blog friends as of late. I never expected to be absent for so long either. My sister gently reminded me how long it had been since me last post......Ooops! Well with the magic of the Olympics a distant memory, kid parties over with,and sick children now back at school I am finally feeling like I can get back to normal life. Yay!

I have not had the time to sew, decorate, or hunt for treasures, but I have made time to sort. and organize and that always feels good.

I have been scanning some old photos for my Father-in-law and in so doing have found a few sweet little treasures worth sharing. (Nichole if you see these keep it a secret from your Hubby as there maybe some forthcoming gifts for family members.)

Here are a few of my favorites.......

How much more Canadian could you get?

Love the old wooden sidewalks and the child's wagon that says :Artillery Car" on the side!

I think this one has to be my favorite.

Who didn't play "wedding" just once when they were a kid?

It looks like something right out of "Little Rascals".

Flowers for sale.

Love the lazy days of summer!

We were happy to find this photo!

The family members in this photo traveled half way across the country in the car above.

The picture was taken in Stanley Park in Vancouver (the "Central Park" of our city).

Some engineers are doing everything they can to preserve this old tree

... here is what it looks like today.

Sad to compare the two photos.

Absolutely Giddy with Olympic Spirit!

2010-02-12T15:22:00.000-08:00

As you may have read in my last post, the Olympic torch passed us by yesterday. Soon after that post we were able to catch up with a few torch bearers at a gathering near our home. My kids and I sat and had lunch with a wonderful lady who carried the torch for one leg of the torch relay. We all got to hold the torch and get our photos taken with them and hear there stories as to how and why they were selected and also how it felt for them to carry it.

As I mentioned before I can't get through a national anthem without tears (it doesn't even have to be my anthem) I told her I would probably have bawl they entire way. She said that is exactly what she did! She explained that there was such an incredible wave of emotions and just as she was about to begin her run some said, "Just think, at this very moment you are the only person in the world carrying the Olympic flame!" She said that was it! It was a great little moment for us and we all felt very fortunate!

OK who is more excited about this - my kids or their gung-ho mother with the happy dorky smile!

This morning we were lucky enough to get to watch the Canadian figure skaters practice at our local ice rink. A few teams have been practicing here but up until today they have had heavy security. Today they decided to open it up to a few people and we were lucky enough to get in to watch them practice their routines. We sat for almost an hour and a half and watched them. We even saw some pairs, and ice dancing. They make it seem so completely effortless.

I hope you all find a comfy spot to take in the ceremonies tonight and that you are feeling as patriotic as I am! Enjoy!

Go CanadaGo!!

The Olympic Torch Has Passed Us!

2010-02-11T09:42:00.000-08:00

We woke the kids up at 6 am to rush down the street to see the torch pass us by.

Surprisingly, the kids actually woke up for it,

and with the exception of our youngest they were actually in good spirits at this early hour.

Early Morning Torch Crowds

There were thousands of people lining the streets - I couldn't believe how many people would come out in the pouring rain, and at the crack of dawn to see this torch pass by.

My First Attempt at a Torch Photo

(Someone waved their flag right in front of my camera when the torch bearer was right in front of us - perfect timing.)

The torch as it runs away from us.

One last pass with the torch.

I've decided rain, darkness and a speeding subject do not make for fabulous pictures .

Oh well I guess I will have to rely on my memories for this moment.

The Olympic excitement is definitely growing and there is a incredible energy in the air that simply can not be described.

I am a big mush ball and things like this always make me teary - I rarely can get through a national anthem with out kleenex, and seeing this Olympic torch, as fast and fleeting as it was , was a great moment and a once in a lifetime experience.

Wish you could all be here!

A Lucky Stop!

2010-01-28T22:52:00.000-08:00

The Gods were on my side today! I made a quick stop and look what I found!

I've being keeping my eyes open for cases like these for a while and I just never see them.

So I asked "How much?"

$10 each!!!

Start the car!!!

The brown one is staying with me and has found it's home already.

Wasn't I just saying that I need a stack of old suitcases?

My sister has claimed the blue one.

It will be hard to part with

but I love her so I'll give it up for her .

Don't you just love old suit cases?

Oh the dreams the owner must have had! There are several tags and labels still intact, they add such soul and such charm.

Remind me to tell my kids not to pick these tags off!

I'm sure they would love to "HELP" mommy out.

Olympic Fever Has Begun

2010-01-28T20:44:00.000-08:00

I took at drive into downtown Vancouver yesterday and snapped a few photos of the cities transformation for you. It was great to see some of the buildings decorated for the games. There are tents, and banners everywhere you look. Here are a few of the photos I took.

The Hudson's Bay Company Building - The Official Olympic Store

The Georgia Hotel - I think this is reserved for Media, but I am not 100% sure about that.

The Hotel Vancouver with the RBC Tower in behind.

Robson Square Outdoor Skating Rink

They were installing a zip track right above this while I was there.

If any of you have tried to get tickets you will know that it is not an easy task. The tickets were distributed by a lottery system and there were no gaurantees that you would get any tickets at all. In fact, many people I know were quite dissapointed when no tickets were awarded to them. My cousins in Holland also had their Olympic speedskating dreams squashed (temporarily) when their lottery system failed them as well. After hearing all the stories I simply didn't even bother trying. Finally I thought I have to at least try. Years from now I will be kicking myself big-time if I don't at least attempt to get tickets. So on the last round of sales I finally got on the 2010 site set up an account and gave it a go.

Here is a play by play of my Olympic Ticket Buying Event!

First I patiently sit in the virtual waiting room

Faithfully refreshing my screen for three hours!!!!

I finally get in,

Kids don't bug me now

I only have twelve minutes to shop for tickets and then check out.....

I get my tickets and the system seems a bit slow

Lots of people must be on this site I guess

Man, this is really taking a long time

All I have to do now is click on "checkout"

I get the dreaded message, "Internet connection lost"

I scream

@#$%&*

Did this really just happen to me!

I guess it was not meant to be!

I can not give up with out a fight!

I get on again,

This time the wait is only 40mins, not bad!!

Miraculously all the tickets I want are still there,

I put them in my virtual cart.

Then I get cocky

I only have a few minutes left and I call my good friends

Do you want any tickets, Yes! Yes!

I throw their tickets into the cart.

Minutes to go,

I click on "check out"

and

@#$%&*

NOT AGAIN!!!!!

Can you believe it!!!!

I get on to the site again

and buy tickets for me

and my friends!!!

Yay me!!!!

It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I really wanted to take my kids to something.

We are all getting really excited! The Olympic mascots have been to their school and we are following the torch as well. It will be traveling through our little town on February 11th and we are for sure going to go see it pass through.

We can't wait and I will keep you posted!

Bravery at the Woolworth's Lunch Counter

2010-01-27T13:24:00.000-08:00

When I mentioned bravery I'm not talking about finding the strength to put away a Shopper's Delight Salad (look at how gross these salads look) I'm talking about bravery, the kind of bravery they make bronze statues about! Read on!

My hubby and I went to the fabulous Fremont Sunday Market in Seattle a few years back and while we were there I found these old paper placemats from Woolworth's. A lady was selling them for .25 cents a piece! I'm a sucker for anything that takes me back to simpler times - so I quickly snapped up a few and then tucked them away.

I recently came across them while cleaning, and yes Donna, purging also! I finally brought them to a local business store and had them laminated. These little placemats are so fun, so practical, and totally appeal to my nostalgic side.

My mom would take me to Woolworth's when I was a kid for a special day of birthday or back -to-school shopping. I have fond memories of that little store, and the little lunch counter that you could walk right up to. You could almost reach out and touch the clothing from the stool where you sat. A friendly waitress would soon come over and place one of these paper placemats in front of us. My mom would get a coffee and they would bring it in a plastic cone that sat inside a golden coloured plastic holder. Does anyone else remember this? I decided to try to find a photo of this on-line because I'm sure you're all saying "HUH!" So I googled it to find ya photo but found this super cool and interesting history about the Woolworth's lunch counter instead.

I had absolutely no idea but on Feb. 1st 1960, four African American teens went to a Woolworth's lunch counter and waited for service. They were refused service. They sat there until the store closed. This sit-in sparked sit-ins at Woolworth lunch counters all across America.

Finally on July 25th of that same year they tried again and were serve food at that very same lunch counter.

A piece of this lunch counter now sits at the Smithsonian.

And these brave men were honored with a bronze statue - they have done so much for mankind. Thank you for changing the way we think! Look how far we have come because of you!

If you are interested in reading more clicking on the following link.

Woolworth's Lunch Counter Sit-ins

Compromising!

2010-01-23T16:42:00.001-08:00

I think the biggest surprise upon getting married is that my husband actually had an opinion about what we put into our place! I don't really know why this was a surprise to me but somehow I hadn't thought he'd care all that much. Maybe it was the fact that he only had a futon, a computer desk and his beloved rattan sofa.

For the most part things have worked out but I have to tell you there have been some compromises along the way.

Big Compromise #1

Does anyone else have one of these in their living room that they have to work around? Pretty sure this is a 32" and believe me he would have been a lot happier with a 50+++, and yes I would have been happier with a 20" or none at all.

Compromise #2

It had to be leather!

This photo doesn't really do this beast justice. I do actually like this sofa, but I wouldn't have chosen it for this space. Having a leather sofa was the most important item on my husband's wish list. We discussed and discussed and it was clear that this was really important to him, so if I had to have a leather sofa I wanted to add a few requirements of my own.

Requirement # 1 - No pouffy attached pillows on the back or arm rests.

You know the ones, right?

Requirement #2 - No shiny leather - must have more of a distressed feel.

Requirement #3 - No colored leather, must be blackish-brownish, sort of aviator-ish.

This is what we came up with.

It looked a lot better when we first got it, but now the pillows are starting to droop in the center and the dye seems to be wearing on the cushions more than the rest of the sofa- not so sure what can be done about that.

Marriage is full of compromise and in the big scheme of things this is nothin'!

I bet your wondering what happened to the rattan sofa!

About a week before our wedding day we were moving his stuff into our first place and on the way down the elevator with this sofa some guy asked,

"What are you gonna do with that? It is really nice!"

I think my husband was so proud that someone appreciated it

that he gave it to the guy on the spot!

Sayounara! Adios! Good-bye!

Time For Some Changes

2010-01-23T16:36:00.000-08:00

Each January once the tree is down, I find that the bare spot where the tree once stood makes me question my space, and somehow makes me look at it a little differently. I realized that when we moved in to this place (3 years ago) we plopped the furnishings down and then never really thought about it again. So this January I began to question my placement, moved some things around, and have now come up with a few changes I am happy with. I feel like I am now finally beginning to finish things off a bit around here.

I've had this great braided wool rug for years but have never really put it to good use, it has now found a home in a cozy little corner beneath this chair and ottoman. I purchased the chair and ottoman at Sears of all places - they were sitting in an opposite corner of the room and now they look way more inviting in their new home. I recently found an old burlap sack and stretched it over a canvas, then added it plus a couple family photos to the wall above. Although this corner is not perfect, it is an improvement and feels a bit more finished than the blank walls we have had since we moved in.

I love little spots just for one - the perfect little place to sit quietly and read a book or flip through a new magazine.

I saw the burlap sack art idea at Junk Sophisticate if you haven't been there yet you should really check her out!

You can barely see our phone sitting on an old suitcase, I need a little table, or a stack of suitcases to lift it off the floor. Maybe I'll build a little bench. Ana at Knock of Wood has inspired me! If you haven't been to her blog yet you should.

Now I had to fill the bare spot where the chair above stood - so I brought out the chair below which was a roadside find and is actually super comfortable. It has been begging for new upholstery ever since I brought it home, and I'm happy to say that this will be happening soon. I found this ugly little ottoman at the local thrift store the other day and it will be joining the chair in the make over. I've ordered some new turned wood legs off of Ebay and will soon shop for some new fabrics to freshen this pair up.

Is this ottoman crying out for some new legs or what?

The PB lamp is a gift from my very generous mother-in-law.

My Hubby works in the film industry and is big into movies, so this piece suits us quite well.

I bought this old vintage movie reel off of ebay for my him this Christmas,

but still haven't found the right spot for it. Soon!

Then there is my curtain dilemma. We inherited these drapes with the house and although they go well enough they are perhaps not what I would have picked, but I think I can work with them. Notice the ugly standard drapery rod, and what do you do with patio doors anyways.

This patio door is ridiculously close to the fireplace and I have no choice but to have all this heavy drapery mashed right into the side of the fireplace. Talk about a focal point!

After a lot of looking and considering, I realized that these pinch pleat drapes actually extend far beyond the windows they are meant to cover, and once shut they turn that wall into an entire wall of drapes. So my plan is to hack off a bunch of curtain, chop the patio door drape right down the center so that half can hang on either side of the patio door, thus reducing the huge amount of bulk that has been butted right up to my fireplace. Then I'll pick up some nice little oil rubbed bronze rods with some rings and hopefully that should improve this nasty situation.

Extremely Behind the Times!

2010-01-22T15:26:00.000-08:00

Ok I admit I'm a little behind the times. I only got the tree down a week ago and I still have christmas stuff sitting at the top of my stairs just waiting to be put in the attic. I did manage to find spots for a few christmas gifts though. Christmas is not about the gifts, and it truly is more than that for me and always has been - but it seems ridiculous for me to share these gifts with you next year. So bare with me for a few highlights!

A set of four Jadeite mugs from my hubby,

they have found a nice spot next to my retro teapot.

This sweet little rusty, cast iron Mr. Peanut piggy bank.

My kids got these Jones Sodas with their pictures on the label from their Uncle.

They rarely get pop so they loved this.

And my Husband got acquainted with Etsy, and picked out this sweet little necklace that has rarely left my neck since I received it. I love it!

There now I can officially put Christmas behind me!

My First Design Job! Before and Almost After!

2010-01-09T20:56:00.000-08:00

I haven't mentioned this yet, but a while back my sister bought a sweet little rancher with a fabulous lay out. My sis knew she wanted to do some renovations and she wanted it done and over with as soon as possible. She agonized about which direction to take the renos, how to complete it while working full-time, and then she became a bit overwhelmed by all the decisions and the scheduling. She's pretty savy, but needed a little help with the details - talking out decisions and being able to visualize the big picture. There are so many decision and if you don't trust your own ability to put things together tastefully it is very hard to commit to anything at all. Since she knew I absolutely loved this stuff and she trusted my taste she decided to hire me as her designer, which was a big load off her mind and such fun for me. Spending other peoples money is way more fun! Don't you think?

Before

We worked on the whole house.

We picked out paint colours that flowed from room to room, then had the whole place painted. She put in beautiful wide plank hand scraped oak flooring throughout.

We picked out new lighting throughout the house (the sunshine ceiling had to go),

as well as all new baseboards and door trim,

complete with new door hardware.

Both fireplace have also been redone with the exception of a few finishing touches.

Next we are working on furnishing and decorating her house on a shoestring.

It truly is the little things that make the difference, and knowing what is worth the splurge is also important - such as a fantastic faucet, great lighting and quality hardware.

This is the yummy faucet we chose.........

and check out this fabulous pendant light.

Two of these hang above the island in an oil rubbed bronze finish.

I love the glass on these babies and we made sure to pick out a glass with imperfections

for the glass in the cabinet doors as well.

(it's not too matchy-matchy but they definitely go well together.)

The picture you are about to see was e-mailed to me by my sis,

it is hard to see the details but I will post better pictures when I get them.

And now for the big reveal.

The Almost After Shot

While there is still a lot to be done, such as the tile backsplash and window treatments, my lucky sis has a beautiful kitchen and this house has now become her home.

A Special Handmade Gift for Meg

2010-01-03T20:40:00.000-08:00

We are a lucky family!

Why?

When the cousin my husband didn't know he had came looking for his biological family

the story had an extremely happy ending.

Not only did my husband get his very first cousin, but we also acquired his mom Meg,

the gracious lady who not only adopted him, raised him, and then later helped him find his missing links.

They are both every bit a part of this family as anyone else,

and have been for twenty years now.

We don't usually give handmade gifts at Christmas,

but Meg is someone who you just don't head to the mall for.

She appreciates the time and thought of handmade gifts,

and anything that won't damage the planet.

Meg has been a reduce, reuse, and recycler for as long as I can remember.

I believe she is a pioneer of sorts.

While the rest of the family heads to the mall to shop for our gifts, Meg brings a big box labeled "Meg's Book Box" filled with books that she has collected from garage sales through out the year. She carefully chooses books with each of our interests in mind, and then gives us a handmade Christmas card that says,

"Please pick out a book from my pre-loved book box."

A highlight every year!

So my daughter and I went to work and made these little reusable produce bags.

They are made from old linen pieces I had hanging around,

some string and a little fabric paint.

My nine year old did the stenciling

and I did the sewing.

Hopefully Meg thinks these are as sweet as we intended them to be

and if nothing else appeciates the thought that went into them.

I'm linking up to Cindy's party come join the fun!

click here

Handmade Stockings and A New Way to Hang Them

2009-12-19T15:48:00.000-08:00

I'm linking up with Donna"s Saturday Night Special Click below to see lots or creative and inspiring stuff.

click here

I made these stockings a few years ago out of two differently textured upholstery cottons. Then I found these cute little rusty ornaments at Michael's for $.99 and tied a different one on to each stocking so everyone knows who's is who's.

I got this idea from my brother and cannot take the credit, but I love this idea, it is simple and it is worth sharing.

I never wanted to place those stocking holders on my mantle for fear that an innocent toddler might get hit on the head by a cast iron object or crack a hearth tile or damage my wood floors. So every year I actually place nails in my mantle and then touch up in the new year - if I get to it.

So this year I bought this curtain rod which was white, painted it with Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint (thanks Cindy for the tip), added a few curtain clips and then attached it to the underside of my fireplace surround. I like the way it looks and I might just keep it up all year.

I've been working on some new stockings for this year - out of sweaters of course! My to do list was just too long and sadly they all didn't get done - but I thought I'd show them to you anyhow.

Thanks for hosting Donna!

And Merry Christmas.

Beautiful Holiday Entertaining Ideas!

2009-12-16T16:59:00.000-08:00

I have a bit of time on my hands lately as I seem to have put my back out! Having this happen right before Christmas is extremely unfortunate timing and I am unable to do anything. Really! After a few days of watching the laundry pile up, and the dust bunnies, kids socks, and toys collect all over the house I have now resigned myself to the fact there is nothing I can do about it. (No point even watching my home deteriorate before my very eyes.)

My hubby has sent me to bed and has rigged up my Imac bedside - now I can waste away my time in cyberspace.

So after much surfing I have found a few retro goodies for your holiday entertaining. These ideas are simple and can be easily executed with things you have on hand such as tin foil!

(You may Thank me later!) I hope you enjoy!

Check out this beautiful tin foil snowman centerpiece! Lovingly decorated with candy canes and lollipops. And what could be hiding inside those foil balls? Could it be Swedish meatballs, or perhaps they are mini jiffy pop popcorn surprises? My best guess is a chocolaty treat made with colored mini marshmallows and crispy chow mien noodles. Yum!

(Has anyone ever had those as kid?)

I love this idea for it's simple beauty. What better way to put out flatware for your guest than to creatively lay them out in the shape of a festive Christmas tree! Your guest will be talking about this one!

Why not leave the good china in the cabinet, forget about the environment, and start a new tradition this year by going completely disposable!

Did you know that you can finish up the look of your styrofoam plates and disposable plastic tumblers by simply placing a real glass plate or saucer beneath it? Use real metal flatware for an elegant touch. And the tinfoil angel sets the stage for an evening of festivities and fun.

For your next cookie exchange leave the cellophane and ribbon behind, these lovely take away foil serving dishes are where it's at this year. Plus you can say, "I made it myself!"

Ok, so I've had a little too much time on my hands........ but we've come a long way though haven't we?

Thank you - from me and my Christmas tree!

2009-12-08T21:01:00.000-08:00

I have been having so much fun snooping around from blog to blog checking out all the amazing ideas out there. It only gets better when you actually remember those great ideas, and get the chance to put a few of them to good use. I really like the way my tree turned out this year and I can't take any credit for it - I have many of you to thank!

Inspired by Donna at Funky Junk Interiors - she has the greatest ideas. Love the burlap garland and the use of these old lanterns I found at the local thrift store. Thanks Donna for both of these great ideas, I smile every time I look at my tree!

Thanks to Ashley from Shanty2Chic, I love the way these little snow filled ornaments turned out - you are truly a genius!

I saw a designer on TV the other day put signs on her tree and that inspired me too. I put up this sweet little angel sign that I had for years and didn't know how to work into my decor.

An old chalk board went on as well. Once I actually find the chalk I might get my daughter to write a note to Santa on it , or a maybe a countdown to Christmas - we'll see.

I am now on the hunt for some old silver picture frames and I thought I might put old christmas photos of the kids in them and hang them on the tree as well.

Notice that you can't see the top of the tree in the photo - this tree is still a work in progress I suppose.

Thanks again sharing your great ideas with the world so me and my tree may enjoy them.

Sweater Happy Birthday Bunting

2009-11-30T12:29:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd find a greener way to decorate for the many family birthday celebrations that happen in our house each year!

I decided to make a reusable Happy Birthday bunting from old sweaters and some old mens shirts.

I ironed on some fusible interfacing to the back of a some scraps cut from old men's shirts.

Then I typed the words "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" on my computer, selected a font and enlarged it to the size I wanted. I printed the letters out, cut them out and used them as a template to cut the letters out of fabric.

I cut out triangles out of old wool sweaters then stitched the letters on with embroidery floss.

I found a woolen looking binding tape at our local fabric store

then stitched all my triangles to it.

A new tradition of having this banner hang at each and every birthday celebration has begun!

(I suspect one day the kids will be fighting over who gets to keep it - maybe I'll make a few more - some day...)

I'm linking up to Cindy's "I made it for Monday" party at www.cottageinstincts@blogspot.com.