Currently Armchair Traveling Through Life

*image found here and words by Mother Teresa

I need to remember these words of Mother Teresa's in particular right now...and I NEED to be the sole decorator in my home, the beige is killing me :)

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

*found on pinterest

Faerie Berries and Thoughtful Fill-Ins

*Fairy Berries the only question is will they work on a condo patio...

I haven't done Friday Fill-Ins in a long time.  Today is not Friday.  This week the format was different..."Where Are You From"  

I am from a cottage on a dirt road, patio lanterns, from Duncan Hines Princess cakes and Judy Blume.


I am from a home that grew a porch around a tree, shag rugs and golden drapes.
I am from the blackberry bushes, violets on the lawn and tart rhubarb dipped in white sugar,
the ever hopeful maple saplings, trillium forests, towering trees.


I am from Christmas Eve's that worked and a family that broke, from a Nana and Mama and Willison, Kirkpatrick, O'Neil, Esten and Wismer.
I am from the sad and creative.
From goldfish that become carp and "right things" without reward.
I am from a Christian home. A faith that that grew, stretched and evolved.
I'm from Canada, Kraft Dinner and scotch.
From the little girl raised by maids, the feisty farm girl who dashed to the city lights and the ones who isolate themselves literally and figuratively.  
I am from fancy silver sold for a dime, farmland scorned and fresh starts.

Feminine Touches

Garlands are everywhere these days, in the form of wreathes, with or without Christmas lights even as jewellery.  This is mine, made from shear ivory fabric and touches of black eyelet ribbon tied onto twine to maintain a contrasting rustic yet elegant look...and I made it...

Imagine All The Wishes...

Ohhhhhhhhh a star projector.... this is completely necessary to sleep properly...

Strangers...

*the first image I took in the lovely town of Lunenburg, NS.  The second image I adore, I have been thinking about what word/phrase to have above doorways and this, found here is perfect...

"People are strange, when they are strangers"...I've lived away so often I'm forgetting what it means to be familiar.  Yet I've been lucky enough to find many angels in my travels...

Let There Be Light

* image found here

Oh Anthropologie you've done it again...white, antiques, whimsical with a hit of faerie tale meets Alice tea party...all with a lamp or lamps...

Commanding

*image found at Apartment Therapy
Now that is a big, and a little scary looking command, E A T!

Quite Possibly the Best Vinyl Shop Yet...

Shop found here

Eloise Suite

I've always loved hotels, and the thought of living in one has often been a dream.  So when I heard that the The Plaza was having a suite designed by the incomparable Betsey Johnson I was thrilled.  More eye candy here

Dear H

My partner in crime has mentioned that I don't seem to mention him on my blog very much...I have explained that this is mostly a place for the neat things I find online, or otherwise...and I have talked about wedding decor (thank heavens I get to elope) and his career change as a Mountie, R.C.M.P. guy...and our subsequent move to Nova Scotia.  However, as it is his birthday Happy Birthday Baby!  I thought I would dedicate this post to him.  We are still leaning towards living a condo lifestyle and as such I found some future decor touches I (we) should like, all images/links found initially on 'Apartment Therapy'.  The chocolate brown walls in the first image are what I hope will end an ongoing argument around here.  H loves neutrals, LOVES them...me, not so much.  In my mind they've been done, and overdone so many times and they don't give me a safe, cozy feeling at all but rather a claustrophobic, help I'm trapped in the sticky mouse trap that is the 'burbs kinda feeling...chocolate brown = a neutral with balls.
The second image is all about the strip of red on the edge of a doorway.  I love colour, H does not...I admit that I don't have a lot of practice with it or a fabulous attention span.  This edging however is like an accessory, jewellery for your home.
And finally the golden blocks for the shower...yes please, warm, elegant and yet crisp and spa-like...soooo ummm Happy Birthday Baby, and look and the things I like!!! (I have a very patient man indeed).

No Plastic Wasteland Here

It is always a pleasure to see companies creating decor for children that are not a bright primary plastic colour. I grew up in horror when I visited homes with rickety, peeling metal swing sets and such...yes the choices at Dimples and Dandelions are pricer, but there are many DIY opportunities available. 

Ikea I Miss You...

My life as a minimalist...as I continue to rehab from living in the 'burbs I am increasingly drawn to anything and everything minimalist; decor, food...life really...some people say it's because I've burnt out but this feels, this is authentic.  Over at the everyday minimalist she has been addressing some differences...being a minimalist is not cheap and often it's not even the 'frugal' option...read the each of her posts/links on the subject but some of my favourite highlights are;
"Minimalism is not owning more than you need and can use...It isn’t about living like a monk...We want the little things that we purchase, to be an all-in-one: beautiful, functional, and simple to use...As a minimalist, I want everything that I buy to be exactly what I want, but also pleasing to look at...A frugal person understands cost-per-use and the longevity of purchases."  She goes into some very detailed examples and make me want to stand up and cheer!

Kettner's

*photo found here

Restaurant and Champagne Bar Kettner’s has this absolute piece of heaven seating area...decadent, elegant...so smart, so cozy...

Kettner's