eat your greens

Some great fabrics in fresh springy greens...yummy! From Tonic Living.

a new look for spring

I decided to redecorate for Spring...and I gave my blog a new name. Is that allowed in blogland?

i heart fifi lapin

Meet my new desktop wallpaper by Fifi Lapin - "the world's most stylish bunny" according to Elle Magazine!

I would have to agree...Fifi has some very inspiring outfits, and I'm into her latest runway looks. Check out the incredible marigold dress she sported in Paris!

In addition to being a fashion icon, this little rabbit also makes some lovely wall artwork too...check out the beauty below.

Desktop wallpaper is from the brand new {and lovely!} Kindred website. See more of Fifi here...

my new necklace

Yes, this is a photo of my chest! But I wanted to show you the yummy tattoo-like necklace I got from the AGO's new and fabulous gift shop. I've been trying to cut back on clothes-shopping so finding cool {and cheaper} accessories seem to do the trick! I can't tell you how many compliments I've received on this necklace so I just wanted to share. The necklace is made from 'eco-plastic' by Batucada Fashion.

Happy Spring and have a wonderful weekend!

outside of the box

I took a little jaunt down to the Canada Blooms show today for a change of pace and to get some inspiration for Spring. Thinking I was very smart missing the weekend crowd, I arrived just in time to enter the show along with 50 senior bus tours! One of these things doesn't belong here...

It was a good show, but my very favourite exhibit by far was this reclaimed freight container that has been converted into a mobile, green, and funky design office! bsq. landscape design studio has basically turned an old abandoned container into a cool, modern interior - the ultimate recycling project! And check out the roof-top deck and the green roof. What an awesome little office {or cabana or cottage guest room}! Eco-conscious + clever = love.

time to decorate for spring!

I've mentioned that I like to decorate {and re-decorate!} the console table at the entrance to my house by season, so I think with Spring arriving on Friday, it's that time again! I am planning to re-style soon and I've decided that fresh spring greens would be nice, after my white winter wonderland display. Here are some beautiful console table displays, and an entranceway that makes me gasp every time I see it - the fresh whites and blues are amazing and what a gorgeous black door.

Stay tuned for photos of my new springy console table!

{both photos from Domino mag}

{from Wish mag}

motivation

Heehee...I thought this pillow was pretty cute and could possibly motivate me to move my buttocks! Made by Alexandra Ferguson.

cabin fever

Today is bright and sunny but still on the chilly side. Nevertheless, I am dreaming and planning of how to decorate my deck so that I can spend more time outside and make the most of the warm weather when it decides to arrive! I just bought a cheery red umbrella and cushions for my Pier One table and chairs, but I love the look of this deck and I'm thinking to incorporate an outdoor rug, some tall plants and lanterns. I don't have a ton of space to work with, but this looks like it could be such a cozy little sanctuary! {photo from Wish magazine}

Happy weekend my bloomers!

pretty post-its

I am a sucker for office supplies {my in-laws actually own an office supply company conveniently enough!} so I really loved this Bergdorf Goodman window display made from Post-it notes, as seen on Martha's new craft blog. Ah to live in New York City and to walk by fabulous and inspiring displays every day. I remember seeing the most gorgeous dress made out of paper in the window of Carolina Herrera, and I kick myself to this day for not capturing it in a photo!
And speaking about Post-its and dresses made of paper...Jessica won this week's challenge on Project Runway Canada, with her dress made of 3000 Post-it notes - how the heck do you make a dress out of Post-its? Well, she did and it was quite beautiful {although I liked Sunny's too!}. All of the models this week were breast cancer survivors, and the Post-it dresses were auctioned off to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

nutritionista

As I've mentioned, I have endometriosis. My doctor believes my surgery a few weeks ago was a success, but endo does grow back eventually...bugger. To keep my health in check I've been seeing my friend Laurie - my 'nutritionista' - who is focussing her new business, LkM Nutrition, on the family - family planning, infertility, pregnancy, and food for babies and toddlers.

I've been to Laurie for two sessions now and she is fantastic! I feel a big change in my body having implemented the new foods and vitamins she has recommended. Laurie just started two informative new blogs and I'm excited about both! Blog #1 has interesting tidbits and nutritional hints for family planning, infertility and pregnancy. Blog #2 guides parents on making their own food for babies and toddlers - and it's called Baby Bites and Toddler Tapas...love! How wonderful to make your own baby food - to save money, but also to have that control and awareness over what your baby is actually ingesting.

Laurie also offers a service called Freezer Fill-Up where she will help you prepare meals in your home that can be stored in the freezer to help you eat properly when a new baby arrives. This gal is quite innovative and great at what she does! She is located in the Roncesvalles area of Toronto, but can also meet via Skype. Be sure to check her out - this nutritionista comes highly recommended.

create your own fabric

Flipping through the pages of the latest Canadian House & Home magazine, I came across this website - SpoonFlower.com - that allows you to create your own custom fabric! Wow...this sounds like fun! Apparently you can create a design or drawing, upload your images, play with layout options, and then place your order for $18/yard. Perfect for crafty sewing projects when you just can't find the right fabric...I think I might give this a go!

my little friend Amélie

I have a little friend down the street named Amélie {a name she happens to share with my favourite movie!}. This little two year old makes me 'dragon cookies' {her invention}, mini paintings and beaded bracelets and we have spent afternoons together at petting zoos, building gingerbread houses and playing some very creative games with play-dough.

Much like the character in the movie, little Amélie has quite the wonderful imagination. The other day, she was playing in her room and her mom thought things just got a little too quiet {alarm bells!}. She peeked in only to find this - their golden retriever, Meadow, covered in pantiliners - or 'big bandaids' as Amélie called them. I just had to share, as it had me laughing all day! And the look on poor Meadow's face is priceless.

rachel bilson: my fashion muse

How odd...Rachel Bilson, my fashion muse, and Hayden Christensen are building a home in Uxbridge, Ontario - the little town where I grew up, where I went to high school, and where my dad still lives. I guess I will have to start hanging out at the local Zehrs grocery store to catch glimpses of her amazing outfits - whether she is out running errands or on the red carpet, she looks so put together. Here are some of my fave looks...this girl has style!

marvelous muffins

Don't you just love finding a new blog that is a little gem? I usually waste insane amounts of time at interior and graphic design, wedding and artsy blogs but I just found a cooking blog that has some wonderful recipe inspiration - For the Love of Cooking.

On the weekend I made their Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins that uses yogurt instead of butter {I am always alarmed at how much butter is used in baking, and even more grossed out at the amount of shortening in some older recipes}. These muffins are marvelous! Note that I only used 1/3 cup chocolate chips...I'm a chocoholic, but 1 cup seemed like a lot. And I also tried making these with spelt flour {less gluten} and they were wonderful too...just add about 1/4 cup more of spelt flour so that it rises a bit better.

Enjoy! I'm definitely making these again soon!

simple photo project

This is a wonderful photo project that was featured on Design*Sponge last week - making 'picture frames' using jars. It can't get much simpler than this! I noticed a similar article in Martha Stewart Living this month, and also I clipped this photo {below} a while back, from I'm not sure where - a similar project.

What a simple, green, and just-plain-cool idea! Instructions can be found at Photojojo.

little party-goers

I recently finished a design project that I wanted to share here! I created a logo, business card, and website design for a new company called Little Party-Goers that offers child care at weddings and events. What a great business idea! Owner Maria Vrontos, doesn't just babysit children at events - she does crafts and activities and makes it fun for them. And armed with a background in Early Childhood Education, she knows what she is doing!

Maria required a logo that was professional but still fun-loving and kid-like. She wanted the colours blue, lavender and green to be incorporated, and for flowers to be used as a design element - however she didn't want her logo to be too girly-girl. Voila - here is the final logo and the business card which turned out great! The website is currently in development, but I will announce once it's up and running. Good luck Maria, on your new venture!

wallpaper crush

Searching through my ever-expanding design inspiration files, I noticed a wee trend - a lot of the photos I like have used the Cole and Son "Woods" wallpaper. I'm so drawn to the rustic, natural-ness of it!

We are currently stripping the wallpaper in my dad's house {flowery 80's wallpaper that just wasn't cool} and it is pretty much a nightmare. After spending a week with my sister trying to remove wallpaper from a bathroom, I promised myself never ever to wallpaper anything! But...maybe just one wall wouldn't hurt?

I'm not 100% about where I got the above photos, although the 3rd one down is from Blueprint, and the 4th from Wish magazine {recognize it?}. Below is a pic of my bro-in-law at a restaurant on College Street where we went to celebrate my husband's birthday in January. The restaurant had recently been made over...check out the paramedic, my cute baby niece, and the wallpaper behind them!