Brilliant! {stickers for microwaves}

Buy them here!

Small Space Inspiration

My family is an apartment family. Both my husband and I grew up, and have always lived in an apartment, or a condo. Not that we're not the outdoorsy types, we totally are, but the idea of shovelling snow, and worrying about the water heater or the furnace busting just isn't our style. That's the huge plus of apartment or condo living, you pay your rent, or maintenance fee, and 99% of the time it's taken care of for you.

The challenge with living this way, is of course space. We don't have the 3000 square foot house with 5 bedrooms to put all our stuff, we have 1200 square feet, plus a storage locker at our current address. Trust me, it's bigger than you may think, and because our storage space is so limited, we tend to not to accumulate stuff as much, or as often. This is definitely a good thing!

Currently, our second bedroom has been a 'catch-all' of spaces since we moved in 2 months ago, BUT we need to get on that ASAP, as the little squirt is arriving in 3 months! I've concluded that at least 1/2 of what's in that room can be tossed, I haven't needed or really wanted anything in there in the past 2 months, and I'm not missing it, so why keep it, right? It feels so good to purge!

I'm continually looking online, and in shelter magazines for creative small spaces and ideas, there are so many out there!

Southern Living

This amazing workspace is created out of a 5x8 foot storage alcove. Brilliant.

Real Simple

Two or more crates stacked together look like a piece of furniture. These come is various sizes, perfect for a tiny bathroom or powder room.

Southern Living

A small closest has been converted into a powder room - petite fixtures do exist!

Better Homes & Gardens

Covering open bookshelves with curtains to create an instant storage space. It will look good anywhere in your space. Choose washable fabric that complements the decor of the room

Better Homes & Gardens

Everyone has an old ugly metal filing cabinet around, and yes it's necessary to have, most are unsightly. Cover them up with fabric, gaining a convenient sideboard in the process

Better Homes & Gardens

Choose armless seating for your sofa, and/or side chairs. This will open up the line of sight, and make any room feel larger, and open.

New Designs from Harlequin {wallpaper & fabric}

More and more, wallpaper is totally growing on me. The patterns that are popping up more and more frequently are sucking me in to the point that I'm actively looking for a used vintage piece of furniture to "re-do" with wallpaper.

I'm still not sold 100% with putting it on my walls, that may take some real convincing.

My personal favorites are below, and you can see Harlequin's full collection here.

Phoebe Howard {Interior Decorator}

I have absolutely no idea how I ended up on Phoebe's site today, but am drooling none the less at her beautiful spaces.

You can read more about her here.

I small selection of her work below.....Florida, you are very lucky to have her!













all images from Phoebe Howard

House Tour Love {Toni Brogan via design*sponge}

See the FULL tour here.....






all images from design*sponge

The Kindred Site {from Holly and Ez}

Spring has officially sprung, thank goodness! Is everyone else as tired of winter as I am?

Holly Becker of decor8, and Heather "Ez" Pudewa of Creature Comforts have collaborated to create and develop Kindred.

".....two passionate, prolific bloggers and friends who live thousands of miles apart and have never met in person but we share many of the same dreams and passions."
- Kindred, about us

image from Kindred


Unique desktop wallpapers, printable note cards, and gratitude notes, gotta love it!

Find them online here, and take advantage of their free stuff by registering here! Happy downloading!

Open Letter to Wisteria

Every time I visit Wisteria, I drool until i'm standing in my own puddle of spit.

Why oh WHY do you not deliver to Canada?

Sniff.

Black Forest Tray

doorknob bookends

adirondack fly swatters

flatware wall art

rustic trestle console table

all images from Wisteria

Real Homes for International Inspiration

Sometimes it's fun to visit the websites of shelter magazines in foreign lands, you never know what you may find that's different, or maybe even someone or thing mirroring your own lifestyle! Not to mention, I'm still looking for a viable Domino replacement.

Some of my personal favorites are Ideal Home (UK), Living Etc (UK), Home Beautiful (Australia), and Marie Claire Maison (France).

I'm LOVING these real homes in Ireland, call it a tribute to St. Patrick's Day! I found these beautiful house tours via House and Home in Ireland.

Victorian Terrace House

The home of award winning Irish fashion designer
Aideen Bodkin and her Banker sister Sharon Bodkin.

A Converted Monastery

The home of Michelle and Eamonn Cunniffe

Cork Terrace House

The home of Stuart O'Mahony and Amanda Gibbons

Happy Globetrotting!



All photos courtesy of House and Home.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Watch out for the Green Monster today!



Cheers everyone.

Sadie Olive {Sara Duckett}

Is anyone out there as addicted to Twitter as I am? I must say, i've been a member for awhile now, but have only recently started tweeting on a regular basis recently. I love it! I am so happy to see so many other bloggers out there from all over the world, and not only in the world of design, but fellow crafters, and artisans as well.

One of my Tweeple, is Sadie Olive, aka, Sara Duckett. She owns and operates an absolutely beautiful webshop by the same name, Sadie Olive. Sara is also a professional photographer and she also writes a blog! Busy girl Sara!

I've spent a good portion of my day today oogling over this absolutely beutiful webshop, and her blog, i'm sure you will be just as smitten as I am!





all images from Sadie Olive

Vintage Lace Shades {Nice}

I'm falling in love with these vintage lace and doily shades from Etsy seller Nice (Caitlin Holcomb) . So pretty. So dainty. Love it.

These make me want a little girl so I can have one. I don't think my husband would like these very much.









Caitlin also makes beautiful wood burnings and paintings, and has a fabulous collection of vintage home decor and dishware!

Visit Caitlin's Etsy store here, and she has a blog too that you can visit here!

all images from Nice/Etsy

Binth {via Modern Karibou}

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING makes me happier than NEW original design!!! Whilst surfing around the Modern Karibou “whats new” section, I happily (and I mean VERY happily) stumbled upon Binth.

What the heck is a Binth? A derivative of Terebinth?

“a Mediterranean tree, Pistacia terebinthus, of the cashew family, yielding Chian Turpentine."

HUH? Actually, they just made it up.

I love the fact that all of their screen print designs are created based on collaborative efforts, there is no 1 person responsible for 1 design. Community and the environment is their priority, from in-house, to outsourced suppliers, Binth makes every effort to work with family-owned businesses run by traditional craftsmen that share their passion for detail and quality. Helping the environment along the way always helps as well.

All of their colours are mixed by hand using only water-based inks (wow!), and all their paper stock is of course recycled. This is so important people!!!!! We must all make more of an effort to recycle!

Here are a few of my favorite pieces from Binth, some are available here in Canada via Modern Karibou, or you can visit Binth online to check for other retailers.



1. Ocotpus Cuddle Pillow, 16" x 16", $72
2. Rooster Cuddle Pillow, 16" x 16", $72
3. "XOXO" screen printed cards, box of 6, $14.50
4. "Suitor" screen printed cards, box of 6, $14.50
5. "Awaiting Spring" ltd edition print, 16" x 20" matted, signed and numbered, $85
6. "Mum" screen printed cards, box of 6, $14.50
7. Thorn Notepad in brown, 100 sheets, $15.50
8. Numbers poster, 18" x 24" unframed, $55

all images from Binth

Dramatic. Black. {in the bathroom!}

LOVE this look, see more at Apartment Therapy here.




all images from Apartment Therapy

Etsy Love {Robert Ryan}

Robert Ryan, based in London, UK, works by paper cutting, leading to a variety of applications such as screen printing, textile design, ceramics and lazercutting.

Original, motivational. He blogs too!
Visit his Etsy Shop here, or her website here.

from top right,
Believe in People tile, $36
Simplify our Love tile, $36
Valentines Day screen print, $115

Ikea Summer 2009 sneak peak!

From AT here!