NEW! Kitchen Accessories from Anthropologie

I  never would of thought to go to Anthropologie for kitchen accessories, but with the release of these new products recently, my thoughts have most definitely changed!

 steak knives and drinking glasses

cookie jar and ceramic baskets 

apron and whisks

all images above from anthropologie 

As we continue our house hunt and I dream of our new kitchen to be, I'm torn between a brand new renovated kitchen space, or one that is "vintage" that I can re-purpose into something worthy of being on Pinterest.  :-)

Buck {Cardboard Safari}

OK, so I finally caved and bought a cardboard moose head.  Meet "Buck Jr".

Yes, I know I'm behind this "trend" by about 2 years, but I still love this trend, so when I walked into SoHo on Roncesvalles Avenue last Saturday, and saw one, and just couldn't resist.

image from cardboard safari

Once I put it up next week I'm sure my husband will think I've gone mad.

What I didn't know, is that Cardboard Safari, the company that makes Buck, makes a bazillion other cardboard items.

 image from cardboard safari

Now I just have to choose which one to get next.  Cause you know, once I find something I like I stick with it. I have a problem.  I'm addicted to cool stuff.

Favorite Neighborhoods: Roncesvalles Village, Toronto

I was visiting my mom on Sunday since she hadn't seen the squirt in a few weeks; and I took nap time as an opportunity to hop on the streetcar over to Roncesvalles Village for a couple of hours.  Thankfully, my mom has no problem with me taking off for some "me time".  I've gotta have it every week.

"Ronces" (as the locals call it), has been under construction for what feels like forever.  Businesses in the area have suffered greatly as for a time period of approximately 2 years, you could not drive down this street, only foot traffic and public transit was permitted.   Friend's of ours had a restaurant in the village and he was forced to close and sell last year because of it.

Well, the construction is finally over, and it's once again become a very pleasant place to be, to wander, to shop, to sip tea, or espresso.  And I did pretty much all of the above.

Ronces Village is one of the neighbourhood's very close to where I grew up, and sure it's changed a bit over the year's but thankfully hasn't been attacked by The Gap or Starbucks.  OK, I take that back there IS a Starbucks, but it's at the north end, and not really "IN" the village, so I'll accept that.

image by decoraddict

This is a neighbourhood that we would love to live in.  It has heart, culture, and a feeling of closeness, unlike the burbs which just feels so non-existent in a way.  Sadly, unless I win the lottery, there is no way we could ever afford to buy a home here.  Sure we could rent, and hey, you never know it could happen. 

The heart of the village runs south of Howard Park, almost all the way down to Queen St. West, and is full of coffee shop, bakeries, independent gift shops, flower shops, vegetable markets, the list goes on and on.  I wandered into two coffee shops, Cherry Bomb, and Lit.   Cherry Bomb was closest to Queen St. West, and PACKED, so I just poked my head in and kept going.  I made my way up to Lit, and stopped in for an Earl Grey tea.  Delicious.  As is the cafe.  My favorite part of this shop is not only is the cafe a "cool" local hip place to sip your caffeine and hang out;   you've got your laptop and iPhone junkies in one corner, and in the other corner were groups of ladies that had likely just been to church, discussing their grand children and great grandchildren, and likely gossiping about what Myrtle wore to church that day.

image by cherrybombcoffee

This is what I love about Ronces Village.  There is a complete miss-mash of cultures, and age groups, all around you.  This is they type of neighbourhood that I'd like my daughter to grow up in.

As I made my way north, I happened upon a brand new shop in the village, Scout.  I had read about Scout  on BlogTO last week, and made a mental note to myself to stop my this shop, full of handmade independent goodness.  It's like walking into Etsy.  But better.  Cause you can touch the stuff.  I love it.

all images above from BlogTO

image by decoraddict

I could of spent hours just sitting on a bench with  my tea just watching the world go by on this street.  So many different types of people, so many different types of shops and cafes;  it just feels like home to me here.  Maybe it will be home one day.  You just never know, right?

Do you have a favorite neighborhood in the city you live in?  If you do, I'd love to hear more about it!  Please share with us in the comments below, or you can always email me directly, I'd love to hear from you!

art stalking

Last year, my hubby and I not to buy each other Christmas gifts.  Instead, we agree on a dollar amount, and we get to buy ourselves anything we want, within that price limit.  The only trick is that it has to be something that we WANT and not NEED.  Last year, I bought myself 2 pieces of art.  This year, I think I will do the same.

I havn't made a final decision yet, but here are a few contenders from 20x200 that I have my eye on.

all images via 20x200

illustrated interiors

I'm always looking for new unique ways to decorate at home. Wall decals have seen their day already. Wallpaper has it's place. What I'm looking for is something original. Something unique. Something I can maybe do myself. Like a sketch on the wall, then bring out he lines with a paint pen or brush. This is kind of what I'm thinking.

all images above via Elle Sweden

25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 Minutes!

Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant.

townhome solutions?

OK, let's be honest.  I'm not really a "house" person.  Yes, I love sitting outdoors, on a patio, deck, backyard what have you, BUT I really don't want to maintain it.  My solution for this?  A townhouse.  One in which the outside portion is maintained by the townhouse complex.  Sure, you pay a maintenance fee for this, but a fee that I think is well worth it NOT to have to worry about it. 

There is a townhouse complex in one of the neighbourhoods that we like, also in a good school district, close to shopping and transit, not to mention a community centre across the street.  It's perfect.  The one and only drawback to this complex, is that the majority of the homes in the complex come with stairs.  This of course is not an issue for myself, my husband, or my daughter, but since one day my mom will be coming to live with us, it could be a challenge.

The uniqueness of the architecture, and the grounds are what drew me to this complex in the first place.  Have a peek, and let me know what you think!

 image via mls.ca

AND, this particular home fronts onto a ravine, so super duper privacy, AND there us underground parking!  AND it's in our price range!  And it's HUGE at about 1800 sq. feet!  

Now if I can only convince my mom about the stairs!  (I'm hoping she's reading this!)

second thoughts on real estate

NO, we haven't bought a house.  But we have looked at a few recently.  Nothing has really stood out for us as the "perfect" house; probably because our wish list is very very very LONG.  Like insanely long.

Regardless of price, with me stalking the MLS listings, and driving through our favorite neighborhoods, I am absolutely DUMBFOUNDED by the price of  homes in the GTA.  It's INSANE.  So much in fact that i'm thinking of tossing the entire idea out the window.  It's frustrating to know that you are pre-approved for "X", but the homes in the "X" price range are either shacks that need 100K in renovations, or are the size of a matchbook.  Or 8 cats live there and you'd have to have the entire place fumigated and the vents cleaned out the stink is so bad.  Or your neighbor is a gas station or a funeral home.  No i'm not kidding on the last two.

Another consideration is moving outside of the GTA to a smaller community, we can afford a nice home out in the burbs, but then our commute would be very very long.  And with only 1 car, and the fact that my husband and I work different shifts, we'd need to buy another car, OR one of us would need to work from home.

So what do you do?  WHAT DO YOU DO?  I've got my knickers all up in a knot about this today, so much so that I just want to crawl under the covers.

Do you own your home?  Did you have to decide between urban and suburban?  Or city and country? New home or resale?  Please help us decide!  We don't know what to do!

5 finds for friday

I'm always looking for new sources for affordable art prints, and Society6 delivers.  And then some.

lovebirds by Paul Vizzari, $20

I know it's still October, but I can't help but start to think about Christmas this year when I see such cute wrapping idea's.  No more store bought paper for me, bring on the washi tape and craft paper and let me at it!

 gold snowflake tape, Papermash 

One day I will make it down under, and when I do, i'm going to make visiting Mr. Kitly a priority.

 interior photos by Mr. Kitly himself

  

After seeing this banner plastered all over Pinterest recently, i`m giving myself a kick in the butt to get over to the fabric store.  MUST MAKE ONE OF THESE IMMEDIATELY.  It`s a perfect makeshift headboard, don`t you think, not to mention so pretty!  If hubby doesn`t object.  Tee-hee.

via the hvidsten`s blog

I`m always on the hunt for new jewellery, and this caught my eye.  Stunning, just stunning, and sooo me!

 infinate ring by Donna O Designs

Have a beautiful and inspiring weekend everyone.

Go Granny Go!

The most amazing granny square project EVER.

image from Ravelry

But the pattern here.