~Giveaway Winner~

I had wanted to post about my intended project where I was going to use this:

but a sore shoulder threw a wrench into that plan. I was in so much pain on Friday and Saturday that I begged my husband to amputate. I broke my arm last year while mountain biking but this was more painful. I am off to the doctors today for my x-ray results and then I hope that I can attack my to-do list.

But.... the moment you have been waiting for......drum roll please..... 

the winner of the Reco pasta serving bowl from CSN stores

#35


Congratulations Merrie L.!

I will contact you via email to get your information to pass onto the powers that be at CSN who will ship you your bowl. 

Enjoy! (Lucky duck)

Thanks for all who entered my first giveaway.

 I might have to do more, it is true: giving is far better than receiving.

 It was nice to "meet" some of my loyal followers and welcome new ones. 

My Very First Giveaway~

I have been blogging for almost 6 months now, not quite but almost. It has been a fun journey and what I love the most is being inspired by all the talent that I have met along the way. 


So.....


 What a great way to celebrate than have a giveaway! 


Recently CSN stores approached me to do a giveaway....
(Lucky you, as I have yet to win a giveaway - I have entered many but nothing...sniff)


I thought to myself, what perfect timing.


If you have ever stumbled across any CSN online store you will know that they have a multitude of online shops that sell kids bedding,  furniture, cookware, and even pet furniture! I spent a whole afternoon just browsing through their many sites.

 What I stumbled across were all the pretty dishes they sell. I love pretty dishes and feel you can never have enough dishes in the house.  


CSN stores are offering this lovely pasta serving dish by Reco as a giveaway prize. It comes in a variety of colours. 

I like it in red, but it also comes in green and white. If you are the lucky winner you could choose the colour. Not only could you serve pasta in this bowl but use it to serve up healthy salad greens, display fruit on the kitchen counter, serve popcorn on movie nights, or use it to hold keys. 


Think of all the possiblities....

How to enter: so simple and easy.

1. For one entry, leave me a comment, telling me how you would use this bowl.

2. For another entry become a follower or if you already are, let me know!

 Make sure you leave a comment each time you enter.

Don't forget to give me your email if there isn't a link in your profile so I can pass along the prize to you!

I will take your entries until 7 am (pst) March 31 (Wednesday). I'll choose a winner at random and announce sometime on Wednesday.

This is open to both US and Canadian residents.

Sneak Peak~

I was planning on running errands today but those plans were waylaid with a frantic call from the husband.

He left his trade convention invite card on the front hall table, and after being unable register online I kindly offered to drop it by his office. 

What a kind wife you say? 

No, I had other motives. 

His office is next door to Ikea and my favourite fabric store. What fun places to get hopefully get some inspiration. I never actually made it to Ikea (I bet he is glad for that) but spent an hour in the fabric store. I sent the store on a wild goose chase looking for this fabric: 

{photo via Sweet Nothings}

Why is it so hard to find good fabric here in Canada? Maybe someone out there knows how I can come across this fabric here in western Canada. I am afraid that I might not be able to afford it though because it is hard to find it might come with a price tag, I did buy a lottery ticket.

After seeing burlap ALL over blog land I decided buy a few meters. It was only $2.98/m and thought why not? I feel the need to re-cover something and I have just the project in mind. 

If I have moment this weekend between soccer games, birthday party for my now-turning-14 year old daughter and nursing my almost 40 year old shoulder (I injured my rotator cuff in an ab ball class - I know you are thinking ab ball? Somehow I attempted push-ups and that was the end of me!) I might finish my intended project. 

Come back next week to see if I actually got around to it!

Don't forget tomorrow I am having my first giveaway!

Hawaii~

I had a wonderful time in Oahu with my oldest daugher. Actually, she hardly acknowledged me as I was the dreaded chaperone mom. We had a few photo ops in front of the ocean but for the most part she lived it up with her best friends. I was glad she had the time of her life. I just enjoyed the view and eating fresh pineapple. 

 What was breathtaking were all the vibrant  colours that were everywhere. Hawaiian scenery is eye candy. The ocean was a gorgeous turquoise, the flowers and plants full of reds, pinks and vibrants oranges. The colours were inspirational, I vowed that when I got back I was going to add more colour to my home. I tend to stray to "safer" colours such as black and white when I decorate my home.  I find they are classic and predictable. But, without breaking the bank I hope to add pops of colour with accessories such as throw pillows and artwork around the house. 

This will require baby steps. 

One of my decorating idols is Jenny from The Little Green Notebook. She is like that girl in high school that you always wish you were brave enough to be. She uses such vibrant colours in her home and in her clients' homes. I hope I can be as brave as her. Time will only tell...

 Here are some photos I took on my trip that hope to inspire me.

Oh, by the way....

Come back Friday, I am excited to be announcing my very first giveaway!

A Quick Update~

I love spray paint

I love how spray paint can give items an quick and cheap update. I always have black and white spray paint on hand  just in case the painting bug strikes. My favourite spray paint project so far was turning this thrift store beauty into a modern "Jonathan Adler-ish" lamp. You can read more here.

from gram

to glam

While I was waiting for the paint to dry on the lamp I was itching to spray paint something else. My eyes scanned the kitchen counters (cue the Jaws soundtrack ) and I spied my knife block. It was a bit blah.

 Why not spray paint it black to blend in with my ugly  lovely gas stove? Using some spray primer and then 2 coats of black semi-gloss the knife block went from blah to hurrah! It cost me absolutely nothing!

Now my block is sleek looking and blends in, maybe no one will notice the mismatched knives!


Linking to :


Frugal Friday at the Shabby Nest
Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous
SNS @ Funky Junk Interiors
Make it Monday at Cottage Instincts
DIY Day @ A Soft Place to Land
Power of Paint @ Domestically Speaking
Transformation Thursday @ Shabby Chic Cottage
Frugalicious Friday @ Domestically Speaking
*edited April 1: Feature Yourself Friday@Fingerprints on the Fridge

Stuck in a Rut~

I have come to the realization that I have been blogging for almost 6 months. It has been a HUGE learning curve, learning how to link up, take decent photos (still trying to master that one), writing, editing, etc. I know that many of my fellow bloggers have discussed about all they have learned and have given me many pointers along the way. 

Thanks. 

I have been away for a bit enjoying the surf and sand with my oldest soon-to-be 16 year old daughter. Coming back to reality and life, I feel stuck in a rut regarding where to take my blog and what projects to take on around the house. Spring is almost here, the birds are chirping, the tulips are almost in bloom and my time will be spent outside sprucing things up after a somewhat grey winter. 

What to do first? 

I guess that is why I like blogging about my adventures in decorating the house, it keeps me going knowing that I have my wonderful followers and readers who pop in once in a while to see what I am up too. I can't leave you disappointed!

Here is what I want to accomplish (if I don't procrastinate - because that is what I am REALLY good at)

To-Do List:

*Upholstered headboards for both girls' bedrooms

I really love this one from design*sponge - they have a great tutorial

*Make a desk for the oldest's bedroom (this is where I am procrastinating, I can't afford what I really want)

Love this one from west elm *sigh* no west elm in western Canada

*Re-paint my son's room (don't like the current colour) I am feeling inspired by one of my favourite blogs, Isabella & Max Rooms. Janell the uber-talented designer is re-designing her son Max's room.

Image from Isabella & Max Rooms

*Sew some more throw pillows for the family room, living room and master bedroom (I have a collection of down pillow inserts from Ikea taking up room in my bedroom closet)

Image from Ikea

*Create a family memo/bulletin board/chalkboard station in the kitchen - not quite sure where I am going to go with that. I really like this from Martha Stewart

*Create an art gallery with all the artwork I have laying around the house

Image from Canadian House and Home

*Spruce the master bed with a new linens perhaps or a punch of colour - I am tired of the brown throw pillows, maybe making a pillow with this Chiang fabric? I am seeing this pop up everywhere.

Image from Sweet Nothings

*I need to finish my niece's baby quilt before she isn't a baby anymore;), I am making it with various Amy Butler fabrics such as this:

Image from Amy Butler fabrics

Now I just need to focus on one thing at a time and not get distracted. I can relate with Alissa from 33 Shades of Green where she explained that "she feels restless without at least one project on the go."

Love this!~

I am back, tanned and tired. I am feeling overwhelmed by all that needs to be done around the house, so many errands to be done. My husband held down the fort as best as he could, but what I want to know is didn't anyone water the houseplants? Apparently my son did but the dirt was bone dry - hmmmm...


Here is a post I wrote before I left but only had sporadic wi-fi access (love Starbucks just for that!) so I wasn't able to post anything.


One of my favourite reads is a blog authored by one talented gal, Jennifer Ramos, Made By Girl. I love her decorating style and would love to emulate her look in my home. I am attracted to the effortlessness she has going on. I love homes that don't reflect one style in particular but where people surround themselves with things that they just love, their homes then reflect their personality and don't become staged and showy.  Her home is inspiring and as well as her blog.  Not only does she have a successful blog she has a successful Esty shop where she sells her one-of-a-kind prints. I fell in  love with this one:

I couldn't of said it better than this. I think it would look fab hanging in my home office. 

My children are always telling me "Mom, I think you are addicted to coffee." I think they might be right. 

Hmmm.. mother's day is coming. 

Aloha~

Heading on a jet plane........

So I am off today on my trip to the land of pineapples and luaus. 

Like I said don't shed any tears from me, I think I will survive ;)

I am gone for almost 2 weeks and am not sure if I will have time to post anything. Not only is my laptop not working, I am going to be chaperoning 13 teenage girls! They are mostly 15-16 years old and frankly quite a wonderful yet social bunch. There are only 3 boys going - poor guys have no idea what it is going to be like hanging around with all those girl! We are going to be training for track at the University of Hawaii.

 I am thrilled to be heading somewhere warm but will miss the rest of the family, my husband and 2 other children (along with our pets, Henry, Pip, Hop and Luna - dog, gerbils and snake) 

I will also miss my daily peeks at all my favourite blogs. Hope the hotel has Wi-fi or computers for our use so I can at least read my favs via my iPod. 

Aloha my friends, see you in 13 days!

Chalkboard Window~

Hanging in my laundry room is a chalkboard I made from an old window. 


A few houses back (we have moved a few times) a friend of ours came for dinner and brought me that window. I love old windows and doors. He was working for a construction firm in downtown Vancouver that renovated old homes. He saved this one from the dumpster and gave it to me. I was thrilled that he knew I would love that window. For the longest time it hung in my dining room. 

When we moved to Virginia we promised our girls that they could each have their own room. After we arrived I got busy painting and fixing up their rooms. Our youngest wanted a chalkboard in her room.  Being a magazine junkie I have a stash of articles of projects I like or inspirational rooms. I came across this one from a Better Homes and Gardens publication and a lightbulb went off. I also discovered that Gina from The Shabby Chic cottage painted one as well, you can check it our here.

Unfortunately I painted this window in my pre-blogging days and I don't have any before photos.

I didn't do anything to the window frame itself. I just taped around each pane and then painted chalkboard paint right onto the glass. Easy, easy, easy. 

After moving into our current home, our youngest daughter announced she didn't want that chalkboard so I decided to hang it in the laundry room. The kids write messages on it for me which make my day.

Linking to:
Make It Monday at Cottage Instincts
*edited June 5: SNS@Funky Junk Interiors