Then & Now : My 2nd Blog Birthday

Yes, today is my blog's 2nd birthday!

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Hard to believe I have been at it for 2 years. I had no clue what I was doing, and what doors would open.

Warning: Word heavy post.

Two years ago I was bored and unemployed. I guess, being a stay-at-home mom isn't unemployed but with kids at school full time, not much happening at home during the day, I was bored.

We had been back in Canada for a year and I wasn't having any luck getting hired on as a teacher. While browsing the internet, I googled looking for a design project ideas and I stumbled across The Nesting Place, which, then through links I came across The Little Green Notebook and Isabella and Max's Room. Wow - there were moms at home, writing about what I was passionate about - design!

Without giving it too much thought, I excitedly decided to do the same. Maybe I could inspire others with my frugal approach to design! I was glum about renting but if I could document how I turned this blah rental into a fabulous home, I would have something to do! So onto Blogger I went, set up a blog, quickly came up with a name {which I wish I had given more thought to!} and wrote my first post {don't ask me where the photos went}!

Flash forward 2 years. 

I had no idea how much this blog would mean to me, who I would meet and what opportunities would come my way.

 I never imagined that I would meet fabulous local bloggers and from afar who I could call good friends.

{Me, "working" it...}

I never imagined that  projects would be featured on other blogs and websites!

I never imagined that I would get to interview fabulous and famous people for my blog!

I never imagined having the opportunity to dialogue with major design magazines and companies. 

I never imagined I would be an co-organizer of a fabulous blogging event we aptly called Blend 2011: A fusion of social media and design, and I would get to work alongside Ikea Canada to put on our soiree.

I never imagined that I would get to meet the editor-in-chief, Suzanne Dimma, of one of my absolute favourite magazines, Canadian House and Home {one I have been subscribing to since it's beginning - thanks mom-in-law!} and Kelly Deck, our local Canadian design superstar!

photo: Sari McNamee

photo: Darryl Bueckert Photography

I never imagined that I would go from 1 follower to 627!!!

I never imagined that I would so enjoy blogging and all the personal satisfaction that it brings.
Not only am I a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend and teacher but I am me. 

And it is through this blog I can find that piece of me and the joy that it brings.

This blog is mine :) 

What I want to say to you, my wonderful followers and friends, thank-you for reading my blog for these past 2 years. You have no idea how much your loyalty, comments and friendship mean to me.

I am sending you all big huge hugs and a huge smooch.

Have a wonderful long weekend.

Next week I have an amazing giveaway to celebrate!

I can't wait to share with you the re-cap of the fabulous blogger soiree, Blend 2011, I helped organize

AND

highlights from IDS West!

XO Barbara

Frustrated

This will be a pictureless post as Blogger won't let me post photos today. I was hoping to share my evening at the IDS West preview night last night! If you are dying to read about it today, head over to Rosa's blog, flutter flutter, where she has done a fabulous write-up about our evening last night. Hopefully I can put up photos up later today or tomorrow!

Sometimes I want to just scream at Blogger.

AND....

 I  came from my evening out and I found a package waiting for me. 

I got MORE fabric in the mail! I am such a fabric addict and online fabric stores are SUCH a temptation. 

XO Barbara

Canadian Design & Lifestyle Bloggers West Meet-up!

On Saturday I had the pleasure to socialize with a wonderful group of bloggers that are part of our Canadian Design and Lifestyle Bloggers West network group.

 We enjoyed yummy Malaysian food that was utterly divine. Our goal was to get together, put a face and voice to the name and just connect with like-minded women {and one man!}. We have lots of plans in the works; planning a larger meet-up to coincide with IDS West {Sept 29-Oct 2}. I have been in communication with the IDS organizers and a few potential sponsors. We are trying to iron out the details and are excited for the upcoming IDS West and meet-up where we hope more of our western Canadian blogger will make the trek out to Vancouver!

If you want to know who came, hop over to our blog and you can meet all the bloggers that attended and those that are part of our fabulous group!

Stay tuned for more details here.

If you are a lifestyle or design blogger from western Canada {AB. BC. SK & MB} we would love to have you join us!

 Please contact us here.

XO Barbara

Blogger Award

I have been awarded the Versatile Blogger Award from Brittany at Gallery No. Eight.

If you haven't been by her blog then you are missing out. Her blog is such a visual treat and I love her blog header, clean, creative and simple. She is such a sweet and devoted reader. 

Thanks Brittany!

So, I need to tell you seven things about me. When I received the Stylish Blogger Award early on in the year, I shared 10 things about me. 

Now I am going to add seven more:

1. I am left handed, yes I am a southpaw {where did that name come from anyway?}

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2. In college I studied pre-medicine, but then met my husband and the rest is history.
When I was pregnant with our first I took pattern drafting at a fashion design school to enhance all the fashion design I took in high school {I had a fabulous textiles teacher}.
Once all 3 of our kids where in school full-time I went back to get my 2nd degree in Education. Now I work as a teacher on call on a part-time basis.

But...I regret studying architecture which is what I toyed with while in the midst of studying my first degree

3. I am really bad at cliches and jokes. I can never get them straight. My husband likes to tease me about that.

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4. I think it would be fun to be a drummer in a band. No, I have never played the drums but feel I have a good sense of rhythm after all those years playing piano with the Royal Conservatory.

5. I love the colour red {and black & white}.
 I got a gorgeous red leather bag for my birthday and love it!

{local bloggers at our last meet-up}

6. I got married young, just shy of my 21st birthday. Crazy huh? My daughters think so, so that is a good thing :)

7. Our family has a pet snake. Yup, my cute, blue-eyed blonde 15 year old daughter has a snake. It is in her bedroom, try decorating around that!

Passing on the award to some other fabulous {Canadian} blogs:

Beatrice at The Crafty Bee

Tania at Dans le Townhouse

Rosa at flutter flutter

Rita Joy at Harbour Breeze

Melissa at Hare Styling

Heather at Interior Groupie

Tara at Lauren Lane Decor


I am still working on the $@#* roman blind.
You think finding a dowel long enough would be easy!

XO Barbara

{ladies who lunch}

 Not to be outdone by the design blogging get togethers in Toronto, we bloggers on the west enjoyed a wonderful lunch to meet and greet.

Sixteen creative and talented women were in attendance, enjoying a wonderful Italian lunch in the historic town of New Westminster, British Columbia. Our goal was  a chance to meet and to discuss ideas about creating a network of lifestyle and design bloggers here in the west, which we have aptly named, Design and Lifestyle Bloggers {West}.

I was excited to meet some new faces and to see old ones. 

The talent all in one room was dizzying!

Bloggers in attendance were:

Karla from Kerrisdale Design {she has another feature in this month's Style at Home - congrats!}

Andrea from  From My Living Room

Nancy from Marcus Design

Victoria from Edin Design {soon to be live, formerly from Design Ties}

Yvonne and Sharon, the dynamic duo from Layers and Layers 

Carol from The Design Pages

Catherine from Peace Love Sweater

Jill from Reflections Interior Designs

Jennifer from Nicole Jane Home

Tracey from raggygirlvintage

Tracey from My House of Giggles

Sari from The Lovely In Life

Michelle from A Schematic Life

Jody from The Simply Inspired Home

Me, Barbara from hodge:podge

Of course I forgot my camera {bad blogger} so since Victoria's blog is under construction she emailed me photos she took of that day!

left to right: Karla. Andrea, Tracey, Sari, Catherine, Jodi, {can't see them but Tracey and Carol} Yvonne {the blonde in the far back}, Sharon, Michelle and I {behind the waiter's arm} Jill, Jennifer and Nancy

Andrea & Nancy

Karla & Andrea

 Tracey {raggygirlvintage} and Sari

from left to right: Michelle, Andrea, Nancy, Carol, me, Catherine and Jodi

We are planning a few events and have a few things up our sleeves for the near future. We are excited for things to come! 

If you are a design or lifestyle blogger from the west {BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba} please shoot me an email [barbaras{dot}hodgepodge{at}yahoo{dot}ca] to get you connected with our Facebook Page where you can connect with other bloggers west of Toronto!


*{By no means do we want to disassociate ourselves with our fellow Easterners, but we feel that with our geographical distance we need to create a micro-group that makes it easier for us to get together without having to sell our first born for a plane ticket out East!}

XO Barbara

{stylish blogger award}

Got a lovely email in my inbox from the very talented Canadian designer and colour expert, Anne-Marie from 10 Rooms. She nominated me for the Stylish Blogger award, which made my day! Coming from someone with such a keen eye for colour and design I was very flattered to say the least.

If you need a bit of colour help and design tips, her blog is one to check out.

The rules that come with this award are:

1.  Thank and link back to the blogger that awarded this to you.  
2.  Share seven things about yourself, I think I am going to share 10!

3.  Award other fellow bloggers, let them know they were nominated!

So here are random bits about me:

1.   I love coffee, actually it's more like an addiction. I can't seem to write a blog post or start the day without a cup of coffee. My children say I have a problem, I think they might be right.
I can't help it, I love the smell and the taste! Along with that addiction comes my love for collecting pretty coffee mugs, I love choosing the right mug for the right mood. Weird, huh?

My hope this year is to cut back {well, maybe just a little}.

artwork: Made by Girl

2.    Despite being Canadian born, English is my second language. My parents were immigrants from the Czech Republic and my mom spoke only Czech to me at home, so when I started school, I knew very little English.

Charles Bridge in Prague via The Brooklyn Nomad

3.     My husband and I have been married for almost 20 years and we have moved 9 times. Our absolute favourite place to live was in the Washington DC suburbs of Virginia. We lived there for almost 3 years and we had the most amazing experience there. We still miss our home and neighbours dreadfully even though we have been back in Canada for over 2 years, we are still "homesick." One of the reasons I love reading Pure Style Home blog is that Lauren lives in the same town we lived in! 

 Source: {Mt. Vernon, George Washington's Plantation}

4.    I am a procrastinator. It drives my family {and me} up the wall. I always have too much on my to-do list that I just put it off. I think part of the problem is that I am indecisive, I just can't make up my mind, so it is easier to put if off. That is where blogging helps, if I post a project on the go, then I am more motivated to finish it. 

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5.     I like to talk, a lot.....enough said.

6.   When I was little I liked to sew Barbie dresses. Before I learned how to use my mom's sewing machine, I would drape fabric on my dolls and stitch up an outfit {sometimes those outfits couldn't come off, but they at least my doll was wearing a one-of-a-kind}.

7.   I love creating, anything from sewing, painting to furniture re-vamping. That is where my passion lies. There are times when I can't fall asleep because I have design projects and ideas floating around. In order to clear my head I jot or sketch out my ideas in a notebook so I can fall asleep. Sometimes I feel like I am going crazy - am I alone in this? {But because I am such a procrastinator, half of those projects don't get done!}

8.    I love fabric. I tend to hoard collect fabric.

One of my favourite things to do is to browse through fabric stores. I love feeling the varying textures and taking in the colours and patterns. Fabric can be so inspiring, I can come across a fabric at a store and create a whole room design in my mind around that one fabric.

9.   I love liquorice. Mmmmm...I buy black because then my family won't steal any, but I also love red liquorice.

10.   I love to sing in the car, especially when I am alone.  I love to sing. My kids know that I like to listen to the radio when I drive and if there is a good song on, I LOVE to sing along. I am sure other drivers on the road think I may be a few screws short, but I don't care.

Having enjoyed receiving this award I am as thrilled to be passing it onto:

1. Jodi from Simply Inspired Home, a local gal {and was my garden plot neighbour-small world!} that has done an amazing job renovating her home. She is a DIY gal with an eye for pretty.

2.   Alissa, from 33 Shades of Green, a blogging buddy who has a such a pretty blog. She is a sewing extraordinaire, photographer and can really cook, her photos are drool worthy.

3. Sundeep from Designwali, a beautiful design blog with a south Asian twist. 

Hope you go and check out their blogs!

Looking forward to their posts as well!

xo Barbara

{dear santa}

Dear Santa,

My wish list for 2010:

1. A fantastic pair of equestrian style boots.

2. A wide angle camera lens {to hopefully take better pictures}.

but I also need to figure out how to use our Canon SLR!

3. A Parson's desk from West Elm.

{how about a West Elm in Western Canada?}

4. A fabulous piece of art.

"Into"

{by Michelle Morelan, hometown designer, artist and blogger}

5. A coat tree rack for our foyer.

{Saw this, liked it, but can't find it anywhere}

{via Apartment Therapy}

6. Domino: The Book of Decorating book

 {I know I am soo late in the game, love it, want it}

{Amazon}

7. A gorgeous tufted sofa

{Windsor Smith, Rue Nov/Dec 2010}

8. 7 for All Mankind Jeans

{A girl has to look good even though she is a mom of 3 and hit a milestone birthday}

9. A trip to Europe with my family.

{to visit family}

10. And to finally find a home to call our own.

What's on your wish list?

XO  Barbara

{monday, monday}

I had a great weekend, how about you? 

Mine was full of friends, family, furniture and fabric!

On Friday I meant to hop into a local fabric store  just to buy drapery lining and more self-covering buttons {working on the second headboard}, they were out of buttons and instead I left with an armful of fabric. Couldn't help myself - 50% off. My only wish is for at least one of the two local fabric stores {one touts itself as an interiors specialty store} to carry on-trend fabric, getting tired of seeing toile.

My Friday improved when I checked my inbox to find an email from a known website that wants one of my projects. Can't say more until it is a done deal but I was elated nonetheless.

I think they found me because of this:

featured my daughter's room in her Stonington Gray post, which subsequently got posted on Benjamin Moore's Facebook page. Amazing the power of the internet and twitter.

Thanks Abbe!

On Saturday I had the pleasure of meeting up again with Nancy from Marcus Design and Victoria from Design Ties for lunch. I was privileged to get a tour of Nancy's house, which in my opinion is "so Nancy", stunning and classy. She is such a sweet and amazing person.

Marcus Design

Did you know that Nancy and I have almost led similar lives? We went to the same elementary school and high school, the same university, majored in the sciences, lived in the same neighbourhood, have the same passions, both started blogs about the same time and love design, the only difference is we are a decade apart. 


Another funny coincidence, we both won a prize from Kelly at Jax Does Design's bribery giveaways!

We still comment on what an eerie coincidence it is. 

 Nancy and I got a tour of Victoria's beautiful historical home, that is perched on a hill overlooking the Fraser River in New Westminster. She and her husband have done such amazing work on the house. Her kitchen, gorgeous! 

Edin Design

Victoria also gave Nancy and I a tour of her historical neighbourhood FULL of amazing beautiful historical homes, some in shameful disrepair while others lovingly restored. 

We then hit a non-descript grill, enjoyed lunch and great conversation. We spent most of our 5 hours together talking non-stop. The conversation flowed easily. What a pleasure it is to find two talented women with a passion for all things design and art related AND can understand the world of blogging. 

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After lunch we hit some fantastic antique/junk shops. Mostly overpriced, as they are in a prime location. Victoria mentioned that many movies are filmed on that street which is reflected in the prices. That didn't deter me from scoring a deal though! I got this chair for $50! 

So to add to my list of projects I am planning on re-upholstering this beauty. Not sure if I should paint the wood, if so I tend to steer towards black, maybe I'll go outside the comfort zone and paint it white!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend - now onto a new week. What projects are you working on? Or are you feeling panicked like me, feeling that Christmas is taking over blog land and that I am somehow already behind?

{Lucky Me: I Won A Giveaway!}

Lucky me!

 I won another giveaway! 
{I have yet to share my other giveaway wins from the summer - I know - bad blogger}

This time .....

 I won a free personalized blog design with Katie Lane from DreamUp Studios

from Jax Does Design (another great Canadian blog)

Thanks Kelly!

I have been wanting to re-vamp my blog so the timing couldn't be more perfect. When I entered the giveaway, I didn't think I would win. 

The day of the draw, I thought, I'll take a peek and see who won. 

Well, there was my blog name for all to see  - I think I let out a scream!

Now I need to decide on a template and how I want it designed - I can be so indecisive. 

Can't wait for a new look!

My husband even thinks I should change my blog name {he is in marketing so he thinks I should name my blog related more to what I do - which is what? DIY? Nesting? OCDing? I kind of like hodge:podge - It's the way I work - kind of scattered} 

What do you think?

Also,

 feeling the love in blog land. 

My blog was featured at Cherished Treasures yesterday!

Thanks for the love Terry!

~A Holiday Weekend and a Blogversary~

This weekend us Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving. Our family is excitedly awaiting the arrival of cousins! We are also looking forward to a restful weekend. What I hope to finish is a long overdue project that I started yesterday.

 Yup 

- you guessed it - the never-thought-I'd-ever-start HEADBOARD! 

I bravely plugged in the jigsaw yesterday and went for it. Today I went and bought a few upholstery supplies and hopefully tomorrow it will be done! 

Here is a sneak peek:

Last week our oldest daughter celebrated her sweet 16 - I had fun decorating and organizing a party for her and her friends. We also treated her to a trip to Tiffany's to pick out a quintessential Tiffany's charm bracelet! 

I also just realized that I have been blogging for ONE YEAR! Time flies when you are having fun! I dove into blogging courageously, felt like a new kid in school, but have enjoyed the ride. What I love the most is having met the most amazing and creative blogging friends along the way. It is so wonderful to know there are other OCDers (obsessively consumed with decorating)out there!

SO....

Join me next week as I host another giveaway to celebrate! 

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends 

and 

Happy Columbus Day to my American friends (enjoy the sales!)