Sewing Up a Storm : Part IV

Oh, yes. More pillows.....

These are the last ones for now.

I promise.

Made from Dwell Studio fabric from Tonic Living 

My favourite Canadian fabric store!

FYI: The bird pillow is purchased from Dwell Studio, I didn't make that one, just the pair behind it.

{But don't look too closely, I forgot to match the side seams, oops}

But I still have a stash of fabrics, that I am itching to get at. 

***********

Sorry for the next sappy bit. 

Lately my energy has been focussed on organizing university and scholarship applications for my eldest. It feels so daunting and overwhelming. I am having a hard time because it means that my "baby" is going to be leaving the nest soon. Hard to fathom that the little newborn you held in your hands is going to one day grow up to be the most amazing individual and will leave you to embark on their own adventures, ones you may or may not be part of.

Hard to let go. 

Anyone out there relate?

***********

Ok, sap is over.

Have a fabulous weekend my peeps!

XO Barbara

California Chronicles

A few weeks back we took a adventurous {I stress the word: adventurous} road trip to sunny California. I am just now getting around to writing up a post because we went on another family vacation shortly after.

I know, hate me, I lived the life of leisure for a few weeks. Now reality hits and hubby has put a halt on spending--What? No Anthropologie shopping spree?

Sigh...

{That's ok, I am good at making something from nothing}

Now we are home, getting geared up to go back to school  - yikes - only one more week of vacation left! 

Time flies when you are having fun, no?

So for your viewing pleasure a few photo highlights from my trip: 

Agate Beach...

  Me searching for agate.

Tall Redwood trees.

After a night sleeping in the car {first for us} because we I failed to book a hotel in Sonoma, we ended up riding bikes across the Golden Gate Bridge to kill time before we headed to our amazing hotel.

Chinatown, San Francisco

The BEST panini sandwiches...

Driving the car down Lombard Street...

Cable car rides...

The Big Sur, one of the most gorgeous coastlines in the world. My husband stopped the car every 5 minutes to take photos.

Elephant seals at San Simeon.

Beverly Hill, Wiltshire Hotel {where we are pretty sure we saw Paris Hilton in the bathroom!}

The girls and I shopping at Coach, my husband starting snapping photos and that drew several onlookers to see if there was a celebrity in the store - ha, it was only us!

Hollywood at night {interesting place when the sun goes down}

El Capitan, the most exciting part was...

Seeing Lady Gaga perform live at an impromptu concert behind the El Capitan!

She sounds amazing live!

And eating at In-N-Out Burgers on the Sunset Strip at 11:30 PM. That place was jam packed.

Universal Studios as the sun sets.

Santa Monica Beach.

It was such a fabulous trip, one we won't forget {especially the sleeping in the car part}.

Next week I will show you photos from two fabulous hotels with stayed at.
My husband wondered why there are random photos of lamps, walls and furniture amongst our travel photos - where has he been for the last 18 months, doesn't he know I write a blog?

Silly guy. But I love that silly guy, today is our 20th wedding anniversary!

I got married,
ehem,
a bit young, at 20ish.

Happy Anniversary to my better half! 

He puts up with random thrift store finds and spray paint projects in the garage.
My half finished rooms around the house.
Piles of fabric and samples laying around.
Paint samples taped to the wall.

Thanks for
 for putting with me for the past 20 years.

Love you.

**edited Aug 25.  I should note that is was my guy that took most of the photos - he has a good eye!

XO Barbara

Wednesday Happenings

There is a lot of exciting things happening here....

Tonight I have been invited by some fabulous local bloggers and vintage home shop owners, Lily and Rachel, from Birch and Bird, to be a judge for their upcoming Fieldstone Market. I get to go to a soiree tonight for some wine tasting at the EcoDairy and help choose which vendors will participate in this fabulous market!

Not only to I get to mingle with Lily and Rachel, but my pal Victoria Lambert will be there and I get to meet Janis Nicolay {her photographs frequent Canadian House and Home and Style at Home }

The fun doesn't stop here.

On Thursday I am meeting my first client. That client is a friend of mine who has asked me to help re-design her teen daughter's space!

Quite excited to design someone else's space!

AND last night this baby came home with me 

{Husband rolled his eyes when he opened the garage, actually his exact words were "What is that?}

$45!!!!! It was an estate sale find and in fantastic shape!

Now to decide what colour to paint it.

Hmm...

The fun never stops!

XO Barbara

Coffee Date

Last week Nancy from Marcus Design and I had a fun and chatty coffee date with Jennifer from Rambling Renovators! We even got to meet her blog famous daughter Chloe and Mr. Handyman himself! Jennifer was out in Vancouver visiting a friend and tweeted Nancy and I asking if we'd like to meet.

Of course we would!

Jennifer is the Canadian design blog darling who even had her home and DIY wood panelling project featured on the Nate Berkus Show!

Jennifer was as sweet in person as she is on her blog! We talked non-stop that time just flew by! What I most love about blogging is meeting design/DIY crazy gals such as myself! So much in common, so much to talk about. Wish we had more time. Can't wait to meet up with her again!

Hope you are all having a wonderful week. 

Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win an original painting created by my daughter!

XO Barbara

Monday, Monday and another Rast Hack

Can you believe it? I am actually posting today! Shocking as my posts have been pathetically sporadic. But this lady has been holidaying and enjoy summer! 

Yes, I am on vacation again this week. 

Life is rough...

This time our family is hanging out at a lake with my husband's family. We rented a lake house and I am going to be a lady of leisure this week. The plan is to work on my tan, hit a few wineries, read decor magazines and a good book. 

Any suggestions for a good book? { I have read "The Help"}

Do you find vacationing gets in the way of projects? I have NOT accomplished much in the decor department. Hoping to tackle the list when I get back. 

But others are keeping busy this summer. A reader, Laura from Rambling Along, emailed me her latest project, a fantastic Ikea Rast hack! Love how she omitted the top drawer and turn it into a shelf. Her mix of colour, pattern and fabric makes the Rast dresser look fantastic!

Check it out!

Thanks for sharing Laura!

I love how my Ikea Rast hack has inspired others to get creative!

So while I am lounging lakeside, I hope you take the time to enter my giveaway to win one of my daughter's paintings!

XO Barbara

Hello! I am back...did you miss me?

I am back from our 12 day road trip down to Southern California!

 We had many adventures exploring the California Coast which I shall share once I get ALL our photos uploaded and sorted. After coming home from a long drive home, to piles of mail, I was excited to see a stack of magazines waiting for me {we had a postal strike and a few were LONG overdue} 

But another great magazine that was waiting for me to read was the latest issue of House of Fifty! YES! I love this ezine by the FABULOUS Janell Beals. This one is even better than the first! I have glanced at it quickly and all I can saw is WOW!

Enjoy reading, since there is nothing exciting to read on my blog - such a slacker I am.

XO Barbara

Enjoying Some Sun

For this past week our family has been enjoying some sun down south! Our summer in Vancouver has been so disappointing, cool, cloudy and rainy. We decided to escape to sunny California where we have been enjoying the sun!

source

Bear with me as I most likely won't be posting again until Sunday when another stupendously talented Canadian comes to visit! There are so many amazing Canadians, my list is long!

**edited Sunday, August 31. Finally got some free wi-fi and my So Canadian eh? post isn't quite ready. My family is waiting for me to grab breakfast so we can head on the road back home!
What a long drive home!

Hugs to all.

XO Barbara 

Friday Musings

I can't believe how quickly summer is moving along. Unfortunately our summer weather is not cooperating. Here on the west coast, or should I say "wet" coast, our weather has been less than ideal. With cooler temperatures and more rain than what is "normal", it feels more like November than July.

Feeling sorry for me yet?

The only bonus is that I am at home and have been working on several projects, a few of which I gave you sneak peeks of. Come back next week for the fully monty. 

Here is one project I finished with an invisible zipper.   

I know, are you in awe? 

But as daunting as the whole invisible zipper thing sounds, it is easy! Next week, I will be so kind and share how to sew a pillow with an invisible zipper. Then you too can be the envy of all who come and admire your pillows.

Since the kids have been at home my Macbook has been occupied by my son, he has been having fun creating stop animation movies with his Lego, and is currently waiting impatiently for me to get off, hence the sad and sporadic post. Ok, who am I kidding, my posts are always sporadic.  

So this post will be short and sweet. 

BUT I have the most amazing stupendous designer visiting this Sunday!!!!! 

HE {yes, my first he}is a brilliant and witty designer who is on HGTV and works alongside another famous Canadian designer.

Come back Sunday to see who!

XO Barbara

Summer Fun : Camping

We enjoyed some family fun camping with neighbours this past weekend, not without some glitches along the way. Each girl took a friend and one friend accidentally had her mom's passport, which she discovered when we were about 5 cars from the border crossing. After that was resolved, I was driving along the I-5 when all of a sudden a bike flew off the bike rack. Thank God, it didn't result in an accident! The next day we all had a good laugh:)

Once our camp was set up, the fun began!

Hikes along the beach..

Gathering firewood...

Gorgeous views....

Amazing sunsets.....

Exploring the rocky shore.....

Friends.....

We had a wonderful time. 

Now onto folding 10 loads of laundry......

XO Barbara

Summer : Hanging out at the Beach

Today I am taking part in Gallery No. Eight's blog crawl.

The blog crawl is all about summer.

With warmer weather FINALLY here in Vancouver I finally feeling enthusiastic about summer.

Growing up on the west coast, my summers were filled with visits to the beach, trips on ferries crossing the straight, beach combing for the perfect shell, building sand castles, feeling the squishy sand between my toes and feeling the sun on my body as I tanned.

Goosespit Beach, Comox, BC

 As a child I loved heading to the beach with my parents, as a teenager my friends and I would spend our summers hanging out at the beach, walking the promenade and cruising up and down the front street in our parent's cars. 

 source
White Rock, BC

During college {during which I discovered my love for marine ecology} I worked for Environment Canada and my job was a research assistant to two marine biologists where I spent a summer mucking about the shorelines of Vancouver and Victoria. 

source

White Rock, BC

After my husband and I married, took a 5 week long trip to Europe, we came home and rented a beach cottage {which was really chilly in the winter} but I loved being so close to the ocean. Listening to the sea gulls cry, the waves lap on the shoreline and children squealing in the hot summer. When I was pregnant with our first and on forced bed rest, living in the beach cottage saved my sanity. I could enjoy summer and the beach sitting on our deck where I soaked up the sun, the salty air and enjoyed the ocean breeze on my face.

Ambleside Beach, West Vancouver, BC

After we had all three of our kids and our moving across provinces and countries began, the one thing I missed the most was the ocean. Every time we landed in Vancouver I would squeal,

"Can you smell it? It's the ocean!"

Horseshoe Bay, BC

Howe Sound, BC

Now that we are back on the west coast, hopefully for a while, it is the ocean that beckons me on that  first warm summer day.

Cannon Beach, OR

 Nothing speaks summer better than a seaside visit....

Want to read who is else is participating in the blog crawl?
Yesterday you can read Haus Design's take on summer and tomorrow it will be
A Delightful Design!


XO Barbara

-images are mine (ok, my husband took them} unless otherwise noted