Someday...

I will have this:

R&Y Augousti Bracelet Table via Lille a Shop


 I discovered this shop through Christine's awesome blog Bijou and Boheme:
It is where she found these art panels which are above her fierplace.
Nama Rococo print from Lille a Shop

You need to go see them in Christine's home tour!  So fabulous! 

*** Christine is also hosting an amazing give away this week to celebrate her 100th follower!!! Check it out here ***

Proud Mama

Jeff "frowns upon" me putting too much kid stuff on my blog, but I just had to post this video of Jack's first piano recital!  I'm so proud of my big boy!

The highlight of the event was when Jack "skated like a hockey player" up to the front when it was his turn.  Can't say any of the other kids made an entrance like that!  Too funny.  (Of course I didn't get that part on the video... I was too busy staring in shock.)

Fabulous Hicks Quote

I'm kind of obsessed with David Hicks... the reds, oranges, and pinks... the use of geometric patterns... the modern art mixed with antiques.  

Love the quote... it's kind of the whole point of decorating, right?

photos via David Hicks Archive

20/20 Cure Progress

I officially started the 20/20 Cure last weekend (two weeks after everyone else... oh well... better late than never!)  Here's everything I accomplished this week:

1. Floor and Surface Clean 1 Room
Saturday, Oct. 30th, 2010:  Kitchen.  Wow!  This was more like a deep clean.  Took apart the stove to clean the window on the door, moved the fridge and stove to wash floors, cleaned the blinds and window screen, vacuumed the chalk board.  Every surface is now clean.  Whew!!! Big job!

2. Buy flowers
Tuesday, November 2, 2010:  This is by far the best part about doing the cure.  Fresh flowers just add.  Kitchen table is so much more cheerful!

3. Find inspirational photos
Done.  The whole point of this blog.

4. Remove 1 item and setup outbox
Packed up a huge box of coats, hats, mits, shoes, etc. into an 'outbox'.  I'll probably give them all away.  It's getting cold here and there are a ton of people in this city who need them more than we do.  Decided to give away my old back door bench and replace with a small chair.  

5. Buy or replace eco cleaner
Got it covered.  I love my Method cleaning products.
6. Floor and surface clean 1 room
November 1, 2010:  Mudroom.  Cleaned every surface.  Moved washer and dryer to vacuum up major dust bunnies.  Of course, the dryer hose unattached itself in the process so now we are venting directly into our house.  Blurg.  Luckily my Dad lives close by and can fix pretty much anything!  

9. Find a new recipe and cook tonight
Saturday, October 30th:  Mmmmm.... butternut sqush and white bean stew from the Sweet Paul magazine... I 'veganized' it by using veggie broth and veggie bacon (even yummier).
photo via Sweet Paul


10. Make list of top 6 home needs
  • replace water dispenser in fridge
  • new vacuum hose
  • chair for mudroom
  • mirror for mudroom
  • hooks for kids coats in mudroom
  • closet organization system for our walk-in closet


13. Declutter books or media
Packed up two boxes of books from my bookshelf to give away.  Also packed up kids books (that was harder... I am so attached to all of the baby stuff.)  


14. Media Fast
OK... so I wasn't so successful with this one!  I keep finding awesome blogs that I didn't know about, and I feel like I have to 'catch up' so I'm reading them from the start like a novel.  I know.  I'm kind of a freak.  I'll try the media fast again next week.

15. Fix one thing in your house yourself
Saturday, October 30th:  De-clogged en-suite sink.  This task was way over rated.  I'm not cut out to be a plumber.  It took forever and I got gross gunk all over myself because I lost the drain-stopper-thing down in this pipe and had to dis-assemble the whole thing.  Then had to figure out how it all went back together.  (Logan - you should move to Saskatoon!!!  You probably don't read this... oh well...)  On the good side, our sink works again. 



All in all it was a very productive week for me!  YAY!  It's fun having a clean kitchen and mudroom.  Still a lot of work to be done... I'll update again next Friday!

Media Storage Issues

Media storage is tricky.  Why is there so much of this type of thing???

And this...

Seriously... a tiny fake fireplace under a massive flat screen tv???  NO.
images via

OK... enough of the ugly stuff.  I'm working on my Mom & Dad's family room right now.  We want to find two free-standing pieces (one for each side of the fire place).  One of them needs to be deep enough to house all of the electronics associated with the tv.  Ideally, they will be closed storage to hide all of the electronic components as well as all of the toys, books, and other grandkid stuff.  We only have a 47'' space to work with and the cabinets have to be at least 17'' deep.  A bit of a challenge!

Here are the top three options that I've come up with:


It's pretty easy to guess which one my favorite is... the mirrored one, obviously.  I wonder which Mom and Dad will choose???

New Old Sofa

This is a "thank-you" post to Pat & Ed for giving us this awesome old sofa!  It is in great shape and has perfect lines!  Pat knew that I would love it.  Jeff wanted it for the basement, but I was like, "ummm... NO."  It is perfect where it is.  (In my future office.) 



For now it is going to stay as is, but in the future I might be tempted to re-upholster it in something soft and grey like this:

Fabulous Coco Quote

Perfect inspiration for a Monday morning.  Love this quote.  Such timeless advice.  


Love this room from 31 Rue Cambon, Coco Chanel's Paris apartment, which sits above the Chanel boutique.  The apartment is elegant, luxurious and sophisticated, as was Coco Chanel herself.  

photo via NPR
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