Pick of The Week: Mazzie Design
When I was cruising on MADE's website, I came across Mazzie Design and fell in love! Mazzie Design's creator Melanie Zanker uses the perfect mix of modern meets mid-century design in her unique custom furniture creations. I also really love her use of colour and mix of materials. Mazzie Design can be found at MADE in Toronto.
Wish List: Knot Necklace
I am completely smitten with these knot necklace from Colorblind Smarties. You can find them at Victoire in Ottawa for $45 with lots of colour options. I'll be seeing the Victoire girls next week in the showroom and they're bringing along the black leather necklace (last picture) for me-yay!
DIY: Photo Booth
I was gobsmacked (did I really just use that word?) when I saw this DIY photo booth on Apartment Therapy a while back. I'm obsessed with photo booths (as proven here) and wish I had enough space in my loft for one of these bad boys!
Recent Project: Rolling Racks for Blush
Steve and I recently made a couple of rolling racks for Blush in Guelph. I absolutely love Blush and was honoured when Michele asked us to make her a few to display in the store! I did a Boutique Spotlight on them early last year because the store is amazing! The racks are similar to the mini mioche ones we made a couple of months ago, but the ones for Blush were made using a white washing effect.
New York Fashion Week Pick: Suno
I'm back from New York and I'm exhausted. After walking the entire Coterie show on Sunday along with attending a couple of sales meetings, a fun girls dinner out, shopping like a mad woman and cancellation/delays on our flight home, I'm seriously pooped! But I just love that city. I hope you had a great weekend!
When I was going through all the fall 2010 shows in New York last week, I couldn't get Suno's collection out of my head. For some reason (I must have been living under a rock), this is the first time I've heard of this 2 year old line. I'm so sick and tired of black and Suno's gorgeous prints are definitely a breath of fresh air!
When I was going through all the fall 2010 shows in New York last week, I couldn't get Suno's collection out of my head. For some reason (I must have been living under a rock), this is the first time I've heard of this 2 year old line. I'm so sick and tired of black and Suno's gorgeous prints are definitely a breath of fresh air!
Sneak Peak: Fall 2010 Trends
I went through 80-90% of the New York Fashion Week Fall 2010 shows and I saw some amazing creations! I'm dying for spring to get here already and to dive into some cute spring frocks, but I'm actually starting to get excited about fall. Our showroom at work is currently full with all the fall collections and it's a bit difficult to wrap my head around selling fall when spring hasn't even arrived yet. The good news is that a lot of the spring trends will take you straight into the fall season. I broke down a few of the trends I saw on the fall 2010 runways:
I'm personally not a fan of velvet. I have a picture of me when I was 15 wearing a velvet leopard mini skirt and a long sleeved black velvet top which has scarred me for life! Scary is all I can say.
I'm soooo tired of wearing black right now and I'm excited to start wearing some nude and blush tones for spring. I'm even more excited that I can continue wearing them into fall! For those of you who are true fans of black, don't worry there was still a ton of black on the runways.
I love leather everything! I'm on the hunt right now for a pair of high waisted (preferably paper bag waist) cognac leather shorts and love the idea of wearing them with bare legs for spring and then again with tights for fall. The more wear out of the costly leather, the better!
Love it or hate it, fur is a huge look for fall-fur vests, fur trim, fur stoles and fur jackets.
I'm personally not a fan of velvet. I have a picture of me when I was 15 wearing a velvet leopard mini skirt and a long sleeved black velvet top which has scarred me for life! Scary is all I can say.
I'm soooo tired of wearing black right now and I'm excited to start wearing some nude and blush tones for spring. I'm even more excited that I can continue wearing them into fall! For those of you who are true fans of black, don't worry there was still a ton of black on the runways.
I love leather everything! I'm on the hunt right now for a pair of high waisted (preferably paper bag waist) cognac leather shorts and love the idea of wearing them with bare legs for spring and then again with tights for fall. The more wear out of the costly leather, the better!
Yay for prints!! Prints are always around for spring/summer, but seem to disappear come fall. I'm stoked that there were a ton of prints on the runway for fall and I'll definitely be rocking some printed dresses with boots!
Images via style.com
I'm off to New York tomorrow for Coterie which starts on Sunday and I won't be back until late Monday night. I'm planning on shopping, eating lots of yummy food, scoping out some cool new lines and possibly squeezing in some work ;)...have a great weekend! I'll be back with a new post for Tuesday.
Pick of The Week: Osborn Shoes
My Pick of The Week are these super cute jazz-inspired oxfords and booties by Osborn Design. Each shoe is made using fair trade fabrics and materials and are hand-made in Guatemala. Prices range from $60-$130 and each design is super limited which means you probably won't catch your friend wearing the same pair! These shoes are perfect with cute summer shorts, a pretty summer dress or with your favourite rolled up slacks!
*I'm going to do a New York Fashion Week wrap up post tomorrow since the last shows are today which is why I'm doing my Pick of The Week today.
*I'm going to do a New York Fashion Week wrap up post tomorrow since the last shows are today which is why I'm doing my Pick of The Week today.
Rustic Italian Dinner Party: Part 2 of 2
By focusing on the small decor details of a party, you can really make a difference on the overall look and feel of your party. I love inexpensive projects that make everything come together! Here are the DIY details and instructions from my rustic Italian dinner party:
Frame Chalkboard Menu:
Materials:
-frame
-chalkboard paint
-chalk
* There's 2 ways you can do this: spray the glass of the frame with chalkboard paint or, if you would like to use the frame again like I did, spray the cardboard backing piece of the frame with the paint. Write out your menu on your new chalkboard and take your time writing it out (I only had about 30 seconds to write mine out and it doesn`t look so neat and I made a spelling mistake).
Happy Birthday Banner:
Materials:
- 13 pieces of fabric that measure 4" x 5" each
- 2" stencils
-acrylic paint
-foam brush
- string
- 13 clothes pins
* Stencil each letter to spell out Happy Birthday on to each piece of fabric. Secure letters on string with clothes pins.
Burlap Vino Bag:
Materials:
- 1/2 a meter of a fabric of your choice (I chose burlap)
- 15" of ribbon
- 2" letter stencils
-acrylic paint
-foam brush
-sewing machine
-double sided tape
1. Measure the circumference of your bottle of wine, divide the number in half and then add 1.75. My bottle measured 11.5" around, so that number divided in half and adding on 1.75 gave me 7.5. This is the number of inches for the width. To get the height measurement, add 2" on to the height of the bottle. My bottle was 12" high, so the height for my fabric was 14". These measurements allow for a 1/2"-3/4" seam allowance.
2. Cut 2 pieces of your fabric that correspond with your measurements above. My pieces of fabric were 14" x 7.5 " each.
3. Sew along 2 longest edges and one short edge leaving the top part open to stick your bottle in.
4. Turn right side out and stick a piece of cardboard cut to size in the bag. Secure your stencils to the bag with tape (you may have to do one letter at a time depending on how far apart you want your letters to be) and with a foam brush and some paint start stenciling your letters on your fabric.
5. Once all the letters are complete, let the paint dry completely (about 30 minutes). Then stick in your wine bottle and tie with ribbon-you're all done!
Table Runner:
Materials:
- half meter of fabric (depending on the length of your table)
-sewing machine
1. Measure the width and length of your table. For the width of my runner, I cut my fabric half the width of the actual table. For the length of the runner, I just used the entire length of my fabric which was 58". Pin your fabric over 3/4" for a 1/2 seam allowance.
2. Sew all the way around, flip over and voila a table runner!
Frame Chalkboard Menu:
Materials:-frame
-chalkboard paint
-chalk
* There's 2 ways you can do this: spray the glass of the frame with chalkboard paint or, if you would like to use the frame again like I did, spray the cardboard backing piece of the frame with the paint. Write out your menu on your new chalkboard and take your time writing it out (I only had about 30 seconds to write mine out and it doesn`t look so neat and I made a spelling mistake).
Happy Birthday Banner:
Materials:- 13 pieces of fabric that measure 4" x 5" each
- 2" stencils
-acrylic paint
-foam brush
- string
- 13 clothes pins
* Stencil each letter to spell out Happy Birthday on to each piece of fabric. Secure letters on string with clothes pins.
Burlap Vino Bag:
Materials:
- 1/2 a meter of a fabric of your choice (I chose burlap)
- 15" of ribbon
- 2" letter stencils
-acrylic paint
-foam brush
-sewing machine
-double sided tape
1. Measure the circumference of your bottle of wine, divide the number in half and then add 1.75. My bottle measured 11.5" around, so that number divided in half and adding on 1.75 gave me 7.5. This is the number of inches for the width. To get the height measurement, add 2" on to the height of the bottle. My bottle was 12" high, so the height for my fabric was 14". These measurements allow for a 1/2"-3/4" seam allowance.
2. Cut 2 pieces of your fabric that correspond with your measurements above. My pieces of fabric were 14" x 7.5 " each.
3. Sew along 2 longest edges and one short edge leaving the top part open to stick your bottle in.
4. Turn right side out and stick a piece of cardboard cut to size in the bag. Secure your stencils to the bag with tape (you may have to do one letter at a time depending on how far apart you want your letters to be) and with a foam brush and some paint start stenciling your letters on your fabric.
5. Once all the letters are complete, let the paint dry completely (about 30 minutes). Then stick in your wine bottle and tie with ribbon-you're all done!
Table Runner:
Materials:
- half meter of fabric (depending on the length of your table)
-sewing machine
1. Measure the width and length of your table. For the width of my runner, I cut my fabric half the width of the actual table. For the length of the runner, I just used the entire length of my fabric which was 58". Pin your fabric over 3/4" for a 1/2 seam allowance.
2. Sew all the way around, flip over and voila a table runner!
Birthday Party Surprise!
My aunt is getting started in the cake decorating business and she surprised my brother and my mom Saturday night with some amazing treats!! I was so impressed, I almost teared up! Check out her blog for more pictures.
A pool table cupcake surprise for my brother with lots of attention to detail!
A two tiered cake for my mom topped with an amazing bow (so real looking)!
A pool table cupcake surprise for my brother with lots of attention to detail!
A two tiered cake for my mom topped with an amazing bow (so real looking)!Rustic Italian Dinner Party: Part 1 of 2
I hope you had a great weekend!! I thoroughly enjoyed the long weekend we had here!
It was my mom's birthday last week and it's my brother's birthday this week (Happy 22nd Birthday Shane on Wednesday!), so Steve and I decided to host a dinner for them Saturday night at our loft. I chose a rustic Italian theme for the food and decor which was very fitting since my Italian side of the family was there. I kept the menu simple with everyone's favourites and kept the bar stocked with lots of wine! Here's a look at some of the details (look for the DIY instructions in tomorrow's post):
- Pizza is always a favourite so play around with different toppings or have your guests make their own mini pizzas.
-Meatballs tend to be the hit at every party and this is where you can cheat a little by purchasing the frozen ones that sometimes even taste better than the homemade kind!
-Present your antipasto platter with a selection of your favourite kinds of olives, meats (I used mortadella and proschiutto and cheeses (I used boccaccini)
-Make home-made garlic bread (it`ll make your house smell amazing!). I modified this recipe and it was super yummy!! I cut back the butter to half a cup, omitted the parsley and added a ton more garlic powder.
Mangia mangia (eat, eat)!
It was my mom's birthday last week and it's my brother's birthday this week (Happy 22nd Birthday Shane on Wednesday!), so Steve and I decided to host a dinner for them Saturday night at our loft. I chose a rustic Italian theme for the food and decor which was very fitting since my Italian side of the family was there. I kept the menu simple with everyone's favourites and kept the bar stocked with lots of wine! Here's a look at some of the details (look for the DIY instructions in tomorrow's post):
Rustic Italian Themed Dinner Party Ideas:
-put fresh herbs in jars and place them around your table or use them as the center pieces
-use natural fabrics such as burlap and cheesecloth
-use wooden cutting boards to serve food on
-use checked table cloths or dish cloths
Menu Ideas:-put fresh herbs in jars and place them around your table or use them as the center pieces
-use natural fabrics such as burlap and cheesecloth
-use wooden cutting boards to serve food on
-use checked table cloths or dish cloths
- Pizza is always a favourite so play around with different toppings or have your guests make their own mini pizzas.
-Meatballs tend to be the hit at every party and this is where you can cheat a little by purchasing the frozen ones that sometimes even taste better than the homemade kind!
-Present your antipasto platter with a selection of your favourite kinds of olives, meats (I used mortadella and proschiutto and cheeses (I used boccaccini)
-Make home-made garlic bread (it`ll make your house smell amazing!). I modified this recipe and it was super yummy!! I cut back the butter to half a cup, omitted the parsley and added a ton more garlic powder.
ps. I only now noticed that 'caesar' was spelled incorrectly on my menu board-oops!
Pick of The Week: Dirty Laundry Kit
My Pick of The Week is this Dirty Laundry Kit by Melangerie. Air out your guest of honour's dirty laundry with this fun and quirky kit! It's a great interactive activity for your next party that encourages guests to write out funny stories on these cute little note cards shaped as pants, tees, tanks and skirts. Liven up any baby shower, bachelorette or engagement party by hanging up someone's dirty laundry!
Kit Includes:
*40 note cards (10 t-shirts, 10 tank tops, 10 pants, 10 skirts)
*48 mini wooden clothespins (to clip up notes with)
*8 yards of clothesline
*1 coordinating prompt label that encourages guest's to write notes (shaped to fit on a 50 fluid oz. Tide detergent bottle)
Available in 6 colour options.
Via Decor 8
Kit Includes:
*40 note cards (10 t-shirts, 10 tank tops, 10 pants, 10 skirts)
*48 mini wooden clothespins (to clip up notes with)
*8 yards of clothesline
*1 coordinating prompt label that encourages guest's to write notes (shaped to fit on a 50 fluid oz. Tide detergent bottle)
Available in 6 colour options.
Via Decor 8
Let The Games Begin
For the second time in Olympic history the games will be held on Canadian soil, my homeland!! Calgary hosted the winter Olympics back in 1988 (I was only 5 so I don't even remember this) and now Vancouver will be the proud host of the 2010 Winter Games. I've always loved watching the Olympics growing up and had big dreams as a child to become a gold medal figure skater! I absolutely idolized Josie Chaunard and Kurt Browning. Good luck to all the athletes...let the games begin!!
update: oops this is the third time the Olympic games have been in Canada (summer games in Montreal 1976)
Current Obsession: Industrial Lighting
I've been seriously obsessed for the last little while on anything industrial looking especially lighting! Here are some great industrial lights I found all at different price points:
Valentine's Day Outfit
For Valentine's Day will you be wearing this....
or this?
or perhaps this?
Lingerie from Aerie, Urban Outfitters and Victoria's Secret
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