Weekly Crush: Wood & Wool Stool

I'm head over heels for Wood & Wool Stool. Each piece is handmade using either crochet, recycled wood, wool and lots of colour. Every item is one of a kind and in some cases can be custom made in the colours of your choice. Wood & Wool Stool's collection includes a variety of products for the home: stools, blankets, pillows, hangers, picture frames, signs and garlands. I would really love to add one of these incredible creations to my new apartment and I can't decide which one I want because I would like to have everything!

Happy Monday

{via Keep Calm Gallery}

I hope you had a fantastic weekend! Enjoy the last day of February - hopefully spring is right around the corner!

DIY: Knit Plant Cover

I'm in love with my knit plant cover on my bonsai tree - it's so darn cute! If you want instructions on how to make it, please head over to my Handmade with Style blog over on Sweetspot.

It's been a very hectic week and needless to say, I've been out of touch with the blog world and won't be doing a weekly round-up later this morning. I'm hoping to get a chance to catch up on my favourite blogs this weekend! Have a great week full of laughter and smiles!

Party Ideas: White & Organic Dessert Table

The lovely ladies over at LouLou Events designed this gorgeous white dessert table for an intimate wedding in Sydney. The couple requested an all white table which poised a bit of a challenge. The girls wanted to add lots of texture to create some interest with the all white theme. They were able to add texture with the flowers and touches of orchard root. How incredible are those bespoke light fixtures?

Final result? Stunning!

DIY: Pinata

A pinata is the perfect addition to any party - no matter how old you are! Check out my DIY instructions for this pinata over at Today's Parent.

Styling Tip: Incorporating Spring Pieces

It’s that time of year when I’m just itching to have some newness in my wardrobe. I’ve been craving girly fabrics, floral prints and soft colours. Michele, the owner of Blush (one of my fav boutiques!) put together these perfect looks and gave us a few tips on how to wear our spring purchases without freezing our tushes off!

{Michele's styling tips}

Don't be afraid to wear your new spring purchases right now....

-Just add a dark opaque tight in charcoal or black. It's an easy way to make your new soft flowy spring dress wearable in February!

-Layer it up girls... sheer pink and floaty pieces...wear a sweet cardigan to keep warm and chic.

-Shorts right now? why not... We love this look with opaque tights and ankle booties... wear it with a jacket for the office, or a fabulous top for going out.

*These looks are lovely right now...come spring..skip the tights and de-layer!*

DIY: Mittens & Hat

I attended a DIY mitten workshop a couple of weekends ago at Nathalie-Roze & Co. and it was the perfect way to spend my Saturday. Crafts, tea and baked goods - girlie heaven! The class was taught by SLO's Sarah Ottewell who is the queen at making items using recycled sweaters. Not only did I end up making a pair of mittens, I made a little toque too!

Weekly Crush: Loyal Luxe

I am absolutely smitten with Loyal Luxe's collection of pet products. Ever since Nathan came into my life 3 years ago, I've been a massive dog lover. Loyal Luxe's collection of teepees, cabins and bow ties are freaking adorable and I want them all! Afterall, Nathan will be coming over to visit his mama and needs a few things of his own ;)

Life Thoughts

{via Olivia Mew}

I've really struggled with the idea of writing this post because it is the most honest and most personal post I've ever written. Well here it goes..

About a month ago, Steve and I broke up. Our relationship had stopped working. It was the worst day of my life and these past few weeks have been extremely difficult to get through. I felt like my entire world came crashing down in a matter of minutes. Not only was I losing the person I loved most in this world, but I was losing my best friend, the home we built together and the dog who meant so much to me. Since then I've moved out of the loft Steve and I shared and have moved into my own apartment.

Although I've been walking around with a broken heart and a feeling of emptiness, I've tried to stay positive. I've had good days this past month and other days are full of tears. Some days there's laughter and others there's only anger and sadness. But I believe that everything happens for a reason. I've never lived on my own before and think that this is something necessary to help me grow as a person. I'm excited to have my own space to fill and to have a place that is all about me and what I like. I'm looking forward to figuring out who I am and what I want in life. I'm not afraid to be alone. I'm just afraid of never feeling that happiness I once felt. Logic tells me I will find that place again, but my heart doesn't fully agree. I realize this is what grieving a loss is all about and I just hope in the next little bit I am able let go of the past and focus on the future. Until then I'm going to fill my days with the people and things I love in hopes of finding me again.

Weekly Round-Up

{via seven spoons}

A great feature on one of my most favourite stores in Toronto via What's up Whimsy.

The perfect outdoor escape inspiration from Lemon and Lavender.

A drool worthy nanaimo bar recipe by Seven Spoons.

An adorable Valentine's Day that has me green with envy from Made by Girl.

A unique clock round up via Going Home to Roost.

It's a long weekend here in Ontario, so I'm going to enjoy it and won't be back until Tuesday. Have a fantastic weekend!

DIY: Scrabble Art

I guess this week you can tell that I've been busy dressing the walls in my new place because here's another easy DIY art project! Head over to my Handmade with Style blog on Sweetspot for more information.

Party Ideas: Vintage High Tea

I've been thinking about hosting a high tea party (but with a twist) for the last couple of months, so when I saw this vintage themed high tea party from Candy Soirees, I knew this would be my inspiration! I love the soft colours and delicate decor. There's such an elegant vibe to this party but it still has a fun feel. Great work ladies!

Thoughtful Surprise

I know Valentine's Day is over, but I couldn't resist sharing this little popcorn invitation surprise from Amy over at Eat Drink Chic. It's so freaking adorable! Forget the flowers, forget the heart shaped box of chocolates (well maybe leave this one in) and forget the dinner out. This is the type of surprise I would love from someone special. It's thoughtful, sweet and shows a ton of effort. Click here for the instructions and more details.

DIY: Affordable Art

I've been busy decorating my new apartment, but have been doing it all on a very tight budget. I wanted a touch of colour and pattern in my space, so I decided to make some affordable art. This piece of art took no time at all and it cost next to nothing!

Materials:
-Fabric swatch (you can use anything you have lying around the house or you can do what I did and go to your local fabric store to grab a swatch of your favourite fabric)
-Frame
-Double sided tape
-Photocopier

1. Photocopy your fabric swatch. You may want to play around with the photocopier by reducing and enlarging your print. I ended up reducing the size of mine so the scale of the print was smaller.

2. Cut your print to size and use double sided tape to secure inside your frame. It really is that easy!

Wish List: SUPER x Liberty of London

I never knew I needed to have a pair of floral sunglasses...until I saw these babies. I can't decide which pair I love more. Can't I have all three?

SUPER has once again teamed up with Liberty of London to create a series of sunglasses. The collaboration is a combination of SUPER's Lucia design and Liberty's signature floral patterns. The combination equals perfection.

{via Highsnobiety}

Spotlight: Biko Spring 2011

One of my favourite parts of my job is getting to see the new collections before anyone else. When I first laid us on Biko's spring collection last month, I mentally made a list of all the pieces I would add to my jewellery collection. I just can't get enough of the unique chunky necklaces, the chainmaille bracelets and the stud earrings. Here are some of my favourite pieces from the spring 2011 line:

Cool Shit: mini mioche denim

My fav childen's clothing brand mini mioche recently launched a denim line. This unisex slim fit denim style is super stretchy and includes an elastic waist band. And how freaking cute are these kids? The denim is now available for sale on their online boutique as well as in their flagship store. Did I also mention they're made in Canada?!

Weekly Crush: Leah Duncan

Leah Duncan is a self taught illustrator and textile designer. Her work includes art prints, calenders, tea towels, pillow covers and scarves and I love all of it! I'm really digging the hand drawn feel to each of her pieces along with the muted colour combinations.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I love this Kate Spade BMINE series of E-Valentine's designed by amazing artists. These are the perfect little something to send out to your loved ones today :)
{as seen on Creature Comforts}

Wishing you all a happy Valentine's Day! I can't say I've been in the lovey dovey mood lately. It's actually been quite the opposite, but I'm glad to be spending my Valentine's with my mom and Mr. Jon Bon Jovi!

Weekly Round-Up

{via Jag Lever}

Gorgeous space via Emmas Designblogg - the perfect mix of Danish meets country.

Super jealous of the fun filled weekend Emma had from The Marion House Book.

This San Francisco food bucket list from Oh Happy Day has me wanting to book a flight asap and has me salivating.

Loving this risque outfit from Jag Lever.

Perfect Valentine printables from Pink Peacock (did I mention they're free?).

DIY: Heart Shaped Soap

Learn how to make this heart shaped soap on my Handmade with Style blog on Sweetspot.

Recipe: Black Forest Cupcakes

One of the gifts I got from my parent's for Christmas was a cupcake corer and I've been dying to try it out. It was my mom's birthday on Tuesday so I decided this would be the perfect occasion to fill some cupcakes and use my new corer.

My mom's favourite cake has always been black forest so I took that as my inspiration and created these black forest cupcakes. They had a cherry filling and were topped with whipped cream, shaved chocolate and a maraschino cherry. These are perfect for the upcoming V-Day!


I used the same chocolate cupcake recipe as I used for my Cupcakes & Champagne party (here). I let the cupcakes cool and then cored the centres out. If you don't have a corer you can do this with a knife and spoon.


I filled the holes with a cherry filling (recipe is below) or alternatively you can use canned cherry pie filling.


I topped the cupcakes with whipped cream*, chocolate that I shaved with a grater and finished it off with a maraschino cherry - yum!

Cherry Filling:
1 20-ounce can of sour cherries
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/8 cup of corn starch
1 tsp vanilla

Drain your cherries and reserve 1/4 cup of the juice. Combine the reserved juice, cherries, sugar and cornstarch and cook over low heat until thickened. Stir in the vanilla and set aside to cool.

*Tip: I just used a can of whipped cream to save time but it didn't hold up so well. Next time I would use heavy whipping cream and confectioners sugar for a stiffer whipped cream.

Valentine's Day Party

I love these Valentine's Day printables from Print Design Editor! They're perfect for a V-Day party or a little surprise for a loved one.

Room Inspiration: Bathroom

My goal is to have my new apartment all decorated and set up by the end of March. This gives me enough time to figure out exactly what I want to do with it. It's a tiny space (400 square feet I believe), so I really need to get creative when it comes to storage and organization.

I'm going to start with the smallest room in the apartment - the bathroom. This is the quickest and easiest room to transform. My only real issue with this space is that there isn't any storage underneath the sink (gasp!). I have a ton of bath, body and hair products in addition to all my hair-tronics, so I think the best way to handle this is to build some custom shelves. I'm hoping to find some vintage locker baskets that I can line with a canvas type of fabric to store everything. Here's what I'm thinking so far:



1. shower curtain - West Elm, 2. bath mat - IKEA, 3. bath accessories - CB2, 4. glass jars - Crate & Barrel, 5. vanity tray - Urban Outfitters, 6. towels - Crate & Barrel

Acne SS11

Swoon. I love Acne.

I'll definitely be pulling some inspiration from their spring collection when I add some goodies to my wardrobe this coming season. Here's what I love: mixing camel with navy, wide brim hats, sheer fabrics, and drapey dresses.

Goodbye winter. Hello spring.

Gift Idea: Cross Stitched Heart Mittens

{mittens by SLO}

Perfect V-Day gift? I think so! These mittens by Toronto designer Sarah Ottewell are made using recycled sweaters and fleece. Sarah will be teaching a mitt and arm warmer workshop at Nathalie-Roze & Co this Saturday and I'm definitely going to try to attend. I want me some cute mittens please!

I want to wish a very happy birthday to my mom today and to my sister tomorrow!

Weeky Crush: Sunday Hatch

The husband and wife team behind Sunday Hatch use salvaged wood to make cake stands and place card holders. I have a huge obsession with cake stands so when I first laid eyes on these ones, I nearly fainted. Aren't they just amazing?! I. must. order. one. now.

Inspiration 2.7.11

{print via Brainstorm as seen on Blanaid}

I hope you're weekend was wonderful! I had a jammed pack weekend with lots of fun activities, but boy did I pay for it. A massive hangover plus an overload of work to catch up on yesterday equals the worst combination ever.

DIY: Doily Basket

You can head over to my Handmade with Style blog on Sweetspot for instructions on how to make a doily basket.

I'm getting settled into my new place, but it sure doesn't feel like home quite yet. I'm going to spend the weekend catching up on work and doing some projects for the apartment. It's also a close friend's birthday and we're going out to celebrate Saturday night. I'll be strapping on those dancing shoes and celebrating with some Prosecco!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Bhalo Prints

I'm itching for spring to arrive so we can enjoy warmer temps and sunny skies. AND so we can start sporting some lighter clothing in fun colours and prints. These bright prints from Bhalo definitely add some cheer to my days right now.



PSST...almost everything is reduced on their website and some pieces are even reduced by 60%! Sale is on until February 10th.

Stylish Blogger

A hUGE thank you and big hug to these three fabulous ladies who passed on the 'Stylish Blogger Award' to me:
Pinecone Camp
Wallpaper
Designwali

In order to accept this award, I need to list seven things about myself, so here I go!

{image via Bicyclette}

I'd like to pass on the award to these stylish ladies:
Vanessa from Style Within
Michele from Lovely and Chic
Christine from Bijou & Boheme

IDS Designer Crushes

My favourite part of IDS has always been Studio North. I love seeing the creative designs behind up and coming designers. I also really enjoyed the Prototype exhibit this year and was smitten with some of the work featured.

Rollout: This was by far some of the best wallpaper I've seen around (I'm so in love with the pig wallpaper and may even consider using it in my new apartment). I'm really into the big bold graphics which would look great in any space. Rollout is a creative studio that designs and digitally prints custom wallpapers.




Modern Revision: This desk really stood out to me. It's built almost entirely out of recycled materials - 1960's dinette table top, school desk legs, and the steel drawer pulls which are from the ends of old keys. All Modern Revision's pieces are one of a kind and are designed and built by Jody Racicot.




Bram Sawatzky: I loved the red and gray combo of this chair from independent, industrial designer Bram Sawatzy. I didn't get much information about it, but it sure was beautiful to look at.




Tilt: I thought this design was absolutely incredible. It's the perfect little intimate table setting for two, but tilt it 90 degrees and you get a coffee table. I love pieces like this that do double duty - perfect for a small space!




Greenwood: I loved the simple clean lines to this light fixture. I also really like when pieces are versatile - this piece looks great hanging on the wall and looks equally as great sitting on the floor. Greenwood is a design/build studio in Toronto that focuses on using salvaged and reclaimed materials. They also make bespoke treehouses.




Jean Willoughby: I love when pieces incorporate a mix of materials which is why I love this side table made from wood and concrete. Jean Willoughby is a furniture and product designer from Toronto.