Just do it...!!!

All the boys...and Sophie!

Just do it! I love that slogan!! It can apply to so many areas of our lives, but sometimes we need to hear the words and run with them. For example, my brother and his family recently moved back to N.B. after living out west. Although we saw them in the summer at their home, we had all expressed the desire to get together in my neck of the woods. Well, it seemed that life kept getting in the way, and it seemed like a case of "never the two shall meet" due to schedules, illness, etc. We finally decided to take the proverbial bull by the horns and just do it...

Sophie putting make-up on Aunt Patricia

We had a lovely weekend with them. The weather wasn't the best, however, and although we had plans to head out to one of our beautiful beaches, Saturday seemed too cold, wet, rushed, and so on. Well, Sunday was no better (weather wise) so we fueled up on a hearty, hot breakfast, put on our fleeces, and headed there anyway. No point in having regrets, and when life has such wonderful, free experiences to offer, only a fool would ignore them. The kids had a wonderful time climbing the big "mushroom" hill and enjoyed their vista of the ocean, barely commenting on their achingly cold toes as they played in the surf while my nephew,  taught me and my youngest son how to throw a rock "devil's cut throat" style into the water. The boys tossed the football around and it was so nice to see my family together... just enjoying what is there to be appreciated. Just do it...

Sophie and Kristen
Three of four cousins born within several months of each other!

I look at this whole (new to me) blogging world in a similar light. I started blogging as a forum to showcase my personal style to those considering my services. I believe that just as you want your hairdresser to have a nice haircut, you should also have an idea about the style abilities of the individual you are hiring to help revitalize your home. Hiring a decorator can be an intimidating process , as one might worry that the decorator will impose her/his design upon the homeowner without taking into account their wants and needs. I think having a decor blog is a great way to help the client become comfortable with me and feel more assured that my personality will be a fit with theirs.

In addition, I have also found my blog to be a great way to chronicle what has been happening in my life on a more personal level...a diary of sorts (without the juicy details...ha!!) for me. What I would never allow it to become, is a substitute for actually living my life. Over time, I have encountered some people who are never in the moment. They live in what I call "Cyber World" and spend more time in front of the computer blogging about all that they aim to do, instead of what they actually do. How can one blog about their experiences, if most of their time is spent in front of a keyboard typing out their ambitions and giving up to the minute details of the minutiae of their day? No matter how it is sugar-coated, that is not truly participating in life. Life is for the living; and in my opinion, glueing a cell phone to one's ear (instead of conversing with those around you), plopping one's self in a chat room, or texting someone while ignoring the physical presence of companions just seems somewhat pathetic to me. I remember taking my sister out for a late supper at a local eatery this summer and while we laughed, ate and chatted we couldn't help but notice a table of four adults where each of them were texting others and barely conversing with one another!! It all seemed so high school, and quite sad really. It seems to me that this electronic age is, in some ways, disconnecting people from one another and we are losing both manners, and an appreciation for face to face social interaction. That said,I have discovered many wonderful people through blogging and I dearly wish I could meet them. However, I likely will never get the chance, and I therefore place a strong emphasis on maintaining and forging new friendships with those who are close enough to reach out and touch.

So, my advice is to get out there and live life...engage in experiences and each other. Just do it, in other words. Avoid the carpal tunnel syndrome, stretch your legs and be heard...in real time, not just online. If you want to read a truly compelling story about what is really important in life, read this... but first leave me a comment and share your thoughts!!

This in common...

I have the best sister in the world. I know you all likely do too, but mine is extra special. My sister Wendy is, simply put, kind through and through. She is always quick to lend a hand, to offer you what she has, and is the most loyal of friends. I jokingly call her Oprah, or Dr. Phil (not so flattering) because she is literally the best advice-giver I know. I can go to her with a problem or a grumble and she will tell me exactly what I need to hear. She doesn't always sugar coat it, but her counsel is always given with love. She is generous to a fault (with the exception of popcorn and yard sale finds) and sometimes ends up leaving her own emotional reserve empty. She is not one to burden others with her problems, thus, sometimes we forget to ask how she is doing. Of course, like the rest of us she is not perfect; and of this she is her own harshest critic. We are different in many ways, but we do have important characteristics in common. We both aspire to live life to the fullest, to live in the moment, and we value our families above all else. Wendy is an excellent mother. She homeschools her four children (although little Ella is just beginning this journey...) and truly devotes her life to her children. She cares deeply about issues that affect the beleaguered, and women's issues at home and abroad. In fact, these issues are the ones that keep her up at night. She worries about those who need help. She is probably the least self-involved person I know.

On the lighter side of things, she is a nester, like me. She has wonderful taste and seems to have an intuitive style...one not overly affected by trends or must-haves...but more what appeals to her artistic side. She is currently renovating an older Cape Cod home, and is doing it on a fixed budget. Thus, the reno is not proceeding as quickly as she would like, but each and every change she and her husband make creates a more beautiful home that reflects her love of nature. Nothing in her home is staged, and while she enjoys decor magazines, she does not need them to guide her decorating. Her home has an organic feel; it reflects the natural setting in which it is nestled.

I hope you enjoy this tour of Wendy's home and meeting the sister who is my best friend.

This is a vintage cabinet that Wendy got for $20 and painted the palest shade of blue.

This is Wendy's dining room that she just gave a makeover.

This is my niece Ella's walk-in closet where she hangs all her pretty clothes and dress-up gowns.

Here is Wendy's mudroom. Her hubby laid the slate floors, and she selected a warm, welcoming shade. She is a bit more daring than me...which is not hard at times!

Wendy's master bedroom, and some of her collections...

...and her youngest boy, Jack...and yes, he is really asleep!!

So go have a peek at the rest of Wendy's remodel. You will enjoy her style!! Don't just take my biased opinion!!

Creating a creative space...

I am a creative spirit. I think I can say that fairly, and I think it is one of the descriptives that those who know me well might use. I love to create, and I love to do so in a creative way. I know that sounds redundant, but I will explain. I look at things differently. I see an object, and instead of seeing it the way it is, I see it for what it might be...It may be o.k. as is, but could it be better if I tweak it, add to it, alter it?? Is there another use for it that is not so obvious? How can I "lift it up" to a better place?

This doesn't mean that I spend hours crafting, or creating. Nope. In fact, I basically just spend a good chunk of time thinking of ideas...some of which I actually carry out. While it is fun to recreate a craft or project from a magazine or other source (and I do do that at times), I actually get more enjoyment coming up with my own ideas to work on. I also love the challenge of making something I have seen in a shop, but either can't afford, or know I can create for far cheaper. Like my glittered Christmas house...now that was fun! Or my long sought after sihouettes. I couldn't find any real ones, so I made my own.

Seeing so many great craft spaces/work rooms/creative corners on others' blogs, got me thinking: I should have such a space, but where?? My home is fairly small and I don't have a readily available room where I can set up shop and deem it my studio. I really wish I did. Up until now, I have always crafted at my kitchen table. I love being in the hub of my home, doing what I enjoy, and still feeling part of the crowd. Except, feeling like part of the crowd is just downright annoying sometimes. Constant interruptions by kids wanting snacks, husbands who can't find things and more, often stifled the "creative process". So lo and behold, after much searching for a suitable spot, I found one. It is the area adjacent to my computer area/work space. I took a sideboard my hubby made me that was being under-appreciated in the family room, and made it my scrapbooking/wrapping station/creative corner. I hung a long shelf hubby also made, using plant hanger brackets that I spray painted cream. I threaded a curtain rod with glass finials, that I got from the Christmas Tree Shop for $3.99, through the brackets and used it to hold my ribbon spools. I found a stamp holder at a great thrift shop and used it to corral my paints. I am working on organizing my magazines and thus have been snapping up as many of those magazine holders that I can find. It's not a beautiful studio, but it works for me...at least I think it does. You see, I haven't actually used it yet. I have not gotten back into scrapbooking yet, and I have been too busy with work projects to settle myself in and start any real craft projects. I basically have just been playing with glitter and spray paint, and guess where I have been doing my experimenting? Basically just outside on my still gravel rock walkway (which is now a horrible mess of blue, white, and black spray paint) and, you guessed it, my kitchen table!! Old habits can be so hard to break...!!!

Martha, Martha...

Run, don't walk to your nearest grocery or drug store and pick up your very own copy of what is, arguably, the best Halloween magazine of the season. Martha doesn't disappoint us with her "Good Martha/Bad Martha" take on the cute and creepy sides of Halloween. I am thrilled with the mountain of ideas her creative team delivers within the pages of the magazine, and I think my copy is dog-eared by now, with the corner of multiple pages turned down.

Here are just a few of the ideas that Martha and her team show us how to make or do:

Bargain Hunter...

I look at many things for what they are, and how they can be placed in a room so as to best showcase their beauty. I enjoy finding inspiration in nature and I admire all the beautiful things offered up by the retail world. But, I am also a pretty "average" person, with a pretty average budget. I can appreciate those who advise, "Only buy quality pieces" or... "You can't live without it!" or... "Live without the item, until you can buy the very best." But I don't always agree with them. I feel such advice is fine and good if the following criteria are met:

a) you can afford the "quality" version

b) you have access to the antique or vintage, authentic pieces; and

c) you place value in, or have a budget that allows you to direct a fair chunk of your household budget to items that serve a decorative or aesthetic purpose only.

I love how, in the blogging world, "shopping" at yard sales and thrift shops is valued as a great way to acquire objects of beauty for our homes. I so agree!! There is nothing like the feeling of finding a much-loved object that is now being offered for sale for somobody else to love. I have also read, with interest, other's proclamations that "regular stores" like Walmart, Target, even Pottery Barn are not manufactured with quality or longevity in mind...that you are really only wasting your money. Thus, you should hold out for the best and view an expensive purchase as "an investment in your home".

I agree to an extent, but I can't help but think that it is a bit of a high brow attitude to take. I work with clients who have a broad range of budgets. I sometimes joke that I can spend "as much as someone wants", and the outcome will be one of quality, style, and satisfaction for all concerned. However, I also firmly believe a top notch look can be achieved on a tighter budget. I never bypass any "class" of retail store in my pursuit of a great decor look, and I believe I have mastered the art of getting the look for less. I enjoy the thrill of the hunt, bargain hunting that is. I make this my focus, because I believe that most people decorate their homes on a fixed budget. I always lead my clients to the best possible price point when making their purchases, and they can then decide if they want to invest in the high end version or take the lower priced option, with the opportunity for upgrading when they have a larger budget. I can honestly say that clients like my approach. It is as though they appreciate being given the "permission" to settle for the less expensive option, with no pressure from me to "do it right". Obviously, most people would love to have only the best in their homes. However, that is just not an option for most homeowners. For many people, family needs come first; and I have found that most people value taking a vacation with family, or on a more fundamental level, just keeping on top of their household expenses, over purchasing an investment piece for their homes.

In essence, most people spend more time thinking of, and spending time with their families than they do decorating their homes, and budget accordingly. I say, no one option (high end or budget decorating) is "better" than the other. Do what you can afford and be proud of the outcome. Realistically, if it looks good... it looks good! It's as simple as that!! Enjoy your home, but don't shop yourself into the position of being "house poor". You will often get more satisfaction accessorizing your home on a budget, and you will certainly feel more creative!!

Seasons of Cannon Falls

In the bottom right side-bar of my blog page is a short list of my favourite books. I have listed my all-time favourite decorating book: Celebrating Home, published for Midwest/Seasons of Cannon Falls. I came across the Midwest line about 15 or more years ago, while shopping in the U.S., and was immediately drawn to their great decor line. They could always be counted on for great accent pieces and seasonal touches for your home. To this day, if I am particularily attracted to a piece in a shop, more often than not, I will pick it up and it will be labelled with the Seasons of Cannon Falls (as it is now known) symbol. One oh my happiest moments came when I discovered they had put out a book showcasing their seasonal decor. It is a book that is filled to the brim with great holiday decorating ideas and it is set amongst the backdrop of the home that is their "set" for many of the magazine features they produce each year.

In 2002, the company vowed to save a historical piece of Cannon Falls from demolition. They moved and renovated a home built in 1868 by one of Cannon Falls’ founders. The home, which they call River House, is now a symbol of the Seasons of Cannon Falls brand. They also created a book, Celebrating Home: Decorating for the Holidays and Seasons, that showcases seasonal and holiday decorating ideas set and photographed in River House. Laura Ulland Architecture was the company in charge of bringing River House back to its former glory. You may recognize the photos below, as the home has been featured in many decor publications, including Country Living magazine. I always look forward to the seasonal issues of my favourite magazines, hoping fervently that I will see River House decked out in its seasonal finery in true Seasons of Cannon Falls style.


This is one of my favourite images from River House. I have always coveted a staircase like this. Although the photo shows only a glimpse of it, the thing I love most about this staircase is the detailing on the riser trim. I have always vowed that if I ever come across a home with this particular detailing on the risers, I will someday own that home. Funny enough, I did find such a home, but it needed a ton of work, and I had just moved into my present home, where I am happily settled. So alas, we passed it up. However, we will someday, "hang our hat" in such a home. Of that I am certain...
I hope you have enjoyed this quick tour of River House, and I will bring you more photos of it, as the seasons change. It will be our seasonal holiday tour together!!

A deeper shade of PINK...

Well, I always knew pink was a great colour, and it has taken on an more poignant meaning with its prominence in the Breast Cancer awareness campaigns. But, just recently, pink has come to represent two boy's kindness and initiative to help stop bullying in their school...and it is a message that is spreading far and wide.

(above: David Shepherd and Travis Price)

On the first day of school this year at Central Kings Rural High School in Nova Scotia , a Grade 9 freshman at the school showed up wearing a pink shirt. No doubt, while dressing that morning, he was blissfully unaware of the attention he was about to attract... and the wave of positive change that would arise from such a seemingly trivial decision.

My local newspaper, The News, reported, "Pink Shirts for Peaceful Schools is an idea that grew out of a bullying incident earlier this month in the Annapolis Valley.
On the first day of school, a Grade 9 student at Central Kings Rural High was bullied by some older boys who called him a homosexual and threatened to beat him up for wearing a pink shirt.
In response, Grade 12 students David Shepherd and Travis Price decided to take a stand. They convinced many of their fellow students to come to school the next day wearing pink. They also bought 75 pink tank tops and handed them out in the school lobby.
Since then, the story has hit the international media and pink talk has been all the rage on the Internet. A Wear Pink page has even been created on Facebook."

Over at the CBC news website: "When the bullied student, who has never been identified, walked into school to see his fellow students decked out in pink, some of his classmates said it was a powerful moment. He may have even blushed a little.
'Definitely it looked like there was a big weight lifted off his shoulders. He went from looking right depressed to being as happy as can be,' said Shepherd.
And there's been nary a peep from the bullies since, which Shepherd says just goes to show what a little activism will do.
'If you can get more people against them … to show that we're not going to put up with it and support each other, then they're not as big as a group as they think are,' he says.
The students' "sea of pink" campaign did not go unnoticed outside the province. U.S. talk show host Ellen DeGeneres expressed interest in their story, and other schools are talking about holding their own "pink day."
'It's been totally overwhelming for us. I mean we're just two local boys and I mean we're getting calls from like Alaska and e-mails. It's just phenomenal the support that we've gotten from across the globe,' said Price."

I don't know about you, but I think these boys were incredibly brave, innovative, and displayed a level of empathy and social consciousness that goes well beyond their years. Many of us just tsk, tsk at unfair situations, and then return to our lives. These boys rolled up their sleeves and actually put on their boxing gloves and fought the battle. Bullies: losers...Good guys: GOOD. Go Pink!!!

(above photo: a student at our local high school showing his support...
source: The News)

Is that for real??

photo: Martha Stewart Living

I love fresh flowers. You can't do any better to brighten up a room or someone's day than throwing some fresh flowers into the mix. Whether it be a hand-picked fistful of daisies from your child, a beautiful bouquet from the florists, or cuttings from your own garden, a pretty bunch of flowers perched on your table just takes center stage in the room. An added bonus is the lovely aroma that wafts from them and announces their presence in your home. It doesn't have to be a full bouquet either. I prefer a single, perfect peony to a bouquet of generic roses any day!!

real!

For those of us who cannot enjoy such a treat on a regular basis, "stealing" from nature is another great option to bring natural beauty into our homes (and no, I'm not recommending we pick our neighbours flowers or pluck some from the town flower beds). Simply taking a walk in the woods to gather branches of fall leaves, fallen pinecones, acorns, and crab apples can harvest a great yield of natural fall trimmings for your home, both inside and out. I love to dress my window boxes with rose hips, branches with colorful dried leaves, mini gourds, Indian corn, and wheat stalks. The fuller the better... no wimpy window boxes!!

real ...cute!!!

Another option for city dwellers or those of us without access to nature's bounty: fakes!! Don't you just hate that word?? It conjures up such negative images, doesn't it?? We've all seen enough fake sunflowers and blue blossomed flowers in our lifetimes to recoil at the suggestion of bringing in artificial flowers and foliage. When I'm in staging mode, I positively cringe when other stagers drape fake ivy and plants on top of cabinets and pianos to make a home look lived in! It's like we are supposed to be tricked into believing that a caring homeowner took such good care of their plants that they shine like plastic and never need watering!! It's a bit of an industry standard, but I just can't do the fake trees and plants! Blecch!!!!

not real!

What I do think is acceptable, are the new "faux" (isn't that nicer?) flowers and foliage that are designed with imperfection in mind. The kind that have to be touched to determine their authenticity. Those are the kind of artificial nature that can work and work well. I prefer to mix them in with real flowers and greenery. I even go as far as to put some great faux flowers in the water with my real ones when they are in their final days of life. It makes the whole bouquet, both dead and dying, seem more alive.

both!

So, go fresh when you can, but don't be quick to assume all faux flowers are beneath you. Fake has come a long way...and you can incorporate it when needed. In fact, a great faux flower beats a cheap carnation in my book. Go ahead. Reach out and touch one...in fact go by that rule. If you need to feel it to be certain it's real, then it's good enough to stand pride of place in your home!!!

both!

Losing the wood, blue pumpkins, and "scary" crows...

Well, I have been continuing my home improvement frenzy. Fall cleaning, touching up (or completing in some cases) paint jobs, and decorating for Thanksgiving have all added up to a busy two weeks, albeit a very satisfying period. I love to spruce things up, wash my windows (well, I don't actually love doing that...) and declutter drawers and cupboards. Soon, I will be able to pack up all the summer clothes, and pull out the cozy sweaters, blankets and flannel sheets. While I don't love winter and all that comes with it, I do like the coziness of it...the Sunday dinners, lighting my fireplace and sitting there staring at it until I doze off and wake at 2 a.m. (wondering where am I and why is the t.v. still blaring??), even the odd flannel nightie (aka "granny gown"...I know, I know, but sooo cozy!!).
Speaking of fireplaces, I redecorated my mantel for Fall. Not Hallowe'en, but Fall (Hallowe'en comes a bit later). Goodbye seashells and sand dollars and hello candles, crows and blue pumpkin. Yep, blue pumpkin!! I know it sounds crazy, but when I plunked the real (orange) McCoy down on the mantel, it just didn't quite fit with the rest of my decor. Now, I'm not one of those decorating-obsessed mothers who forgets that holidays are really for the little ones, honestly. I have plenty of traditional pumpkins and such for Halloween; but, I like to mix things up, and rarely keep things the same from year to year, decoratively speaking. I love to try a new twist on things, while still respecting the tradition of the holiday. In fact, every Christmas, I alter my "theme" to include a new collection, but more on that later in the season...

So, I stared at that poor pumpkin and decided to spray paint it blue, and while I was at it, why not add a bit of white glitter to it? Why not indeed?? You may think I'm crazy, but I like it!! In fact, it makes me smile every time I enter the room. Isn't that what seasonal decorating is all about? Oh, and it was just screaming out to have a crow adorn it. A big, squawking crow! I also added the little orange pumpkin perched atop the pedestal...both the pumpkin and pedestal I got at the Dollar Store a few years back. They were very generic, so I glittered them up this weekend and I think they look rather fine. The silver dollars I got at the flea market, placed them in a vase, and used Dollar Store orange beads to hide the stems. I like the result...a nice change from the typical mantel arrangement. I like the unexpected...and I search for new ways to introduce it into my home. Let me know what you think!

I thought I'd show you my completed dining table. It was brought to my attention that I never showed a picture of its completed state. I wrote about the table before (if you recall, My Dreaded Project), and although it is not the table and chairs of my dreams, it will likely be with me for awhile and it is greatly improved from its "ugly colour wood" previous state. I also am showing the new Pottery Barn runner my friend, Krissy (a transplanted Bostonian) picked up for me this past weekend. I adore crows (the silent type) and I had to have this beauty when I spotted it in my new catalogue (thanks Chris!!). The runner is cotton and the crows are "velvet" and it is creepy enough to be a great Halloween addition to the room. I am like the Americans after their Thanksgiving, with one exception: while you all (or y'all) are dragging out the Christmas decorations, I am hauling out the witches and ghosts and gearing up for the spookiest time of year. I can't (insert cackling witch laughter) wait!!