Isn't she beautiful?!  I mean, her brass detailing is enough to make you want to love her, no?  I found her on Kijiji and you guys, she was free!  Well, truth is we ended up having to pay to move her (she was a tad heavy) but the move took only 1hr so it didn't cost too much.  Winning!

So yes, we have a piano.  She sits ever so beautifully in the living room, filling the space that has been bothering me for nearly 2 years.  So the living room re-jig continues and is nearly done, really just some styling left to do!

Also in the works, a beautiful spring tablescape (this combo is making my heart flutter...loooove it!) and I'm also searching for new hardware to place on the dressers in the family room.  Leaning towards the ring pulls, a touch of warmth and a touch of class.  Done and done.

Have a lovely weekend, friends!

Cheers,

How Did I Miss That & A Fabulous Book by Erin Gates

So the Golden Globes were this past weekend and like many, I totally enjoyed watching the red carpet arrivals and laughed my butt off at everything that Tina and Amy said.  The next day again, like many, I read people's recaps and that's when it happened.  I spotted this picture of Gwyneth Paltrow prepping to leave for the award show.  She looked ever so lovely but what really caught my attention was her house!  My goodness!  That settee, those floors, the width of the entryway.  I.could.go.on.  So of course I then took the time to find out and see more of the house and that's when I discovered that the house was not only featured FOUR YEARS AGO but that I've pinned many of the rooms on Pinterest!  Facepalm.

Though there are a few rooms that I could do without, I am over the moon in love with all of the spaces designed by Windsor Smith.  The entry, family room and kitchen (seen below).  I don't only love the design, but I love how she imagined the room to be used by the future owners.

Lovely.

Also, I finally ordered Erin Gates' inspiring book, Elements of Style.

I know, what took so long, right?!  Have you picked up a copy?  I knew that she was a talent and a half and I knew that I loved her style of writing, but I didn't realize just how much I would love this book!  It had me laughing out loud, made me think and brought on a few "a-ha" moments.  Her honesty is so appreciated and the spaces she designed, so gorgeous.  I loved hearing her stories about living through a reno, her lessons learned (some the hard way) over the years and the chance to see things as she sees them.  And the fact that she dreamt of being a grocery store cashier when she was a kid, something that I also dreamt of (it's the buttons on the cash register, there's just something about them!), I mean honestly, she's too cool for school!

I really enjoyed the book and if you read the comments on my Instagram photo (seen above) I'm not the only one!  I read the book front to back in one sitting.  Now that's love!

I hope you're having a fab week so far and that you're staying warm.  It's cold out there!

Cheers,

Well Hello There!

Yes, I'm here.  Yes, I'm alive and yes, everything is just fine.  You see, I'm pretty certain that life kicked me in the butt over the holidays and I'm still trying to recover.  Ha! #truth

A brutal eye infection (in both eyes) that started two days before Christmas and is still trying to fight me to the end and that chose to include my sinuses along with it, plus a couple of other hiccups left us with a super crazy, super emotional and super exhausting holiday.  Well, more for myself and hubs.  The kids had a wonderful holiday despite having parents who were pretty much taking in coffee via IV.  So in the end, if you look at it from the kid's perspective, the holidays were super awesome.  Yay!

But seriously, I'm just trying to catch my breath, which explains the absence.

That being said, you guys, I'm really excited for this year.  If you're following me on Instagram then you've seen/read that I'm planning on doing less this year, but that's a good thing!  Because by doing less, I will be accomplishing more.  I have some fun collabs in the work (I know, such a blogger thing to say, but it's true!), some great ideas that I am going to push myself to go for.  But I'm also going to push myself to no longer settle, to go for what I really want.  I'm learning how important this is in your overall health and happiness.  The littlest things can have a huge ripple effect and it's important to realize that with every decision that you make.

This will be be about quality not quantity, it's always really been that way with me, but I can be very lazy when it comes to blogging and that needs to change.

Anyhow, with that said, a quick recap of the past couple of weeks, totally relying on Instagram photos for this one!

First up, the living room.  It's going to see some changes.  We brought up a console table from the basement, the chairs and couch switched spots and I am currently sourcing a few new pieces to go in the room.  I'm embracing wood this year, I'm yearning for the warmth that it brings to a room, hence the addition of the console table.  You'll see the addition of wooden elements throughout our home, it's comforting to me, I like this idea a lot.  Bringing it back after banishing it for several years.

Ummm, this layered look is a favourite.  The delicate fabric beneath a cozy sweater.....and bring on the marshmallows.  mmmmmm

One of my favourite things to do is to peruse the home decor book section at Chapters.  There's something so beautiful about this aisle and I will forever dream of owning every book you see here and more.  Like a kid in a candy store.

Speaking of Chapters, this faux fur hat....I've wanted one forever and it was on sale.....so I nabbed it and have zero regrets.  Let's go on a snowy adventure you say?! Sure, just let me grab my Faux-Fur Trapper Hat! lalalalala

A trip to Target and HomeSense never disappoints.  I've wanted these tea towels forever, so thrilled to have finally found some.  The gold little jar, well, it was on clearance and was a no brainer.  Small accessories are the perfect finishing piece to any styling project.  And it's pretty.  And it's gold.

Another great gold piece, a gold votive holder from...wait for it....Walmart!  Yes, run to your nearest location!

This is one of my all time favourite spaces.  Designed by the talented Alexa Hampton.  I love it all.  The chairs, the curtains, the bookcase.  It's fabulous and more photos of this space and of her projects can be found in her book, Decorating in Detail.

Lately it's been colder than cold here.  I don't particularly mind winter, but these extremely cold temps aren't fun in any which way....they call for super cosy attire & accessories.

sweater, scarf, striped shirt 

I have a feeling that January will be a very quiet month here, but it's all in prep for a better year of blogging.  Follow along via Instagram & Twitter if you need to see a little more of me ;)

Have a lovely weekend you gorgeous people!

Cheers,