city love

West Coast Wonder: Day 11

2011-12-31T09:00:00.001-05:00

-amazing breakfast at templeton

-Granville Island

-tire spinning

-video

-meet with alison, tea, prunes

-jones soda

Link Love

2011-01-22T18:42:00.004-05:00

Prettiest stationary I've ever seen.

Actually the cutest doormat.

A really great way to have lots of plants in a small space. Sky garden!

Our New Library

2011-01-13T09:00:00.002-05:00

Did you hear? Hamilton has a new library, and it's actually so amazing. I stole these photo's from Hollie...

How amazing is that vertical garden? I'm so in love.

The kids area is so cute. Miniature everything.

Way to go, Hamilton! Your libraries have always had great service, but this is above and beyond. Can't wait until the neighbor to this lovely place opens up - the new Hamilton Farmer's Market!

(more photos here)

Marco Suarez in Circles

2011-01-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

So pretty. The best photos come in circles.

(via Design Sponge)

Christmas Time!

2010-12-27T09:00:00.003-05:00

So, I'm back after a lovely Christmas. We spent time with my family and Kevin's family and just at home relaxing. It was so great to have a week off work, and to sleep in, and be with my man with nothing to do...

Here's some video's from our family Christmas parties, filmed with my new birthday Zumi!

I made Kevin's mom a quilt for Christmas. When his Grandpa passed away, Grandma was giving away some of his things to the grandchildren, and Kevin and I got a bunch of his old dress-shirts. They didn't fit, and I knew we needed to do something special with them. The quilt - it wasn't perfect at all, but I'm very pleased with how it turned out. You can see it a bit in the above video (at about 1:10)...

And my family! My little nephew Ben is so cute with his cookie indecision:

What a great Christmas.

O Holy Night

2010-12-24T16:36:00.000-05:00

Our church had our first Christmas Eve service tonight, and it was so beautiful...

I hope you get the blessing of spending these days surrounded by people you love. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Last-minute gift wrapping...

2010-12-21T16:49:00.000-05:00

You're probably done all your Christmas shopping by this time, but if you haven't wrapped everything yet, I've got some ideas for you!

(here, here, here, here and here)

And lastly, this is what Kevin and I are doing for our gift wrap this year. We used the stencils that we bought for this project and thrift-shop piano music:

(here and here)

Happy wrapping!

Christmas Concert & Sing Along

2010-12-13T17:15:00.001-05:00

Our church is attempting to build a well during Advent this year. It's huge goal ($5000) for a small church, but I think we can do it!

Last night we had a fundraiser - our 'Christmas Concert & Sing Along', featuring a concert by the amazing local band Bruekke.

There was a great turnout, the music was unbelievable, and it was just great to sing Christmas carols together after the concert. You can see a few pictures here.

These cute Christmas words were inspired by this post. Don't they look cute? Christmas songs just have the best lyrics...Anyways, the night was a total success, and we raised $3000! Here's a little video from the concert. You can find out more about Bruekke here.

Link Love

2010-11-22T09:00:00.001-05:00

A few things I've come across recently:

Wanna be an owl? Wear this amazing shirt...

Make your own botanical press to savor the outdoor goodies you find.

Amazingly-kitschy-embroidery-overload!

Gorgeous geometric bunting necklace that I TOTALLY want to make!

DIY for your own granny-chic pillow.

Probably my MOST favorite flower bouquet EVER!

Let's figure out how to make this killer calendar. Thanks.

How cute are these polaroid coasters?!

Are these painted people or real people? This is amazing...

And I'll leave you with a picture from this totally cute cardigan DIY:

link love photo cred

House Tour: Thompson Family-Life

2010-10-27T15:30:00.000-04:00

Danielle from Thompson Family-Life posted a tour of her home the other day! I was super excited about this, because she's got her thumb on a really unique, retro vibe, and I can't get enough of her style. Her house is something else, and I totally love it! I don't know if I could handle this much retro kitschiness in my home, but I'm sure glad someone else can, because I love to see it!

You can see more pictures here.

Flickr Fav: Pavasariai

2010-10-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

Click above to see bigger image. Find Pavasariai's photostream here.

Link Love

2010-10-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

A few things I've come across recently:

Make gift bags from newspaper!

Plus, a super sweet and simple wrapping idea.

Love camping? These tin-foil dinners look easy and oh-so delicious...

Super sweet marching band cardigan...

Smart way to get your lost camera back.

Pianos as public art! We should do this in Hamilton...

Spools! This looks amazing...

Mmm. Make your own peanut butter! Super easy, too!

And I'll leave you with these pictures from a book-themed dinner party...

link love photo cred

Wicked!

2010-10-21T09:00:00.006-04:00

Last night we finally got to see the musical that Kevin has been dreaming about for so long! Wicked is back in Toronto, so for Kev's birthday, I got us tickets for opening night, and last night was the show! It was actually mind-blowing.

Kevin has pretty much the entire musical memorized (weird, right?!), so this was like a dream come true for him. We missed the show last time it was in Toronto, and so as soon as I heard it was coming back, I bought tickets right away. It was totally worth it! We had such a good time, and the show was SO amazing! I 100% recommend it to you as a must-see!

Music: First Aid Kit

2010-10-18T09:00:00.004-04:00

I think I've found my new favorite band! I'm absolutely in love with these girls!

First Aid Kit is a Swedish sister-duo who create vocal-heavy folk music that will stir your soul. Their insanely strong voices and haunting harmonies are just breath-taking. These sisters, Klara and Johanna, are just 17 and 20, but already they are rocking concerts all over Europe, US and Canada. Actually, they just played in Toronto on the 15th! I missed them!

Influenced by Bright Eyes, they were originally going to call their band 'Yellow Bird', but when Klara flipped open an English dictionary and found 'First Aid Kit' it was decidedly their official band name. Amazing. So, take a listen, and I hope you'll find their sound as moving as I did...

And the Fleet Foxes cover that originally made them famous:

...2:18 is my favorite part. So awesome.

Music: Sufjan Concert!

2010-10-14T09:00:00.006-04:00

Last night I took part in one of the best musical experiences of my life! Sufjan played Toronto, and I got to go, and we had amazing seats, and he was just SO WONDERFUL! I felt like I was on a cloud all night!

He had a ten-person band, including two killer go-go dancers. These girls were seriously so cute. Also, the craziest, coolest, weirdest videos were playing behind them. (Read/see more here!)

He mostly played music from his new album, but we had already been listening to it for a few weeks, so the songs were all familiar, and all TOTALLY AMAZING. He was just so calm, and casual, and he was dancing, and telling us all about where the songs came from. It was really, truly amazing.

Here's a little clip from one of my favorite parts:

What a great night: Hanging out with lots of friends, wandering the streets, and just being totally inspired by amazing sounds.

(2nd photo - credit here)

ffffound...

2010-10-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

So, the best season of the year is here. I hope it stays...

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,

9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Home Knitting

2010-09-29T00:24:00.004-04:00

On Monday, Fieldguided did an awesome tour of Tara-Lynn and Jason's home. You might recognize Tara-Lynn from her shop, yarnovermovement. They live in Hamilton, and her knit goods are well-known in this city. Also, Jason's pieces are often sighted at the Art Crawl...very cool couple!

Their home is so gorgeous!

You can read a write-up and see more pictures here.

Pretty Bibs!

2010-09-28T09:00:00.001-04:00

How cute! Pretty bibs from Purl Bee! There would be great to add to a baby shower gift, since it's always nice to include something handmade.

I love the Liberty of London fabric, but you could use anything for these. Kits are available for purchase, but there's also instructions here. So cute!

Music: Bon Iver and Skinny Love (Take Away Show)

2010-09-17T09:00:00.003-04:00

If this doesn't fill your heart with joy, and make your soul hurt....

...I don't know what will.

In Kevin's words: 'It's as if God made music for humans and humans for music.' Gahhhh.....

Decor Galore!

2010-09-14T09:00:00.009-04:00

Just thinking about decor ideas for church.

Came across these two images on Once Wed...

(Images from here and here)

ffffound...

2010-09-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

I think summer has slipped away...

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Beans!

2010-08-27T09:00:00.004-04:00

How cute are these bean bags? So literal!

I'm continually inspired the the Purl Bee Sewing Journal, as they come up with beautiful but easy ideas for simple sewers like myself.

You can find the step-by-step instructions here.

Link Love

2010-08-24T09:00:00.003-04:00

A few things I've come across recently:

Add some heart to your tea with these yummies.

Chic stroller blankets. (For Shelley, and her little one on the way...)

What would you say to your 17 year-old self?

Got a love for well-organized bookshelves?

Such a pretty tea-themed garden party...

Are you a 'list' person? This DIY dry-erase board is so lovely!

Do you know a new momma? Here's some great ways you can help her out...

Use your webcam as a photo booth! So cute...

Have you seen anything that you want to share? Feel free to post below...

(Also, don't you love this tattoo?)

link love photo cred

Music: Mumford & Sons

2010-08-17T09:00:00.006-04:00

I'm hoping you've listened to these guys by this point.

They're gut-wrenchingly good. Soul-filling, take-your-breath-away good.

They're playing in Toronto in November, and after reading this write-up about their performance at Lollapalooza, I hope I get to experience it.

'Their music builds, it swells, and it takes me along until it all crashes into runaway melodies that seem composed of innocent wildness. Even better was watching their faces, because they mirrored ours. They had a shining newness on stage that showed no hint of the pretension that could come along with such success. Their sound filled me up from the inside instead of sweeping around me; it held me and moved me, and yes, I did get tears in my eyes. There is such a fearlessness in Mumford and Sons. When they perform it is intimate and real and consuming. It left me breathless.' (Heather from the Fuel Friends blog)

Here's a few:

ffffound...

2010-08-12T09:00:00.005-04:00

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

The Picklebee Society

2010-08-03T09:00:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I did something new!
I went to a pickling party!
My friend Hollie hosted this lovely event, and she and Thea picked all the cucumbers and zucchini in the morning from their shared farm land. We spent the afternoon chopping, mixing, boiling, stuffing and admiring all our full jars.
I met a bunch of new people, including Mel, whose blog (Homemade Crackers, co-written with her husband Jesse) is featured regularly on the National Post website. Her family is journeying 'out of the supermarket' to discover where their food comes from, and learn how to make things at home. They go on 'fieldtrips' to places like nut nurseries and local farms, and then share their knowledge about how things are grown, the proper season to buy certain items, and also great and simple recipes.
It was a great afternoon, and we're planning to get together to do some more pickling and other ~~domesticated~~ projects. We already have a knitting group, so I guess that leaves us with pie-making and quilting...

You can read Mel's article about our pickling party, here.

(photos from Jesse Senko, via Homemade Crackers)

Amazing Bow Ties

2010-07-29T09:00:00.001-04:00

From the same amazing couple that brought us the 'mustache on a stick' come these adorable bow ties! I love the colors, the packaging, the photos...everything! Introducing the 'Forage' line from Something's Hiding in Here.

Flickr Fav: dottie angel

2010-07-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

Click above to see bigger image. Find dottie angel's photostream here.

Inspired!

2010-07-24T09:00:00.002-04:00

Over the weekend I got inspired! I've had this roll of gorgeous vintage fabric for a few months now, and I didn't want to use it for just anything. I love the pattern so much, and I wanted to make sure it wasn't wasted, and that I would enjoy looking at it...

So I hung it up on the wall!

We covered our walls with this awesome wallpaper when we moved in. You're supposed to be able to paint it, but we love having it white. BUT at the same time, it's a white wall, which was kind of sad and empty.

Our quick and simple method was to use our staple gun to attach a bunch of cheap canvases together ($20 total), and then stretch the fabric over them. Easy!

I think it's so pretty!

Vertical Garden

2010-07-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

Have you seen this vertical garden?

It's so beautiful! I had never even imagined such a thing before I saw this, and now I can't stop picturing it. These succulent walls, brought to life by Flora Grubb, have captured the hearts of modern gardeners all over the web, and it turns out you can actually buy a DIY kit to make them at home!

(pictures from Flora Grubb)

ffffound...

2010-07-12T00:00:00.002-04:00

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Wall Dots

2010-07-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

These wall dots from Pony Rider are super sweet! They're totally removable, and so beautiful! You can check them out here. Also makes me think about blowing up my own photographs, and cutting them into perfect circles...

(via Daydream Lily)

Our Weekend Away...

2010-07-06T09:00:00.009-04:00

Kevin and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary this weekend! He thought we should go away, and of course, I agreed! We chose St. Jacob's, and I thought I'd share a few pictures...

We stayed at the Maryhill Inn, which is in a tiny village just outside of St. Jacobs. Highly recommended! The rooms are gorgeous, the service is great, and the food is amazing!

Of course, we hit up the market. I'd never been before, and thought it would be much more quaint. Instead, it was JAM PACKED! Still fun, though. And definitely lots to see...

Of course, we also checked out the flea market. There were a lot of amazing finds, but I find it hard to spend money at antique malls like these, as things are often marked pretty high. I did go home with an adorable table cloth (for $7...not bad).

My favorite part of the day:

On our way out of town, we pulled over to a grassy area beside a river, and took a nap in the sun. It was glorious.

At first, we weren't sure that we wanted to spend the money to go out of town, but of course, as soon as we pulled out of the driveway, we knew we had made the right decision. It was so good to just be together, alone, in a new place, totally relaxed. Even if it's just for one or two nights, if you have a little hunch that you should 'get away', go with it! So amazing...

Doily Envelopes

2010-07-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

Look how pretty these envelopes are!

The dollar store carries packages of paper doilies, and I'm always looking for new ways to use them. This is perfect! Beautiful and so easy...

(via Size Too Small)

3 Years!

2010-06-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

Three years ago I married the love of my life.

It's been the most amazing three years. There is nothing better than spending every day with your best friend. Happy Anniversary, Kev! You're the absolute best! Now off to St. Jacob's for a romantic night at this adorable inn...

Summer in Hamilton

2010-06-29T09:00:00.001-04:00

It's getting hot in Hamilton! Summer is here, in full force!

I came across these pictures Kevin took last summer...

It's probably time for us to get out there again and capture all the things we think are pretty in this amazing city.

Pancake Bar

2010-06-22T09:00:00.001-04:00

Our wedding was amazing, and I wouldn't change a thing about it, but I'm already thinking of having another one! What I mean is, I want to marry Kevin again and again and again, so we can keep having parties as lovely as the one we had three years ago. Maybe every ten years? Every five?

I think our next wedding will be a morning celebration, and I've found the perfect meal:

(via Mustard & Sage)

An Evening for Plants

2010-06-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

Last night Kevin and I decided to try a bit of gardening. We are a bit intimidated by the whole idea, since we've never grown anything...ever. So we're starting small.

We thought a few planters in our freshly-cleaned backyard would be nice. I looked a number of different flower pots and planters, and couldn't justify the prices. I wanted something red, and I found this for $3.00. It works well, I think! Kevin drilled a few holes in the bottom, and we were good to go!

We'll see how these look in a few weeks, once things start growing and filling out. I'll be sure to post some pictures. In the meantime, I'll take any gardening tips you have to offer. Thanks!

*The other flower pots are also from Ikea. You can find them here and here.

Hi Kitty

2010-06-15T09:00:00.004-04:00

Cats can be dreamy. Dreamcats gets that. 'Girls & cats, cats in soft focus, cats on film, dream cats'; you should check it out.

(via Lovelorn Unicorn)

How I Spent My Friday Night

2010-06-14T09:00:00.006-04:00

Friday nights are a pretty exciting thing around here. Kevin is usually off work, and there is always some kind of plan in the works. This week it was the Art Crawl, which included the Grand Re-Opening of the White Elephant shop. (Love this place!!)

But before the fun came the work, and most of our Friday night looked like this:

Clean backyard. Dirty backyard.

Clean chair. Dirty chair.

Then we were off to the Art Crawl!

My favorite part:

The White Elephant Hootenanny was so cute! My mum was over, and I was so pleased to show her this amazing shop! Then we saw some fireworks, and we went home and cigars were enjoyed on the fresh, clean patio. Life in Hamilton is so good.

(Hootenanny photo credit: Love It A Lot)

Yardsaling with Mum!

2010-06-11T09:00:00.006-04:00

I went home last weekend to check out the Annual Aspen Springs Yardsale with my mum. This has become a yearly tradition, and we're starting to figure out the best way to navigate our way through the neighborhood of yard sales. I didn't find too much this year, but it was a gorgeous day, and spending time with mum is always great! Here's a few things I saw and liked...

Then we were off to Peterborough to see my little nephew, Benjamin, on his first birthday!

My mum is coming over to my place this weekend, and we're going to try and get our basement sorted out...I'll be sure to post the transformation.

Iced Coffee House

2010-06-09T09:00:00.006-04:00

Last night I went to a beautiful event (`The Iced Coffee House`) put on by some of the creative people at my church. I'm proud to say that I have some of the most talented, creative friends in the world, and every event they put on is absolutely breath-taking. Last night was no different. It felt like a breezy, nostalgic summer evening when you walked into the room...so good.

It was open mic (Leah, Liam, and so many more amazing people), with an amazing interactive art show (featuring this gifted artist). Thanks for all your hard work, coffee house team! You`re amazing!

(Poster credit: Andrea Manica; Photo credit: Steph Gribbon and Caitlynn Bosko)

Planting Herbs

2010-06-08T09:00:00.002-04:00

Want to plant some herbs? Here's a great idea that looks beautiful, and keeps things organized. Jennifer from The Write Start calls this 'old-school-meets-the-garden'...

Or another idea, in case you'd rather grow all your herbs together:

(via The Write Start and Black*Eiffel)

Freekout would be so much better...

2010-06-07T09:00:00.006-04:00

...if you were there.

This year, Kevin and I are heading up our church's yearly camping trip. I'm pretty excited! Our friend Andrea painted the most amazing poster for us...Check it out:

To say thank you, I made her a little something. It is only my second attempt at embroidery, so please pardon the mistakes. I think it's so cute! I haven't given it to her yet, so I hope she doesn't read my blog...

My first attempt!

2010-06-04T09:00:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone! I made some embroidery! Can you tell I'm proud of myself?

Today is my friend Laura's birthday, and I made her this little owl because I love her so much. I love this little owl a lot too. I hope she loves him...

(*She loved him. She also loved the tiny grey kitten her husband gave her as a birthday present. I will have to show you little William Proudfoot someday...)

Calling cards

2010-06-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

These are so pretty!

Can you believe that calling cards used to look like this?

I want some with my name on them...

(via Atlantic Treefox)

Jenn and Dave's wedding!

2010-06-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

I forgot to show you pictures from the amazing wedding we went to a few weeks ago! Jenn and Dave are such a great couple, and their wedding was absolute gorgeousness. See...

Congratulation, Jenn and Dave! We were so honored to attend, and we wish you so much happiness.

(Photo Credit: Beck Sutherland and Steph Gribben)

Time To Organize My Craft Room

2010-05-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

I'm feeling inspired.

(+)

I think it's time to venture back into my craft room and get organized. The little room houses all my crafting supplies, but lacks a really great work space, so it had become a bit neglected. Kevin just picked out a new computer for me, and it should be arriving in two weeks, so I hope to have the craft room totally finished by then. Here we go!

Mmm, Savory Muffins

2010-05-27T09:00:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite spots in this city is the My Dog Joe cafe in Westdale. I love the atmosphere, the barristas and the decor, but more than anything, I LOVE their savory muffins. The cheddar broccoli almost kills me every time I partake in its splendor (...death by happiness).

I think I will make some savory muffins, and I think I've found the perfect recipes.

1. Cheddar Scallion Cupcakes With Whipped Cream Cheese.

2. Cornbread Cupcakes with Goat Cheese Frosting and Bacon.

Thank you, Ming Makes Cupcakes!

Missed connections

2010-05-26T09:00:00.001-04:00

Have you ever locked eyes with someone, or had a friendly conversation, and afterwards you wished you had gotten their name and number? This blog uses posts found on Missed Connections websites, and turns them into gorgeous illustrations.

The artist, Sophie Blackall, describes her project like this:

'Messages in bottles, smoke signals, letters written in the sand; the modern equivalents are the funny, sad, beautiful, hopeful, hopeless, poetic posts on Missed Connections websites. Every day hundreds of strangers reach out to other strangers on the strength of a glance, a smile or a blue hat. Their messages have the lifespan of a butterfly. I'm trying to pin a few of them down.'

You can buy the Missed Connection illustrations as prints in Sophie's Etsy shop, here.

A Garden in the Works: 2

2010-05-25T09:00:00.002-04:00

I'm still thinking about our backyard, and how amazing it's going to be someday. It's a bit of a conundrum, though, as I know very little about gardening, but want to make our gardens both beautiful and function year-round. I figure I better start simple...

Something clean, streamlined and modern would suit our house very nicely. Once we pull out all the dead shrubs that are back there, and lift up the dull patio stone, we'll pretty much have a blank canvas to work with. Here are some of the looks I'm inspired by...

I'm also loving the idea of a portable herb garden. We can grow our herbs in their little home, and roll them around to the sun and shade, and then pull them up to the porch when we're ready to snip some for dinner. Prudent Baby has a great example of this:

I'm still thinking about patio furniture, and thinking that it would be smart to do the bulk of the work first, and then reward myself by finishing up with the outdoor furniture. I'm definitely liking the Malaro chairs a lot (especially the price tag!), but I think I'll wait to make any decisions until we make some progress back there...

If you have any books, articles or links you can recommend for a beginner regarding simple, urban gardening, please pass them along. Thanks!

Where I spent my weekend...

2010-05-24T22:32:00.000-04:00

In the sun.

By the water.

Warm breeze.

Clear, starry skies.

Glorious.

(here)

thxthxthx

2010-05-18T09:00:00.007-04:00

One of the most amazing things I've seen lately. Made me wonder...what are the little things that I don't even realize I'm thankful for?

Thank you, poor measurement skills. I made way too many potatoes at dinner, which means I get an amazing lunch of Boerenkool tomorrow, and will feel proud in a room full of Dutch coworkers.

Thanks phone, for being in the wrong room when I tried to use you. I got to see sleeping baby Calla, even though I wasn't supposed to.

Thanks minor car accident. You sent me on a detour, and let me try a route I'd never taken before. You made me feel independent and capable.

(via A Cup of Jo)

*After thought: I guess this is a more genuine version of this.

Braids!

2010-04-28T09:00:00.002-04:00

I've got a thing for braids lately. My hair doesn't seem to be thick enough to get a nice, big, messy braid, but I'm going to keep trying...

(+)

(sources below pictures)

Pretty...

2010-04-27T09:00:00.004-04:00

These pictures are making life feel pretty right now...

(via Bluebird Vintage)

West Coast Wonder: Day 10

2010-04-24T09:00:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we visited Stanley Park!

We met up with a new friend (Nelson, the pastor of Artisan Church) in the morning for coffee, and then hopped on a bus to the park. We didn't realize how big Stanley Park is! We figured the best way to get around the seawall was by bike...so we went off to rent one.

That's right...one. We took on the challenge of the tandem bike, and while it was a big struggle at first (with Kevin being adventurous and speedy, and me being so cautious), we eventually found our groove and made our way around the entire seawall. It was so much fun, and one of our favorite parts of this entire trip!

Stanley Park is so beautiful and peaceful. The views were amazing, and even though it was a bit cloudy, we were in awe during our whole bike ride! If it had been a sunny day, it would have been nice to bring a blanket and lay down in the park for a few hours, but I guess that will have to wait until our next visit. Here are a few pictures from our afternoon:

ALSO! We met up with our dear friend Terri last night! She's going to spend the last two days of our trip with us! We hit up Yaletown, and found a great little bar there, Raw Canvas. It's a wine bar and an art studio in one; really cool. We're so excited to spend another full day with Terri! Tomorrow we hope to hit up Granville Island...

West Coast Wonder: Day 9

2010-04-23T09:00:00.005-04:00

We said goodbye to our super-rad hotel yesterday. Thank you Ace Hotel! You were awesome!

We highly recommend this place if you're ever staying in Seattle. The location is great, the rooms are sweet, the employees are the nicest AND it has the best continental breakfast ever! Well, mostly just for one reason...the waffle maker. Please allow us to demonstrate.

Step 1: Pick and choose your cup o' batter.

Step 2: Strategically pour your batter into the waffle iron, being sure to equally cover all crevices.

Step 3: Close and turn waffle iron. You are especially good at making waffles if no batter spills out of the edges. It may even be your spiritual gift.

Step 4: When you hear the beeper, your waffle is done! Open the iron to see your handiwork, and be sure to let everyone know how 'perfect this one looks'. Transfer waffle from iron to plate.

Step 5: Add butter and syrup, and take part in the deliciousness that is called 'waffle'.

So we left Seattle yesterday, and took a bus to Vancouver. To be honest, we were least excited about this leg of our trip, but now that we're here, this city looks incredible! Our hotel is right downtown, and we spent the evening exploring Granville Street. We had dinner at The Templeton, which is a rad little dinner with major throwbacks to the 50's.

A few more pictures from the (so far) lovely city:

West Coast Wonder: Day 8

2010-04-22T09:00:00.011-04:00

Since we started our trip, we’ve been trying to maintain a good balance of ‘seeing everything we should see and making the most of our trip’ AND ‘relaxing, and just soaking up this glorious vacation time’. Yesterday was a great mix of both. It was our last full day in Seattle, and we finally got to witness the Seattle rain we’ve heard so much about. Since we woke up to the rain, we decided to check out the Underground Tour.

The tour is a guided walk where they tell you a lot of the history of Seattle, and take you underground to see some of old shops and alleyways where the city used to function. What happened was after the Great Fire, the city rebuilt everything (in brick this time), but since they wanted to flatten out the land a little bit (the hills in Seattle are insane!), and solve their sewage problems, they planned for the second story of all the buildings to become the part that would meet the new roads they were building. Since they were building to roads at a second-story level, it would put all the bottom level sections 'underground'.

(Above) While we were walking around the city, we’d see these glass squares in the sidewalk, and we learned that they acted as ‘sunlights’ for the buildings below.

It was a really interesting tour, and although the price is a little steep ($15/person), I’d definitely recommend it. Next we checked out the Seattle Library, which we were told (by a lot of people) was a must-see. It was incredible! Definitely the most amazing library I've ever seen...

We spend the rest of the day walking around (Downtown, Capitol Hill, Belltown, etc), and ended up going to the movies later that evening. We hit up Whole Foods on the way home, and made friends with the cheese expert there. We picked out some Brie and wine, and headed back to the hotel for an 'evening in'...

Amazing day.

West Coast Wonder: Day 7

2010-04-21T09:00:00.010-04:00

Another great day in Seattle! As much as we’ve tried our best to fit in here on the West Coast, yesterday was a day to be tourists. The weather was beautiful (grey, but warm), and we headed to Pike Place Market. The market was so huge! We had no idea what to expect, and soon found ourselves weaving through the floors and alleys of this crazy place.

Of course, we couldn't leave Pike Place without seeing the original Starbucks! Kevin got a Pike Place Roast, and we heard a little bit about the history of this location. They are the only 'chain' that's allowed in the market, since they got in there at the beginning. BUT because they are a historical landmark, they are not allowed to make any upgrades to their building. This means that they don't serve food, and they brew their coffee in the original barista machines.

After our time at the market, we hopped on the ferry for a ride over to Bainbridge Island. Okay, riding the ferry is amazing! We saw an awesome view of the city, and got to enjoy the fresh breeze!

We got off at the island, and spend the afternoon strolling the small-town shops, enjoying the Pegasus coffee shop, and grabbing dinner at the Harbour Public House (mmm, fish and clams and mussels!) This is a definite recommendation for anyone coming to Seattle; Bainbridge Island is a whole other part of the culture here, and the 30 minute ferry ride is so nice!

I thought I'd include this thrilling video for you as well. Bainbridge is so cute!

When we got back, it was time to navigate ourselves over to the Victory Lounge. Why? Because it was Tuesday! If you know us, you know why Tuesdays are important, and that we weren’t about to miss our favourite TV show just because we’re on vacation! We found this sweet LOST viewing that happens each week at a bar here, and afterwards, they had a LOST Bingo-Trivia game, and we won a prize! It was a great day, with lots of beautiful weather, and nice walking, and we were totally exhausted by the end of the night. Stay tuned, as we participate in even more tourist activity!

(*Update: Camera charger found! Yay!!)

West Coast Wonder: Day 6

2010-04-20T09:00:00.015-04:00

Yesterday was our first full day in Seattle. This city is amazing!

We thought we'd check out some of the smaller neighborhoods, so we hopped on a bus to Ballard. This neighborhood has always been known as Seattle's 'Scandinavian sweetheart' with a rich fishing industry. In the last few years, however, it has become known for its cute locally-owned shops and up-and-coming restaurants. After checking out some really sweet shops, we hit up Cupcake Royale (the headquarters, known for beginning the cupcake revolution) for an amazing treat.

We also checked out the Mars Hill campus in Ballard. This visit meant a lot to Kevin especially, as he has followed this church over the years. We've seen a few of their campuses while we've been here, and it is very interesting to see how they are making use of the big, urban buildings they own.

Next, we headed to Fremont. This neighborhoods motto is 'Freedom to be Strange'...and strange it is! There were so many quirky things to see in this little shopping district: funky coffee shops, awesome vintage stores, and the troll. That's right. He lives under the bridge.

After a long day of exploring, we headed back to Renton, where we stayed with my cousin and his family. We enjoyed an amazing salmon dinner (fish is so much better over here!), and playing with their adorable kids. Seriously, our hearts were melting.

What a great day! Stay tuned for more Seattle adventures...

West Coast Wonder: Day 5

2010-04-19T09:00:00.007-04:00

Well, we’ve moved on from our first city!

We’re now in Seattle, and while we were so sad to leave Portland, we’re very excited to start exploring this city! Yesterday morning we enjoyed delicious cinnamon buns with Tim, Naomi (and Renata and Tait, the cutest kids ever!) then headed off to Imago Dei for their 9:00 service. We had a great time, and it was so neat to see this church that we’ve heard so much about. Their church is much bigger than ours, but there are a lot of similarities in their demographics, their mission and their style. The church was super organized, which was really neat to observe. Kevin and I were taking notes and trying to figure out ways we could implement similar levels of organization in our own church.

After that we met up with some friends from the other night and got these crazy french-fries (Potato Champion: The best we have ever had... no lie).

Kendra and I checked out the House of Vintage while the boys grabbed a beer, and then it was time to say goodbye to our new friends and hop on a three hour train ride north!

Good-bye Portland. Sad face.

West Coast Wonder: Day 4

2010-04-18T09:00:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was definitely the most relaxing day of our trip. We slept in and took it easy in the morning, and then we checked out Flavour Spot for breakfast. We’ve been very curious about all the food carts we’ve seen in Portland. They’re everywhere! It’s like having crazy, interesting, outdoor food courts. They are always decorated to stand out, and they each serve something totally unique. You can find a food cart for most any food you can imagine: Hawaiian, Belgian French fries, grilled cheese, crepes, deep fried pie, and the deliciousness we got to experience this morning: Dutch Taco’s. Flavour Spot pretty much just serves waffle sandwiches. Pick what you want wrapped up in your waffle (sausage and maple? nutella and banana? bacon and eggs? ham and gouda?) and they’ll make it for you. Mmmm, so delicious!

Then we headed to the amazing Townshend's Tea House on Alberta Street, where we pretty much relaxed for the rest of the day.

This tea house was the best I’ve ever been to! It wasn’t fancy, with high tea and china tea cups. Rather, it felt urban but cozy. I immediately felt comfortable there, and settled into a retro couch with a huge pot of Cream Earl Grey. We spent our afternoon reading, catching up on emails, and blogging/journaling about our trip. While we were there, we finally got to experience the crazy Portland weather we’d been warned about. We had sunshine one minute; rain the next. It was refreshing to see the rain, but we’re definitely thankful for the amazing weather we’ve seen since we got here.

We headed to Tim and Naomi’s place (more new friends!), where we had BBQ’d hamburgers and great conversation with them (and their super cute kids!).

In the evening we got to see the AMAZING Anglican church where Tim works, and also checked out the nightlife on 21^st street. We saw lots of bars, restaurants, and people out. Very different than the business district at night! We’re surprised at how tiring it can be to travel. We slept like logs last night, but we were excited for the morning: checking out a great church, hanging with new friends, and taking a train! More updates coming soon...

West Coast Wonder: Day 3

2010-04-17T03:30:00.007-04:00

What a great day! The Alberta Arts District is absolutely fascinating! Located along NE Alberta Street, this area is both a beautiful residential neighborhood as well as a shopping mecca. The shops are almost all individually owned, and are totally unique. There's a great mix of coffee shops, restaurants, vintage clothing shops, arts and crafts stores, and totally interesting one-of-a-kind treasures.

We started at 7th, and worked our way east on Alberta, and walked until about 28th. There were so many curious places to stop, we only made our way down one side of the street before everything started to close and we had to get back for dinner. Here's a glimpse into what we saw yesterday...

1. Modern Domestic

This is a sweet sewing studio, that also sells everything you need for your basic sewing projects. They offer lessons, and classes, as well as space to rent for over-sized sewing projects. You can buy your machine here, and they will show you how to use it. Or you can bring in the machine you already have, and they will do the research to teach you how to master it. They offer sewing classes, but also knitting, quilting, screen-printing and more. This studio was fresh and welcoming, with such great aesthetics. I loved the vintage toy sewing machines on display. It really made me wish for something like this on Ottawa Street in Hamilton...

2. Ampersand

Obviously I love this place! Ampersands are my favorite! This gallery is like nothing I've seen before. They are committed to the preservation of old photographs, paper ephemera, letters, postcards and collectible books. So after you check out their current exhibit, you can look through the hundreds of old pictures, passports, documents and other vintage curiosities. They even had a prison book from 1932, with original photos and descriptions of all the inmates.

Ampersand hopes to convey 'the little details of human routines that often get lost in the broader studies of history. The dividing line between now & then, past & present or vintage & contemporary is not as dramatic as we often think.'

3. Together Gallery

Going to the Together Gallery was one of my favorite parts of our trip so far. If you're in the Alberta area, you absolutely must stop in here, and meet Tim. Not only is he the owner of this super-sweet gallery, he's also an amazing artist with huge ambition.

We were checking out all the rad prints, looking for something to take home and remind us of this trip. All the pieces we kept coming back to turned out to be Tim's work! He took us back to his studio, and showed us a bunch of pieces he had just finished, and some that were in the works. There is so much talent here in Portland, and we were so honored to meet someone like this, who is living out his passions, and adding such beauty to this city.

4. Billy Goat Vintage

This was one of the best vintage clothing store's I've been to. Not because of the selection or price, but because it was extremely organized and beautifully styled. Also because Kevin bought his super-hot leather jacket here. ;)

Lastly, we stayed with some new friends, a house full of people who go to Imago Dei. They invited us into their home, served us dinner, bought us beer, made a sweet bonfire, and provided a super comfortable place for us to sleep. Thank you, Zeph, Megan, Brian and Beth. We are feeling so blessing during this incredible trip.

West Coast Wonder: Shopping!

2010-04-16T15:30:00.006-04:00

Since we were in the heart of downtown Portland yesterday, we couldn't help but hit up some shopping hot-spots! I thought I'd share with you some of my favorites of the day...

1. Powell's City of Books

This place is so big, it occupies a whole city block! Not only is Powell's one of the biggest book stores in the world, it's totally unique because it stocks both new and used books on the same shelves. You can buy, sell, and trade used books, or buy them new in the store or online.

Some interesting facts:

More than 1, 000, 000 volumes on the shelves
3000 used books bought by Powell's every day
3000 people purchasing books every day
3000 people enjoying the coffee shop each day
80,000 book lovers perusing the selection each day (in Portland and on the website)

(images via To Be, Inspired)

2. Anthropologie

Yes. I finally got to visit the place I have only dreamed of. Of course, I have their website memorized, but I had never visited the actual brick-and-mortar store, and it was everything I imagined it to be. Absolute gorgeousness. Utter beauty. Totally out of my price range, but it was not beneath me to drool. This store is amazing.

The Anthropologie store fronts are always amazing. When I had my own shop, this was always a great place to take inspiration from. This particular location had a full window of spring flowers. There was a flower bed, with real sprouts and blossoms, but there were also hundred flowers made from re-purposed pop bottles. I love that they can create beauty by mixing earthy goodness with recycled upgrades. How inspirational! Here are a few of the things that caught my eye...

3. Buffalo Exchange

I know this is not a unique Portland experience, as there are twenty eight of these stores across the US, but it was so awesome! Buffalo Exchange is a second-hand store that operates on a kind-of consignment process. People bring in fashionable name-brand or vintage clothing, and they receive 30% of the selling price, or 50% in store credit. The clothes were gorgeous, and it was so interesting to be in a thrift store, and not have to dig through to find the 'good stuff'.

These are just a few of the amazing places we went to. Touring Portland by bike was such a great choice, because it means we can get anywhere, we can do it pretty quickly, and it's so easy to pull over and check out all the interesting places we see! Tomorrow we're off to the Alberta Arts District, which is apparently an experience in itself. Looking forward to it!

West Coast Wonder: Day 2

2010-04-16T09:00:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was our first full day in Portland, and what a day it was! We slept in a little, and then hopped right on the bus, and into the downtown. The first thing on our agenda was to rent some bicycles to get us around for the day. We ended up going to Portland Bike Tours, which we highly recommend if your're ever hitting up Portland. The guy who helped us, Evan, was super rad, and let us pick out whatever bikes we wanted (I got a sweet, black cruiser). He gave us a map, a bit of a verbal tour of the city, and for just $20.00 each, we were on our way. It was so worth it to rent the bikes, not only for convenience and speed, but for the amazing fresh breeze you'll get all day!

Our next stop was the AMAZING Voodoo Donut Shop. This tiny, rock & roll, oddball of a donut shop was so crazy! They had every flavor you could imagine, and some you don't want to. When we came in, they were cooking up a batch of bacon for their bacon-maple supreme...

And you can't have a donut without coffee! (Well, I can...) So we headed to Stumptown Coffee Roasters, where Kevin got a delicious cappuccino! Stumptown is the local coffee here, and everyone and their mother serves it with so much pride.

We were so filled with excitement for our hometown java, Red Hill Coffee. We've never told them, but we have visions of a Red Hill coffee bar that is as beautiful (and adored) as Stumptown is here! Come to think of it, there isn't a great coffee bar in the downtown core yet. Perhaps someone will have to fix that (and if they want help, we will be there, Day One!) ... in the meantime, join their Facebook group and help us encourage them in this direction (and get the whole city drinking/loving Red Hill Coffee)!

Another great place we saw today was the local art school. Pacific Northwest College of Art is right downtown, and very cool. There were hundred of bikes parked outside, and so many young people in the area. Very reminiscent of Toronto, and our friends from OCAD. Except the school was much smaller...it was pretty much a gymnasium-sized art gallery, with classrooms all around the perimeter.

It was a very full and exciting day. We did a lot of shopping and perusing (which I'll post about later) but we eventually got back to our hotel at about 10, and spent the evening in the cigar room, and hopping between the six incredible bars here. We're packing up this morning, and moving on to stay with some (new) friends in the Alberta Arts District. Very excited to see another part of the city, and meet some more people!

West Coast Wonder: Day 1

2010-04-15T09:00:00.010-04:00

As most of you know, Kevin and I are taking a vacation! We're off to the West Coast for 12 days, visiting Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. We are feeling so blessed and excited that we get the chance to do this, especially since these are all cities we've admired from afar for so long.

We've started in Portland, and flew in yesterday. After three flights, and a 3-hour time change,we were pretty tired.

The good thing is, our hotel is so fabulous, we were totally fine with taking the evening to just explore and soak up all the amazing features of this awesome place! We're staying at the Kennedy School hotel (which I wrote about here), and it's unbelievable! If any of you end up coming to Portland, please put this on your 'must-see' list.

So the hotel is in this old school, and all the rooms are in the classrooms, and there are six bars, a smoking room (in the detention bar...cigars only!), an in-house restaurant and on-site brewery.

That's just inside...we had no idea that Portland is so lush and green. Every house has the most amazing landscaping, and we came at just the right time, because everything seems to be in bloom. Here at the hotel, there is the most beautiful courtyard full of lush flowers and trees, two giant fire pits, and a huge soaking pool! The air is so clean here, that whenever we're outside, Kevin and I are taking such deep breaths because we can't get enough of the fresh smell!

Last night we were looking to relax, so we had dinner here, and just walked around the neighborhood for a while. It's very residential, and the houses all look like colorful cottages that belong on the East Coast of Canada. A few streets over, there is a little shopping district that was very reminiscent of our Locke Street in Hamilton. It started raining while we were out, so we ran back, and ended up watching a movie at the hotel's theater-bar. Today we hope to head downtown, and maybe rent some bicycles, and check out the city. The sun is shining, there's a great breeze, and we're so happy!

Old School...

2010-04-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

After Friday's post about the Kennedy School, I thought I'd share this...
There is a really amazing project going on in Hamilton right now. The old Stinson School is being transformed into a gorgeous condo building by Harry Stinson. The new spaces in this 1894 heritage building are being described as 'stylish, eclectic and affordable', and the photos being released are gorgeous. I love the idea of living in a space that has such a vivid and historical story to it...

Photographer Larry Strung started an online photo journal of the progess taking place at the school, and has allowed us a peek into the stories they are unearthing at the job site.

Big News!

2010-04-09T15:30:00.003-04:00

I just came back from what I thought was the final interview...and I got the job! Starting on April 26th, I'll be working as an administrator for The Bible League of Canada. So far, the job description is a little intimidating, but I'll have two full weeks for training, so that is a great relief. I'm so honored to be working for an organization that is doing such good and meaningful work all over the world! I think the job will be really challenging and rewarding...

In other news: Since I got the job, we're going on a vacation before I start! We're heading to the West Coast on Wednesday for 12 days! We'd been hoping we could fit this trip in before my new job started, and it looks like it'll be just fine! We'll be flying to Portland, and then making our way up the coast (by train) to Seattle and Vancouver. I'm so excited. Kevin and I haven't been on a vacation since our honeymoon, and we're pretty much bouncing off the walls over here.

We plan to stay a night at the Kennedy School Hotel, which is exactly what it sounds like...a hotel in an old school. We're so excited to stay in what has been called the '#1 Quirkiest Hotel in the US'. We love quirky!

Above: A peek into the hallways of this school-turned-hotel...

Above: The Kennedy School has it's own on-site brewery!

Above: There is a private theater in the basement of the school. So awesome!

Above: Each guest room is a section of the old classrooms, and many have the original chalkboards.

Can you see why we're so excited about staying here?!

A Garden in the Works

2010-04-07T11:00:00.002-04:00

We're hoping to revamp both our front yard and our backyard this summer. Ambitious, I know. Let's start with the back. We've got a great little deck, and then a yard of patio stones. It's a great place to sit on warm summer evenings, but it still doesn't feel like our own special place.

When we first moved in we got a cheap patio set (thanks, Kijiji!), but it was definitely meant as a place holder for something nicer, and more in tune with our style...Now we're ready for the real thing!

There are two options that I'm interested in right now. I'd love a really earthy feel in our backyard; lots of white, wood, and of course, plants.

Option #1. These chairs (thanks for the inspiration, Nicole). If we get the Blanko chairs, we'll have to find a cute table to match. (There is a table in the Blanko series, but its too small.) Suggestions are welcome!
Option #2. The Malaro series. I love the way these look, and that they fold up for easy storage. I also love that you can get a bench in this set.
Let me know if you have any suggestions for our little backyard paradise. I'm hoping to get to the library this week to get some books for a gardening beginner like myself, but if you have any great resources, please let me know. We're also planning to set up some string lights, and some hanging planters. Stay tuned for more details...

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T13:34:00.008-04:00

Today is the day! He has risen! We headed to Toronto for our church's Easter service, which is always a huge treat every year...What a great weekend this is.

Thinking About 'Stuff' Again

2010-03-29T09:00:00.003-04:00

Remember this post? Well, I've seen another project that's got me thinking about all the 'things' we own, and wondering why I'm constantly struggling with wanting 'more'. Kevin and I are so blessed, and we have everything we could ever need and so much more...

(via Design Mom)

Holly and David's Wedding

2010-03-23T15:30:00.010-04:00

We went to an amazing evening wedding this past weekend, so I just wanted to share. The bride and groom were absolutely gorgeous.

Here they are in the bowling alley that was in the lower level of the reception hall. Kevin and I actually got married at the same place, but we didn't utilize this amazing secret basement! I took a video Holly walking down the aisle. I've known this girl since I was three, so this was a pretty special day. She fell in love with David when I was falling in love with Kevin, so we've got some pretty amazing memories together.

(Pardon the shaky camera work, and my weeping the the background. 'She looks so good!')

Fabric garland

2010-03-19T15:30:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite bloggers posted a really cute tutorial today. Rubyellen from Cakies is showing us all how to make these pretty fabric garlands.
They're super easy, and a great way to use up your scrap material. Check out the instructions here.

A Love Song to Hamilton

2010-03-18T15:30:00.010-04:00

We went to a free concert last night!

Great Lake Swimmers were shooting a music video for their song 'The Chorus in the Underground'. The song is about a show they played at the Underground, six years ago, with A Northern Chorus. As a tribute to that great night, they returned to that same venue, to film their video and play a free concert. It was so rad, because they played the song for the video three times in a row, so the film guys could get some really good footage. I'd never been a part of something like that before, and everybody was so into it! The film director told us to imagine we weren't at an intimate folk show, but instead, at an old Southern Baptist church service. It was awesome...there so much clapping and cheering. Anyways, here's a few pictures, and a video from the show. Enjoy.

People's Choice: 1963

2010-03-17T09:00:00.007-04:00

Gah! I don't follow the Brad and Angelina story, but this photo shoot is UH-MA-ZING!

Set in 1963, Brad co-directed this shoot, wanting to show that as the squeaky-clean 50's faded away, the 60's were giving way to something much more complicated. 'The facade was still being maintained,' he says, 'but things were starting to crumble underneath.' Well...the aesthetics were to die for, Brad.

(via Whorange)

An Afternoon in Westdale

2010-03-11T09:00:00.005-05:00

I spent Monday afternoon in Westdale. It was the sunniest day we've had this year. Kevin and I went for lunch at My Dog Joe, where we drank tea and ate delicious fruit. It was glorious.

My day:

Work Hard

2010-03-09T15:30:00.002-05:00

In line with this morning's post...
I think this is a pretty good motto to live by:

(Anthony Burrill)

A new chapter

2010-03-09T09:00:00.008-05:00

(Flickr Pool: 1930s-40s in Color; via Here's Looking at Me, Kid)

I'm in the process of moving from one chapter in my life to another. For the past nine months, I've had my own store in Hamilton. This has been an absolutely fulfilling experience for me. However, Kevin and I have realized that parenthood is not that far off for us, and we have some other things we'd like to accomplish that we were not able to do while running a store. So, we're selling our business. We're moving on. It's time for a new chapter.

Everyone keeps asking me: 'So, what are you going to do now?' ...and to be honest, I really don't know. Our aim in selling the business was to simply our lives, and find a way to relax and live in 'shalom'. We want to be able to enjoy life, with minimal stress. We want to have the time to explore our great city, and spend time with our friends and family. I want time to clean my house, and hang my laundry on the line. We want to pay off school debt, and ready ourselves for children. We want to contribute to the healing and restoration that is taking place in Hamilton. We have a few projects under wraps, that we'd like to have time and energy to focus on. So...who knows how I'll spend the next few months and years.

Today I was inspired by this post. I've never been a career-driven woman, and my passion has always been to have children, and to do good for my city, but I am very much looking forward to finding a meaningful job, where I can really utilize my gifts. The prospect of a job like this is very exciting. I'll keep you updated, as I discover where the job-searching process takes me.

Button Cookies

2010-03-08T15:30:00.006-05:00

I'm in love with this photo tutorial from Forty-Sixth at Grace. Who knew cookies could be so pretty? These are exceptionally easy to make, and would make such a nice gift.

(via Prudent Baby)

I wanna pretty up my street

2010-03-02T12:00:00.000-05:00

As the snow melts, Kevin and I are realizing that a neighborhood garbage-pickup is in order. I saw these pictures, and wondered if we should decorate our street at the same time. How pretty...

(via Rummey Bears)

(via Dark Lamb)

Flickr Fav: Ethanollie

2010-02-26T15:22:00.001-05:00

Click above to see bigger image. Find Ethanollie's photostream here.

Project: Lighting the Piano Room

2010-02-19T19:58:00.000-05:00

Kevin and I have had visions of hanging light bulbs in our piano room for a long while now. We've got our friend Enoch over, and I'm watching him and Kevin plan out the masterpiece. This room has been too dark for too long, and the light that comes in from the front of the house will soon be limited (after our mudroom curtains are installed). Project pictures will come soon...

Inspiration:

I have a lot of stuff

2010-02-17T10:29:00.000-05:00

I had a friend link me to The Story of Stuff Project, and it got me thinking. I guess I'm in a bit of a predicament. There is almost nothing I enjoy more than a morning of good yard sales, or an afternoon at a flea market. I love old things, and beautiful things and memorable things and unique things. But at my core, I also don't want to have a lot of 'things'. Perhaps this is an issue of self-control?

When I saw this poster, it struck a chord with me. There is something very peaceful about being aware of everything you own.

Could I do this? Could I document everything I own?. Perhaps we can be inspired by Dave Bruno, author of the 'Stuck in Stuff' blog, and his '100 Thing Challenge'. Just food for thought...

Love Week #2: Shout it from the rooftops!

2010-02-09T14:50:00.000-05:00

There's nothing as sweet as proclaiming your love to the world. Every year, on Valentine's Day, my husband and I go out with our big 'Honk if You're in Love' poster, and intrude on people's romantic evenings. We stand at street corners, hoping people will honk (or yell obscenities). We hide behind cars, and pop out at unsuspecting couples. It really is a lot of fun...
I was so happy when I found these lovelies over at Please Sir:

Vintage Herb Labels

2010-02-02T10:49:00.000-05:00

I often wonder: If my cupboards were beautiful, would I enjoy cooking more? I've had dreams about uniform containers for storing my kitchen essentials. I can envision my baking supplies, in pretty glass jars, all in a row. All my spices in perfect little canisters. I think these would do the trick:
Amy from Eat, Drink, Chic posted these last summer, and they are still on my to-do list. They're just so pretty! She even has step-by-step instructions for giving your paper a vintage look, and she provides a PDF of the labels! Find the instructions here.

(via Eat, Drink, Chic)

Flickr Fav: Anja Mulder

2010-01-27T14:56:00.000-05:00

Click above to see bigger image. Find Anja's Flickr set here.

Music: Lykke Li & Bon Iver

2010-01-18T14:47:00.003-05:00

Lykke Li & Bon Iver: 'Dance Dance Dance' in LA.

Feeling inspired...

2010-01-07T14:06:00.001-05:00

...by this.

(via ffffound)

I'm here!

2010-01-01T12:00:00.000-05:00

Hello world! Here I am!

It's time for me to have a place that I gather up the things I love.
I hope you'll join me with your recommendations, comments, and general love.
Life is a beautiful thing, and I'm so happy to have a place to show you why I think so.