new banner for etsy shop, maybe?

I have been thinking of using my little birch legged bird
painted on bark for my store banner.
Is it too cutesy or do you like this little guy?
Thank you to my love for turning my art work into a banner!
What would I do without my web designing sweet husband?

bella teaching our puppy how to brush her teeth

I know the footage is kind of poor quality but I can't resist sharing her cuteness. I think Bella may have been speaking French or maybe Swedish...not sure. She is a happy little mischief.

we need bookshelves....

Thanks for all the love yesterday. I do feel a lot better. I hope to be completely well by Friday because we are off to Greenville, SC for a delicious dinner at Pomegranate on Main, ( A lovely Persian restaurant with the most delicious food!)
and then off to my favourite shop I haven't even been to yet, 'knack'!!
I am so excited to meet Barb Blair.
She creates the most fun re-designs ever!
Most inspirational!!

I love all of these but I think I like Nina's shelving in the bottom picture the best. I think the top ones are very similar as well, only taller. We may create some that extend to the ceiling when we build our's. We have so many books it may take 3 walls.

not feeling so well this morning....

candles in honour of earth hour...

We loved our evening of candle light and Scrabble after a busy day.
Enjoying soft lighting from candles and kiddos laughter as we snuggled in a circle on our living room floor for this event. It became more of an opportunity for family closeness than a 'living green' event.
We are thinking of incorporating this into a monthly occasion.

don't forget earth hour, my little birdies....

Earth hour is from 8:30-9:30 pm!! Turn off your lights. Light some candles and enjoy a romantic evening!!!
I apologize for not having posted until this late in the day but I am busy with my love, readying our new etsy shop and playing with my new printer.
Hope you have a great evening and a lovely Sunday.
See you on Monday.

a little goldfrapp for the weekend....

Feeling happy yet?

one of my favourite places back home....

I was looking at a blog called, 'Smoothpebble' this morning. She had a post about composting and it got me thinking about home....

I would often go to the Kitsilano area of Vancouver and take a peaceful walk along the tracks by all of the small community gardens or stroll through the compost demonstration area. The cobb shed and oven, with all of the lovely plants gave way to a feeling of inspiration. It was a mixture of visual stimulation with the lovely scents of flowers, herbs and vegatables.
Enough to bring you to a place of serenity.

We have started our own backyard compost here to improve our clay like soil but I think it will take a few years to see any kind of lushness.

below is all of the little community gardens....some of them were absolutely stunning. (kind of hard to see from this vantage point)

free download of stickers for recycle bins

We saw these on Poppytalk (a Vancouver based blog). Who wouldn't love this city? (Can you tell it is still home for me in my heart?)

I fell for them for aesthetic and organizational purposes for recyclables and thought maybe all of you might like them as well.

Excited about Earth Hour Saturday evening! Click here to vote earth by turning off your lights for one hour - earth hour!

Download, print and stick them to the side/or top of your bins to organize your recyclables. Click here (paper and glass) and here (newspaper and metal) to download.

luved this shop back home in Vancouver....

Vintage fun@
STEPBACK
3026 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V6K 2H1

I used to work just down the street from Robin and Chris. (the coolest people you will ever meet) Their whole family used to ride vintage bicycles.
I remember thinking I wish I was like these people. They are creative, individualistic with a style and personality all their own.
When you step in their store there is something very cool that happens, you truly feel like you have stepped back in time to a very fun past complete with art, vintage home products and furniture made by their parents that are perfectly handcrafted and delightful.
Remember shopping here with me, Lori?
Wasn't it fun?
I wanna come home.

our little animal luver

we heart chelsea ling

Chelsea Ling has the cutest blog on the block in my humble opinion, called
'Paper*Cakes Finds'.
I really admire the concept of her blog which is to feature etsy and other market artists.
What a fabulous way to find artists who would normally get lost in the shadows of the web!
Thinking she is fabulous today!

I have to post this video she had on her blog today because I died laughing...
Tackiliciously funny!

my aunt linda sent me this picture....

Doesn't that dining set look like an expensive version of mine ?

What's funny to me about that is that our table was given to us when we first got married by Don's parents and the chairs were old school chairs I got from a thrift store for $3/each and spray painted last summer.
I guess 'making do' is stylin'.

working a bit more....

Not sure how I feel about the wall I painted today.
I painted 2 lonely birch trees and am thinking perhaps a big vintage or antique mirror may look good above the sofa.

We need to get some prints from etsy that are fun for my divider.

My print by Emily from 'the black apple'

tears...

I know. I know. What kind of mom stands there and takes pictures while her sweet little baby cries!?!
I couldn't help myself. She is so adorable when she cries.
Trust me I have done my own share of crying lately and I wouldn't appreciate someone snapping a camera at me. So I don't really know what overtook me.
I just had to.

a quote...

I read a blog called, 'just lia' and I love it for the way it connects me with other souls.

I have this strange thing I do, kind of compassion, kind of intuition....I don't know...I guess I just try to understand the minds of others so hard that I get a little overwhelmed, sometimes even judgmental without meaning to be in any way. I really want to connect. Maybe it is a 'God' thing. By that I mean maybe God gave me this desire for a reason. I don't know. Usually I find the things God intended for our good can feel like a curse from time to time. If that makes any sense. Maybe I am rambling.

My point being...'just lia' has kinda been a place of safe introspection as well as connection of minds, I guess. Anyways, today I am brazenly stealing a quote from this blog. I think it holds my thoughts for the day. Hopefully, Sarah won't mind.

"It's a reminder--

To live a full life.

To LOVE life--and let life love you right back.

A reminder to turn off the television, the computer, and the blackberries.

To eat meals together.

To play together.

To pray together.

To forgive. Quickly.

Life is short. Too short.

Our time together is so very limited--please, spend it wisely."

~Sarah

cake...perhaps a beautiful disaster

I am never sure what to do for a guy's cake...chocolate, coconut and malted milk balls, may be a bit of overkill.
The cake is not as symmetrical as I would like but there it goes.

Now off to fill the hot dogs with cheese and wrap them with bread dough.

10 things we love about our oldest son:

1. The way he makes everyone laugh.
2. The way he plays guitar.
3. His messy hair.
4. His genuineness and honesty.
   
5. His bravery on a skateboard.
   
6. He strives to get great grades.
7. The way he tells stories. (he is hilarious)
   
8. His thankfulness for even the smallest things.
9. His impersonations of everyone from 'Nacho Libre'
10. He lights up any room with his smile and laughter.

He truly is an amazing son. We all love him so VERY MUCH!
Happy Birthday Brodie!

the lamp...

Alright, so I didn't find the lamp I wanted yesterday but all is not lost I found this little run down lamp instead. I wish I had taken a before shot but I didn't. It was not painted red originally. I thought I would paint the shade for the lamp as well using Orla Kiely for inspiration in hopes of getting a slightly mod retro feel from it.
Please ignore my messy desk

I guess it is sometimes better to purchase items immediately from thrift shops if you love them because more than likely someone else will love them too.

mmm...soul soothing....

Loving the flute sound in this song. I used to play the flute and it is making me want to go out and find one again. It has such a soothing sound when a soul is hurting.

Some inspirations used and yet to use for the nest...

I found this picture from Lisa Congdon's home, on Design Sponge. I loved the red, green, white and a tinge of blue that she used.

A bit of our nest...

Speaking of Lamps

I found a white lamp similar to this at a local Goodwill and didn't pick it up last week.
I am kind of regretting it because I think it would be perfect for on my desk.
I may go back today and see if it is still there.

Love of Paper Lanterns..

Maybe it was all those fun trips to Chinatown in Vancouver or perhaps the Chinese markets in Edmonton, I am not sure but I definitely have a love of paper lanterns.
We have an arc paper floor lamp from Target in our bedroom. I have been thinking about getting some from Ikea for in our living room.
Maybe for above our little Danish style chairs.

Vancouver's Chinatown (above)
Flicker finds of paper lanterns (below)

Sometimes you have friends that you love deeply and you feel the need to bare your soul, putting you in a place of fragility and vulnerability.
You hope that compassion and love will be returned but you are unsure.
When it isn't, how does one respond?
In love?
How do you love when someone pushes you away?
Have you been too intimate?
Did you hurt them with honesty?
Where do you go from there?
How does one show love when you are hurting and stinging from the pain of multiple rejections of sorts?
I don't really know. To be honest, I feel lost at times with this.
This is is what I read today...

"The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."
Galatians 5:14,15
Sometimes what is loving to me is not loving for others. What then?
Have my words "bitten"? Have I unintentionally "devoured" a friend by sharing my pain?

Happy Friday...ending the week with Yael Naim

Feeling with this song today....

Sweet Teas

For a while now I have been slightly discontent with living in the South. Rather than feeling like a caged bird, I think I will find every lovely and inspiring place, person and thing that I can and post once a week on the beauty of the South.
Speaking of which Faith, Bella and myself enjoyed this amazing little bakery in Monroe, NC yesterday.
Sweet Teas

The owner, Mary Fish is delightful.

She makes everything right there in her shop and it is wonderful.
Everything from lovely pains au chocolat (chocolate croissants)which taste like heaven, to amazing cinnamon and orange rolls, truffles, cannoli....I could go on forever.
She does beautiful cakes for weddings and parties. Although it may be hard on the hips, the fact that she uses butter and not shortening or margarine makes the taste of her sweets incredible.

You have to go to truly feel the wonderful European ambiance and to taste these incredible treats.
Go and enjoy!

a girl's day out...

My lovely friend, Faith and I spent a few hours out yesterday in Monroe's downtown.
There aren't a lot of businesses but the ones that are there are great, very much like the cafes back home.

Being around Faith is so inspirational...she is full of adventure and fun.
She just turned 20 but she has this renaissance-esque-ness (my own made up word for her) about her.

Happy 20th Birthday to my sweet friend, Faith!

We heart this little tree hugger!

Tina whose energy seems boundless, is an artist located in L.A. who runs a great little etsy shop called, 'hitree'.
She creates pillows, totes, shirts and pictures of her cuddly perception of nature
and still finds time to teach fire dancing, plays both cello and bass, hoop dances, blogs "Hi Tree!" and has a 3 year old little girl named Hazel.
I have to say I am in awe and rather envious of her energetic little self and her ability to create these wonderful soft, 'come snuggle me-esque' versions of trees.
She inspires me to get out there and get creative today.

I really REALLY want these! Aren't they so cute, you could hug them?