Rug Choices for Uncle Chris's Loft

Yesterday was a bit of a bust!  We went to the mall to exchange a few gifts and after an hour my entire tummy was in one big contraction.  It stayed like that ALL DAY but went no where.  :(  It was very uncomfortable!!!  We are dying to meet JB so the tease contraction was disappointing.

Back to normal today.  My plan is to relax by the TV, read and surf the blog world.  We are going to a friends for a little party tonight.  I don't think NYE is a very big deal and definitely plan on being in bed well before midnight.  Before I leave you, here are my rug suggestions for Uncle Chris's loft.  My plan is to take him to Elte (he's never been) to pick one out.  I should mention his favourite colour is blue.  I think one of Madeline Weinrib rugs will be a great punch to the room which is very much needed.

 Have a very Happy New Years Eve!  xo

Check me out...

Hello dear readers!  I'm back from my Christmas holiday in Kingston with the family.  We ate A LOT of sweets, spent as much time with extended family as we could fit in and relaxed.  As much as I love being in Kingston with the fam, I love coming home to Toronto and to our own KING size bed.  With less than two weeks until my due date I'm very tired and not sleeping very well, so comfort is paramount to me.  Our bed is just that.  Love!  :)

Ryan and I are cooking soup and chilli tonight (stocking up on healthy meals to put in the freezer for when baby Jelly Bean arrives).  It will be early to bed for me, which I'm really looking forward to.  Tomorrow, a bit of running around and then it's back to blog writing.  I need to figure out how I'm going to schedule it in when JB arrives.

Any who, enough of my ramblings...  

Yesterday I was featured on the stylish blog Wallpaper.  Check out the post here.  Liz is incredibly sweet.  I love following her blog with all of the stunning design images.  She featured everything from party ideas, what's hot and in fashion with clothing and jewelry to rooms that are to die for.  You should definitely check her out.

Have a great one! xo

It's Official!

As of today, I'm officially on holidays until January 13th and then I start maternity leave for one year.  Woo Hoo!!!  It was so nice not to wake up to an alarm this morning.  Especially after the terrible nights sleep I had.   Everyone says to enjoy the last few weeks of pregnancy before Jelly Bean arrives.  Quite frankly I think they are all out of their minds because it's uncomfortable to sit, stand, lay down and walk.  I just want JB to be here with us so we can hold him/her, cuddle and get to know one another.  


Today is a busy day - somewhat... I'm off to the mall first thing to finish up Ryan's gift and then the grocery store to stock up on baked good supplies and tomatoe sauce supplies.  My two youngest cousins and Aunt are coming over for a spaghetti dinner tonight.  I plan on baking shortbread with the girls tonight so I need to get them supplies to decorate the trees, snowman and any other cookie cutters I can find.  This afternoon is to rest and make the spagetti sauce.  I absolute detest store bought sauce in a can or jar.  YUCK!  Instead I'm going to try this one by Giada (of course!).  

Marinara Suace

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, andsimmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

Now I can't leave you for the day without an image.  It would be so nice to curl up on these chairs to watch a Christmas movie while eating our baked goods tonight.  This room would be perfect for holiday movie watching and those long hours spent watching a TV series you got for Christmas.  

Enjoy the day!  xo

Turner Davis Interiors

A touch of Morocco!

Today is my last day of work.  For the next year I will be feeding, changing and cuddling my sweet baby - enjoying the time at home.  I'm very excited to start the journey of motherhood.  It honestly feels like yesterday when I told everyone I was pregnant and now we are 3 weeks away from meeting Jelly Bean.  It's so hard to describe how I feel - sometimes anxious and nervous, other times extremely excited and calm.  I'll be home for the holidays and can't wait to spend the time with my family before I lose their attention to the baby.  Haha!  

So for today, let's start our day off with a beautiful image.  Any type of big bloom would look awesome in a similar style cup.  Love these rose blooms with the Moroccan style cups. It would make a lovely table arrangement anytime of year.  

Image via A Creative Mint

Have a great day!!  xo

Christmas Brunch

Last night I watched Giada bake the most delicious chicken souffle on Giada at Home.  I love everything she makes and I always find it easier to replicate the dishes at home.  I think this souffle would be delicious for Christmas morning or Boxing day brunch.  I would pair it with roast potatoes cut very small (think hash browns) and a fruit salad.  Yummy!!!  At least it sounds delicious to momma-to-be.  :) 

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter for greasing the souffle dish, plus 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons), at room temperature
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mild Cheddar
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 packed cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 store-bought, rotisserie chicken, breast meat only, skinned and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• 6 egg yolks, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 2 (1/2-inch thick) slices country-style white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 6 egg whites, at room temperature

Directions

Special equipment: a 2-quart (8-cups) souffle dish

Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 2-quart souffle dish. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 stick of butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheeses, the spinach, chicken, egg yolks, and bread cubes. Stir until combined (mixture will be thick).

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at high speed until they hold stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the chicken mixture. Using a spatula, fold in the remaining egg whites. Spoon the batter into the prepared dish and bake until the souffle is puffed and the top is firm and golden, about 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Nursery update!

Christmas came early at the La Rose house!  We received the glider and nursery rug much earlier than anticipated.  :)  Take a look.  It's not completely finished yet.  I still need to work on the lamp shade, purchase a pull down black-out blind and we need art work for the wall above the dresser.  So far, I love how it's come together.  

This is a big week.  It's my last week of work.  Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!  I can't wait to wake up on Thursday knowing I won't be battling traffic and worrying about making a sale for one year.  All that time with our Jelly Bean.  :)  


Have a great day!

Uncle Chris's Loft

It's my last 'unofficial' day at work.  Today has been filled with me emailing all of my clients, running around and feeling a bit sad but very excited.  It's so strange to think that after next Wednesday morning I will be done work for a year.  Next week I'll only work a few hours in the morning Monday through Wednesday to train the new hire.  It will be strange to say the least...

I promised you pictures of the items we purchased for my Uncle Chris' loft.  We went to CasaLife in liberty village and went nuts.  He's a typical man - shop at one store for everything!  I have at least convinced him to look elsewhere for a rug and lighting.  :)  Hopefully I'll be able to help with those purchases before JB arrives. 

We debated about this mirror for behind the sofa, facing the windows or for the front entrance.  Haven't purchased it yet but I think it would look great in the loft.  It comes in various sizes - taller or wider. 

This sofa was purchased. 

As well as this coffee table but in a different size.  We went with a longer skinner version. 

Since my uncle hopes to sell his loft in the next year or two we decided not to put the tv on the wall but attach it to this lovely contraption.  We'll also be able to hide his speakers and iTV within the cupboards because each window comes with either the glass or mesh which looks great and is highly functional. 

The desk and chair were purchased.  We may go back for the table lamp because I love it's sleek masculine design. 

We bought two of these mirrors.  Love them!

Next week will be much easier to post.  I will have the afternoons to catch up on all the blogs I love and miss and to research my own posts.  We'll also have the baby's room almost complete.  The chair and glider have arrived.  Woo hoo!!  Now we wait for baby JB to arrive in 4 weeks.  :)

Have a great weekend.  xo

House Plant Options

I love the look of plants in a room because of the warmth and life they bring to it.  However, I know nothing about them and I’m terrible at keeping them alive.  A few people have recently asked me about plant options so I did my research.  Below are a few varieties and the information about each.  The type of light in the room is very important, so be very careful!!  

Ficus Benjamina - Braided Stem (Woven stem weeping fig) is a traditional weeping fig but grown with an exotic braided stem. 

Requirements for success:

·         Good light essential to prevent leaf drop but avoid full sun

·         Water once every two weeks if planted in a planter, otherwise keep moist.

·         Liquid feed - April to September

Ficus Cyathistipula - has rich deep green leaves like a large laurel. It makes an ideal screening plant and can grow up to 4m.

Requirements for success:

·         Good to medium light but avoid full sun

·         Water once every two weeks if planted in a planter, otherwise keep moist.

·         Liquid feed - April to September

Ficus elastica - is the rubber plant or Indian rubber tree.  The thick leaves that come in several shades of green are about 12 inches long. Some are variegated. 

Requirements for success:

·         Good light

·         Frequent feeding. 

·         Moist soil but be careful not to overwater.

·         Minimum or no exposure to dry heat or drafts.

·         Limit changes of environment as it does not do well in being moved.

Dracaena marginata - is probably the most versatile of all the Dracaenas and hearty.  It is used in most offices and hotels.  Some confuse this houseplant with a palm but it is not one.

Requirements for success:

·         Provide indirect light.

·         Allow the soil to dry out between watering and provide high humidity with a saucer filled with gravel and water.

·         Feed monthly with half-strength indoor plant fertilizer.

·         Although bright light is the preference it will handle lower light levels and the leaves will be thinner. Plants sold as house plants have been acclimated to lower light so be sure to ask where it has been grown to sit. 

I hope this has been helpful for you!  Good luck in your search for a house plant.  xo

Powder Room Update

Well, my last full week of work is finally here!  :)  I'm so excited to wake up on the 23rd knowing that I won't have to go back to work until January 2012.  A full year with our son or daughter.  :)  I need the next few weeks to relax and rest up though.

The weekend was a busy one.  I got a lot accomplished.  My uncle and I picked out most of his living room furniture.  I'll feature the items tomorrow or Wednesday.  Now we need to pick the paint, hire a painter, purchase lighting and a rug. 

I don't think I've showcased our powder room.  I'm very happy with the colour and look of it so far.  Next year I hope to frame the mirror and add roman shades.  Ryan spray painted the blinds white a month or so ago.  It looks much better than the beige blinds that hung there before.  Now everything ties in together. 

The before shot is on my computer at home.  I'll try and add it tonight.

Now, you'll notice I added a few red berry branches for a holiday touch.  The only other holiday decor is in the living room.  It looks pretty but is quite minimal.  The baby prep and pregnancy have taken over and made it difficult for me to decorate the house for Christmas.  Next year I'll go all out. 

Have a great evening everyone!  xo

Designer Intro - Brian Gluckstein

It's a gorgeous sunny and very cold day in Toronto this morning.  It feels like the middle of January instead of the beginning of December.  Nevertheless it's sunny.  :)  The snow outside our house is getting me excited for a white Christmas.  Can you believe we are 15 days away!!  I need to shop for gifts and bake some cookies. 

Many of my Canadian readers will be very familiar with Brian Gluckstein Designs.  However, for those of you down south and in other parts of the world you need to be introduced to his impeccable style.  Check out this loft designed by Brian and his team. 

The powder room walls are covered with striped wood paneling placed in different directions.  I love the clean design of the sink and base.  Perfectly high-style!  The living room shot features one of my favourite seating arrangements - a comfortable chair and ottoman in front of the fireplace.  It's the perfect spot for reading and relaxing with your favourite cocktail.

Oh my love for this kitchen is immense!  Three full cabinet levels. Amazing!  Not to mention I love the rolling track ladder. 

Love the industrial sink faucet, the pendant lights, huge cooking range and of course the clean lines and simplicity of the cupboards.  This is a masculine kitchen that any women could love.



Be sure to check out his blog here. 

xo Sarah

Home Depot Headboards - Updated

Everyone says to enjoy the time before the baby arrives because life will be mayhem afterwards.  I just don't get that because my life is crazy busy already!  Maybe this means I won't find it as difficult to manage.  :) 

Any who... it's already 2:40pm on Tuesday.  I've wanted to post all day but haven't gotten around to it until now.  I'm not sure if you remember a post I did a month or so ago on headboards sold on the Home Depot website (not available in-store).  If not, here is the post.  My friend Jane ordered one of the headboards.  It has arrived and looks fantastic. 

I should mention that she has just moved into a new home and has triplets!  There isn't a lot of time for her to decorate let alone make the bed.  :)  I think it looks fabulous.  Great find Jane!  Thanks for sharing this with my readers and me. 

FYI this is the kaki fabric.  It has more of a gold undertone than a green... Just in case you want to order the same. 

A Peak at Our Nursery

12 more working days until I'm on maternity leave.  I swear they cannot come quick enough.  I'm so busy!  I really hope there will be time to relax before the baby arrives.  It would be nice to go back to those days where I had time to write a post, research another post and read my favourite blogs.  I'll give you what I can because I love to keep my readers informed and inspired. 

We worked on the nursery yesterday putting up the decal, assembling the Ikea Expidit shelf, doing baby laundry and hanging the curtain rod and curtains.  The room is really coming together well.  The rug and glider arrive in January.  We have a few more items to purchase such as the cork board, fabric and picture frames.  I had a brilliant idea to frame pictures of me and Ryan with our parents when we were a baby and place them above the dresser.  I also want to purchase a few colourful pictures from my friend Lindsay at Penny People Designs.

Here are a few photos I took this morning with the iphone.  It provides just a peak into our nursery.  Once it's a bit more complete I will take photos during a sunny day.  It won't be completely finished until January. 

I think I'll wrap the lamp shade with the purple ribbon.  I need another colour added to the room.  What do you think?

That's all for today. See you tomorrow. 

xo

Beautiful Rooms

Yeah it's Friday!!

I've been experiencing a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions this week so today I'm staying home to relax.  I'm done pushing myself to the max to try and make everyone happy and get all that is on my 'to-do' list completed.  If it gets done great, if not, oh well!  We have six weeks until my due date.  I can't believe the last 8 1/2 months have gone by so quickly.  Right now I feel ripe and ready to go but I know our little Jelly Bean isn't ready to meet us just yet.  I need to try and stay as comfortable as possible in the next six weeks to give JB the home he/she requires until ready.

I'm sure you've seen this room before designed by Diane Von Furstenberg but I thought we should take another look because it's simply gorgeous.  Her bold fabric stands out and provides a unique backdrop to the rooms design.  I love the black paint feautred on the window wall.  This is how bold fabric should be used - in conjunction with neutral walls and neutral fabric so as not to overwhelm you.

 Hello beautiful!!

It's time to relax (after I help my boss out with a proposal).  Have a great weekend!  We (Ryan) will have the baby's room a bit more complete for a post on Monday.  xo

Christmas Essentials

I've been so busy with work and preparing for the baby that I have not decorated our house for Christmas yet.  So last night I got to thinking what I have and what I would like to purchase.  Ryan is telling me no more holiday accessory purchases for this year but I think one ore two items (especially since so much is on sale right now) isn't out of the question.  We have a new house to decorate.  Not just one small apartment. 

Here is my list of holiday items that I love and items that I think are essentials. 

I'm not Jewish but I love the look of this Menorah.  It's beautiful and would add elegance to any room or table setting. 

Pottery Barn

For the mantle I'm partial to velvet stockings and the classic Reindeer stocking holder by Pottery Barn.

Decorating the house is one of my favourite holiday experiences.  It brings back memories and gets me excited for the month of parties, parties with friends, family dinners and time spent together. Candles, pictures of family and friends, a warm throw and mercury glass are all essentials in our house.  

Crate & Barrel

Crate & Barrel / Pottery Barn

The table setting is very important.  I had hoped to host dinner this year but my very big belly and exhaustion have held that off for another year.  It would also be breaking our family tradition and not everyone is ready for those changes yet.  Getting married and splitting my time between families has taken some getting use to for all, including me.  :)

Here are my table essentials:

Crate & Barrel

Can you believe I still have not used my china.  I may break it out on Sunday for brunch with friends or for dinner with Ryan.  It needs to be used!!! 

Kate Spade for Wedgewood

I will need to purchase the red table napkins at some point.  Love them! The white serving platters and bowls from Pottery Barn are practical and classic.

Pottery Barn

Another essential in our house is champagne flutes!  We love drinking bubbly.  :) 

And last but not least, this cheese tray from PB is ideal for serving delicious cheese and pate.  My mother-in-law serves a warm cheese dip that is to die for!!  Add a the silver bowl to the tray and voila!  A perfect serving tray. 

Work is a bit slower for me today.  I actually have time to breath and relax which is a good thing seeing that my belly was contracting all afternoon yesterday.  I predict my last 6 weeks to be uncomfortable but very exciting.  Tonight my friends Megan and Paula are hosting a baby shower for me.  It will be great to see some of my girl friends and talk baby items.  :)

Have a great day!! xoxo