White Blossom

A new blog

2011-07-18T22:13:00.000-04:00

Hey folks. I've started a new blog! Head on over to Life with the Rosie's to follow our family.

A change and a bit of fun!

2011-05-29T20:56:00.000-04:00

Hey folks! Thanks for sticking with me through my lack of posting. :) I'm struggling with how to continue this blog. My passion for interior design just isn't the same. I love it and am definitely interested in it but I have a new passion - Thomas, being a mom and taking care of my family. Something has changed in me since having Thomas. Time is limited and therefore I want to spend it wisely - the energy I give out needs to come back to me. I also want to document more of Thomas' life. So this blog will now be more about my family, Thomas, being a mom, wife - essentially what makes me happy and what brings me energy.

Now onto what I want to share with you. Aaren (SIL) introduced me to Pinterest this afternoon. I've just spent the last two hours browsing the website. It's genius. It's similar to facebook or twitter but with picture updates instead of text. I found this fantastic print by Kiki Creates. I sing this to Thomas every morning and he just looks up at me and smiles. Just one of the many moments during our days together that make my heart melt. I love him so much.

Here is a shot of Thomas after his morning bottle last week. He was sitting on my lap hanging out. The morning tends to be my favourite time with him. He sleeps twelve hours a night now - bless him! So after all that time apart, we get excited to see one another. After his bottle we have a cuddle and a bit of play on his mat. I love this time.

A Touch of Gold

2011-05-16T10:07:00.000-04:00

I love the warmth gold brings to a room. It is definitely one of my favourite colours to use right now. Each week I'll try and bring you a room that uses it well. Today's room is from Lonny's current issue.

As usual I have a million things to do around the house. My plans to complete the gallery wall and Thomas' picture frames this weekend did not happen. I really need to get them done. It's driving me nuts! I'm a pro-procrastinator!!

It's raining again in Toronto! So far this spring is horrible. I just want the sunny hot summer weather to arrive already. I'm sick of the rain and cool temperatures.

Before I was a mom...

2011-05-09T09:16:00.000-04:00

Before I was a mom I never knew...

...what it was like to jump out of bed after hearing Thomas stir in the middle of the night.
...what it was like to wake up every three hours for months and still function during the day.
...how much fun playing peek-a-boo with Thomas can be.
...how much you can accomplish before 9am (if Thomas is asleep or being watched by someone else).
...that I would be part of a mommy's group that sings songs to their babies together for 45 minutes each week.
...that I wouldn't mind being puked, spit-up and drooled on.
...that I would become a cheerleader for Thomas - 'Yeah Thomas you picked up your toy!! WooHoo!! (insert high kick and pom-poms here)
...that cleaning my house would become a race.
...that singing nursery rhymes and clapping by hands would be essential to preparing and making meals.
...that I could smile this much. :)

...what unconditional love felt like.

...how Thomas' cry would make me cry.

...how my heart can break when Thomas is in pain.

...how a smile from Thomas melts my heart.

...how much I love being a mom.

Thomas is definitely the most precious thing about life. Everything has changed for the better. I could not be happier.

Cheers to all the moms out there (especially mine)! I have so much respect for you. I never knew how much you truly did for me until I took on this role. You are amazing!

Have a great week everyone.

Elte

2011-05-06T14:00:00.000-04:00

I just received an email regarding today's opening of Elte's second floor. This is my absolute favourite home store in Toronto!! It's filled with so many brand names such as Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. I'm so excited to go and check out their new line of furnishings set at reasonable price-points (there words... not mine). Will let you know what it's like when I visit next week.

Final touches on Thomas' nursery

2011-05-05T21:01:00.000-04:00

If you haven't discovered Penny People Designs yet then you must head on over to shop. Lindsay the owner is an incredibly talented designer. She creates posters for the kiddies, stationary, business and personal calling cards. I have been lucky enough to meet her personally. Thomas and her son Oscar hung out last month while Linds and I chatted about everything!! She's so easy going, sweet and generous. We were sent home with these prints. I love them and have big plans for them in Thomas' nursery.

Ikea Ribba Frame

You'll have to wait for the finished product. :)

My little man...

2011-05-04T09:42:00.000-04:00

Thomas is growing far too quickly!! He had his four month check-up yesterday at the doctors. He is 16 lbs and 25.5" putting him in the 75th percentile. I always new new he was above average. :) So far he's reacted well to the immunization shots. He slept twelve hours last night!! I woke up in a panic this morning thinking something was wrong. I was paranoid but also annoyed that I was 'that over-reacting mom' who always thinks the worst. I argued with myself internally until I went and checked on Thomas in his crib. He was sleeping peacefully. Very sweet!!

These photos were taken around Easter weekend. I have more recent from my iphone but they won't upload. I have just spent the last 45 minutes trying to figure it out. I swear I almost chucked the computer across the room. Thomas will be waking up any minute now and I haven't gotten anything done. Very frustrating!!!

Be back tomorrow. Hopefully with a video of him.

Have a great day!

Kelly Green Dining

2011-05-03T08:12:00.000-04:00

Two days in a row! Woo Hoo!!!

While reading Isabella & Max I spotted a room by Katie Rosenfeld that sparked an interest. Her portfolio is full of bright beautiful rooms. Take a look at this stunning kelly green dining room. A very talented designer. I love how fresh the green is against the white paneling, modern chairs and traditional table.

Thomas has his four month check-up and shots at the doctors office today. Last time they made him sick to his stomach for three days. I really hope it won't happen again. I also hope it doesn't effect his sleep. He slept through the night last night and I would love it to happen again, and again and again! :)

Wish us luck!

Have a great day!!!

Laundry Day!

2011-05-02T09:09:00.000-04:00

I was a bit lazy on Sunday and left the laundry for today. I don't mind doing laundry but I really hate doing it in our laundry room because it's down in our unfinished basement. I dream of having cupboards and a large folding table/counter, tiled floor, bead-board walls in a warm white and blue green painted ceiling. Ah... it sounds so lovely!

For now, lets enjoy this laundry/mudroom by Hardrock Construction.

All photos via Houzz

Thomas is sleeping soundly in his crib. This is the first nap of three for the day. Now that we have a nap schedule I think it will be easier to post on a regular basis. Yeah!!!

Happy Monday!

Royal Wedding... Ah... What a day!

2011-04-30T09:25:00.000-04:00

Lucky for me, Thomas slept right up until 4:15am yesterday morning. We had a quick bottle, back to bed for him and downstairs to watch the Royal wedding for me. I'm so glad Megan and I woke up early to watch the festivities. It was a true fairy tale and very romantic. I was in awe the entire morning. Kate looked breathtakingly regal and William was beyond handsome in his uniform. It will be a day I will always remember.

Martin Meissner Photo via CTV

Today I'm hosting afternoon tea for me and two friends. I will try and take a photo. Have a great one folks!

Rob Lowe's Santa Barbara House

2011-04-28T20:05:00.000-04:00

Hello! It's been a while. Thomas, Ryan and I have been enjoying a lot of family time. I've been keeping busy with two Mommy and baby classes, hanging out with other moms, running the household and just daily life. Life is great! I honestly didn't know I would love being home with Thomas as much as I do. The idea of going back to work Jan '12 is depressing. I try not to think about negatives and only think positively now. How could I not?! I have a loving family, the world's best husband, an adorable little baby boy, wonderful friends. :) I'm a happy camper.

Tonight our friend Megan is sleeping over. We plan on waking at 4am to watch the Royal wedding. I'm giddy with excitement!! Will recap later tomorrow on our scones, tea and wedding party for two. Right now, I need to share photos of Rob Lowe's house which was featured on Oprah today. It has also been featured in Architectural Digest. It's stunning!! Rob, his wife worked with interior designer David Phoenix. It's absolutely stunning. Check it out for yourself.

All photos above via David Phoenix portfolio

via www.oprah.com

Easter Dinner Table Setting

2011-04-13T21:18:00.000-04:00

This year I'm Ryan and I are hosting Easter dinner for my family. It's our first holiday event in the new house and with Thomas. I'm very excited!! Mostly to have my family here for the weekend and partly for the chance to use my (I know I should say our but let's be honest I'm more interested in it) china set. I've purchased a new table cloth which is turquoise and gold and have been researching ideas for table settings and centre peices. Here are a few beautiful tables to start the juices flowing.

p.s. Thanks for checking in! I will eventually get back into the swing of things. Until then I may have more posts on Thomas than interiors. :) xo

2011-04-11T21:12:00.000-04:00

I'm still here... just taking my time getting back into the blog world. I'm actually feeling like I've lost my interior design blog mojo. It's not just in the blog world. My favourite home decor magazines lie unread each month. Who knows... I still have plans for the house but everything seems to be on hold right now. Maybe I just need to dive in and see how it goes.

Debating on starting a mommy blog as my life is all about Thomas right now. We'll see...

xo

Always remember this...

2011-03-23T15:36:00.000-04:00

This quote is for my sisters, especially my little sister Tara. I love you very much and want you to believe in yourself as much as I believe in you. X

Off to bed

2011-03-22T21:24:00.000-04:00

Thomas and I are still trying to find the right schedule. Well let's be honest, I'm trying to schedule a routine and Thomas is doing the complete opposite. Some days he will nap and other days it's like a nap would be sheer torture. On the positive side he's a very good night sleeper. We're down to two 5 minute feedings between 8pm and 7am. Unfortunately, this is still not providing me enough time to do everything I need to do like blog, return emails, clean, prepare meals...etc. We're slowly getting there.

I officially became the classic over-reacting first time mom today. My mom and the doctor basically told me in a very sweet way that he's perfectly fine and to call the doctor if he gets a fever. Haha!

This is going to be a short post but at least I'm posting. I found this room while browsing James Michael Howard's profile. I thought it perfect since all I dream of these days is more sleep. A finished bedroom like this one would be an ideal retreat.

Mummy & Thomas

2011-03-11T18:22:00.000-05:00

Thought you would enjoy seeing a pic of me and my little man. I love this photo.

9 1/2 Weeks!

2011-03-11T18:05:00.000-05:00

I can't believe our baby boy is almost 10 weeks old now. Everyone says it goes by fast but this is ridiculously fast. I'm trying to record as many moments as possible. Thank goodness for the iphone4. I haven't picked up our ordinary camera once because I get great photos with the phone and it's always with me. Here are a few of our recent moments. Thomas is laughing a lot now! He loves when we blow air on his face and make motor sounds. Seeing him smile melts my heart.

My dad (Grampa Mike) spent some time with us last week/weekend. Each morning he and Thomas would have a good cuddle and conversation. Below is one of the best photos of the two of them having a conversation. You can tell Thomas adores his Grampa!

Last night Thomas slept 9 1/2 hours straight! I'm hoping for the same thing tonight but won't count on it. We'll stick with our routine and see what happens.

Have a great weekend!!

Good to know...

2011-03-09T17:21:00.000-05:00

After finally getting caught up on a few of my favourite magazines, blogs and discovering a few new ones I decided to put together a post on what I loved and what I have learned from other bloggers.

Jason at 'These Roving Eyes' has a beautiful blog that must be checked out! He lives in Toronto (I love reading Canadian blogs) and gave a great tip about an airline out of Buffalo (he said Niagara Falls NY but I assume it's Buffalo airport). It's called Spirit Air and offers incredibly cheap tickets to Florida among other destinations. Good to know for next Winter when we go to visit Ryan's parents down south. :)

Camila over at Effortless Style gives a step by step on how to spray paint furniture. It's a must read for anyone wanting to do this themselves...aka, me. I still need to refinish the chair I purchased last summer. It won't happen until sometime in the spring.

One of my favourite Toronto bloggers is featured on Style at Home's blog. Congratulations Aubrey & Lindsay!! If you don't follow their blog, then your missing out. I met Lindsay at a blogger party and discovered she is as sweet in person as she seems to be in her blog writing.

Chatelaine is one of my new favourite magazines. I think when you become a mom you instantly want and need a subscription to this Canadian essential read. It has great recipes and tips! Check it out online if you haven't already. Check out their online article How to decorate an open space with elegant accents.

I also recently discovered Dabble. A brand new CANADIAN online magazine devoted to design, travel and food. What more could a girl ask for in a magazine? Well, maybe if it delivered chocolate and a glass of wine with every issue. ;-)

Enjoy these finds! xo

A little green and a bit tired!

2011-03-07T08:31:00.000-05:00

Hello! The last week has been crazy. I had such good intentions of posting but never even got a chance. Thomas had his first set of immunization shots last Tuesday. Since then he has been a bit cranky, had an upset tummy and very tired. During the day he has refused to sleep on his own. He only wants to be in my arms and will sleep for about 10 minutes at a time and then he cries again and we have to go turn on the stove fan (it's very loud and calms him down). Over the weekend he slept longer in my arms but would not sleep on his own for very long. I think I've gotten into a bad habbit because he wouldn't fall asleep on his own last night in his crib (he normally goes down before 8pm and falls asleep on his own). Last night he cried, fussed, cooed... it was a long night. Finally at 10:30pm we had to let him cry it out. It only took 15 minutes of us letting him know we are there for him without picking him up for him to fall asleep. It was hard on me! Hate to see him cry. I know it was a good thing though.

It's amazing how exhausting caring for a nine week old can be. Some days I have done nothing but rock him to sleep during the day, hold him all day long, calm him down, play with him, feed him, change him, sometimes change myself because I have puke on me, and put a load of laundry on. That's it! These tasks sound like they wouldn't take much time but they do. It's my entire day! I have so much respect for all moms around the world.

Today was my first day of exercising in 10 months. I woke up at 6:15am for an hour of yoga. Exactly what I needed. I feel great now. It will help me throughout my day. The plan is to exercise 4x a week. Wish me luck!

Right, the little man is getting upset. Time to play with him. But before I go, I leave you with this kitchen. I love it. It's not a big grandiose designer kitchen. It's achievable for us every day folks. I love it's simplicity and the beige and green scheme. Mom I thought of you when I saw it.

Have a great day! xo

Aaren & Mike's Nursery

2011-02-23T09:14:00.000-05:00

Good morning!

We had a great night of sleep. Thomas went to bed at 9pm and slept until 6:45am with feeds at 1:15am and 4:15am. There was a bit of crying at 3:15am but some shushing from mom and a pacifier he was back to sleep. I was so happy! This is the first time that he's gone back to sleep without being rocked. WOOHOO!!!!! I'm also working on getting him back to feeding every 3 hours instead of every 2 which he was getting accustomed to. We are making progress. :)

We have a busy day ahead - nap, bath, play, hosting my SIL Maria and her kids for lunch and then off to the mall where Thomas will sleep in the stroller and I will get a bit of down time. Right now he's trying to fall asleep. We'll see if that happens. I hear a few weak cries and then he's quiet again. All I want to do is rock him to sleep because it's warm and cozy for both of us but I know it's a bad habit to get into.

My SIL Aaren and her husband Mike are expecting their first child in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully soon as I know how uncomfortable she is right now. Those last few weeks are brutal!

Here are pictures of their gorgeous nursery. They did a wonderful job creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for baby. Thomas and I have christened the glider. He was mesmerized by the mirrors behind it. Mike painted the two canvases above the crib. LOVE THEM! I've already put in an order for Thomas' nursery. Will post pictures once they are completed. The bassinet was Mike's as a baby. His mom refinished it and passed it onto them. All of the kids in his family including his niece and nephew have slept in it. I think that is incredibly special.

Feature Walls

2011-02-22T14:45:00.000-05:00

We went home to Kingston this past weekend. It was Thomas' first trip. He did really well. Slept the entire trip there and back with one stop on the way there for a feeding. I don't blame him for that since we were in the car for 5 hours!!! Not ideal but it was a quick two and a half hours trip back to the city on Sunday night.

I'll post pictures later this week. Right now I want to tackle the 'feature wall'. I'm only a fan if it's done properly. What I mean by this is please do not ever make one wall a totally different colour than the other three walls in the room. It needs to blend it. Essentially, the background of the feature wall should be the same or similar colour to the other three walls. This way it doesn't look so out of place. That's just my opinion though... you can do what you like.

This first room doesn't do it for me. I love the idea but think they would have nailed it if the feature wall colour was flipped around - gold lines and cream background.

This one is perfect. The background colour is similar to the other three walls with the image being a different colour. Love it.

This is another great example.

This is a recent room from Candice Olsen's Tell All show on W network. She has two feature walls which I think work because they act as art.

Candice Olson

This one has to be the worst!! I absolutely hate the feature wall. It's completely different than the other walls. This is a how-not-to-do.

All images via Decorpad

What are your thoughts? Do you like a feature wall or hate them?

x Sarah

Thomas Update

2011-02-18T16:07:00.000-05:00

Here is Thomas making friends with his stuffed animal. We've named him Cooper Jr after my parents chocolate Lab Cooper.

The picture quality is crap but I think Thomas looks so adorable in his duck onesie.

Thomas will be 7 weeks on Monday. He's growing so quickly! The time is flying by too quickly! I'm trying to take in every moment with him (minus then ones where he's crying). I don't want to forget anything about our time together. I feel so blessed to be a mom and to have Thomas in my life. Right now he's sitting in his MommaRoo chair listening to waves crash, enjoying a little motion called the Kangaroo (his favourite) and watching mom blog. I'm grateful for the moment he's given me.

Have a wonderful long weekend! I'll be back on Monday or Tuesday. xo

What's White, Blue and Brown?

2011-02-16T08:58:00.000-05:00

Good morning! I hope everyone is doing well. Thomas and I have just finished breakfast and had a little cuddle and bath. Now he's sitting on my lap (well leaning against my tummy) watching me write the blog post. I have to admit, it's a perfect morning. :)

I spotted this room on google images last week and immediately loved the crisp contrast between the white wall and chocolate brown background of the shelves and touches of blue. You can tell this room gets a lot of light from the french doors. I dream of having beautiful french doors leading out to a gorgeous backyard where Thomas will be playing. Until then I will set for drooling over this room.

We are off to my physio appointment now. Lets hope my shoulder is improving again and has not regressed like it did at Mondays appointment.

Jeremy Samuelson

A Room Full of Passion

2011-02-14T08:07:00.000-05:00

Red, the colour of passion. This kitchen certainly makes me think the home owner is serious about cooking and is a very passionate person. It's stunning. Definitely an head-turner. I love the double height cabinets, the chandelier and row of windows. This is definitely an inspiration to my future dream kitchen.

So, I'm back to the blog world. I have a few posts planned for this week. As mentioned previously, my goal is 3x a week. Thomas is 6 weeks old today and keeping us VERY busy or should I say me very busy as he sometimes wants to feed on the hour. We love our time with him and are absolutely amazed at his growth!! I'll post a picture later.

Happy Valentine's Day!!! xo

My little man is keeping me busy

2011-01-25T20:38:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry for not posting as I had hoped to do so. Thomas is keeping me quite busy!! I also injured my shoulder - tendinitis in my shoulder. It's very painful! When I'm not holding our little one or feeding him every hour or two, I'm resting, icing and going to physio. Not what I had planned for our first month together but we're dealing. Give me a bit more time to heal and get Thomas into a schedule. I promise to be back.

For now, check out his latest photos.

Week Three with Thomas

2011-01-18T17:33:00.000-05:00

Hello out there! Anyone still there? I can't believe I didn't lose you all during my hiatus. The last two weeks have been full of feedings, diaper changes (many since Thomas is King Pooper), sleeping when we can (which honestly has been more than we thought we would be), many visitors and a few outings (well, mostly to the doctors and the lab for blood work). This time has also shown us that we have more love to give than we ever thought possible and how much loving this perfect little being can hurt but in a great way! Ryan and I spend hours staring at him amazed at the may little faces he makes (we are getting to know a few of them and what they mean). It's a privilege to be his mum and dad. The best feeling in the world!!! I thought I only had one love of my life - Ryan. I was wrong. I'm incredibly blessed to have two. :)

I haven't had a minute to sit down and research new posts. I do know that tonight is Sarah Richardson's third 101 show. I missed the first and only caught a glimpse of the second. I really liked the room. However, I'm not sure she's teaching anything new. It feels like all her other shows. Not necessarily a bad things since she knows what works to keep us viewers coming back. Here is the rooms she'll create tonight. I love the thick green stripe she has running down the centre wall and ceiling. Very catching! Hopefully I'll be able to stay up and watch but knowing how I feel right now, it won't happen.

I know you're all dying for a few photos. Feast your eyes on these!

This is the last week of my pregnancy. Check out that huge beach ball bump!

This is the second week. I look way too puffy in the first week and I don't think I got out of my pj's much so you won't be seeing those photos.

Gran took this one last Thursday or Friday. I love this outfit!

This was taken on Sunday. Look at that sweet face. It puts a HUGE SMILE on mine every time I look at it.

The happy family.

I'll be back again - hopefully tomorrow but there are no promises. My goal is to post at least three times a week for the first little while. xo

It's a boy!!!

2011-01-08T13:11:00.000-05:00

Our little boy was born Monday january 3 at 3am weighing 7lbs 7oz. He has fair skin and blond hair, almost strawberry blond. Too cute for words!!!! Ryan and I are head over heels in love with him. It has been a bit of a rough week but its getting easier.

I will be back with pictures and more updates as soon as I can. Right now my priority is Thomas and my recover.

Rug Choices for Uncle Chris's Loft

2010-12-31T11:10:00.000-05:00

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...

2010-12-29T18:07:00.000-05:00

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!

2010-12-23T08:46:00.000-05:00

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!

2010-12-22T08:23:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-21T08:45:00.000-05:00

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!

2010-12-20T07:35:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-17T14:00:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-14T13:52:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-13T16:15:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-09T12:16:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-07T14:49:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-06T15:05:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-03T09:54:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-02T11:29:00.000-05:00

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

I'm here... just working...

2010-12-01T16:19:00.000-05:00

I have 15 more working days until I start maternity leave. You would think my schedule and workload would slow down. Not the case! It's been mayhem at work. There is so much to do and so much to pass off to my colleagues. I haven't had time to browse the web, write a post or even open my blog page or any other for that matter.

I will hopefully be home at a reasonable hour tonight and will put a post together for tomorrow. It will probably be on IKEA shelves for the nursery seeing that I need them and haven't researched them yet. Stay tuned and thanks for checking in!

Little Moma-to-be signing off... hehe! :)

2010-11-25T10:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope all of my American readers have a wonderful day spent with their family and friends. Eat until you can't eat anymore, travel safely and just enjoy!

xo

Glitz & Glamour

2010-11-25T09:51:00.000-05:00

I adore Stella & Dot Jewellery! They have a great mix of classic and modern pieces. Here is a selection of my current obsessions. Ryan, anyone of these would make a great Christmas and or push present! :) Just and FYI...

Client Project Update

2010-11-24T13:33:00.000-05:00

It's another insane day at work. Seriously, aren't I supposed to be slowling down and not picking up speed before maternity leave??? Luckily I love being busy and it makes the time fly by.

On Sunday Paula and I shopped fabric samples for her living room. We were looking for drapery and pillows. We came away from InVu Drapery with a large selection of gorgeous fabrics. Below is what we narrowed the selection down to.

This is the one we are going with. The large sample will be the drapes. The smaller samples are for pillows.

This was another option that was seriously being considered but we like #1 more.

This is the fabric for a large bench that will be placed in front of their fireplace. I don't have a picture of the bench anymore. It would fit about 6 people sitting on it back to back. Great for entertaining! It looks much less brown in person.

Next steps:

Order the drapes and pillows which will take about 6-8 weeks (just like everything in Toronto)
Find and purchase end tables
Find and purchase cabinet
Art work - this is in progress.
Accessorize
Purchase tall plants for near the window

We hope to have this room completely purchased for by the time Jelly Bean arrives. Then it will just be a matter of putting it all together.

Back to work for me. I was supposed to go to an event store opening tonight but it looks like I'll be working instead. Boo! :(

Kyleen's Nursery

2010-11-23T10:53:00.000-05:00

I'm swamped today so this is going to be quick. My dear friend Kyleen is expecting her first baby sometime this week. I'm so excited for her and can't wait to meet her soon-to-be daughter. For now, we all get to check out the beautiful nursery Kyleen and her husband Andrew put together. I think it looks fabulous!! I especially love the wall colour, decal with hot pink birdies and the mirrored butterflies from Pottery Barn.

*Please ask permission to use any of the photos in this post.

Good luck waiting for your new arrival and during the labour and delivery Kyleen! Ryan and I are thinking of you both and can't wait to share the experience of being first time parents together. xo

Dining Room Reading

2010-11-22T12:22:00.000-05:00

How much do I love book shelves in the dining room? A lot!!! The idea of being surrounded by novels that allow you to escape the daily grind, the great reads that inspire you, it's magical. If I could, I would have book shelves in every room. They bring warmth to a room, making it less formal.

Katie Lydon

It's already 12:20!!! This day is going to fly by. Yeah! Did I mention I have only 23 working days until I'm on maternity leave? It can't come quick enough because I'm so tired and my belly is getting in the way of sitting at my desk and in the drivers seat of my car comfortably.

Canadian Design Blogger's Night Out

2010-11-21T08:27:00.000-05:00

Thank you to our hosts and sponsors last night. The event was wonderful!! I met so many lovely bloggers. There was great conversation a lot of laughter. Who knew there were so many of us in and around Toronto. I do hope we can continue getting to know one another and supporting eachothers work and blogs.

xo Sarah

I'm still here!

2010-11-19T13:52:00.001-05:00

Hi! I have no excuse other than I have had no inspiration this week. I would start a post and then get frustrated and scrap it. It's been one of those weeks where I can't make up my mind, feel slow, tired, uncomfortable and a bit cranky to be honest. Thank goodness for weekends where I can reenergize. My mom and grandma are visiting tonight. I can't wait to show grandma our home and host both of them for the night. Ryan is making cookies as we speak. There is nothing like greeting guests with freshly baked goodies. We'll spend the evening catching up and maybe watch a movie. Tomorrow, breakfast and then they are off to spend the rest of the weekend with my mom's siblings. I get to meet up with Paula to shop for fabric. We have chosen red as the accent colour in the living room. I can't wait to see what our options are for cushions, throws and drapes.

Saturday night will be a blast!! I'm headed to the Toronto blogger party. I won't lie, I'm a wee bit nervous to meet the friends I've made over the internet and those who I admire from afar.

Today I leave you with these rooms from Jeffrey Bilhuber. I'm amazed at this first room with what looks like nail head trim against either wall paper or fabric. Either way I love it!! The precision in putting this together is mind boggling.

...again dying with the details on the walls!

Love the drapes, especially the colour and the artwork above the sofa. It's so different!

A chandelier in the shape of a ship, brilliant and totally unexpected!

I wish you all a very good weekend. See you next week! xo

Nursery Update Part 2

2010-11-15T11:01:00.000-05:00

Hello friends & family. I hope everyone had a great weekend! We were very productive! The nursery stripes have been completed and they look awesome! It was a team effort, I measureed and taped, Ryan painted 3 coats on the wall (you're the best lovie!!).

The crib bedding has been washed. I hope we'll put the crib together on Wednesday night. Before that happens the baseboards need to be cleaned up with a bit of white semi-gloss paint and the back of the nursery door needs a coat. I'll beg Ryan to complete this tonight so we (he) can just get it over with and I will feel like the room is going to be finished before JB arrives. :)

With less than 8 weeks to my due date I'm in full on nesting phase. I want everything in the house to be completed now! The nursery is the most important! The progress could pick up. I have to write thank you notes to all of those who attended my first baby shower and organize the gifts and many boxes of baby stuff given to us by family and friends. The basement needs to be organized. Right now it's a pile of mess. So much to do and so little time!

That's it for now. I might be back again later this aftn. xo

Nursery In Progress...

2010-11-12T10:33:00.000-05:00

Yeah it's Friday!!! :) It's a good day at work (so far...), mild outside and the weekend is only hours away. Ah, I'm happy. I'm also happy with our nursery progress. Last night Ryan and I put up the chandelier. It was another memorable experience. I think Ryan was cursing it every minute for the 45 minutes that it took us to put up. If I purchase another one anytime soon he might just take it back to the store when I'm not looking. There has been so much going on with the house for the last few months. It's time for a break. But not before we get the nursery in order. I have measured and taped 3/4 of the room. I will finish tonight and purchase the paint tomorrow morning. Hopefully we'll have a big reveal on Monday or Tuesday. :) Fingers crossed.

Check out our progress...

Items required for creating the horizontal lines. I taped the level to the ruler so I know my lines will be straight.

The walls look dirty in this photo for some reason. The back of the door still needs another coat of white gloss paint.

And here is our gorgeous chandelier. I love it!

Rustic Living

2010-11-11T09:13:00.000-05:00

These two rooms by Kathleen Rivers have been filed under 'future country home' or 'future ski lodge'. My love list: grey doors and balconies flanking the fireplace, Circa Lighting pendant, double height ceiling, wood beams, canvas above the fireplace in spring colours, french doors and harvest table with comfortable chairs. I want to buy this place and plop it down in Whistler. I guess I'll also need a jet to take me to and from as often as I want. A few million in the bank would also help with this pipe dream!

House Beautiful

Have a great day! xoxo

Jonathan Adler Nursery

2010-11-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

I meant to post this yesterday but totally forgot. The days just seem to fly by and then I get home and I'm exhausted! I love the bold blue wall and colourful art and modern elements in this nursery. The orange zebra rug completes the room and really brings it to life.

We haven't made any progress on the nursery this week. Tonight will have to be productive! I really want to get the stripes on the wall and the furniture set up.

Fresh Start - Home Depot Surprise

2010-11-08T16:48:00.000-05:00

I know I'm hours late in posting. It's just been one of those Mondays. The weekend was great! Very busy. I did manage to purchase the nursery items off my list but nothing else was completed.

A friend of mine (Jane) introduced me to her latest find - Home Depot headboards! Check it out. They looks gorgeous online. The only down side is you cannot look at the fabric selection in person BUT if you don't like the finished product it's fully returnable! :) The price doesn't get much better either $279 - $519 for a king.

Tomorrow I'll update you on the nursery. Have a great evening! xo

A Vision of Lime Green & Blue

2010-11-05T08:22:00.000-04:00

Good morning! I could not be happier that it's Friday. My weeks are going by fast but they are packed full and the to-do list keeps growing. Hopefully I'll get a lot completed this weekend. On my list of things to do - purchase/order crib mattress, glider, and rug; meet my uncle to go over the sofa, rug and lighting selections for his loft; sketch the horizontal lines on the nursery wall (painting will wait until next week most likely!); purchase white lamp shade for nursery lamp; sand down nursery closet door (it won't shut); dismantle current useless shelf in the same closet to prepare for a paint job and new metal shelves fit for kids. Some of this will obviously be done by Ryan. Thanks lovie! :)

Sunday is my first baby shower hosted by my sister-in-law Aaren and my mother-in-law. I'm so excited and grateful to both of them for organizing it.

The weather is cold, grey and wet today in Toronto. I think this is a great room to inspire us. I can't get enough of tufted sofas like this one. I especially love the colour! The other furniture is kept neutral to balance the sofa colour. You can barely see the back of the shelves but what you do see reveals the same soft lime green as the sofa. Symmetry is key to balancing a room.

Sarah Dorio Photography

I have a very busy work day ahead and then we're dining at my Aunt Karen's place. I can't wait to see it set up because the last time we were there was move in day. Have a great weekend folks! xo

Dining In The Dark

2010-11-04T11:45:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been very attracted to dark and moody rooms. It may be the change in weather or my hibernation instincts taking over. I just love this grey dining room featured in Better Homes & Gardens. Grey and gold might be my new favourite combination! The pairing is luxuriously rich. This room radiates because of the colour combo and by keeping the ceiling, crown mouldings and French doors white.

Have a great day and thanks for reading! :) xo

Checkerboard Gallery Wall

2010-11-03T09:26:00.000-04:00

We are halfway through the week! Woo Hoo!!

I love the way this checkerboard gallery wall looks and how the colours of the room are picked up in the art. Hanging the pictures from the top of the sofa to the ceiling also emphasizes the height of the room. The look is streamlined and has a big impact!

via Decorpad

Have a great day!! It's going to be another tough one at our office but I'm just going keep my head down and work hard.

Monkeying Around The Nursery

2010-11-02T09:38:00.000-04:00

I really like the idea of using vinyls on our nursery wall to add colour and a bit of whimsy to the room. This is one of them that we will purchase.

Via Etsy

The letters will be in turquoise, the leaves in spring green and monkeys in light brown and beige.

I'm also considering this one but I'm not sure where I'll put it. It's a small room and I don't want to feel overwhelmed with decals.

I've chosen the green paint for the stripes on the wall. Did I mention I changed my mind AGAIN from light turquoise horizontal stripes around the entire room floor to ceiling to a leaf green strip from floor to mid wall, stripes get thinner as we go up the wall? I can't remember anything anymore. (Will my brain power ever return?) Once we start that process I will be sure to take photos and document it.

Fresh Start Monday - Kardashian Inspiration

2010-11-01T09:22:00.000-04:00

Morning! I hope you all had a great weekend. I had a lovely day on Saturday and then suffered with a stomach bug yesterday. I'm still at home recovering. So today let's get inspired with Kloe Kardashians home office. It is very sexy! Working from this office all day long might actually help my sales. Wish I could try a change of venue but I doubt the boss will pay for it.

Have a great day!

Image via Decorpad

Happy Halloween!!!!

2010-10-31T09:32:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween!!!!

Our pumpkins are ready. Ryan and I took Friday night to carve a pumpkin each. He took about 30 minutes and I was at it for hours because surprise surprise I choose a more difficult design. Camera isn't working right now so I'll reveal them later.

I'm taking it easy today. Yesterday was a very busy day of brunching with a friend, shopping with my uncle for furniture and hosting Aaren and Mike for dinner. I served a new appetizer. Three different types of bruchette. Cut a french loaf into slices and toast them in the oven. Add ricotta cheese, chive mixture to the top of one of them and then poor honey over it, ricotta cheese and hot salami to another slice and regular tomatoe bruchette mixture with pine nuts to the other slice. It was delicious!! I should have taken a photo but wasn't that organized. You'll just have to imagine how delicious they looked.

Have a great Halloween!! xo

Ashley Goforth Design

2010-10-29T08:59:00.000-04:00

Yeah it's Friday!! I have no official plans this weekend other than brunch with a friend tomorrow. I'll shop for furniture (my place, the uncle's and P&J's), invite Ryan's sister and husband for dinner and take it easy! And of course we can't forget handing out candy on Halloween to the adorable kids in our neighbourhood. I can't wait to see all the costumes.

I gave you a teaser of Ashley Goforth Design yesterday. Today I'm featuring a selection of her work within dining, living and bedrooms. I love her use of neutral paint, neutral fabric, down-filled cushions, comfortable furniture and modern lighting! She knows the perfect mix of modern and classic design.

Enjoy! xo

Hello Gorgeous!!

2010-10-28T09:19:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a busy day at work. One of these days I will get my act together and finish posts ahead of time. Although, with all that I have taken on - pregnancy, prepping babies room, finishing house tasks, decorating P&J's place, decorating my uncle's loft, day job which includes longer hours now and the blog - it's probably not going to happen anytime soon. Ryan says I should give something up but I just can't imagine doing so. I'm just meant to be very busy. It feels like a lot right now but it also makes me feel really good! Especially decorating my friends and uncle's place. It's so rewarding to see a room come together and a house become a home.

Ok, not sure where I'm going with this post today...

I came across Ashley Goforth on DecorPad. She is incredibly talented! So far I've only had a chance to look at her bedroom designs. I've fallen in love with this one. One day I would like our master bedroom to look similar to what Ashley has accomplished in her rooms - elegant, cozy and classic.

I'm having computer issues and can't seem to load any other pictures. I will be back with more of her work tomorrow.

Have a great day!! xo

Dream rooms for Kids!

2010-10-26T10:21:00.000-04:00

Baby brain has fully kicked in so I have no idea if I showed you these two rooms or not. I did a quick browse of the blog but couldn't find them. I'm obsessed with childrens rooms and designs focused around modern childrens room. Pamplemousse Design Inc is the brilliant team behind them. Genius as usual! I would be here all day if I went through why I loved them so I'll just leave you to enjoy. The second is my favourite!

Fresh Start - Style at Home Living Room

2010-10-25T11:10:00.000-04:00

Morning! I don't know about you but my weekend flew by too quickly! There is so much to get done between now and Christmas. It seems each weekend for the next 5 weeks is jam-packed with events, to-do list tasks and preparing for the Jelly Bean's arrival. We purchased the crib on Saturday. It won't be set up for another few weeks as we still need to paint the stripes. I've narrowed my selection down to 3 green paint colours. I'll take a picture tonight if the light is good.

Today's fresh start image is by Virginia MacDonald. She is a very talented Canadian photographer who works for many of my favourite magazines - House & Home and Style at Home. This living room was featured in Style at Home last month. I love it all! The simple drapes, large gold mirrors (exactly what I need in our living room), and jewel toned accents and a minimalist look. Well done indeed!

Have a great week!! xo

I'm back with a nursery update!

2010-10-21T21:29:00.001-04:00

What a week! It has honestly been one of the most insane weeks I've experienced in a long time. I've been swamped with client requests (yeah!), dealing with what I'll call 'communication issues' and long hours. I wish I could give you a run down on how each day has gone this week but I think that would be going overboard. If the show, The Office didn't already exist I would put a request into MTV to tape our daily work life. You would be amused!

Now let's get to something inspiring and exciting. Our nursery is coming together slowly... Well maybe I should say the ideas are coming together.

Ryan has finished painting the chandelier from Home Depot. It looks much better in person and will look amazing in the room.

The room has been painted white and is still being used as the laundry room.

I still need to decide on the colour of the horizontal stripes to be painted in the next week or two. Green is out. I'm looking at the light turquoise shades.

I purchased a table lamp from HomeSense but need to replace the shade.

The bedding has been delivered and we are going to purchase the Jenny Lind crib from Dear Born Baby on Saturday. I'm still deciding on which Best glider to purchase - the Rena or Hagen. The fabric selection is horrible! Do I go with white or buckwheat?

I have also purchased these drapes from Pottery Barn. I plan on adding green grossgrain ribbon to them in some way. Can I just iron it on with double sided tape or do I need to have my MIL help me sew them??? Has anyone done this before and had success?

We still need a rug. I haven't seen any that I love and are cheap beacause I'm running out of money. I want to buy a shelf or two from Ikea. We still need art for the walls and I would like to make a cork board covered in fabric.

So far I'm happy with the progress. I'll keep you posted on any updates.

It feels so good to be communicating with you again. I missed the blog world this week!

Have a great weekend!! xo

Update

2010-10-20T11:00:00.000-04:00

Sorry I've been MIA this week. Work is mental!! It feels like management wants to chain us to our desks and put recording devises on us. The mood in the office is horrible! No one feels trusted or respected. I've been working at night on proposals making no time for the blog. I hope to be back on with something by Thursday.

Thanks for understanding and have a great day/week!!!

Fresh Start - High Gloss Bathroom

2010-10-18T09:51:00.000-04:00

Good morning my lovely readers! Another weekend has come and gone. Mine was filled with eating! I ate out for dinner Friday, lunch Saturday and dinner Sunday. If you live around Toronto I highly recommend checking out School Bakery & Cafe in Liberty village for brunch. It was delicious!!!

My uncle has asked me to help him decorate his loft. I'll show you the before pictures later this week. We'll be making progress quickly as he wants to get it done ASAP! The main sources of furniture will be from Crate & Barrel and West Elm.

Today I'm featuring a high-glam bathroom by Pamplemousse Design. I fell head over heels for this bathroom the second I spotted it. Can you imagine starting your day in here? I think I would jump out of bed every morning to enjoy a cup of tea on one of those lovely chairs taking it all in. I love everything about this room!! The walls must be done in a high gloss marble because they are perfection. The sconces next to the mirrors are simply divine! Two sinks is something I dream of having one day and that huge mirror extends the beauty of the room. I think I could honestly work all day from this room. Talk about an inspiring room to start our week!

Enjoy!! xo

Pamplemousse Design

A Desireable Bedroom

2010-10-15T09:26:00.000-04:00

Yeah it's Friday and sunny!!! I'm working from home today as our office is under renovations. It will be a busy day of getting ideas out to my clients, revising proposals and setting up a few meetings for next week. I'm also going to stop by my sister-in-laws for lunch to snuggle my new nephew who is 3 weeks old. I can't wait to see how much he has grown. This weekend Ryan is off to Michigan with 50 golf pros from around Toronto to watch the college football game tomorrow. I'm on my own so it's time for some girlie time. Tonight, dinner with a very good friend. My sister Katie is coming for a visit tomorrow. We'll shop, eat and have some one-on-one time together. I'm really looking forward to it.

Now for my post. Today I wanted to show you a simple bedroom by Pamplemousse Design. Here is what I love - the cubes at the bottom of the bed in purple and orange, the bright pink throw, the column of art above the tulip table and the unexpected placement of such a large sconce. Very cool!

Have a great weekend!! xo

Chocolate Brown Living

2010-10-14T09:45:00.000-04:00

I discovered Elaine Griffin through Erika Ward at BluLabel Bungalow. Here portfolio is filled with gorgeous liveable rooms! I especially fell for this small chocolate brown living room/office. I LOVE everything about it. The walls wrap around you like a warm blanket, the window covering combination is streamlined and lets in a lot of light, the neutral pallet of chocolate brown, caramel, cream and a hit of orange is sophisticated and cozy, and the curves of the sofa and chair are classic! It's my new favourite room.

All photos Elaine Griffin Interior Design

Today is a special day! It's by 31st birthday. :) It feels a bit more special this year (even though I'm not doing anything spectacular) because I know in just 12 weeks I'll be a mom to Jelly Bean. Carrying JB has been a gift that I cherrish everyday. Even those times when it feels like JB is trying to burst out through my skin (his/her movements are very strong!). haha!

Have a great day!

Painting Horizontal Stripes

2010-10-12T10:28:00.000-04:00

Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend as much as I did. It was a busy one filled with a lot of family time, a lot of turkey and a bit of sleep. I honestly loved it all. Best weekend in a long time. Today is a busy day at work so I'm going to get right into my post.

As you know, I have been toying around with the idea of painting horizontal stripes around the nursery. After seeing the white walls, I know they need something to liven them up. I was also thinking of adding a tree decal with leaves falling. Not sure if this is still a go. I need to make the stripes work! So for a little inspiration I have uploaded these photos for us.

via houzz.com

via weedecor.com

via furniture4world.blogspot.com

via projectnursery.com

via Southern Hospitality Blog

via Southern Living

Have a wonderful day and enjoy the gorgeous sunshine. At least in Ontario we will! :)

Ah, the long weekend!

2010-10-09T09:43:00.000-04:00

Hi folks, sorry I didn't post yesterday. The Friday before a long weekend is always hectic in the ad world with last minute requests. I love it! Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling well yesterday so it made for a hard day.

I'm back feeling great today. Currently relaxing in bed with a fruit and protein smoothie catching up on all that I missed this week. Including catching you up on the progress of our home decor.

Living room rug arrived from Mat King.
Living room lamp shades were replaced with ones from Pottery Barn.
An old mirror, candle stick holders and plant pot found a new home on our mantel.

We still need to purchase or do:

Purchase a floor lamp for behind the sofa because there really isn't enough light from behind at night.
Art for the walls flanking the fireplace. I was thinking of large floor mirrors but think blank and white art would also look very good. This will take time and a lot of saving. The less expensive version will win out.
Curtains! I don't forsee this in our near future but over the next year it will get done.
Spray paint the ottoman tray a colour that has yet to be chosen.
Hang the TV on the wall.
Drill holes in the back of the console table to place the cable box, DVD player and modem inside. This is a must over the next few months.
Evenutally have another pillow made or bought with a little more pop of colour! I haven't yet decided what the second accent colour should be.

Here is the latest photo taken this morning on my iphone. I appologize for the poor quality.

I'm off to finish laundry, colour my hair, run a few errands, purchase the crib, cook potatoes and mash them up for dinner tonight at the in-laws. I can't wait to have my first bite of Thanksgiving turkey tonight.

Have a very happy Thanksgiving weekend! xo

Elte Clearance

2010-10-07T10:28:00.000-04:00

If you live in Toronto or anywhere near Toronto then you need to go and check out Elte's NEW Clearance section. A friend and I had a lot of success shopping at this store on Saturday for her home. This hide rug pictured below was found in the bedroom section at ridiculous price but we fell hard for it! Or at least I did. Then we headed to the clearance section and saw the same rug but slightly smaller for thousands less!!! My eyes almost popped out of their sockets. No damage, no real reason other than they have new stock and wanted to get rid of the old stock. WOOHOO!!! Needless to say you'll see it featured in a living room I'm working on shortly. And sadly not my own. My rug is berber nothingness but it fits the purpose.

It is finally sunny in Toronto!! I'm still very tired but at least the sun is out providing vitamin D. Jelly Bean has been moving around a lot this morning. Sometimes I think I have a mini boxer in my tummy. What will he or she be like? I'm so excited to find out. :)

Have a lovely day! xo

Decor Progress at P&J's House

2010-10-06T10:45:00.000-04:00

Morning readers! It's another grey day in Toronto. I think we're all going to go nuts if we don't see the sun soon. So to cheer us up I thought I would let you in on the progress we are making at my friends P&J's house. We are working on the decor of the family (tv) room, living room, dining room and master bedroom. It's a big project and it's going very well!

The family room is almost complete. Here is a selection of what has been purchased. All we have left to do is organize and arrange the shelving units and add accessories.

This isn't the exact sectional but it's very similar. Picture it without the lounge chair.

Crate & Barrel

Urban Barn

Pottery Barn

Elte

Pottery Barn

Crate & Barrel

Urban Barn

Pottery Barn

What do you think so far? We haven't determined the accent colours but now that I see the red throw I think that could be a great idea. I can't wait to take pictures of the finished project and share them with you.

Have a great day!! xo

Modern Girlie bedroom & Little Boys bedroom with an update from Moi and Baby.

2010-10-05T10:47:00.000-04:00

Morning! Sorry about yesterday. I had many plans to post and work on all my postings for the week but then I went through a huge dizzy spell, felt like I was going to faint so I took it easy and rested in bed. Looking at the computer screen was not an option as it only made me feel more light headed. I hear this is normal during the third tri but I'm still going to talk to my doctor about it this afternoon. It was a bit scary. Luckily Jelly Bean made me fully aware that he was ok by moving around jabbing mom a few times. :) (so odd to call myself mom).

Monday afternoon I spent running errands for the house. We are almost done (for now). I purchased drapes for the kitchen which Ryan put up last night. It was quite the difficult task and a good lesson on patience for both of us. My uncle started to trim out the walls in the nursery. First coat of paint goes on tonight. We are using Behr Ultra White. After trying BM and Para my uncle (the painter of our house) prefers Behr. I'm going to add a horizontal strip of colour and want a sharp contrast. If anyone has tips on how to create large horizontal stripes throughout the room please let me know.

I have rugs for the living room and master bedroom on order from Mat King. Other than that I just need to hang pictures, put up the bathroom hardware in the powder room, paint the trim in the powder room (not me of course) and maybe buy a plant for the living room. Then that's it for the down stairs. I hope to paint our bedroom before Christmas to freshen it up but that's it.

Today I'm featuring two beautiful bedrooms, one for a modern little girl and the other for a modern little boy. The first bedroom was featured in Elle Decor. I think it's absolutely spectacular! I've always loved grey and pink together but never thought to add yellow (drapes) or green (side tables). It's so sharp! Seeing this room makes me want to add grey to our nursery. Maybe in the rug and glider? We'll see...

This is the room that made me consider adding horizontal stripes to our nursery. I will only add one colour to make it as simple and sharp as possible. The decor is a real contrast between a little boys bed set paired with such dark romans and rug. The decor will grow with him as he gets older.

Cookie Kids

I have a busy day (half day) at work and then I'm off to the doctors. The appointments have increased to every two weeks now. Today I get tested for diabetes. Fingers crossed that I'm all good.

Have a great day!

Turkey 101

2010-10-01T11:21:00.001-04:00

I'm still thinking about Turkey so to continue on yesterdays theme, here is a recipe I found on House & Home. I think it reads very tasty!! Even though I have plans to go to my in-laws for next Saturday night Thanksgiving and then home to Kingston on the Sunday morning to celebrate with my family, I may try and make this myself in a few weeks time. Who's in for a 2nd or 3rd turkey dinner? Maybe I'll wait till November. We'll See...

Ingredients:

The most important step in roasting a perfect turkey is purchasing a quality bird. This is about 90% of the work. You can order fresh naturally raised or organic turkeys from independent butchers. Brining is a restaurant trick for intensifying flavour and improving texture, and this "dry" brining method is easy and effective. Using kosher salt is essential; be sure to rinse all traces of the sugar-salt mixture from the bird before roasting.

Turkey Brin Ingredients:
Turkey
3 cups brown sugar, packed
1-1/2 cups kosher salt
2 tbsp dried sage
2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp dried savoury
1/2 tsp allspice
1 13-15 lb. turkey
1 bunch fresh parsley
3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

Brin Instructions:

Step 1: Combine brown sugar, salt, herbs and spices in a bowl. Rinse turkey and dry very well with paper towels. Place turkey in a large pan or even a plastic bag, then pack brown sugar mixture all over exterior of turkey, and place some in cavity as well. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.

Cooking Instructions:

Step 2: Preheat oven to 450°F. Rinse brining mixture from turkey, inside and out, gently rubbing so it all comes off. Pat dry. Stuff parsley into cavity.

Step 3: Place turkey on rack in roasting pan, bend and tuck wings under the body and loosely tie drumsticks together. Rub all over with butter and tent loosely with foil. Roast 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 325°F and roast another 2-3/4 to 3-1/2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thighs (test both, do not touch the bone) reads 175°F. During the final hour of cooking, remove foil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.

Step 4: Remove turkey to a platter, tent loosely with foil and let rest at least 25 minutes before carving.

Step 5: To make gravy, carefully spoon most of fat out of drippings remaining in roasting pan, leaving behind about 4 tbsp, as well as all the browned bits. Place pan on stove over medium-high heat and stir flour into drippings until completely incorporated. Cook for 30 seconds then whisk in 2 cups turkey stock and wine (if using). Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, scraping up and incorporating all browned bits from pan. Reduce heat to low and whisk in additional stock to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Now I couldn't possibly leave you without showcasing a mouth watering turkey or a beautiful kitchen to cook it in.

Photo by Michael Graydon

The floor is very cool! Not everyone could live with a patterned floor but it sure does look good. I love the old harvest table, double oven and huge stainless steel fridge. It looks like a chefs kitchen.

I hope everyone's weekend is wonderful! Relax and have fun. I took Monday off work to relax and work on the blog. See you next week. xo

Check out the tip left in the comments by Lifebegins@thirty. It's awesome!

Thanksgiving Table Settings

2010-09-30T14:31:00.000-04:00

What a week! It has been go-go-go for me. I'm exhausted. I get home from work and errands and just melt into the bed or sofa. It is my favourite time though because that's when Jelly Bean is most active. I wish I could record how it feels. It's the most wonderful feeling. The last trimester is a week away. It's crazy to think we only have 15 more weeks until we meet JB. :)

I don't know if it's the type of day, the fact that I'm always hungry or that we are less than two weeks away from Thanks Giving but I have turkey dinners on my mind. :) It is my favourite holiday. I love the smell of a turkey cooking, football on the TV, sitting around with my family and walking around downtown Kingston taking in the market scenes and fresh air. Oh, did I mention we usually celebrate my birthday then as well. :)

Here are a few table setting ideas to get us started.

Country Living

Martha Stewart

Better Homes & Gardens

Via Apartment Therapy

Baby Tuesday - Products For Me & Baby

2010-09-28T12:03:00.001-04:00

Last night Ryan and I went to Dear Born Baby to make our first baby product purchase - the stroller. It's insane how many options there are for parents! I have kept my eye on the UppaBaby Vista for a while comparing it to all other strollers. Last night we went over the showroom of strollers for an hour with the sales associate and debated all the options. After a bit of external and internal debate (and Ryan saying does it walk itself for that price??) we decided to purchase the Vista in silver/black. I love it and think Jelly Bean will be very comfortable in it for the next 3-4 years. :) If anyone else is interested in it then you should know they are on sale for $599 (savings of $200!!) until September 30th.

Another product that I'm loving is the Maya Wrap Baby Ring Sling. If anyone out there would like to purchase it as a gift I would love the deep purple or the solid natural. :)

While at Dear Born Baby I also spotted the M Coat by Canadian Spirit. It's a maternity coat that turns into a regular down coat for after the baby. It's on sale for $399 and comes with a Baby Bjorn worth $199. So if anyone wanted to get us the Baby Bjorn let me know because I really need a winter coat and I'm not spending $400 on my own. Those days are sadly over. :(

Lord my wish list is expensive!!!

*I ordered the coat in chocolate brown!! :) I'm very lucky to have such a wonderful family who offered to help me out. :) You know who you are and thank you from the bottom of my heart! xoxo I'll do a big review once I get it and start to wear it (would have been this weekend as it's going to be 3 degrees tomorrow night. Yikes!! Winter here we come...

Fresh Start - Purple Obsession and a Multi-use Room

2010-09-27T10:47:00.001-04:00

Good morning! I have the most inspiring images from one of the tiniest apartments I've ever seen. This East Village (NY) apartment is designed and lived in by David Kaihoi, his wife and daughter. The main room is 8' x 8'. You read that correctly! My eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I read it. Even though its extremely small they the room doesn't feel closter phobic to me but looks as if it would wrap around you like a cozy blanket. The purple walls, painted wood floors (love the design), gorgeous chandelier, and multi-purpose furniture are simply divine! Not to mention who doesn't love a wall of books! The owners added antique doors and mouldings to give this once stark white box a prewar feeling.

This room serves as the foyer, living, dining and study. How many of us can say the same about the various room functions in our house? It definitely makes you think that the way most North Americans live is overdone. Do we really need 4,000 square foot houses or larger?

All images David Kaihoi from House Beautiful

What do you think? Could you downsize? I'm not sure I could live in a home smaller than our current house of 1,500 square feet (not including the basement). I will however take the multi-purpose functions of this room, the colours, richness and elegant feel of this home and try to apply it to mine. Would love to have a chandelier like the above in our bedroom! I love the drama!

Have a great day and a great week!! xo

A Beautiful Nest!

2010-09-24T14:13:00.000-04:00

I came across these images from Nest Dallas Design. I love the feel of each room. Clean lines, neutral with hits of colour hear and there, great lighting, simple roman shades, not a lot of trinkets lying around. It's exactly how I like to live. The prints on the wall of the first room are from the Crate & Barrel. They work really well against the grey paint. The colours in this room are not what I would normally think to pair but they work really well together. The floor lamps remind me of my grandparents old lamps with the tray attached. I love how they have been modernized with a large barrel shade featuring silver metallic inside.

This is one of my favourite bedrooms. It has character without the fuss - clean lines, neutral backdrop, pops of green and purple (my favourite fall colour). I could easily do this in our bedroom. Now I just have to convince Ryan that puple isn't too girlie (even though he already cut it from the choice).

Dark grey walls, a lighter grey ceiling, marble surround fireplace, medium toned wood floors - perfection!! Seriously, if I could paint every ceiling in my house I would! It would involve way too much work though because we have the god awful speckled ceiling.

Honestly, the ceiling fans are awesome! Chocolate brown, light grey and white are such a classic combination that will always remain fresh.

Ryan is taking me away for the weekend (Sat/Sun) to a surprise destination. I have no idea and it's very exciting! Tonight we'll meet our nephew for the first time. He was born this morning weighing 8lbs 12oz and a full head of hair! I can't wait to meet this little guy.

We hope to stop by Babies Fine Furniture on Sunday afternoon to check out some nursery furniture. We'll see if that happens. I think I would prefer this weekend to be free of any house duties, errands or decorating. We need a break.

Oh, our powder room is looking fantastic!!! Seriously the colour is gorgeous!

Have a great weekend! xo

6 month photo & more on Margaret Bosbyshell

2010-09-23T11:28:00.001-04:00

Another crazy day at work. I'm counting down the minutes until lunch as I'm very hungry! I think baby is going through a major growth spurt right now. :) Mom and dad were surprised at the size of my beach-ball tummy. It's grown a lot since they saw me 3 weeks ago. We had dinner last night. I love spending time alone with my parents. It's so rare with having 2 siblings.

Here is a photo of me 24 weeks pregnant taken on Sunday morning with my iphone. It's a bit odd to take a picture of yourself but I wanted to capture my cute outfit and adorable tummy. That's right... I'm calling myself adorable and cute! ;-) I'm not smiling though because it felt fake.

I was so intrigued with the bedroom I featured on Monday by Atlanta designer Margaret Bosbyshell so I had to show you parts of the rest of the house. I love how bright each room is. The combination of white and black with hits of blue and green in the bedrooms and office is very sharp! This is a great summer house. I couldn't live in it during Toronto's cold winter.

And the lovely lady...

All pictures via Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles

The Powder room will be painted tonight. I went with the dark colour. I can't wait to show you the finished product. Hopefully I love it.

Busy but here is something to ponder...

2010-09-22T14:49:00.000-04:00

I had a great post planned today but I'm swamped today and my parents are in town last minute. I'm taking off a bit early to go visit with them. So here is a little post on paint for the powder room. It's a bad photo but it's all I have. Which do you prefer? I'm leaning more towards the top (dark) or bottom colour. Painting Thursday night.

Decorating with Kids in Mind - All Modern Baby

2010-09-21T10:20:00.000-04:00

I have been sourcing out stores and websites to shop for baby La Rose. There are so many options out there. For those who love to shop online the sky is the limit. Me, I like to feel the products before I purchase. There are a few things that I will buy online as long as it comes with great reviews!

All Modern Baby has everything you could possibly need with a very resonable range of prices. Furniture, decor, bedding, accessories, lighting, strollers and more. Here are a few of my favourites from the site.

DwellStudio Chocolate Dots Diaper Tote

Inspired Crib Bedding Geo Aqua Crib Bedding Collection

Lambs & Ivy Luv Bugs Ceiling Sculpture

All Modern Babyb Wall Decal

UppaBaby Vista Stroller in Denny Red

Take a tour if your in the market for anything baby related. It's a great resource!

Have a fabulous day!! xo

Fresh Start - Margaret Bosbyshell's White & Green Atlanta Bedroom

2010-09-20T11:46:00.000-04:00

Good morning! It's another gorgeous autumn day in Toronto. I love this season!! I had a bit of a rough start to my week. Terrible sleep and woke up with Braxton Hicks contractions for the first time. It was painful and a bit scary but didn't last long. So I emailed working saying I would be late, went back to bed and took my time getting ready. I think I was worried about work which needs to stop. Baby comes first!

As with last Monday's post, today we'll start the blogging week off with an inspiring image - a crisp green and white bedroom by Margaret Bosbyshell of Atlanta. I love how she paired the simple white and green bedding with the bold patterned walls, clean white drapes with a strip of green on the edge and no fuss white chandelier. There are a few touches of glamour with the gold mirror above the bed, gold framed nightstands and large white fabric headboard that wraps around the edges of the bed. I could easily climb into that bed and relax in this room today. Maybe it's because I love the fresh pairing of white and green or because I'm craving/needing more sleep. Either way, I love this room!!

Tufting, Beautiful Fabric & Nail Head Trim!

2010-09-17T11:33:00.000-04:00

It's finally Friday... Thank goodness for weekends. I need to catch a few extra zzz's and do some serious shopping for maternity tops. I hate spending money on mat clothes because I would much rather be investing in items for our home but I must do it anyways. Wish me luck!

I also plan on picking the paint for our powder room. Here are the selections I've narrowed it down to with the help of my colour expert uncle Don. :) The large chips are from Sarah Richardson's new collection for Para Paints. All of them look quite blue in the photo but in person are actually very grey. Which do you like?

I'm a girl who falls for tufting so when I saw this room by Christopher Maya Inc with these two sofas it was heaven. This would have been a very cool idea in our living room if we had more space and more money. I love the open back on one of them and the sconces flanking the simple art work is perfection. That throw pillow fabric is a must on my list. It would be perfect as drapes in our master bedroom. I'll look into it.

Christopher Maya Inc

I also had to feature this beautiful nightstand with its blue and bronze fabric scheme and nail head detailing. I'm dying over it!

Christopher Maya Inc

Have a wonderful weekend!! xo

A Living Room I Can Relax In!

2010-09-16T10:43:00.000-04:00

Our living room furniture finally arrived yesteray afternoon. YEAH!!! What do you think? I love them! They fit perfectly and are very comfortable.

These are the two rug samples I have to choose from at Mat King in Concord. They offer rugs made to measure from remnant carpets at incredible prices ($180 for a 12" x 12" or less). I think we'll go with the one on the right.

Our living room furniture finally arrived yesteray afternoon. YEAH!!! What do you think? I love them! They fit perfectly and are very comfortable.
Living Room To Do List:

• The lamps on the console need to be spruced up. I'm going to put fabric on the shade (yet to be found).

• Spray paint/stencil the ottoman tray. I like what Janell from Isabella & Max did with her tray here.

• Have made or purchase ready make mirrors to flank the fireplace. They must be very large! I was thinking antiqued mirrors would be great in the space!

• Canvas print to be hung on wall between Kitchen entrances.

• Art for above the fireplace.

• Drapes!

• Console table for behind the sofa.

• Table lamps for the console table behind the sofa or floor lamps for behind the sofa.

• TV wall unit to hang the TV for easier viewing.

Have a great day!! xo

You Can Light Up My Room Anytime!

2010-09-15T11:32:00.000-04:00

I'm obsessed with the Serena Drum Pendant light with it's capiz shells and bronze base. There is a store on King Street East that has featured it in their window for the last few months. Every time I walk by or see it in a photo I sigh. It's beyond gorgeous! And beyond expensive with a price tag of $2,950! I will never own it (unless I win the lotto... so maybe there is a chance... a 1 in 1,000,000 chance... but still there is hope).

Amanda Nisbet

It looks amazing above this kitchen island. I also can't help but love the lucite stools with their bronze fabric cushions.

Our living room furniture arrives this afternoon. I'm heading home at lunch to greet it. I will definitely post tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed it all turns out! :)

xo Sarah

Tuesday's new Series - Childs Play

2010-09-14T11:26:00.000-04:00

I'm working on getting myself organized with blog postings. Since I'm pregnant and constantly thinking of what to do with the nursery, what our house will be like once our little one begins to crawl/walk and talking about it with my friends I thought it would be a good idea to have a day designated to kid friendly rooms, furniture and products, etc.

First up is Crate and Barrels Paterson Bench for the front hall. A dear friend of mine would love to purchase it but with the duties and taxes in Canada it's far too expensive. As with many of us who recently bought a home she's got to be smart with her money because there are many purchases to be made.

Has anyone in Toronto sourced out a similar product but less expensive? Ideally we (it's like I'm purchasing this as well... I've thought about it but can't afford to right now) would like solid wood. I have sent her to Naked Furniture to get a quote. I will let you know what they say once she hears back.

Here are a few entrance storage solutions and mudrooms that can provide great inspiration! It's all about keeping it clean and simple with easy access storage.

via Designing Your Dream Home

via High Street Market

My New Series - Fresh Start!

2010-09-13T11:07:00.000-04:00

Morning readers! It's a beautiful sunny Monday morning here in Toronto. Normally I hate Mondays (probably due to not loving my career at the moment) so I've decided that I must do something every Monday to inspire all of us and to start the week on a positive note. What better way than to feature a gorgeous room or something I love. I'm thinking of calling this series 'Fresh Start'. We'll see if it sticks. Let me know if you have another suggestion.

Today’s room is from Elle Decor. I saw it last week and was immediately attracted to it. I love its simplicity. The white walls and sheer blinds provide a calm and easiness to the room. There is nothing to compete with the neutral sofas and cozy caramel coloured chairs. And look at all the light! I could sit by that window for hours reading, sipping tea and munching on those little French macaroon pastries. Ah, what a perfect way to start our week.

Jennifer Worts Design

2010-09-10T10:20:00.000-04:00

I might have found my new favourite designer here in Toronto! Jennifer Worts Design team have captured the perfect mix of contemporary and traditional. The rooms are impeccably designed with every day living in mind. There isn't a section of the rooms untouched by her and the team's genius. The end result is sophisticated yet comfortable. I would say their specialty is bathrooms but I'm just as in love with every other room they design.

Iphone4 has arrived!!!

2010-09-09T21:43:00.000-04:00

My iPhone has finally arrived! I love it because I can finally blog from anywhere. Yeah!!! Stay tuned for tomorrows post.