it's been exactly three months...

since i last posted. i've missed this. but working two part time jobs and trying to be with my family full time does not leave time for this. so i'll drop in once in a while. share some thoughts and whatnot.

i have some recent favourites i want to share and i'll leave you with that.

vans/zara/gap

happy holidays y'all!

fashion friday it is! :: fall favourites edition

i love fall. probably because it's when i moved to canada. i love the colours. the breeze. the perfect temperature. everything. i love dressing for it. the layers. the boots. the scarves. the light coats. i wish it was fall right now. but it feels like mid summer instead and i'm sweating as i type this. ugh. so here's my fall shopping list. i love fashion fridays. i hope to see a brass band later and go dancing at big primpin. my birthday celebration continues. have a good long weekend!

twenty nine

it's been a crazy week. i think once school starts, i'll be back with a more regular posting schedule. i had the boys last weekend for the first time in a long time and we took full advantage of it. on saturday, we took them to the beach and comic con then on sunday we went to canada's wonderland. we also found out that jun (ric) won an ipad from pulse the world (it's a really cool app. go download it now). he picked it up today and we're both pretty happy about it since we were trying to save for it. he's also still trying to finish blake's video and i've been in and out of interviews trying to re enter the workforce. oh and it's my birthday today. we're going to stuff ourselves at a buffet later then tomorrow we will be out dancing (hopefully). have a good weekend!

seen in this pic: me!, my favourite spraypainted mirror,

my favourite vintage teatowel, my favourite flowers

(handpicked by jun in his parents' garden <3)

fashion friday?

i've finally accepted that my boys are going back to school soon :( they've been asking for some back to school clothes so i made us this for inspiration.



when i showed it to them, they thought i created my own store. ha! love them.

pow-wow powder rooms

it's safe to say that the powder room has one of the smallest square footage in a home (if you're even lucky enough to have one) so why not make it a room that packs the most punch. enter wallpaper. i'm DYING to wallpaper my parents' powder room. it's so bland and beige and blah. it's got honey coloured cabinets with a matching mirror. i'm DYING to paint those too. i've been gathering some inspiration and thought i would share them with you.

via thibaut

via hgtv (sarah's house)

via house beautiful

via elle decor

seeing rainbows

so this whole week was met with lots of challenges on how to get my own site and possibly moving everything from here to wordpress. i've had lots of posts planned but i really wanted to do it on the new, shiny and sparkly site (which is still to come). i also have to get through my reader which has more than a thousand posts waiting for me to skim through them. i also can't wait to share a tour of my home, my sister's and my parents' when we're all done. and my still-jobless state means that i will have time to work on furnitures and things and i'm super excited. way to stick it to the man, right? :) here are my favourite rainbow quotes along with a picture the mister took of the first full rainbow we've ever seen. cole was begging to go to the end to see that pot of gold. ah, kids.

"the work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won't wait while you do the work"

"somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true"

"life is like a rainbow. you need both the sun and the rain to make its colours appear"

photo by ric

bedroom bind

for some reason, the bedroom really bears the brunt of the collective household mess. see if this scenario sounds familiar: you're having a party tomorrow and the living room needs to be decluttered but you don't have time to sort it all so you dump it all in the bedroom. unless you have a spare bedroom or basement, then those places get it instead. it's the last room we get settled into after a move even though we know it is the room that we'll spend most of our time in. this is the room where it should feel serene and calm. not house a chaotic jumble. so i've rounded up a few beautiful bedroom spaces to inspire us all.

via style at home

via martha stewart


via bhg

via house beautiful

beautiful basements

ah, the basement. at the moment, we don't have one but my parents do. and it needs a lift. a huge one. i want to break down the bar. make a little kitchenette. paint it white and de-mouldify like crazy. i am always in awe of spaces like the ones below where it doesn't even seem like a basement. how do they do this? can i do it too? please? basements don't have to be dingy forever right?

via house & home

via hgtv

via rona

via bhg

stop stair-ing at me

a few years ago, i decided to paint my parents' place. including the stairs. it looked dated and i thought that maybe painting it white would update it. and it did. but i don't think i used the right paint because it is showing a lot of wear on the handrails. so now i want to sand it back to the wood. this is what it should look like when i'm done with it.

via this old house

thank goodness for the sometimes power of reversibility of paint. here are some awesome before and afters to inspire you.

via centsational girl

via your home only better


via future house design

i really love the last one. wood adds so much warmth and texture. so scandi. awesome.

piano problems

we've always wanted a piano in our home. we both had one as kids so it was only right for our kids to grow up with one too. we got lucky, as one day we finally got what we wanted and more. we found one off craigslist for FREE and it was a painted white baby grand. jackpot. then we made necessary arrangements to bring that baby home. a uhaul truck rental which cost $80 and five guys whom we fed pizza for dinner were all we needed. before it got here, we decided it would go in the fireplace room which doubles as the kids playroom. it is also the only the exit to the backyard. this fact seriously annoys me. so we put it there thinking it was the best place to put it. it now covers half of the fireplace and basically impedes traffic to the backyard. it really just throws off the whole room. maybe because it's gigantous. and i stuck it in a small ass space. so i googled some rooms with pianos and tried to get ideas. now if i could only get those guys back to help me move it.

via things that inspire

via house to home

via elle decor

via decor pad

diy dreamin'

there's two of these bedframes sitting in my hallway. they were originally $35 each at ikea but i got them for way less than that on craigslist. they have since been discontinued and although they served me well as a king bedframe for our master bedroom (as well as my kids bedframes), i would like to use them as something else now. perhaps like this diy sofa below. for outside lounging of course. hopefully i can make it before summer ends. that would be nice.

via design sponge

and speaking of outdoor lounging, you have to watch jamie of prudent baby's backyard makeover. so good. plus she makes her own pallet daybed. watch it now.

To My New Backyard (A Love Letter) from Jaime Morrison Curtis on Vimeo.

make sure to check out other diy details on the site like the tassel garland a la confetti system and my favourite, how to block print your own fabric.

now check out kim of desire to inspire's multi use diy sofa. i seriously want to make one of these. i love it so much. i probably won't need a bed since i'd be sleeping on it all. the. time.

you love the mural too, right? and it looks sooo comfy. i wonder if i have room for this somewhere in my house.

and last but not least, the genius we all know as ana white does a sofa with storage. so clever.



i feel like i need to replace my couches now. but where will i put them? i won't get rid of them. because they're pretty. does that make me a hoarder? i hope not. have a good day!

exciting news!

i have been commissioned to make an upholstered headboard for a dear friend. this will be my first project for a "client" and i'm really excited! i have a basic idea of what i want to do but i've been perusing the webs to gather some more inspiration. her loft is projecting a glamping/canadiana feel so anything you'd find at cabin or rustic home would be the perfect fit. burlap is out of the equation so i'm looking for a faux linen or soft canvas. oh and speaking of rustic, i just picked up some tree stumps from the side of a road and i'm hoping to turn them into awesome side tables or something. here's some rustic eye candy for your weekend. have a good one!

via hgtv


via apartment therapy

via house & home

via curbly

via ralph lauren home

via design house

OH MY

And just like that. I've been away for three whole months. I'll blame it on the pneumonia my kids caught and no internet. Although, I did manage to get a tiny post up on Pinwheels & Ferriswheels. Yay, me! Anyway, I thought I'd share this fun quiz I took via How About Orange. It's called the HomeGoods Stylescope quiz and it was created by Domino magazine's founding editor-in-chief Deborah Needleman. I highly suggest you take the quiz :) It's pretty accurate. This is what I got:

DRAMATIC MODERN

You keep up with culture, style, and trends, but have a classical appreciation for beautiful forms and well-made, functional objects. You are inspired by good design and quality craftsmanship, but have a sense of the theatrical and the fun. You liven things up and infuse personality into your rooms. You like how something ornate mixes with modern, or how daring flourishes, like bold color or a wild pattern, can inject some humor and contrast to the serious, straight lines of modern pieces. You are a style leader, and your friends look to you for advice. You are not afraid of glamour. Because you embrace color, art, and elegance, your home makes a happy impact.

You value creativity. You are stylish and fun loving, and can be an inspiration to others. You have a natural sense of drama, and you know you have to be willing to take risks—whether with colors, finishes, furniture choices, or ideas—for your home to stand out. Your home can be happy and lively and the place all of your friends want to be.

YAY. What's your style?

Tour It Tuesdays • Queen West

This week I'll be bringing you to Queen Street West, my first neighbourhood in Toronto. I was very lucky to reside in the "hippest part of town" at the time which has now turned into an outdoor shopping mall. The walk to Kensington Market and Chinatown and even nightlife was super convenient and everything was always open. It's not for me now since it was so easy to spend on eating out with all the choices but I am glad I got a taste of that. Some of my favourites are still there despite the ultra gentrification of the area and skyrocketing rents. My reason for moving besides that I couldn't afford it anymore? Not being able to get out of the front door because homeless people turned it into their sleeping quarters. Sad.

Where to eat:

Black Bull

298 Queen St W

This place is repeatedly crowned as Toronto's Best Patio and it is. You'd only wanna go here in the summer though, for people watching mostly, since it's quite dingy inside.

Cafe Crepe

246 Queen St W

I've loved this place since it opened because I love crepes. I don't think anybody else sells crepes which is why I think they're doing so well.

East

240 Queen St W

I thought I was going to spend an arm and a leg when I ate here but such was not the case. This place was actually affordable and good. Lovely ambiance too.

Fressen

478 Queen St W

One of my top places to eat and hang out. This vegan restaurant pushed me to eat less meat because meatless in the form of their tempeh dish tasted THAT good. I miss this place.

Java House

537 Queen St W

My favourite place on earth. Seriously. I don't mind eating inside or outside. I eat breakfast, lunch or brunch here when I'm in the area. The servers are always friendly and it's super cheap!

Niche

626 Queen St W

I ate here with a friend a couple of years ago and loved it. I even bought some strawberry popcorn tea to take home with me because it was so yummy.

Rivoli

334 Queen St W

Another place to eat out on the patio and people watch. A variety of food to choose from and all oh so good.

Shanghai Cowgirl

538 Queen St W

I wanted to have my birthday here one year because it's a place with good food and good people in an awesome place.

What to do:

The Ballroom

145 John St

Just went here with the kids and friends recently and it was so much fun but I'm biased because I love bowling. Super overpriced but it does have awesome food, servers and atmosphere.

The Rex

194 Queen St W

I loved walking in here (most of the time alone) and catching an impromptu jam with beer in hand. One of my favourite places to hang out and listen to free live music.

Where to shop:

Black Market

256 Queen St W

This place is kind of a hit or miss for me sometimes. I guess it depends on what you like. It can be a little overpriced but there's still some gems to be found.

Get Outside

437 Queen St W

My favourite shoe shop ever. They have everything I love at a good price.

Groovy

323 Queen St W

If you don't find it at the above shop, they may have it here. I love this shop too.

Malabar

14 Mc Caul St

If you need an awesome costume, you'll find it here. Seriously. If you've never been here, go. It's quite an experience.

Moog Audio

442 Queen St W

I bought my headphones that I love here. My brothers love them too. They still have them.

Peach Beserk

507 Queen St W

This place was across my apartment and I always loved how colourful it is. It you love Betsey Johnson dresses, you'll love this store.

Silver Snail

367 Queen St W

I buy my graphic novels and vinyl toys here. I love this place. It gets nerdy but that's what I love about it.

So Hip It Hurts

323 Queen St W

The guys here are so nice. Buy your Nixon watches here and your skater stuff too.

Tribal Rhythm

248 Queen St W

My favourite vintage shop ever. I've bought countless hats and clothes here. I am in love with this place.

So there you have it, folks. Do you have any favourites that I missed? Also, I may have to move this to Sundays. I thought I would start Tell It Tuesdays to let you in on some mom stories and stuff. Would you like that? Wow, two posts this week and I cleaned the house! Yay! Have a good weekend y'all!

Make It Monday

I fell in love with tissue paper flower pom poms a couple years ago when I saw them on Martha Stewart's site. They have blown up since then appearing in rooms and parties all over the world. I've been making them for every occasion in our house since Christmas 2009. Now you could get them at party stores and even Martha sells a kit that you could get at Wal-Mart. Before that though, there were lovely people selling them on Etsy. I don't think I could ever get sick of them and I still love making my own. Mostly because I want to spend as little as possible. There's a ton of tutorials online but here's how I do mine.

Step one:

Gather your materials (a pair of scissors, some rubber bands and tissue paper).

Step two:

Lay tissue flat then fold into halves until satisfied with size. Cut folds.

Step three:

Separate into layers of 6 or more. Whatever makes you happy. The more layers, the fluffier the flower but it's more work.

Step four:

Make 1/2 inch folds accordion style. Wrap rubber band around middle (not too tight). Cut pointed or rounded edges to make it look pretty or leave as is if that's your style.

Step five:

Peel tissue apart layer by layer until it forms flower. Pull from the part closest to rubber band or it'll rip and you'll curse me.

And that's it, you're all done! Now go hang them with fishing line or ribbon and pretty your place up!

Oh man...

I couldn't get those posts up as promised because, wait for it, I don't have internet. For a very long time now, the only internet connection I've had is tethering through Jun's iphone. When he's not home, I don't have internet. It's very frustrating because I have all these ideas and have so much to say/write and I can't share them :( So I think eventually we will have to get proper internet...

ANYWAY...

I've decided to change some things around here. I thought that I would do Make It Mondays to show you some crafts and diys from around the web as well as my own projects. Tour It Tuesdays would continue to give some "best of" places from my experience. Wear It Wednesdays to show you what I would wear or did wear. Thrift It Thursdays to show you what you can get for less or no money at all :) So far that's all I've got. Like my own house, this blog will be an ongoing experiment until I find the right pieces that fit and am happy with.

Hope you have a great weekend, folks! It was beautiful in Toronto today. Here's a peek of what we recently brought home to love ;)

Toronto Tuesdays • Beaches

Sorry I'm a day late, folks. Today I wanted to bring you to the Beaches (or the Beach as it has recently been officially changed to). As the name implies, it's a quaint little neighbourhood by the beach. When I first came to Canada, we used to rollerblade on the boardwalk for hours on end. I never stepped foot on Queen Street East though which I discovered years later and upon seeing it, fell instantly in love. I lived in two apartments, one on top of Whitlock's and the other in a two floor apartment above a nail shop. I walked to work which was either two or five doors down. I loved my job and I loved the people I met there. That location is now closed but I worked at Vespa/Motoretta in the Beach :) Go visit their location in Little Italy! The parks, library and of course the beach was perfect for the kids. The following is a list of my favourites on the strip. It's a short one but still good I hope. I couldn't remember a lot of the businesses I frequented since it's been a while but please go and check it out for yourself. There are always new shops opening up and I'd love to know your favourites. Oh and let me know if that organizing store on the corner is still there. I liked that place and can't remember what it's called.

Where to eat:

Beacher Cafe

2162 Queen St E

Good place for breakfast, brunch or lunch. Just don't get the caesar salad because apparently, it's not that good.

Bow Thai

1970 Queen St E

Love this place for lunch. The pad thai never lets me down.

Dufflet

1917 Queen St E

This just opened when I left but I have been gorging on Dufflet pastries through a family hook up since forever and if you haven't had any yet, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! Just kidding ;)

Garden Gate

2379 Queen St E

Also affectionately known as "The Goof". I was so happy when I finally got to eat here. It's a favourite among locals and a food destination for tourists. Chinese food never tasted so good.

Where to shop:

Ends Clothing

1930 Queen St E

I found some deals at this place and not just on clothes.

What to do:

Bikram Yoga Beaches

1911 Queen St E

Dana, the owner, is the best. Seriously. I love Bikram and miss it so much. It's intense but it's for me.

Thrifty Thursdays

Hey, it's another first and I'm really excited for this one because this is where I get to share tips, finds and whatever else may relate to being thrifty. Seriously, who doesn't want to save money? (Granted, I don't have a whole lot to start with so this is really just my way of staying within my means without going into debt as well as push my creative buttons) 

So I guess I'll share one of the rooms in my house (which is constantly changing) that shows how much I spent and where I bought the items. I guess this is where I promise to take better pictures for the blog. Maybe ones that aren't taken with the iphone with a processing app or picnik.Guh.

And there you have it, it's still Thursday as I write this (a minute left) and I hope you liked it. Three posts in a week! I'm on a roll, baby! That's gotta be the most ever. Yay, I'm committed and I'm mighty proud.