Here's to a healthy and prosperous 2011

Happy New Year!

This or that!

Just found this self-adhesive paper on Urban Outfitters site. Seems like it sold out and is back. I can use this at a much lower investment, both $ and effort-wise and see if I like it!

Although, I suspect the Farrow & Ball wallpaper is textured, and I LOVE texture.

No more Christmas shopping ideas

Lace up your skates and have some outdoor fun.

That is where we are headed this afternoon. Merry Christmas!

Ideas for the last minute shopper!

Do you have your stocking ... try this ETSY shop. She will ship first class so it arrives tomorrow:

A chalk board piggy bank. Keep track of your savings. COOL!

A hat to keep your baby's head warm and her look cool! Etsy knitwit

And warmth in a bottle for the adults.

The Little Prince, the pop up version!

Christmas Carols

Some of my current and favourite and newly found (last year) carols I am listening too:

The Holly and The Ivy - (I have the Annie Lenox version @ home)

Lullay Myn Lyking

Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child

What Christmas songs are you listening too while decorating or driving or baking or working...

4 shopping days left

Forget shopping, GO SKIING (or do some kind of  family activity)

 That will put a smile on the face and a lasting memory.

Relax and enjoy the holiday.

A glorious day for felling a tree

Off to find our tree (in Heigburg Forest).

We have our saw.

Chaz picked the tree and started to saw. I dusted the snow off the tree and wondered if it would fit in the family room. The tree was fat, but all of them are, I convinced myself.

Sun stepped in and felled the tree! The tractor came and carried the tree back to the car. Fresh FAT trees are HEAVY!

What a glorious day for felling a tree, a Christmas tree!

 

The tree is HUGE.  Thankful our [strong] friend dropped by just as we needed to haul the tree inside.
I will learn the true meaning of trimming a tree, once I find my hedge clippers!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Some found & saved birch bark. And a noodle base sprayed gold candle holder.

This is my new linen table cloth. Bought at the fabric store.  Frayed edges. I could hem the two width wise cut sides, but I probably, (who am I kidding) will not get around to that. I am going back for a lighter shade of beige, w/ a coupon. The paper whites are growing on schedule!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Or maybe we have had our fair share, 66.9 inches. Shovelling twice daily has served me well, tightening my abs.

Bathroom reno completed

The bathroom was painted over the weekend!

The mirror and shelf were installed. We also took off the "plastic" baseboard and installed a wood baseboard. A trim around the door frame was attached. The wood shelf is still undone as I do not know what to do with it (it is not the recessed "2" shelf I envisioned). We love the outcome of bathroom - a complete year from start to finish! 

The Toto Aquia II Dual flush toilet;  I love my toilet. It was really important to me to get a water conservative dual flush. Although any toilet would have been better then the water guzzler that was previously in here.

Kohler Wellworth sink. The sink, this was my backup sink. I had bought two other sinks and returned them as they didn't fit the tiny area and they were not quite what I wanted.  Faucet is by Kohler.

Wall paint - Oatlands taupe; Door, baseboard and ceiling - white. I initially used Chantilly Lace paint by Benj Moore on the walls, but that dulled the tiles. (post edit: not in love with the paint colour with this bathroom. I will have the find the perfect white)

Baseboard Painted and installed by Contract-Her.

The shelf was installed above the tile, just in case I changed my mind. I didn't want to put holes in the tile.   Mirror - Pottery Barn online store.   Vanity Shelf - Vintage Tub and Bath.

Light fixture - oil rubbed bronze, made by Rejuvenation: 

The boldest thing I did in this bathroom, the Floor tile - Keystone Daltile -ocean blue and artisan brown summer.

Wall and bath surround tile - Modern Dimensions, Arctic white matte finish

And a white waffle shower curtain and bath mat from Target. Still need a new rod. I have a bruise on my cheekbone as the rod keeps falling down.

Click here for BEFORE pictures. And here for work in progress and one of the beautiful but rejected sinks.

A Christmas Gift List

Not necessarily mine, (because some of the things I already have), but ideas and fun things!


YoYo Ma tickets (would LOVE)


Grey Wool Blanket










Eva Solo coffee urn













 Decorating book

   Dutch oven

Paring Knife

Down filled slippers go nicely with Snow Shoes! Although the slippers are warm enough that you may be able to wear this combination at the same time, I was thinking slipping your feet into the slippers after a snowshoe trek.









Pocket size camera

Serving dish with lid

 Pretty Measuring Cups or Spoon from Anthropologie












Leather Butterfly Chairfrom Urban Outfitters