A dear friend of mine recently moved into her first solo condo. Having relocated from a Floridian sorority  (with 40+ roomates, no less) where she spent the better part of four years, to a condo with two other lady friends (for another three), she was more than ready for a place to sink her roots into and call her own. Seeing as this was her first time really decorating, she approached me for some design suggestions, and this is what I came up with. The look? Feminine, yet not overly precious (we really didn’t want it to scream girl), while keeping a pretty strict budget in mind.

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I couldn’t let Mother’s day come and go without a brief nod to the women who have helped shaped me throughout the years. Though we all know that, ultimately, gifts aren’t what’s important here, a little token of affection never really hurt anyone (and said tokens of affection are kind of my favourite). And let’s be honest, you really don’t have to drop a boat load of money to make someone feel special. Here’s a quick little round up of a few pretty little things I have my eye on for all of the wonderful mothers in my life (my own, especially!)

1. J. Crew Linen Scarf | 2. Anthropologie Recipe Cards | 3. Rifle Paper Co. Iphone Case | 4. Indigo Divine Cream Tea | 5. Indigo Grilling Salt | 6. Pradman Monogrammed Necklace | 7. Anthropologie Rolling Pin | 8. Indigo Herb Tins | 9. Indigo Hanging Tea Light Holder | 10. Anthropologie Perfume | 11. Anthropologie Blockprinted Napkins

cupcakes | cinnamon buns | place cards | tulips | egg cup | easter eggs

With Easter just around the corner I thought it’d be fun to round up some of my very favourite festive posts from around the web. How clever are these guys!? They make me embarassingly happy

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I’m heading to Florida with my family in a week and a half and I honestly could NOT be more excited. Though it won’t technically be a vacation as I’ll still be working throughout the week, (and studying in the evenings/weekends), the thought of sunshine and palm trees is making me giddy. The way I see it, studying on the beach and working in a solarium beats my dining room ANY day (and I happen to really like my dining room!)

While preparing for this upcoming trip I quickly realized that I do not own a beach bag. Yep, over the years I’ve become that girl who tosses her crap in her friends bag, or lugs her black leather one poolside. I decided that this needed to be rectified and set out on a hunt. Call me oblivious, but I had no idea how expensive these bad boys could be. $300 for something that runs the risk of getting sand-filled and chlorine-soaked? No thank you! So here you go – after a serious, all encompassing search, I’ve rounded up a few of my very favourite beach bag finds, all for under $50*.

 *the Jcrew straw guy is technically $57 Canadian, but it’s one of my favourites and runs under $50 American so it totally made the cut. Forgive me?

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Seeing green on this particularly lovely friday. Happy early St. Patrick’s Day my dears! Have a fabulous weekend

xox

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It seems as if I have inadvertently begun collecting throw blankets. It wasn’t something I had intentionally planned, yet over the years my collection has grown to an embarrassing number. My cute wooden bin is now overflowing with the softest, coziest throws in all the land and I couldn’t be happier about it. In light of the snowstorm that is promising to make its way to us today, I thought it’d be fun to round up some of my favourites. Don’t you feel warmer already?!

Happy weekend my loves! Thanks for being so wonderful <3

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Covering all the bases today with a pretty little round up of a few of my recent findings.

Happy weekend lovelies <3

clothespined gifts | boxed treats | a decorated window pane
24 days of tea | shadow boxed ornaments
a burlap sack filled with surprises

With December around the corner I’ve got advent calendars on the brain. That’s right. I am twenty-seven years old and I still look forward to advents. Each year my parents gift* my brother and I with one and I sincerely hope they never stop, no matter our age. Whether in the form of a shadow-box ornament display, a sweet surprise, or simply painted on ones window theres no shortage of ways to creatively count down the days.

*This year my mom picked up the David’s Tea 24 days of tea advent calendar for us and it might explain my over-eagerness for December to finally arrive. 24 days of different holiday-inspired tea? Why I never! And as an aside? If you’re feeling gluttonous, you could grab the oversized heavenly Lindt one. The thing is almost as big as I am. It’s fantastic!

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We’ve been waking up to eerie foggy mornings lately which is making it all the more difficult to drag myself out of bed. These days, with the cooler temperatures on their way, all I dream about are roaring fires, spicy meals and all things comfy cosy.

ps: Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends! Though we already celebrated up here in Canada, I do want to take a moment to say how thankful I am for all of you. I just love you’s so!

pps: That candle up there? It’s called woodfire and it smells like my childhood. Like a cedar sauna and a late-night campfire at the cottage. It is so wonderful and I highly recommend it. Illume sent one to me as a gift but I can promise you that I would not be posting about it if I did not adore it in every way.

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Just a few things I wish would magically find their way into my closet this season.

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Between my travel break and travel recap the last few weeks, my blog has been seriously lacking in seasonal appeal. And if you know me at all, you know that I revel in all things festive. Since fall is probably my favourite (though don’t hate me if I say the same about winter or summer when they arrive once more), I thought it necessary to rectify this situation. An ode to fall, in collage form.

There. I feel better now.

Happy weekend you guys!

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It’s in and around this time that I usually begin to crave the shift in seasons. Crisp mornings, rich foliage and big mugs of steeping hot cider are generally the things my dreams are made of. For reasons unbeknownst to me, this year I’m just not quite ready yet. While my fellow bloggers have begun shifting their focus from light and bright to rich and moody, I’ll be over here soaking up just a few more moments of summer. There’s still plenty of time for ice cream outings and backyard barbecues, if you ask me.

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Now that the temperatures are on the rise (at least they should be – come on mother nature!), I thought it’d be fun to round-up a few spring-like pieces I’m lusting after. I don’t generally blog about fashion, and will never (ever) claim to be an expert on the matter, but I do know what I like: classic, versatile pieces that will last for years to come.

umbrella | trench | scarf | tea cup | salt | throw
boots | notebooks | books | tea | candle

We are officially well into spring (though mother-nature here in Toronto hasn’t quite got the message *ahem*), which often brings about grey, drizzly days. The first few can seem exciting – I mean, April showers brings May flowers after all – but after a while it becomes difficult to stay optimistic. Early on I decided that life is exactly what you make of it and by golly* I’m going to do my best to enjoy every bit of it. With that in mind, I’ve taken the time to round-up a few quick fixes to cure those rainy day blues. Whether it’s cuddling up with a cozy blanket and a good read, or (should it be required), heading out well-equipped, I’ve got you covered.

ps. The MoMA is celebrating it’s 20 year anniversary and has generously agreed to offer a 20% discount on the Sky Umbrella (shown). Simply enter “SKY20″ at checkout to receive the discount.

Full Disclosure: the MoMA has sent me a sky umbrella of my own to review – I would never endorse anything I do not fully support/would not use myself. I feel confident when I say that it really does make rainy days just a little bit brighter!

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While I’m typically attracted to neutral, serene spaces, every once in a while I find myself craving a little something extra. Here are a few bright pieces that are currently catching my eye. I’m pretty sure that the hot pink extension cord in particular needs to make its way into my home. (I ask you this: why aren’t all extension cords hot pink?! We should pass a by-law*)

*random but related (…somehow): the sidewalk in front of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto sparkles at night. Wouldn’t life be better if all sidewalks sparkled? Discuss.

I’ve mentioned before that I love incorporating some additional effort while wrapping my Christmas gifts. It isn’t difficult to add a little extra touch to your gift and the results are always well worth it. Today I’ve rounded up a few inexpensive, simple things you could do to spice up your present in a pinch.

Consider:
1. Tying a cinnamon stick or two to your package. Not only will they look great, but they’ll smell festive too.
2. Using tree trimmings, misletoe or boxwood bits to add a little special something (here’s an example).
3. Using twine for an organic feel (take a peek at this pretty gift here).
4. Purchasing some japanese washi tape in lieu of scotch tape. Using it on simple wrapping paper makes a great statement.
5. Felt (or fabric) flower adornments (as seen here; also, here’s a tutorial for making your own)
6. Stringing together your own garland with found objects (bits of wood, dried leafs or berries) and wrapping it around your gift.
7. Using newspaper. Add a bright red bow and you get instant Christmas at little to no cost (so festive).
8. Using bakers twine to attach gift tags

and while we’re on the subject; here are a few gift tags I’m loving:
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Happy wrapping!

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A few festive goodies from around the web
that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit:

::The prettiest homemade wreath
::The most wonderful garland selection
::A luxurious advent calendar
::Alternatively, you could make your own using this DIY
::This would make wrapping gifts infinitely more fun
::Make sure to follow Leah’s five weeks worth of holiday cookies 
(she’s already posted some goodies)
::Head over here to help Lauren and her great cause
::Looking for some creative gift ideas?
What about this bacon of the month club.
::Also fun: a coffee of the month subscription
::A lovely “joy to the world” free printable
::The cutest Christmas brownies - complete with Santa hats
::Some gingerbread snowflakes
::And so. many. gift. guides!!

Happy weekend lovelies!

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When I was little, I knew Christmas was around the corner when the Sears Wishbook arrived in the mail. The extra-large catalogue would show up on our doorstep chalk full of all the toys a small child could dream of. After fighting over it with my little brother (and obviously winning. superior being and all ) I would excitedly go through it, diligently cutting out every item I hoped to find under the tree come Christmas morning.

I like to think that my taste has been somewhat refined since the era of popples, play-doh hair salons and newborn nancy dolls. While I no longer tear through a sears catalogue around this time, I do manage to get excited for the anticipation of what’s to come and couldn’t help but paste together a collection of items that are on my radar this year.

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a few suggestions to help you celebrate this thanksgiving weekend appropriately:napkin | plate | cutlery | salt and pepper shakers | wine | mug | scarf | candle | boot | throw | socks 

While I know it’s only us Canadians who are celebrating this weekend, there’s no reason that these simple guidelines can’t apply to those of you who are not. Kick back, relax, wear a pair of cozy knit socks and have a most wonderful fall weekend. And happy thanksgiving to my lovely Canadian friends!