Dreaming of...

Let me share a few words to describe the past few days in this house...

pink eye, sinus infections, asthma, snotty noses, trips to the doctor, trips to the pharmacy, puke, very little sleep, children turning into savage animals when you attempt to put drops into their eyes, quarantine, cabin fever...

you get the idea.

At random times during the past few days I find myself on google looking at pictures like this...

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(and those pictures are in order-- our itinerary is Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice)

Less than three weeks-- and after the past few days-- I can't wait.

But there is one thing that I'm just a little worried about...  What am I going to wear?

Another Look at that Retro Inspired Nursery

Remember a long long time ago when I found that awesome velvet blue chair with orange piping at the thrift store?  Remember how I was so inspired by the chair that I put together a retro inspired nursery with the chair as the centerpiece?  Well, here's another look at that nursery.

We decided to put together a sample Lark & Lily inspiration board using that nursery design as an example to show potential clients.  We've been practicing up our inspiration board making skills-- and I think we're starting to get the hang of it!

Man-- I remember feeling sad that I didn't really have a spot for that chair in my own home.  But-- I was so happy to discover that one of my friends spotted the chair a few days later and she bought it for her little boy's room.  I was so relieved :)

For more info-- feel free to visit our website HERE.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Kitchen Countdown-- it continues

Love this kitchen.  Instead of a subway tile backsplash like the last one, we've got a marble.  And it look like quartz countertops-- very similar combo to the kitchen my husband and I worked on a few months ago.

image via pinterest

I'm loving that light above the window-- we're planning to rip out the bulkhead above the upper cabinets and window in our kitchen-- so I'd have room for a fantastic light above my kitchen sink.

Oh, and someone asked about paint colors in my house!  I did a post on that a long time ago-- you can read all about it HERE.

Dear Caleb

When you woke up at 1:30 am and announced that you were done sleeping, I'll admit-- I didn't believe you.  But I now know that you are a growing up to be a man of your word.  I respect that.

But while I love spending time with you-- let's try and schedule our quality time during daylight hours in the future.  Pretty please.

Your Questions Answered

So I've got a few questions to answer... let's get to it.

Someone wanted to know about the nailhead trim I used on the upholstered headboard I made.

I purchased a nailhead trim kit from a little hole in the wall upholstery shop when I was visiting my parents in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan-- that probably won't help you.  But, I have ordered upholstery supplies from Beacon Fabric & Notions in the past-- and they do sell nailhead trim kits.  Trim kits are nice to use because you don't have to worry about getting all those teeny tiny nails in straight.  You just roll out the nail tack strip and pound in a nail where they're an open spot every 5 "nails" to secure it. This method is quick and easy-- but I did find that the nails provided with my kit didn't match the strip perfectly-- they were slightly darker.  Can you see what I'm talking about?

Because I'm picky-- I will admit that it does bother me on a regular basis!  But at least the trim is straight!  Uneven and crooked nailhead trim is the worst.

Next question-- what's the name of the Ikea console table in the entryway?  Ikea makes it very tricky to find this particular table-- it's actually classified as a dressing table.  Mine is the called the Malm Dressing Table-- when I went to purchase it I was also considering the Malm Occasional Table.  The Occasional table was cheaper, but in the end the Malm dressing table was shorter so it fit my entryway better and I did like that it had the drawer.  Wow-- if you say "Malm"  too many times you start to feel weird.

You'll notice that the table comes with a piece of glass for the top.  I've opted not to use it because it has  greenish tinge and I was worried that it would come crashing down on one of my kids.  Anyone want a large and heavy piece of hazardous greenish glass?

Next... a question about our upcoming Italy Trip-- Is Doug good with museums, architecture, art history and naked statues?  Ummm... Yes?  He may not have the same level of appreciation for art and architecture that I would have-- but he does enjoy experiencing new cultures and place-- so I'll think he'll be okay :) But really-- pizza, cheese, and pasta.  Need I say more?

And finally-- Did you know that the rhino at the Aldergrove zoo is named charlie?  what is your rhino named? 

No.  And-- rhino.

Any other questions?

Puppy Love and a whole lot of Glitter

I woke up to two of the cutest little Valentines-- the hour may have been a little earlier than I would have liked-- but it's hard to be irritated over the loss of sleep when your greeted by this little cutie pie.

She was wearing her puppy love pajamas.  I am a fan :)

I'm not too sure... but I think Eme likes Valentines day.

Over the last few days Caleb and I have been making Valentines.  This year I decided to let him choose-- we could either buy Valentines for his preschool classmates and cousins-- or he could make them.  I secretly was hoping he would choose the pre-made toy story Valentines in Walmart.  But alas-- he saw the glitter glue pens and was determined to make them.  So-- after days and days of cutting, and stickers, and soooo much glitter, we finished them.

As you can imagine-- a glitter bomb went off in my house.  This morning I discovered streaks of crusty glitter glue in my hair.  I'm pretty sure it's been there since Sunday.

But Caleb had SO much fun making custom Valentines for all his little buddies.  Cars stickers for the boys and princesses for the girls.

Well-- I'm off to spend the day with my little Valentines.  The plan is to eat a lot of heart shaped food and head to the local recreation centre for a little gym time.  Hoping that a hour or two of running around will tire those kiddos out!!

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Find me somewhere else today...

Morning everyone!  As you're enjoying your morning coffee (cause you know I am!!) I'd recommend heading over to Danielle Oakey Interiors and check it out.  I'm honored to be the latest guest in Danielle's series Best New Blogs!

So if you have a little time today-- definitely stop by Danielle's blog.  She's got great style and some great projects that are worth checking out.  Thanks for inviting me to participate Danielle!

Kitchen Countdown

Like I've mentioned a few times over the past few months... our kitchen renovation is just around the corner.  The great thing about having a husband who builds kitchens is that we can do it for a fantastic price.  The downside is that we can never find the time to get started!  Everyone else's kitchens always take priority.  Hopefully we can get started in the spring... so I'm trying to decide on exactly what I want.  I saw this picture a few days ago and said-- YES!! (maybe out loud :)  that's it!  Gorgeous hey?  Simple, clean, classic, timeless... I could see it in my home.

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Only problem is-- I fall in love with a new kitchen every couple of days.  So just to get it out of my system-- and to get me psyched up for our kitchen reno-- I'm going to start posting the kitchens I love...

It's gonna be my kitchen reno countdown....

One more thing...

Hey everyone, hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

Just thought I'd pop in and tell you all to check out the blog raenovate-- you may just see something quite familiar over there...  I'm just saying :)

You definitely need to spend some time looking at the amazing before and after's featured on this blog.  So much good stuff.  Thanks for featuring my home Rachel!  

You can read all about it HERE.

{and you may just get a sneak peek at Eme's new dresser... more on that another day!}

The Start of Something New

Well-- as you may have already figured out-- I decided not to go back to my old job after finishing up my maternity leave.  I kept meaning to blog about the fact that I had left the "working" world, but somehow I never got around to it.

BUT...

I've decided to jump back into the working world.  Kind of.  I don't really think of it as "work" because it's actually really fun and because my business partner is kind of awesome.  My friend Andrea and I decided to start our own interior decorating business!  We're pretty excited about the whole thing.  And after many hours of meeting, and planning, and organizing we're finally open for business!  Our website is now up and running... you should go check out Lark & Lily Interiors!

One day soon I'll blog more about how the whole business came together-- but for now-- feel free to take a look at the website and if you're looking to hire some decorators-- give us a call :)

Oh Martha

I love martha.  I love office supplies.

So when I found out that Martha was making office supplies pretty at Staples... I went... and I bought.

I bought the prettiest file folder labels.

Tax time will now be pretty.

And I'm thinking about these kitchen labels-- moisture, freezer, and microwave safe?  No way!

I also bought a teeny tiny little blue accordion file folder.  It fits into my purse.

Disorganized receipts?  A thing of the past.

Our local staples had an entire aisle of pretty Martha labels.  I was so mesmerized by all the pretty stuff I didn't notice when Eme kicked off her shoes and ran away.  I found her in the next aisle shortly after.  It took a little longer to find her shoes.  Into the cart she went!

Definitely worth checking out.  You can read more about the products here.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Okay, so I am super excited to let you all in on a little secret.  Doug and I will be going on a fantastic vacation in just 4 weeks!  Wanna know where?  Well... here are two little hints from around the house...

I am so excited I can hardly believe it... we're going to Italy for 11 days!

So, this is a big deal for two reasons-- first of all-- since having kids (that whole thing started 4.5 years ago) Doug and I have never taken a vacation without them.  Babysitters are hard to come by-- and so was time off from work.  A few months ago Doug's Mom and my Mom got together and offered their expert babysitting services.  Of course-- we had to accept!

Secondly-- going to Italy is a big deal for me because I absolutely LOVED studying art history in university.  I was a History major-- but managed to fit quite a few art history course into my schedule and they were hands down my favorite classes.  After studying art history I knew I would have to go and see all that fantastic Italian architecture, those famous statues, and all the beautiful frescos one day.  I took a third year Italian Renaissance course-- and kept the textbook-- just in case :)  It's on the coffee table now so I can do a little reading before we go!

So does anyone have any tips?  If you've been to Italy-- what was your favorite thing to do? What was your favorite thing to see?  Did you find a restaurant that had the best pasta in town?

Oh wow-- pasta, pizza, bread-- here I come!

Feeling Thrifty

If you've read my blog for any length of time you would know that I love a good deal.  I also love thrift stores-- the thrill of the hunt-- a great deal-- it gets me every time!  A few weeks ago someone suggested that I write about my thrift store shopping process-- when do I go, how often, what do I look for, what's a good deal... and so on.  So, here it is... my personal guide to thrift store shopping.

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Where, When, and how often... 

I usually shop at my local MCC thrift store-- the volume of stuff that they process is incredible-- every time I stop by there is new stuff.  I try to avoid Saturdays (that place is nuts on the weekend) unless they have a sale-- when things are half price I'm willing to brave the crowds.  I usually try to go early on in the week-- most people who drop their donations off would do it on a Saturday-- I assume that the new stuff is probably making its way into the stores at the beginning of the week.  I like to browse through the store a couple times a month on average.  If I'm looking for something specific I'll go more regularly.

Stuff I've found...

Well-- very rarely do I find exactly what I'm looking for.  Most of the time I randomly stumble across something that I think is awesome-- but am not entirely sure where it will go in my house.  But, if it's cheap enough and has a little vintage charm I'm always willing to give it a try!

Pretty much every room in my house has something I've found at a thrift store...

What do I consider a good deal...

The most expensive items (1, 5, 8, & 9) were $15.00... a lot of stuff I've found for $1-2 (2, 3, 4, 6, & 7).  I've painted a few things (8 & 9) but others I've left as is-- the worn finishes are sometimes too fantastic to paint over!  Generally, I don't like to pay more than $15-20 for a piece of furniture-- but if I found something that was insanely fantastic and was in great condition I would be willing to fork out a little more cash :)  For accessories-- I don't buy anything that's more than $2-3.  If something's overpriced-- you can always ask for a deal or wait until there's a sale :)

What do I look for...

Some things to keep an eye out for-- great picture frames (if they have glass you can get a new mat (dollar store!) and frame photos-- if there's no glass-- think chalkboard!) anything vintage schoolhouse-- globes, maps, textbooks, chalkboards, lamps with a classic base that could be updated with a new shade, solid wood furniture, old books with great covers, industrial looking furniture, crates, baskets... those are just a few suggestions.

Here are a few items that are currently on my thrift store radar...

Charming twin bed frames-- I would love to find a spool bed or a vintage metal bed frame for Eme's room.  Check out some of these examples...

Colorful quilts and afghans-- so great.

Landscape paintings or any vintage/antique artwork that would look great on its own or as a part of a collection-- gotta love a great gallery wall!!

Mirrors-- buying a new mirror (any place other than Home Sense) can be expensive!  There are always lots of great old mirrors that just need a coat of paint...

And of course I'm always looking at the dressers and tables to see if there is anything that needs to be painted!  These blue ones are pretty fantastic...

(images via my pinterest)

Now I'm hoping you all don't run out and snatch up all the stuff I've been looking for!

Well I hope some of you found this thrifty little guide useful.  Popping into you nearest thrift store every so often can be fun if you know what to look for!  I really think that it can be a great place to find  fantastic unique stuff for your home when you're working with a tight budget.  All it takes is a little vision and some time.

Anyone else have any tips or great shops to check out?  

Anyone wanna share their best thrift store find of all time?

A Yummy Dessert

So I was bringing a dessert to a baby shower last week... and was wanting to try something different-- sometimes I get a little sick of cupcakes (gasp!).  I stumbled upon an idea to make mini fruit pizzas-- and was sold.  I mean-- just look at how pretty they are!

They were also exceptionally easy.  All you do is:

• Make up a batch of sugar cookies-- use your favorite recipe.  Roll them out and cut into circles.  When you bake the cookies make sure they aren't too soft so they won't crumble when you pile them full of toppings.
• Once the cookies have cooled you top them with a cream cheese spread-- beat together 8 oz of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of icing sugar, and 3 tablespoons of frozen limeade concentrate.  It's delicious!
• Top with fruit-- I used fresh blueberries, strawberries, and kiwi-- any berry would be fantastic.

They were amazing.  Caleb was in heaven-- the only thing he loves more than cookies would have to be fruit.  Obviously this dessert was a smashing success with him...

I'm definitely going to make these again.

I spy...

So today I open up my mailbox to find the latest issue of style at home.

I just love it when that happens.

As I looked at the cover something caught my eye-- do you see what I see?  It's the same rhino I bought for Caleb's room-- sitting right there on the shelf on the magazine cover.  You know what that means...

I obviously have good taste in rhinos :)

Super(store) Stylish

I'm pretty sure these are the most stylish dinner napkins I've ever purchased.

It's too bad they're paper napkins... because if they were cloth I would have already turned them into throw pillows :)

Mama Needed a Night Out

Yesterday Doug got home from work, took one look at me, and said "you need to get out of here."  Apparently a little too much of this...

was turning Mama into a crazy person.  I love you Eme, but teaching you how to feed yourself has been slightly challenging.  Lunch time now includes bath time (like I mentioned earlier), laundry time, and clean the entire kitchen time.  Apparently she takes after her brother in more ways than one.

So, after dinner was over-- I threw on my jacket and happily left the kids, the dishes, and bath time/bed time to Doug.  And of course-- I went to Home Sense.

I found so many good things-- so I just had to share!  Here are a few of my favorite finds:

1.  Pretty lamp-- it's a similar shape to the one I found at a thrift store a while back (jury's still out on whether or not to paint... gotta get on that!)
2.  Tufted linen chair-- honestly-- for $300-- it doesn't get much better than this.  I'll take TWO!!  Just kidding Doug :)
3.  Loved these quilted throw blankets-- there were great colors-- soft purple, cream, and green-- wouldn't they be fantastic for a baby's room?  At $24 each-- I think so!
4 & 5.  Every time I pop into Home Sense I find bus roller prints-- and every time I'm tempted to pick one up!  Just look at how great they look...

via Effortless Style blog

via pinterest

So tempting... just gotta find the right spot in this house!  Maybe I could find a spot for one in the basement... hmmm...

6.  glass lamp-- classic shape.  Would look good in just about anyone's house.

7.  Pillows with jute braid trim-- They came in every color-- and were really well made.  They look almost identical to the pillows at Pottery Barn but instead of $49.45 for JUST the cover-- you get a the pillow cover and down insert for $19 - $25-- depending on the size.  Not too bad, Home Sense-- Not too bad!!

8.  Starburst mirror-- there were a few of them left in the clearance section.  Would look great above a bed... any takers?

9.  Another lamp-- I wasn't a huge fan of the shade (kind of looked like cork) but the base was awesome.

It was the perfect night out-- just me and Home Sense :)  Who knows... maybe I'll be heading back to snag one of these finds...