There was a tiny bit of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream left in the carton (Dave Matthew’s Band Magic Brownies in case you’re wondering, raspberry with cream and brownies). I remembered a treat I had a few times at a Ben & Jerry’s cafe in Amsterdam and decided to recreate it. Foamy, milky coffee + ice cream = yum.

The ice cream sunk to the bottom as soon as I put it in, but you can just about see the tip of the ice-berg. If you get in there with a spoon right away, you get to enjoy a mixture of cold ice cream mixed with the hot latte! And when it’s all melted, you’re left with a creamy, flavored coffee – so good. It’s a great way to enjoy a bit of ice cream on a cold & wintry day!

This would be so good with hot chocolate too, maybe with mint chocolate chip ice cream?

Do you have any plans for the weekend? I am going to the Interior Design Show in Toronto tomorrow, I’m excited!

Hope your weekend is lovely!

Today is week 2 of the One Room Challenge! Here are a few inspiration photos for our dining room that inspired me to paint our dining room chairs black:

Love the chalkboard wall in this one too! I won’t do a wall in ours, but I might do something with a chalkboard…

{Via Plush Palate}

This photo is so beautiful and seeing how great those black windsor chairs look in a light room convinced me to bring out the black paint.

{Via Sanctuary}

So far, I’ve put wood fuiller on some dents and scratches in the seats and I’m working on coating them all in primer. I wonder how many coats of black paint it’s gonna take me to get an even color…I’ll let you know when I get there!

And here are a couple of fabrics that I am looking at for the room:

This one has that watercolor look that I love, as well as flowers and the right colors.


IKEA GULLAN BLOM fabric

This one reminds me of Kate Spade’s hallway. (See my post from last week here.)

IKEA SOFIA fabric

Which one is your favorite?

Be sure to check out the other talented ladies who are doing this challenge!

Saved by Suzy
Dutch.British.Love
Trapped in North Jersey
Nicole Scott Designs
Kim Macumber Interiors
Rue de Emily
The Pink Pagoda
refresheddesigns
Nana Moon Shop
Taylor Morgan Design
Insideways
My Crafty Home Life
House Four
Living Savvy
(A Lifestyle Thing)

I wanted to fill it with something and I was inspired by Holly at Life in the Fun Lane to do a quick project involving paper and glitter.

I took some sheet music and gave it more aged look by dyeing it with tea.

I then glued it onto a backing (cardboard from a cereal box in this case) and made a heart template out of paper. I put the template on top of the paper and applied Mod Podge, working from the outside in so the glue wouldn’t leak. Then I sprinkled glitter on top.

A little fun fact: The sheet music is of “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music – my favorite movie when I was little. I just went to the Sound of Music Sing-a-Long show which was a lot of fun! I actually teared up a bit when belting out My Favorite Things along with the rest of the audience – it brought me back to being a child and watching the Sound of Music with my parents and sister, being so enthralled by the story. Ah, memories…

I hope you’re having a good week!

{5 Lovely Things}

1. These pretty bowls put me in the mood for Valentine’s Day.
2. This Marine Dress by Joe Fresh is only $29, such a great addition for a Spring wardrobe.
3. I saw these SOLO Pendants on Courtney Lane and couldn’t get them out of my head. I think they’re the perfect mix of minimalist and embellished.
4. Joanna Goddard’s bedroom caught my eye when Lisa blogged about it on Elembee. It’s the perfect example of how primary colors can be used with elegant result. It looks like such a happy space!
5. These Cashmere Undies would be the perfect way to keep my bum warm & cozy in cold Canadian winters. It’s too bad they’re $45 a piece, however it is the type of luxury product that I feel might just be worth its price tag.

{5 Lovely Links}

1. This post by Alexandra Franzen about how Money Amplifies Your Art brought home the point that true abundance is not in money – money only amplifies what you already are.
2. As someone who owns white appliances and doesn’t love the look of stainless steel for my own kitchen, I loved seeing these beautiful photos of kitchens with white appliances in Courtney’s post on White appliance vs. Stainless Steel.
3. Tori wrote a post on building an on-line community with links to some good articles on the topic.
4. Holly from Life in the Fun Lane started a new series called Paint Perfection where she shares her tips and techniques for painting furniture from start to finish. Reading Holly’s blog is what first got me interested in painting furniture, I am so excited to learn from her about the way she tackles a piece!
5. I enjoyed this TED talk on How Beauty Feels. It made me think a lot about the physical effects beauty has on us.

I hope your weekend was lovely!

I was watching New Girl yesterday (do you watch that show?) and it was about Nicks birthday party – he mentions in the beginning of the episode that this one is important to him because he is turning 29 and it’s the LAST YEAR OF HIS TWENTIES…! Well, I realized (not for the first time) that I am already there…well into my 29th (8 months to be precise ) and only 4 months away from the big 3-0.

I’ve seen people do 30 before 30 (30 things they want to do before they turn 30). However, since I am kind of late into the year but still thought it would be fun to make a list, I am doing 15. None of these are earth-shattering or even particularly adventurous, but they are things that I’d like to look back on in 4 months and say: Yes, I did that. So here it is:

1 Sew a piece of clothing (top or skirt). Back in Holland, my aunt taught me to sew, but I haven’t sewn a piece of clothing since I came to Canada. I bought a sewing machine a few years back but it’s mostly been used for hemming jeans. I really want to tackle some simple & fun projects with it. I think one piece of clothing should be a good start!
2 Finish my interior decorating certification. I’d like to send in my last assignments by the end of April and hopefully (if I pass) that means I’ll graduate by May!
3 Register my business.
4 Get my driver’s license. Yes, it’s time. I’ve been taking lessons and I should have my license by February. Can’t wait!
5 Sew a heart-shaped pillow. I’ve started on a hear-shaped pillow for my study, but have yet to finish it.
6 Make my own roman blinds. A step up in the handmade, sewing projects. I just like the idea of tacking this myself and making blinds out of a piece of fabric. There is such satisfaction in making something with your very own hands!
7 Open an Etsy store. Not that I don’t have enough on my plate already, but I’ve had this idea in my head for a side/hobby business where I could just direct any leftover creative energy I will have to. I am not sure how it will go and whether it will last, but I will set up that store and see where it goes!
8 Host a dinner party. While we occasionally have people over for dinner, we haven’t hosted anything that could qualify as a dinner party.
9 Go for a wine tasting at a winery in the Niagara area (where we live).
10 Go on a road trip. Even if it’s not very far, ideally I’d like to drive with Ben to Washington DC to see my sister. Not sure if that will happen though, I’ll settle for something a little closer to home if need be.
11 Make macaroons. I had them for the first time when visiting my sister in San Francisco and would really like to re-create that experience in my own kitchen!
12 Set up my website. I have an idea for a name for my interior decorating business already and I want to set up the website, even if it’s a starting point.
13 Paint a painting. I have painted furniture but never a painting, perhaps I can handle a small one.
14 Grow tomatoes, basil, oregano, parsley & garlic. I’d like to have all the ingredients for pasta sauce in my backyard!
15 Visit the Distillery District in Toronto. I read about this area in a magazine. There used to be a distillery but was transformed into an area with art galleries, cute shops and cafes. It’s supposed to have an old world feel and I’d really like to visit!

Well, there it is. It sort of looks like a lot now that I’ve typed it all out. Well…I do have four months to get it done – I’ll keep you posted on progress!

Have you ever made a list of things to do before you turn a certain age?

Linda from My Crafty Home Life invited me to participate in a challenge where we 15 of us take one room and transform it in six weeks. We will be posting on Wednesday for the next six weeks about progress on the room, and share our ideas, projects, projects and, hopefully, smashing results (and cpossibly challenges along the way). So much fun!

The room I’ll be working on is our dining room/area. It is in between our living room and kitchen, this is the view from the living room:

I love working at the dining room table and this is why – large windows on the south-side of the house let in lots of light:

The shelving unit to the left came with the house. I really want to paint it, but it’s been one of those projects that have been on the backburner (but not anymore!).

I like the laid-back but classic country style that windsor chairs and the round table add. However I’d like to paint the chairs black and do something to the table too – I’m not 100% sure what to do with it yet…I’ll have to make up my mind once I start working on it.

The built-in is one of those original features of the house that we love so much. It could do with some more styling though – it looks rather bare!

When I thought about inspiration, I narrowed it down to 3 specific things.

Ever since I wrote about 5 things I like about Kate Spade’s house, I have not stopped thinking about her house. I love the mix of colors and she also has gray walls in one of her rooms which looks similar to our gray. These green stripes in her hallway are also on my mind:

Another inspiration is not interior-related, but rather botanical, more specifically tulips. Here I am cradling a tulip in my hands on a visit back home to Holland. Tulips come in so many colors, from intense purple to fresh yellow, as well as pinks and reds…there is such an array of colors to choose from. I want a sense of freshness and a mix of colors.

A third thing that came to mind was watercolors – I love sheer colors and the way colors overlap in a watercolor.

If you wonder how I plan to translate this inspiration into a room, you’ll just have to read along. :)

Be sure to also stop by the other bloggers participating in this challenges, I’ve read some of the posts and they are GREAT. Can’t wait to read the others later tonight when I have time!

Saved by Suzy
Dutch.British.Love
Trapped in North Jersey
Nicole Scott Designs
Kim Macumber Interiors
Rue de Emily
The Pink Pagoda
refresheddesigns
Nana Moon Shop
Taylor Morgan Design
Insideways
My Crafty Home Life
House Four
Living Savvy
(A Lifestyle Thing)

{Source of photo: Mille Notti}

Colours: Mostly white and gray. Brown (from the photos, frames, books and coffee table) and gold (from frames) which add warmth. Blue and green accents from the book covers and plant. Black accents from accessories (and the very cute dog!).

Materials: Cotton, wood, metal (lamp), paper.

Shapes: Mostly rectangular (the pillows, headboard, books, coffee table, frames).

Patterns: Subtle gray on white stripe on the bedding.

Art: Photos (black and white and muted warm colors that match the colors in the rest of the room). Children’s drawing. Alpha and Omega shaped objects on stack of books on the coffee table. Books piled up on the coffee table.

This room looks so fresh and calming! I like how they’ve added warmth with the accents and the informal styling – it looks anything but stark. The children’s drawing up in the gallery wall between the photos is such a sweet touch!

Have a lovely day!

{Lovely Things}

1. This DIY Nepali Ceiling Hanging is pretty and colorful and doesn’t look too time-consuming to make.
2. The fabric of the Crepe Myrtle Shirtdress from Anthropologie, was made in collaboration with a photographer. So pretty!
3. Martha Stewart and office supply brand Avery are collaborating which means lots of functional and pretty office supplies! I like these colorful file folders and file folder labels but there is lots more. Contrary to what my previous post might suggest, I actually quite enjoy organizing my paper work (all the important stuff is filed away) and pretty supplies definitely make it more fun! The Martha Stewart line will be exclusively available at Staples, and is already available on-line. I couldn’t find it on the Canadian site – I do hope it comes out here too!
4. I almost bought this Gold and White Pen Cup when I got my desk lamp and I’m a little sad I didn’t.
5. My love affair with West Elm continues – I love this nautical Round Rope Lamp

{Lovely Links}

1. I loved reading about Caiti’s food goals for 2012. You can set food goals?! How come I’ve never thought of this? Definitely love this idea.
2. Super blogger and vintage boutique owner Elsie Larson shared some tips for organizing your inspiration.
3. A beautiful geometric faceted paint job.
4. My sister sent me this link link to a thought-provoking TED talk on what Google and Facebook are hiding from the world.
5. This is what the Niagara Falls (a 10 minute drive from our home) look like in the Winter. (Stunning!)

Hope your weekend has been wonderful!

One of my unwritten New Year’s resolutions is to actually use my study this year. Even though I worked hard on it last year and I love being there, I was so used to working at our dining room table that I had a hard time breaking this habit.

But I have a habit of transforming my work space into this…

and it’s been really nice to not have piles of papers and books in the dining room. Look, you can actually see our table!

Other unwritten New Year’s resolutions include creating a more organized work space – yes the clutter does get to me at times and I need somewhat of a system to deal with my stuff. And I also have plans for our dining room, about which I will talk more on Wednesday! (And yes, there is a reason that it will be on Wednesday, but I will tell you more about it then!)

Hope you have a very lovely weekend so far!

As an example I decided to do a little product round-up of nature-inspired home office items in a Spring-worthy palette of chartreuse, aqua and green. Here’s how to create a collage in Picasa:

1. Download Picasa if you don’t already have it.

2. Browse websites to find products that you like and that work well together. Download the images onto your computer. (I often take screen shots of the product which on a Mac you do by pressing shift+command+4 simultaneously. Thank you Melissa for teaching me that!)

3. I create a temporary folder on my desktop to collect the images, this makes them easier to find later on.

4. Go into Picasa and on the left side of the screen, you can see your images organized by date or folder. Find the folder that you have saved the images in and click on it.

5. Click on one of your images to select it, then go to the bottom of the screen where you see the image of a green push pin and click on that, this ‘holds’ the image for you. Do this for every image that you want to use in your collage. They will line up in the bottom left on your screen.

6. In the bottom row of icons, click on the icon that says ‘Collage’. Now, at the left you see different options you have for your collage. I selected ‘Product Pile’.

7. Click on any of the images to select them and drag them to wherever you’d like to have them. You can also adjust their size and the angle at which they’re placed. Arrange them until it looks good to you.

8. Now click on ‘Create Collage’ at the left of the screen. This takes you to a different screen where you have several options of editing the collage. To add text, click on ‘Text’ which takes you to the next screen where you can pick a font, size and color for the text you want to add. In the example, I used the Academy Engraved LET font. Simply type your text and drag it to where you want it.

9. When it looks good to you, go to the bottom of the page and click ‘Export’. This will allow you to save it to your computer.

10. And there it is! (If this seems at all complicated, it’s just because I am showing all the steps. In reality it’s pretty easy and self-explanatory once you get started!)

Here are the products I used…Even though I was just creating this to use as an example, I actually really like this little round-up of items!

1. Journal from Target
2. Clover Paperweight from John Derian
3. Ceramic Branch Table Lamp from West Elm
4. Wire & Birch Pencil Cups from Olive Manna
5. Faux Bois Pillow in Beech from Anthropologie (there is a faux bois pattern on the back, so pretty!)

Have fun creating your collage! Let me know if you have any questions or if any of the above is unclear!

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