EARTH HOUR – pass it on!!

So here’s the thing I want to state,

This Saturday night I have a hot date.

I plan on engaging in a passionate and mindful moment,

That in the grand scheme of things is all about atonement.

Of what really should be done for what lies ahead,

Because if I don’t take care there will be trouble instead.

That’s right…..it’s Earth Hour this weekend,

So lights out is what they recommend.

A worldwide movement for the planet,

In keeping our Earth healthy and well dammit!

So holler some and make a big commotion,

Spread the word and share the notion.

That 60 minutes spent in the dark,

Will hopefully become a momentous landmark

But it’s not just about one hour

It about committing to using less power

And being more ‘green’ in everything you do,

Today, tomorrow and the whole year through!

Pass it on!!!!

                  Happy Earth

All words and images via Modmissy

St Patrick’s Day

Happy St Patrick’s Day!

A day to eat, drink and wear green.

I have made green mousse for dessert,

Green Mousse

 

I will wear the only piece of green clothing I own, Green Coat

 

And I’m thinking green beer just might be on tap for this evening!

As for my décor, I have no green.  Nothing.  Not a piece of green in my décor.

But I used to….

My livingroom walls in the 1980’s were painted Mayan Green, Benjamin Moore.

Benjamin Moore Mayan Green

In the early 1990’s my bedroom walls were painted Deep Green, Benjamin Moore.

Benjamin Moore Deep Green

My living/dining/kitchen walls a few years ago were painted a soft green – Saybrook Sage, Benjamin Moore.

Benjamin Moore Saybrook Sage

I have lived with my fair share of green and thank you very much but I am done with green!

But who knows, style is cyclical.

Have a great St Paddy’s Day.

Cheers!

 

 

 

Surviving the Winter in a Man Cave!

Geez…….it’s been a long winter.

Had enough yet of the cold, freezing cold, snow and more snow?

Survival is to adapt.

Dress warm and get outside – don’t let Mother Nature dictate!

And so it was that I found myself once again in my neighbour’s garage a.k.a. “Bill’s Man Cave”, watching the Olympic gold medal Men’s Hockey Game at 7 am in the freezing cold with all my other winter crazy neighbours.

The Garage

Man Cave Garage

The Man Cave   Man Cave

The Rules       

The Host and Hostess

The Hosts

The Dress Code

The Dress

Willing Participants.  Woof!

Olympic Dog

 The snacks – Coffee, Bubbly and Timbits.

Olympic Munchies

The Cheering!

 

 Thanks for the memories Bill!

All images via Modmissy

    

 

 

Feathering the Nest

This summer above our garage door a nest was built and three birds were born.   Baby bird

For weeks the parents flew in and out feeding and caring for their precious offspring.  These young birds had insatiable appetites and the parents never seemed to stop working.   Hungry Birds.

Then one day I noticed the young birds had ventured outside the nest.  Leaving the Nest.

And the next moment the nest was on the ground and all the birds had flown.   Birds Nest.

Hatched, raised and flown.  Gone.

In my last post I mentioned that my son is now living away at university – born, raised and flown the nest.  Gone.

So, where did 18 years go?

It was only yesterday that he was born.  And what felt like a mere 5 minutes ago that he was learning to walk, talk and then heading off to Kindergarten.  Time flies doesn’t it!?

I have to believe that my years of parenting have given him wings and the ability to soar.  Made him want to venture beyond his very comfortable nest.

But I miss him big time!!

And now there is a void in the house with empty rooms and spaces where my son once occupied.

But instead of feeling sad every time I walk past these ‘gaps’………I decided to re-decorate.

I ‘feathered the nest’ for me!

High atop on the 3rd floor of my home I turned my son’s study into my space of relaxation and comfort.   Feathering the Nest.

Let me tell you there is nothing better than lying on a comfy chaise with a view out the window, my favourite books, pictures of loved ones and the remote in my hand.

Heaven!

All images via Modmissy

Oh Look…..it’s Me!

I went for a bike ride yesterday along Toronto’s waterfront bike trail.

Absolutely perfect weather and no crowds.

The bike trail was all mine to enjoy; very peaceful.  I pedaled along with nary a thought in my head.

Until I was quickly brought back down to earth when I saw a vision of myself posted on a billboard.

Freaky!!

Rollerblading

The likeness was uncanny even to me!                          Condo Billboard.

I’ve written previously about billboards, (see here) specifically billboards advertising new home developments with images of happy, smiling people living charmed lives but I never imagined I would be one of those people.

But there I was (or at least someone who looked a lot like me) rolling along the bike path, part of a new, vibrant, sustainable neighbourhood pictured in a huge billboard for all to see.  I had become that common face, the ‘this could be you’ person, living a life full of opportunities.  Charmed.

The billboard was part of the hoarding surrounding the upcoming Bayside Development.  The condos are being built directly on Toronto’s inner harbour of Lake Ontario transforming an underutilized, industrial area into an active and diverse mixed-use community and thriving waterfront destination.  With great views of the lake and a prime location to downtown Toronto who wouldn’t live a charmed life here.   Bayside Development

Toronto Inner Harbour

Fabulous, but am I ready for condo life yet!?

All images via Modmissy

Christmas in July

Aaaaaaaaarrgh!

It’s August!  One month closer to autumn.  sob..sob..sob

For me, July epitomizes summer and I am not ready to say goodbye so I advocate that July should be 60 days long.

Makes perfect sense.  Let’s keep summer around longer.  Right?

Funny thing though, yesterday I attended a ‘Christmas in July’ event.  I celebrated the holiday with Home Depot® at their 2013 Holiday Preview.

The event was held in the beautiful shop of Bobbette & Belle, Artisanal Pastries – a must visit bakery in the heart of Leslieville, Toronto.

Here is a sneak peek as to what’s hot (no pun intended!) in holiday décor for 2013.

The Winterberry Collection – red, gold and brown.  Very classic.  Winter Berry Collection

The Metallic Woodland Collection – gold and browns.  Very organic.  Metallic Woodland Collection..

The Arctic Holiday Collection – silver and blue.  Iconic colours with new shapes and designs.  Perfect for Hanukkah too.   Arctic Holiday Collection

The Midnight Holiday Collection – chartreuse, charcoal, turquoise and midnight blue.  Midnight Holiday Collection

Oh…..I loved the wallpaper behind the white cabinet in the above photo.  Thinking of it for a feature wall in my own home but that’s for another blog!

Of course no holiday is complete without a gift so Home Depot® and Bobbette & Belle sent me home with a goodie.  Thank you.  Christmas in July - Home Depot

So happy holidays and bring on more summer!!!

A Focus on Space

Yesterday I attended a focus group for the Brother® Business Smart™ all-in-one printer; the MFC-J4510DW. 

Brother MFC-J4510DW

 

With the ultimate combination of printer, scanner, copier, fax and wireless networking this piece of technology has it all.  Including great looks!

But while attending yesterday’s very informative event it occurred to me that I have not been using my Brother® Business Smart™ to its best capabilities.  Although it occupies valuable real estate on my desk I have been ‘under’ using this all-in-one printer.  I have since changed that.  And love it now even more!

This got me thinking about our homes.  Do we use them to their best or are there rooms/spaces that we ‘under’ use? 

I often say that space is highly overrated.  What good is having a lot of it when we don’t use it??

I like having my formal dining room but how often do I use it?  My TV is in my media room so I don’t really ‘hang’ in my living room.  The guest room is for guests.  I seem to never leave my kitchen as it is the hub of the house which means that I don’t use my other rooms. 

So I have started to re-think some of my space.

Stay tuned!    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

All images via Modmissy

My Spool Bed

A year ago I wrote about my ‘curbside treasure’ – my antique Spool Bed. (see here)   Spool Bed

I stated that “one man’s garbage, another woman’s treasure”.  ????

Well……after a bunch of (my hubby’s) elbow grease, this old spool bed that was left for garbage at the side of the road is now my cottage bedroom treasure.

Nothing short of totally dismantling, re-gluing, sanding, staining and altering to fit a bigger mattress the spool bed’s makeover is now complete.  Sweet dreams!Spool Bed

All images via Modmissy

Baby it’s Cold Outside!

Brrrrrrrrrrr!  It’s cold outside.

Mother Nature seems to be confused offering 12 degree temps (54 degree Fahrenheit) in June.

So I thought it would be OK to talk about fur – mostly fun faux fur.

I have had this photo in my inspiration folder for some time, a tear-out from Style at Home magazine.  The magazine made mention of statement pieces like the well-styled bookcases, the hide rug, table and vase – which are all very lovely.  But who could ignore that outstanding/amazing flokati-covered chair.  Not Me!!!!  flokati covered chair

Another chair that caught my attention is The Cutie Chair by Munna Design of Portugal whose mission is to ‘transform emotion into products’.  The Cutie Chair with its faux fur and gold leaf legs certainly fills me with emotions of happiness!  Cutie Armchair by Munna Design

The Ciprio designed by Fernando e Humberto Campana for Edra is a wonderfully playful iconic piece.  The settee has 9 cushions fixed to an invisible metal tube frame, stuffed with Gellyfoam® and covered in ‘ecological fur ‘available in different fur lengths.  Fun, fun, fun!  Cipria for Edra.

This chair seen on houzz.com is a Mid Century Modern classic piece covered in faux fur.  Serious but not too serious.   houzz.com

So I decided to do my own version of a faux fur covered chair.  I went with yellow to give a pop of colour in a very white guest room plus it matched one of The Hudson Bay stripes in the Point Blanket.  My family have coined it the ‘Big Bird Chair’ (à la Sesame Street).

Oh well….it makes me smile!   Yellow faux fur

 

 

Inspiration Hits – My Newest DIY

I was struck by inspiration recently.  Whomp!

I believe my setting and scenery had everything to do with my inspiration – sitting in the backyard, feet up, warm dappled sun shining through the canopy of trees and a cuppa tea by my side.  I was reading my July issue of Canadian House and Home magazine and came across a photo in an article titled Relaxed Seaside Living.   House and Home Relaxed Seaside Living

I loved this calm, neutral living room with slipcovered furniture, sculptural rope floor lamp, lots of weathered wood and organic textures.  But there was one particular detail that caught my eye.

So I was inspired to DIY.     DIY Pillow.

Canadian Maple Leaf.

 

Fringed Pillow..

 

And in the wink of a D-eye-Y this was my creation…..      Canada Flag Pillow.

My Canadian Flag pillow.  Perfect for my ‘Relaxed Lakeside Living’!

I chose to use neutral, organic fabrics for a faded, worn look but also these are the tones of my cottage interior.  See my cottage renovation here: https://modmissy.com/2012/09/12/the-cottage-renovation-the-after-photos/

Oh Canada!

All images via Modmissy