Sarah's Cottage

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Sarah Richardson. I've gushed about her before and I'm always sure to watch her shows on Tuesday nights. She's done 2 seasons of Sarah's House, where she flips a house and you get to watch the whole thing. The most recent season was Sarah's Cottage, where she made-over her very own cottage. Let me tell ya---serious envy going on.
I've seen each episode at least 3 times each. Hubs just rolls his eyes whenever it comes on now and asks if I can give the commentary yet. Sadly, I probably could. Yikes! (And yes, I watched it last night--it was the bedroom episode)

So yesterday, I found this post on Apartment Therapy and thought I'd share the cottage love with all y'all.

I'd hope to save some of the images from the HGTV site, but they're in flash and I'm just not techie enough to figure it out. I'd taken screen shots and gone that route, but it just doesn't work. Next step-google images! Not quite the same, but you'll just have to check the site out for the real eye candy.
The Living Room Addition/Exterior episode boasted some pretty swanky open concept living, and a good amount of antiques:




There was also a whole episode dedicated to the 2 guest bedrooms, appropriately and conveniently named East & West Guest Rooms:



As well as one for the master bedroom & their children's loft (did I mention she was uber preggers during the show waiting on number 2?):

Another devoted to the super swanky cottage bathrooms:One of my personal favourite episodes was the kitchen & dining room episode where Sarah used a lot of rustic looking stuff to cottage-up an otherwise quite modern kitchen & dining room:And the final episode was fairly Sarah-less because she was thisclose to delivery, so they recapped the season as well as focusing on the bunkie, which was just too cute:They just make it look so easy! I've asked before how and where these designers find their resources (seamstresses, antiques, reupholstery) because I've seen and dealt with some, and nothing ever turns out like any aspect of these rooms.

I definitely recommend you check it out though, and if you're anything like me, you'll love all the little details and personal touches. While you're there, check out the galleries for Sarah's House 1 & 2. Just be prepared for some serious day dreaming...

Monthly Visitor

Heh heh---not to worry, I'm not one to discuss that monthly visitor. This is one I hugely look forward to each month and not in a I'm a flooze kind of way either.

Enough of that---I got my latest issue of Canada's Style at Home magazine in the mail yesterday! Woo Hoo! It's the August issue, which is kind of absurd since it's only JUNE 24, but lemme tell ya--it's a good one!

(I suppose it bears mentioning that if you think anyone from Style at Home knows anything about me or this post, you're crazy. I just love it and want to share the greatness with my 1 and only reader)

I think it might be my favourite issue yet and I'm trying not to finish it all at once so it lasts until the next issue arrives. So last night I just flipped through it and pretty much every page I stopped at-crap.

There's a cute feature on thrifty, although no less thoughtful, hostess gifts specifically aimed at cottage visitors:

This one's a cute gardening themed gift.

And these ones include a puzzle & game fits, a nice jam set, a pet-centric gift, a bbq-ers dream gift and even a s'mores gift set-yum!

The 'We Love It' feature (where editors pick their faves for that months category) is all about monograms, which is so trendy right now, and obviously, I'm a fan for myself and for gifts:

Admittedly, this months High-Low feature isn't one of my faves (you can check out some fabulous ones here), but I always love picking which aspects are my favourite and realizing that sometimes the less expensive things (although still out of my budget) are ones I prefer over the mucho dinero options:

The Decorator's Notebook feature is all about dressing patio doors, and features some great inspiration pics:

And there's a great Table Style feature showcasing several ideas for a green and white table setting (such a great summery combo):

And, of course, the cover story, which features an amazing PEI home (there's also a great feature on another cottage, but at a certain point I was photographing and posting every single page, so I had to pick my faves):

Isn't it amazing? Just look at that kitchen! And the mud room/entrance! I can't wait until next month when they post these stories to their site so I can save several of the higher-res images to my inspiration folder):

And the large dinind area that features exposed beams and a harvested custom-made super-large table:

And the bedrooms and bathroom are equally as inspiration-worthy with a built-in bookcase and great beadboard:

There's also a feature on sheers, which contrary to my design un-saavy boss who's currently decorating his dream home, are NOT out of style. Quite the opposite, in fact:

And yet another great home featured with fantastic design and personal touches:

And, hello! A feature all about ice cream! Talk about speaking to your readers!

And....just when you think you're done-they give you a teaser for next months issue (September already? Egads!)...Organizing & Kitchens! I'm had a bit of sensory overload with that one. Look at that banquette with a built-in drawer---come on! And I have to wait another month?

Anyways, I've gushed enough, but if you're in Canada (I don't know if it's in every province, but it says Canada, so I presume so), I strongly urge you to pick this one up---it's a keeper.

If not, the website has so many ideas and inspiration too, it's a huge problem for my work productivity, but great for me :)

Enjoy---I know I will.

I'm Not Worthy...

I know I've been posting fairly intermittently. But I'm not sorry.

The reason? There are some flipping creative and crafty people out there! Many of whom have blogs; blogs that I've been devouring over the last several days and feeling incredibly inadequate although inspired at the same time.

I posted last month about my obsession with Make it and Love it. And not to take anything away from Ashley, because she's totally uber talented and great, but I have to spread the creative crafty obsession.

First, I came across U Create (I'm not entirely sure how, but I believe via Imperfect), which is a collection of the best of the best of a slew of Crafty McCraftersons. All in one place! This is a great, but if you follow the links, you get absurd (ly fantastic) amounts of ideas, inspiration and tips, tricks and doses of inferiority.

I have to apologize because I didn't save where I got the ideas from (sacrilege I know) and I never did very well in English class, so I'm not crediting them as I should, but here's just a dose of some of the images I've saved:

And that's not even a drop in the bucket.

Where do these people come up with this stuff? Am I missing a gene or something where people see things as they should be and the ability to completely transform it?

Anyways, I won't do a whole post about each and every Crafty chicka out there, because my 'favourites' folder has pretty much quadrupled in size and is growing by the day, so here's several of the more recent ones I've added in case you're interested. (Oh-and I added a UCreate button on the sidebar for easy access)

Big Ideas from a Little Girl

Crap I've Made (love the title)

I DIY

Inspire Me Crafts

Kwerner Design (jackpot for card inspiration...they put my June cards to SHAME!)

Creative Holiday Gift Ideas

The Tipsy Hostess (another great title, and oh-so-me)

OK, re-reading, this is like a name-dropping orgy, but you'll thank me.

All 2 people who've ever read this blog will anyways.

Stay crafty my friends. (Dos Equis? Anyone?)

Product Gush: Method Laundry Detergent

Seriously, go and buy this:

I used it earlier this week after my gush about Canadian Tire and I'm back to gush about this laundry detergent.

It's environmentally friendly, so I like it. That's the reason I bought it. What I wasn't expecting, though, was for my clothes to come out smelling a-mazing! We don't use fabric softener because of the chemicals, so usually there's not much of a scent associated with our (clean) clothes other than clean, or nothing, or fabric.

Not anymore--it seriously smells so good, I almost changed my outfit today so I could wear something that was washed with it. I didn't, but I would have if it would have worked.

Store Gush: Canadian Tire

I'm obsessed with shopping. There are too many stores that I can write raves about right now. Pier 1 last week, CT now, and a few more to come I think.

For any americans, you'll have no idea what this store is. Too bad for you.

I popped in this past Friday to pick up a shelf for the powder room (see last post). I'd looked at a few places and couldn't find one I liked, but hubs had told me that the Centrum location had a great decor and furniture section I should check out. And check it out I did.

I'd looked at their website and found this shelf from the Debbie Travis collection for $34.99:

It was more or less what I was looking for. A little simple, but the right size, colour and decent quality. So I headed over there. Fortunately, I found the shelf I ended up purchasing from the same Debbie Travis collection while I was there (there's no image online available):

Which I liked much more for that space. It was like crown moulding a bit and a perfect fit.

While there, I found some rugs, some other furniture, some window coverings and even some lighting that I liked. Along with, of course, loads of baskets and closet organization stuff (CT is great for both of those things). But...while weaving through the home aisles, I saw a wonderful display across the hall.

Method cleaning products.

If you read my blog-letter to Target, you may recall that one of the many reasons I crave Target is for their cleaning products. Method is eco friendly cleaning products, which I search out. Plus-as a frivolous bonus-they're packaging is totally cute. So I tossed a whack of Method products onto my growing pile. Added a doormat and another broom to the pile and beelined it out of there for risk of being drawn to something else.

Needless to say, it was a productive shopping trip and I think I may have found another regular.

If you're from the Ottawa area, though, and want to check it out-definitely go directly to the Centrum location. There's also a new big one on Carling that's probably a similar caliber, but don't waste your time in Bells Corners (sorry, guys)-it's nowhere near as good for home stuff and may turn you off their entire chain. If you're looking for automotive and more construction-y stuff, they're fine, but not pretty things.

Anyways, I need to stop falling for these stores. Our bank account can't take much more of it.

Store Gush: Pier 1 Imports

I love Pier 1. I love it. I could drop many thousands of bills there easily.

For a few years now, my love has kind of waned, but in the last 2 months or so, my love has increased hugely!!!

I regularly cruise the website for ideas, inspiration and just to ogle.

Some of my recent purchases include:

The Siam stool. I'd been looking at this online for a while, and when I stopped by this past weekend and it was on clearance and was the last one in store, I had to snag it. Fortunately (not that it would have mattered, honestly-I love it that much), hubs came home and almost immediately took it in and commented how much he liked it. Score! (I liked it so much, I hit up the Merivale location for a second one on Sunday)

A large green vase. The back one in particular. Same deal-I was at the Centrum location (the best in Ottawa by far!) and it was the last one and on clearance. It was full of fake flowers & branches, so I didn't want to bother a salesperson, so I looked at all the other similar ones. But this was the one I wanted, so I got it. Again-hubs loved it. It's now filled with Ikea branches.

New papasan cushion. I've had a papasan chair for a few years now, and it's always had a faded blue, denim-looking cushion. Suitable at the time I got it for Christmas from my mom & dad. A little out of date now, and with a few unfortunate stains from having to bleach out cat pee stains. I replaced it with a lovely brown cushion now though. On sale!

And here are some items on my wish list:

A large rattan basket. Particularly the one on the left. It's about 4' high and would look fantastic (I think) in our front entrance filled with the rest of the sticks not used in the green vase.

Glass Apothecary Jars. I'd love to bring a few of these into our ensuite bathroom to store q-tips, cotton balls, etc. The ones currently at Pier 1, though are pretty friggin huge, so I'll have to wait until there are small ones around.

Jute Rug. We really need some area rugs to break up the dark wood in our main living spaces. As much as I'd love to have a patterned rug in there, it's just not us. Plus, a jute rug would hold less cat hair than a wool, cotton or poly rug (I think), so it would be better for the air quality in our house.

Here are my new purchases in action:

Window Coverings? Area rugs? Art on the wall?

Pfft!

Apparently they can wait. I've clearly got other things on the brain.