Posted by Cobi on Monday July 26, 2010 at 06:00 AM
Comments (1)
I can't believe it's been a full year since I started blogging. I've reached my goal of a regular Monday morning post for 52 weeks in a row and counting. Hooray!!
It's been a great way to keep my 'deadline-discipline brain cells' active while working on other long term projects. I hope you've enjoyed my missives to date, and stay with me over the next year or however long I manage to keep chattering.
I'm just going to take a short break to recharge and enjoy this great weather (hopefully you are doing the same!) and I'll be back in a week or two.
Have a look at my July letters if you're looking for a little summer inspiration...
And here's another little treat ~ a note and picture a good friend sent me from his beautiful little new (old) country house...
Hi there
We're at our new house for a coupla weeks. Every day is a revelation. So much fun discovering a whole new world view, even on a small scale. We bought this little tomato-red number at Pier1--had to have the colour--before the magnificent hollyhocks came out. What a wonderful surprise! Whoever said tomato, magenta and pink don't work together hasn't been to my front porch this week. Pretty swell huh?
We love summer!
Me too. May your summer be filled with Red rocking chairs and Pink hollyhocks!
Posted by Cobi on Monday July 19, 2010 at 06:00 AM
Comments (3)
One of my favourite collections is my bits and pieces of milk glass. It's particularly fun to use in the summer.
I use the vases for flowers and leaves from the garden - hosta leaves and hydrangea look great.
But also for votive candles - the white glass just glows (sorry I don't have a shot at night).
I also have some pieces at our cottage in PEI, they're perfect for holding a single Lupin or Daisy bloom.
But here's a use I hadn't thought of...
What I love about milk glass is that it's so easily available. There's always a few pieces at any thrift shop at any given time and for next to nothing - you can get it for $1.00 - $2.00 a piece, less at garage sales.
What that means is - it's easy to amass a collection in no time.
Check out this one...
But you don't have to have tons to make an impact:
Just a few pieces look great together.
Or even just one...
It's also easy to grab a bunch of pieces if you're throwing a party.
And with a bit of florist tape, it's so easy (and affordable) to do your own arrangements.
Notice that all of these flowers are cut quite short so the look plump and full, not tall and spindly.
The white glass looks great at weddings.
But don't just think flowers, check out how great this moss looks. This whole display could be done for under $5.00!
I love this shot...and I actually own 6 of these tumblers, but I don't have a wire holder...hmmm....gotta run...
Posted by Cobi on Monday July 12, 2010 at 06:00 AM
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One of the easiest and best things we did when we decorated our cottage in PEI, was to frame a few maps of both the Provence and the city of Charlottetown.
It quickly created a couple of decorative vignette's, but not only that, practical ones that can be used by ourselves and visitors to plan day trips and become more familiar with the island.
Local maps are an easy way to decorate your home - seasonal or otherwise.
We have a huge school map of Ontario hanging on the large stairwell wall in our home and often look to it to find places we're discussing.
Here are some other pictures of maps used in homes:
They are a great way to anchor a vignette:
Or decorate a large blank wall. Especially when you can get up close to examine them.
Here's a more decorative idea. Wallpapering in maps. New ones are very affordable...
and the colours are often nice...
This summer, get your directions right and hang a local map at the cottage. You'll be on the road to success!
Posted by Cobi on Monday July 05, 2010 at 06:00 AM
Comments (0)
I was just looking at this cute pocket board we have in our cottage, here in PEI.
It hangs over a bed and guests use it to keep the odd cd, ipod, novel, jewellery, a watch, sunscreen...it's surprisingly handy.
And it got me thinking that everyone has a few old pairs of jeans in their closet, if not a stack!
And if they don't, every thrift shop has denim just waiting to be bought for nothing.
If you're at a cottage this summer, it might be a fun project to make something out of old bluejeans.
Here are some ideas....
If you're up for a big project, you could try a quilt. The pockets are a fun addition:
Or here's a small project that you could make up fast for stocking stuffers later in the year:
Here's a fun idea, add a pocket to existing pillows you have at the cottage.
For a young friend, these purses are cute:
I'd like to make these cutlery/napkin holders - what a fun idea to take 10 or 12 to someone's cottage for a hostess gift:
Or if that sounds too ambitious, how about two pot holders? The pockets are the perfect size for hands of course:
And here' a summery look, you'll be smashing serving lemonade in this:
Forever in Bluejeans Babe!
Posted by Cobi on Monday June 28, 2010 at 06:00 AM
Comments (2)
"School's out - lets hit the road!" ~ what great words!!
I'm one of those crazy fools who loves road trips.
And I even loved them before Thelma & Louise - one of my favourite movies (and not because I look like Thelma).
Why do I (and thousands like me) love road trips?
Here are 8 good reasons....
1. There's something about the preparation for a road trip I love. It brings out the Girl Scout in me. I love packing the car - making sure we have snacks, drinks, sunglasses, maps, tunes, pillows, and that feeling when we finally drive out of the driveway - "did you remember to shut the garage door?- Yeehah! Lets blow this Popsicle stand!"
2. Road trips are a wonderful excuse to do nothing. For hours. When else does a working mom get to sit on her ___ for hours? Strapped in no less!! Unable to do anything for anyone, short of handing out the odd piece of licorice or a Kleenex. Absolute heaven.
3. Speaking of which - Licorice. Licorice is another reason I love road trips.
4. And how about the 'talk time' - I guess we can't exactly say 'face time' (that could be dangerous) - but 'talk time' with hubby or girlfriend or whomever I'm encapsulated with. It's pretty nice to actually be able to have a conversation longer than a minute that isn't interrupted by the phone, blackberry, kids or whatever. Sometimes I even save up topics that I want to talk to Bob about in the car. Is that pathetic? No, I think that's just life in the fast lane.
5. Looking at maps. I seldom take the time to look at maps but I enjoy them when I do. My natural sense of geography is somewhat challenged and so my family is used to hearing me call out with utter shock and amazement "so that's where that is!" - even with a map of Ontario on my lap. Of course Bob and I have our moments with 'directions', as any well-married couple has. In fact, we had the worst fight of our marriage on a road trip through Scotland. But that's old news. The only reason we argue still is because he still doesn't understand how incredibly great I am at navigation (hey - it's my blog).
6. Time to think. Driving by other people's lives and homes, gives me pause to think about my own. I enjoy the voyeurism of seeing how others live and imagining what it would be like to live in situations other than my own. I also love to see how others have lived in the past and wonder about the circumstances that made them move on.
7. There's something romantic about road trips. Waiting in line at the airport just isn't the same. Hittin' the wide open road, without a care in the world, now that's livin' (ok, maybe I am sounding a bit like Thelma...). I guess we all remember the road trips we took as kids and how exciting they were - at least for the first half hour. We certainly do all seem to remember them!
8. Timmy stops. The more Timmy tea... the more Timmy stops... We have lots and lots of Timmy stops.
If you can't get out on a road trip yourself this summer, at least watch one of the many great road trip movies.
Here's a list of favourites:
Little Miss Sunshine
It Happened One Night
The Darjeeling Limited
Rain Man
Sideways
Into the Wild
The Motorcycle Diaries
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
And of course...
Posted by Cobi on Monday June 21, 2010 at 06:00 AM
Comments (3)
I love to accessorize myself and my rooms with the colour turquoise in the summer months.
Here's my little 'ode to summer' in our porch....
Check out this turquoise 'accessory' in this great cottage...
That takes some serious commitment to turquoise, but here is a version of just two pieces that bring a room to life:
Turquoise is a natural choice in rooms where water and cleanliness are key - like bathrooms...
And kitchens...
Did you know there's an entire website devoted to decorating with the colour turquoise? Check out House of Turquoise for wonderful inspiration. She has rooms shots divided into categories (ie. 260 turquoise bedrooms) - amazing!
You can also shop for anything turquoise, including jewellery, clothes, accessories, on a site called: decorbycolour.com . Just move your mouse over the squares of colour on the home page and you'll find on block called "everything turquoise" featuring things like these great towels:
Turquoise looks great mixed with other colours - like Green...
Even Olive Green works with turquoise...
Or Orange!
And of course Red looks amazing with turquoise.
Tiffany blue is super hot right now in the colour world.
It's a fun colour to use in an unexpected place.
I'm always attracted to turquoise coloured Glass. Either refined, like this...
Or casual/country, like this...
Or just bloody gorgeous, like this...
Or this...
Wouldn't it be great if we could all enjoy this kind of turquoise this summer...
Or this?
Our water may be dark blue in Canada, but in the summertime, turquoise is a state of mind ; ) .
Posted by Cobi on Monday June 14, 2010 at 06:00 AM
Comments (1)
I love weddings, and we've been lucky enough to be invited to a few this year.
I'm always interested to see how the bride makes the event 'her own'. The little personal touches that you know were discussed, rehearsed, researched and no doubt worried about ad nauseum.
When I appeared on the Steven & Chris show this past spring, I brought with me a little memento of my parents wedding.
At their 50th Wedding Anniversary party a few years ago, we opened my mother's wedding gown that had been stored in a brown box with green garbage bags covering it for 50 years. It had been moved from house to house and was covered in dust and so we were interested to get it out and see what shape it was in. I decided to make 'the opening' a part of the party and so with all of her bridesmaids around we opened the box.... And guess what? It was perfect! Makes you wonder about all of those expensive 'preserving boxes' doesn't it? And it was so wonderful to see the women plumping and primping it just like they would have 50 years earlier.
Anyway, when we got the dress out a few other things fell out of the box that I found fascinating...have a look....
There was a miniature version of the wedding party (unfortunately one man is missing) that an older woman my mother knew, had carefully made out of scraps of the wedding party dresses. What a beautiful memento and really something special to see 50 years later. I am so glad I have them and keep them in a box in my dining room.
I know that kind of creative work is time consuming and intricate for today's busy life, but it got me thinking how lovely the idea, if you are closely involved in a wedding, to do something with the extra material of the girl's dresses. Even something very simple. No doubt the dresses will make their way to the recycling over time, but something small and sweet can be tucked in a box or drawer for years and years.
Maybe a little sachet....
Or a pretty drawstring purse. If you aren't a sewer yourself, this would be an easy job to pay someone to make up.
These eye pillows would be a fun gift for each bridesmaid...
As would a jewellery pouch ...
Or cosmetic bag...
It's just one of those little personal ideas that makes a wedding meaningful. And how many things can you do nowadays that will be even more precious 50 years later? Think of a new generation - daughters, granddaughters - many years down the road, finding your little surprise and imagining a special day that happened 50 years ago...
Posted by Cobi on Monday June 07, 2010 at 06:00 AM
Comments (1)
I was in PEI recently, opening our summer cottage for the season, and it occurred to me how much I used coat hooks to decorate the walls.
Coat hooks, and versions of, are a practical substitute for art, particularly at a cottage or country home.
They fill the wall space nicely and can be both decorative and useful.
I snapped a few pictures of mine to show you.
This is a piece in our master bedroom...
It's made of reclaimed wood and vintage door knobs. So smart.
Here's another version of it I found on the internet - a great DIY project.
On another wall in the same room I just used hardware store peg boards to fill a blank space...
Pretty cheap wall art.
Downstairs we have a lavender coloured room and I found this old piece of cottage green wood someone had used for coat hooks, the colours look great together. It's been hung a few times as you can see by the holes but it's got a lot of character and holds pjs, bathing suits and t-shirts with ease...
And in another bedroom we hung a traditional accordion coat hook contraption, which does the job...
Behind the front door of our place is a cool project from a few years ago when we took a canoe paddle and screwed drawer pulls into it. I forgot to take a picture of it but you can see a bit of it here....
Here's another great front door shot I found...such an affordable solution and I love the look...
And how cool is this random idea...
Here's a more controlled, modern look...
At a second entryway in PEI, we hung this vintage French piece. It's an amazing colour and really handy for catching caps, keys and the dinner bell...
And check out this magazine article for a fun cottage idea....
No matter what you do, be proud of your hang ups. We all have them!!
Posted by Cobi on Monday May 31, 2010 at 06:00 AM
Comments (5)
What is it about rick rack that's so appealing?
Does it bring back memories of one of Grandma's aprons? Or a favourite blouse from your childhood?
Is the wavy design the perfect blend of old and new?
Whatever it is, it seems to represent a simpler time when summers were long and houses smelled like apple pie.
You can tell how much I like rick rack just by looking at my picture to the top of this blog. I had that linen tunic made last year and chose large scale, white cotton rick rack to trim it. I love the gutsy, graphic quality of it.
Last week I found some amazing fabric called "Rick Rack Attack" - wouldn't it make great napkins?
There are all kinds of things you can do with rick rack - from wrapping presents....
To wrapping lampshades...
Look at some of the things I found people doing on Etsy...
Laminated binders...
Pillows...
Hairbands....
Bags...
Flowers...
Clothing...
Even selling vintage rick rack...
Part of what I love about rick rack is the colour choice...
And did you know it comes in velvet?...
And glitter....
So make some waves and have your own rick rack attack...
Even if all you do is something small...
Posted by Cobi on Monday May 24, 2010 at 06:00 AM
Comments (4)
Have you heard about the blogger who is photographing and showing one of her collections per day for a year?
Kind of like a 'crazed collector's' version of cooking Julia Child's recipes for a year.
Here are a few of my favourites....
day 1....
day 6....
day 59....
day 65...
day 66...
day 81...
day 97....
day 107...
day 114...
You can check her out at collectionaday2010.blogspot.com.
Maybe if I photographed some of my collections I could actually purge them afterward...something to think about!
Posted by Cobi on Monday May 17, 2010 at 06:00 AM
Comments (4)
Often people comment on the ceiling fixture over my kitchen table.
It's a handmade (and signed) ceramic fixture from France. I purchased it a few years ago when we renovated our kitchen, along with two cream coloured wall sconces of a similar style.
I bought them from a wonderful french country retail and mail-order store in Niagara-on-the-lake, southern Ontario, however they're no longer in business. Recently someone asked me to help her track down a similar fixture and I was able to find some online however, not in Canada.
What I love about the fixture is it's unusual character. It has a lovely homey feel to it with the coloured, earthy ceramic but it's also got a contemporary feel with the exposed weighted pulley system. It's also quite practical in that it can be lowered at mealtime and raised up afterward. Enhanced even more when you put it on a dimmer, like all ceiling fixtures.
The only downside is cost. They are fairly expensive and of course shipping is a factor, but to be honest, if you are looking for one special fixture to really do something different in your home, I don't find them outrageous. There are many lighting fixtures on the market today that cost more, even with shipping and duty added to one of these.
All three companies I found are based in the UK but sell fixtures made in France. They're all set up to ship to North America however you will need a trained electrician to be sure the electrical fittings are correct for our homes. Here's what I found....
Holloways of Ludlow sells both contemporary and period lighting fixtures along with many other types of hardware and fittings for homes. Their price is £185.00 (about $288.00 CAN).
They have a number of colours to choose from and offer a very cute smaller size as well for £144.40 (about $225.00 CAN).
The French House is an amazing site just to wander whether you're shopping or not.
All kinds of gorgeous items from France - I wish they were in North America! Their lamp is £187.00 and comes in this lovely green or cream.
Marston & Langinger is a British supplier of home and garden items. Their fixture sells for £215.00 (about $335.00 CAN) and I contacted them to ask about shipping one 'Rise & Fall light' and they estimated it at $60.00 to Ontario (their service was amazing by the way, very personal). Of course there would be GST and duty too.
If anyone finds a source for these beautiful lamps in Canada please write a comment and tell us all. You never know when the next renovation might strike!
Posted by Cobi on Monday May 10, 2010 at 06:00 AM
Comments (1)
This blog is for any mom or grandma out there, who received a piece of art or special handwritten card yesterday.
Before you crumple up, tuck away or secretly stash your precious gift, consider treating it as a valued piece of art.
Here's a piece my son did many years ago. Framed with IKEA, it takes pride of place over our bed (much to my daughter's disgust).
I like to think my legs are a bit better than he imagined, but he did get my hair colour right!
Here are some more shots to get you thinking about your own little Picasso's....
These ever changing pieces are put into individual clear acrylic boxes...
I've shown this image before. I love the way the kids art is mixed with family photos...
A great way to have an ever changing display is to use clips...
You can do a whole wall of it for more impact...
I love this little strip of tack board - no need to line the whole wall....
Or how about wainscotting that incorporates cork board...
If space is an issue for you, take pictures of the art and keep it on display that way...
Or decorate your kids own room with it, they'll love it...
Whatever you do, enjoy it. No other artist will paint for you with such love.
Posted by Cobi on Monday May 03, 2010 at 06:00 AM
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If you're working hard on something creatively, sometimes you just need a little shake, to get your head out of your surroundings, and find some new inspiration.
Whenever I feel like that there's only one thing to do - take a bite out of the Big Apple.
There's just something about that crazy little island that's intoxicating.
My associate and I went down for a whirlwind trip to all my favourite haunts and then some. We were on the lookout for anything new and inspiring and found lots to write home about.
Speaking of 'home', if that's your thing, here are a few tips for next time you're in nyc:
Stores don't open until 10:00am with very few exceptions, so use the morning time to hit a local deli - no need for anything fancy for breakfast and New York bagels are Almost as good as Montreal's. We did find one place open at 9:00am however, it's an amazing ribbon store in mid-town called M&J Ribbon. Floor to ceiling (and I'm talking 20 ft. ceilings) of gorgeous ribbons.
From here, walk four blocks south to Macy's and you'll be there for it's open at 10:00am. Head directly to the home floors and you'll be the only one there - it's way up on 6, 8 and 9. The bedding patterns are plentiful and beautifully displayed as are the towels. Martha Stewart's bedding line is here.
From there it's a short cab ride or a 20 minute walk straight down Broadway to ABC Carpet & Home. This is a huge home store - there's rugs in one building on the west side of the street and everything else in a massive building on the east side. We were amazed at how bohemian everything looks right now but that will change again - it's a great place to catch the latest trend. The look is very raw and eastern in influence this season, it reminded us of the 60's - we even found Jesus sandals for sale on the main floor! It was convenient to find that the Conran Shop from London has just moved into the basement level of ABC. You can check out all of the new finds from Sir Terence at the same time!
There's nothing else really around this area and so it's now time to jump in another cab and head south to Soho. I love Pearl River and always make it my first stop. It's a store that sells Chinatown wares like no one else - all the great things you can imagine but with more selection than you've ever seen. If you pop out the backdoor you can walk across the street and into a whole other world of North American perfection - the little Kate Spade store. Gorgeous.
There are still many shops to see in Soho, but in general I found it was lacking this trip. Many businesses have moved east of Broadway to Nolita or north to Bleeker street - both are hot spots of independent design shops. No doubt the high rent and influx of chain stores to Soho has driven them farther afield.
From Soho, it's time to head Uptown to check out what the ladies who lunch have on their menu. I'm talking rhetorically but that's usually exactly what I do - head straight to Barneys 7th floor restaurant (Fred's) and take a load off with a wonderful omelet or pizza and people watch (btw, you need a reservation). It's also perfect because the rest of this floor is devoted to home. Barneys Chelsea Passage always has a little edgier, contemporary take to fashion and home. Prices are steep of course, but you'll see great contemporary designs and pops of colour.
From there, it's a short walk to Bergdorf Goodman's famous top floor dedicated to home. It's been there forever and always has the finest in table linens, dishes, trinkets, books, throws, stationary, all displayed beautifully in little rooms and vignettes. This is a place to drool and dream... and if you can pull yourself away, go to a floor just below and have a peak out the window - you'll find one of the best views of Central Park in the city.
Here's a snapshot we took through the glass...
Of course you still have to go to Bloomingdale's to get a more realistic look at where the world is going (and of course a little treat in the accessory dept. on the main floor!). And a million other places like the Ralph Lauren Mansion for pure drama and fantasy, and the list goes on and on...
It's like a trip down the rabbit hole for inspiration seekers - it's everywhere you look. You can even find it on the street corners - look at the fruit wood ballroom chairs we saw stacked outside the Pierre hotel waiting for a wedding...
I always say I wouldn't want to live in New York (I'd be bankrupt for one thing!) but boy, I love to visit that city. It's a whirlwind of excitement, ideas and no doubt conspicuous consumption, but it's like a wonderful day at the fair. You come home exhausted, smiling and filled with great memories of a time of crazy high energy and ready to settle back into normal life again.
Posted by Cobi on Monday April 26, 2010 at 05:59 AM
Comments (1)
I love ribbon trim on drapery. It seems to add that extra bit of tailoring and definition that turns the standard into the sublime.
Isn't it interesting that something so simple can make all the difference?
And why is it that certain design classics - like ribbon trimmed drapery panels - always look current?
Questions to ponder as you get inspired....
Ribbon trim is a great way to add colour and character to a solid drapery panel or roman blind without going crazy with colour and pattern.
If you are going to add it to an existing panel, be sure to buy washable ribbon (some isn't) and don't go too skimpy - it should be at least 1.5 inches wide.
There you have it ~ another reason to 'get trim' this spring! (sorry, I couldn't help myself)
Posted by Cobi on Monday April 19, 2010 at 05:59 AM
Comments (2)
I'm a fan of Marimekko prints and thought I'd do a little primer for anyone unfamiliar with this iconic company.
Marimekko is a Finnish company based in Helsinki that has made important contributions to fashion, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. It is particularly noted for its brightly-colored, graphic printed fabrics and simple styles.
Look at this restaurant in Helsinki with Marimekko tablecloths...
Marimekko was founded in 1951. They were made famous in the United States by Jacqueline Kennedy, who bought eight Marimekko dresses which she wore throughout the 1960 US Presidential campaign.
In the mid 1960's, Crate and Barrel began a relationship with Marimekko, which continues to this day, using their designs on textiles sold in their stores. Crate and Barrel also uses Marimekko patterns as display backdrops in their stores to add color and seasonality.
By 1965, the company employed over 400 people, and was into every aspect of design from fabrics to toys, dinnerware, even completely equipped small houses. That year, the owner was quoted in a magazine as saying she was "against success--it is a sick word. Too many side effects."
Interesting foreshadowing as the company was sold in 1985, and by the1990s, Marimekko was in such bad financial condition it was considered ready for bankruptcy which is the reason many people are unfamiliar with it today. It was eventually sold again and re-introduced with a new business model. The current company is generally seen as having saved Marimekko.
In the late 90's Marimekko achieved publicity in the hit series Sex and the City. The main character of the series, Carrie Bradshaw wore a Marimekko bikini in season 2 and later a Marimekko dress. In the fifth season they featured tablecloths with Marimekko prints. The power of tv!
By 2005, Marimekko's revenue had been quadrupled and it's net income had grown 200-fold.
Smartly, they've licensed their designs to some very hot companies like Fatboy bean bag chairs...
Here is a swimsuit at H&M...
In 2007, Marimekko began opening individually-owned Marimekko Concept Stores in the United States and Canada. There is only one concept store in Canada unfortunately - lucky Vancouver gets it! At the end of this blog I've listed it, plus all of the other retailers in Canada who deal in Marimekko products.
All you really need is a yard of this great fabric to see it's impact - I love the simplicity of stretching it over a frame like art...
Or made into a pillow like this one for sale on Etsy...
The current popularity of Marimekko is not only a good-news business story, but in my opinion, another indicator that the world is ready for exciting colour and pattern again.
Concept Store
MARIMEKKO CONCEPT STORE VANCOUVER
MEKKO DESIGNS INC., 1233 HAMILTON STREET
VANCOUVER V6B 6K3, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Tel: +1 604 609 2881
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
http://www.marimekkovancouver.com
Other Retailers
KIT INTERIOR OBJECTS LTD.
725 11 AVE SW
CALGARY, ALBERTA
Tel: +1 403 508 2533
Fax: +1 403 508 2538
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
http://www.kitinterior.com
FINNPORT INC.
290 BAY STREET
THUNDER BAY ON, P7B 1R8
Tel: +1 877 206 3466
Fax: +1 807 344 3604
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
http://www.finnport.com
THE FINNISH PLACE
7670 YONGE STREET, #1
THORNHILL, ONTARIO L4J 1W1
Tel: +1 416 222 7575
Fax: +1 905 881 1950
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
http://www.finnishplace.com
DESIGNHOUSE
1110 MAINLAND STREET
VANCOUVER, BC V6B 2T9
Tel: +1 604 681 2800
Fax: +1 800 870 4433
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
http://www.designhouse.ca
DESIGNHOUSE
616 YATES ST.
VICTORIA BC, V8W 1K9
Tel: +1 604 681 2800
Fax: +1 250 383 3569
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
http://www.designhouse.ca
