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music to my livingroom

Posted by Cobi on Monday May 07, 2012 at 06:00 AM
decorating • display • family • Comments (3)

My daughter became a teenager over the weekend. She loves anything to do with the arts but particularly music. Her main birthday gift is a piano (her little keyboard just ain’t cuttin’ it any more).
As I’ve been trying to figure out where to fit a piano into our home - I started to look online for inspiration. Of course the best inspiration comes from a grand…

And although our living room housed a ‘grand’ when we purchased the house.

I managed to fill up the room with furnishings so that the only realistic option is an upright upright (for the pocketbook too).

I expected most pianos to be black…

Or dark wood…

But on a quick search, I found every colour of the rainbow.

Yellow…

Turquoise…

Red…

Pale blue…

Green…

Cream…

So many ideas, my ears are ringing. I will post a picture of our purchase once we have it and hope that you will all say, “Bravo!”

hard-working heirlooms

Posted by Cobi on Monday February 28, 2011 at 06:00 AM
collecting • display • family • organizing • Comments (0)

It’s wonderful to be given something that has sentimental family meaning. It’s a beautiful way to remember and honour people who have passed and to make your home unique and your decorating meaningful. However, we all know that many heirlooms don’t suit our current day interiors and often create clutter and well, ok, I hate to say it but simply collect dust and we find ourselves including them in our rooms out of feelings of obligation and sentiment while not enjoying the objects themselves.

Here are a few ideas on how to incorporate heirlooms into your interiors while creating beautiful rooms at the same time.

Use the heirloom as a jumping off point for decorating. Here, a few old pieces of red transfer-ware are made into a focal point by building on the look further with toile wallpaper in a pretty hutch. Clearly these pieces are treasured and enjoyed every day this way.

Photos go from average to amazing when massed together and framed in a collective way. They command attention when placed together and make a great conversation point for guests.

One heirloom can spark an entire collection and why not? If you love something you’ve been given, it may just be a collection in the waiting. Just don’t forget which one has the sentimental story behind it.

Don’t be a snob about pedigree - your home isn’t a museum - mingle special family pieces with new reproductions. They will be more apt to be used and enjoyed.

Turn something old into something new. Make a few adjustments with paint or in this case, hardware, and suddenly an old piece has a new lease on life. A solution that’s easy on the pocketbook too.

If you don’t have the room or desire to display something all the time, bring out heirlooms at holidays - they will make holiday decorating all the more special.

Decorate around an heirloom. If you love it - let it set the tone for an entire room. No decor theme could mean more than family history.

Change the function of an heirloom to suit your lifestyle. This silver tea service is allowed to tarnish without apologies - many people love the time-worn patina of tarnished silver - and it’s used to hold flowers rather than afternoon tea.

And these candy dishes hold shell collections and other natural finds.

Let family pieces work for you rather than just sit on display. Your tabletops and rooms will look much more unique for it.

I will be on Steven & Chris on the CBC this Friday at 2:00pm talking more about this very thing. Be sure to tune in!

checkers alfresco

Posted by Cobi on Monday August 16, 2010 at 06:00 AM
cottage • family • summer • Comments (3)

I thought I would show you the painting project my kids did with me this summer holiday in PEI.

We did it in an hour or two not including the walk on the beach to collect pebbles for one player and scallop shells for the other. Of course anything local and plentiful would do.

I had a little box left over from something else and it worked perfectly to keep the loose pieces in (don’t forget you need extras to make Kings!). We screwed it down so it stays in place and no doubt it will turn silver like the table by the end of the summer.

When I got home from the cottage I went on google to search for other versions of our table but found very little ~ amazing! I had no idea we were so original .

Let me know if you’ve painted a checkerboard on anything and how it worked out. After we did this, I was thinking we could have painted the entire surface of the table in a checkerboard pattern and then participants could have set up a game on whichever squares they chose ~ one end of the table or the middle. it might even look a bit like a tablecloth. I know, I know…never satisfied.

Here’s the christening game on the table…’check’ it out…

a map to good decorating

Posted by Cobi on Monday July 12, 2010 at 06:00 AM
cobi's house • collecting • decorating • family • Comments (2)

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!

pick a pocket

Posted by Cobi on Monday July 05, 2010 at 06:00 AM
cottage • craft • family • Comments (2)

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!

it’s the little things that count

Posted by Cobi on Monday June 14, 2010 at 06:00 AM
craft • family • 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…

for the love of art

Posted by Cobi on Monday May 10, 2010 at 06:00 AM
display • family • Comments (2)

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.

living with family

Posted by Cobi on Monday February 15, 2010 at 05:58 AM
display • family • Comments (0)

Happy Family Day!

One of the best ways to personalize your home is with family photos. It takes a bit of effort to turn family pictures into art, but done right, the payback is well worth it.

Maybe this is a good day to get out those photo boxes and start thinking about the possibilities?

For Christmas, I gave my daughter Charlotte a framed 8x10 black and white photo of each of her grandparents ‘cutting the cake’ on their wedding day. It’s nice to have them side by side in her room. I matted them in wide white and the frame is white too, so they make a fresh statement.

With family photos, it’s all about how you display them. Have a look at some ways I found while surfing….

I love this idea of just butting simple frames together to make a montage.

Or creating a montage without bothering with frames…these would be fun at a cottage…

Or how about this creative use of an old frame, turned bulletin board….

If you’re the framed-picture type, you just need to find places and ways to display them. Look at what my friend Cameron MacNeil at H&H, did in a small hallway nook and kitchen.

And everyone’s always wondering what to put on that long, blank wall in the livingroom….

I’ve always liked the idea of running family photos up a stairwell - it’s such dead space otherwise.

One colour of frame unifies disparate pictures, as shown here by Pottery Barn.

But sometimes all that matters is that you can see those cute mugs.

If nothing else, be sure to take a few good shots of your family today and don’t forget to Smile !

all wound up

Posted by Cobi on Monday November 30, 2009 at 05:59 AM
christmas • craft • family • winter • Comments (3)

I taught my darling daughter to knit this summer while on holiday at our cottage on Prince Edward Island. We used very large needles and big chunky yarn and so the results were quick and rewarding.
My mom taught me to knit about the same age (10) and I thought it would be fun to share the hobby with Charlotte even though I hadn’t knit myself in over 30 years. It came back quickly and we had lots of fun talking about how grandma used to cast on and off for me and so I never learned that part and now I would have to use the little book I gave to her to teach myself so that I could do the same for her!

We also had a good giggle over the story of the infamous sweater I knitted for Bob when we were dating - long before we were married. It was the summer of 1982 and he had made a snap decision to travel from the west coast of Canada to the east coast, with only a back pack and a mission to meet as many provincial Premiers as he could just by knocking on office doors. It wasn’t the usual snap decision that a 20 year old man makes, but it was for Bob. He ended up with a full page story in the Toronto Star and stories of meeting five Premiers plus Joey Smallwood that will last him a lifetime.

What does this have to do with knitting you ask? Well guess what the poor girlfriend did while she pined away at home, working as Jr. Editor at Chatelaine magazine?? Of course, I knit him a sweater!
It was a nubbly gray wool and it was one of the first patterns I’d ever followed. It actually didn’t turn out too bad with 4 big exceptions: 2 armholes that only a broom stick could fit through (Bob was rake thin in those days but not that thin!) and 2 sleeves that reached his knees.

I recently read on a knitting website that you haven’t really knitted until you’ve made a sweater with arm holes too small and sleeves too long and so at least I can call myself a pro!

Anyway, Charlotte and I have had fun knitting ever since the summer. She caught on quickly and enjoys picking it up while watching tv or in the car. But the biggest surprise is how much I love it. In fact, I can’t stop knitting! The only thing is, I only want to do scarves. I don’t want to follow a pattern or ‘think’ while I knit. Just knit.

I know knitting’s satisfying that terrible trait I have of always needing to feel like I’m ‘getting something done’. So instead of just watching tv (which I seldom do anyway), I knit and watch tv. Or instead of just enjoying a drive to the cottage, I knit and play passenger. Or instead of visiting with girlfriends, I knit and chat. It’s kind of a sickness. But on top of feeding the need to be productive, I do also find it relaxing and I actually look forward to sitting down and knitting a few rows just like I look forward to my fiction novel at the end of a long day. ?

Most of our scarves are thick and long. Very long. Charlotte and I both agree that a scarf looks more ‘fashiony’ if it’s extra long.

They only cost the amount of 2 rolls of yarn (under $20 each) and so at that rate, lots of people are getting them from us at Xmas. We initially thought we’d do them for ALL of her teachers but that was a bit ambitious considering she likes to give gifts to everyone from the principal to the custodian. Maybe we’ll just stick to her key teachers this year . But I do think it’s a sweet gift for her to give and not expensive.

Anyway, I hope you’re inspired to pick up a couple of pointed sticks and get knitting again. If your mom isn’t around to cast on for you, I promise it isn’t that hard.

psst…the perfect personal present….

Posted by Cobi on Monday November 23, 2009 at 06:00 AM
cobi's house • christmas • craft • family • Comments (3)

One of my most treasured possessions is framed cutouts of my kid’s silhouettes. Every time I look at them and realize how much they’re growing I love them more.

I have a large set at the top of the stairs leading to their bedrooms….

And I have the same set but made smaller and put in oval frames in my powder room.

The gentleman who did them is a total pro - talented, easy to work with and fast. I highly recommend him.
All you have to do is take profile shots of your subject against a white/light coloured wall and email them to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). It couldn’t be easier.

He’ll ship them to you flat and I bet you can get them framed in time for the holidays.

Have a look at Karl’s website www.cutarts.com and you’ll see he’s been featured in almost every decor magazine in Canada and the U.S. along with Oprah and InStyle.

He also does pets beautifully….

It’s the perfect holiday gift for your house or someone you love, so get on it! You’ve only got a month!

There isn’t an interior style that silhouettes won’t work with or a person who won’t treasure them.

So personal and classic, Santa’s elves couldn’t do better!

taking back the house

Posted by Cobi on Monday September 07, 2009 at 06:00 AM
cottage • family • summer • Comments (6)

And just like that, it’s over. Would we all agree? The shortest summer on record.

The only upside to the end of summer is the calming feeling of ‘taking back the house’.

What I mean by that is little things like not only emptying the weekend bags but also giving them a shake to get rid of the bits of sand and actually putting them away. Of putting the coolers away too and filling the fridge at home with food that will be eaten and not just left to sour or transported back up to the cottage. Of moving the tennis rackets that sat at the front door all summer and the fan that sat in the upstairs bedroom. Of giving the kids the last freezies and getting the ice box back to just ice. Sad symbols of summer’s end, yes, but also comforting in a way that only ‘order’ can bring.

Speaking of kids, lets all enjoy a moment of silence in respect for the parents out there who are breathing a sigh of relief this week. You know who you are - you made this summer the “best ever” for the little ones you love, regardless of the expense or exhaustion that making those memories may have brought.

Yup, another summer down, but the quiet of September is always lovely in a melancholy kind of way. Low-in-the-sky afternoon sunshine that glows through the trees and the lonely sound of cicada’s while the kids are back to the first days of school. A welcome respite from the chaos - at least for a few days.