elliven studio

Well, hey there!

2020-10-10T09:26:00.003-04:00

Friends! How are you? Have you been? I can't believe that this is my first post in almost two years?!

This "break" was not intentional, but it was needed. I certainly did not think that a break would end up being more than a week or two, but alas, look at that.

In short, I decided to begin exploring the idea of returning to work, which ended up happening (so thankful), and that is where my focus has been. Have I missed creating content, absolutely, but I just kept putting it off, feeling that I didn't have any valuable content to share.

New direction? For sure. Truth is, I love sharing finds, inspiration (both home decor and fashion), so I need to sit down and figure things out!

I've gradually begun sharing on instagram (seen above, you can view details here) and hopefully in the coming weeks, I'll have some inspiring content to share with you!

I've missed you!

Our 2018 Christmas Home Tour

2018-12-11T06:05:00.001-05:00

Well well well, how on earth is it even possible that Christmas is two weeks from today?! Insanity!

So, are you all done decorating and shopping? Or do you typically wait a little longer to get started/finish up?

We're nearly done, but I have to admit that I kind of love going to the mall during the last two weeks before Christmas. I love the music, the atmosphere and such.

Our decor for this year is along the lines of my typical style. Traditional, a touch of pink and hints of glitter. I fell head over heels for Canadian Tire's Serene Rose line (their 2018 Holiday colour of the year!) and am thrilled to have had the opportunity to add pieces of the line to our decor this year. The entire line is absolutely stunning, it's the most perfect colour for the holidays and for our living room!

Here's a peek of our living room and family room decorated for the holidays. Be sure to check out Instagram for peeks of other spaces!

Gosh I love the holidays! I'll even take a beautiful snowfall right about now!

Cheers,

*****Canadian Tire kindly provided holiday decor pieces, all opinions are my own*****

Winter & Holiday Fashion

2018-11-15T12:31:00.000-05:00

We are prepping ourselves for the first winter storm of the season! I can't believe it's already mid-November! It feels as though I've been saying that every month, that I can't believe how quickly time is flying, but it's so true!

I'm known to be a creature of habit when it comes to many things, fashion included. One of my known go-to looks for holiday parties is an all black outfit. I find it to be dressier and flattering. I can't lie, I typically grab black jeans vs dress pants, but this girl loves her denim!

Talbots denim has become an absolute favourite of mine. I love how they have a bit of stretch, the high waist and that they fit your silhouette so well. The absolute best has to be that they are available in petite sizes. This is a huge deal if you're under 5'5! They work perfectly with heels, flats and ankle boots!

I also love love love their jackets in petite sizes as I am not a fan of arm sleeves that are too long. I love how this jacket has a removeable fur collar and a polka dot lining!

This holiday look is fantastic and can take you from day to night easily! I'm wearing a plum (reversible!) belt to break up the black, but you could remove it for a dressier look for evening wear. The black sweater has the sweetest embellishments along the neckline, which automatically gives it a dressier look and feel. A darker lip and gorgeous pearl & rhinestone pumps finish off this holiday inspired look!

Have a lovely day, friends!

Cheers,

This post is a collaboration with Talbots, however all opinions are my very own.

Our Holiday Cards

2018-11-05T07:52:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone!

I hope you enjoyed the most wonderful weekend! I can hardly believe that the holidays are nearly here. As a huge lover of the Christmas season, I'm nearly ready to say "bring it" and start decorating the house!

One thing that I have checked off of my holiday to-do list is our Christmas cards! This year I went with beautiful cards from Minted. I love Minted for so many reasons, primarily because their products are designed by Independent Artists from all over the globe. I decided to go with three options, one with a family photo and two non-photo cards. They are even more beautiful in person than they are online! Honestly!

There are a variety of ways that you can customize your cards, blank back, designs on the back, additional text, font options, etc. However the detail that I probably love the most is the free (!!!!) printed envelopes! Just load your recipients' addresses and the envelopes arrive printed! Honestly, how's that for a time saver?!

Do you send out cards every year? It's been a few years since we've sent out a card with a photo, so I'm super excited to have some once again this year!

Cheers,

****The cards were provided by Minted, however all opinions are my own****

Holiday Entertaining Tips With Talbots

2018-10-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

I am so excited that the holiday season is nearly upon us! The holiday season is all about cozy layers, texture, a touch or sparkle and being surrounded by those close to you! I'm thrilled to be patterning with Talbots to share tips to ensure that your home is ready for the cooler months and holiday entertaining!

Indulge Your Senses

Think apple pie, pumpkin pie, the scent of a wood fireplace burning while out on a walk and the feeling of wool socks on your feet. There's a little bit of nostalgia that comes with these aromatic scents and cozy textures. Simmering a pot of homemade potpourri using cinnamon sticks, cloves, a dash of nutmeg and orange slices will fill your entire home with the most delicious scent! Next, you'll want to introduce cozy textiles, such a velvet pillows and warm throws. Place throws where they are easily accessible and visible.

Be Our Guest

Create an inviting, help-yourself environment by making items readily available, that way guests can easily help themselves throughout the evening. This includes finger foods and beverages which can be placed on tiered trays, in bowls or on platters on the coffee table or side table. You can even create a signature beverage and have it in pitchers so that guests can easily refill their glasses on their own. A hot chocolate station is always a hit!

Take A Seat

Opt for a family style dinner. I love the conversations that happen around a family style dinner, everyone is immediately relaxed and at ease! Guests seem to linger at the table a while longer as they are just so comfortable. The wonderful thing about the holiday season is that when it comes to your menu, you don't have to veer too far off from traditional dishes. These dinners only happen once or twice a year, making them extra special!

Plan Ahead

Prepare as much as you can ahead of time. You can do this by setting the table a day or two before, adding the final touches the day of your party. Consider creating seating arrangements. I love the idea of assigned seating for a number of reasons. I find that it helps to encourage conversations and allows your guests to get to know one another if they haven't met before!

Be Inspired By Mother Nature

An easy way to decorate the table and other rooms in your home is by using items that are in season. Choose a seasonal color palette and select decorative pieces with that palette in mind for a cohesive feel. When it comes to decorating your dinner table, place flowers in small vases.
This allows you to distribute them the length of the table. You can also use seasonal fruit! Bring the outdoors in by placing branches with beautiful fall colored leaves in a vase and use natural items such as pinecones, pumpkins, birch branches and acorns as part of your decor!

Dress The Part

Last but not least, of course you'll want to dress the part! I will forever love classic pieces and when hosting or attending parties, I typically opt for outfits that include layers, as I never want to be too hot or too cold. As the host, you'll be on the move - so you'll want to be comfortable!

Keep this in mind when selecting your outfit for the evening. Pairing a dressier top with a blazer and jeans is a look that I will always adore. I find it to be a great balance between casual and dressy. You can dress this look up by wearing a pair of black jeans instead!

I hope you enjoyed these tips! Happy entertaining, friends!

***This post is sponsored by Talbots. All opinions are my own***

A Spooktacular Living Room Mantle Decorated for Halloween

2018-10-22T14:46:00.000-04:00

Turns out that having a mantle to decorate brings me an immense amount of joy. Yeah, I'm crazy like that! lol

The kids and I went out to grab some halloween costumes this past weekend. While they were perusing the costume section, I decided to wander over to the decor section and well, that's all it took for me to decide that we needed to decorate the mantel for Halloween!

This is the most that I've ever decorated for Halloween and I'm so excited, as are the kiddos! All it took to achieve this look was a kit that had some gauze and bats (with adhesive on the back), some black crows, spiders, bones and skulls of course!

I had some burgundy candles from last year, so I used them to replace the white candles that were in here previously. I used old books to prop some velvet pumpkins.

Bowls of skulls and spiders are sure to make you take a double take! I love the fact that mini white pumpkins are so popular, they are so cute and pretty! I have purchased a slew to decorate rooms around our house. They mesh seamlessly with any colour palette!

Do you decorate for Halloween? You know what's next, right? Ahhhhhh yeah! I can't wait to decorate the mantle for the holiday season!

Cheers,

Friday Favourites

2018-10-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

I've been baking quite a bit the past week. I'm trying out different chocolate chip cookie recipes and love this one!
this mudroom stopped me in my tracks! Like, whoa!
did you see our #CANVASRoomRefresh, if not, check it out here!
loved this insta photo so much!
I wouldn't mind sitting down in this family room!
congrats, Jillian and family!
I'm wearing this sweater in the photo above, I've worn it three times this past week! It's crazy cozy!
loving this textured vase tutorial!

Short and sweet for today!

I've got a fun post coming your way next week, be sure to check back! Wishing all of my Canadian readers an amazing Thanksgiving weekend! Speaking of which, I've started a fall board on Pinterest, you can find it here!

Cheers,

#CANVASRoomRefresh With Canadian Tire - A Living Room Makeover

2018-10-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

You guys! Today is the day! Our #CANVASRoomRefresh is complete and our living room now has a brand new look! First off, a huge thank you to Canadian Tire for helping us with this refresh, we are in love with the new look!

The goal for this transformation was to create a room that felt cozy, welcoming and cohesive. I never really felt "settled" with this room. I desperately wanted these rooms to feel a little less formal, but still craved the elegance and beauty. Well, with the help of some key pieces from Canadian Tire's CANVAS line, we now have a room that truly reflects our style and key needs for a living room.

So, here's how the room looked before the refresh:

And this is how it looks now! Eep!

The first thing I wanted to do was to create a focal point. The Marseille Fireplace was the perfect piece for that. We moved our old chairs to the family room and replaced them with these beautiful blue Winston Chairs which have a modern silhouette. It's incredible how much a room can change, simply by adding a few new pieces and switching around furniture placement. This room begs for you to sit down and relax!

Storage is a pretty big deal to this family of five. And guess what, the Marseille Fireplace has hidden storage! I know! The side panels pull out and feature three shelves for you to store your goodies in. I love that it comes with a remote and that you can easily adjust the colour of the flame, the temperature and more! Baskets placed strategically also give you room for extra storage. I am a huge fan of natural woven baskets, they add texture to your space and are perfect for pillows, blankets and more!

Because our living room and dining room are open to one another, I wanted to ensure that the rooms were cohesive. We gave our dining room a small update by adding these gorgeous Jax Chairs to the end of the table. This is amazing because when we have company over, we typically bring chairs in from the kitchen, not anymore! They once again feature a beautiful modern silhouette, but give a nod to the classic Windsor chair, which is one of my favourite styles!

New dishes with stunning texture bring a touch of glamour to the space, but I love that they can be used everyday!

The Slate Tray Table (with removable top!!) is a beautiful accent to the new chairs and is the perfect spot to display your favourite items and to set down your coffee (or wine lol). Lighting was an issue in this room before - it wasn't well balanced, which I didn't like. The fact that the Avery Floor Lamp has three settings means that you can easily adjust the lighting to your needs, if you're reading, sitting with friends, or enjoying a beverage by the fire. You can also adjust the height of the lamp, which gives you complete control on how to style it!

A closer look at some of the details:

I know that was a loooong post with lots of photos, but I really do love the new look of the space! To have it finally feel "finished" after six years is such an incredibly satisfying feeling! I really like how the CANVAS pieces worked with our existing pieces, versatility is key!

Here is a list of the CANVAS items used for the refresh!

Grafton Appetizer Bowls

Grafton Dinnerware Set

Grafton Platter

Now, be sure to take a look at the #CANVASRoomRefresh for incredible inspiration and you can also see the amazing transformations designed by Jillian Harris and learn more about the CANVAS Room Refresh Challenge right here!

Cheers,

****This post and room makeover has been sponsored by Canadian Tire. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own****

Teen Boy Bedroom Makeover

2018-09-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

Our eldest son has requested a room refresh and I totally don't blame him...it's been a few years since we've touched his room. Since we originally decorated his room (holy smokes, I should revisit the photography lol), he's gotten a bigger bed, which means the bedding has changed as well. Otherwise, not much is new....the stripes are still there, other than the bed, the furniture is the same. To be honest, the only new piece of furniture that he "needs" would be a desk. Something a little sturdier and something that most definitely has drawers/storage.

We ended up moving furniture and art around, and we purged to get rid of clutter. His room has a new "feel" and so our job is done....for now lol.

As much as I would love to start from scratch, (I mean, I'm pretty smitten with how little J's room turned out) that's not happening right now, so instead, I've created a moodboard! lol

I've always loved metal bed frames, though I have to be honest, an upholstered headboard would probably be ideal for our guy because he enjoys watching movies in bed, so that would give him something cozy to lean up against....or you could just stack some pillows behind your back lol

bed // lamp // bedside table (it's a filing cabinet) // mustard pillow // lumbar pillow // art above bed // "france" art // wall clock // Laguna pennant // Bear pennant // dresser // hamper // hooks // rug // desk // desk chair // woven basket // globe // desk lamp // bedding

I fall hard for pennants, I think they are such a great piece to add to walls in kids' rooms and love how they give a bit of a nod to vintage design. So I said that he pretty much only needs a new desk, but reality is that a new (much cozier) desk chair would be amazing too.

I realize now that a low and wide dresser would have been a better option for his room. One, it would give him more space to display items (on the top, more surface space) and two, it wouldn't break up your line of sight, which would make the room feel bigger. Perhaps we'll swap the position of his desk and his dresser to see if that helps.

I feel that one thing we all can agree on is that kids don't particularly enjoy putting away their clothes, especially when they are dirty. A super cool hamper that can be left where the kids can easily chuck their dirty clothes into it is a win as far as I'm concerned! Same goes with the garbage bin, a woven basket is perfect for this, just line it with a garbage bag and you're good to go!

Are you working on your kiddo's room at the moment?

Cheers,

Friday Favourites

2018-09-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

Well last week was ugly, in terms of how we felt by the time that Friday rolled around, but I'm happy to report that we are back on track and the early mornings were no match for us this week! Whoop!

Monday was a rather chilly day, it totally felt like fall and I secretly loved it! But the higher temps are welcomed as the kids have baseball tryouts and well, no one wants to play baseball in the cold!

Speaking of fall, I've created an "all things fall" board on Pinterest, because...fall lol
Jillian's home will forever be a favourite
A beautiful kitchen renovation
Rugs are truly art for your floors!
Not one, but three ways to style your mantle for fall!
I'd love to curl up with a good book right here!
A fun room makeover is happening at the home of yours truly!
I made apple crisp earlier this week (photo above), it was delicious!
A beautiful fall tablescape!

Have a fantastic weekend, friends!

Cheers,

Art For Your Home

2018-09-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

It's gotten to the point that I actually have artwork stored in a room in our basement so that I can easily swap out pieces every now and then. Artwork is like an accessory to your space, it fills negative space on the walls and gives rooms a little dose of personality. A simple switch up every now and then can make a room feel refreshed.

I typically lean towards florals, vintage themed or abstract pieces for our walls and of course, the colour pink tends to always get the winning vote! I've been known to search for pieces at HomeSense, Anewall, Etsy, Minted and at thrift/antique stores.

I still love the idea of a well curated gallery wall and I also tend to stack pieces, one above the other (as seen in the first image).

I'll be sharing several artwork themed posts in the future, because there are truly so many incredible pieces available. I could share a post every day and never run out of options!

Here's today's round up:

1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/

Some tips:

Don't hang your artwork too high! A general rule of thumb is to place the centre of the piece at 57"-60" above the ground (approximately eye level)
When hanging pieces above or beside one another, space them around 2"- 4" apart (you can go up to 5"-6" if it's a long wall, I personally prefer for pieces to be closer together than further apart)
Artwork above a sofa is typically placed too high and needs to be proportionate to the sofa. You can definitely hang more than one piece, but it shouldn't be any smaller than 2/3 the width of the sofa and no higher than approx 8" above the top of the sofa back
When creating a gallery wall, you can go with all of the same frames (or same coloured frames) for a cohesive feel, or mix all of the frames up for more of an organic look
Before hanging your artwork, you can use a paper template to ensure that you've selected the proper height and positioning (this is especially wise if you're hanging a gallery wall)
It always helps to take a step back and look at the piece on the wall, so ask a friend or family member to hold the piece of art in your chosen location, at the selected height, before installing nails
A fun thing about gallery walls is that you can easily swap out any framed prints if you choose a common size frame, easy peasy and something to consider
Don't be afraid to lean artwork against the wall, be it on the floor or on a dresser, I've always loved this option for displaying artwork!

What type of artwork do you typically gravitate towards?

Cheer,

Tops With Beautiful Sleeves

2018-09-10T06:00:00.000-04:00

Flutter sleeve, bell sleeve, pleated sleeve or even puffed sleeve (hello fellow Anne of Green Gables fans! lol), I will forever fall for a top that has a great sleeve!

I'd say that the primary reason that I love these style of tops is because I'm typically pairing them with jeans. A top similar to the one above, or one of those in the round-up below, can immediately dress up a pair of jeans and that is totally my style! I love to be fashionable, but comfortable too, these tops allow you to achieve both!

1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/ 11/ 12/

What style of tops do you typically gravitate towards?

Cheers,

Friday Favourites

2018-09-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

Photo: Lark & Linen

You guys! We survived the first week of back to school! That deserves a good ol' holla!

Now that baseball season is over, we are no longer travelling to and from games all weekend. We have zero after school activities, which means life has gone from fast and furious to max relax! We are loving it, but looking forward to the upcoming football & basketball seasons.

Links from this past week:

I'd love to travel here and would also take her entire wardrobe too!
The most gorgeous space where the walls, ceiling and trim have all been painted the same colour
NYFW is here and I'll be living vicariously through Jacey's feed!
How beautiful is this powder room makeover?!
Pins that I loved:

how beautiful is this bedside table set up?
I would have loved to have had this cozy corner when I was a kid!
a big "yes" to this outfit!

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

Cheers,

A Traditional Living Room With Hits of Emerald

2018-09-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

This week's moodboard may have very well have me wanting to switch things up around here! I am having so much fun putting these boards together, I hope you're enjoying them just as much as me! I've compiled the moodboards in one spot, so that they are easy to find. You'll see the "moodboard" tab at the top of the page, or you can click here.

Flanking a sofa with a floor lamp and a table lamp is a great way to mix things up. However, if you're a fan of symmetry, you may not be as keen about this look. I find that it gives the room a less formal feel.

These chairs are perfect for a living room. When considering chairs for a space, really take the time too think about how the room will be used. If you'll be watching a lot of tv, something with a little more "give" may be preferred. I love these chairs for reading a book or chatting after a delicious meal.

The sofa style is classic and the narrow feet have beautiful and clean lines. The side tables believe it or not are perfect for indoor or outdoor. The colour in the room comes from the faux orchid and the pillows, otherwise it gives a big nod to neutral. There is a touch of blue in the rug as well.

If you wanted this room to have a bit more of a "softer" feel you could swap out the artwork for something like this.

floor lamp // side tables // faux orchid // sofa // emerald pillows // plaid pillow // vintage brass bowl // artwork // capiz shell table lamp // chairs // antelope linen pillows // coffee table // woven tray // brass candlesticks // rug

Not a big fan of emerald? You can see this exact space with navy pillows here (just scroll down).

Cheers,

7 Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizers That I've Tried

2018-09-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

I can totally remember when I was in my late twenties or maybe it was my early thirties when I was having my make up done for a wedding and the make up artist asked me which face moisturizer I used. I told her the name of it, which was an inexpensive moisturizer from the grocery store and she told me how important it was to invest in a good face cream. I politely accepted her suggestion but really I was thinking to myself "who on earth can afford to spend that kind of money on moisturizer, so silly". No thanks...

Fast forward a few years, when the lines start to slowly creep in and you think back to that moment when you were sure you'd never be "that person" and all of a sudden your top google search is "anti-wrinkle moisturizers". ha! Of course....I'm pretty certain that the make up artist called this one years ago!

I will be the first to admit that it's an investment and one that I wasn't so sure about in the beginning. But I took the leap and gave one a try and immediately "got it". I can also admit that it does pain me to spend that kind of money on a jar of moisturizer (the size of an apple lol), but good heavens does it ever make a difference in how I feel and look, so to me, it's worth it.

I've tried a few different types over the years and today I'm sharing my thoughts on each:

1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/

1- Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone was a purchase I made after I had tried Philosophy's Anti-Wrinkle Miracle Worker cream. Truth be told, I was looking for a great deal at Winners when I stumbled upon this moisturizer, so I gave it a try after reading the amazing reviews. I was absolutely shocked by how well this moisturizer worked and loved that it has SPF 15. Not only did it do a great job with creases/lines, but it also gave my skin an amazing glow, so glad I gave it a try! It is a higher price point.

2- Shiseido was another purchase I made when there was a great sale happening. This moisturizer is also on the higher price point, but again, it's that old saying...you get what you paid for. This lotion is thicker than that of the Estée Lauder, and didn't leave my skin with the same "glow" as the EL brand, but it certainly leaves my skin hydrated.

3- I have to say that I hadn't heard of this brand before (but how great is the branding?!), the reason I gave it a try was because I had received a sample when I made a purchase at Sephora. First off, this stuff smells amazing! It has an interesting texture, slightly goopy. I used it at night and loved it! It went on brilliantly and was a great combo with the Estee Lauder Advanced Time Zone.

4- This was the first moisturizer that I purchased that cost more than $20 and the one that made me understand exactly why it's a good investment. The only thing I didn't like was that it didn't always offer enough hydration for my skin, so I would have a few dry patches here and there, but I'd just apply more as needed. I realized soon after that the anti-wrinkle miracle worker was what I was really after! aka this is not meant to help with the "signs of aging".

5- This moisturizer made me realize that a facial moisturizer could truly help reduce the visibility of wrinkles. It wasn't anything substantial, but it certainly soften the lines. Again, I used this one along with the night cream (6) and I found the two together to be a wonderful thing.

6- I had tried two versions of this moisturizer and much preferred the one that came with the beads that you mix into the lotion. I'm not sure if they still offer that option or not, but if you can find it, I'd buy it over the regular version. Not that there's anything wrong with the regular version, but I found the one that has the beads to be better for my skin type.

7- Funny but true story, I bought this moisturizer thinking it was the day cream and didn't realize until after I opened the package that alas, it was not lol! So I got to use is anyhow. It's a very lightweight cream that is meant to give your skin a "detox" while sleeping, not to help with lines. I do like it, but I'm not sure that I would buy it over their nighttime moisturizer, which I use in combination with this.

8- I know that this isn't a face lotion, but it's new to me and I wanted to share. I prefer to add some make up beneath my eyes and this you guys is so incredibly lightweight it's perfect! You don't need much at all, a small dab is all you need....a little goes way more than a long way! I honestly think that this tube will expire before I use all of it, that's how little you need to use, but totally worth a try.

9- I'm not quite sure when I will no longer love the look of a good highlight above my cheek bone, and I can tell you 100% that I'll be using this product until that day arrives. It goes on like a cream and blends in beautifully. Again, I use it beneath my eyes to make them look a little more awake and for a soft glow. I've gone through three of these tubes in about a year or so.

That's it! None of the above moisturizers completely got rid of the lines on my face (shout out to the one between my eyes, right above my nose...sigh), nor do I believe that they ever would, but they did make them a little less harsh shall we say and they did minimize pores. Remember that everyone's skin type is different as well as what you're looking for in a moisturizer. But having a little feedback never hurts. I did take the long road in that I tried a lot of moisturizers over the years to finally know which ones I like. The only problem about finding them at great deals is that then you're hooked! lol

Do you have a favourite anti-wrinkle moisturizer? I'd love to know!

Cheers,

This is a personal review of the above products. I can not guarantee that you will have the same results as myself. I purchased each of these on my own, this post is not sponsored.

Woven Basket Round Up & Storage Ideas

2018-09-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

I have an extreme weakness for woven baskets, I feel like they are one of those things that you just can't have enough of (but obvs you can! lol). You will most likely find at least one in every room of our house. They are such a practical solution to organizing items and of course, they look amazing and become a part of your room's decor.

From storing blankets to organizing your little one's toys, there is a basket for that! I love the idea of using a basket for your favourite plant (be it big or small!) or even for storing your book collection. They are a stylists go-to and it's no wonder why! They provide a touch of warmth and lovely texture!

I've rounded up some great options for you! Ready my tips on other ways to use woven baskets below!

1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/

A few suggestions on where to use woven baskets:

blankets/throws
pillows
books
a plant
toys
hats, mitts, toques in the front entry
magazines
towels in the laundry room
extra toilet paper rolls in the bathroom
small baskets are perfect for storing crayons in the craft room or on your desk

Pay careful attention to the dimensions of your basket (especially if you're shopping online!). If you're placing the basket beside your couch, to store blankets or pillows, you'll want to ensure that it's tall enough, so that it is balanced with the height of the couch....proportion is key! For plants, you'll want to make sure that it's small if you're looking to place them on a tabletop or shelf, however for a floor plant, again, you'll wan to make sure that it's the right height but also the proper diameter!

Do you have a similar love for woven baskets?

Cheers,

A Family Room Plan Inspired by Muted Tones

2018-08-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

With fall being right around the corner, people are going to begin reaching for their pumpkin spiced lattes and they'll also be craving cozy and relaxing living spaces. A place to curl up with their PSL and watch their favourite movies/tv shows or to read their favourite book.

Now, everyone's definition of what they consider to be a cozy space is different. Some people naturally gravitate to all white, others prefer dark and moody colours for the cooler months. I love the idea of muted tones and layered textures.

When I think of what I'd like to see in a space that welcomes you with open arms and pleads with you to kick your feet up, I think of fabric sofas, textured rugs with warm vibes, hints of blue and pink and gold metals. Of course there will always be room for greenery in our house, be it real or fake. I firmly believe that every space needs at least one plant or flower arrangement!

1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/ 11/ 12/ 13/ 14/ 15/ 16/ 17/ 18/

I absolutely love to add knits and velvets to our rooms come fall. You can change one or two pillows for this, or you can simply add to the pillow arrangement that you currently have going. For throws, I'll keep the others, but I'll place the knit or faux fur throws at the top of the basket so that they can always be seen.

If you are working with an all white colour scheme, just think texture for the cooler months. Fabrics & textiles are a great way to weave cozier texture into your decor as well careful selective decorative items.

Great alternatives:

a fabric ottoman, one of these would be fantastic!
a geometric rug, I'll forever love this one
go with two table lamps and for height, choose a fake floor plant
you can't ever go wrong with a touch of vintage, my go-to are vintage candlesticks

Are you loving muted tones as well right now?

Wishing you all a lovely long weekend! I can't believe that it's back to school next week!

Cheers,

My Picks From The Old Navy Sale!

2018-08-30T09:02:00.000-04:00

The kids and I went back to school shopping earlier in the week and we were able to get them everything they needed for their first day back.

I've always been a huge fan of Old Navy (and it's sister stores, Gap & Banana Republic). If you've been reading for a while, this will come as no surprise to you lol. There's something to be said about being able to find items you love and to know that they will fit perfectly. That's how I feel about these brands, I'm almost always able to find what I need.

Old Navy is having a great sale and today I'm sharing my top picks. From basics to a few accessories and lovely dresses, there's a little something for every occasion!

1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/ 11/ 12/ 13/ 14/ 15/ 16/ 17/ 18/ 19/ 20/

Okay you guys, if you don't have a super cozy sweatshirt, I'm LOVING the one above, I find myself constantly reaching for this style of sweatshirt when the temps dip in the evening. This crossbody bag is similar to the one that I carried around NYC, perfect! And well, you know how I feel about a good military coat! I'll forever love and fall for a top with a cute ruffle!

Have you done any back to school shopping yet?

Cheers,

Tips on How to Incorporate Vintage Into Your Home's Decor

2018-08-29T09:00:00.002-04:00

I'll forever love to add a touch of vintage to each room in our house. You'll even find hits of vintage decor in our kid's rooms, I just love it that much! Adding vintage to your decor certainly adds character to the space, but it also adds interest. I love the idea of mixing old and new pieces.

Our entry way, living room, kitchen and family room (to name a few!) have larger pieces of vintage furniture, however accessories are also a great way to add a touch of vintage to your home's decor. The great thing is that vintage pieces can save you quite a bit of money, often times you'll find great pieces at great prices at local thrift stores. It may take a little patience, as their inventory changes so quickly, but if you know what you're looking for and stay determined, you'll most definitely find "the one"!

The chair in our entry used to belong to hubs' Grandparents. I replaced the original fabric and the piece took on a whole new look! When shopping for vintage, definitely look past it's current state. It's similar to when you're looking to buy a home, you can't pay attention to the things that can be changed, ie fabric, hardware, paint colour when it comes to vintage furniture.

the chairs in our kitchen are vintage, they actually came with our dining room set, but we prefer to use them here

The side tables in both our living room and family room are vintage. The one above, was given to us and the ones in the image below were found on Kijiji.

A fantastic (and simple) way to add vintage to your home's decor is by using decorative items. I honestly have a cupboard full of vintage decorative pieces and every now and then, I'll switch things up for a quick change.

As I mentioned before, shopping at thrift stores is a great place to start! Once you narrow down which pieces you prefer to use, you can then look online for incredible pieces and for a wider selection!

though the terra cotta pots aren't exactly vintage, the patina gives them an older feel

vintage stoneware crocks seem to be making a comeback and I love it!

can you spot the vintage item here, on my desk? the glass bowl? yup! it's perfect for corralling thumbtacks

I recently gave little J's room a makeover and incorporated a vintage dresser which I painted blue

brass candlesticks are probably my favourite!

Are you a fan of incorporating vintage pieces into your decor?

Cheers,

How To Decorate With Striped Ottomans

2018-08-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

Photo Credit: The Everygirl

I have been noticing a lot of striped ottomans in interior spaces lately and I'm loving it! When any piece of furniture can double as a table, foot rest, extra seating and focal point, you've complete got yourself a win/win!

They come in a variety of styles, which makes them perfect for any space. We have a fabric ottoman in our family room (though it's not striped like the beauties below), but I can't tell you enough how much use it gets. When you want to kick your feet up, to when you're playing a board game and you need to pull up an extra seat the coffee table. It's honestly such a versatile piece!

Here are a few of my favourites:

1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/

I find stripes to be one of those patterns that will never go out of style and that fit with nearly any style.

What to look for:

ensure that the size of your item is to scale with where you're planning on placing it. ie: if it's beside a cozy chair, the first ottoman (the small square) would be perfect for this, as it's along the same size as a side table.
if you're planning on using the ottoman as a coffee table, the height should be 1-2 inches lower than your sofa and the length should be approximately 2/3 the width of your couch
it's also preferable to have approximately 12-18 inches of space between the sofa and ottoman/coffee table so that people can easily pass through
consider placing a tray of some sort on the ottoman so that you can set your cups down without worrying about them toppling over
ensure that the colour of the ottoman works with your currently colour scheme....a neutral is always a great option as it will work with many colour schemes, allowing you to easily swap out cushions, rugs, etc

I'm pretty smitten with the one with the pleated skirt, so pretty! Which is your favourite?

Cheers,

Fashionable Backpack Options

2018-08-27T12:38:00.000-04:00

photo credit: Little Black Blog

As we walked through the streets of NYC, it became very apparent early on that having the perfect bag was essential. I had a small crossbody, which worked well, but two of the girls that i was with had backpacks which allowed them to carry that much more and of course, they are also a more comfortable option!

I had my fingers crossed as we ventured into the Nordstrom Off The Rack store, hoping that I would find the perfect backpack to carry around for the rest of my time in NYC, but unfortunately, no luck.

Here are a few of my pics:

1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/

Which is your favourite? I have a few, can you guess which I'd love to carry around through the streets of NYC?

Cheers,

A Gorgeous Paint Colour & A Laundry Room Moodboard

2018-08-24T18:24:00.002-04:00

Hi friends! I hope that you've all enjoyed a wonderful week.

This past Tuesday I flew to NYC to attend Behr's launch of their 2019 Colour of the Year, Blueprint! It's an absolutely beautiful blue that is completely on trend and relevant with what we are looking for in a paint colour. You can view the colour and read all about it (plus, seeing the gorgeous colour palettes) here.

A few photos from that trip and event:

I loved how Behr invited a few artisans to create pieces that were inspired by Blueprint. Above are a few of the pieces. Candles, ceramics and woven art.

After the event, we took to the streets to tour the absolutely gorgeous city! I have to say that NYC is absolutely everything and more. I get it now, what everyone talks about when they say that NY is magical, it truly is!

Before I go, I wanted to share an e-decor moodboard that I recently put together!

I'm looking forward to having the opportunity to help good friends plan out their laundry room makeover. They are going to tackle the space on their own and were looking for some direction.

It's important (as like with our laundry room makeover) to make good use of this space. We're going to use cheerful fabrics, warm elements and practical solutions to help make their dream laundry room come to life!

rug

I will forever love the idea of grey and white together. Coupled with hits of blue, green and purple, this space will immediately go from neutral to warm and welcoming. I'm SO excited to hand this over to my friends and for them to get started on creating a beautiful space.

You may notice that the blog has gotten a bit of an update. As I mentioned here, there are a few new things coming to the blog later this year, so stay tuned!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Cheers,

That Summer Slow Down

2018-08-17T15:09:00.000-04:00

Every summer I take time off from the blog (could you tell?! lol) and quite frankly it's so good for the soul. With three weeks left of summer vacation, you better believe that we are doing our best to savour and enjoy every last second, but truth be told, I'm slowly preparing myself for the return to work. I think it's a relatively common thing for blogs to be a little slower over the summer months and I think it's so great because the rest of the year is typically quite busy!

Over the long weekend we finally went out for a bike ride with a stop by the river to do a little exploring. It feels like it's been forever since we've done this (probably because it has!). The kids' sporting activities have taken up quite a bit of time, which is truly bittersweet. We love love love to watch them play, they love love love to play, but gosh time sure does fly!

After a few good rainstorms our phlox just couldn't stand up to the pounding for of the raindrops. That's okay though, it gave me a good reason to make a beautiful flower arrangement.

Next week I'm off on an exciting work trip, I can't wait to share all of the details! Next month I'll be working on a few projects around the house and I'm also working behind the scenes to launch something that I've been putting off for way too long. So get ready, September is going to be fun!

Cheers,

Life Lately - Summer Edition

2018-07-23T08:32:00.001-04:00

It's funny, I knew it had been a long time since I had last written a blog post, but it wasn't until last week that I actually checked and well it's been a looooong time since I've sat down to write a blog post!

I'm so sorry for being MIA, I've been way better at posting on Instagram (guilty of taking the easier route I suppose) so if you're not following me there, be sure to take a peek here!

So, what's been happening since May you ask?! Life has been busy, but a good kind of busy. The kids have been enjoying playing soccer and baseball, we've enjoyed watching them play, but there have only been a few days that we've been able to come up for air if you know what I mean! lol. I keep saying it's busy and exhausting, but it's so much fun! There's nothing better than seeing your little ones having an absolute blast playing a sport that they love.

Around the house I have been editing things here and there. I haven't tackled any major projects, but I've been making small changes to bring our home's decor to where I'd like it to be. I've removed piping from the dining room chairs (photos to come), swapped pillows in the living room, taken down & put up new art, little things like that.

One room that got a bit of a heavier makeover was my office. Truth be told, all I really did was move the location of the desk, but that small change has made a huge difference! I now have a place to hang my straw hats and the room feels much airier and roomier (my new goal for our house, airier feel in every room please!).

More "life lately" moments in photos:

I spoke about the counters over our laundry machines on instagram lately. I knew I wanted to install cabinets over the machines for a variety of reasons (the trim is removable for the times that we need to access the machines), but I didn't realize just how much I'd appreciate the large counter space. It's the perfect size for sorting & folding clothes and because of that, I'm more likely to actually fold clothes as soon as the dryer is done, which is awesome!

Over on Instagram, I chatted all about the new kitchen appliance that has me wrapped around its fingers! Read all about it here!

It's a really big deal in our house when there isn't one single piece of baseball equipment sitting in our entry way! I documented that moment by snapping this photo! Pssst...you can also see a bit of the pillows that I swapped in for the pink ones in our living room ;)

Something that I absolutely love about the summer months is being able to go out back and clip flowers to bring indoors. It honestly brings me so much joy. Puttering around the yard, selecting blooms to put together in a vase for each room. When designing the laundry room, I knew that this would be where I would rinse and make flower arrangements, so thankful for this space!

One of my wonderful friends gifted me this amazing insulated wine glass to use outside during the summer months. Seriously the best gift ever! It keeps my chardonnay cool and the lid has a sliding closure, so that no bugs get into your glass! You can get your own here.

A few weeks ago we had an unexpected Saturday off due to rain. We all took complete advantage by max relaxing. My spot of choice....the family room!

Summer is typically a quiet time here on the blog as we enjoy the beautiful weather and spending time together as a family, but I promise to not go another 2+ months before posting again!

Cheers friends!

New Dress Code

2018-05-11T19:48:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone!

First off, thank you SO much for all of the love on our laundry room makeover! I'm thrilled that you love the new look as much as we do. If you missed the reveal post, you can find it here!

So I recently mentioned on instagram that I was doing a huge closet purge. I've come to realize that I've been pretty guilty of purchasing items that (a) aren't my style (b) were a good deal, so why not?! #sarcasm or (c) were trendy and so of course I'd buy it, right?! #eyeroll lol

Ugh! In the end, it's become very apparent that the only clothing I should be purchasing are pieces that are in line with my style and what I'm comfortable in. I think part of the problem is that it's taken a while for me to figure out just what my style is, but I feel as though I've finally realized what that is. I also want to be way more conscious of what I'm purchasing so that I don't have a closet full of items that I don't love, because really, what's the point?! As a result, I donated the majority of the clothing that I didn't love and gosh, it felt great!

I have infinite love for Talbots. I've had the absolute pleasure of partnering with this incredible brand a few times now and I'm beyond thankful for that. I honestly feel as though their "petite" line was made for me! They fit me so well (no hemming pants, woohoo!!!). Did you know that their hashtag is #modernclassicstyle ? It's true! And that is SO me!

The goal from here on in, is to add some go-to staples to my closet. I'm a huge fan of blazers, I find that they immediately bring an outfit to the next level, but they are also key pieces for layering. They can be dressed up or down and are great when the mornings and evenings are chilly. Talbots always does a fab job of paying attention to the details, case in point, the scallop trim on the top I'm wearing, the metallic threading in the purse and the contrasting piping on the blazer. And these espadrilles are beyond comfy!!!

I feel that this outfit features classic staples that every closet needs! I'm excited to share a few new looks featuring Talbots pieces in the coming weeks! Stay tuned for more!

Cheers,
Julie

This post has kindly been sponsored by Talbots, all opinions are my own