Watercolor Wednesday: Pretty Living Room

 Today's painting is inspired by one of my favourite living room pictures. I fell in love with Alex from Things that Sparkle's living room when it was featured on The Everygirl a while back. It's so pretty! I love the balance and height that the pink candles and branches add & my favourite detail has got to be that pink ostrich feather pillow!

Hope you are all enjoying your week!
xo

New Headshot

So as you intuitive lads and ladies may or may not have noticed, I recently updated my sidebar head shot. I must admit, I love getting dolled up for a photoshoot. Here are some of my favourites from the shoot:

And my personal fave, the one I ended up selecting:

Aren't photoshoots fun?!
I also updated my social media buttons, thanks to Melissa of Melissa Rose Design!  She is my go-to girl when it comes to blog design.
xox

Client Reveal: Dixieland Monogram Retail Shop

 Happy Monday loves. Today is an exciting day here on the blog! I'm revealing a client project I was lucky enough to help out with.
Let's face it - we interior design junkies love a good monogram. There is something so classic, preppy and stylish about them - so when Erinn of Dixieland Monogram contacted me for design suggestions for their new retail space, I could not have been more excited. The store had it's big grand opening last week in Tampa, FL -  and the shop looks like the perfect little boutique we had both envisioned!

This e-design project taught me so much about the evolution of the designing process. When Erinn first contacted me, she was thinking about using the space as a show room / office rather than an actual retail space.
These were the original design boards that I came up with:

Quickly, however, the plan changed to a full blown store and I could not be more thrilled for this exciting new opportunity! Welcome to Dixieland Monogram!:

 Isn't it just so fun!? I love the final result and the light bright atmosphere.
And the products are pretty amazing too. If you see anything you like and aren't in the Tampa Bay area, don't fear because you can order online ;).

Thank you so much to Erinn and the Dixieland Monogram team for enlisting me to help on this fab project. And if any of you need help with designing a space to love, don't hesitate to contact me!!
xox

Happy Fourth of July: Americana Mood Board

One of my favourite things about blogging is making connections with other bloggers. I have had so much support from my US blogging friends that I wanted to wish you all a Happy Fourth of July! I've whipped up a masculine, moody, Americana mood board to get you all feeling patriotic and ready for the long weekend!

sofa (similar)  / burled oak console / rug / Born this Way pillow / lucite coffee table / leopard x-benches / vintage hunting photograph

  Wouldn't this be perfect for the cabin? Maybe that's where you are headed this weekend? If so I am utterly jealous and don't want to hear a word about it.
Have a fun and safe weekend my loves! xox

Watercolor Wednesday: Perfume Display

Today I painted a feminine vignette, inspired by the home of Monika Hibbs. Her perfume bottle display is one of my all time favourites!

via the Glitter Guide

xoxo

Girly Art

 Hi Loves! I'm back. I wanted to thank you all for your kind words of support last week and for understanding my break from the blogging world. I still don't feel 100% myself, but I can't put the world and the things I love on hold forever. Oh, how I missed you all! Now back to the pretty stuff...

I have a thing for girly art. Living in my own studio apartment (bachelorette pad as I like to call it) has really allowed me  to decorate in a way that I might not always be able to when I need to compromise with a live-in situation. Right now my Chanel prints from I See Noise are the epitome of feminine glamour. Sometimes I think about adding a third bottle to the collection (I know you've all heard of the power of three! I love this one from MadeByGirl:

via Made by Girl

I have also been toying with the idea of moving the perfume bottles to another area and painting something large and abstract and pink to hang over the sofa....decisions decisions.

And of course, I can't do a post on girl art and not include Jessica's lips print. It has been popping up everywhere. The girl is literally killed it with this one!:

via Rue Daily

via Small Shop

I want to add the lips print (and probably the OUI print too because how can you not?!) to a gallery wall I am planning around my TV. Audrey is feeling a little bit lonely....

SO happy to be back ladies!
And HAPPY (belated) CANADA DAY to all my fellow Canadian bloggers. xox

Need Some Time...

My loves, I know I was absent most of last week and I'm sad to say that I  will not be around this week either.
While I recently expressed my high hopes for my 23rd year (and I still have many!), things have not started off exactly as planned... I'm dealing with some personal conflicts right now that have left me feeling completely drained both mentally and emotionally.  I just need  one more week to get back on my feet. I could sit here and post some content that my heart isn't in, but what would any of us really gain from that? In the mean time, you can see that I've done a mini facelift here on the blog with a new head shot and new pink buttons! More on that when I come back.
Love you all, thank you for understanding! xox

Father's Day and Guest Post!

Happy Monday my loves! It's been a busy weekend for me with my birthday and Father's Day all rolled into one. I came home from the hospital today exactly 23 years ago. In 1990, the 17th was a Sunday and it was Father's Day, and really, I probably peaked at good Father's Day gift right then and there. Here's a picture from that day. Let's be real - how styling was I with that hair bow? Right on point.

Today I'm also guest posting over at Laura Dro Designs. If you have followed my blog for awhile now, you know I am a huge fan of Laura's art. I'm sharing how to style this painting:

Gorgeous, no? Head HERE to check it out!
I wish you all the very best of weeks! xo

Today I am 23...

That's right! It's my birthday. 22 was an amazing whirlwind of a year that I will remember fondly.

The year I went after my dream, the year I moved away from home, the year I really started to feel like I know where I want to go and who I want to be. I can only imagine that 23 will mean continuing to grow into that person.

I am so grateful for all the big and exciting opportunities that are going on in my life right now. God is blessing me in mysterious ways.

 Thank you all for helping make 22 one of my best. Cheers!

And the Winner is...

 And the winner is...

 Claire S! Congratulations. You've just won a 100% silk sleep mask from Silk Sleep!

I've sent you an e-mail on how to collect your prize.

Thanks again to everyone who entered for making this giveaway a huge success!

Last Chance for the Best Rest

 No Watercolor Wednesday this week my friends. I'm swamped with finals and that extra 'me' time is a bit non-existent at the moment. I'll be back in full force next week! Today is also the last day to enter the 100% silk sleep mask giveaway from Silk Sleep. You won't regret it! I mean just look how soundly Audrey is snoozing with hers. My sleep mask has changed my life (and did I mention it's wrinkle preventative?!) Good luck and thank you to all who entered!

Trunk Coffee Tables

When I was younger, I babysat for a family that had an old wooden steamer trunk as a coffee table. I loved that! It was the perfect place to store blankets and boardgames and it added a lot of character to the space. I've noticed that using a trunk as a coffee table is still going strong:

via Pinterest

via Style by Emily Henderson

Cassandra Lavalle via Coco & Kelly

via Lonny Mag April 2010

^ Love this lucite option!

via Peppermint Bliss

So you can imagine how excited I was when I left my house yesterday to bike to work and found this baby right outside my garage tipped upside down and left for the garbage man:

Being the hoarder lover of all good design opportunities that I am, I immediately dragged it into the garage and wrote my name on it in the dust. It needs some TLC but who doesn't love a good DIY project? You can't really tell from this crappy iPhone pic (I was running late for work by this time okay?!) but it's a gorgeous navy laquer. Once the gold bits are all shined up (and reattached..ahem), it's going to be a real showstopper. I still can't believe my luck! I've always referred to the alley behind my garage as 'garbage alley' but maybe treasure alley would be more appropriate?

And don't worry, I biked extra hard and made it to work with 2 minutes to spare ;). Sometimes you can have it all folks!
Don't forget to enter my Sleep Mask Giveaway going on now!
xo