[ christie antiques ]

THE HIGHLIGHT of my weekend was a road trip to Dundas, Ontario for the Christie Antiques Show held every May and September. With over 300 vendors and almost 10 acres of antiques, it's a show not to be missed (which is why I tackled the 3 hour drive, leaving at 5am!). I wondered if I would see Sarah Richardson from Sarah's House and her sidekick Tommy filming for her show like I did last year but no luck. But there was no shortage of fantastic stuff to see!

I was looking for a couple of specific things this time: a dressform so I can photograph my bags to show scale, a small side table for my porch, a frame for my booth sign and anything else that catches my eye!

I SCORED!

dressform: $60(incredible!!!); white side table: $50; oval frame for booth sign: $15. 

I also found 4 shoe stretchers: $13 (will group nicely on the wall with my shoe mold from Paris), canvas yarn basket: $30 (which I have no idea what I'll do with yet - it just needs a good scrubbing).

All in all, definitely worth the drive no matter how difficult it is to get up and out by 5am!

lisa

[ happy weekend! ]

HOPE YOU are all enjoying a lovely weekend! I just got back from a really fun outing (only 3 hour drive each way!) I'll tell you all about it on Monday and show you the treasures I found!

lisa

[better homes and gardens]

[ upcycled from drab to fab ]

IT'S BEEN a little while since I made handbags from suit jackets for my shop so I thought I'd better get out there and source out some more jackets. I've managed to find some great ones in various wool and summer-weight fabrics and it's so satisfying to breathe new life into an unloved suit jacket. And what might be geeky as a jacket is truly fab upcycled into a handbag and I'm thrilled with how these two have turned out so far.

lisa

[ pattern play ]

FALLEN IN LOVE with lots of prints and patterns but think you can't combine them? Here are some gorgeous examples of rooms showing a play of pattern on pattern on pattern. So cheerful and refreshing, I think I'll need to try this somewhere, perhaps in my porch or guest room.

lisa

[1,2,5 country homes & interiors, 

living etc, house to home]

[ from bathroom to craft room ]

LOOKING FOR some clever ways to organize all your office or craft supplies? Then head over to your bathroom department at your home building store and pick up a toilet paper holder, a shower caddy and simple over-the-toilet cabinet! Your bits and bobs will be all sorted and easy to find.

lisa

[better homes and gardens]

[ colour my world? ]

MOST OF THE walls in my home are neutral tones but colour really is everywhere. My previous homes have had colour on the walls and I've gradually evolved to a softer, more muted palette. But I couldn't help but admire these rooms that really take colour to the max. I think using a lot of white really helps to tame the brightness. Could you go this bright?

lisa

[domino, beautiful living, easy living, houzz, style at home]

[ fabulous thrifting ]

THRIFT STORES can be a great source for accessories and linens and I have scored a fantastic find! Inspired by all the hot pink I've been seeing recently in decor magazines, I was pretty excited to come across this bed coverlet at my visit to Value Village. It's in immaculate shape and I love the colour and pattern and for $6.99, I thought I could definitely find a spot for it. Here it is in its new home at the foot of my chaise. I'm pretty pleased with my new treasure!

lisa

[ happy weekend! ]

IT'S SUPPOSED to be a gorgeous long weekend here so I'm looking forward to spending a bit of quiet time out on my dock reading a book. I hope you have a lovely relaxing weekend too and i'll see you next week!

lisa

[ quirky mementoes ]

EVERYTIME WE travel somewhere, I'm always on the lookout for quirky mementoes from little antique shops or flea markets that I can frame up in a shadow box to remember our trip. Not the typical souveniers you would expect, but unexpected items that become a conversation piece once displayed. These little antique potato bag tags are from a little antique shop near Summerside, Prince Edward Island during our summer vacation a few years ago. And these vintage milk bottle tabs are from a little chapel-turned antique shop we encountered on a weekend road trip through Prince Edward County, Ontario.

lisa

[ vegan shoes! ]

I LOVE SHOES  and I have found the cutest eco-friendly handmade shoes by fellow Canadian TheGeneration on Etsy. Each pair is handmade from 100% cotton and sustainable fabrics with no chemical adhesives (that means no stinky glue smell!) Great quality and perfect for anyone interested in being more environmentally friendly and supportive of cruelty-free/vegan products. If you love flats like I do, check out the cute styles available in Christy's  Etsy shop!

lisa

[ molding molding molding! ]

NOTHING KICKS up your walls a notch more than molding. Some of the most beautiful homes have gorgeous moldings that add such sophistication and really provide that extra-special detail. Most new homes nowadays don't include anything but simple walls and baseboards but if you have a mitre saw, patience and a bit of skill, you can add some molding to your rooms too. These ideas from Better Homes and Gardens vary in levels of difficulty.

lisa

[ fun space for blogging ]

ISN'T THIS A great space to curl up in with your laptop? I love the bright hits of colour on the chair, the sofa throw, the cushions and vibrant art on the wall. It takes a standard white space and livens it up to become a room that you can't help but smile in. And what an adorable napping puppy for company! I want this room (including the puppy!).

lisa

[design*sponge]

[ meg ryan's island beach house ]

ONE OF MY favourite chick flick actresses has been Meg Ryan - she's always had such a cuteness about her. I love the article in Elle Decor featuring her Martha's Vineyard home. I could certainly cozy up with a good book on her couch, cook up a mean brunch in her kitchen and soak away my troubles in her tub!

lisa

[ so chic office chair makeover ]

I CAME ACROSS this amazing office chair makeover tutorial over at U create and just had to share. Who doesn't have one of these ugly things and look at how chic it can look! Be sure to check out the tutorial on how you can transform your own chair!

lisa

[ displaying dishware ]

ONE WAY to really add some warm personality to a kitchen, dining room, hallway or even a living room is to display a collection of dishware on a wall, shelf or in a pretty cupboard. It doesn't have to be fancy - it can consist of what you have on hand or pieces you might come across at thrift stores or yard sales. These old bowls in my kitchen I picked up at an outdoor antique fair last summer.

Here are some other great examples I've come across. What do you have to display?

lisa

[brabourne farm, belle maison, better homes and gardens, country living, 

skona hem, house & garden, brooke giannetti]