[ picking favourites ]

SINCE MY guy and I were celebrating our little first date anniversary this weekend, I decided to make him a present {don't you love it when someone takes the time to create something?} So I thought I'd make him a painting of our favourite saying.

This would have been a lot quicker if I had one of those fancy Silhouette machines, but nope, my method was totally old-school!

1. paint a background colour on a canvas {it may take a couple of coats so it's best to use a pre-mixed colour }

2. plan your layout and type out your words

3. print them out and piece together with tape, then position them in place

4. Lay a piece of carbon paper underneath and start tracing around each letter with light pressure {be careful not to rub your hand across as you go or you will dirty your canvas with carbon underneath}

5. start painting in the letters {take your time - put on some tunes and make an afternoon of it - you may need to go over them with a light second coat}

And voila! 

I know what you're thinking... why pink?

Well, I already knew where I wanted him to display it {is that bad?}... on his side of the bed!

So does this make you want to grab a brush and paint someone a compliment?

lisa

[ sending love ]

THIS WEEKEND I just want to send out some love...

To all of you...
for taking the time to stop by and leaving such sweet comments ~ I love you!


To my guy...
for celebrating the anniversary of our first date in high school ~ I love you!


To my sister and her lovely family...
for their loss and grief ~ I love you so much and wish I could be there with you.

lisa

[ taken with transferware ]

THERE'S SOMETHING about transferware that brings to mind simpler days and old-fashioned goodness. I think many of us have grown up with transferware at some point - whether a platter for the turkey, grandma's pie served on dessert plates or maybe that special teapot for afternoon tea.

Not only do I love the idea of a wall of these beauties on display, I also love the idea of using them everyday just to add that little bit of pretty to the table.

Do you have any treasured transferware? If you do, what colour do you have and do you use it?

lisa

[via pinterest; maisondecor8; country living; rosegardenromantic; unknown;

warrengrovegarden; theinspiredroom; birchandbird; acountryfarmhouse; leah-theinsidestory]

[ a fab find, my painting and my console ~ for now ]

I WAS out browsing and came across this fantastic Jones & Sons jug. I immediately loved the burlap label and metal bands. So of course, I had to take it home. I thought it would be an interesting addition to my little collection of antique bottles.

I don't have a lot of display space in this apartment but I do have my console that has been crying out for a pretty display over it.

I decided to lean a painting I created a few years ago after our cruise trip to Venice.

I snapped this pic from the ship by zooming in as we passed by...

I loved how the photo became a bit grainy from zooming in so much and decided it would make an interesting painting.

After lots of intricate work, I think I managed to capture it quite well. Now, over my console, it adds a bit of colour and interest to a large blank wall...

My plan is still to create a large gallery wall on this wall but until then, this will do just fine {and it's nice to finally display my painting somewhere}.

Doesn't my new little jug look cute?

lisa

linking to A Beach Cottage Good Life Wednesday

[ urban country mix ]

I'M A huge fan of mixing up styles in a room - it keeps things interesting, fresh and current. I love the mix in this room - the white slipcovered settee paired with the classic Louis chair and modern white leather Barcelona chair are an unexpected combination. Add in some great cushions and billowy drapes and I think it's a fun mix.

The reddish walls add some punch but you could choose any wall colour and it would look just as fantastic. The shiny ottomans probably wouldn't be my first choice - I would likely go for one larger ottoman or glass coffee table.

What do you think of this look? Do you have a mix in your home?

lisa

[house beautiful]

[ so sweet ]

THE LOVELY Carolyn at Sweet Chaos Home has passed along the versatile blogger award to me - thank you!

To accept this award you must thank the person who awarded it to you and include a link to their blog. Then choose 15 fellow bloggers that you've recently discovered or follow regularly to pass the award along to and share 7 things about yourself.

So, since I don't want to be a party-pooper, here are 7 things about me you may or may not know...

1. I was born and raised in Canada but my family is Finnish with a pinch of Swedish thrown in for good measure.

2. My favourite car is the Mini Cooper and I used to own a cream one before moving to Ireland. I called it my little rocket.

3. Chocolate cupcake or vanilla? Definitely vanilla. It reminds me of birthday cake and we all need birthday cake more than once a year.

4. Shania Twain and I are from the same hometown.

5. I grew up playing the piano and played the saxophone in highschool.

6. My favourite TV shows are Modern Family and Mad Men.

7. Beach cottage or ski chalet? Definitely beach cottage - someday I want to retire by the sea and wake up to waves lapping the shore.

I'd love to pass along this award to a few of my favourite fellow bloggers - they all have lovely blogs that I always look forward to visiting...

Fern Creek Cottage

Strickly Simple Style

Plain and Fancy Living

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Razmataz

Beach Coast Style

Inspired Design

Use the Good Dishes

The Hairy Peach

Dreams on 34th Street

Style for Living

A Happy Little Life

A Delightful Design

Pinecone

In Corners of My Mind

Happy Monday!

lisa

[all pics: Google]

[ my thoughts on guest posts ]

GUEST POSTING is popular in blogland and it's a fun way to connect and discover other lovely blogs. However, not all guest posts are created equal.

Have you been bombarded lately with requests from companies to post guest posts on your blog? Well I have! And I just had to share my thoughts on this practise {please bear with me if this post gets long!}

To me, guest posts by companies are an entirely different ball game. They are like advertorials - those special advertising features you see in magazines - like when Scotties tissues runs a spread showing various bathroom decorating ideas, all the while, promoting their newest tissue box designs. And in magazines, placing those advertorials costs money.

While some people may feel flattered that they've been approached by a company wanting to post a guest post on their blog (their emails gush with compliments on how great your blog is), I feel differently. These companies should be paying you to do so. These posts are exactly like magazine advertorials but in blogland. Why should they be allowed to target your blog readers for free? They're YOUR blog readers - people kind enough to tune in regularly to read what YOU have to say, not to read what is essentially an "ad" by some company. {Unless of course they want to offer a fabulous giveaway - then that's a different story}.

I've been approached by lighting companies, real estate companies, vacation rental companies, design companies, clothing companies... all wanting to put up a post on my blog with no benefit to me or my lovely blog readers. No giveaway. No discount. All of them wanting links back to their company website. One company even said they'd do it at NO COST TO ME! Gosh, really?

Rather than purchase a sponsor ad in your sidebar, they take the approach of offering up some original content for your blog ~ they'll do all the work and all you have to do is post it. To me, it's sneaky and a free way for them to get traffic to their websites through you, if you fall for it.

What are your thoughts on these types of guest posts?

lisa

[ happy weekend! ]

SO... you'd like me to come visit your little cottage on the lake this weekend? And stay in this charming room? Well, I don't mind if I do!

Happy weekend! How will you be spending your weekend?

lisa

[via little emma english home]

[ look familiar? ]

OK, I ADMIT, I watch The Real Houswives of New Jersey. I know. Well, imagine my surprise when I saw my ottoman on the set of their reunion episode!

So... should I be tickled by that or embarrassed?

lisa

[ nook love ]

A KITCHEN nook is often one of the most-used spots in a home and I fell in love with this one. Rather than a large kitchen table, the space is divided into 2 functional areas...

a cozy spot for watching tv (or blogging!)...

{how fantastic is that fabric and the built-in shelving for cookbooks, a tv and serving dishes?}


and a little spot for brekkie...

{wouldn't that orange table make you smile every morning?}


Not only is this nook pretty, it's so practical too - high shelves over the windows carve out extra storage but keep the space feeling open.

Even if you only had space for one of these areas, how fab would that be? Do you have a kitchen nook?

lisa

[country living]

[ what's new pussycat? ]

LEOPARD is one of those patterns that just never seems to go out of style. I think every wardrobe can use a touch of leopard - it goes with everything and always looks chic.

I've been on the hunt for some leopard flats and finally found the ones! Cushy comfort and pretty tortoiseshell detail makes these Coach flats a winner. They may have cost more than I was intending to spend, but to me, they're a classic and worth a little bit of investment.

It seems that leopard flats are popular with the celebs too...

What do you think? Are you sporting any leopard this fall?

lisa

[ burj al arab ~ a tour ]

WHEN YOU THINK of Dubai, one of the images that comes to mind is of the sail-shaped 7 star luxury hotel that juts out into the Arabian Gulf. Burj Al Arab is an all-suite hotel that dominates Dubai's skyline and has consistently been voted the world's most luxurious hotel. With personal butlers, a Rolls-Royce fleet and helicopter transfer, it is the ultimate in pampering for the rich and famous.

I was so excited to attend a breakfast event there yesterday so I could get a look around {since an overnight stay isn't exactly in my budget!}

I managed to snap a few pics of the areas I saw so here is a peek...

I would have loved to see the rooms, the restaurants and the spa but it was fun just to get a taste of what this incredible hotel has to offer.

lisa