[ happy weekend! ]

HOPE YOUR weekend is full of good thoughts!

lisa

[via mckensiesmith]

[ mom jeans ]

SHOPPING FOR jeans can be a frustrating experience and what if you found out you could be wearing mom jeans and not even know it? gasp!

I came across a great blog post at grasping for objectivity and not only was it funny, it was eye-opening! Essentially, Rachel went on a quest to try on numerous brands and styles of jeans and her husband photographed her from behind to show what a difference a good cut, fit and pocket placement actually makes. Could Gap jeans almost be mom jeans? How about Old Navy? Hmm... maybe they are...

I know I'd rather have a perky bum than a wide or droopy looking one. Needless to say, it prompted me to immediately go try on all of my jeans and take a better look. Hmm... maybe I'll go jeans shopping this weekend! Check out her post and see all of her examples here.

lisa

[all pics: grasping for objectivity]

[ driftwood inspiration and my project ]

I'VE SEEN some great examples of driftwood mirrors that got me thinking...

...I could make one of those! Of course sourcing any type of DIY craft supplies in Dubai is a challenge ~ no Michaels or JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby or Home Depot or Lowe's or Walmart... and ordering from eBay just wasn't cost-effective ~ but I was up for the challenge!

Well, after seeing the first mirror in Crate and Barrel, I also noticed that they had driftwood garland on clearance. I decided to take a chance on it {I wasn't sure if the drilled holes would be ok or not}. Then off to hunt for a mirror which I found in a clearance bin in another store {it had seen better days!} So for a grand total of about $25, I had what I needed. 

I tried sanding down the mirror a little but that baby was pretty slick. And with its slightly curved surface, I knew that a glue gun probably wouldn't hold it together for very long. Time to call in the big boys...

I covered the mirror with paper to protect the surface, then took apart the garland and sorted out the pieces. Then I just started arranging them around the frame, choosing the flattest ones for the bottom layer...

The tricky thing about Gorilla Glue is that you have to dampen both surfaces, put the glue on sparingly {it expands}, then hold it down for a while until it sets. This was not a quick process but in the end, it's super strong...

Once the base was completely covered, I started nestling in more pieces over top. I decided to use my glue gun to adhere these pieces since they were just bare wood on bare wood...

To finish off the inner edge, I simply glued on two rows of salvaged rope with the glue gun...

and voila! All done!

I'm quite happy with how it turned out and I'm not really bothered by the small holes {a little wood filler could be used to fill them}. Sure, I would have liked a bigger one like the Crate and Barrel version, but my garland didn't have enough really long, flat pieces to make that work {you gotta make do with whatcha got}...

Not quite sure where I'll hang it yet ~ I've got to find a super-strong 3M hook to handle the weight on these concrete walls. Maybe over the bed isn't such a great idea in case it comes crashing down on my head! I'll wait until I can use a nail for that. :)

lisa

[crate and barrel; houzz; completely coastal; decorpad; thewickerhouse]

linking to:

Coastal Charm

Savvy Southern Style

[ happy monday! ]

HOPE YOU all had a lovely weekend! As much as I wanted to sleep in a bit and have a nice, quiet couple of days, the lady in heels upstairs had other plans. Carpet really should be mandatory in apartment buildings. This is kind of how I felt today getting up...

It will be a very sweet day when we get to move into our own home again someday! On a positive note, I did finish up a project I've had on my list for quite a while. I'll share with you tomorrow. Stay tuned!

lisa

[ abstract minded ]

I HAPPENED to be lurking on Etsy and I came across the happiest art by Melanie Mikecz of TWOEMS...

Aren't they great? I love her choice of colours and can imagine them in really any room of the house ~ great if you've got a spot just crying out for a bit of graphic pattern and personality. To see the other great pieces by TWOEMS, click here.

Speaking of happy, it's Happy Weekend time again! And mine has already kicked off with a happy coffee date with a fellow blogger who has just moved to Dubai. Gotta love how blogging brings people together! Have a great weekend everyone!

lisa

[ at the top ~ burj khalifa ]

I FINALLY went up the world's tallest building! After living here for almost a year and a half, it was about time.

At over 2716 feet (828 metres) and 160 stories, the Burj Khalifa is quite the structure. It was a collaboration of 30 on-site contractors from all over the world.

Construction began in 2004 and was completed in 2009, officially opened in January 2010. Total cost: about $1.5 billion.

{what's inside}

37 office floors on the highest levels

observation deck on level 124

fine dining restaurant on level 122

900 residences on levels 19 to 108

Armani Hotel and Residences on lowest levels

57 elevators

Its Y-shaped footprint which maximizes views, is organically inspired by the regional desert flower, the hymenocallis with its petals extending from a central stem...

riding up the high-speed elevator {59ft/second}, ears popping...

the At the Top observation deck on level 124 is part open, part enclosed...

if any of you have ever wondered what an aerial view of Dubai looks like, here's a peek...

Every day there are fountain shows choreographed to music, similar to what you see at the Bellagio in Las Vegas...

It would have been cool to be able to see more of the inside of the tower but high security only allows access directly up to the observation deck. Surprisingly, I didn't feel nearly as queasy as I thought I might at that height. Definitely something you need to do while in Dubai.

lisa

[all pics with my iPhone; hymenocallis via wikipedia]

[ smitten with spots ]

SO MY favourite store has now arrived here in Dubai ~ Kate Spade! I've been a fan for a long time but haven't had access to a shop to visit regularly {the first one I stepped into was in SOHO, NYC}.

On my recent visit, I couldn't help but SPOT all the spots...

Cute huh? I love polka dots ~ they're so happy and timeless ~ have they ever been out of style? Are you as smitten with spots as I am?

lisa

[kate spade]

[ fab find ]

POTTERY BARN in Dubai is run by a local company {unlike the corporate stores in North America}. And while they may not carry everything that Pottery Barn offers elsewhere, the one thing I love is that when they have a sale, it's a BLOWOUT sale!

I've recently had my eye on these...

...vintage oversized wine bottles from the early 1900s from Europe. Available in a few sizes, the medium size has been retailing for $149 {way out of my price range}. 

Imagine how excited I was to snag one this weekend at... hold onto your hats....$25!

And a rare turquoise glass one at that! With such delicious old grungy patina...

I think it's a pretty addition to my vintage bottle collection...

Have you snagged any fab finds lately?

lisa

[ lottery home ]

FOR THE past 6 years, Lynda Reeves and her team at Canadian House and Home have designed the showhouse for the Princess Margaret Hospital Fall Lottery in Toronto. I've been lucky enough to tour many of them in Oakville, Ontario when the tickets have gone on sale, though this year I'll have to dream through the pages of the magazine. Sadly I've never won, but it's always nice to buy a ticket and have the money go to a worthy cause.

This year's home is based on the idea of a stone farmhouse, mixed with modern touches for family living...

Even though it's described as modern, I find it has just the right mix to make it really warm and inviting. The colour palette is so welcoming and I love the contrast of the black doors, windows and cabinetry used with all the white and natural elements.

I'd be thrilled to be holding the winning ticket on this one! What about you?

lisa

[house and home]