[ tickled pink ]

TODAY I'm just smitten with these pink framed mirrors - what a great alternative to one large mirror and such an easy DIY {those pink glass knobs are pretty fab too}.

lisa

[better homes and gardens]

[ call me ]

REMEMBER this little diamond-in-the-rough I picked up on our cruise day in Nice at the antique market? {see post here}

I know, the poor thing was looking a little unloved. But I knew that I could get her looking as cute as a button.

A bit of a scrub and....

How cute is she?!

I've given her a special spot in the living room and I think she makes a fun accent in the room.

She was a bit heavy to carry around that day and I got a few strange looks when my bag went through the xray when re-embarking the ship.

But for 20 euros, she was a bargain!

Now just to remember not to accidentally pick up her handset whenever my phone rings!

lisa

[ those crazy canucks! ]

HAPPY MONDAY! So remember how I mentioned that I'd be enjoying a few Tim's coffees on the weekend since it was opening its first international location here in Dubai on Saturday?

Well, let me just say that nothing brings Canadians together like Tim's. Not only was it crazy busy, but word spread like wildfire. And as a new expat here, it was definitely the place to meet and connect with other Canadian expats!

Cheers of joy could be heard by everyone who walked in, some brought their own Tim mugs from home, some brought in their hockey equipment. Everyone was tweeting, taking their photos with their coffees and walking out with armfuls of donuts, double doubles, iced capps and bagels.

We shook hands, hugged, shared stories and gripped our coffees like they were liquid gold. Strangers all becoming new friends. We Canucks are a crazy bunch!

lisa

[ happy weekend! ]

SO WHAT'S on my agenda for the weekend? Well, I've received a lot of digital October issues of magazines this week and plan to spend some quality time with my sofa and iPad. A relaxing, quiet weekend.

And of course a few of these since Tim's is officially open here tomorrow... :)

Got any fun plans? Whatever you're up to, have a great weekend!

lisa

[ lighting issues ]

WHEN WE moved into this apartment, all we got was bare bones. Any lighting consisted of lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling and no curtains or blinds anywhere (I know, the landlord really made an effort).

There are some things that I don't mind spending money on, like furniture and things that can be used later on when we move from here. But considering all that we are having to buy, I didn't want to spend much on things like hallway and entry lighting fixtures.

IKEA to the rescue! For all of $4, I was able to pick up a Lobbo shade that snapped together in a flash. And all we had to do was unscrew the lightbulb, pop on the shade and screw the lightbulb back in. Easy peasy!

I think it does the trick and you can't beat the price!

lisa

[ a DVF treat ]

I'VE ALWAYS loved the style of Diane von Furstenberg. Known for her signature wrap dress, she designs some great pieces that really become staples in your wardrobe. Her pieces may be a bit out of my price range for everyday but it's a fun place to take a peek.

Today I decided to treat myself to one of her little wristlets. Perfect to use as a wallet or to take on a walk or bike ride, I thought it would be a great way to enjoy one of her fun patterns without breaking the bank. She has some great bags and accessories.

I chose her playful take on the leopard pattern since leopard is big again for fall and it goes with everything {does leopard ever go out of style?}

Cute huh?

I love her Wear to Work collection - lots of great patterns, flattering shapes and comfortable styles.

So ...could you see yourself sashaying through your office in some of these?

lisa

[ art grouping reveal ]

AFTER A whole lot of measuring, marking, measuring, marking.... I finally completed the art grouping above our sofa! whew!

I won't lie - it was a very time-consuming project to get everything framed, and accurately measured. But thank goodness for the Command Strips!

While they do take time to use {you have to wait about an hour between putting up the strip and hanging the pic on it}, being able to adjust everything later was a life-saver.

We didn't have the option to use nails because of our concrete walls, but even if we could, I probably still would have used these strips to avoid multiple nail holes and the ability to cleanly remove them when we move without evidence of them ever being hung there {brilliant!}.

Not bad... fairly straight!

And what do you think of the new cushions?
2 grainsack DIYs, a Pottery Barn "coral" cushion and 2 striped PB covers on clearance, I think they pick up the colours in the pics nicely.

I think they work well on the linen sofa but will look equally as good once I get the white slipcover made. I'll share more of the living room later on.

This project was definitely worth the effort - it makes an impact and does a good job of filling a large area.

And picking up frames on sale and using my own photographs makes it a cheap and cheerful DIY {total cost: about $100}.

One wall down, many more blank ones to fill!

lisa

 

[ whole grain goodness ]

GRAINSACKS have become more and more popular and there's just something about them that says homey, comfy to me. They're soft, rugged and textural - the perfect pairing with linen and white slipcovers.

I ordered one months ago from a lovely Etsy seller in Austria with an enormous selection of antique linens {see her shop here}.

My plan was to make a couple of cushions for my sofa after being inspired by these great spaces:

Aren't these rooms lovely? 

I finally got around to making my cushions and here's a sneak peek...

I managed to get 2 cushions from one grainsack with a piece leftover that could become the front of another cushion, or cut into little lavender sachets.

I'll show you how they look on my sofa when I reveal my art grouping {yup, I got it done!} ... stay tuned!

lisa

[my sweet savannah; 2, 4 french larkspur; tony hutchinson; an indian summer;

junk style; pale and interesting; maison de michele; twig and white;

secret garden cottage; dreamy whites]

[ art grouping progress ]

SO I'VE made a bit of progress on my art grouping over the sofa - I've narrowed down the pics I'll be using (all but a couple were taken by me over the years). After a bit of playing around in Photoshop, I'm happy with how they look grouped together.

Now to frame them and the gruelling job of measuring them out on the wall!

Thank goodness for these little guys since our walls are concrete and no nailing is possible:

I think these will be a godsend since the pics can be shifted around a bit to get them all aligned afterwards (my pet peeve is groupings like this where they don't line up).

Wish me luck! So that's what's on my plate this weekend - whatcha up to?

lisa

[ yes, it's TRUE! ]

YUP, Tim's will soon be open in Dubai! It's starting to feel more and more like home. Happy Days! :)

lisa

[ get in line ]

NOW THAT my lovely sofa has arrived, as well as my other shipments, I need to get my butt in gear and dress up this place! And first up, some art for these bare walls.

I really like the idea of structured art groupings and these inspirational pics have me thinking that this would look lovely on the big wall over the sofa.

I remembered that I had 9 frames I had picked up in Ireland about 4 years ago on clearance and while I had the best intentions to put them up, I just didn't bother in our furnished apartment.

At first I wasn't sure about the soft gold tone, but I think it will add a nice bit of sparkle to the space.

Since Dubai is so hot, I've decided to choose some summer shots, many of which I've taken over the years. And rather than print them as black & white which was my original plan with these frames, I'll play around with them in Photoshop and frame coloured pics instead. I'm making this into a cheap and cheerful project.

This could take a while, as I'm sure I'm going to second guess my pic choices but I'll try to get them done and up to share soon. So that's what I'm doing today... what are you up to?

lisa

[via b-wonder; 2,3 via lifeinaventicup; via designholeonline; via tobifairley; 

better homes and gardens; house beautiful; houzz; via inspiringinteriors]