Happy Heart Day

I wish I were more into Valentine's day in terms of decorating, romantic stuff, etc., but I've never really embraced the "holiday" that much.  Even so, I thought I'd post a few pics I came across that I just LOVE, and think they relate beautifully to this little Heart Day without being too predictable.

jcp

JC Penney launched a great new branding and advertising campaign this February.  Their latest ad showcases their new "look", and I love how they've breathed a new freshness into what was becoming a bit of a stale department store.  I'm especially fond of the graphics in their ad, like the one above for Valentine's jewelry.  I would never buy any of that stuff, but when its all grouped together like that, I just might take a second look.  And I would love to have the time to arrange my underwear drawer like this:

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A quick search on Pinterest turned up these adorable little heart compositions:

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And I got the biggest smile on my face when I found this most creative collection of art piece/images by the talented Leslie of A Creative Mint.  Delightful!

And there's more of these!  Click here to see them!

Hope you have a special day with whomever you're sweetie is!  And even though I said I don't really "get into" this spirit of Valentine's, here's a peek at me and my forever valentine......I love you J.

Cozy Whites

With the weather getting cooler, I'm already thinking about warming up the house with some winter decor, and I even have a bit of Christmas on my mind.  I can't wait to pull out all of that sparkly goodness!  I love white, but it can seem more "cool" than "cozy" during the winter months.  Check out these pretty little finds though--white and warm.

1.  Ruffly Felt Wreath - Tutorial via Design*Sponge (I WILL be making one of these this season!)

2.  Sweater Vase

3.  Mongolian Lamb Pillow Cover

4.  Oversized Cable Knit Throw (almost worth learning to knit so I can make one of these!)

5.  Owl Candle

6.  White Birch Bark Wreath

7.  Birch Log Vases

8.  White Pumpkins

9.  Winter Scene--snow covered and cold, but there's something so warm and familiar about a winter frost

I'm not wishing for snow quite yet, but these cozy-cool pieces make me want to string up some white Christmas lights, sip on a cup of warm hot chocolate and curl up with a good design magazine.  How about you?

How to Survive a Blizzard in the Midwest

Happy New Year's Eve!  I'm writing from our hotel in Fargo, North Dakota, happy to be standing on solid ground after one of the most harrowing driving experiences of my life.  My husband and I left Minneapolis yesterday afternoon, only to drive straight into the eye of an amazing winter storm.  We drove for 3 hours in near zero visibility, passed cars, trucks and trailers in snow-filled ditches, and at one of the worst points, watched the car in front of us (who's tail lights we were using to guide us) slip straight into the ditch without any warning.  It was truly God's gracious hand that brought us into Fargo last night, and although we are severely disappointed that we won't be making it on to our final destination (my hometown in Regina, Canada) today, I am grateful for the provisions of a warm hotel room, a husband who is a pro at keeping a clear head in tough situations, and most of all, our safety.  So here we are, stranded between interstate highways that remain closed, looking for ways to make the most of this New Year's, although I'm sure it will be memorable all on its own.

I mentioned here that Mr. CottageModern and I have a tradition of collecting a new penguin each year as a cute little gesture to our marriage because penguins "mate for life".  Since I can't think of a better person to be stranded with in a winter snowstorm, I thought I'd pay tribute to this small collection, who just happen to be all dressed up in their little "tuxedos", ready to ring in the new year!

This one's my favorite--its actually a little snow-globe :)

Here's to a safe and happy New Year's!  Whether you're getting all dressed up and ready to celebrate, or just spending a quiet night at home with family and friends, I hope this is a time to look back and be thankful for the blessings of this past year, and also look forward to all the excitement and adventure that 2011 will bring. 

My House At Christmas

I mentioned in this post that I was abandoning my somewhat traditional roots to go with a scheme of turquoise, chartreuse green and silver in my holiday decorating.  Here's how it turned out:

 

That turquoise patterned pillow was a total fluke--I purchased it randomly last time I was in Canada  (I loved the color and pattern), and lucky for me, it looks super with the rest of my "stuff".

This mantle is verging on cluttered, but I love it.....the  more sparkle the better at Christmas, I say!  That feathered wreath is one of my proudest purchases in the past few months--I found it on an end aisle at Michaels for $3.99!  So of course I bought two :)

I have a little obsession with mercury glass.  I love how it can go with either gold or silver, and can have a warm or cool cast depending on what its placed with.  It works well when I'm an indecisive decorator!

 

And finally, here's our "penguin of the year" for 2010.  Every year since we got married, my husband and I buy a new penguin to celebrate another Christmas together.  Penguins mate for life, so we think its a clever and suitable tradition to carry on.  This guy is one of my favorites, purchased from West Elm.  It looks like origami, but is actually ceramic!

So there's my Christmas holiday tour.  The cool, frosty tones of my living room don't seem out of place at all with the piles of snow and cold going on outside......cheers to this Minnesota winter!

No Dreaming Necessary......We'll have our "White" Christmas

What a day this Saturday has been.  The city woke up to blizzard-like conditions, and the white stuff hasn't let up even one tiny bit.  At first, I was disappointed--I had a Christmas gala and Stella & Dot jewelry launch party planned for weeks that had to be canceled--I was so looking forward to it!  However, being cooped up for the day turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  I managed to get a ton of stuff done, and put some of the finishing touches on my Christmas decor.  This year, I went with an unconventional color scheme using turquoise, shades of chartreuse green, and silver.  It looks pretty with all of my regular decor, so I like it.  I'm kind of a traditionalist at heart though, and had to use a great deal of restraint to keep from allowing all of my beautiful red and white pieces to creep in.  I managed to keep those colors out of the spotlight, but was delighted to stumble across these photos from one of our previous Christmases in our former home.  No shortage of traditional color here, and I love it.

 

Love these colored foil initials from Restoration Hardware.  I've used them in other projects throughout my home.

Other favorites that play on traditional Christmas themes......

I love that shot of the tall vase with the glass balls in it--as you can see, we were without base moulding that Christmas :)  A designer's work in her own home is never done......shorty after though, we installed glorious 7" high white trim--it was worth waiting for.

I think that candy dish had way more M & M's before started the photo shoot.....hmmmmm.....:)

This little guy is as old as me.  As far back as I can remember, its been on my parent's tree, and I managed to snag it for my own when I moved out.  I love the vintage ribbon candy look--does anyone know where I could get my hands on some of the real stuff?  Its so pretty to look at, and eat!

I made this wreath by spraying one of those brown willow-like wreaths in crisp white.  Then I added some red, silver and clear glass balls, and ended up with a simple but striking adornment for my black front door.  I still love the look of this, and it just may have creeped in to my turquoise-themed decor this year.  Wait and see....!

These primitive little nativity pieces were made by a dear friend, and given to me as a gift.  I love the simplicity and rusticity of this set up, and how it is a clear and simple reminder of the true reason we celebrate this season.  When all the glitz and glam and red and green are put away, and thoughts of Christmas are packed up in boxes for next year, the message of this nativity remains....a tiny baby, born to save the world.

Hope you're Christmas season is turning out to be merry & bright....happy decorating!

Its Christmas in Canada!

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends and neighbors!  To celebrate this upcoming weekend, I'll be joyfully traveling back to my Canadian homeland to be with family.  Its not Thanksgiving there (us Canucks celebrate that holiday in early October), but just happens to be my mom's birthday, so why not make a mini-trip out of this long weekend?  The nice thing about going home in late November is that Christmas decor is already in full swing--with Canadian Thanksgiving out of the way, we have extra time to obsess over getting everything "just perfect" for all the glory that December brings!  I already know that it is going to be freezing cold this weekend, so I thought I'd kick off the decorating season by posting some Christmas-inspired, frosty-toned pics.........bundle up!

Canadian House & Home

I love anything high-contrast, and this setting is no exception.  Everything is as crisp as a winter's day......

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This flocked little tree reminds me of the real ones we see driving through the Canadian prairies after a heavy snowfall.  I also love the random birch logs standing behind--I'm seeing these everywhere this season, and can't wait to get my hands on a few for my own outdoor decorating.

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Doesn't this modern take on Christmas decor just make you shiver?  In a good way of course!  The combination of turquoise and sapphire blue adds another icy element to this scene, and for added sparkle, there's even a disco ball hanging from the ceiling!  The roaring fire is a wonderful juxtaposition to this room's cool vibe.

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I fell in love with this wintery living room scene when Canadian House & Home magazine featured it a couple of years ago.  I even spent almost two hours with IKEA customer service trying to get my hands on one of those discontinued shelving units before they were gone forever.  Alas, it was not meant to be, but this is still one of my favorite "icy but cozy" Christmas looks.

Country Living

This bedroom's cool palette makes me want to curl up under all of those quilted linens!  And what a great place to hang stockings.  This deliberate color scheme is beautifully pale, but has enough texture to keep it interesting and inviting.

Country Living

Lastly, this living room is a beautiful blend of white and soft grays--perfect if you ask me, and I love the wooden sock forms for stockings--how unique!  To see more of this serene home and meet its creative owners, click here.

And with that, off I go to adventure in the frosty white north.  I've packed my mittens and toques (that's Canadian for "stocking cap"), and am looking forward to spending the weekend with family.  Hope these images have you dreaming of a white Christmas......

Happy Halloween!

In the past, I haven't had too much to contribute in terms of enthusiasm for the Halloween "season".  I love fall though, and get so inspired by all of the wonderfully changing colors, crisp air, and the harvest season of thanksgiving.  Because we've enjoyed a longer autumn this year, I've been more motivated than usual to put out a few decorations, and spread a little Halloween cheer.

Our church puts on a huge event called Pumpkin Patch every year, and my husband and I enjoy volunteering there by doing carnival games, face painting, cookie decorating, and seeing thousands (yes, kids come to the event by the thousands!) of adorable little ones in their costumes.  Because of this though, we miss handing out candy to the neigborhood kids and enjoying being part of the festivities on our street.  I don't want to be "that neighbor" who skips out on everything, but since we kind of are, I put together these little treat sacks to make sure everyone knows we haven't forgotten them!

These felt bags were a cute $0.50 find at Target--here they're part of the table centerpiece

Brownies with dark chocolate drizzle and candy corn-colored sprinkles.  I'd be lying if I said I didn't do some "sampling" along the way!

 Like these kids won't have enough sweets to munch on, the brownies (and more candy--I had to make sure to fill the treat sacks!) will add to the sugar-high.  Pretty cute though, and I hope it helps score some points with the neighbors! 


Have a great weekend, and enjoy the festivities!