Decking the Halls!

Tis the season...hmmm...drat those flyers! One came in the house and with glee my angel clasped her hands together and exclaimed "It's Christmas Mama!! Let's put my tree up!". How can one refuse...her tree is small. I thought not a big deal. Let's do it!

Sure enough the baby was in diapers showing me where he thought the tree should live and voila!! ...next thing I know the big tree is out and the lights are being strung!

Oh My! The world is being bedazzled, well as fancy as this rustic girl gets!! So here it goes... decorating with chicklets...can I even remember how it is supposed to go? Well...first Mommy rule...help unpack the stuff! So there we are...Tate got prepared and dug in...throwing around every ornament he could get his little grubby hands on! Whew. Good news is that we only lost one of the beautiful amber balls and his decision to chuck pine cones at the tree actually ended up looking good! ha ha ha. My darling Emma of course added her bits including her hand crafted ornaments. I think the toilet paper roll is my absolute fave! Some people are going to cringe but honestly I think its beyond fabulous!! This year she has very carefully drawn angels on three rolls and they are placed with great care in the family room on the mantle. Did I mention how close one has to look to see the angels? You walk in the room and ta da!! Toilet paper rolls...new trend?? ha ha ha.. knee slap!
Of course I had to keep going so the PJ's were place on the babe, no more naked decorating...too chilly even though man I love watching chubby little bodies get into trouble! So we tackled my front entry urn and Emma set up all the lovely trees we have. She did a great job! I was so very pleased. I am no where near finished this year so stay tuned for more and more!

Desperately missing my decorating partner in crime, Ulli...I am seeking a gorgeous glass of champagne and some seriously creative inspirations! My next blog and pics will be me tackling the front door...hmmm I have a picture in my head! Is it wrong to paint the door just for the holidays...unfortunately yes... I think it is!

The art of the Boo!

It's hallowe'en and I am feeling at a loss for decorating...much more interested in the upcoming holiday season. Can we say...ah-choo! Sparkles galore! Yet...one must not forget my favorite past time of doing incredibly time consuming silly things when I have much much more important things to do! So... here it goes... Do what every girl does faced with endless hours of NO FREE TIME! (yes..holiday pricing and planning at Toscana...hmmm...where can I get my hands on peach envelopes for the sale mailer...is black wrong?? ha ha ha okay I digress) So a girl with no free time hits http://www.marthastewart.com/ and walmart/dollar store for spider webs in a bag.

Pumpkin Carving! Who doesn't love to carve pumpkins? Ahh...back to my youth and volunteering (the days of "for fun" not for the sake of networking, does one really understand the networking component at 20? Was it really appropriate for me to swill martini's while being interviewed by Malcom Perry?? Hey..really I didn't know the magnitude of "who" he was then!) for the Vancouver Art Galleries Black and Orange Ball! We had a blast creating pumpkin lanterns en masse! Carve 60 pumpkins...how...hmmm... The beauty of the drill bit! Yes multiple sized holes drilled all over pumpkins creates the most beautiful lanterns a girl has ever seen! Can you believe that the VAG let us light those things? ha ha ha. Thank goodness for Martha Stewart even then! (Honestly...back in the day I kept my Martha love very quiet. Not sure that the power suits surrounding me would understand the little girl in her first "real job" spouting "Martha"ism's) So get creative with your pumpkins..just be sure to do as I do... just the basics and let the kids go crazy! It's much more fun and hmm..yes I let the chicklets pick where there pumpkins live then I casually throw my glistening lanterns around! hmmm...I am definately crazy!


Decorating the Easy way! Yes the easiest decorating possible ...The White Sheet! Ironing is optional (ha ha ha). So deck your side board with a few cake plates or shoe boxes and cover that bad boy with a sheet! Set up pumpkins and gords on top of your little boxes with the kids. Add a vase full of sticks from the garden! Strew your sticks with the spider webs and wow...spooky has hit your house and I promise the kids will think they are the most fabulous decorators!

Lighting it up! So if you are like me you normally invite people over for a few bites and for the kids to go treating with friends...(this year some one actually invited me over to there house whew! Highheels and a costume here I come) Funny thing...I don't really like ghouls, nor goblins so I told my daughter that Hallowe'en is a neighbour hood party. Hmmm...Well if I can keep the television off this week it might actually prevent nightmares! Set up the tidbits early and light candles in the kitchen...why...hmm I am not sure but it looks cool and it does get dark early! Light up the porch and dining room with pumpkin lanterns Voila... If you like to get a little more crazy check out Martha's chandalier idea...personally a few cobwebs and the chandalier on dim works too!

Okay! Hallowe'en is done and I can move on to the scary part....Christmas! Eeeeek! All pictures are from Martha Stewart's website.

Pies in a Jar?? Had to try it!

So my world has been turned upside down lately and not too sure what to do with myself... as sleep is not really coming easy...I decided to do what every girl who loves being homey does... I tried my hand at baking... but being me...hmmm... I tried making pies in jars...Gotta Love that "not Martha" blogger from Seattle...So I pulled out my canning jars...a can of cherry pie filling (no way was I trying this with hours and hours of pie filling effort too!) and my no fail "basic pastry" recipe from John Bishop's Cooking at Home cookbook. One day I will take a picture of this book! It is my kitchen diary for everyday cooking and is written all over by both myself and children's scribbles *wink*

The fabulous idea: Making individual pies in jars that you can freeze, remove top and bake with dinner for fresh individual pies for the kids at dinner... Sounded like a winner.

The reality: I whipped out my pie crust recipe and started! Whew... A little mixing, a little rolling, a little chilling & voila! Pie crust. I only made enough for two crusts... one total top and bottom pie. I would suggest doubling for all the effort. I then artfully opened the can of cherry pie filling Ah ha! Eureeka...tasty stuff! Man alive, I am fabulous! ha ha ha Then for the tricky part... Assembly!... Honestly.. I gave up trying to figure out how to get the dough into the jar artfully and just eyed a circle...cut out triangle wedges in four opossite corners to limit the amount of dough I was failing trying to get in the little jars. Well... it worked. I then lidded and sealed with a top crust with little shapes cut out and then sealed with the lids and froze... to be tasted another day... I used the extra filling in tart shells from the freezer so the kids could enjoy while my experiment was under watch. The end... I threw the opened jars in the oven at 375 for 22 minutes and then... The adorable things came out PERFECT! They even just slipped on to the plate in the perfect little jar shape! FYI... Use oven mitts... I am definately not brilliant when excited! I even could flip the adorable pies to be right side up! FANTASTIC! I will be repeating this crazy exercise soon!

Next... Here I come...bacon cups! Yes you heard me.... That "Not Martha" girl is one smart cookie! But I must add the ultimate final word... I LOVE MARTHA STEWART!!! *wink*

Wow....Did I really just go Camping & Miss a Fabulous Jewellery Party?

So my handsome husband and I packed up our tent and babies and went camping...

I actually closed the shop for a weekend...aaahhh!! Wow is that ever scary! Huge amounts of product arrived Wednesday afternoon & Thursday Morning... I stayed up painting and wall papering the shop to 5am just to get things completed....I was so excited that I left 4 boxes from my many new boxes unpackaged and left at exactly my promised exit time. Never have I ever left the store with unpacked boxes (I even missed a very promising jewellery party that sigh.. I was craving an enamelled bracelet from) See the gorgeous picture.. only downfall was that I wanted to see it in person and try it on my bony big wrists. The line is Stella & Dot.. TO DIE FOR!! Sigh... only available at house parties...hmmm...maybe I should have one at Toscana...if you can't wait... www.stelladot.com/scarlett

Camping... it was a 4 hour drive to the "sunny" okanagon...which by wrong exits & turns took us about 6 hours to drive... full of chuckles for me the passenger and I am sure now amusing to my handsome driver in a past tense kind of way! It was a drizzly damp miserable weather experience that did not bode well for my gingham, wildflower bouquet and tied cutlery with bows moments for which I had packed & carefully planned. Yes, in my silly world I had cutlery wrapped in bows and matching my "NOT WATERPROOF" tablecloth and a vase packed for those "wild flowers" and candles and matching tealights. How silly it seemed while we cooked in the pouring rain...but truthfully...the napkin wrapped and bow tied cutlery was FABULOUS and handy when grabbing and running for cover.

Our carefully planned dining menu was adjusted to the quickest items which we could cook and eat while huddled in our tent. It was lovely to laugh by lantern light and infuse our souls with the presence of pure family. The morning light came bringing sunshine and sigh...we headed home.

Designer Feature - Thomas O'Brian "the art of Living not staging"

Okay.. I am in "crush" I would say love but I'm still in the intense moment that preceeds true love and well... it's not with my husband, nor a man per say... it's with a "STYLE". Through the archives and design magazines I scour; I have been collecting tidbits here and there and unbeknownst to myself they have all been from one designer! I am serious... I have a picture of a chair that I have taped to the back door at the shop & a pillow and a living room and a kitchen, all collected seperately and wow... they are all creations of Thomas O'Brian.

Yes! He is cute, but he is better than that! He transcends the "decorated feel" and creates true living spaces. Ones in which I would kick off my shoes, grab a book from the coffee table and puruse it while cuddling my children. I imagine my husband happily making us lunch in the supurbly outfitted kitchen that has no snobbery only a collection of the beautifully useful. side note... I am on mission to slowly (as finances allow) create this style of kitchen and well whole home.

I wish for us all to live in spaces surrounded by couches that cuddle back, fabrics that feel like a caress, books who tell the lovliest stories and items that whisper memories. I think we should all be surround by that which we have collected over a lifetime of living. Items such as books, rocks, found shells, dishes and art which constantly remind us of where and with whom we've shared our moments. Yes I am flowery and sentimental today, but I truly admire spaces that don't feel too "Designed or decorated". I like things!... most would call them junk and the kinder people call them accessories but they fill my cupboards and when I bring them out they warm my soul.

I am sure that in this world us Toscana girls are not the only ones whom crave the creature comforts of life while surrounded by beauty. This man has created spaces that are in my absolute favorite pallette of white, cream and my passion Chocolate! Other spaces are layered in charcoal, black, and white completely Toscana girl Ulli! He has also blended the feel of modern style with traditional elements to a level that is beyond both looks yet still tangible and real. His storefront Aero, in SoHo New York, exudes high style carressed by a slight glimpse of a human soul.

Thomas O'Brian's website is http://www.aerostudios.com/ . He has created collections for both Bloomingdales and Target. Wow! Talk about real and fabulous!

Pictures are from Country Home, Domino, Elle Decor, and all scoured from the many websites paying this man hommage.

http://www.styleathome.com/decorating-and-design/inside-design/inside-design-thomas-o-brien/a/1803 for more information about Thomas O'Brian!

Picture of O'Brian by Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times

Summer!

It’s summer and that means time to freshen, brighten & lighten up our homes! Toscana girl Megan is having an “in love moment” with green, hmm better yet lets call it Chartreuse. The shop is decked out in lush hues of green!

Top 5 Hot Summer Ideas:

One: Dress your deck up with a formal white table cloth and use planters for center pieces. Got an old table? Throw a formal white table cloth over it and cover the top with assorted clear juice glasses filled with tea-lights! Ta da! Gorgeous! Try tying inexpensive light weight white drapes to your arbor outside… Another fabulous white fabric moment, we promise!

Two: Tis the season for Lemons & Limes. Forget flowers! Fill your favorite large glass vases and bowls with lemons and limes! Use just one, or mix them up!

Three: Utilize your Garden! Use Hosta leaves as coasters or underneath food when serving on platters. Fill multiple vases/juice glasses with garden greens and any garden flowers for wild country bouquets. Group them together on your mantel, coffee table or dining table. They will be lovely!

Four: Colour Surge! Pick one colour, any colour. Take that colour and mix it with white. Start placing it throughout your home. Green is simple and works well with any décor. Follow the next steps with your chosen colour. Try fresh white flowers, our faves are Casablanca lilies or cannas lilies in the dining room and on the coffee table. Splurge on green cushion covers to go you’re your existing pillows. Change all candles to bright white. Place our some strategic white porcelain/ceramic accessories. Fluff out the white towels in the bathrooms. Wow… Summer Fresh…Did we mention… Megan is loving green right now?

Five: The box & bucket run! Where did we get that name from? Well… as the sun streams in Megan’s dirty windows (side note: in the entire time Megan has known Ulli, she has never seen a dirty window or surface at her house) she runs around with the bucket full of dish soap/squeegee & a box. Windows are washed and all knickknacks/cushions are stored in the box (let’s be honest…then transferred to the dining room table, Megan has a lot of knickknacksJ). At the end only a few are put out in new spots. Invigorated and soul satisfied Megan is surrounded by clean lines and sparkling windows. Aahhhh!

Pictures are from Martha Stewart http://www.marthastewart.com/ .... of course!! :)

The love of a Party!

Sunshine is filtering through my windows... a soft glow is infusing my soul! Summer time! I love the sunshine, the smell of fresh cut grass, and the way my feet get slightly damp from the dew in the morning while I water plants.




But my favorite part of summer is visits from friends and of course "It's the perfect excuse to have a party!" Every summer I convince my husband that a party is a necessity to celebrate life! I pretend each time that it will be "easy" and not a "big deal". This year I decided the party needed to be sooner rather than later and I would try to keep to the "no big deal" promise. The upcoming weekend it will be! I have my annual German guests visiting and I am a crazy person....figuring out the perfect food, theme and making my mile long to do list. Best time to have a party... when everyone is available! ha ha ha.

So....Theme!! hmmm... It's always better to start with a colour and I think red is going to be it for me! Red always is best either super modern or country.... That's it baby! I'm going country. I have sorted through my linen closet to find the perfect red & white check table cloth and black and white floral cushions. Quickly, I searched my favorite blogs and websites for an insipiring picture and ta da! Instantly the email invitation was born and a Country BBQ theme is perfect for the easiest party ever... Potluck! Yahoo! I nicely convinced my handsome husband to make us oodles of homemade sausage.(very popular with our friends and yes, fresh, natural and no preservatives or unpronouncable additives) Is it just me or do you hate eating things that you cannot pronounce too?


The decorationg ideas are running all over my brain: White lights in the trees, terracotta pots for flowers and sand tea-lights, hanging paper laterns in white, candle light everywhere, Raffia bows on all the pots...ooohhh even the cutlery, red napkins, white dishes and serving plates, dining room table outside! Wow! Whew... Where is the ice going to go? Am I doing a signature drink? hmm.. nope...beer and wine will suffice for country... right???



The luck of the.... Toscana Girl!! Must be the new saying! Seriously! Driving down the road I looked to the right and there they were! 14 small terracotta pots with a little sign saying FREE! hmmm.... AWSOME! One less trip to hunt for the little guys! 14... I'll make do! ha ha ha. I purchased some sweet little red roses and tied on a raffia ribbon. I love THEM! On the eve of the party... I managed to finish all the items on the to do list but the clouds threatened rain. Yipes! But the luck continued! I went to work; the rain did not come and my fabulous guests and husband tackled the party set up. Out went the dining table, up went the paper lanterns and twinkle lights. I came home shocked and delighted as they laid the linens! They did an awsome job! If I had known they were going to surprise me I would have sneakily left my Journal out with my diagrams and party wishes! ha ha ha! sigh... next party I will get all my cast iron out to light up the night too!!


The evening was a success as there was plenty of amazing food and people! Should I say that the other way around? Hmm.. a great big thank you to my fantastic family and friends. Without them... who needs a party!

Pics from Martha Stewart of course!!