IDS12 + BlogPodium

Happy Friday everyone!
Last night I attended the opening night gala of the Interior Design Show. It was a lot of fun and amazing to put a lot of faces to names. Bright and early this morning was BlogPodium and my head is still spinning with ideas - thank you to the organizers (Jennifer + Lindsay) and the Panel (Margot Austin, Kimberley Seldon, Kate Moore, Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault and Jennifer Flores). Great value has been taken in the information you shared, thank you again.
I will leave you with a select sample of the things that I enjoyed at IDS12. Enjoy, and go see the show!

what's your style?

Have you ever been asked to define your own personal style?

I've always though it was a silly question since aren't styles suppose to change with changing trends? It wasn't until very recently that I started to understand and embrace my own style. That's right, I do have a style! What is interesting it that I started to understand it thought writing this blog. I stared to notice it thorough the images I've gathered and featured. The biggest surprise came in looking at my boards on pinterest. If you use pinterest go and have a look at your own boards and I'm sure you'll be able to define your style from looking at your images as organized collections on boards. Here are two snapshots of two of my boards, "fashion" and "ideas" (things that I see that spark some creativity in me).

my pinterest board - "fashion"

my pinterest board - "ideas"

Do you see it? Scary right! What's even scarier is the word I would use to define my style, TRADITIONAL! Yikes! Images that would have come to mind when I think of the word traditional are chintz sofas and day suits. However I'm thinking of mine as "preppy" - classic construction with timeless style.

Once you've defined your style it is amazing how much easier it is to shop. Stick to the places you know and love. Yes it is fun to explore and see what else it out there, but be really sure before you buy, make sure it is you. Buying a key piece of clothing because it is a big trend means you'll likely wear it once (maybe), not feel like yourself and never wear it again. I've also been down the road of leaving stores that sell (somewhat) "trendy fashion" (H&M, Joe etc) with bags and bags of stuff and because it is inexpensive I figured that was ok to buy a lot of "fun things", but all I'm left with at the end of the day is a closet packed full of crap that I couldn't even find a piece of clothing in it if I wanted to, and constantly living out of the clean basket of clothes that's on my bedroom floor and the dry cleaning that's hanging in the front hall closet. Know what I'm taking about - you wear the same clothes over and over and have a closet full of other "stuff". I never understood those people who had streamlined closets and figured they didn't have enough clothes - sad people, but now I WANT THAT. Lets get the crap that I will never wear out and give the stuff I love some space! Same thing goes for a trendy piece of furniture, it might be the right color and size for your room, but if it is doesn't fit that deep down style you have your room will never feel comfortable to you.

That's not to say that you can't stay on trend. You can always update your personal style with seasonable trendy accents, or a single piece, but you don't need to go crazy.  Paint a room or add a necklace in a seasons color, add accessories (pillows anyone!) or a scarf in a new trendy pattern. Little things to update your style will keep you feeling comfortable and on trend, not to mention out of "shopping debt"!  For example last night I purchased a dot scarf (spring trend) at H&M for $8 versus $60 at my usual shopping haunt, I will wear it with a blazer that I already own and love - so now I have an updated look that didn't cost me much, and most importantly one that I'm comfortable in. For inspiration here's a snap shot of my "color" board on pinterest

my pinterest board - color

new fun creations

Digging in my closet and being excited about the week to come has inspired some new, really fun creations, just looking at them makes me smile. enjoy!

confetti

flirt. tell it like it is!

party party party

The rest of this week is going to be crazy, crazy, crazy, party, party, party! Well, the 2nd "party" is not really a "party" it is a learning event, but should be fun none the less. So what's a girl to wear? This is a little tricky so let me give you more background.

Party #1 is the opening gala evening of the Interior Design Show in Toronto, so as you can imagine there will be a lot of well dressed people there from editors of magazines - home and fashsion, designers, celebrity designers from favourite HGTV shows - and I have to imagine if you can dress a room you should be able to dress yourself, right?

Party #2. Again, not reeeaaallly a party, but something I'm really excited about, so, that makes it a party to me! I will be attending my first ever Blogger community event - BlogPodium.  BlogPodium is a blogsite and conference series that brings design & lifestyle bloggers, marketers, and the design community together. This event will be about Blogs + Media. See the list of people below who will be speaking to see why I am so excited
Margot Austin, Senior Style Editor for House & Home Magazine
Kate Moore - CityLine Producer
Jennifer Flores - Published Blogger, and Co-Founder of BlogPodium
Moderator - Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault, Cityline Expert

Party #3. Last for this week, but hopefully just the beginning of the new possibilities is "Canadian Design Bloggers Meetup".

A very exciting rest of the week for me! I'm very excited to be meeting a lot of people in the Blog community that I've been following or who I have worked with to supply them with pillows, face to face, for the first time. I will not only be saying a lot of "nice to meet you in person" but also a lot of "I can't thank you enough" since absolutely everyone I've come into contact with in this community has been outstanding supports of my store and now by promoting my new blog. I am so looking forward to meeting all of these people face to face, as well as meeting even more people from this fantastic community!

Oh, back to the "what's a girl to wear" (maybe the conference will teach me how to write and not get side tracked!). Party #1 and Party #3 are nailed down and are air tight! I was determined to play a little game of shop in my own closet, and pulled together two outfits. As you can imagine I was a little scared in making something old new again considering all the design conscious and fashion forward people who will be in attendance. But, I'm happy with what I've come up with, and it fits my own personal style and that's what's important, right? Here's a peek

Little black dress all dressed up with sparkles. 

Hot pink and black color block. 

Lesson Learned: you feel rewarded pulling a great look together that's totally you with things you already own and love.
REAWRD for the Lesson Learned: a little gold bling that I talked about earlier this week - I hope it arrives!

Bijou and Boheme: pillow give away

Just a quick note for everyone to let you know to head on over to Bijou and Boheme where Christine is hosting a giveaway for 2 of my pillows!

When you're there be sure to get lost in her blog with all of the fabulousness. We share a love for the colour pink, but she has the guts to use it in her home and pulls it off amazingly. Her fantastic taste has not gone unnoticed, Christine was recently on Steven and Chris giving a tour of some of the rooms in her home, and will soon be in Style at Home.

OH CANADA - The Bachelor

Hello Canadian ladies! Get your high heels out and lipstick on, the Bachelor is coming to Canada! That's right, and it is not just one token Canadian on the US version of the show, nope, we are talking all Canadian. 

But let's be serious for just one second. I really hope this works out better for us Canadians. No offense to any Canadian who reads this and has been on the show, but we haven't come off looking all that great in the past. I'm sure they would have been all great people if we would have gotten to know them, and fine there's been a few sour grapes (lippy guy with the big hair* or crutches with a girlfriend...) but rarely do the token Canadians make it past the first night or two (even on the Bachelor Pad!) - what the heck people! 

 * Confession - I did see lippy guy with big hair once at Starbucks and I acted as if he was Brad Pitt. 

Alright, back to the fun. All the single ladies go here to fill out your application. Or you can nominate someone! I'm not sure how you take and submit a video of your nominee without them knowing, especially if they are to be dressed as if they were going to a nice restaurant for dinner (their words, not mine!) - you must get creative I guess.  

As part of the application process you must be able to first "read and understand" (not sure how some past applicants made it past that point, but they did), agree to mogul skiing down a city street in your bikini with an audience (like they did last week! Did you get that - moguls, bikini - I'm not sure why men aren't watching this show), allowing them to free any skeleton in your closet (including and not limited to your mental and sexual history), being videotaped without your knowing by hidden cameras 24hrs, you must disclose if you've been on "Rock of Love",  allow producers to conduct a psychological exam interviews with employers, neighbors, teachers (what if your employers, neighbors and or teachers are crazy), and be at the producers back and call for a year (therefore you must be willing to put "love" before a career!). Good luck!

source www.eucapricho.com

My new obsession

GOLD. yellow gold. rose gold. brass. love it all. I think it is refreshing to have that little bit of sparkle and the brightness of yellow to metal after everything has been so dark, grey, dull and cold for so long. I've been craving it and loving to wear yellow gold for the past year - especially with a tan. But now I'm starting to acquire rose gold as well. Not sure how I can and will incorporate it into my home since I have recently replaced all the fixtures and metal bits with nickel, but maybe I can do it in a small way in office accessories.

Source: pinkwallpaper.blogspot.com via Misty on Pinterest

 

Source: ca.burberry.com via Misty on Pinterest

Source: astleyclarke.com via Misty on Pinterest

Source: pinkwallpaper.blogspot.com via Misty on Pinterest

Source: overstock.com via Misty on Pinterest

Source: restorationhardware.com via Misty on Pinterest

Source: us.kohler.com via Misty on Pinterest

Source: restorationhardware.com via Misty on Pinterest

completely and totally new items - hand painted!!

Here is just the beginning of a new line of pillows that I've been working on that I'm so excited to tell you about!
I've been itching to "create" something. Yes, I know there are a lot of people who can not sew a straight line, or find it impossible to mix and match fabric and would think that what I do is creative. Don't get me wrong I still love the thrill of finding a fabric I know people will love,  getting photos from happy customers of their completed rooms, and seeing my products in magazines and on tv. But sitting at a sewing machine stitching straight lines, or ironing seams flat for hours upon hours, days upon days sucks the creative juices right out of you. Again, I was itching to do something more creative and put my "visual and creative arts" eduction to use!

Here's what I have available so far

The first line will be abstract, modern art pillows. That's right! Why should art be reserved for the walls?

The second line, is big impactful graphics that I've painted on the pillows. Need some valentines day decor, embracing the snowy winter, spruce up boys (young or old) room with some antlers or how about a traditional fleur de lie with a modern twist. Obviously, since these are all made by me, and made to order, I can paint the graphics in a color to match your decor. Have a look in the store,  I've already made the hearts in a bunch of different colours anticipating the valentines day rush! :-)

What do you think?

wallpaper: pillow give away

Hello Everyone, head on over to WALLPAPER and to enter the contest to win one of my pillows. Good luck!

new deal of the week!

most popular styles and color, on sale for "deal of the week" this week. Regular $70, on sale for $56.
Do a little sprucing up for 2012 with these!

a few house snap shots

thank you everyone for your kind comments about photos that have already been posted of my home. For all of you who wanted to see a little more, here's a little sneak peak! More photos and before and afters to come soon.

and if you wanted already seen, here are the masterbath and boys bathroom which includes before and afters if you click on each of the photos

 

Steven and Chris tomorrow

Hi everyone, just want to let you know to tune in or PVR Steven and Chris tomorrow. A huge supporter of milk & cookies will be on the show, how exciting! Christine has had milk & cookies pillows in her home for years (see chatter for older pictures), and recently added a few more when redecorating her son's big boy room. If you don't already follow her blog Bijou and Boheme you must, her style is original and beautiful. Looking forward to the show!

Bijou and Boheme

Bijou and Boheme

Bijou and Boheme

Our Humble A{Bowe}d: pillow giveaway

Hello Everyone, head on over to Amanda's Blog Our Humble A{Bowe}d and to enter her contest to win one of my pillows. Good luck!

love at first sight

If I was in the market for new furniture (not that I'm not always looking and wanting!), these would have been purchased and on the way to my home. But I'm not in the market unfortunately, so I wanted to pass on the finds! Both are from HOMESAV and the sale end Sunday. Someone PLEASE give these items a home!

Love Seat with Thick Tufted Cushions - $493

High Backed Wing Chair with Cream Cushion - $425

these chairs would be perfect in my dining room, too bad this beautiful chair walked into my life at the wrong time - sorry chair it's just bad timing to start a relationship with you - but you are still pretty to look at! There are more pretty items go have a look

this years gift giving revealed

Happy New Year everyone! Now that the gift giving is over and everyone official has their gifts from moi I'll now share you with the highlights of what was given.

for most people - family, close friends, key clients, the ladies who work so hard for me through the year and the man who signs my pay cheque I gifted them one of these pretty gift bags that I prepared.

I had everything planned out in early November, but I have to admit that it only came together in a mad rush, last minute, but it all worked out in the end - the big man must have been looking down on me (thanks santa!).

what was in it you are wondering? inside the pretty bag was a box...and inside the box was...

an ensemble of items to help them get in the holiday spirit! there was a bottle of wine, BRIX chocolate (chocolate that pairs with this wine - how SMART!), a cutting board and a hard cheese knife. Thoughtful, pretty, and clever all at the same time - right?!
wine - LCBO
chocolate - William Ashley
cutting board - William Ashley
cheese knife - Home Outfitters
box - Dollarama ! This one one pieces I found last minute. I had a hard time finding something the right size and that could hold all the heavy items. and in the end I only paid $1ea for them! woot woot

back to the bag

gift tags I created in word and printed on card stock
bag - Dollarama ! again, woot woot!! However this one was $2 (not $1) whole dollars.
the red bell tied to the string and tag - also Dollarama !

For the immediate family including grandparents I created a photo book for each of them through apple with photos from our summer trip to Europe (tailored to each person in the family). It was fun revisiting the photos and creating the book (but holy moly they sure take a long time to compile, I uploaded to apple at midnight the day of the Christmas deadline! They arrived in plenty of time and everyone was very grateful to have this book that they will keep for ever.

that's the highlights. some things things didn't arrive on time give, boo, but the good news is that means I already have stuff for next year to give!