Saturday, January 29, 2011

Giveaway Winner!

We have a winner!
Thanks to all of you who signed up to participate in the CSN giveaway and became followers of this blog. I'm so excited to welcome all my newbies:)

So .... congratulations to:

amber gi
Posted on January 27, 2011 at 3:15 AM 

"following!
the luxor sheets at csn are pretty nice! i would get some!"

YAY! Go quick and get those sheets ordered!

Enjoy your Saturday everyone!!


Friday, January 28, 2011

Happy Weekend & an Etsy Shop

I love me a good graphic print.
I was perusing around etsy and came across these great prints from Etsy seller ecceprints.


I thought they would be so perfect for Valentine's Day or even year round. I can a bit a bit of a sap from time to time :)
They come in a choice of color and a variety of quotes. I've been seeing a lot of the eye chart graphic and I think it is neat! Which one would you pick?








Head on over to her shop to check out some more! I think so are so fun, colorful and affordable too! The 8.5 x 11 prints are only $15.00 and fit into any 11 x 14 frame with a matte. Can't beat that!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and don't forget to sign up for my giveaway!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Revisiting the Cabinet

A little white ago, I found this cabinet for the dining room.


I gave it a little makeover with a little white paint. (I really believe a little white paint can transform anything from blah to beautiful!)


I threw around the idea of painting the inside of the cabinet another color, and it seemed that my readers agreed with me. A little visit to the basement revealed a multitude of color choices, left over from other projects.
Hiding at the back, I found a can of a pretty blue grey. What from? Then I remembered... the porch cabinet was once painted that color. If only for a few days until I ditched it in favor of black... and then of course white. When will I learn that while I try to be "fun", I am a white girl at heart!
Anyway, it's a pretty color and I think it looks good in the cabinet.

before:


after:



What do you think? I only painted the back and not the whole inside. I figured it I liked the result I could go back and paint the rest. Let's be honest though, I'm not super great at getting back to things..:)

Also, a big thanks to these lovely bloggers who featured me this week on their blogs!





Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Pretty.

Happy Hump Day everyone! A big storm brewing here for tomorrow apparently.. time will tell!

Today I'm loving this space.. the rug, the dining chairs, the chair seats and that light fixture, the moldings.
Just. so. pretty.


And a little reminder...
Valentine's Day is right around the corner :)


Don't forget to sign up for my CSN Giveaway!

* images via lonny jan/feb 2011.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Island Architecture Tuesday ~ Gothic Revival

I've been reading a lot about architecture on Prince Edward Island, after my resolution to learn a little more about it. This post is intended only to be my own insights on what I appreciate and what intrigues me with regards to historic homes here in PEI.
Likely what interests me the most is the what makes Island architecture so unique. We live in an coastal climate which brings heavy rain/snow and high winds. Historically, homes were built to shelter from the elements. Perhaps, nestled behind a tree line or in a protected harbour.
Also, the economy had an influence on the style of home and its practicality. Some of the more elaborate homes were built during the Shipbuilding and the Silver Fox Breeding era.

An example of this would be the Victorian period. Not unlike the rest of North America, this period (approx. 1837-1901) introduced increasingly elaborate architectural style in Prince Edward Island.

In the beginning, there was a rise in the Gothic Revival (ell farmhouse). This is likely the the house style most identified with Prince Edward Island. The rectangular farmhouse with pointed arches, steeply pitched gables and lacy gingerbread trim. While mainly found in rural settings, there are some in both Summerside and Charlottetown.

Some examples of these homes include:
Watermere House, Charlottetown, built by William Harris 1877
 
Historic Yeo House, Green Park, PEI

e
Lefurgey Cultural Centre in Summerside, built in 1868 by William Tuplin

PEI is looking very much like the first picture these days. It was -35 degrees today! I'm looking forward to warmer temperatures... See you next Tuesday!
And don't forget to sign up for the CSN giveaway!

Monday, January 24, 2011

CSN Giveaway!!

I mentioned yesterday that I wanted new chairs in the dining room. It isn't really in the budget right now but it's fun to look anyway.
I found some great chairs and other modern furniture at allmodern.com. What do you think of these?
Dining Chairs

They are all from allmodern.com, one of CSN's over 200 stores. You can order anything you can think of... dining chairs, tables, cookware, bedding, pillows - you name it. That being said, I'm excited to announce my first giveaway on Modern Jane! How would you like a $20 gift card from CSN stores? I spent some time browsing their sites and there is literally something for everyone!
It's simple! To enter you must:
1. Become a follower to this blog and leave a comment saying that you are.
or,
2. Leave me a comment letting me know you already follow me!
You will be automatically entered for the draw. The deadline is Friday, January 28th at midnight (AST)
Good luck!! :)
* This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and US as CSN stores only ship to these countries.

Giveaway is now closed to entries.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

The Dining Room ~ A Picture Walk

The dining room in my home is a good space, in that it has nice windows so it gets a lot of light. It was one of the first rooms I tackled when renovating. The floors were refinished, walls and trim painted, new windows installed and wallpaper applied to one wall.
While the wallpaper is beautiful, I don't really feel it reflects my style anymore. I was so confident that I knew what my style was, then over time it changed. Or should I say evolved... I know now what I like and what I don't like and more importantly what fits into my home.
In the end sometimes you have to live with your mistakes! The wallpaper was not cheap, therefore is not coming down anytime soon. So that means I have to work with it.
It is not my favorite room in the house, but I like it all the same.

Here is the room before:

I spot Daddy Clem doing a little measuring ;)

Here it is with new paint and wallpaper.


And here it is now.. a work in progress. While mostly finished, the table is on loan from my dad (it's quite beautiful) and I really want/need new chairs. Something a little more modern, perhaps?








Resource list:

Wall paint: BM Wheeling Neutral in matte finish
Trim paint: ICI Natural White in semi-gloss finish
Light fixture: sears.com
Cabinet: painted by me
Mirror and Lamps: Winners
Curtains: Fabricville with an added bottom panel.. thanks aunt Marilyn:)

To do list:
  • replace chairs
  • paint back of cabinet (blue?)
  • new mirror
  • find or create a good centerpiece
  • Just dreaming, but a banquette under the window...
I would love to know what you think? Any suggestions for chairs, mirrors or centerpieces?

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Things I'm Loving... This week ~

Happy Friday everyone! In case you have some time to spare this weekend, I put together a little list of some inspiring things that I came across this week. Aren't we lucky that these creative and resourceful people share their projects with us?

This sunburst mirror over at Nesting Place. It's made with poster board! Talk about simple with big impact! Isn't it neat? Head on over and check out the how-to.



This Restful Retreat designed by Candice Olsen for Candice Tells All (new series on W Network). I've recorded the episode but have yet to watch.. can't wait. That woman has vision!

via desire to decorate

This mat. We teachers all have these mats in our classroom for the students to sit on while we do read-alouds or have circle time. Check out what Sarah did with hers (freehand!). It looks adorable in her niece's nursery.


This incredible chair makeover over at Casa Brasi. It is one good looking chair. That nailhead trim makes my heart skip a beat. I'm telling you people ... it's all about upcycling! You have to head over and see the before.


And yes, I'm late on this one, but I think it's incredible. Who knew that a pantry could render me speechless? I just love when organized things are pretty too:) That Mrs. Smith is one smart cookie.



Have a great weekend everyone! Thanks for all your supportive comments this week about my living room. I read every single one and they put a big goofy smile on my face!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Gallery Walls

Speaking of trends of late. What do you think of gallery walls? They've so far stood the test of time. Having a wall of pictures or art in your home adds so much visual interest. I love looking at other people's collections of art, family photos, or vacation pictures. It's like a glimpse into their history and taste. You can even add framed fabric/paper/special notes of mirrors!
I think this is the solution for the empty wall in my mom and dad's new family room. I've collected some images that I find inspiring, hoping to convince my mom and get the ball rolling!

While I love symmetrical arrangements with matching frames like these below, I find doing a random arrangement much easier to create and like the relaxed feel.


 a cup a jo
 

samantha pynn
Here are some random arrangements: 

made by girl
  

nake berkus
 

pottery barn
  

apartment therapy
  

design sponge
  



little green notebook
 

apartment therapy
 

apartment therapy
 

a cup of jo
 

domino
 

desire to inspire


domino





So Mom.. what do you think?
And everyone else? Do you still love them? Do you have one in your home?