Although the Spring showers are back, we’ve been lucky to have several warm sunny stretches (including this past weekend) and it’s been so nice to enjoy our backyard again! One of the main reasons we moved to this house was the 1/4 acre lot with it’s tall trees and one of Brad’s biggest hobbies is landscaping, lucky for me :)

West Elm

Everything is especially lush and green at this time of year and I think only thing lacking on our back deck is comfortable seating. Our old cushions are in pretty rough shape (they’ve weathered everything from drippy popsicles to muddy racoon paws to monsoon rains) but I can’t quite justify spending big bucks on new cushions for chairs that I don’t really like all that much. While some padding is obviously more comfortable, I can’t help but think that chairs without would be much better suited to our West Coast climate…

Design*Sponge

Design*Sponge

Better Homes & Gardens

The green Ikea chairs above would be within budget and are definitely cheerful, but I’m not sure how inviting they’d be to lounge in on a hot summer’s day. This banquette with it’s layers of pillows and throws, however, well I don’t think I’d ever leave!

Toast UK via Poppytalk

West Elm

I saw this string Huron Chair (as well as the Bend chairs in the first pic) at the summer preview tour at West Elm last week and loved it…a single seat cushion might be a happy compromise. Easy enough to take in overntigh yet comfy enough to sit in for a second cocktail (twist my rubber arm ;)…which would you choose?

It’s the weekend! And better yet, it’s May Long Weekend! Back in the day, Brad + I happily spent this holiday in a campsite surrounded by friends (and possibly several empty beverage cans) but this weekend we’ll spend it at home, on our deck (possibly with some empty beverage cans) and couldn’t be happier about it. We’ve both been working a tonne and often feel like we’re ships passing in the night…can any of you relate? Anyway, time to regroup and spend some quality time together :)

I had a chance to pop by West Elm and West Elm Market for store tours this week and left inspired, as always!

We spent last Sunday out at Brad’s parents farm in Chilliwack and the views are truly amazing. Pics #1 and #2 are a couple of my faves of the day. Enjoy your weekend! What are your plans? Out + about? Or chilling at home? Here are a few tunes for your next BBQ and I’ll be back to chat on Wednesday :)

1.  Acres of Lions: Reaction
2. The Lighthouse & the Whaler: Pioneers
3. Vampire Weekend: Giving Up the Gun
4. Zerbin: New Earth
5. Hannah Georgas: Shortie

Balancing life and work is a continuous challenge, as I’m sure most can agree, but I find creative moments to be the most therapeutic ones of each day. Can any of you relate? Often, it’s as simple as restyling a small vignette at the shop to help take my mind off of things, pause and regroup before moving onto more pressing matters. I cannot imagine not having a creative outlet at work each day. I’m always drawn to studios and other creative spaces so today I thought I’d feature a few, with some DIY’s mixed in for good measure…

Lisa Congdon‘s studio via The Limner

Home of Jessie Webster via Design*Sponge

Smitten Studio

Abigail Ryan wallpaper featured on Decor8

The Design Files. Home of David Bromley. Photo by Toby Scott.

Livet Hemma

What helps you get through the work day, or the everyday for that matter? Besides coffee…that’s a given! Speaking of, it’s time for me to refill my mug as I’ve got a busy day ahead. We’re making some changes to the shop layout this weekend and there’s lots to do before the dust gets stirred up. Then I’m off to the city this afternoon to pick up store product, do a shop tour at West Elm and then meet a friend for dinner…got to make the most of it :) Enjoy your Wednesday!

How was your weekend? Busy Mother’s Day hopping between families or did you get some R&R in? Mine was a good mix of both and the kiddos left me feeling very loved :) Remember that adorable chair/pillow combo I shared on Friday? Well, it belongs to Rubyellen Bratcher and I stumbled upon her house tour featured over at A Beautiful Mess during a quiet moment last night. Rubyellen lives LA with her husband, where she is the homeschooling mama to 4 beautiful young girls…you can imagine the creative activity that goes on in their family home! Come take a peek…

Home of Rubyellen Bratcher on A Beautiful Mess

Home of Rubyellen Bratcher on A Beautiful Mess

Home of Rubyellen Bratcher on A Beautiful Mess

You can see more lovely pics over at A Beautiful Mess and I found some more favourites over at Rubyellen’s blog, My Cakies…pretty jealous of that amazing Anthropologie couch (they got it for a steal too)!

My Cakies

My Cakies Tent Frame DIY on A Beautiful Mess

My Cakies

My Cakies

Um, how awesome is that hammock?! My kids would be in heaven…although I think we’d need extra strong anchors with their shenanigans! Light + bright with plenty of vintage + handmade touches, it’s checking all the boxes on my design-done-right list! Enjoy your Monday :)

How is it Friday again, already? Jeepers. How was your week? Ours was busy but sun-filled and I can’t complain. It’s Mother’s Day this weekend…what plans do you have in the works? We’ll be pretty low key over here, spending time with both of our families, and the kids have some top secret projects in the works at school. I’ve got a preschool tea party with Lilah this morning before I head off to the shop and it’s bound to be adorable :) As promised, here are my top links of the week plus some tunes for the weekend…

1. These Mother’s Day printables by Striped Cat Studio would make any mama smile on Sunday morning:

Striped Cat Studio for Studio DIY

2. The entire May/June 2013 edition of Rue is devoted to the Pacific Northwest, YAY! So many great features, including this outdoor picnic, as well as a great tour of Vancouver shops and much more…

Rue. Photo by Julie Harmsen. Styling by Hens & Chicks Collective.

3. This entire cabin makeover is to-die-for, especially the kitchen. Seriously. My dream getaway:

Smitten Studio via A Cup of Jo

4. Loving everything about this pic, especially the pile of new pillows:

My Cakies

5. This Kentucky Derby themed wedding shoot is pretty near perfect in my books! My childhood friends would laugh…I’ve always fallen hard for horses! (While most had Kirk Cameron posters on their walls…um, I had Palominos and Arabians!) :

Ali Harper and Blue-Eyed Yonder via Snippet & Ink

As I’ve mentioned before, I love finding new music (as in not Top 40) and great apps like Songza and Shazam make it all the easier these days. I’m also a huge fan of NoiseTrade, where artists share their latest EP’s and it’s FREE! So great. Here are some tunes that I have on current rotation, hope you like them! Happy Weekend!

1. Among Savages: In the Nighttime
2. Empire of the Sun: Walking on a Dream
3. Churchill: Lock Your Heart Down
4. Boy: Little Numbers
5. American Authors: Believer
6. Freedom Fry: Friends + Enemies
7. Paper Route: You + I
8. Rah Rah: Art & a Wife
9. Walk Off the Earth: Red Hands
10. Wild Country: Wake Owl