Boom. Just like that, another week bites the dust! Anyone else wish that time would slow down just a tad this Fall? My days are full (we’re talking full) to the brim with kids/work/driving/life and I’m definitely counting down these final 8 days until Brad gets home from the wilds of Manitoba! Here’s a little roundup of some links I’ve loved this week but I didn’t quite make it to the usual 5 for Friday as I ran out of steam by number 3 😉

1. I love everything about this gallery wall and eclectic bedroom spotted over at The Everygirl yesterday:

The Everygirl | Michelle Lange Photography

2. Um, how flipping adorable is this Maria costume?!? I love The Sound of Music (I mean, who doesn’t) and think this is the most darling idea ever. See how to make this cutie and an astounding amount of other sweet costumes over at Oh Happy Day:

Oh Happy Day | The Sound of Music Maria Costume | Photo by Paul Ferney

3. I’ve wanted to make homemade caramels forever (I think since reading about Laura making pulled taffy in The Little House on the Prairie books when I was little…anyone else remember that?) but never have for some reason. These salted butter confections look too decadently delicious not to try:

Salted Caramel Caramels | A Beautiful Mess | Photo by Emma Chapman

Any exciting plans for the weekend happening out there? Mine’s looking fairly quiet, other than being surrounded by my brood, but it’s always a treat to take a break from the schooldays routine and put my feet up…like, before 9pm 😉 Cheers to the weekend!

Oh. My. How’s that for dropping off the radar?! I didn’t mean to take such a huge blogging hiatus (at all!) but we got into a pretty good Summer groove over here and I think I really just needed a good break from the world wide web. I was starting to feel like all of the creative wonderfulness out there was just starting to blend together (you know, like when too many well-dressed people are in a room together and no one truly stands out) and have quite honestly been in quite the creative slump…can anyone relate? I think I’m coming out of it (I’ve finally started hanging art around our house and had a lot of fun styling a recent shoot for the shop) but I’ve definitely pulled back from social media and Pinterest over the past few months to try and clear my head. While I still have a mild Instagram addiction, I’m determined to fill more of my spare time with reading actual books instead of scrolling through endless images and I’d really love to pick up a new skill or two in the year to come. But I do need to find myself a cozy reading corner to coax me into sitting down and I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for a vintage hanging chair. Pretty sure my kiddos would soon take it over but a girl can dream! Here are some beauties that have caught my eye:

Marsel Roothman Photography | The Pretty Blog

Two’s Company Hanging Rattan Chair | A House in the Hills

Hammock Chair DIY | A Beautiful Mess

Decor Envy | Houzz via Avenue Lifestyle

DIY Hanging Chair | The Merry Thought

Oh Happy Day | Photo by Ashley Batz

Cozy, right? Can you recommend any good books that you read over the summer? My friend Julia gave me The Orphan Master’s Son and it was really great…dark at times but super interesting.  And is there a skill that you’d like to learn to retrain your tech-addicted brain? I’ve got calligraphy and learning to play guitar on my short-term bucket list for now. Thanks for checking in and I’ll be back to chat again soon 🙂

Man, this week went fast…anyone else feel the same? After being out of commission for the past several weeks, I’ve been so happy to be feeling better that I packed a tonne into the last few days, maybe even a bit too much judging by how late the kiddos have been sleeping in! Our weather has just been so awesome that it felt like a shame to miss out on being outdoors for even a moment!  My girls were in gymnastics camp each afternoon too (fun for them but a lot of extra running around for me) and I’m looking forward to unplugging and enjoying some downtime this weekend. We’re heading off to our friends’ cabin on Lasqueti Island and cannot wait! It’s rustic and off the grid but there’s nothing like being by the ocean to recharge, agreed? Before we head for the ferry, here are some links I’ve loved this week:

1. I’ve always been a sucker for anything indigo (my collection of mismatched blue and white china is a little out of hand) and these DIY placemats by Lovely Indeed would look right at home on my dining table:

DIY Indigo Shibori Dyed Placemats | Lovely Indeed

2. Daniel Kanter recently tackled this amazing bathroom reno for actress Ana Gasteyer and the Pineapple Print wallpaper (Anna Bond/Rifle Paper Co. for Hygge & West) totally stole the show:

Bathroom reno by Manhattan Nest | Rifle Paper Co. Pineapple Wallpaper

3. How awesome is this DIY Modern Cooler makeover by Almost Makes Perfect? I feel like I should make one of these for every beach-loving friend I know:

4. We’ve had the same pine sleigh bed since we got married 13 years ago and I am so over it. I don’t want to pay a tonne on a new bed frame and haven’t found any new and exciting DIY headboard ideas but this bed frame project by Apartment Therapy looks simple, quick and super cheap to do…just my style! :

5. I spotted this adorable home tour over on A Beautiful Mess and after the busy week I’ve had, can totally picture curling up under this amazing quilt:

Home of Elizabeth Morrow | A Beautiful Mess

We’re heading out first thing tomorrow for a few days of swimming in the sea and campfire cookouts so I’ll be back to chat sometime middle of next week. Cheers!

I’m late posting today but so it goes sometimes 🙂 The weekend is officially here and although our sunshine is apparently going to disappear for a little while (boo!), I’ve got some bright inspiration and link love to share with you today:

1. Loving the combination of vintage and modern in this colourful vignette, not to mention that beautiful painting :

2. Laundry is my least favourite chore but how fun is this cheerful utility room? Check out the DIY vinyl tile flooring tutorial over at  A Beautiful Mess:

DIY vinyl tile floors by A Beautiful Mess

3. Nothing says “party” like a good garland and these giant paper beads are pretty darn great…I don’t think I’d ever take them down actually :

4. I love a good colour punch in an otherwise neutral space and these bold yellow chairs are no exception…they remind me of a modern take on old Sunday school chairs, no? :

5. It’s happy hour somewhere, right? This trio of summery cocktails look too yummy not to try and I’m intrigued by the watermelon jalapeño comination:

We don’t have many plans this weekend but will be hanging with some friends and hitting the beach (if the rain stays away) before bringing Gabe to camp on Sunday. What about you, any exciting getaways in your cards? Happy weekend!

I don’t know about you, but this weekend couldn’t come soon enough! Our schedule is all out of whack with a Pro-D day on Monday and teachers on strike yesterday but kids back to school today.  Not exactly cohesive the amount of work needing to be done at the shop but so goes life sometimes! I’ll be at it full-throttle today though before getting into party mode for our Summer kick-off event at Spruce Collective tonight, wahoo! Here are a few other links that caught my eye this week:

1.Now, this is my idea of beach camping:

Photo by Chrissy Piper and FP Naomi for Free People

2. Pretty sure I need to make these marquee letters for our new place (and by “I”, we all know I actually mean “convince Brad to make them for me” right?) Mmm, Happy Hour:

A Beautiful Mess

3. I just love how bright and organized this home office space is, not to mention that rug!:

Office of Ruth Allen | Ruth Eileen Photography via The Every Girl

Hope your weekend is a bright one! Cheers 🙂

This week got away on me once again and here we are at Friday already! I’m off to work now but thought I’d leave you with some Valentine’s inspired DIY’s to start thinking about. We’re far behind on getting a class schedule up this month at the shop (still recovering from the bustle of our first holiday season!) but have a number of fun and crafty workshops in the works. If you were to take a hands on creative class, what type would you choose? I’d love to know!

Oleander & Palm

Delia Creates

A Beautiful Mess

The Proper Pinwheel

A Subtle Revelry

Delighted Momma

Photo by Alice Patterson forThe Sweetest Occasion

We’ve been enjoying plenty of cold crisp sunshine in these parts and there’s more in store for the weekend. I’m looking forward to a rare weekend off and lots of time bundled up outside with the kids. Wishing you bright days wherever you are and I’ll be back to chat again on Monday 🙂

I seem to have crafty projects and DIY’s on the brain this week! Last night, I hosted a group of school moms at the shop for a creative get together. I figured wine, cheese and crafts could only end well and, thankfully,  I was right! We all had lots of fun and each of my fabulous friends went home with a bag full of handmade goodies for their homes and Christmas trees. Have you gotten together with friends to do anything creative lately? I highly recommend it! Here’s a look at some of the glass ball ornaments that we put together…

Photo by me for Spruce Collective

 We also made these clay tags, painted porcelain ornaments (kind of like these) and terrariums like these…

Fun, right? We’ve got a 9 year old’s birthday party as well as a 40th birthday booked in our workshop over the next few days and each group has requested  a fun project to do together. All of us Spruce girls are excited to challenge ourselves creatively and are thrilled to have such an amazing workshop to host events like these in! Here are some other fantastic DIY’s that I came across recently…

Gilt

Henry Happened

 Fellow Fellow

Love & Cupcakes

Well, I’m off to collect supplies for the said DIY parties coming up and then off to Brad’s work party tonight…’tis the season to be jolly, after all! Have a wonderful weekend!

After another round of sickness in our house…nothing major, just enough to slow us down…I finally got our lovely tree trimmed last night.  I didn’t have time or funds to buy any new ornaments this year but must say that I’m loving the results of reusing what I already had. I’ve collected quite a number of assorted vintage birds over the years (all found at local thrift stores), and think they look pretty darn cute all nestled in around the tree. I also found a bag of vintage red velveteen apples last year and love the extra shot of colour they bring to the mix. Here’s a little peek…can you spot two of the sweet clay ornaments I made at the shop on the weekend?

It’s amazing what you can do with what you already have, isn’t it? Not just at Christmas but all year round. Fresh greenery instantly makes plain woollen socks look festive, there’s no end to what bright coloured washi tape can dress up and vintage ornaments get a new lease on life when displayed in a rustic wood crate…

La Petite Cuisine

Ella’s Inspiration

The Marion House Book

Feeling crafty but no time to dive into a big project? Rosa’s painted pinecones are easy-peasy and fun for the whole family to enjoy. And there’s still time to put together a simple advent calendar or sketch something seasonal on a chalkboard or blank canvas, minimal artistic talent required! There’s something about handmade touches that truly make the holidays feel warmer and more personal, wouldn’t you agree? It reminds me of my childhood making paper chains and stringing popcorn into garlands…

Flutter Flutter 

Dandee Designs

Matthew Mead via Canadian House & Home

Do you have any creative holiday traditions or do you like to try something new each year? Or maybe you prefer to sit back and see the finished results of others, spiced eggnog in hand? I think a combination of all three sounds like my style 🙂 Hope your week is going well and you’re all keeping the flu bugs at bay!

Hello there! It feels like I’ve been away forever, I suppose since I was offline for most of the weekend, but I’m back and feeling very refreshed and ready for the week ahead. How was your long weekend? We headed off to Science World on Saturday with Brad’s side of the family for some early-Christmas fun. on On Boxing Day, his brother’s family is making the journey from Kelowna to Australia for a one-year teaching exchange…how cool is that? We’ll miss them and their kids over the next year but are so excited to hear about their adventures Down Under! So instead of rushing around and getting presents organized early, we all decided to go spend the day together instead…memories are so much more meaningful, aren’t they? While I was out and about, things were bustling at the shop during our first drop-in class of the season. Thanks to all who joined us and we’ll definitely be doing more so stay tuned for more classes this month!

I promised you some more pictures of the shop decked out for Christmas so here are a few that I took on Friday, with more to come…

I missed a visit from some blogging friends on Saturday but am so happy that this vintage Canadian Pacific Hotel blanket found a lovely new home…

Tracey Ayton Photography

Yesterday, we were closed in honour of Remembrance Day but that didn’t slow us down. We were busy moving Trove Vintage Rentals into our newly rented basement, after having new mugshots taken of each piece by Level6 Images. I don’t know if Cristal knew what she’d signed herself up for but let’s just say the U-Haul was packed to the gills! Many hands make for light work but it was a full day and I think we’ll all be a little sore tomorrow. How was your weekend? Have you started your holiday shopping yet? I’m feeling pretty far behind on that but thankfully we’ve decided to keep things simple this year. Have a great Tuesday 🙂