Birch + Bird Vintage Home Interiors

We were supremely spoiled with sunshine and warm temperatures this summer so it’s hard not to feel a little under the weather (so to speak 😉 as the West Coast rainy season rolls on in. British Columbia winters may have a gloomy reputation but I like to think we make up for it with bright spaces that maximize natural light and this amazing studio is no exception! I spotted Leslie Shewring‘s creative hub over on Decor8 last week and was blown away by Kelly Brown‘s photos and studio tour. White brick walls are the perfect backdrop to this light-filled space located in Victoria’s Chinatown and although it’s somewhat minimal in design, it’s incredible rich in style and bright pops of colour. Here are just a few of my favourite images but you can see many more over at Decor8. Enjoy!

Leslie Shewring‘s Studio | Decor8 Feature | All photos by Kelly Brown

Leslie Shewring‘s Studio | Decor8 Feature | All photos by Kelly Brown

Leslie Shewring‘s Studio | Decor8 Feature | All photos by Kelly Brown

Leslie Shewring‘s Studio | Decor8 Feature | All photos by Kelly Brown

We’ve been dreaming of a huge studio space for Spruce Collective right from the very beginning and I can just imagine the creativity that could flow in a workspace like this! I’m super envious, in the most well-wishing sort of ways 🙂 Be sure to check out more of Kelly Brown‘s pics over at Decor8 and see what type of projects Leslie is working on over at her blog, A Creative Mint. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

This week came and went in a bit of a blur and I’m pretty darn happy that the weekend is here! Brad’s been away for the past week and a half (his company took a month-long contract job in Northern Manitoba…brrr!) so I’ve been juggling kids/work/home on my lonesome. Overall,  I think we’re getting into the swing of things here on the home front (knock on wood) but there’s definitely no rest for the weary when it comes to single-parenting, phew! I have a whole new respect for those of you who do this full time…you’re all superstars! I’ll be getting a little break from the kiddos this weekend (thank goodness for grandparents!) to attend a wedding and then we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving on Sunday. I’m already counting down to my mom’s turkey dinner, do you have any big plans? Here are some recent favourites for you to check out while you’re watching the clock until happy hour:

1.  While I love the look of our current workshop bench-turned-dining table, I must admit that its not the most comfortable to enjoy a lengthy meal at. Although Brad cut the legs down, it has drawers on both sides so it’s still just a bit too high for dining and I’ve been looking for a long harvest table instead. I love this one by Vancouver-based Union Wood Company…it’s still rustic but the legs give it a more modern feel:

Porter table by Union Wood Company

2. Pretty sure I need to recreate this word art in my kitchen or dining room somewhere…it could very well be my life’s motto after all 😉 Oh, and those brass pendants lights are pretty awesome too:

Oslo Restaurant | Borja Garcia Studio

3. I bought this card for myself from my shop a couple of months ago and keep it on my counter as a daily reminder to just breathe through the stormy days:

Calmer Seas card by 1Canoe2 (also available at Spruce Collective)

4. One of my favourite parts about my job is sourcing out new products to carry in our store. Slade Goods recently contacted us about their handmade ceramic earrings and I loved them right away! Happy to say that they’ll be in stock at Spruce Collective very soon:

Geometric ceramic stud earrings by Slade Goods

5. Anchors away! I think I’d bake sugar cookies all the time if I had cookie cutters like these ones from Printemeer…there are far too many great designs to choose just one!

Printemeer

That’s a wrap for me this week! Hope you have a wonderful weekend and Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends 🙂

I’m feeling a little bit under the weather with a cold but the slim silver lining of some sniffle-induced downtime has been catching up on my stack of design mags and some favourite blogs. As someone with a blog, it’s kind of ironic how few blogs I actually read myself these days. After being on the computer for much of the day for work, it seems far easier to scroll through my favourite bloggers on Instagram instead…instant gratification, I suppose? I’ve noticed this shift in my own habits for awhile (and it’s also been a topic of discussion with my Spruce partners) so I found this NY Times article especially interesting while browsing last night.  I’m a little late to the conversation (ironic since I was on my own blogging break when the article came out!) but can totally relate to both blogger-burnout and creative burnout in general. There were some really great responses to the article from some of the bloggers featured (here, here and here) but I’m curious to know what your thoughts on the shift in social media are. Have your own online habits changed recently? Please share…

Photo by Michael Graydon for House & Home Magazine

Photo by Luisa Brimble for Local Milk

Photo by Idha Lindhag via SF Girl by Bay

“Watching Trees” by Clare Elsaesser

Brunswick Cafe, Brooklyn NY via Remodelista

These spaces have nothing to do with blogging except for the fact that they inspire me…which is the whole reason I started this little blog with Rachel so many moons ago 🙂

Hey there, strangers! Well, I certainly didn’t intend to take such a long blogging hiatus but it somehow just happened…so sorry to leave you hanging! I was starting to feel really burnt out by the overwhelming amount of awesomeness out there on the world wide web and suppose I just needed to take a step back and clear my head for a moment. Can any of you relate? But the kids are now back into the swing of things at school and I think I’m ready to get back into the creative swing of things. There’s no shortage of inspiring spaces out there but I’m especially drawn to small, efficient homes with big style. Let’s start the week off on a cozy note with this adorable Dutch studio apartment:

vtwonen | James Stokes Photography | Styling French Uyterlinde

vtwonen | James Stokes Photography | Styling French Uyterlinde

vtwonen | James Stokes Photography | Styling French Uyterlinde

Honestly, how quaint is that thatched roof? It looks like something out of a fairytale, right? But I love how the interior of this 1913 apartment somehow feels modern too, with layers of rich pattern and vintage pieces to warm things up. And that couch looks just too inviting, doesn’t it? Hope your Monday is awesome!

Hey, friends! We’re heading into the final long weekend of Summer and I must admit I’m not happy about it. I feel like we just got into our beach-touring groove and then suddenly the days got shorter and the evenings got cooler…noooo! Like all good things, even Summer must end but I won’t give up our beach days without a fight. We’re heading out for a weekend of camping with friends tomorrow (or the next day, weather dependant) and I’m still overly optimistic that the soggy forecast is wrong…the sun will burn off those huge clouds, right? Still no word if school is starting next week as teachers have been on strike since June, (ugh!) which is leaving us in somewhat of a limbo.  Love our teachers but the kiddos have been home long enough. Seriously. But onto brighter things, these beauties caught my eye this week because, I mean, how could they not?!

1. I immediately downloaded this awesome desktop theme from Design Love Fest as soon as I saw it. Can you tell I’m ready to get back to work?

Our Heiday | Design Love Fest

2. Red Envelope sent me this awesome dipped serving bowl and matching utensils as a housewarming present and it’s been a bright spot on our table all summer! It also comes in an amazing emerald green colour and is on mega sale right now…check it out here:

Dipped Wooden Serving Bowl | Red Envelope

3. We’ve been in the height of wedding season with our Spruce Vintage Rentals division of the shop so I’m always on the lookout for fresh event inspiration and this floral chandelier is seriously the bomb…love!!

Greer Gattuso Photography | The Not Wedding New Orleans via Ruffled

4. I’m beyond thrilled (and entirely envious of her talents, in a good way!) that my partner Jessica just launched an amazing line of illustrated prints in her shiny new shop, Acorn Atelier. I need one of each, no joke!

Acorn Atelier | Jessica MacDonald

5. I’ll need a good detox after this summer of fun but the good news is that it’s technically summer for a few more weeks and this cocktail looks divine…bottoms up 😉

Grapefruit Sage Mimosa | Shannon Kirsten

Do you have big plans for this last Labour Day hurrah? Enjoy, be safe and cheers to the freakin’ weekend…I’ll drink to that 😉

* Disclaimer : I was gifted this beautiful serving bowl set from Red Envelope but all opinions are my own…and always will be 🙂