Antique Store Finds

This is just one of the many reasons I LOVE antique stores!

Finding beauties like these moss green scalloped bowls {regularly 7bux a piece, on sale for 4.50}
And the cute vintage cheescake sign for 5 bux {not sure of the regular price}

I found all of these at a cute Antique store in Stirling, Ontario {which I cannot remember the name of :(}

For that bare wall...

photo and art cred: Marissa's post on Little Green Notebook

So as soon as you walk into my apartment you will be greeted by a very bare wall. It has some nails in it, but that's about it. I have pondered for a while as to what to do with it.

It then struck me that since I LOVE taking pictures I should go around Montreal with my camera and take some shots of places or buildings I love. Then I can create a similar look with some black and white shots and some dollar store painted frames.

I think I shall purchase some frames tomorrow :D

Vintage Inspiration

LOVE!
They have already been sold on Etsy, but I don't think it would be too hard to find some crates at an Antique store and paint the names of the herbs on them :)

A year later

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Well it's cooled down quite a bit here in Montreal and we have seen a little bit of snow too. But, all is well as I sit typing this cozily under a blanket, listening to some smooth jazz and enjoying my pumpkin candle.

Anyhow, these past few weeks I have been doing quite a bit of reflecting.
Today I was going through a couple of my blogposts and started reading one where I was a little over a year ago {http://bit.ly/ao68p3}.

I will admit, last year was one tough year.
I felt really disconnected from Christian community and really discouraged at my workplace. It wasn't a great place to be.

I would come home from work mentally exhausted trying to learn a new language and then force myself to go out to Bible Studies and Young Adults at my church when all I wanted to do was rest and stop initiating.

So what happened you ask?

1. I found a home to call my own. I was just crashing with a friend for a bit in her living room, {which I am VERY thankful for} but there is nothing like having your own place to decorate and live in as you please.

2. Life in Montreal got better {especially as the weather improved} I hung out with my co-workers and church friends more.

3. I got out and explored the city and LOVED it {festivals and museums galore!}

4. My french has improved. I can understand for the most part if a customer has a question that I don't hear that often {am able to pull out some words} and respond with my very small vocab.

5. I am adjusting to life in Montreal. I may not be up to speed {not to say that ppl in Montreal are always on the go} but especially after having my seziure, I have learned to value my pace of life and not let others {especially media} dominate or influence my pace or way of living.

Twas a challenging yr looking back and not to sure if I would want another one of those, but am thankful for how God did sustain me though that time.

Inspiration? I think so! take 2!

I've been looking for a wee bit of inspiration as of late for home decorating and fell in love with Jen's place on apt therapy.

Check it out:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/jennifers-bright-and-airy-mish-mash-house-tour-115936

a few undertakings

So I have a few tasks ahead of me this summer. One is to learn html, so I can make a prettier blog and just for pure interest sake.

Another, at some pt is to recover my cushions. However, I am fresh out of ideas. I want something that says "summery fresh" for now and then I will make different covers for the fall/winter. So I have taken a few shots and would love some feedback.

Also this futon is not mine. It's a friends who is storing it here while they moved. BUT the couch I do have, I plan on covering in a similar colour. Thus why I took a pic of the futon against my light green walls.





Another undertaking is my Kitchen. I am thinking a fun window covering would do (as opposed to the awful brown plaid one it came with). Most of the things in my kitchen have a bright yellow, dark green or milk chocolate base. So keeping those colours in mind and noting my off white walls, what would you suggest?




Thanks for your input!

Living room love

I think ever since I was a little girl I dreamed of having a window seat. I love the idea of soaking up sun rays in the summer and enjoying the cool breeze all while drinking a glass of lemonade or sitting and watching the rain fall with Louis Armstrong and Ella playing away in the background. *sigh*

Since my living room window isn't low enough to make a window seat of, I think I will continue my hunt for a cozy arm chair and pop it right under the window where I can still do all of the above mentioned activities :)

Kitchen Love

So I stumbled upon the Dayspring website today
(actually I think its because I sent some cards with that site at one pt and now they spam me)
Anyhow...
These plates really caught my attention with their vibrant colours and cool shapes!


Not to mention the font in which the scripture verses are written is actually nice. If they weren't 40 bux I may have actually considered buying them.

Check out the cute apron too:

Inspiration? I think so!

So this is just one of the photos I took on my trip to Rome in High School and put in black and white. I am thinking of getting it and several others printed and put in some dollar store black frames and hang in the bedroom of my new place. Thinking of doing a whole Audrey Hepburn in Europe theme

And as I went through some more pics on my computer, I got even more inspired by some shots I took this summer while out West (especially at Granville Island in Vancouver).

And the inspiration just keeps coming


I'm off to pick up a few things for dins and take more pics for my kitchen at the market :)
On the Menu tonight:
1. Vegetable potato soup
2. Fresh bread
3. Lemon streusel poppy seed cake for dessert with tea

Also, can't wait to buy a chalkboard for the kitchen to write the days meals on...I am enjoying this waay too much!

for the love of plates

ate a quiche today at a great bakery downtown belleville on one of these great plates:

http://bit.ly/DT7J2

i actually pictured myself whipping up a homemade quiche and serving it on one of these guys :)
so great!
i told my mom about them and how they only ship in the states and the only other place i could find them is at Target.
she then mentioned she has a friend who's heading to the states and could get her to pick me up a set! YESS!
yay for my cute 25 dollar plates (yes i know they are pricey little guys, but soo cute!)

on another note, i plan on systematically going through one of my cookbooks for something fun to do.
say maybe make two things a week from it?
i'm excited :)

i never thought i would say this...

everyone told me to enjoy school while it lasted and i always shrugged them off
i never realized til now how much i love school
or maybe i just like the flexible schedule moreless
when you are scheduled to work, there is no i am not going to it, like classes? (shhh, lol)

so one thing i realized is how much i miss kingston!
while listening to Frank Sinatra tonight i realized:
i miss the "serves you right" resto in Kingston, and more than that, i miss those after church brunch dates there with sarah and sitting there for 2rhs after finishing our meal, sipping tea.
i miss the kingston farmers market (as expensive as it was)
i miss all those cute little shops on princess st and nearby
i miss sipps coffee shop soo much! (how i LOVE that place)
i miss my apartment in kingston, so spacious, yet, so cozy!

looking at this list again, i say what i never thought i would, i miss kingston.

three cheers for globalization (for today atleast)

as soon as i stepped off the metro today my eyes almost welled up with tears.
why is that you ask?
i looked to my left and saw walmart!
right now you are probably seeing a disconnect...why would walmart make one sad?

well to answer your question, it didn't make me sad.
i have actually never been happier in my life to see a walmart
i think it has to do with the fact that i have been a little homesick lately
i must admit going from one small city, to a bit of a bigger one to an actual city is quite the adjustment (especially when trying to learn a new language)

today when i went to walmart and was shopping with my friend (Emily) we chatted about how much we both missed home and our moms. i am so thankful i have a few friends to share these thoughts and emotions with. i personally:

miss the small city feel
miss pulling into the driveway of our cute little house
miss the way it hugs you when you walk into it
miss my puppy (rocky) jumping on me as i walk in
miss my BEDROOM, its organization, its decor and clean linen candles ohh so much!
miss late night convo's, trips to walmart, chapters, small towns and lunch dates with my mom
miss having all the signs in english and people talking in english (that may just be from bad experiences with some francophones)
miss movie dates with my bro
miss watching chef at home with my dad
miss maranatha so much! i love that church and truly see Jesus at work there, i love it!

Lord please help me adjust and get settled here in Montreal. i love many parts of this city, but i pray you would help me make this home.

Home, sweet, home?

Honestly, I can't say that about my house right now. I am actually happy to be back in Kingston (in some cases).

Whenever someone was to ask me how my week was, I would bite my tongue and tell them it was good, when I really felt trapped. While at home I take on the role of a second mother as my dad is bi-polar manic depressant and not working so my mom is the main bread winner in the family. When I do get home I try to make meals and do little things around the house to make her life easier.

I guess a huge part of this is seeing how different my life is from my families and how they live in a whole lot of worry and I prefer to live for the moment. My mom especially lives like this and it drives me insane. Constant questions, demanding answers, constantly anazlyzing my life and my every move, my every word...everything about me!

Today, we let off some steam (finally!) and I told her how I felt. I constantly feel as though I don't measure up and then she told me that she feels that I give her the impression that she does nothing right. And I am honestly not trying to complain but 75% of the time when I tell her things she immediately takes offense to them! Maybe I need more grace, but I want to be honest with her, maybe I am doing this wrong, or maybe I am the one who screwed up, at this point I just want wisdom. I want to be able to tell my mom something and have her listen and respect it, not walk away angry.

Then there is my bro. My brother Cory has special needs (autism) and sometimes his anger can get the best of him. I guess what I want to know is when my parents are not steppping in, in an area where I am seeing a need for discipline is that my job? When I am not home I wonder who is raising up in the eyes of the Lord (as with my mom working he can't always get out to youth or church).

So this week has tested and pushed my buttons. I have cried lots and wondered if I am doing something wrong. Right now I am going to ask God for wisdom and that He would start bringing people into my parents life and the life of my brother to speak the truth in love. I can't do it on my own.

God take my family and do with them as you see fit and give me the grace to love them like crazy because I have none.