My Very Own Authentic Bottle Terrarium

I was having a particularly bad day a few weeks ago. I had just purchased my first-ever smartphone (!) from some kid on Kijiji, and when I arrived at his house to pick it up, I found...nothing. The address didn't exist! Now you may be asking, "What kind of person lures unsuspecting would-be first-time phone buyers to an address that doesn't exist?" or you might be asking, "What kind of fool buys a phone off Kijiji?" Either way, you will be happy to know I was not jumped by a gang of street thugs, I just returned to my house and e-mailed the seller and, apparently he was dyslexic, because he had given me the wrong address.

Long story short, I returned to the correct address, noted the welcome mat outside that said, "Go away," and knew right then and there I was probably screwed. I bought the phone anyway, and BIG SURPRISE, it didn't work.

Anyway, I learned my lesson, but you're probably asking, "Where is this crazy bird going with this story?"

The point is when I got home, feeling totally dejected, I had a message in my in-box from a friend that included a photo of a terrarium her dad had made. This woman's uber-cool father used to make these authentic glass bottle terrariums in the 70s and 80s and sell them at craft shows. He stopped when plants inexplicably went out of style, but knowing how much I love plants, my friend wondered if I would like her dad to make me one.

Uh, heck, yeah!

I have made open terrariums before, the kind that are so popular now, inside glass balls and containers with lids where minimal skill is required (see my blog post, "Make Your Own Terrarium" from August 2014). But this is something else. Somehow, my friend's dad  manages to get these fairly large plants inside this teeny tiny bottleneck opening using a coathanger...and magic. I don't fully get it, but I love it. And I am so grateful to Ian Campbell for this gift that made me almost able to forget about my crappy phone situation. My terrarium is beautiful...and in case you are wondering, I did get a phone. From Costco. And it works great.

Easy to Make Beautiful Boho Dream Catcher

One of my favorite things to do is to rehab things that I buy so they suit my tastes perfectly. Often, I will come across something on sale or at a thrift store that I would totally love if only it was a different color or didn't have that chip, or whatever the case may be. But with just a bit of of imagination, you can totally make over just about anything. Spray paint is my homegirl. I've used it to transform so many objects from blah to ooh-la-la. But when I spotted this lone, whimsical dream catcher-like wall hanging in the kids' department at my local HomeSense, I knew I would have to take a different tack. I had to have it right away, but I wasn't crazy about the colors. Cute for a girl's bedroom, but I wanted to hang this in mine. So, I bought it anyway and went to work. This is the result:

And this is what it looked like before:

Definitely just a matter of taste, but the point is the fun of the transformation! Even if you aren't lucky enough to find a similar dream catcher in a color you're not so fond of at YOUR local HomeSense/HomeGoods/Marshalls, you can still make this beauty from scratch in an afternoon. Let me show you how.

What You'll Need:

-Embroidery hoop of any size (my dream catcher is the size of a dinner plate) from a craft supply store or thrift store
-Piece of lace fabric (e.g. a thrifted tablecloth) or a crocheted doily from a thrift store that will fit your embroidery hoop
-Fabric strips, ribbon, lace, etc. in the color scheme of your choice
-Tassels (optional)
-Gold cord (optional)

To start, you will need to cut your lace fabric just slightly larger than the circumference of your embroidery hoop, then unscrew the hoop and place it between the two pieces, so it fits snugly (ditto if you are using a crocheted doily, minus the cutting). Then, turning your hoop around, simply start hot gluing ribbon/fabric strips onto the inside bottom of the embroidery hoop. A variety of textures will produce a more visually appealing effect. I layered beige cotton canvas strips, thinner cotton canvas strips that I had spray painted gold, thick white lace ribbon and thick cotton ribbon in a lighter beige hue. To dress things up even more, I interspersed some silky white tassels that I found at Michaels, tying them with thin gold cord to the ribbon strips at random intervals.

I am quite certain I will sleep well with this dreamy lady watching over me! It only took an hour or so to make, for a total cost of $20, much less than what you would pay if you were to buy one from Etsy. Not that you shouldn't...there are plenty of gorgeous dream catchers available on Etsy. But if you possess even an ounce of creative mojo, you can definitely make this one yourself.

Nobby's Dining Room: Part I

When my dear friend Nobby told me she and her husband Rob were finally going to do something about the big blank wall in their dining room, I was psyched. They have a combination L-shaped living/dining room in their East Toronto home, and the wall at the end of the dining table is also the main view when sitting in one of the super comfy oversize chairs in the living room across from it. The wall was painted brown and used to house a practical but predictable china cabinet. There was nothing wrong with it the way it was, but Nobby wanted to brighten up the room and have it reflect the aesthetic of the rest of her mod 1960s back-split house, which is a blend of Japanese minimalist, contemporary Ikea and authentic mid-century styles.

In Nobby's email to me she said she wanted to do a "fauxdenza" on the wall, which I assumed was a word she made up (Nobby is witty like that) and which I took to mean she was planning to stencil the outline of a trompe l'oeil credenza on the wall then paint it (at first I was skeptical, but Nobby has great taste and I thought if anyone could get away with this, she could)! But after Googling "fauxdenza," I realized I am perhaps not as design savvy as I thought I was because, ladies and gents, a fauxdenza is a real thing. Picture an Ikea cabinet that has been mounted on a wall to mimic the look of that modern design staple--the Danish teak sideboard. Brilliant, if you ask me. This seemed like the perfect replacement for Nobby's china cabinet and I wholeheartedly approved of this idea.

To my delight, Nobby wanted to consult with me about what color to paint the wall behind the fauxdenza. Now, may I reiterate that Nobby has great taste and really didn't need my advice, but it made me so happy that she asked. If it was my wall, I knew I would be wallpapering it, but Nobby was leaning toward paint. After sending a few color options her way, as well as encouraging her to put in the extra effort and go with wallpaper instead, I'm so excited that she and Rob decided to go with this iconic birch tree paper! I have long loved this design and wished I had a place for it in my own home, but the next best thing is getting to see it in a friend's home every time I visit.

The version Nobby and Rob used is from Bouclair, although there are an infinite number of knock-offs of the original 1959 Cole & Son pattern online. Doesn't it look awesome? I am all over it. Stay tuned for Part II of this post, which will include photos of the aforementioned "fauxdenza." I, for one, can't wait. :)

My Dream Florida Room

...which is why when one of South Florida's top real estate companies, Douglas Elliman, asked me if I would create a style board for my ideal Florida Room, I immediately responded with a, "Heck, yeah!" Here are some of their Florida listings if you want to do some browsing!

A Florida Room is typically a screened-in sun porch or glass conservatory--basically any room that is surrounded by windows and can often be used year-round to give one the impression of living in sunnier, warmer climes. These rooms are a haven for indoor plants, and are typically decorated in Floridian themes ranging from nautical to serene to preppy/glam Palm Beach style.

I didn't have to think long or hard about what my Florida Room would look like if I was lucky enough to have one. All I had to do was essentially create my dream room, incorporating all my favorite design elements. Here is what I came up with:

My Florida Room would be a combination of my two favorite interior design styles: Bohemian and Mid-Century Chic. It seems to me that this would be the perfect space to combine these two styles, which already run rampant throughout my house. They both represent Florida in their own way: the laid-back vibe of the colorful, exotic carpet and pillows, as well as the piece de resistance, the swing hammock; and the Palm Beach-esque clean lines and pastel hues of the sofa and atomic tripod planters.

The wood coffee table brings the hit of rusticity that keeps the room feeling down to earth, and the Sputnik light fixture adds a dose of metallic and ties everything together. And, of course, this being a Florida Room, I could not help but throw in an ode to the Sunshine State in the form of the large flamingo print, which is actually my very favorite thing in the room.

One of the best things about Florida in my opinion (aside from its crystal blue beaches, tropical climate and plethora of outlet malls) is its breathtakingly lush foliage. And the number one element in my Florida Room would be a copious abundance of potted plants that, nurtured by the generous sunlight, would flourish into a veritable jungle where I could pretend I was living like Ernest Hemingway every day of the week.

Thanks, Douglas Elliman, for giving me this challenge that allowed me to dream! Until next time, I will be enjoying these unusually high summer temps that really are reminiscent of what you'd expect to find in Florida...

A Canadian Cactus, Eh?

Did you know that there is a species of cactus that is native to Canada? I ain't kidding you, folks--the eastern prickly pear cactus can be found growing in glorious spiky abundance at the southernmost tip of Ontario, in Point Pelee National Park. This blew my mind when I learned about it a few years ago. A species of cactus I could plant in my own garden and that would survive the winter? It was a fantastical revelation for this cactus-obsessed wannabe desert dweller!

So, last winter, I happened upon someone online who was selling cuttings from his outdoor cactus plants and I bought three cute, Mickey Mouse-eared cuttings from him for under $10. I kept them on my windowsill this whole time until today when, with great trepidation, I planted them in my back garden. 

If you are lucky enough to get your hands on some cuttings of this rare, at-risk species, you will need to plant them in a sunny spot with excellent drainage, preferably south facing. It is a good idea to plant them against the side of the house, where they will be somewhat sheltered from the weather.

Only time will tell if my guys will take root and survive whatever crazy Canadian weather gets thrown their way. I will be praying for their prickly little souls... 

Until next time, happy gardening!

How to Print Instagram Photos

I am very much an old-fashioned type of girl when it comes to things like books and photo albums. I would way rather hold an actual book in my hand than read off a screen or look at pictures on a device. I've been printing photo books of my digital snaps for the last couple of years, using sites like picaboo and blurb, and prior to that, I used to print out all the digital photos I took and put them into old-school photo albums, framing my favorites to display on my walls. But once I got hooked on Instagram, I realized the downside was not being able to print the square format photos from my go-to printer, Costco.

That is why I was so stoked to find an online printer that specializes in printing Instagram photos. At Sticky9  you can print 27 photos for $21.99 (CAD). They are printed on sturdy card stock instead of traditional photo paper and look pretty fantastic, if you ask me.

We had so many amazing Instagram photos from our trip to the American Southwest last spring, but I didn't have a way to display them until now. I found the awesome wood board with metal clips at Michaels (had planned to make one but didn't even need to).

Now I can look at the breathtaking cactus plants that inspired our vacation every day and dream of someday having my own desert garden (as opposed to just an indoor jungle room)! Thank you, Sticky9!

DIY Found Wood Side Table

On a snowy day in January, we were on a family hike in the woods with our dog, Blue, when I spotted what I thought was the most beautiful piece of wood I had ever seen. Someone had been in there, chopping up trees, and I just had to have this particular slice of wood. I could easily envision the rustic-chic little side table I would make with it, and Rob ever-so-sweetly agreed to come back later and haul it out of there for me.

Well, it turned out to be a bigger favor than either one of us imagined, as the slab just barely fit in the giant backpack Rob last used to backpack across Europe in 1998 with me, but it did, and I eagerly began searching online for a place where I could buy hairpin legs for the table to stand on. I was very excited to find a local blacksmith on kijiji who made them in his shop...and even more intrigued when I learned his name was Thor. Rob didn't believe it was his real name, but incredibly, this guy's real name is Thor Sammer, and he looks every bit like a Viking in real life. Awesome. Anyway, got the legs and painted them gold with Rust Oleum spray paint, then waited for Rob to cut the wood slice to the right thickness.

This is where I have to stop and gush about my man just a bit. Rob isn't exactly a handyman type, but he is also a heck of a lot better at wielding a hammer than I am. And when it comes to sawing something...well, let's just say slicing apples makes me nervous, so there was never any question about who was going to actually be making this table.

So, on top of all the other chores Rob does on a weekly basis after spending the whole day defending the Great Lakes from freaky-looking invasive fish species and industrial contaminants, my amaze-balls hubby spent countless hours in the garage hacking away at this piece of wood with a manual saw.

And the result is beautiful--rustic--but just what I wanted. Thank you, Rob.

Oh-So Lovely Pom Pom Wall Hanging

Today's project comes courtesy of the AH-MAZING Aussie design + lifestyle blog, We Are Scout. When I stumbled across this blog, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. It was honestly so overwhelmingly awesome that I had to walk away from my computer screen for a minute and collect myself ( I'm not kidding). The thing that first got my attention was a free e-mag you could download from the site called "Decorating with Plants." I knew then and there that the girls who run this blog and I were kindred spirits. And it didn't take long before I found a DIY on their site that I absolutely had to try.

Isn't this the cutest wall hanging ever?

I'm going to let you in on a little secret: I have become addicted to DIY. I don't even finish a project anymore before starting another one. If it takes longer than a couple of hours to make, I often lose interest and want to start on something else instead. But I did force myself to see this one through to completion, even though it took me several weeks. I have so much respect for all those quilters and knitters out there who tackle big projects that they know will take them a long time to finish. I have such a need for instant gratification...and I change my mind so frequently about what I like that I'm always afraid that halfway through a project, I will decide I don't like it anymore.

That is sort of what happened with this wall hanging. I still think it's really cool, but I had an idea of where I wanted to put it, but then I changed some furniture and art around, and now I have no place for it anymore. So, did I spend the better half of my Christmas money on yarn for nothing? Did I miss some of the best American Idol auditions while I had my head down, concentrating on making pom poms, for nothing? Maybe, maybe not. (I'll let you in on another little secret since I like to keep it real: I style all my photographs so they look great for the site. What you see on this blog is not necessarily what you will see if you come over to my house. Some of it, but not all. If this were an accurate reflection of how our house looks tonight, there would be balled-up socks on the table, Kleenex stashed behind the plant and entirely different art on the wall!)

All the instructions you need to make this yourself are here, but I can tell you that the Extra Large Clover Pom Pom Maker will make your life as a producer of pom poms for this or any other project a million times easier. This handy-dandy contraption comes in several different sizes, but for this project, the Extra Large is a must. (It is not available at Michaels in Canada--I bought mine from Mary Maxim online.)

Oh, yes, the more I look at these pictures, the more I think I need to find a spot for this. It really is so pretty...

Easy DIY Modern Bohemian Wall Hanging

Happy New Year, friends! I apologize for the long gap between posts...everyone in our family has been sick with a cold and/or stomach virus this month and I've had a lot of work lately, but I've also been feeling mega inspired. It happens every year at this time--we take down the Christmas tree and all the decorations and I suddenly feel like giving the house a makeover. This January I decided I wanted the living room to have a slightly "cleaner" feel--and to achieve that I had to give away some of my plants that were causing it to feel just a little too jungly. So, I said goodbye to my six-foot pencil cactus and a couple of smaller plants, and moved around some others. I also acquired a new arm chair to make the space more conducive to conversations (we just had a couch before, forcing extra guests to either pull up a dining chair or sit on the floor), and I switched up some of the wall decor. The main thing I decided I wanted was a new monochromatic wall hanging to replace the one I had already, which was in a color scheme I never really loved (see my blog post from last January, "A Touch of the 70s".) It's funny to me that last January I was so excited to find that wall hanging at Target, as stylish woven wall hangings were really hard to come by a year ago. But now they can be found all over Etsy and in hipster emporiums like Urban Outfitters. The 70s have become really cool again, macrame plant hangers and all! This couldn't make me happier. :)

After doing a thorough search of handmade wall hangings on Etsy, I thought I had decided on a plain black one that was very simple and modern looking, but I found it hard to commit to the $70 price tag. I just kept thinking I bet that would be pretty easy to make. So, after looking to Pinterest for some inspiration, I came across a basic idea I liked and that looked totally doable, then put my own spin on it. Here is the result:

This wall hanging took a bit of time but was super easy to make and cost me a grand total of $15 for the yarn. Here is what I used:

-1 ball of "Ginormous" black acrylic yarn bought at Michaels
-1 ball of regular black wool yarn
-thin black hemp cord
-found branch painted white and gold

To get started, I simply cut a slew of pieces of yarn, doubled the length I wanted them to hang (I believe I did 70 inches), and then I began tying them onto the branch, using a basic macrame knot called the Reverse Larkshead. Once you have strung all your yarn, you can just start going to town, braiding pieces together, knotting them at random intervals, basically doing whatever the heck you want. The "ginormous" acrylic yarn was a great find, because it is so chunky and already has a braided look, so it fills the space up nicely and gives it texture. But supplementing it with the thinner yarn and string makes the piece look much more interesting and complicated. I also added some tassels made from the regular black wool for visual interest (you could also try pom poms). The bottom line is, there are no complicated knots to learn here and no rules to follow. I painted the branch white with gold stripes to give it a more contemporary feel, but you could just leave the wood bare or use a metal dowel instead.

If you are itching to add a touch of the 70s to your space, but are worried about it looking like Marcia Brady moved in, this is a great project to try. Bad news (good news?) is now I'm hooked on wall hangings! I already know what my next project is going to be. Stay tuned for that one and what is likely to be much more 70s style coming your way in 2016!