I thought I had it nailed down when I chose Ikea’s Ranarp lamp, ie The New Blogger Lamp.
I was sure that’s what I wanted.
The hubby even confirmed that he was throwing away the Ranarp packaging. Which meant I could not change my mind and return it. Because I can be a little commitment-phobic with my decorating decisions. I always hang on to the packaging, even after I’ve decided. Just in case.
This drives the hubby nuts. We always have the packaging discussion, right after I bring something new home. He tries to get me to toss it, but usually it ends up in the garage. Just in case.
These are the crazy things you have to put up with in a marriage. Luckily, I more than make up for it with my endearing charm.
It’s not really my fault. I think commitment-phobia runs in my family. But that’s a whole other story. We’re talking about the bedside lamps here.
That’s all you need to make this simple and beautiful arrangement.
I threw one together for my recent Summer Oasis backyard party for a few of my girlfriends. Summer’s all about taking it easy, and this arrangement fit the bill perfectly.
Hostas are plentiful, and if you don’t have any of your own, I’m sure you can snag a few leaves from a neighbour. But I’d suggest (more…)
I crossed an item off my Toronto bucket list last week – Shakespeare In High Park. I’ve been meaning to go for years and years, but it’s one of those Toronto traditions that for some reason just kept eluding me. And after watching a delightful performance of As You Like It last week in the gorgeous open-air amphitheatre, I can’t imagine what took me so long.
It was an entertaining performance – fun and fast paced. This play might actually have done what all those high school English teachers tried so hard, and failed, to do – turn me into a fan of the Bard.
The setting was gorgeous, with a backdrop of (more…)
We’re excited to host another giveaway with some blogger friends. We’d love nothing more than to hand over some moolah to a lucky Lifeovereasy reader so you can:
a) buy 3 new pairs of jeans
b) buy 60 ice cream cones
c) take salsa dance lessons
These suggestions were courtesy of my youngest, but you can do whatever tickles your fancy.
Its time for another great Cash giveaway organized by DownshiftingPRO and a group of Canadian Bloggers and they want to give you some spending money so you can have some family fun.
Contest Rules: To enter, just use the Giveaway Tools form above. In order to win, you must have a PayPal account (no other form of payment will be issued). If it doesn’t load after a minute or so, refresh your browser. Contest is void where prohibited. Only one IP address per household is eligible to win. This giveaway is open to World Wide to PayPal account holders, aged 18 and older. Giveaway ends August 6, 2014 at 11:59pm ET. Winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize otherwise a new winner will be chosen. No exceptions to this rule. . Good luck!
This salad is a very quick and easy bowl of summer that will be happily inhaled from all at your table. You can whip up a smaller portion as an app, serve it as a perfect and hearty lunch, or have a larger serving for a quick weeknight meal. It’s super light, crunchy and packed with the flavors of sweet honey, aromatic mint and basil and a touch of peppery arugula. It’s also filled with a good serving of protein, making it a satisfying but awesomely healthy meal. Give it a try, I guarantee you’ll be getting requests for a (more…)
Ella Fitzgerald had it right. Long summer days, and lazy evenings chilling with friends – that’s what I need to stock up on after a long Canadian winter.
When the lovely folks at Pure Leaf Iced Tea asked us to think about our summer oasis, I knew exactly where mine was. It was right by the pool on my relaxing loungers, sharing some great food and drinks with my girlfriends. Nothing beats some good conversation and a few laughs with old friends. And an easy vibe ensures that everyone has a good time, including moi, the hostess.
The key word here for me is easy. Summer is all about relaxing, and your entertaining should reflect that. All you need is some simple but (more…)
Just spending a sunny summer day hanging some pottery in the garden and thought I’d share some shots.
Most potters I know have gardens full of their rejects. I’ve had lots of that over the years, but lately I’ve actually been making some pieces with the intention of leaving them outdoors. It’s a nice way to add a little colour here and there.
For those of you who throw a little clay around yourselves, these are all made with high fired porcelain clay. That means they’re fairly strong and durable, and do well outdoors.
I made a series of hearts, inspired by my visit to the Austrian Alps last year, where they (more…)
We had some friends over for a dinner party last week and they brought us a lovely hostess gift, a big bag full of beer in honor of the World Cup. In the midst of all the fussing to get dinner on the table, I thanked them and moved onto the business of eating and it wasn’t until the next day that I had a chance to ‘explore’ their bag of fun.
And that’s exactly what it was. A big bag of international brews, king cans from all corners of the planet, representing almost all of the major teams in this tournament. And with that, a new tradition has been born.
We are big soccer fans in this family. A lot of Italian, with a sprinkling of German and touch of Columbian make every game a real nail (more…)
It’s far in the back. I can hardly hear what’s going on at the house.
We let this part of the yard stay au naturel. The hammock sits between giant pines for shade. There is a nest of hawks overhead, who have come back for the third year in a row. Obviously they like it back there, too.
Sometimes the dog comes out to visit me.
And thanks to the miracle of modern technology, I can occasionally text someone in the house to bring me a drink.
Sorry to the long list of great girlfriends who I have bonded with over the years. Sorry to all of you who have stood by me through thick and thin, through the tortures of grade school and high school, through boys and babies.
Sorry girls. Girl gossip and martinis are fun and all, but great furniture finds top my list.
I have a new best friend.
Her name is HomeSense. We go way back. And our bond just grows and grows.
Nothing personal. I love you all. But finds like this cabinet make my heart race.
Shallow, I know.
Now, some of you might think that I have a tad too many dishes. And you may be right. But that’s why this cabinet and I are (more…)
