Art: Beach Vibes with Minted

August 6, 2015 | 8 Commentaries

While I was in Florida last month, I took a bit of time in between beach walks to zhush up the dining room in my parents’ beach-front condo. Minted, one of my long-time fave destinations for art, stationary, and (now!) fabric, lent a generous hand to this project, so I’m giving the company and its designers a major shout-out here!

Here’s a before of the space:

It’s a mess, isn’t it? Beach towels are everywhere, the lamp and dried flower arrangement serve no purpose, and the buffet is serving as a sunscreen station.

I knew I wanted to get rid of the lamp and flower arrangement tout de suite and hang a large piece of art above the buffet. I was looking for something light, bright, modern, and beachy. After reviewing Minted’s website and lookbook, I landed on Anchor in Ink by Two if By Sea Studios, and I knew it would be just perfect!

Anchor in Ink (available in black, navy, fuchsia, and aqua)

While I would typically be drawn to the black version, for this condo, I knew that navy would be the most suitable choice (how cool is it that it comes in different colours?).

In addition to the art, I added some fabric (Sailboat Splash by Lindsay Megahed) to my cart. At the moment, I used the fabric as a table cloth, but my mom will soon be sewing it up into pillows for the living room. Since the living and dining room are open to one another, the future sailboat pillows will work nicely with the anchor print.

This is the first time I ordered fabric from Minted, and I have to say that I’m impressed with its weight. It’s heavier than I thought it would be. It will definitely be perfect for pillows.

Many thanks to Becky L., Molly B., and Minted for supporting this project.

Art: Go Big with Minted

June 8, 2015 | 1 Commentary

After a very busy week away, I’m back home, and I’m back to blogging! I have so many things to share. Get ready for a few fun weeks ahead.

I’m currently planning a couple of projects with one of my all-time favourite online shops – Minted. I’ve used Minted many times in the past for Christmas cards, party supplies, and small pieces of art for my gallery wall. Today, though, is all about big art! Move over gallery walls – big art is coming through.

I’ve been looking for a piece for my basement lounge. A few months ago, I painted the bed (made from two Ikea twin frames that came with my house) high gloss black and the walls white (shout out to CIL). I threw on every black and white pillow that I had lying around and called it a day. The blank wall above the daybed is definitely in need of something beautiful and this is an easy fix thanks to Minted.

Here’s the starting point:

Minted has a huge selection of art by artists from around the world. I love that you can customize each piece in terms of size and framing. It makes is super easy to find a piece that is exactly right for your space.

Here are some prints that made my favourite list for my basement:

Moth No. 2 by Peter Loves Jane4 Robins by Kim JohnsonQuorum No. 3 by Stephanie NowotarskiPalm Trees in the Wind by Simone KleinStepping Stones by Little Bird Paperie

They’re big, graphic, and black and white – my favourite combo! That said, I think many of you might end up being surprised by my final choice. I’m so excited for my new print to arrive. Now I get to keep you all in suspense!

Thanks to Minted for sponsoring this post.

Event: Pottery Class at Inspirations Studio

May 21, 2015 | 8 Commentaries

Recently, I was invited back to Inspirations Studio in Toronto to take part in a pottery class with a group of my blogging colleagues (hi Renée, Brittany, Shannon, Amy). It was so fun! You may remember that last year, I designed a collection of pottery that was sold at BlogPodium. This time, though, it was my turn to get behind the wheel. Oh my goodness. I made a mess! And it was fun!

The afternoon began with a pro-potter giving us step-by-step instructions on how to throw the clay and form it into a small bowl using the wheel.

In just a few minutes, she made this perfectly formed bowl:

I made several attempts, but couldn’t quite get a symmetrical bowl. A little wonky bowl is a conversational piece, though, right? We also had the chance to roll out the clay and use different materials to imprint patterns on our pieces. I made a tray and rolled a piece of lace over it to create some texture.

Our pieces should be ready soon, and I’ll be sure to show you how they look post-firing. For now, here are a couple more photos from around the studio. If you’re in Toronto and would like to have your own pottery experience, you might want to register for classes at Inspirations Studio.

Thanks to Lindsey T. and the team at Inspirations Studio for organizing a wonderful afternoon of pottery!

The Friday Five: It’s a Duck’s Life

April 17, 2015 | Leave a Reply

Well, well, what a week! On Monday morning, a duck was sitting calmly in my planter box. On Monday evening, I discovered a circle of white eggs. Since then, my neighbours and I have been monitoring the duck action that’s right outside my front door. I’m from Toronto, so drop me into a big city, and I am happy. Nature…nature is still pretty foreign to me. I was initially freaked out by the mom duck, but we have survived our first week together! I know her routine, and we each have our space. I’ve given the planter box over to her, and I even added a sign so that others know there’s some important business going on. I think the duck conversations with my neighbours have been entirely amusing! It makes sense, then, that today’s post revolves around the ol’ duck!

SPRUTT duck storage, Ikea

white duck print, Tiny Kiwi Prints

Anaheim Ducks print, Society 6

duck feet light, Porta Romana

happy duck, Swarovski

Happy weekend, everyone!

Art: Kirsty Mitchell Photography

April 16, 2015 | Leave a Reply

My sister recently sent me a link to Kirsty Mitchell‘s work, and I was completely blown away. You will be, too! For her Wonderland series of photos, Kristy designed and created incredibly intricate props and costumes, then styled elaborate sets for her models. Her photographs are magical, fantastical, and very dreamy. Here’s a peek at some of the white costumes and props (made from fans) from her Wonderland series:

If you are amazed by this, your jaw will drop when you watch the behind-the-scenes films, and flip through all of the photographs online. I spent more time than I’d like to admit trying to take it all in.

Thanks to Corie for sending this my way.

previous 1 … 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 … 44 next