-- Design Disagreements --

Do you and your significant other agree on elements of the design / look of your home?

Except for paint colors, it is extremely rare for Lucas and I to wholeheartedly agree with each other regarding choices for our home.  Its true that we almost always find a compromise that we can both be happy with, but its always a struggle going back and forth trying to figure it out.

Case in point - this spring Lucas is planning on building an outdoor chair (maybe even two if we can agree on a design).  The major reason why he is building one is because he is part of an online group of woodworkers who do projects together that are led by The Wood Whisperer.  Basically this guy uploads very detailed instructional videos that are designed to teach woodworkers to improve their skill.  Great idea right?  Sure, except Marc, the Wood Whisperer makes the designs and they are never - never even close - to satisfying my design aesthetic.

See here are some pics of outdoor chairs that I like.  They typically feature a low, deep seat, wide arms, narrow slats for the seat and back and most usually a comfy seat cushion...

 But here is the design that Lucas is planning on making...

from The Wood Whisperer

Its a take on an adirondack chair, but I just don't like it.  It doesn't look comfortable and considering the cost of building something like this, I don't really feel like having an expensive outdoor chair that we both don't love...

How you do and roommate/significant other/husband handle these design disagreements?

Any suggestions on ways to please us both in the outdoor chair department?

-- Happy --

Katie wrote this in her blog yesterday and I found it this morning...  She warms my heart sometimes...

Be open to the happiness that could happen today.
Invite it in.
Nevermind wet clothes or sandy bottoms or keeping your toes out of the mud.
Today is a day for happy. 
Make it happen.
Dip your toes in.
It’ll be worth it…

-- Master Bedroom Mood Board --

I posted a little while back about the pillows that I made for our master bedroom.  They've turned out quite nicely in my opinion, but sadly, 3 nice pillows does not make a nice bedroom.  

This fall we upgraded from our super basic queen size bed to a super comfy king size and we haven't looked back since.  However, its definitely been a wake-up call because we've needed to change out almost everything in the room.  We had obviously expected needing to switch out the sheets and pillows, but it really never occurred to me that even our bedside tables would need changed to accommodate the big bed.

So its a work in progress... and most of it is in our imaginations :)  I have found it helpful to get some ideas together in the form of a mood board...  What do you think?

Right now the plan is for Lucas to make a new bed frame and headboard and we have some ideas up our sleeves about how to dress it up.  He will also make a couple bedside tables to complement the bed frame.  We are thinking something like the ones pictured below except in a wood that matches the bed.

I've also already purchased the lamps - they are not exactly like the ones in the mood board but the scale and shape is similar... the only difference is that the shades are a turquoise/cobalt blue like the middle throw pillow on the bed.  

The jury is still very much out with respect to the art on the headboard wall.  I kind of like the idea of the pictures behind the lamp, but I'm also considering going with something curvy (oval/circle) centred over the headboard.

Does anyone have any opinions?  suggestions? advice?

-- Attitude Adjustment --

I'm not sure why, but lately I've been in a bit of a funk and the lack of blog posting is Exhibit A of my bad mood.  As my Mom and Dad might say, I have been in desperate need of an attitude adjustment :)

So in an effort to perk-me-up Lucas suggested Cake Pops and that's an idea that I can definitely get behind.  My last cake pop experience was also right around Easter and they were delicious.  This batch is equally as good - and was less of a headache too because I took the route of sprinkles instead of hand-decorating each pop.

A highlight of this Cake Pop experience was that I asked Lucas to get me a piece of styrofoam to stick the pops into and he didn't have any in the garage.  So instead he disappeared into his workshop, pulled out some wood scraps and a drill bit and came back with these stunners!  Nice right?  I think that with the way Cake Pops are sweeping the country, he should patent these babies :)

Yes, I took a lot of pictures :)

In addition to making - and eating - Cake Pops, another perk-me-up from yesterday was coming across this beautiful song on Facebook yesterday by Nichole Nordeman.  What a wonderful message - my favorite line "You should have seen me smile the day that I made you"

If you've got a minute - check out this video - it will make your heart swell :)





Ok, one last Cake Pop picture...

-- My Favorites: March Edition --

A bunch of the blogs that I read post their monthly goals... its the popular thing to do... Kim from the Newlywoodwards does it, so does Emily at Imperfect and even Kristen at Miss Prissy Page.  But, I'm more of a procrastinator than a goal-maker... so I figure its safer for me to be retrospective and instead, recap my favorites from the month.  Here's the March edition.

1) Amazing on my skin, and an amazingly time-saver for my morning routine:  Bare Minerals...

2) Looks like a work-appropriate jean, feels like yoga pants when they are on...

3) Adventure, Mystery, Captivating story, and a very good love story...

4) Finally finding a sewing machine that doesn't make me cry - even if it is Baby Pink...

5) Last but not least - This great new song "Collide" By Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock... love it almost as much as their first collaboration.



Tomorrow starts April!  WooHoo!  I'm looking forward to cleaning up the yard, seeing some new green growth outside, making progress on our master and guest bedrooms and basically getting some fresh air!

-- Stella and Dot WishList --

I've got to say, I'm a lucky girl.  My mom called a few days ago to say that she wants to pick a little something to give me to commemorate my graduation that it coming up in a couple months.  So, as per her instructions, I spent some time this morning making a Stella and Dot wishlist!  So much fun!

In looking through their website, I noticed that I'm drawn most to the more delicate designs - maybe because I think they are more timeless?

Here's what I bookmarked for my wishlist:

Starry Night Necklace

I think that this one has got to be my most favorite.  So shiny, but feminine and definitely something I can see wearing for many years into the future.

Glint Flower Necklace

 This one is similar to the Starry Night necklace, its in silver (I wear more silver/white gold usually) and at less than half the price its a nice compromise.  I only wonder about how "cubic zirconia" looking the pendant is...

Teardrop Necklace

Together Forever Necklace

These two necklaces are also gorgeous in my opinion.  And the bangle below is also something that I can see myself wearing on a regular basis.  I think it would look just as great with a nice dress as it would with some dark wash jeans and a tee.

Signature Clover Bangle

 This last item on my wishlist is something that I really hadn't previous considered, but am finding quite appealing.  Its a serious of charms that can be worn on any chain or bangle.  If it were up to me, I would pick the 'a' charm, the wishbone, the pearl of wisdom and/or the hope charm, which looks a lot like the one pictured below.

 So many excellent choices - I'm definitely hoping that Mom can settle on one that she likes for me *hint*hint*

Do any of you have Stella and Dot jewelry?  What's your favorite?  Have you tried on any of the ones that I've put on my wishlist?

-- Right Now --

** I enjoy blogging and I want to do more of it.  But, I often feel the need to over-explain / over-narrate things I think.  So I am going to adopt this post format that Natalie at The Gossetts has used a bit over the last few weeks.  We'll see how it goes...**

• watching: Dancing With the Stars - another season...
  
• procrastinating: writing a proposal for funding for a summer student in the lab.
• feeling: energized with research ideas after attending Day 3 of the Rotman Conference
• wondering: if Husband will ever conquer his website - its frustrating him right now :S
• wishing: that my puppy would stop licking the furniture (actually virtually everything...)
• trying: to take one day at a time and be patient.
• missing: the warm weather from a week or so ago.
• loving: that Husband cleaned up dinner and loaded/started the dishwasher without being asked!!
• 
  

What are you loving/wishing/wondering right now?

-- CWC: Wall Hanging Cabinet --

Remember how months ago I blogged about our bathroom renovation and how it was *almost* finished?  Well three months later, I can check one more thing off that list of things to complete.

Lucas hung the bathroom wall-hanging cabinet late last week and I am in love!

Here is a look at how it looked before hanging it on the wall.

He built it out of walnut to match the bathroom vanity.  It has some beautiful grain to it and has tons of practical storage as well.

The shelves are adjustable so we should have no trouble storing all the medicines, extra shampoo bottle etc... that I have planned to stash away in here.  Check out the dove-tailed drawers...

We don't have pictures yet of it hanging on the wall, but I'll try to get some soon.  Only one more project to go before the bathroom is finished.  Lucas is making a hamper for towels with all the leftover walnut from the vanity and this cabinet.  He hasn't started it yet, but I'm hoping its finished before my family comes to visit for my convocation in June.

-- Yummy! --

I found Dlish via a Toronto based blog (that I can't seem to track down) and I was immediately smitten.  The cupcakes look just like the ones from the TLC show "DC Cupcakes".  So when my sister suggested a little afternoon get together, I suggested that she take a gander over to Dlish and pick some up for us to share.

From their online menu, I chose 3 cupcakes, a Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cookies and Cream, and Red Velvet.  The Cookies and Cream was my favorite!

Red Velvet was a close second though - I can't believe that this was my first opportunity to try Red Velvet cake (it definitely won't be my last...)

So Yummy!

If you are in the Toronto area, I'd suggest to run, not walk, over to Dlish!  But check their website because they only make certain flavors on certain days...

-- Snow Day --

Today is March 23, the second day of spring.  I've been reading on other blogs about daffodils, garden planting and even some swimming and shorts-wearing.  But here in the Great White North, our alarm went off as usual at 5:25am this morning and I got up to take a look out the window before dragging myself stumbling into the shower.  This glimpse out the window looked like the middle of winter.  Despite hearing the warning on the news, it was still surprising to see the roads covered in snow and the car with a good 5 inches on top and around the tires.  I did a quick mental review of my schedule for the day, realized I didn't have any pressing that required me to be physically at the office, and heaved myself back into bed announcing "I'm staying home".

He put on a brave face and said he couldn't work from home, but he soon changed his tune when he heard the traffic reports.  See out commute is an hour the highway and with crazy, winter traffic, that can easily multiply to 2 or 3 hours - each way.

So instead of spending the morning staring at brake lights on the 401, we are in our jammies, sipping coffee, eating bagels and staring out the window looking at this:

Yep, winter's not over yet - this is Canada after all...