Top Five Fall Items

1. Terrain Pendleton Travel Throw, $108. I first spotted a leather carrier throw at a Kravet showroom and fell in love with its rustic cowboy appeal. This is a much more reasonable option, with the same country charm.

2. John Derian Moroccan Pouf in Grey, $295. I've seen moroccan poufs like this often recently, but this particular shade of gray has a lilac undertone that's undeniably unique (best seen in person). Forget children's rooms...I'd love one of these poufs as an ottoman in an eclectic living room.

3. Regina Andrew Arc Floor Lamp, $889. This, to me, is a much more sophisticated version of the popular oversized arc lamp that has been spotted in many mod living spaces. It's curves are perfection.

4. Etsy Grey Beaded Ribbon Spiral Necklace, $28. I'm always reluctant to wear jewellry that's very bold (I must get over this..), but this conservative ribbon necklace is the perfect touch of elegance and charm.

5. EmersonMade London Coat, $368. I'm obsessed with this coat. The impeccable tailoring (love the lining!), wide fit and stark contrast are things Audrey Hepburn would have approved of.

Now to work on the funds...

The Trouble with Blogging

Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration.  It's really the trouble of finding things (several things) I love/need/want at multiple times throughout the day.  Blogging has exposed me to the world of Tumbler, Etsy, Lonny, Magpie Lovely and the likes, and there simply aren't enough hours in the day for all the window shopping/inspiration file stockpiling I want to do.  It's to the point that if I were to print photos of everything I loved, large forests would be cleared.  Instead, my laptop's going to die of photo overload.

But sometimes I give in.  I find that one special item and just can't get it out of my head.  Like Dear June's sea-inspired scarves.  It's safe to say that these are so "me" and once discovering Romina's shop via You Are My Fav, I had to have one!

I get giddy like a kid on Christmas morning when I receive a package in the mail.  It's kind of pathetic.  Even the wrapping was so charming...

and voila.  I'm one happy camper. 

 But I also try to recall the urges of my crafty childhood when I can/need to.  I have hundreds of too-small-to-do-anything-with fabric samples thrown in bags, and unfortunately zero desire to create an heirloom quilt.  So instead they wait for awesome DIY projects like this: Little Miss Momma's Tutorial. 

It was a quiet weekend spent up north........

...so I took out an egg cup and traced circles like it was my job.

Note: Print out of Emersonmade's fabric floral goodness.  Couldn't resist clicking print.  One page closer to that large forest.

Glued a chain to the back of the flowers (that I got for free, I might add......thanks to the $1000000 I spent at Deserres as a student, I'm now reaping the rewards in gold chains).

And here it is!  Well, two of them.  Then I questioned how many necklaces I needed and decided to take a break.  It's been two months and I have a bag of flowers in need of chains, but I suppose that's not the point.  The point is it was free so it doesn't matter if it's hideous (just kidding).  Truthfully, it was fun to just spend time doing something with no purpose other than relaxation and having fun.  The trouble is.......now I always feel compelled to blog about it.

fashion.spree

fashion

  

dictates

(beautiful) design.

and makes me

crave

a brand

spankin' new

spring wardrobe

[So a few of these are better suited to autumn....but I've been admiring them for too long not to post them.]
Credits: The Sartorialist, Andrea Reh, EmersonMade, Allusion Print by yellena on ETSY, viktoria, net-a-porter, coco+kelly.

For Kate

I just watched these (click HERE) videos of Kate and Andy Spade's homes in the Southampton and New York City over at My Favorite and My Best (love Jenny's blog). Their homes are so happy and youthful, and their art collection is unreal! They're certainly not afraid to fill their homes with colour and things they love.

Then I stumbled upon Annechovie, an adorable blog by artist Anne Harwell. These gorgeous, colourful pieces are all her paintings and they're all for sale on Etsy! Her work was even featured in It's Complicated! Her whimsical touch reminds me so much of Kate Spade's styling.

This and That

Image from Sleep with Rain.

It's been a wonderful holiday (with a few days of work in between) and I'm sad to see it's over. Great meals, visits and plenty of relaxation. Unfortunately, I'm quick to get restless on a quiet afternoon and have resorted to a few "time fillers" throughout the holiday that I want to recommend. Hoping you all had a lovely holiday!

Eat

As a huge chocoholic (since birth), nothing quite satisfies the urge like a pan of hot, fudgy brownies (or the batter, both of which I love equally).

Martha Stewart's index of the best in brownies and blondies had my mouth watering, and I finally settled on Mocha Brownies. They were delicious and fudgy (I like to underbake them a touch) and I'd highly recommend them!

The other (easy) recipe I recommend is from one of my favourite blogs, This Is Glamorous. Rosaline's Crab Bruschetta was a simple and light lunch!

Make

Back in November, I posted about a little DIY project I intended to get busy with over the holidays. Sure enough, here on my last day (tired of sitting on the pile of fabric samples), I sewed together my first quilt. Fairly rustic (crooked, wrinkly, etc) but it was so easy and I'm actually really happy with it! It's a quick project for those leftover samples that you love too much to part with!

I've also become a bit of an Etsy addict, and I'm so so so excited about my latest purchase! Abby of Infusion Fibers handmakes sustainable bags and I've ordered this beautiful hemp and olive tote from her. So, this really has nothing to do with MAKE on my part, but Abby is clearly a creative genius and I can't wait for this tote to arrive!

Do

I thought about writing down a few New Years Resolutions in hopes of really "putting things into action", but I like to think of the New Year as more of a big picture thing. Not just goals, accomplishments, lists of to-dos, but more of re-centering myself and who I want to be. Last year, I posted a few thoughts on 2010 that I found in an H&M magazine. I still love these words of wisdom, even a year later. This year, I thought I'd share some great words I once found on a Body Shop bag (probably 10 years ago now...how time flies).

Live every moment. Lighten up. Take in some fresh air and sunlight. Dream of harmony. Face challenges eagerly. Look through the eyes of appreciation. Relish adventure. Forgive your parents and cut yourself some slack. Make someone happy. Work for peace. Never be disheartened. Re-invent. Reach. Risk. Refuse, resist, and re-use. Make a wish. Send little gifts in the mail. Accept love. Walk the dog. Surrender. Be silly. Do not wait for the better world. Show respect to your body and the earth. Dance with the stars. Let it go. Expect the best. Know all difficulties in your life have purpose. Follow your bliss. Practice random acts of kindness. Find calm (go there daily). Stand tall. Walk proud. Run after your dream. Learn from the past. Look to the future. Live every moment.

Read

I very vaguely asked my brother for a design book for Christmas, with no specific author or title in mind...and he did really, really well. Blown away well. He picked up Campion Platt's Made to Order that's filled with pages and pages of gorgeous interiors and sketches of the custom furnishings behind them. My growing collection of design books brings me a lot (a lot) of happiness.

{No luck uploading a book cover photo here, sorry!}

Last but not least is a book I pulled off my shelf that I had bought in my second year of university. My boyfriend at the time teased me every time I cracked open this "self help book", but there is plenty to be learned from it. Called Everyday Grace by Marianne Williamson, it remarks on ways to approach typical daily challenges, like work and relationships. There is a strong element of religion in Williamson's writing but the meaning of her writing reaches beyond that. She breaks it down with chapters like Being Happy, Feeling Jealous and Learning Compassion, and it's given me (for a second time) some great food for thought.

Looking forward to sharing a more personal Beautiful Shelter this year.

- Jenna

The Best In Pottery & Ceramics

Appetizer Set, Louise Bousquet.

Onde, Maude Blais.

I seem to be seeing, and loving, great pottery everywhere lately. Architectural Digest, Etsy, the One of a Kind Show (gr..never made it down, but perused their website). I'm not sure why, but coffee always seems to taste better in a beautiful stoneware mug. But why stop at mugs? Vases, trays, appetizer sets, ornaments...so much to love.

Local artisans do it best, but I've compiled a few of my most accessible favourites here.

Snowy-White Flower Bowl Set of 2, Adventures in Clay, Etsy.

Maren Ceramic Collection, Pottery Barn.

Ruffle Collection Vase, Global Views.

Winter Birch Vase, Global Views.

North Sea Cinched Bulb Vase, Global Views.

Brookfield Bakeware, Simon Pearce.

Tripoli & Sparta Vases, Horchow.

Also, new holiday Lonny release today! Click the Lonny Mag link on the left side :)