Modern and Hilarious Embroidery

Today is my last day with my mom.  Tomorrow she leaves for home.  Sad face.  She is kindly whipping up a curtain for the guest room (a post soon, I promise) but will be done shortly and then the last day of mother-daughter fun will commence.  It will involve baking, eating, the making of sad faces, and a trip to a chocolate shop.  Because my dance card is so full, today's post is short, sweet but good for a laugh.

Check out these hilarious embroideries:

What Party?

What Party?

What Party?
This is me & Hubby.  I'm the one bringing home buttons.

I seriously cannot stop giggling.  I want one.  Such a modern take on a familiar craft.  Want to see more fun & quirky embroidered goodness?  Check out Embroideries by Stephanie Tillman.

Cat in the Cupboard

Remember how, in July, I got a little lucky with the yard sales and bought lots of vases and home accessories?  Well, after visiting our home town (where I found many of my fun finds) Hubby & I drove back to the townhouse, I hurriedly took care of a few last minute details and two days later I was overseas.  All of my finds stayed packed in a box (or two or three).  Now I am a bit overwhelmed by the task of finding everything a home, especially because my "home" for the last month has been so, ummm, "spartan" . . . 

My mom has a good handle on displaying beloved items without her space looking packed to the gills.  I love the cute little handmade goods and artwork she has scattered about her house, displayed in a casual but distinctly un-cluttered way.  I think the key is to have one piece showcased at a time.  This bookcase is pretty spare (other than being jammed full of books) and this one ornamentation is given room to "breathe".

Before I embark on my unpacking mission, what are your tips for not letting small bits and bobs overwhelm or clutter a space?



This handmade cat (actually a pen-holder) was purchased when I lived in Kingston, ON

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Bedroom Update!

Months ago, in the midst of trying to find the perfect duvet cover, I asked Apartment Therapy readers for help (see here).  Suggestions ranged from keep the bedding but just adding more color to suggestions for different bedding - and a whole host of other suggestions (like ditch the bedskirt and add colorful curtains). 

Here is what we did:

• Bought new West Elm duvet cover and three matching euro shams
• Bought new bed skirt (need it to cover ugly bedframe that mattress warranty demands)
• Started using fancy white sheets that were a wedding gift
• Sewed colourful silk and printed throw pillows with my Mom
• Painted three huge abstract canvases
• De-cluttered nightstands and added brighter accessories

Here's what we kept:

• Headboard my mom & I designed that my grandpa welded
• Ditto on the matching nightstands
• White lamps - a splurge from last year
• White sheer curtains my grandma sewed for us
• Small jewelry chest

Here's what we need to do:

• Add some more artwork (?)
• Add more nightstand accessories
• Change the knobs on my small chest from gold to silver

Without further ado, here is what the room looked like when we moved in:

Before

After installing new flooring, painting, etc., the room looked like this:

Not bad, but a little dull - and a major departure from the crisp white and bright colours of the guest room down the hall.  Our new white sheets look so inviting but the pin tucked duvet cover & shams add some texture.  I'm happy with my choice because the white bedding really brightens the room and the colourful artwork, pillows, and accessories really make the room cheerier.  The bedskirt, a surprise purchase, is so much more glam than the plain cotton one.  I love the sheen and subtle hint of colour.

The perfect curtain rod - a bit squarish & black

The new bedskirt!

And, at nighttime:

I'm so thrilled with the new look - it complement the DIY headboard so much better.  Thanks to everyone for their thoughtful suggestions and help!

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Inspiration: More Splashes of Red

Happily, my mom & I did find some treasures yesterday.  Unhappily, my camera battery died so it will need to spend some time charging today.  In the meantime, I wanted to share this great colour palette.  I'm still figuring out what to pair with our red kitchen accents (see here for more kitchen pictures), but I'm really liking red with pale blue/aqua and minty green . . .

 

Source



Check out this handmade pottery - how cute is the mushroom motif?
Source



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Master Bedroom: "Before & In Progress"

Come on in!  See how this nursery became our bedroom . . .  

"Before"

Process:
After removing the wallpaper border (thanks mom & dad!), painting everything a crisp white and installing hardwood floors (see the process here) we have a clean & bright canvas to work with. 

In progress . . .

My mom, hard at work!

Hello floors!

TA DA!
This room needs some shaking up.  I love our headboard and side tables which were designed by my mom and I, but built by my grandfather.  The wall to wall curtains my grandmother sewed for us are gorgeous.  The lamps are new—we love how crisp they look and the tiny bulb in the base is great for when we want just a bit of light.  But its a bit . . . blah.  Scroll down for my plans so far.  The rusty cogs in my brain are turning as I plan how to liven up this room . . .
 

  

My mom & I designed the headboard & side tables
which were handmade by my grandpa

 

 

     

This room has the biggest window in the house,
emphasized by the wall-to-wall curtains my grandmother sewed for us

My plans:
Artwork and new bedding should do the trick.  I am ogling a few duvet sets right now, but the Dwell Studio duvet cover below has really caught my eye.  That set would look gorgeous with a jumble of differently coloured silk pillows (I have some burnt organge silk that never made itself into the scarf I planned).  I plan on painting a large triptych for the empty wall across from the headboard, but this plan is hinged on my feeling creative enough . . .

This great bedding by Dwell Studio (Draper Stripe Ash) has won my heart

If you also love this Dwell Studio bedding, you can find it here.  My mom has the Chinoiserie set and I am sooooo jealous.   Although . . . I am tempted to go for the white bedding look I have in the guest room (see here).  Decisions, decisions, decisions.  Anyone else like so many different styles and looks that it can be hard to commit to something???

I painted this, but my mom made a sad face until I gave the painting to her. 
But I bought three GIANT canvases, so hopefully inspiration will strike again
and I can paint a tryptich for the room-maybe with brighter colours

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