Candidly Cozy

One of my favourite colours is red. It's powerful, loud, and proud. I was able to get my hands on a great piece that was screaming for red. Sometimes you just know when it's right. This time it was right. The vintage side table was feeling unloved, and I knew it could find love again with a bit of attention. Being a free item from my dad, gave me the internal permission I needed to go bold. I felt I had nothing to lose but time and energy. I did have to invest in paint, but having the supplies from previous projects encouraged me to try. This is how I determine safe risks, what is the cost verses the reward. Have a heart to heart with yourself, and set a limit on the investment, will you learn something, will you earn something? Better yet if you can manage to do both. Following my previous steps in applying chalk paint, I was able to finish this project in a day.  I reused the fabulous original hardwear, and went with a dark wax finish this time. I was able to sati

Whether you're a beginner or expert, any cacti and succulent lover will salivate over this beautifully photographed book. It includes valuable information on the care and keeping of these versatile plants, as well as a comprehensive guide on individual species. You'll want them all! The well thought out layout, and easy to read text make flipping through this book a breeze, however you'll probably end up reading every word once you start. Now that I've read quit a few books on this topic, I would say Prick sits near the top of my list of succulent must reads. I could tell immediately that the author is very passionate about her plants, and excited to share her passion with the reader. I highly recommend popping by your local library to borrow this beauty or, for serious succulent lovers, purchasing a copy for your own reference shelf. The book is heavily sided on the cacti variations, and not as much on the echeveria varieties. If you are more of a cactus c

The entryway is one of the most important places in your home. It's the first place you see after a long day at work, the place where you welcome guests, and the place where you kiss your loved ones goodbye as they go out in the world. I didn't realize how important an area it was until after I bought my house. I hate my entryway. It's small, and a clutter magnet. The worst thing of all, is that there's nothing I can do about physically changing the size, and because I can't expand, all I can do is decorate, and creatively organize. I have room for one piece of furniture, and I choose a bench over a table. Having kids and elderly relatives, I feel that a bench to store items, and a spot to sit while putting on shoes is more suitable for us. The wooden bench I had on hand was a bit beat up. It deserved a makeover, a chalk paint makeover, with a farmhouse feel. If it's going to get beat up, I might as well purposely give it some wear. I applied the same te

Photos tell stories. Who you love, where you've been, and what you've done. I became interested in photography once I had children. I wanted to document every special fleeting moment, and to treasure those moments again years down the road. But, once the children got older, and less amiable to posing for pictures, I began focusing my lens on the world around me. Since then I discovered the enjoyment I feel when I try to make the most mundane things look interesting, and to share what I see with the world. How to display and admire my favourites has become a quandary. Frankly, there's only so much room in ones home to hang photos and art before you begin to look cluttered and disorganized.  We all can't live in castles on the hill. My solution to this was to create a revolving interchangeable display for photos, cards, art, certificates, mementos, and anything else that deserves a place of honour. I can change it on a whim, and to whatever suits my current fa

What is hygge, and why is it important? Hygge is a Danish word to describe a multitude of pleasant feelings, it can mean many things to many people. Hygge for me, may differ from hygge for you, but the ultimate goal is the same for everyone, to immerse yourself in a moment of pleasure, and to appreciate that moment. Can I tell you how to hygge in a nutshell, not really, but I'll do my best to explain what it means to me. Hygge, pronounced hoo-gah , is often described as a feeling of cozy contentment. This is can be associated with many outlets, such as; the feeling of deep camaraderie while spending time with family and friends, the feeling you get while reading a good book by candlelight, or quietly savouring a hot cup of tea. It can be felt while taking a stroll in nature, felt when creating art, and felt when enveloped in a warm and welcoming  atmosphere. Hygge is associated with a slower pace of life, and reflects upon the importance of treasuring the little things.

The holidays make the perfect excuse to over indulge, and wear stretchy pants! Best of all it's an opportunity to make my go to simple spiced pancake recipe. It fills the belly, saves time, and keeps me from missing out on the memories. I have a dirty little secret, I rarely make anything from scratch, and if I do, I look for shortcuts to get me on my way. Here's one such shortcut, before you begin pick up ready-to-make pancake mix, and a package of your favourite frozen fruit, prewashed and precut, you'll save a ton of time. Start with the fruit compote topping. *On medium-high, add 1/2 cup of frozen fruit per-person in a saucepan. *Mix in 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (1 teaspoon if it's a big batch). *Add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup for each 1/2 cup of fruit. This will gently sweeten the pot. *Cook until no longer frozen, allowing the natural juices to be released, and the vanilla and syrup to be absorbed by the fruit. The Pancakes *Prepare the