Candidly Cozy

Having plants is a joy, and displaying them can be a joy too! As much as I love the unique leafy characteristics of my plants, a major part of the equation is proper presentation. Each plant has it's own personality, therefore each of them deserves a special spot of their own. My cozy little abode has limited space for all the things I love (there's so much to love), how do I make it all fit without looking cluttered? When there's limitations one is then forced to be creative. I looked high and low for the perfect plant shelf to fit a particular spot in my home. The criteria was as follows; 1) Wheels to save me from moving individual pots about in search of just the right lighting conditions, and 2) it needed to fit the modern rustic farmhouse theme that I have begun transitioning too. Unfortunately nothing seemed to fit the bill. When I accepted the fact that the vision I had in my mind wasn't going to be found, I knew I had to investigate diy options. ...

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. I...

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 ...

When an idea pops into my head, sometimes it's good, and other times...well, maybe we shouldn't dwell on those other times . The latest idea: Experiment with painting furniture, a risk I was willing to take.     The original buffet and hutch, sans paint, and middle glass due to an, ahem, indoor ball incident.    After several years with young children running about, and sticking with dark furniture to hide all those greasy little fingerprints, it's time to convert to a home of my dreams, and to me that would be a more cozy, farmhouse feel. One of the most obvious changes to begin any home transformation is furniture. Buying all new furniture is not an option for us, however DIY revamps are. The chalk paint craze over the last couple of years seemed like a viable option. I started researching, and the more I investigated, the more confident I felt about taking the gamble. I decided to start with one section of...

I like free stuff! For me it's easier to say yes, and dispose of an item myself, than it is to say no, and possibly miss out on that one special thing. Within reason of course, don't go dumping that horrid 1962 sofa bed on my front lawn, I assure you I wouldn't be very happy about that. One of the best givers of free stuff is my dear old dad. He's a treasure hunter of sorts, and isn't afraid to share his finds if he thinks I can " do something " with it. Recently he brought me several pieces of old weathered wood. Oh my, so many possibilities! Once I looked them over, I knew right away what I wanted to do with one of the pieces. It was the perfect shape and size for a rustic serving tray. It had the character I was looking for, and it was a very light wood, easy to move around with little effort, especially once loaded up with dishes, or holiday centerpieces. I only needed to make a few tweaks.  Abandoned wood reborn.  1) Before I could d...

It's thrilling to see potential in something others would discard, or dismiss. In our garden shed we had just the item, an old toboggan, well used and abandoned by children who once rode it like a magic carpet in the land of snow and ice. Once the toboggan lost it's magic, it came to rest buried in the deep recesses of a corrugated metal coffin. Until now.  While venturing out of town, browsing quaint little shops and boutiques for inspiration, we came across a shop that had converted old wooden sleds into sweet little shelves, the perfect spot to display precious trinkets. I knew I wanted one! It was my partner in crime who mentioned that we still had an old sled in the shed. So I looked lovingly at my live-in-handyman, smiled sweetly, and suggested we give it a try.    DIY Toboggan Shelf   1) First the toboggan needed a good cleaning. It was musty, and a bit mouldy from storage. A nice bath of bleach did the trick. We tossed the ...

I'm a collector by nature. I love beautiful things. I can't resist sparkle, charm, and uniqueness! Sometimes I believe there's magpie in my DNA. And it doesn't stop there. In my need to create, and investigate, I become well...obsessive. Perhaps it's better to say I like to immerse myself. When I fall in love with something, I typically fall hard, and the latest interest that has captured my heart is - succulents.     Echeveria - Lola     Those chubby drought loving plants that come in an array of pastels, and visually pleasing geometric shapes, that can be planted in adorable little pots. It didn't take long to figure out that they're in hot commodity, and the "it" indoor plant at the moment. I started noticing them everywhere, plastered near and far on my favourite home décor sites. I took notice, storing this epiphany for future reference. Then it happened, while out on a separate errand, a cart of succulents at m...