Ahhh... a few days off and I feel like I am past the big four. My brother's passing, starting a new full time job, moving house and Christmas! The first was the toughest, obviously. The second helped me get through the first. The last two took me to the edge of stress!!! 

Now, we have a few days off and the main floor of the bungalow is unpacked!!! Wow! We got into the basement (finished) and set up a tv room. I realized I have to have a yard sale in the Spring as I really cannot fit all this stuff in. Granted, we are making the house larger with the reno come summer, but by then, I will want to add newness. What the house is really lacking, compared to the last house, is bookcases. I had loads of built-in bookcases and plenty of books to fill them. 

I have been able to trade in some of my books for credit at a used book shop, but this beauty is not one for a used book shop. One of my favourite designer is Bunny Williams. While I will never part with "An Affair with a House" (my all time favourite decor book), I thought I would try Amazon's new Sell My Stuff option and I have put a like-new copy of Point of View up for sale at the lowest price - $32.99. I may have cracked the spine 2-4 times and it probably in better shape then a new one at the book store, cracked many time. It was shrink-wrapped when I purchased it. Full of beautiful pictures and designs, including Bunny & John Rosselli's Dominican Republic paradise vacation home.

Buy (like new) for $32.99!!!

While you're at it: Bunny has redone her website and it is beautiful!!! Check it out at:

Bunny Williams.

We're in!!!

I am completely exhausted! We have spent the weekend moving into the new house. The new job is busy. busy, busy, as can be expected at Christmastime. The good news is we are almost unpacked, with the exception, a lot will remain in boxes while we renovate. Simply no room for things.

So forgive the quick blog. I may go back to bed or jump in the shower. We have finally been hit with snow and it is cold!!! Are we the last to get it? My back is sore, my neck is tense and I am working tonight. The excitement of plans and drawings will begin soon! But first, we need to enjoy Christmas with the kids. Poor things are squished into new smaller bedrooms.

New discovery about the house: there is an antique safe in the basement laundry room that is 2500 lbs! Apparently, the house was built around it by an owner who was a jeweller! We would need a crane to remove it! Unfortunately, the diamonds have long since been removed!!!!

Christmas

Things are getting busy around here! I started a full time job back the The Bay on Monday. I packed most boxes beforehand for the move - Dec 10th!!!! Then, Christmas is around the corner. Yikes! The plan is the kitchen, bedrooms the Xmas decorations go into the truck last. Here a little Christmas inspiration to get us all going!

via Selina Lake

Sock Advent Calander via Muffins and more

Via Eddie Ross

I love this purple/pink vintage look via Belle Maison:

Check out an old post from last year on table settings:

via Rooms Bloom

Roche-Bobois

I have had a secret love affair with Roche-Bobois for some time now. It speaks to my inner Eclectic. Here's why:

Richard Steel, my brother

It has been a trying week or two for my family. My brother past away of ALS at the age of 62 this past Wednesday Nov 17th. He was the first of 5 children, followed by 4 sisters. ALS took him quickly. I just found out in the Spring of this year. At least his suffering was lessened that way. I will be away from my posts for a little while, as we prepare for the funeral. Give your loved ones a hug.

Change from a boring, old tub....

I love baths and thought I would explore an alternative to the clawfoot tub I have been thinking of for the new house. I love the look of round, bowl-like tubs, but then, know I love to stretch out, think this maybe more eye candy then it is practical. But who likes practical? Which one do you like?

Palazzo Tub

Via House & Garden Australia

 I don't know where the tub is but couldn't resist this photo of a gorgeous bathroom. I love the reflection of the window mullions in the large round mirror, against a marble wall. Stunning.

Via House & Garden Australia

 Ok - My new favourite family is the Novogratz's and their show "9 By Design", another fav. Here's the bathroom in their new digs. First of all, I love the black penny stamp artwork. Then, besides the very pretty bowl tub, the eye goes to the multi-coloured drapes. A great idea anyone can do.

Novogratz Bathroom

Good old Home Depot....

Home Depot

 This caught my eye for being at ground level - a sunken tub.

Via Freshome.com

 The back drop is the ultimate in luxurious bathrooms, but even without the view, who could resist the rainhead above the tub?

Via KOS

 If you have the space, a mini pool gives a new meaning to "pool party".

Via KOS

Love this house!

All images from House and Garden Australia from the home of Suzanne and John Dougall of New South Wales. Find the story here.

Exciting News!!!

Today is another birthday of sorts - I have launched my new fabric line available through my site at joanneyordanou.com and Spoonflower. I will be adding new fabrics and sewing patterns in the near future. Your comments would be most welcome!

Here's a screenshot of what you will find there: 

GBSE24PZ84PM 

and now the bathrooms...

This is it. White. Fresh Clean. A touch of history and a bright window to look at the leaves while simmering in the tub. Why spoil a nice blank white wall? The green (hydrangea?) gives the room its burst of colour. I love the look of subway tile on the floor. The sinks are beautiful. The only thing I may change is the sconces. I would go for something a little more dramatic. Plus, I would definitely need drapes in the city! Another pop of colour here?

More inspiration! Getting closer.

via House Beautiful

I am fairly certain my sofa will be covered in caramel velvet, but I wasn't sure about the chairs. Now I am.. love these blue velvet chairs with the sofa in Steven Gambrel's beautiful room above. Well, that's that problem solved. Now I just have to nurse this rotten cold and get out there to fabric shop! We move in a month and a half and I need to get motoring on this! The plan is the furniture goes out, we move and then the newly covered furniture gets delivered, asap after the move. Best laid plans, right? I'll keep my fingers crossed. Not sure I like the paint colour. Any suggestions? I am leaning on living with white for a while.

Happy Birthday to me!!!

Having an easy-osie day - the sun is shining and we have an unseasonably warm day today. Licking the insides of (a few) vanilla Oreo cookies, cooking lasagna (that I have prepared in the freezer), catching my daughter's high school basketball, then meeting hubby at the Raptors opening game downtown. It's a good day!

Rather than leave you with nothing, I thought I would share this lovely blog with you: Modern Country
I love the burlap look that is "in"right now and the freshness of these little pieces.  Enjoy your day!

Rockies

atop Sulphur Mountain at 7486 ft

Wow.

I have just returned from a little getaway that blew my mind. Visiting my girlfriend in Calgary, I knew we were heading to (what I thought were) the foothills of the Canadian Rockies to where her hubby was staying for work. As we were getting closer to the mountains, my awe grew and my jaw dropped.

Road from Calgary to Canmore

We arrived to have some lunch and then headed into Canmore for a look around galleries and shops. We found a beautiful decor shop  a la mountain style called Stonewaters. I found the most extraordinary large journals made of organic cotton paper bound in a large leather cover wrapped in leather strands. I wish I had bought one, but the $90 tag made me think, "Do I need an $90 journal when I just bought my moleskin?"

Stonewaters (leather bound journal)

Stonewaters, Canmore

Before a dinner out to The Crazy Weed (which I discovered was aptly named for the grasses that grew on its roof), we did a moonlit walk by the Bow River to kick up our appetites.

The next day, after the deepest sleep I have had in a long time, we headed up to Banff. What a day! We had planned a hike up the smaller Tunnel Mountain, but after using the Ladies room of the Banff Springs Hotel (tee hee), we drove around the mountains, coming across the "springs". As we are turning around to head for our hike, we see gondolas that would take us up to a very much larger Sulphur Mountain. Viv and I looked at each other and thought "why not?"

I sometimes get vertigo and on the way up, I couldn't look up! The gondola was travelling 13 ft per second to an altitude of 7486 ft (a 5120 ft journey). At the top, there was another boardwalk hike to an observation deck for observing gamma rays (according to Wiki: associated with extremely energetic explosions in distant galaxies).

I could only look down, while Viv could only look up.

View of Banff Springs Hotel and Tunnel Mountain behind it from Sulpher Mt.

See the boardwalk beneath the flag. More climbing!

Quite cold up there!

Then we forgot to go have a tea (or beer) at the Banff Springs Hotel and went off to another small hike of the Hoodoos.

Hoodoos are the pointy beige protrusions, which are quite large closer up.

We then drove up the mountain behind Canmore to find elk licking salt, but no show. But what I did see, were glacial lakes and plains.

The next day was quite rigorous. We headed to Lake Louise (the highest town in Canada) for a six hour hike up the mountain. Whew!

We hiked the Plain of the Six Glaciers 6780ft (a 7 mile hike of 1100 ft from a starting altitude of 5680 ft), then veered up towards Lake Agnes to Mirror Lake, a beautiful mountain top woodland trail.

Looking back at Chateau Lake Louise.

Notice how close to the rock I stand - vertigo starting up here!

Lake Louise is 1.2 miles long and 230 ft deep. So azure blue and clear (and frigid!)

You have no idea how exhausted we were, heading to Chateau Lake Louise!