Dreamy Whites GIVEAWAY

check out this amazing giveaway at Dreamy Whites
http://dreamywhites.blogspot.com/2010/03/well-dressed-home-and-very-generous.html

Your Happy Stories - CityLine

Your Happy Stories - CityLine
http://www.citytv.com/cityline/family/article/73284--your-happy-stories#VideoTag

Hello my name is Natalie and I am an antique & collectable addict LOL

As much as I admire the organized clutter free homes that I see in magazines,I have come to accept that I will NEVER  be able to live that way. I really wish at times that I could give up all the treasures around me but I just have to have something pretty to look at. I can't help it..when I fall in love it's for life LOL something speaks to me and says "take me home" or I see something and think I can do something with that! and I am hooked all over again. If the seasons here in Ontario Canada were always the same I probably wouldn't change my home so much,but with each season new inspiration comes. Nothing compares to the colours of fall,the pumpkins and corn stalks thrill me,then of course it's Winter and Christmas, time to layer up all the blankets and bring out all my prim Santa's which I haven't seen since Jan. After a long cold winter Spring arrives in all it's fresh pretty splendor..out come the summer quilts,white jugs take over the kitchen,my love for birds is apparent..pussy willows and pastels make me happy:) Summer is the continuation with more flowers and colour. This sounds expensive having to rotate everything but it really isn't. You can achieve great results with bits and pieces found outside,bring the outside in. Pussy willows are out now..one of my favourite things ever! and the tulips are coming..even placed in an inexpesive (or recycled jam )jar can look like something special. Having kids rooms to decorate is great the girls have all the whites and pretty things,and the boys get the rustic masculin touches. I can't really define my style because it changes all the time,I am "rustic ,log cabin,primitive" Fall and Winter and "cottage/garden" Spring and Summer..maybe its the Gemini in me LOL

But no matter what the season I am a collector can't help it. My counter tops will never be clear and my house will always have pretty things to look at...clutter I love it!

The BEST things in life are FREE !

Driving home the other night from our shop,in the pouring rain, we spotted a white pedestal sink laying on the side of the road..I looked at my husband and he turned the truck around. We knew the previous owners of the home and we had even looked at this house when it was for sale two years ago..so we new it was a score...As we pulled into the driveway we noticed the pile of rubble on the front lawn and the new owners tossing drywall and other things out the upstairs bathroom window. My husband didn't want to just assume the sink was out for garbage so he walked across the lawn and asked if they wanted anything for it. They told him to take it and that the tub was around the corner of the house...the clawfoot tub!!!...also amongst the rubble on the lawn were the chrome taps and hand held shower for the tub,($600 new online)also the taps for the sink....he was happy for us to take them,did I mention it was after a long day at work AND pouring rain?? My sweet hubby loaded us up and we are going to be installing the tub and taps in our main floor bathroom off the kitchen :) We have had these great claw feet for a tub for a long time and will be finally putting them to use. So take a different route home from work ..you just never know what you may find on the curb. :) Don't be afraid to ask the homeowner for permission cuz you never know what is around the side of the house!! Happy curb shopping.
P.S The oil painting is our colour palette for the bathroom.

Spring has Sprung ready or not...

Living through renovations (especially with a family) is not fun. As the seasons change,and the projects still haven't been completed..we still need to have something pretty to look at..even a potted mum (7.99 Loblaws) can make your home feel happy,while in the midst of drywall dust and paint cans :P It's a way to cope through the process...Spring has sprung in our house even though we are no where near the decorating stage..I still have to brighten things up a little...ready or not :)

The never ending kitchen reno

For many reasons this kitchen has been a work in progress for too long to admit :S In 2005 I painted all the outdated 1980's cabinets black..stripped the heart wallpaper and painted HC38 (my fav colour at the time.)Also painted out the burgandy wainscotting and french doors white.One by one we removed the upper cabinets,and tile back splash,and added T&G with open shelving. We lucked out one day when a customer walked into our shop and said she had a cupboard to sell before she moved..it now holds most of our kitchen items,dishes,glasses,mugs,canned goods,cereal,snacks,linens,even the phone book. We hadn't finished the T&G when the washer from the upstairs bathroom leaked and damaged the ceiling...good reason to pull it down,as the previous owners had drywalled over the lathe and plaster ceiling. We will have another 5" in height by taking it all down and T&G'ing it as well...(too much wood?? never !! just look at Sarah's Cottage or her latest Farmhouse mudroom) http://www.hgtv.ca/sarahshouse/theshow.aspx?sectionid=399&categoryid=8337944842383420279&postid=124059
We have since repainted the walls a light sage,(a mistint from Home Depot $9....love it!) Still have the floor to tile,trim to finish,new sink and counter tops to install...but hey it all takes time and $$$ which are both very hard to get at the same time!
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2010/03/sns-23-brings-you-rustic-laundry.html?showComment=1269814064668_AIe9_BGT3wcmvDgUaYzt3Isfq9v2bz6M89MscbPEqUMi2_LzbKmA06Uy3Aj7VGYu5K3KmntmJK0B3P_DFoDg7uXMJPY4qTfD3op2C3S9lTzC_GR1GqM15f_M3LfOQMHH-etQncg6iJhX0Kr4gnGHeFOUy7fytAM-tG93Bg2ugyxIExa66dH2vaRRcbVDOFMJex2u4C_kapybvLgdIQ9kZ3qpF3wynZcymiBMYcxV50M_WDxYqKZtwd_NAvh1F2Wh3_JGRGDW9sEy

00ps I accidentally deleted this post...I heart Ironstone Pitchers

Even though our kitchen is under reno's, I just had to display some of my Ironstone pitchers,the ceiling is going to come down any day ,but they have been in boxes way too long...all I need now are some daisy's to put in them :)....(and the T&G ceiling and the rest of the T&G wall and the sink,counter tops,floors and and and...ahhh but I love to look at my pitchers they make me happy every morning)

Ikea Clearance Room and Home Sense Fix

Jen and I went to Ikea and Home Sense the other day for some inspiration...I only bought an embroidered floral cushion for my couch but have been thinking about the island ever since,who ever thought I'd like IKEA??? my kids are proud! I love the way the stainless fridge looks in our kitchen,and already have an old store counter for an island..but ..but I could sell the island in my shop and buy the new one...that's the best part about having a shop (well besides shopping for the store) I can love a piece at home for awhile then when something new catches my eye I can swap it out..it's really an outlet for my overstock and an excuse to keep upgrading our home..except I really don't want to sell anything :S it's so hard when you get attached to pieces to see them go,but I am trying to make a living here so I do sell things I love and then sometimes even get to see them again..or a picture of them at least...just the other day I sold a chair from my basement..it was needing some love and a good cleaning..I always meant to do something with it..but a girl came into the store and she was so nice she was looking for a chippy painted chair so I went to my stash...(I only let people I really like buy from my basement),her taste was so similar to mine I had to find her something..I brought up 5 or more chairs for her to choose from and she picked the sweetest blue one...yesterday as I was adding blogs that I follow to my blog,  I saw it !! there is was in its new home all pretty....see Canadian Cottage. I was so happy it had a good home and was out of the basement..

CityLine March 18th

My friend Jen and I were part of the audience on CityLine last Thursday for Home Day. We got to meet Tracy Moore,Brian Gluckstein (who answered my paint colour question)and Jackie Glass. It was great to be part of the show,we made a day of it by hitting the Eaton's Centre after and stopping into Pottery Barn to see the new "Nest" displays..fell in love with an embroidered bird cushion which I will have to go back for..I can stop thinking about it. After lunch we went to Mississauga to a few wholesalers we frequent for some great cash and carry Spring giftware.
http://video.citytv.com/video/detail/72440992001.000000/CityLine-Mar-18-2010-Home-Day/

more great things "in store" for Spring