My Road...
cold day for a walk but lovely just the same....

à bientôt

Creativity through Re-Purposing

I love it when I come across images like this...

Source: junkmarketstyle.com via An Anglo on Pinterest

Antique Ironing Boards that apparently cost 1$ each at auction and now adorn the side of this barn as art! Love it!

Source: Uploaded by user via An Anglo on Pinterest

This would be fun in a laundry room space!!

Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com via An Anglo on Pinterest

Hmmm.... I have always wanted to establish a gate to my back yard... all part of the garden design plan but this would be interesting and I have a single iron headboard frame already.....

All these great ideas!
More snow has fallen so off to shovel.
Dreamin' of summer projects already....am I crazy?






You can still let me know if you would like one of these two sap buckets....

we use them for storage around the house and they come in handy...... Click here if you missed it and are interested!

à bientôt

Milestones and a Giveaway

 I tried to remember what got me started blogging... 

and I realized that it was an experiment of sorts related to my work.

A look at social networking.

At first I just sort of dabbled, not really posting all that often but then I was hooked.

 And now at least every other day I sit down and read all the posts of the blogs that I am following.

I have laughed at some of the humour that I come across...

I think the first one to make me laugh out loud was 

Sarah from Modern Country Style

 and Grace at Sense and Simplicity helped me out at the beginning with some basic blogging questions that every newbie struggles with....

there have been many of you that I cross blogging paths with every week!

It has been an interesting journey and I have enjoyed meeting so many

different people in this blog-o-sphere that I do feel fortunate.

I certainly have not been the one to jump up to thousands of followers overnight

but that's okay....because as somebody pointed out, I now have 101 of you

that have decided to drop in here from time to time

so thank you.

And as a way of thanking you I want to host a little give-away of my own...

you may have seen this in my last post and wondered what it was?

This is an old maple syrup sap bucket

that we've painted up and put to use for organization.

Matter of fact we have another version in chalkboard paint which is fun as well and available.

They work well for

flowers and large decorative branches etc.

 So, here is how it goes...

if you are interested in having one of these...

then

 leave me a comment letting me know which one you would like to have
Remember that they are not new but old and used in the maple bush to gather sap....
now blue plastic hose is used to collect sap with lines running from tree to tree.

Remember please follow me if you are not already.

 I will leave this offer open for at least a week and then draw one of your names...

well you know how it goes.....
Mais oui!

à bientôt

Et Voilà ... Bookshelves

 Of course it all started with Pinterest  

(you can see for yourself...  on my board Bookshelf Love)

It all started back here if you are interested.... (just click)

After rekindling my relationship with our power tools

and

a new appreciation for Wood Filler

and

a lot of white paint

I can finally reveal that my dream of building built-in bookshelves
has finally come true
et voilà .....

If you like this Fleur de Lys bucket then you can check out its chalkboard version here

... and the built-in feature allow it to really just blend in to the overall space
and as you can see...
it is not a big space...
curious about the wall of art, that was a fun Saturday afternoon! You can read more about that here

The fun part of this project is that it cost under 50$
4 pine boards 1 X 8 X 10     30$
white paint    15$
wood filler   already had

à bientôt everyone.

Okay, it has been a long time since I was at a party soooooooo

I am sharing this one with the following great parties.
At the Picket Fence
Mod Vintage Life: mod Mix Monday
 Nautical Cottage Blog Hop party
Be Inspired at Elizabeth & Co.
Transformation Thursday at the Shabby Creek Cottage
Open House at No Minimalist Here
Wow us Wednesdays  at Savvy Southern Style
One project at a time at A bowl full of lemons

Motivated Monday at Be Colourful
Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts
Whisperwood Cottage First project of the year 
 

Genevive

 I am painting and painting and painting....

these bookshelves
but at the same time I am listening

to Genevive....

from the Gaspé coast of Quebec, Canada.

She is young,
her singing is raw and real
and I think she has talent....
she represents 
everything that appears precarious
  in youth
as they venture out into the world
singing the cover of their idols such as Adele....
oh to be at this stage in your life!
I hope you enjoy this
... but please do
tell me what you think?

à bientôt

Under Construction

The weekend has come and gone...

and I have been very busy.

I am determined that in 2012 I will start projects

that I plan

and finish projects that I start

no procrastination around here in the Year of the Shift.

 So, here is a sneak peek at what I worked on over the weekend...

 Obviously not done but by tomorrow they will be!

See you then.

à bientôt

Living in Winter

One week left until the Québec Winter Carnival...
and you know

it really does help to break up the winter blahs

by getting out the door and down to the old city 

or even down the road to a local rink....
Once you give in to the
weather and decide to embrace the cold
it all seems to work....

 you remind yourself as to what it is that makes winter so incredible.

I mean the adventure of strapping on your x-country skis to head off into that

or if you want to take it to an extreme

then perhaps you turn it into an expedition of sorts....
oh and no that was not me sleeping in that tent but rather my daughter and friends...
those days are over for me

or maybe you just head off to a local outdoor rink...

like this one...

the preferred spot by my teenagers.

...or here, the preferred spot of me....

wishing you a great weekend!!! 

Warm just the same.

à bientôt

Symmetrical Balance

My Pinterest boards seem to reflect a clear love on my part

for symmetry.

I see symmetry as pure balance...

that feeling you get when the last piece of the puzzle is put in place...

complete .... done .... fini....

but is it too predictable, too much of the stickin' to the rules approach to decorating...

I ask this because I am in the midst of designing our bookshelves for the living area...

I have a couple of possibilities, one which leads to a symmetrical look and another

that is purely asymmetrical.

Love the balance of those mirrors...well, actually I just love those mirrors!!!

Okay, that is just plain pretty... I want that door!!!  ......  and imagine all the seasonal inspirations you could dream up for those two tables ....

      talk about symmetry... and of course the subway tile to the ceiling is a big favourite of mine

                                   okay, that is just too plain cute....
                                                                       or rather, they are too cute!!

               Ahhh....what little one would not have a good balanced sleep tucked into that bed!

            Is this place following the rules a little too closely.... I do love those fun chandeliers!!

and I really do love all the elements but it seems to lack character or ....story?

I think rooms still need to tell us something about the people that live there....don't you?

                                                        yum...... such  a simple touch of symmetry.....

So when does symmetrical balance just become boring?

or is it ever boring???

Do I wrap my bookshelves around the french doors
to attain symmetry.....

All these images are sourced on my Pinterest Boards. Just click on the image.

À tantôt

Sopa - Stop Online Piracy Act

Today you will not be able to access Wikipedia as well as other

sites that are holding a blackout day in reaction to SOPA

we really need to understand what this means and could mean to all of us.....

I hope this helps you to become aware ....

À tantôt

Shift

Well, I am putting my word right up top....Shift 

I really love the thinking behind this idea of choosing one word that will help be my focus this year.

You can do a lot with this.

  Last week I was listening to a woman share a great idea for establishing your 'shift'. She was suggesting that you create a postcard with images that

represent direction.

For instance, on her postcard she had a mosaic of 4 images.

One, was her cottage 

it represented escape from the hectic pace of her life.. 

Another, was a symbol that represented a particular goal in her workplace...

Anyway, I think you see where this is going.

The point she was making was that we often get so scattered, lack focus

that we don't set our own direction.

I loved it when she said that these images were intended as markers for what you needed to

walk towards

and that often it just required a shift in our thinking

or a shift in our attitude

It didn't require a monumental change

as that is what often leads to failure....

that shift which allows us to adjust our vision slightly to the left, 

or to the right or

perhaps even do a 180

may be all it takes.

So my word is SHIFT......

What's Yours?