I'm Back...

Hello all! How've you been? I am here 4 days post op...home and doing well. Struggling to sleep comfortably, but with the ability and expectation to nap during the day it's all good.

I wasn't sure when or what I was going to post when I got back to it, so I spent some early morning hours thinking about it, and settled on sharing some of the things I missed on Pinterest while I was out of the loop...
The biggest thing is that they have adjusted their terms of service which I am happy to report. Not gonna lie, I was worried I would have to leave this shangrila and thrilled that the powers that be listened to the concerns of their users and worked to allay their fears.

As I scanned recent pins this morning I came across this pin from Rue Magazine

via my pinterest, original source

This chair would be of such comfort to me right now...absolute perfection...I love it in white!

Then there was this beauty from ModCloth

via my pinterest, original source

I am down ten pounds since the day I went in for surgery...crazy, but soon enough I might like to try out this sweet vintage vibe for myself.

And finally...some words of wisdom to leave you with...

via my pinterest, original source

Happy Monday all...enjoy the beauty of each day...but most importantly the day that is before you!

What I've been up to...

So time is ticking along here and it is now one week to my surgery. I have been busy trying to get everything organized at the gallery for my absence. Bookkeeping up to date...filing done...and a new and exciting venture (more on that at some point in the future) organized and running before I vacate for a while.

On the home front I am feeling a little lost without a project on the go, but am loving the revamped laundry and bathroom. If you missed the reveal you can see it here.

On the blog front I have discovered a few new blogs that I am crushing over. I happened upon Heather Bullard Lifestyle Blog I think while I was checking link backs on my pinterest. I fell head over heels for her beautiful photography, and was excited to learn of her new online magazine Souvenir going live next week.

One only has to look at some of the images on her blog to know that the magazine will be divine.

See for yourself;

source

source




source

I then hopped over to the Souvenir Facebook page to check out some of the contributors and found a host of other bloggers sooo worthy of following...my blog roll is almost getting too much to manage but I cannot stop myself.

Happy Thursday all...and if I miss you tomorrow have a glorious weekend...supposed to be stunning up here in Muskoka...can't wait!

Time to lighten the mood...

Happy Weekend everyone...

Things have been a little heavy around here lately, and so it is that today I thought I'd share some of my favorite pins from Pinterest.

via my pinterest originally from here

via my pinterest originally from here



via my pinterest originally from here

 Just so you know this was an unintentional alliteration; bowls, bottles and books :o)
Have a beautiful weekend!

Note: There seems to be a lot of discussion surrounding Pinterest, their policies as well as the idea of copyright infringements, so in an effort to keep things very clear, I will now link to my pin board but also to the original source the image was found. I have been spending a lot of time going through all my pins to make sure they link back to their appropriate source, and where they don't I've been deleting them...quite sadly sometimes. Pin wisely my people, make sure the link back is live and correct. 

Make him famous...

I was going to do my semi regular Wednesday post where I share where I have been in blogland, but something much more important came my way today;

I always wanted to be someone who changed the world. Did you?

I always dreamt about making a big difference to the bigger picture. Did You?

My change to the world has been in raising smart compassionate, caring, powerful young women, but every now and again something comes along that raises the stakes just a little, compels you into action however big or small, and the video I am attaching has done just that.

A video that will take less than 30 minutes of your time, but has the power to change the world, by harnessing the power that social media can provide...one united voice. A voice so strong and so powerful that all the world can hear, with a message so provocative that all the world will see...and a call to action so clear that all the world can act.

My question to you is what will you do? Will you be compelled to act...how will you act? My first act is to share, to use every social media device at my disposal to spread this message. To make Joseph Kony famous so he may be held accountable for his atrocities...wonder what I'm on about...sit back, take a half hour and watch the video...I bet it will move you!

Blog, Facebook, Tweet, Pin...make him famous...together we have such power.

Update...there are many a naysayer on this topic, but from where I sit this is the truth, Joseph Kony is responsible for these atrocities. He continues to reign terror on the children of Africa. These children have no voice, no choice and no advocates. He must be stopped. Whether you choose to financially support the Invisible Children organization or not is not the point. Awareness of this individual and his crimes is the point...and sharing the message costs nothing.

Love and kindness to all!

Happy Wednesday.

Dare to dream...

So I am not a designer label girl...I blame that mostly on my budgetary restraints, but a girl can dream right?

Yesterday I got an email from Kate Spade informing me of the 3 day 75% off sample sale. And so what is a girl to do?...she has to follow the link.

I thought I'd show you what I would have purchased if a) I fit into anything on offer, and b) if I had the finances.



all images via Kate Spade

 An so it is that I dream...but what a happy pretty dream it is...and I look mighty fine in it too!

Happy Tuesday all!

And finally...the reveal!

So...after a long journey the bathroom and laundry room are complete.

First I have to say thanks to my dad. The usual deal is that he does the construction and I do the finishing, however with all that has been happening round here, he did it all from start to finish. He hates all that finicky fluffy stuff, and he hunkered down and did it for me. He wallpapered, he sanded, he painted, he even hung pictures...bless his heart...I am one lucky girl and I cannot thank him enough...it looks great!

Just in case you forgot just how bad this space was, below is a quick before,or you can have a look at the original post here,

And this is what the laundry room looks like now....wait for it....

So a recap of what happened here. There was an old laundry sink that went wall to wall where the washer and dryer now sit, and the washer and dryer were along the wall where the shelves are now. It made for a very awkward space and the sink area ended up being unusable space that just collected all the crap that  a household can create.

We removed the sink and relocated the washer and dryer to this corner...they just fit...as in perfectly, as if it was meant to be.

 I needed to accommodate for proper storage, so we put up adjustable open shelving, which works well for storage of cleaning supplies, as well as a place for us to store all our small appliances, and the every day tools. I chose open storage because I know how we live and if we had closed storage nothing would get put away :o)

I am really happy with how it turned out.

Now the bathroom...first the before shot...

Ugly tile, a blush colour sink, wall to wall mirror and a lovely fluorescent tube light.

And now it looks like this...

Here we (and by we I mean my husband and father) removed the ugly tile and put up bead board panel. A coat of a deep turquoise I had kicking around, a new sink we bought more than a year ago, a few other accessories and voila! A marked improvement I would say.

So there you have it...two steps closer to being done this house...don't ask how many more...too many to count.

Happy Monday all!

I've been tagged...

First I would like to take a minute to thank everyone who has sent messages, or commented on my last blog post. The positive energy is wonderful and very much appreciated. Thank you!


So the game of tag is taking over blogland and I was tagged by the lovely Meg over at Nutmeg and Company. Thanks Meg. Such a fun game. The rules are as follows:

1.  You must post the rules.
2. Answer the 11 questions the tagger has posted for you and then create 11 new questions to ask the people you've tagged.
3.  Tag 11 people and link them in your post.
4. Let them know you've tagged them.

Now I'm gonna cheat a little; Most of the blogs that I follow have been tagged already (it has been wonderful to read the responses to their given questions) so in an effort not to create annoyance over fun, I'm not gonna tag anyone this go around. What I will do, is link to some of my regular reads so that those I probably would have tagged will get their due.

Back to the game...Meg had some good questions, so here are my answers:

What is the best thing about blogging?
Other bloggers, their supportive nature, how much they share, and the genuine welcome you feel when you become a part of this world.

What is the best thing you cook?
I don't cook...my husband does all the cooking (lucky girl I am). If I cook, my current specialty is a vegetarian version of Classic Taco's from Clean Eating magazine...I promise you will not miss the meat! Honest!

What project are you working on in your home right now?  

I am presently trying to finish the main floor bathroom so I can finally reveal it and the laundry room which have been the main household focus for the winter. Just waiting on the finishing touches now before I reveal...thanks for hanging in there :o)

Which room in your house reflects your style the most?
What is my style? I truly do not know, but I guess my kitchen is the room in the house I like the look of the most right now...even though it needs a complete reno eventually.

What makes your house a home?
The people in it...and the mess they make :o)

What is your favorite fabric?
White cotton denim...If I could, I would have my furniture in slipcovers of white cotton denim...then I can add any pop of colour I want whenever I want just by changing the throw cushions, and throw blankets...wouldn't that be lovely?...I often say I dream in white...but alas I have a blue denim wearing husband, kids and pets...not happening any time soon. 

Chocolate or Vanilla?
If we are referring to Ice cream, vanilla, everything else would be chocolate! If I am not dreaming in white, I am dreaming in chocolate.

What was your childhood nickname?
I would not normally share this, but in the interest of the game...Toaderella...my full name is Jodi...which my dad always shortened to Jode...and then it became Jode the Toad...then after complaining that I was being treated like cinderella (I wasn't but I was a grumpy kid being asked to do something I didn't think I should have to do) the name morphed into Toaderella...and stuck...ugh!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I don't recollect what I wanted to be when I was young...(funny sidebar my little Izzy is insistent right now that she wants to be a Queen when she grows up), but as a teenager I had set my sights on being a lawyer...now I am so far from that I laugh.

What is your favorite season?
Fall...I love that time when the subtle chill sneaks into the air and you get to put on jeans and a sweater and wear great boots...I love the sound of crisp leaves beneath your feet, and the fresh scent to the air...and Autumn in Muskoka (where I live) is a riot of beauty and colour.

How much time in a day do you devote to blogging?
Sometimes none, others I will spend a couple of hours planning and writing my post...and then I read, re-read, and ponder what I have written and whether or not I think it will be remotely interesting to someone else...then I hit post and hope I don't lose followers :o)

So There you have it...a little more about me. However if you use the nickname ever there will be a price to pay...just sayin :o)
As promised here are some of my regular reads
Lisa Roy
Life Begins at Thirty
His&Hers
10 Rooms
the Marion House book
8foot6
House*Tweaking
little thing called life
Strictly Simple Style
The Design Pages
Better After

Happy weekend all!
And once again thanks for all the love.