Rooms of Blue

In midst of all the warm tones of the season, I still long for my dose of cool blue. These WestElm spaces are fresh and soothing on the eyes.
Like a cool tropical drink on a hot summer's day... absolute bliss.

Green Banisters

Add holiday cheer to any staircase with lush greenery. A sampling of some simple ideas...

A BHG banister countrified with checkered red and white ribbon and lots of pine.

Pine garland and simple golden bows make this BHG staircase look elegant and refined. You can use a faux garland and add real greenery to hide the wire.

A simple garland looks lovely with a red ribbon at each swag. Plus, I like how the wood table is 'whimsified' with a rustic Christmas village. From Country Living.

A very merry setting indeed!

Paintings by Emily Carr

I absolutely adore Emily Carr.

She was born here in Victoria. And I treasure the fact that there is the Emily Carr House --where she lived in the 1870's-- just down the road from my home. It is is open to the public for viewing, and is super interesting.. a must see attraction for any art-loving visitor to the region.

Emily Carr was heavily inspired by the landscape and First Nations cultures of British Columbia. I love her bold use of colour, and how she was awed by the majesty and dynamism of nature. She is truly a gem of a talent, and will always be remembered as one of Canada's greatest artists...

(top) Shacks and Trees in a Wood (1930) by Emily Carr
(bottom) The Red Cedar (1933)

Logger's Culls (1935)

A Skidegate Beaver Pole (1942)

Breathing Space

Stormy and wet at the Breakwater in Victoria...

(image from vichomestay)

Can't you see... To You, From Me!

A great Martha idea to add a personal touch to any holiday gift. Print or copy a photo or picture of your choice, and then attach with tape to a ribbon wrapped around a gift. Use an image that is special to you for all the gifts, or have fun with it and use the photos to identify who is giving or receiving the gift. No need for cards or tags!
To You, from Me....

Silly or Sassy?

Free Holy Bean Bag from Crumpler. Get a drink, and plop down... on one. Squishy seating... silly or sassy?

Grow a Rudolph from UrbanOutfitters. Simply put Rudolph in some water, and in about 3 days he will have grown 600% his size! Holy Reindeer! Take him out, and he will shrink back down to original form. Silly, sassy, stupid or smart? Hmmm....The Potty Glow toilet seat from Iloveduckies.com, at Zydeco in Victoria. Yes, it actually glows in the dark! "When you gotta go... it's gotta glow!" No need to turn on that bathroom light. In the very least, it could be great for energy conservation. What do you think... ?

Fill My Boots

Ok, so our lovely winter wonderland has melted into sloppy slushland. Yep, it is raining here in Victoria... once again we are back to being the "The Wet West Coast". Tis time to break out thee ole umbrella and gortex galoshes all over again...

Check out this cool Patina Boots umbrella stand from Chintz & Company.
(Kinda freaky as I lost a pair of boots that looked exactly like this. I wonder if they were found... and then bronzed... into... Eek!?!)

A Squirrelly Resemblance

Hmmmm....

Make-believe squirrel ornament from Anthropologie

Hang me socks in the window?

What a splendid way to hang your stockings! Show your whole neighbourhood your socks...

I reckon I have been nice (or naughty how ever you define it) this year, so I bet the ole jolly guy himself will be stuffing my stocking chockfull of goodies. I am absolutely certain that my sock will buckle from the weight and fall right off the hook! haha
Nonetheless, the stockings look amazing dangling in front of the window. I also like the card tree from Pottery Barn as a great way to showcase your holiday notes.

A Jigsaw Wall

A wickedly cool look by Debbie Travis. A Jigsaw wall shelving unit. I love the design... so creative.

Cards for a Cause

Almost that time to think about doing your Christmas cards! Yep, ole man December is nearly upon us...
Personally, I like to send out cards that are unique and meaningful (aside from the all-important "Reason for the Season")...

These are very special greeting cards from BCSPCA. Proceeds support an incredibly important cause... what better than helping out our innocent, loveable, loyal companions?

Make Me a Trash Can

Translantion Cup and Waste Can from The Home Port.

Basic material is papermache made from ole discarded Japanese magazines. Hmmmm... talk about a great recycling idea. Tres inspiring... could easily be a DIY project! I have heaps of Life mags, National Geographic, and Archie comics kicking around (teehee).
Fun, artsy, creative, and darn well eco-friendly. I dig.

Botanical Tub

Nothing like a long meandering soak in a warm bubble bath to relax and soothe the body. Tis the perfect season to indulge... with all this frigid weather, it is nearly therapeutic!

And here this grand tub is beckoning me. It is in Oprah's guest room. Do you think she would mind if I paid a visit? I love all the plants...

Tis The Season Doormats

An appropriate season's greeting for any door entrance... Tis The Season doormats from GarnetHill made from a natural fibre of coconut shell husks. Almost too nice to wipe my ole galoshes on...!

Objets d'Art

BRODD Horse statue from Ikea

Hands statue by Chintz and Company store located in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton

Urban 3 Figure statue from Pier 1 Imports

Chic Kitchen

Just a super cool modern ED kitchen... love the rich colours

Veganica Artists

Some cool, poignant art from the community of veganica.com...

Remembering the Truth by Madeleine Tuttle

Fear by Amanda Moekel

Survival of the White Rhino by Michele Glick

Breathing Space

Still glorious with all our snow...

Dear Capiz

Capiz shell is a beautiful treasure from mother nature. It is a pure flat transparent shell with a subtle pearl effect which makes it a gorgeous element for any home decor...

Wonderfully whimsy and naturally stunning. Strands of the natural shells, in all different shades and colours, can hang from anywhere. And they make an extremely beautiful, gleaming light fixture.

Hanging capiz and capiz lamps at West Elm

Simply a Wreath

Use what is around you to make the perfect holiday wreath.... so simple.

Find branches with interesting leaves and bend to form a wreath. Green and eco-cool.

Use different types of berries and/or beads for your basic twig wreath. Use as a traditional door wreath, or wrap around a candle. Colorful and fun.

Weave together different types of greenery, such as tall grass, to make this simple and rustic wreath.

Local Shoal

It's cool to shop around for some cool local shops (does that make sense?! teehee)...

Gabriel Ross Custom Furniture is a local home decor store here in Victoria which I think carries some pretty amazing pieces of furniture.

Such as this Gabriel Ross Zebra Wood sectional with Flos Arca lamp... Stunning view.

Again, the view is gorgeous... and so is the furniture. Gabriel Ross Marshmellow chairs shown with round ottoman located in Shoal Point Show Suite in Inner Harbour of Victoria.

Festive Frame

Simple festive project:
Wire greenery around your favourite art, photo frames, or mirror and then add some beads or berries for a finishing touch. Be creative. It is all about bringing a bit of the outdoor beauty indoors. Insta decorative greeny!

A Moment with Nature

Located all over the west coast, seals are incredibly inquisitive and adorable. Ohhhh....

(image via Stacey)

The Tent Effect

Tents. I like them. Outdoor tents in the form of a popup backpacking puptent or one of those 6-room backcountry huts... I enjoy the cozy cocoon effect. And you can achieve the same effect indoors, well sorta... minus the clumsy poles and nylon fabric.

Oprah's fabric tented ceiling guest house study... with its Biedermeier desk, blue Art Deco tray table, lotus-and-peony-patterned rug, and fabric-tented ceiling. Elegant étagère table... lush and classy.

ElleDecor tented bedroom... bohemian and beckoning.

The guest room of Dimonah and Mehmet Iksel is tented with a striped Indian fabric, the bed is dressed with a Pakistani sari and pillows covered in 19th-century Azerbaijani weavings, and the printed Moghul panel is by Iksel.

Cozy Tunes Pillow

Cozy Tunes pillows from Linens n Things. Colorful plush round pillows you can doze off on while listening to Bach, Slayer, or Anne Murray or whatever your preference. Tres cool!

Tree Free Cards

If you are looking for cool non-holiday cards... here is a sampling of some neat designs (Dragonflies, Peace Pipes, and Mystic Orcas). What makes them so unique is that the cards are tree-free! Yep you heard me! Paper can be made out of many plants, not just trees. The kenafplant is an example of this. Grown in North America, the fibrous plantgrows 15 feet in just 5 months without any chemicals. That is so right on!
Help keep our forests full of tree, and the world full of oxygen!
At Fiber Options (on Yates Street in Vic).