One of a Kind Spring Show + Sale

Yesterday I was invited with a few other bloggers to the OneofaKind Spring Show + Sale. It was great catching up with Lisa, Emilija, and Lindsay over a breakfast of sweet and savoury crêpes courtesy of Véronique of Crêpes à GoGo. On a side note, we got a mini-French lesson... did you know that the accent circonflexe ˆ replaces a letter? In this case, "crêpe" used to be spelled "crespe" or "crisp" in English? And the crêpes were perfectly crisp!

With a full tummy, I headed out to browse the show. Here's a few things that caught my eye:

Lovely artisan soaps and oils by OLIVE Authentique, booth B-04. I'm a sucker for pretty packaging and vintage displays.

Sweet dresses from Keiko, booth A-54. The ladies at this booth were sooooo excited because it was the first show they ever had a booth at - and because the blogger paparazzi was taking photos of their booth :) The dresses were lovely, made of Japanese linen in the most darling of patterns. I bought one for Chloe and if I can get the kid to stand still for a photo, I'll show it all to you ;)

More darling dresses at Red Thread, booth E-11. I just loved the bright, colourful fabrics which screamed summer. Still kicking myself in the pants that I didn't pick up one of their hats for Chloe.

Stylish accessories at Mally Designs, booth B-07. These leather products are hot amongst the mommy set. I loved the graphic bibs.

Retro original art from Kelly Grace, booth H-06. This "Date Night" series was so fun.

Pseudo paint-by-numbers art by Liscious, booth H-20. Don't they have a great vintage, cottagey feel?

Fabulous manually weaved blankets by Tissage Magely Weaving, booth J-23. Gorgeous colours and a luxurious feel.

This was my favourite display. L'Atelier Du Presbytere, booth M-50 sells wares made from authentic vintage linens from Southern France. The husband and wife team moved to Montreal five years ago, and hand crafted every piece you see here. This attention to detail, and the fact they have chosen not to distribute through larger retailers in order to main creative and quality control, results in beautiful pieces of impeccable style. They will soon be adding antique pieces shipped from France to their online store... I know I'll be checking them out!

There's something at the One of a Kind Spring Show + Sale to fit every taste and budget. It is definitely worth a visit to find something unique, handcrafted, and made by Canadian artisans to put in your home.

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Sarah Richardson Giveaway!

Calling all Sarah Richardson & Tommy Smythe fans!

With the first season of Sarah 101 wrapped up, what better way to celebrate than having a Sarah & Tommy giveaway! And its a doozy - enter for your chance to win a Sarah Richardson Designer Palette by Para Paints fan deck personally signed by Sarah and Tommy! Awesome, right?!

(image courtesy of Arren Williams)

Sarah has always been known for her keen sense of colour and I will tell you that this collection is spot on. I just painted my living room in Cashmere which Sarah describes as "the ultimate grey" - and she is right, its the perfect grey! With this paint deck in your hands, there's no telling what you'll be inspired to do in your own home!

Here's how you can win:

• Receive one entry for leaving a comment below.
• Receive one entry for becoming a follower; leave a separate comment below to let me know. If you're already a follower, leave a comment below.
• Receive one entry if you tweet about the giveaway. Make sure to include my twitter @ramblingreno so I can keep track.

The contest is open to Canadian and US residents. You have until 10pm EST April 3rd to enter. The winner will be drawn from all entries using Random.org and announced on April 4th. Good luck!!

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Sarah 101: Gabe's City Condo

It’s the last episode of Sarah 101! What did you guys think of it? I enjoyed some episodes more than others and judging from all your comments, you felt the same. Sarah moved even further away the neutral style of her Design Inc. days and introduced more colour, pattern, and mixing of furniture styles. That Sarah & Tommy – always challenging us with something new!

To celebrate the end of the first season of Sarah 101, I have a FANTASTIC GIVEAWAY!! More on that in my next post!

In this week’s episode, Sarah and Tommy take a blank slate of a condo and inject it with a serious sense of style. Starting with the jumping off point – a monochromatic black, white, and grey decorating scheme – Sarah and Tommy mix it up using vintage and modern pieces.

A large round vintage glass table is used to anchor the dining area. The round table is best for a small space; it allows for flow and circulation and provides flexible seating options. Paired with acrylic chairs and a sleek and airy chandelier, the glass table doesn’t feel heavy or too big in this combined living-dining space.

In the living area, Sarah again uses two inexpensive rugs bound together to create a larger statement rug. While the chairs are vintage, dramatic and full of personality, the sofa is new and neutral. A chunky vintage wood coffee table brings some warmth and needed contrast against the cool black and white and grey fabrics. Small details, like smoothing out the stippled ceiling, accenting with silver and white wallpaper, and using crisp Starfire glass in the chrome sidetables, keep the space feeling modern and masculine.

By adding unique and unusual pieces, this builder’s box of a condo gets some personality. Standard potlights are replaced with vintage pendants. Walls are adorned with large-scale DIY artwork and a gallery wall of black and white photos. The combined result is a room which feels collected over time and far from generic.

Tips from the show:

• For professional looking framed photographs, pair ready-made frames with custom-cut mats
• Looking to reupholster a vintage piece? Make sure its sturdy, free of wobbles, and check the original manufacturer’s label as an indication of quality
• Black & white schemes can be harsh and high contrast. Mix them with less severe grey tones.
• The key to a great DIY is knowing what to do yourself and what to hire a pro for (for example, getting a DIY canvas professionally stretched and framed)
• Use black as an accent and not as the main colour in a monochromatic scheme
• Too many black & white fabric patterns can be overpowering. Balance the look with lots of solids.

I think this was my favourite episode of the whole season! It certainly didn’t look like a budget makeover and felt suited to the homeowner. I thought it had just the right mix of vintage and new pieces. What did you think? Did you enjoy the series?

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Weekend Work

Barbara over at hodge:podge did an interview with me for her So Canadian, eh? series. I love her series and finding out more about my favourite Canadian bloggers. Pop on over and learn a few more things about me you might not know about.

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We picked up these lovely pieces for the living room. The buffet & hutch was from a Kijiji ($80!) and the dresser was from foc! (yes, you read that right. Their cheeky name stands for "furnishings on consignment"). The pieces will be transformed with some paint and new hardware.

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Chloe's birthday invitations were finally mailed. Agh, her party is in three weeks!! Still so much to do. Like get the sofa out of my dining room so I can actually host a party ;)

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Happy Monday!

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A Blogger Competition Of Sorts

Okay, its not really a competition because there are no prizes except for bragging rights and a virtual high five, but go here and vote for your favourite mood board created by the bloggers participating in Bloggers Give Back.The competition is stiff I tell you... there's so many creative interpretations on how to design a great garden!

And if you'd like to donate to our charity initiative, you can do that via cheque or PayPal. Thank you for your support. You really can help us make a difference. xoxo!

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The Love List

It's been a while since I did a Love List. There have been so many goodies that have caught my eye...

...like this Schumacher inspired wallpaper...done with Sharpies and craft paint!

...these frosted mirror decals. I so want a Silhouette machine!

...this Manet made of paint chips

...a $640 kitchen makeover

... a gorgeous living room Before & After (via Hooked on Houses)

... and a supergirl birthday party. Can I have one too please?

Have a great weekend!

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Garden Escape

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I was joining up with a bunch of other bloggers for Bloggers Give Back, a charity initiative where we will be transforming a garden for George Herman House. With some generous sponsors on board including IKEA and Tonic Living and some others, we bloggers decided to get our creative juices flowing by coming up with inspiration mood boards. Using IKEA and Tonic Living products, our task was to come up with fun ideas for this garden space:

Let me preface this by saying I have a black thumb and know nothing about plants (hence the lack of greenery in my boards, ha!). So to guide my design, I thought about what these woman would need: places for relaxtion; contemplative and private spaces as well as room for sharing and coming together.

I decided to start with the colour palette:

A vibrant and crisp blue and red scheme instantly says "summer" to me. Stripes are a must for the outdoors and just I love this navy and blue fabric. Different areas of the garden could be defined through the use of paint and rugs.

The dining area:

Set up on the patio, the dining area would be where the residents could come together for sharing meals and conversation. The FALTER furniture is easy to care for and weather reisistant; the REIDER seating is flexible and easy to store in the off season. Hits of red in the accessories and fabrics keep things fun.

The lounge area:

Whether sitting alone or with others, the lounge area is a space to relax. I've always loved sail shades and can picture one expanding over the grassy area of the garden, providing shade and helping to define the space. The plush AMMERO sofa and a snazzy outdoor rug underfoot add comfort and encourage lazing about. Add the accessories - coffee tables to place your book and drink, a ceramic stool, and cheerful planters - and you have the perfect perch for a summer's afternoon.

The firepit:

The alcove near the garage is a great space to create a cozy firepit. When I think of firepits, I think of cool summer nights, curling up under warm throws, the air punctuated with laughter. To make it a more private spot, I'd use these large self-watering planters to visually separate it from the rest of the garden. The curved lines of the ROXO benches echo the firepit and encourage closeness. The firepit could be a place for the women to come together and share their stories, a place where they can build bonds, a place to sit and listen. 

So that's my design. You can check out my Polyvore boards to see what items I used. If you'ld like to see what designs my fellow bloggers came up with, check out the Bloggers Give Back site on Friday when all the mood boards will be posted. We're having a friendly competition and you can vote for your favourite! 

And, we are still looking for donations to help pay for the many plantings and materials needed to help make this garden project a reality. If you would like to contribute, please let Lindsay know. xoxo!

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