May Inspires Me
May Inspires MeIt’s already well into May. The blossoms are out and some are even fading already as the bulbs make their way to the surface to see the light of Spring. As I go for my morning runs now, the air is still cool but the sun is often trying to warm the earth and soothes me as I run. The air has a sweet smell that is just delicious and the birds are singing more as they...
Friday Finds: Flea Market Fun
For today's Friday Finds, we are going to have some Flea Market Fun!I recently did a reconnaissance visit to Los Angeles for our upcoming Design Crawl, happening the last weekend in May. While driving around the hot spots we have planned for our visit, my daughter and I came across the Melrose Trading Post at Fairfax High School. Seeing the activity and tents we decided to stop and see what it was about. What a treat! Most of the open...
Recipe: Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
My cousin, Ramina, posted this recipe for Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls on her Facebook wall, catching my attention. My mother made the most amazing cabbage rolls when I was young. I remember loving them so much, and I requested them regularly, but I knew they were a lot of work to prepare. So, when this recipe called 'Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls' came up on my Facebook feed I knew I had to try them out. I was not disappointed, nor was my...
What’s Wrong With This Room?
Welcome to another episode of What’s Wrong with This Room? When we are look through magazines or online we see images that draw us in and some that don’t seem quite right. I think it is important to know that some images are styled just for the photo and may not necessarily work in real life. Sometimes there are too many cushions on the couch because it looks great for the photo but in real life they would be thrown...
Design Tips – How to Showcase Collections
Today's design tips: How to Showcase Collections. Showcasing collections can be a challenge. Tina is a real collector and her home demonstrates that. She has many collections around her home and all of them are interesting because she knows how to display them.Since 1952, these KLM houses have been given out by the airlines to their international business travelers. Tina's collection started when her Dutch friend Yvonne gave her 6 houses. Here are a few tips about collections: Using The Whole Collection...
Spring Garden Planter Design Workshop
Our Spring Garden Planter Design Workshop last week was a total success! It was creative, hands-on, informative and everyone had a great time putting their own planters together.Our beautiful studio was the perfect setting for special guest Diane Bridges, of DB Gardens, to share her expertise and design ideas. Everyone had a chance to get in touch with their creativity while enjoying good company, conversation, and wine.Our swag bags included of course gardening gloves, a Garden Iris bulb to plant...
THE Best Chocolate Cake – EVER
THE Best Chocolate Cake-EverAt my house, chocolate cake is the cake ordered from my kitchen for birthday dinners for many of my family members. Two of my kids like my Oreo Cheesecake so Ill do that recipe another day but for today’s blog I want to share this chocolate cake.I got the recipe MANY years ago while away at a swim meet. A fellow parent and I were on duty chaperoning an away meet for our kids. This meant we...
Women in Business: Designers Collective is Interviewed
Women in Business: Designers Collective is Interviewed by Michelle Smid of Just An Ordinary Family. Read all about us HERE "Here at Just An Ordinary Family we love to highlight some extraordinary Women In Business. Today's ladies are no exception. Tina and Brooke are the founders of Designers Collective. With backgrounds in architecture and interior design they have all skills needed to help you with your designing needs.I had the pleasure of chatting with Tina and Brooke about what brought them to opening their own business and combining forces into one dynamic...
What’s Wrong With This Room?
We had such a good response to our last blog post on What’s Wrong With This Room, that we decided to try and post these on a regular basis. So….here we go. Can you tell what’s wrong here?There is a lot we like about this picture, but in our opinion, the carpet is too small. We’d like to see the carpet under at least the front legs of the chair to make the chair part of the conversation area. Right...
Design Tip: How to Add Spring to your Home
Today's Design Tip is how to add spring to your home! It’s April! How did that happen? Spring is here and it’s time to lighten things up in our home. So, how can you add Spring into your home?I like to change out the cushions on my bed. In winter I like darker colours but come spring and I just want to lighten it all up. I’ve got larger light blue silk cushions on my bed and smaller pink ones....