Duvet or Not Duvet?

My favorite bedroom from Ideal Home magazine

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately contemplating bedding.

No, I'm not contemplating the usual dilemma of how many pillows.  Nor am I thinking about how to make it look nice.  I am thinking instead about making my bed FEEL insanely good.  I want it to be almost impossible to get out of in the morning!  Considering I am not a morning person, this could be a dangerous proposition.

We need a few new things in this department.  But I am torn between buying a new duvet and duvet cover, or getting us a good woolen blanket or two.

David prefers heavy blankets and layers.  So oftentimes in winter, I make up the bed with a couple of blankets (I have a good cotton one and some inexpensive fleecy ones), a quilt or two, and maybe even our little mini-duvet topper on top!  It is very cosy, but I move around a lot in bed (I have a bad back) and cannot stand heavy layers.  

I am a duvet girl.  The fluffier and loftier the better.  I like a duvet with a flat sheet under it so you don't have to wash the cover all the time.  And duvet covers are much faster to make up for busy working girls!

For winter, we currently use a king-sized duvet (turned sideways) on our queen-sized bed.  I bought it because I couldn't stand how queen duvets seemed to barely reach over the edge (12-14", although Pottery Barn's and some others have a 16" drop) and my flat sheets were always showing underneath (I don’t like having to tuck them in!).  

The king duvet seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I think a king-sized duvet is a little unwieldy on a queen bed.  For one, it hangs down too far at the foot of the bed when we turn it 90°.  When we turn it the correct way, it hangs down too far on the sides and seems to drag heavily off the sides of the bed and not puff up properly and conform to your body.  

So now I am contemplating a queen-sized duvet again.  My last one is a feathery mess and it's time for a new one.

But I also like quilts.  I bought a wonderful silk quilt in Paris (a European size 100”x100”, meaning it overhangs the side of my bed by 20”, which is a little too far, but it just looks more like a bedspread/coverlet).  I would like to use this all year round, but it’s thin, so I really should invest in a new blanket or two.  I thought  a good wool or alpaca blanket might be a nice investment.  A baby Alpaca and merino wool blend blanket goes for about $200 here, minimum.

 So now I’m conflicted.  Easy duvet or heavy blankets and quilts?

I really hate all those layers but Canadian winters are cold and we keep it slightly cool at night, around 62F (17C) and sometimes have the window open for a nice chilly draft!

I am not the kind of person who wants 10 sets of bedding.  I already feel like I have too many odds and ends and it drives me crazy.  I would rather just have one good duvet and cover and a couple of good blankets and a quilt or two.  Not all these mismathced things.  But that is life, I suppose.  It is the nature of humans to gather more and more stuff.

In the meantime, I was curious to know what your preferred bedding is.  

Do you prefer duvets or stacks of blankets?  Do you use appropriate sizes for your bed or go oversized?  Do you use a featherbed (I want one!)?  What kind of blankets do you like (cotton, fleece, wool, synthetic)?   Where do you buy your bedding?

And last but not least, what are your bedding true loves and pet peeves?

 

Perhaps we can discuss pillows in a future post!  I know that is always a hot subject.

Photos: 1,2,9:  Ideal Home

Photo 3: Pappas Miron

Photo 4: Art & Decoration

Photo 5:  David Oliver

Photo 6: Windsor Smith

Photo 7: OKA Design

Photo 8: Shoot Factory

Canadian House & Home: Show House!

Just last week, Canadian House & Home magazine contacted me about a glorious new showhouse designed by them for a fundraiser, the Princess Margaret Hospital Sweepstakes.  This hospital lottery raises money for cancer research in Canada.

I have always loved hospital lotteries because (a) they raise money for a great cause and (b) they give away GIANT houses.  But this is simply THE BEST GIVEAWAY HOUSE I have ever seen. 

This 5600 ft2 home is located in Oakville, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto on Lake Ontario.  I lived in Toronto for many years, so now I am terribly envious that I cannot visit in person.

If you like the Belgian look and your favorite fabric is linen, you will LOVE this "modern farmhouse", designed by a House & Home team, including the inestimable Lynda Reeves.  

 

* Click HERE to watch videos as Lynda takes you on a tour of the most delightful rooms! * 

There is also a source guide on the site, so you can determine where all these goodies came from. 

Now, if I didn't live so far away, I might buy a ticket myself.  But who could face winning this stunning home and not get to LIVE in it?

Thank you to Canadian House & Home for all your hard work and for sharing this stunning home with me and my readers. 

Happy visiting!  And good luck to all who entered the draw!

Recline

I am dreadfully tired lately.  Work is exceptionally busy (I am running a big engineering project and training a student engineer) and I am pooped most evenings.

Besides that, I find that November and December always get crazy busy, and not in the most enjoyable way.  I love to shop, but not for other people.  I can never find the amazing things I want to find them and it adds a lot of stress.  I know one is supposed to enjoy this time of year, and maybe I would if I had more time off, but the weekends are always so hectic.  A few Saturdays to get all your shopping done (if you can find anything you actually like) isn't enough.  And online browsing can consume hours...

We are also Secret Santas again this year, which means we need to shop for two seniors...this can be time-consuming as they have long, specific lists!  I love doing it, but wish it were in April instead.  David and I are also volunteering at the Grey Cup parade and events which means two weekends in November are a write-off.  

In the midst of this, I am trying to get two chairs re-upholstered and the time required to look for and contemplate fabric samples and get quotes and consider options is maddening.  I also want to paint the master bathroom before Christmas, as we may be hosting nine people.

Oh, and I am a volunteer organizer for our United Way charity events at work this week.  Like I have nothing else to do!

And I am trying to exercise several times a week.  And helping my Mom plan a renovation long-distance.  And I have my book club, my only real social time with other women, which I love!

I can't imagine how people manage with children.

I do better when I have less on my plate.  It is a simple fact and I want to be unapologetic about it.  But the reality is, that you are either a doing kind of person or not, and I am a doing, over-achieving kind of person.  I will never get my plate cleared and have to learn to find some kind of peace in that.  

Most days and weeks, this does not bother me.  But right now, it has accumulated and I cannot bear it!  I want to get off the merry-go-round for a week.

Perhaps it's time for the flu...

I hope you are surviving these busy months better than me. And no comments please about quitting my job. No rich husband or family fortune is funding my retirement darlings!!

Photo: Martha Stewart

Epergne: An Exquisite Glass Centerpiece!

On a recent trip to Virginia, we visited Thomas Jefferson's famous home, Monticello, in Charlottesville.

I was positively smitten with Monticello and its beautiful grounds (they also have a fab gift shop).  But one of my favorite discoveries was in the Tea Room, where I spied a beautiful glass  centerpiece.  This marvellous little serving tree is called an epergne:

I wasn't able to take a photo (I aspired to, but the tour guides were eagle-eyed).  I was delighted to find this photo of the Tea Room on the Monticello website.

The epergne sat in the center of the table, its little glass baskets overflowing with candied fruit, nuts, and various sweets.  I found it very festive and I immediately thought of Christmas, and how pretty it would be on a dining room table for the holidays!

Below is a close-up of the Monticello eperge, which dates to the 1750-80's.  History states that according to family tradition, Jefferson gave this epergne to Martha Burke Jones, second wife of his son-in-law, John Wayles Eppes, on the occasion of their marriage:

Naturally, I coveted it and assumed that only antique versions would be available. So I was surprised to find that a few are available for purchase.  I found the following two lovely epergnes at Horchow.  The top one is lead crystal and retails for $160.  It has only one tier:

And this beauty, made of wrought iron and recycled glass, is also available at Horchow for $375.  This is my favorite but breaks the budget:

I do think an epergne would be a dream purchase for the holidays!  A beautiful piece like this would last a lifetime and start a lovely holiday tradition.

If those prices don't make you blush, check out this beauty from Reed & Barton, which retails for $1000.  Now that's an heirloom!

Ahhh...a girl can dream!

Our Main Bathroom: Grand Plan

We have a rather plain Jane main bath.  I will not show you a photo (sorry) until what exists becomes a "before" picture!  The room is slightly outdated, as in not "new", but we think it was updated about 8 years ago, before we bought the house.

The counter top and sink are fine...they are a creamy/yellow marble (real marble) and so is the tub surround.  The toilet is beige (will be replaced with white soon).  Cabinets are (luckily) white with new glass knobs!  Not terrible, but rather gloomy because of a dark green floor, like this:

And worse, there is no natural light. The medicine cabinets are a little outdated too, but they are huge and provide great storage.  Walls are currently an evil chartreuse (lime).

But we've decided simply to "decorate" and not renovate.  We know that we want to re-do the bathrooms (floors, cabinets) eventually, so we refuse to waste money now doing a partial job.

I do not use this bathroom.  David gets ready here and I use the ensuite.  So he is my client for this job and he demands colour!  

I have been putting off painting this room forever, but the time has come.  The room, to make it even uglier, is wrapped in about 20 feet of floral wallpaper border around the top.  That will take hours to remove.  But we shall do it.  And we've decided that yellow is our colour!  In fact, we're either choosing "Butter Cream" from Restoration Hardware (top container below):

Or we might try a slightly warmer yellow, with just a tinge more gold (I can't believe I am saying that...I always hated gold!).  The colours look so flat with the lack of natural light, so a sun-kissed warmer colour definitely helps.

Once I settled on YELLOW (I never decorate with yellow, except flowers!), it was like the whole world opened up.  Now I could consider all sorts of bright colours that might go with yellow.  But I still had to consider that dreaded Christmas green floor.

So I went online at art.com and sought an inspiration print, to help me sort out what colours might work.  Dear old Van Gogh really saved the day:

The cypress trees match our floor perfectly, and the warm yellow is just what the doctor ordered to spruce up the space and pop against the paler yellow walls.  I also see a touch of a very soft green in the sky and blue mountains.  So I have decided that I can use some blue-greens too.

Working from the print, I chose this shower curtain, a matelasse fabric by Restoration Hardware in Juniper:

They also have some lovely Silver Sage shower curtains that might work.  I originally considered doing green or Silver Sage walls, but the greens all seemed to die in the dull light.

I also love this little print by my beloved Monet (below). I shall never stop loving the Impressionists, even if all the girls in my dorm at university had a Monet print!  But they didn't have this beauty:

David wants to re-use all his towels - he has some rather fluffy nice towels in yellow and celadon green and white, so this will all work.  We'll also get him some new accessories, something with a little historical apothecary look, perhaps.  I like these silver items, also from Restoration Hardware, but I might look for glass instead:

I really think I will get the waste basket (below) (looks like a guy thing) and maybe the soap holder (above), which looks like a miniature cake stand!  

Then I may look at antique stores for other odds and ends to make this man-bath complete!  No, it won't be my style, but what can you do with a green floor and beige-yellow counters?  At least it won't be totally embarassing any more!

Oh, and we'll install a nice glass shelf over the toilet for displaying some glass bottles or something pretty.  I am so excited to start this project!

What do you think?  This decor is out of my comfort zone and not my usual tranquil style, but David is tired of "beige and white" (as he oft laments my colours) and did not want neutral.  I think the pale yellow is still classic and I do agree...an interior room needs a shot of colour to bring it to life!  

Your thoughts?

A Taste for the Historical Look

Do you ever come across something that you just covet, that seems to sum up your tastes at the moment? 

While researching a piece of servingware I saw on our trip to Virginia (still to come), I came across this pretty dinner set at Horchow. It has an old world look to it that I quite admire:

As much as I am trying to de-clutter and spend very little money for a while, this pretty set of goodies caught my eye.  They are neither very expensive nor rare, but they are just so unusually "pretty".

I am striving for a clean traditional style in my house, quite "pared down" and not busy.  But sometimes my inner romantic comes through.  I have a taste for a sort of historical, antique look which is satisfied by things like this!

I have never bought a proper set of dishes and do intend to buy a full set of crisp white dinnerware some day soon.  But in the meantime, perhaps I shall have to add these to my un-collected collection of odds and ends...

After all, Christmas is coming...

Items from Horchow, which likely doesn't ship to Canada anyway.

Two Glorious DC Inns!

During a recent visit to Washington D.C., David and I stayed at two glorious inns, which are owned by sisters (and their husbands)!

On the last night of our 4-night stay, we stayed at the most elegant of the pair, the Embassy Circle Guest House, which is ranked at the #1 B&B in Washington DC on Trip Advisor.

The front entrance of the glorious Embassy Circle Guest House, located on R Street (at Massachusetts Avenue), a few blocks from DuPont Circle:  

The inn is a restored mansion on a street lined with embassies, and was itself a former embassy.  The dilapidated property was purchased for $1 million in 2003 and was lovingly restored (from the bones) over the next several years by owners Laura and Ray Saba.

A fascinating article about the renovation of this stunning property was published by the Washington Post here.  You can watch an AMAZING renovation slide show here.  The renovation took over 3 years to complete and the owners welcomed their first guests in 2007!

Now for some photos of this gloriously appointed inn:

I love the stunning architectural details and the creamy yellow walls (by Duron) throughout the inn.  They are a perfect foundation for the beautiful antique furniture, and the bright punches of traditional blues, yellows and reds:

The beautifully decorated living room at Embassy Circle.  Lots of great newspapers and magazines are available daily.

Wonderful paintings line the walls of this stately home.  Laura and Ray like to support "living artists," as Laura puts it!  I could not agree with her more and love their taste in colourful art:

The paintings in the dining room (below) are all by Justina Selinger (I was raving over them and Laura was kind enough to give me her name and her card!).  The chandelier looks to me like Murano glass.  Every morning at Embassy Circle, there is a glorious breakfast of fresh fruit, pastries, breads, cheeses, smoked salmon, olives, and other goodies, many from the nearby DuPont Circle organic market. They also have a complimentary wine and cheese each evening!

The dining room:  I snapped this picture just after breakfast and forgot to straighten the chairs!  Notice the mixed upholstery of the chairs.

We happened to miss the wine and cheese the night we were there, but when we came in around 9:30pm, Laura kindly gave us both a glass of wine!  Isn't that a sweet touch?  I think so!

A book case in the front hall, lined with fabulous titles, many historical and political, so suited to the capitol region with its rich history.  Guests can borrow these books for their stay, which is a very nice touch for readers like me:

The main stairwell:

More art on the 3rd floor stairwell:

And the piece de resistance, our room on the top floor.  I was so happy we got the blue room:  

Rooms in this inn are well over $250 per night, but the owner gave us a great discount.  We'd stayed the previous 3 nights at her sister's charming inn (Woodley Park, see below), but on a whim decided to stay another night in DC!  Unfortunately for us, our first inn was full!  But because of our emergency, Laura at Embassy Circle gave us a great price on this room and welcomed us over!  They also let us park for free so we could pick up our rental car (which was scheduled for that day and would have cost $200 to switch to the next day).  

Thanks to the kindess of both sisters, we got to stay another day in DC!  Now that's customer service!  

 Our "modern historical" bathroom at Embassy Circle:

Now, on to Woodley Park!  This is the inn where we stayed in DC for the first 3 nights, and is owned by the sister (and her husband) of the owner of Embassy Circle!:

Woodley Park Guest House is a little more affordable that Embassy Circle, and perhaps not quite as upscale, but is so charming, beautifully decorated and altogether perfect.  Woodley Park is a very nice residential neighborhood near central Washington.  It's located just steps away from the Woodley Park/Zoo metro station, so it's very convenient for DC sightseeing.  There are tons of great restaurants nearby too, making for a nice evening out after a long day of sightseeing.

Owners Courtney and Joe were so incredibly friendly we felt like we were home from the instant we arrived!  Courtney was the one who arranged for our emergency reservation at her sister's inn, Embassy Circle, after we decided to stay a fourth night in DC.  Not only did Courtney get us a room at Embassy Circle (for a reduced rate) but also drove us over there with our suitcases in the morning and showed us in!  

That's kindness of the highest order.  No wonder Woodley Park is rated in the Top 5 DC B&B's on Trip Advisor! The inn itself is lovely and the owners, Courtney and Joe, are top drawer when it come to kindness.  In fact, Courtney is the type of person who will bring you a coffee while you sit on the front porch!  That is a rare touch of kindness in this crazy world and really makes you feel like you're home (where, now that I think of it, no one brings me coffee)!

The front entrance (below) at Woodley Park Guest House, a beautifully renovated and tastefully decorated historical home in the lovely Woodley Park neighborhood of DC.

The front desk:This inn is utterly charming, full of original character details, and beautifully appointed.

I love the exposed original beams and brickwork on the stairwell:

Woodley Park offers superb breakfasts too!   The breakfast room is shown below, with its lovely art and antiques:

A marvellous daily fruit salad, pastries, and cereals, together with fantastic coffee, are a great start to a day of sightseeing in DC!

Breakfast is served!  Embassy Circle on the left and Woodley Park on the right (Photos above and below from the website).

And last but not least, our lovely room under the eaves at Woodley Park (I almost forgot to take these!):
Each room is tastefully appointed with great antiques and reproduction period pieces.

Woodley Park also offers a great shelf of books for its guests.  Most titles are historical or political, but there are also some great novels.  What a treat for readers!:

Next time we visit DC (and there will be a next time), we plan to stay at their glorious inns!

Special thanks to Courtney and husband Joe of Woodley Park for their amazing hospitality during our 3 nights' stay, and to Laura and Ray of Embassy Circle for their kindness (and cookies for the road).  We honestly didn't want to leave!!

Vacation Post #2: One Day in Washington DC

The memorial to Thomas Jefferson, the much-admired 3rd US president and principal writer of the Declaration of Independence.  He founded the University of Virginia and was a profoundly-talented political thinker, lawyer, scholar, architect, plantation owner, inventor and philosopher.  He was also a horticulturalist, astronomer, voracious reader, and he loved French food.  Quel homme!  Apparently he could also do a surgery if required. 

David and I recently returned home from a 2-week trip to Washington DC and Virginia.  I was surprised to find that I was positively smitten with Washington DC!  I did not have huge expectations for this city, other than excitement at seeing all the famous monuments that I've seen in films and documentaries over the years.  But I was deeply touched by the capitol's rich cultural and political history.  I think the experience was deepened by all the reading and research I did before I went, which gave this amazing town so much context and depth.  I found the city and its museums and monuments utterly captivating.  I loved every minute of our 3-day visit and could have stayed another week just to visit museums!

Here are some photographic highlights of our first day's exploration.

My favorite monument of all, the Jefferson Memorial:  

I am oddly fond of Jefferson after reading so much about him and learning what a scholar and liberal thinker he was for his time.  But Jefferson was also a slaveowner, which tempers my adoration of him.  It is said that he treated his slaves well, if that is any consolation, and one must consider the times, I suppose.

 

Here is his memorial, on the tidal basin, surrounded by hundreds of cherry trees, a gift from Japan:

We had the Jefferson Memorial almost entirely to ourselves (Advice to travellers: visit DC in September and hope for a rain!):
The monument is an open-air design, which is perfect on a cool, breezy, slightly rainy Fall day:Classical architecture abounds in Washington DC:
I love this view:  the Washington Monument from the Jefferson Memorial, across the lake-like Tidal Basin (which is an actual tidal catch basin for the Potomac, which does flood!):
A fun glimpse into current US politics.  Say "no" to socialized health care:
The Eternal Flame at the John F. Kennedy burial site at Arlington National Cemetery (across the river from DC).  Jackie Kennedy Onassis is buried here also, along with two of their children who died (Patrick and an unnamed Infant Daughter):

The recent burial site of Ted Kennedy, with Robert E. Lee's Arlington House in the background (the house was occupied by Lee but abandoned during the Civil War and the site used as a Civil War burial ground, which began the area's use in this capacity):

Note the simple wooden cross, which is the same as found on Bobby Kennedy's nearby grave.   These are the permanent markers, which are surprisingly humble.  Both graves are just down the hill from JFK's, which was the busiest spot in the cemetery.

A scene from Arlington National Cemetery, a military cemetery where servicemen and women who have lost their lives in service or post-service may be buried.  The cemetery is actively used and there are several funerals weekly.  The site may also be used for burial of individuals who have given their lives in political service of their country, including presidents, senators, and so on:
Changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery:
The memorial to another amazing president, Abraham Lincoln (who happens to appear in my family tree...sadly, not as a direct ancestor!):  

Lincoln was America's 16th president and was president during the American Civil War (1861-65).  He was an opponent of slavery:The Washington Monument across the reflecting pond, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial:
An amazingly humble memorial is shown below.  This is where Martin Luther King stood when he gave his 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech to a huge assembled crowd of civil rights protestors.  The demonstration was held at the Lincoln Memorial because Abraham Lincoln was a proponent for civil rights and lead the Union to victory in the Civil War:
Lincoln Memorial from afar.  Imagine the thousands of people gathered here for Martin Luther King's speech:
The Korean War Memorial, consisting of numerous ghostly statues (below).  This memorial was very touching:
After visiting the Vietnam War memorial (not shown), we walked the length of the Reflecting Pond, towards the Washington Monument:
The Jefferson Memorial from the Reflecting Pond:
The back of the White House (below)!  We were exhausted by this point and didn't bother going around front since there was too much construction blocking the views:
That was our first exhausting day in Washington.  I took a TON of photos but won't bore you with more details.  I will post a few more highlights of our trip soon!

Vacation Post #1: DC Blogger Party with Eddie Ross!

I know I am absurdly late writing about this party, but hey...I just got back from two weeks vacation!

If you haven't read about it here or here or here (among other places!) you should know about the wonderful, astounding, lovely and altogether-perfect party that Michele of My Notting Hill threw on September 18th for Eddie Ross and Jaithan Kochar at her lovely home in Arlington!!

Here is the hostess with the mostest, Michele, with Eddie Ross himself (Jaithan was in the kitchen!):  

David and I just happened to be travelling to Washington DC the week of Michele's party and several months ago I happened to mention this to her in an email.  To my delight, she invited me to her DC blogger party, which was attended by an astounding array of talented DC-area designers, bloggers, writers, and decor-lovers. It was a total coup to attend this party!  And who wouldn't love meeting Eddie and Jaithan?

Here I am with Eddie, my new BFF: 

Eddie is positively delightful and witty, insanely talented, has wonderful opinions and is handsome and blonde and stylish!  Who could ask for more?!  I wish I'd had more time to pick his incredible brain about design and what he loves and hates.  He has amazing talent, wit, and wonderful opinions - I like nothing better than that combination in a person!

Next here I am with Michele, who is the most gracious hostess:  

Michele is a relaxed, easy-going and super smart lady with a great design mind.  She was so welcoming...I felt totally at home in her house, which she shares with her marvellous husband Dan (the amazing chef du jour) and two beautiful, well-mannered children!

Michele has a really beautiful house that she has not shown us nearly enough of!  I loved her style and wished I had stolen a few snaps of her exquisite decor.

One of the highlights of my evening was meeting Lauren from Pure Style Home.  Here she is with her good friend Eddie:  

Lauren was exactly as I expected.  Not only is she beautiful, but also funny and kind and charming and self-deprecating and oh-so-talented.  I felt like I've known her forever!  If I lived closer to Lauren I would say to heck with decorating and just hire her!  Her husband Dave was also soooo nice - smart, handsome, articulate, and a real DIY god!  They are a perfect pair!

Here we are, me and my decor hero:

Here's another handsome pair: Bob Murphy from the ever-fascinating blog Homer's Odd Isn't He and lovely Linda from Haven on Hanover.  

Bob is a fascinating fellow (and I didn't talk to him nearly long enough), and Linda is such a sweet and interesting lady.  She and her husband Dave (an engineer!) are renovating a great old home in Richmond, which she is currently documenting on her wonderful blog.   She also works for a great design firm and shares her talents on her blog!

Here is a photo of Linda's husband Dave and I having a rare engineering conversation:

(photo from Bob Murphy)

And here are a few more of the usual suspects:

From left to right are Jenn (Department of the Interior), Michele our hostesss, Linda, Bob, Eddie, and Pat from Pat's Addition. It was also great meeting Jenn, whose list of Georgetown shops I followed very closely while shopping that afternoon!

Here are a few more party-goers:  Eddie and Jaithan are next to Beth from Chinoserie Chic (who was so funny as she told me how much she hates the white, spare interiors I love!)  Beth was wearing a great dress but I have forgotten the designer!  To the right of Jaithan is Meg from Pigtown Design, with her sister-in-law Gabi (who was very sweet).  Meg is such an interesting lady and I wish I'd gotten to chat with her longer - she has such a sweet manner, a great mind for design, and a superb blog!

I actually had a great long chat with Jaithan, who is smart, handsome, stylish and also has talent to spare! He and Eddie are a real dynamic duo, and I was honoured that Jaithan took so much time to chat with me about their projects and perspectives.  He is a very sweet fellow. 

Here are the same folks, along with Thomas from My White Shirt (on the right) who was so nice!

Here is the talented Stefan from Architect Design (who I chatted with over asparagus and pork roast) and the ever-lovely Meg:

The redhead, blonde, brunette trio:  Jenn, moi, Michele:

Bob with his very funny friend, along with our Linda:

Trouble in the kitchen:  Jaithan, Beth, me and Meg

Jaithan and Eddie are a wonderful couple and I wish them great success with their endeavours!

I also loved meeting the beautiful and talented blogger Leila from In the Tweeds, and her Mom Sue who gave me some great sightseeing advice.  I wish I'd gotten a photo with them!

Michele and Dan threw a wonderful party and I cannot thank them enough. I had such fun and felt like I was with family.  I've never been in a room with so many people I already love!  I felt like everyone "got me" and it was such a treat to spend the evening with kindred spirits, brilliant talents, and to drink Michele and Dan's wine.

A perfect evening!

Style at Home Makeover Contest!

This office is just perfect:

But maybe yours isn't! 

If you need help, you should enter Style at Home's makeover contest!  Canada's Style at Home is a gorgeous Canadian decor magazine which happens to have a lovely website too!

Their sweet Senior Web Editor (and fellow blogger) Natalie (check out her blog These Are a Few of my Favorite Things) emailed me about the contest, which is soooooo very easy to enter.

All you have to do is post a photo of a room in your home that sorely needs some decor lovin'. There are two grand prizes (to the rooms with the most votes) of $2000 in Home Depot gift certificates, as well as 20 $50 Home Depot gift certificates available to be won by those who vote and/or comment!  So start clicking here!

The contest is only open to Canadians (sorry!) and the deadline for submissions is September 24th.  So get busy and take a picture of your ugliest room.  Or drop by to vote!

And if you're lucky, your front hallway could look like this:

 

Thanks Natalie for the heads up.  Now...where's my camera?  I have one uglissimo TV room that could use a little Home-Depot-style love...

All photos from Canada's Style at Home