Instant Relaxation

There are two places I like to visit that instantly help me shake off all the stresses in my life.  One is a particular lake that I have visited throughout my life off highway seven in Ontario.  The second is an amazing spa in Grafton Ontario.

Ste. Anne's Spa is in a class of its own. The moment you drive on to the property and see the rolling hills and wild flowers you are instantly transported away from your worries and cares.  Just smelling the air and

hearing the birds would be enough - then you walk into a beautiful stone building filled with amazing scents and little nooks just inviting you to curl up and read for the day.  I always end up in the same spot - in the back room beside the dining room, reading on the sofa in front of the fireplace.  Often the windows are open slightly, making the pretty fleur-de-lis embroidered curtains to  move with the slight breeze.

The sessions themselves are so hard to choose from - do I pick a massage, skin rejuvenation or a pedicure?  And how do I choose while I'm waiting - the eucalyptus steam room, hot tub in the grotto or should I sit in the hammock in the gazebo while wind chimes dance above me.

It is really magical.  I've been to so many other "spas" but nothing compares.   You feel like you've been invited into your friend's beautiful home and your top priority is to relax.  You can walk around with messy hair, no make-up and wear your cozy terry cloth robe all day and no one will fault you for it.

My last trip was in July and it was the first time I felt sorry for some of the guests.  While I and many of the people around me sat quietly taking in the surrounding nature, a few guests had their phones in hand to check their emails.  I watched friends and couples ignoring the wind blown trees and lush green hills to stare at a screen.  I was a little heartbroken for them. They were missing the magic.   So this is my challenge, plea or whatever you want to call it to those future guests visiting this amazing place - unplug for the day.  Put it away or pretend the battery is dead.  Allow yourself time to stare into space and take in the beautiful setting around you.   There are so few opportunities in our day-to-day lives to do so.

While I don't have to challenge myself to unplug, I do need to work hard to relax and not let daily stresses raise my blood pressure.  I wanted to bring the spa home with me and came up with a few ideas for work and home that have really helped with my stress levels.

At Work
- Invest in a little water feature for your desk.  So long as the folks around you don't mind the sound of the water (and I've yet to come across anyone that does) you can even add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to that water for a light fresh scent.

- Plug yourself in with a spa CD.  I recommend A Peaceful Soak. There are plenty of other versions that can be downloaded to your media player as well.

- Try removing the clutter from your desk.  Having files, binders and books at hand may be convenient but

having a visual reminder of  your work surrounding you can stress you out before you even turn on your computer.

- Bring in the green and change the lighting.  Add a desk lamp with soft lighting to change the atmosphere.  Also consider adding a small plant to your desk.  Don't go crazy with the greenery - a little goes a long way to bringing the outside in.

- Add a beautiful wallpaper to your desktop.  Windows has hundreds that are free to download.

At Home
- Invest in a plush terry cloth robe.  You don't have to spend a fortune - even Ikea sells them.

- Add some spa elements to your bathroom - candles, little soaps, a mini vase of fresh flowers or even some new white towels.

- Take a bath instead of a shower.  Try Ombra's Aromatic Eucalyptus foam bath smells just like the steam room at Ste. Anne's.

- Unplug for 5-10 minutes.  Some people have to practice doing this.  You don't have to meditate, just sit down, turn off the TV, phone, radio and whatever other distractions and just take in your environment.  Taking a few moments, even if its just once a week can do wonders for your mental health.

I'm already thinking of my next trip to the spa.  Hopefully it will be soon!

First Time Felting

This Christmas I asked for a felting kit.  I had a friend that had created some beautiful little creatures out of felt and wanted to try it myself.  It wasn't easy at first and I had a few failed attempts.  I had finally created
a beautiful bunny only to have it ripped apart by my kitten (live and learn).  In the end, I created these two little projects.  I gifted them to family who seemed very pleased.  I will say that I may not make a forest full of critters but I will certainly try a few more projects.

Felting kits can be purchased on Amazon.

Afternoon Pillow Project

Here is a quick pillow project for a rainy afternoon.  I wanted to add some texture to my bedding and choose an inexpensive afghan to cut up to cover a body pillow and small matching pillow decorative pillow.  Below you'll find the step by step instructions for covering the small decorative pillow.  The project should'n't take more than 10-20 minutes.

To create this pillow you'll need an afghan, thick satin ribbon, a pillow form and a sewing machine.

Fold the afghan over the pillow form and cut 1/2 inch away from the form.  Sew one of the ends and along the length of the unfolded portion of the pillow.  If your afghan has a finished edge - make sure that is the section that you leave open.  Use the sewing machine to sew on the flip side of the fabric.

Turn the fabric inside out to the correct side and slide the cover on to the pillow form as you would a standard pillow case.  Gently thread the satin ribbon through the knit fabric 1/4 of the way from each end and tie the ribbon into a bow.  Make sure the ribbon is not pulled too tight of the fabric will pucker - this is more of a decorative element.

The cover is easily washable - just remember to remove the ribbon before doing so.

Beachy Wreath

It is amazing how expensive wreaths are.  Most are very busy and covered with silk flowers...so not my thing.

I had purchased some potpourri recently (also not my thing - normally) that was interesting because of the colours and the fact that it included shells.  

I opted to use this for the wreath, mixing the natural plant elements with the shells.  I used a grape vine wreath from Michaels and crafting glue. 

The result is an inexpensive wreath for the summer months.

Just a note of caution - you'll probably want to block out the scent with either a matte clear coat or spray.

Displaying Antique Dishes

I have a weakness for antique dishes and not nearly enough surfaces to display them.   I liked the idea of having them on my kitchen wall but didn't want to use a traditional wall mount.

I got the idea from a bakery in Toronto called Bobette and Belle to have the plates grouped together on a different background.  They mounted theirs on a chalkboard surface.  I chose a sand coloured linen and inexpensive white frames.  I hot glued the bowls and plates to the linen.   This way should I ever decide to take the bowls/plates off, I can simply peel the glue from the backs of the dishes without damaging them.  

I also created some small frames and a bulletin board - all white frames with a linen background.  Having these mounted on picture railing allowed me to also include some small decorative items along with the frames. 

I thought it was a fun and modern way to display my antiques and collectibles.

Every Chair Deserves A Second Chance

My hands are blistered and sore but it was so worth it.  I was in need of a chair in my living room and was so excited when my brother and sister in law were getting rid of a chair that had belonged to the previous owner of their house.

My sister-in-law has amazing taste and could see the potential for this very old 70s chair.  Sadly, having something re-upholstered is so expensive.  Short of the piece being a family heirloom - you may as well just buy a new chair.   And while my upholstery skills are good - they probably wouldn't stand up to little girls bouncing on the chair so in the end - the chair will sit quietly in the corner of my room - waiting for me to curl up with a good book and cup of tea.

The worst part of the job is pulling off the old material and stuffing.  I actually opted to wear a mask to save my lungs from the abundance of dust that came from the stuffing and straw (yes straw) that made up the innards of this old chair.






Before

  





Bones of the Chair

 





After

 

Striped Drawers

Before

After

I love finding old ugly furniture at yard sales.  I know I've said it before but it is extremely difficult to find new furniture that is solid and free of plastic.  That is why I was so excited to find this little side table for a measly $12 at a yard sale.  The guy threw in this amazing retro wallpaper as well.  Stay tuned for projects that feature that fab find in the future.

I opted to use my favourite new finish - bright paint with a layer of stain to give the finish an antique look.

I really believe in all the little touches - including lining the inside of the drawer with matching wallpaper.  The end result is as you see and really so much fun to pull together.

Bold Bathroom

I love this project. 

Painting the bathroom was step one.  I used left over grey paint to match the existing neutral tones in the tile and step two was adding a bold wallpaper print to two walls.  The wallpaper is bold but the colours are equally neutral and look great with any towel colour.

Here are two looks - one with bold pops of plum and one with clean whites. 

Depending on the mood or season - you could go back and forth between the two.   
I have to apologize for the pictures - it is incredibly difficult to photograph a small room  effectively.

The Sparest of Spare Rooms

I used to love that line from Anne of Green Gables - "The sparest of spare rooms." There is something pretty wonderful about visiting a friend's house with a pimped out guest room.  I've been a fan of fully stocking a room with cool items for guests since viewing an episode of Oprah.  Don't get your hopes up - guests won't be leaving this room with a car but hopefully will find the decor leads to a restful evening.

The colour is called Diamond Dust - a grey/mauve that is accented with leaf green pictures on the walls. The room has to be multi-functional as well and house the computer.  Rather than using a computer desk - I opted to use an old antique cabinet and hide the desk chair on a hook on the back of the door.

The room is small and will only house a single bed but ensure the bedding is inviting and towels are plush can make a guest forget they are sleeping on a smaller mattress.

The pendant lamp was a very exciting find.  Home Depot sells this pendant for under $40 and has the option of extending the length to accommodate all ceiling heights.

This was a fun room to put together.  I even painted out a dresser (sad to say it was one that I sanded down in the 90s).  I've always been a fan of mixing antiques with modern - makes for a unique space.

Chair stored on back of door.

Pendant lamp

Grayscale Dreams

It has been soooo long since I've added a new posting and so much has happened.  I've literally painted all but one room in my sister's house.  I of course had to paint my temporary abode as well and I have to admit that it is one of my favourite bedrooms to date!  I like colour but in muted tones or little touches of bright accents but when it comes down to it - nothing calms me like shades of grey mixed with white and black accents.

Sounds boring I know but with the right accents and a fun damask patterned quilt - the result I think is quite lovely.

The ceiling light (very cost effective at Home Depot of all places) really brought everything together.  I never regret buying the circular Umbra mirror at the Umbra warehouse sale in Toronto.  I managed to find the only unbroken one in the bunch and it seems to go with any colour or theme.  The black pyramid shelf in the corner is something I normally use in my living room just as a book shelf but fits in nicely as book storage, picture display and media nook.

I borrowed the lovely bedside lamps from my sister - standard lamps from Ikea that have the wonderful telescopic bases allowing for extra height and making them anything but standard in appearance.  Finally - the curtains.  Lovely muted grey curtains with black-out material on the back which cost all of $15 a panel - thank you Giant Tiger!

My room is soothing and tranquil at the end of a long day.  Feminine but not girly which I love - all in all...I'm happy with the results.  Wish I had before pictures to show you but I got so excited to paint that I forgot to take pictures first.

Oh - the paint colour is Behr Silver Screen in an eggshell finish.  I didn't buy Behr paint though (sorry Behr but I hate how your paint goes on the wall).  My advice - go to Home Depot and buy Glidden paint and use a Behr colour.  Instead of $35-$40 a gallon, a can of Glidden paint costs $18 folks and I think goes on even better with less coats.  This is not a low viscosity paint so if you are sensitive to fumes, ask the person at the paint counter for the best brand.  I'd rather save a dollar and crack a window myself but I'm sure my lungs won't thank me for it.