Martha Stewart: Spider Nests

Spiders are the bane of my existence. Whenever I see one I completely lose all functionality and the only thing I can think is, Spider.Must.Go! I have an eagle eye for them - I will spot them left and right, behind blinds, around corners, under furniture; yes, that's right, for spiders I can actually see around walls and through furniture... It's my gift, it's my curse. Suffice to say, my hubby gets a work out if there's a spider in the house. Of course, to dress up the front yard for Halloween, the most terrifying thing I can think to put out there has to do with my arch nemesis, the spider!

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Upholstered Headboard with Nailhead Trim
{FEATURED} once, and {FEATURED} twice;
could anything else be so nice?!

I feel like the most popular girl in the whole world!

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Thanksgiving Tablescape {FEATURED}!

What, what, whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!

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As mentioned {previously}, my hubby and I have done some work on The New Place since moving in two years ago. In fact, we did have quite a few things jam-packed into The Old Place that we were able to fill up some rooms with. However, when going from about 700 square feet up to around 1500 you're bound to need a few new pieces - especially for a brand spanking new living room!

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I've mentioned my new goal to expand my colour repertoire {here}, and that includes one of my biggest challenges: getting used to GREY! Many of the walls in The New Place were painted some shade of grey; the master bedroom was no exception. Instead of going on a mad painting spree I decided, I'm going to learn to love grey even if it kills me. Well, maybe not if it's going to kill me; but you get the picture.

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The Old Me, from The Old Place, thought that everything in a home had to come in a set... a bedroom set, a living room set. It was so bad I was even buying lamps in sets! Bleh, I know! When moving into The New Place, hubby and I needed some more lighting and, before I could stop her, the Old Me promptly ran out and bought ANOTHER set of lighting to match the original set that I still had. What was I thinking, you ask?

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BHG: Leaf Place Cards

Yes, I held out as long as I could in decorating for autumn, and yes, that means I left it until just about the last minute to set up my table for Thanksgiving this year as well. But, with a few simple touches, I was able to whip up a stylish backdrop for dinner just in time for guests to arrive!

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Martha Stewart: Pumpkin and Tombstone Treat Bags

Since we moved into The New Place my hubby and I have become obsessed with Halloween... well, actually, make that more obsessed. Halloween has always been one of my favourite times of year; I used to adore it as a child - not so much for the candy, which don't get me wrong was awesome, but more so for the costumes and the decor. Now my hubby and I enjoy entertaining the kiddies with our outdoor displays and I especially enjoy seeing big smiles when I hand out treat bags filled with goodies. As complicated as they may seem to make, pumpkin treat bags are actually pretty easy, the tombstones are a little more complex, but both are a spectacular alternative to the little plastic bags that most people use.

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Pottery Barn

Make no mistake about it, I am a summer baby all the way. I love the lush colours of summer and I especially love the heat. Much to my dismay, I live in a country that unfortunately experiences four seasons, so I not only have to adapt my wardrobe to the temperature changes but also my home decor. My hubby loves the fall, and as soon as October hit he proclaimed it time to "fall the place up". Despite my seasonal preferences I do happen to have a few items geared towards the fall stuffed away in a tiny box; the first weekend in October I finally broke down and fished them out of storage.

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I'm in the mood for... sharing a moodboard! A moodboard (or inspiration/storyboard) is a wonderful tool used by many interior designers (and by many other professionals, in fact) to help visually experiment with a design. It is an excellent way to get a more concrete idea of how your room will look and the atmosphere it will create for you. Usually it's done by taking pages from magazines or catalogues - anywhere really - compiling textile samples and colour swatches and assembling them (either in an organized way - reflective of the rooms layout - or as more of a random collage). However, in this technological age there are more options for moodboards. Recently, I've been working on one for my den.

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Crate & Barrel: Colette Bed

What happens when you fall in love with a great upholstered headboard with nailhead trim that is just way out of your budget? Well, you try to convince your hubby it's a great investment - and when that fails, you start to consider his revelation that he could easily help make that headboard for you.

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I recently started using a fantastic site called Pintrest which allows you to easily save, or "pin", items you find online, as well as organizing your selections onto specific boards. Not only is this an excellent tool for capturing and keeping all your inspirational goodies in one place but it is also a great source for additional ideas - and the board presentations are just lovely, too. If you haven't already happened upon Pintrest you really should take a peek at it {here} - but fair warning, it is addictive!

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Let me be perfectly honest – I am in no way, shape, or form a designer by trade or training. I am, however, an individual that is wildly perfectionistic, quite crafty, and typically on a budget. So, when my hubby and I bought a house just under two years ago with barely enough furniture to fill it, I thought, what a fantastic time to begin my experiments in decorating!

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