Monday is: Canadian designers! Coming soon

Sorry for the delay in this series. It was a very busy week last week, thus no posts at all. I am in the process of figuring things out legal wise and doing my homework before I post anything so hopefully I will have it all ready next Monday!

Today at home, besides doing research, I will be making homemade pasta. I have enjoyed making pasta and have been trying to replace bought pasta, with homemade pasta. It is so much fun! So I will be taking pictures and hopefully tomorrow will have a pasta making tutorial for you!



Until then...

Blessings!
Karen E.

A Shabby Apple Giveaway!

Thanks to a fellow blogger for offering this amazing giveaway.
You have the choice of these three dresses.


this one is called ``Nothin` like a Dame``
I am loving the length, the neck line, and the sleeves!



My personal favorite called ``Ballerina``
I love the color and just the way is swoops and flows!



This last choice is called ``Tiber``. They have it in the color red as well!
the sleeves and the neck line are wonderful on this style of dress!

So stop on by at www.remodelaholic.com, and find out how you can easily enter this giveaway!
This giveaway ends Wednesday, January 25. so hurry up before it is too late!

Blessings!
Karen E.

photos from Remodelaholic.com, and Shabby Apple.

Of Birthday gifts and such!

A new post about my new birthday device! For my birthday my amazing, wonderful, loveable, husband got me an iPad 2! It is amazing. I love reading all my blogs that I am subscribed to, on my new device! My next small investment will be this nice little case for my beloved pad.

Source: amazon.ca via Karen on Pinterest

I could get really into this! If only it didn't cost so much!







These I found on etsy!

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

And this is what it looks like inside!

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

Love the print but I don't know if I could go for the whole bag thing.

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

Sigh!

What are your thoughts? I would love to know!

Blessings!
Karen E.

New Series: Canadian Designers

I have been researching Canadian interior designers, and have found a host of wonderful people with wonderful taste and talent! Lord willing I will try to post on one a week, and introduce you to the talent in Canada.

Stay tuned!

Blessings!
Karen E.

My Word

I was over at designer Carol Beck's blog www.houseandhomedefined.com where I found this inspiring poem shared from Mark Twain.

Twenty years from now 

you will be more disappointed 

by the things that you didn't do

than by the ones you did do.  

So, throw off the bowlines.

Sail away from the safe harbor.  

Catch the trade winds in your sails. 

 Explore.  

Dream.  

Discover. 

~ Mark Twain ~

This is my prayer for this year. I have been thinking about what I want to do with the dreams I have, and realized that because of fear of failing and laziness, I was doing nothing about them.

This year my prayer is that God would give me a motivated spirit and that i would accomplish things I desire to do.

Several fellow bloggers have been talking about what their word is for this year. I started thinking what my word for this would be. 

Till now I didn't know how to sum it up into one word. But now I know. My word for this year is Motivation.

If you think of me at all please pray for me that God would fulfill this word in me.

Blessings!

Karen E.

If anyone is reading my ramblings please let me know. Sometimes I feel like its just me here and that all that I write here is just pointless.

A Blessing

I found these video clips the other day and was very blessed and encouraged. I hope this inspires you like it does me.

Blessings!
Karen E.

I love Kitchens!

I have this thing for kitchens. For the past several years we have been in and out of the house market, and I can't begin to tell you how important the kitchen is to me. They are my working space. I love to cook more than I like to bake. Maybe its because I feel I have more freedom in creating my own version of the recipe. I think I am more creative and daring in the kitchen than I am in interior design. One down side to living in a finished rental home is that you generally can't change things.

My dream kitchen will have color. Greens and reds make me happy and feel inspired. My first kitchen was lime green (yes I did it on purpose!), and my second kitchen, after we renovated it, was red with a hint of orange. Or was it burnt orange with a hint of red? Anyway it made me happy!
My dream kitchen will have lots of storage space and a pantry off of it. I would love an island in the middle with a bar fridge built into it, and a line of vintage bar stools.

The kitchen in our rental house is better than I have ever had so far, so I will enjoy it to the fullest till the day comes that I will have my own. I would show you a picture of it but, it is not very picture worthy at the moment, I made pasta today, so my kitchen isn't totally spic and span.

For now I will share with you some inspiring kitchen photos. Enjoy!

Source: bhg.com via Kristy on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Kristy on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Kristy on Pinterest

Source: srgambrel.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Alaina on Pinterest

Source: habituallychic.blogspot.com via Evelina on Pinterest

Source: alifesdesign.blogspot.com via Sandy on Pinterest

Source: tumblr.com via Ashley on Pinterest

I like the pantry idea.

Source: bhg.com via Christine on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Christine on Pinterest

Source: thecurtainexchange.com via The Curtain Exchange on Pinterest

Source: desiretoinspire.net via Casey on Pinterest

Source: brunchatsaks.blogspot.com via Casey on Pinterest

Source: kikis-list.blogspot.com via Casey on Pinterest

Source: threepinkdots.com via Casey on Pinterest

Source: mrshowardpersonalshopper.com via Casey on Pinterest

Well thats it for now! Have a good night.

Blessings!
Karen E.

Projects!

One of my first Projects that I attempted was for our church Ladies group. For Christmas we have a homemade Christmas gift exchange, instead of playing it safe (for me) and baking something, I decided that this year I was gonna make something!

Right now I am in love with chalkboard paint! Pics like this

and this

Source: google.ca via Karen on Pinterest

make my mouth drool! 

So back to my project! Lol!

I made my own chalk board. 

I went to the dollar store and found a nice golden picture frame .Ok so I bought two of them, one for the gift and one for me!

 cleaned the glass first. Sprayed on two or three coats on, and wallah!

(This month of our 4th anniversary hence the sappy note)

I love it, an I hope the lady who got mine will love it just as much as I love mine.

my husband has been taking advantage of it too this month and has been very sweet, shall we say!

Blessings!

Karen E.

Give-away!

Hey you all! Head on over to Home by Heidi for an amazing give away she has going! I have been following her for a while now and I enjoy reading/looking at all her posts!



Heidi is a wife and a stay at home mom of three children, who has a talent of making things beautiful

She is having a give away from Joe Totes!


I have looked on their site and they have some awesome bags in great colors.  If you are a budding photographer , a pro, or just a girl who likes a good bag with organizers, this is for you!



Well enough of my chatting! Go on and head over to here site for a chance to win!

Blessings!
Karen E.

Printable art

I have new special reading corner! After over a year, all my books can come out of their cramped boxes and display themselves, and be enjoyed!

I am looking for some printable art for the wall beside the big shelf. I want something vintage, and cozy. If you  know where I can find something like that, please let me know! thanks.

Blessings! 

Karen E.

Ringing in the New year!

It is a new year, and with it comes empty resolutions that fade out after the first month or two. This year I have a prayer that the Lord will give me motivation and the will to carry out what I am motivated to do. One thing that is motivating me this year is to pursue interior decorating. I have been in love with it for several years now, and if there is any time that I am gonna do it, its now!
This blog is another thing that I am motivated to do. I love writing, but I have gotten out of the habit of doing it these past few years and I am not always good at expressing my self in writing or I can do in just a few sentences. We'll work that!
Loosing weight. I don't think I need to expound on that. If you are a woman you will know what I am talking about, and I won't need to say more.

I am excited about the new year. It stretches out like a fresh new notebook, a blank piece of paper, a breath of fresh air. You get the idea, a year full of newness and promise!

 Enough of the New year stuff.

One thing I have been thinking about is my home. I think the first step to an attractive home is clean surfaces, free of clutter. That is one of the first things my husband notices when he comes home from work. I feel more creative and inspired when my house is tidy and free of clutter. That is one thing I really want to keep up.
I am feeling a little frustrated at the moment because I had pics for this post and they are all gone!!! Grrrr.


Here are some of my most recent Pins on pinterest.

Source: arttisbeauty.blogspot.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: laurenslatest.com via Karen on Pinterest

Have a happy new year! May it me full of inspiration!

Blessings!
Karen E.