I'm Doing What?

 

A few shots of odds and ends I've been filling my days with.

Tried my hand at water color painting for some inexpensive art that vibes with the color scheme and look I'm working on in the dining room. I re-used this inexpensive Ikea frame I had laying around and bought a $4 sheet of large water color paper. Now I'm hooked.

 

Trying to tame my sweet tooth this summer. It seems to be easier when there is so many healthy options in-season.

 

Did I mention I am trying to tame my sweet tooth? Cute marshmallows make it hard.

 

Failing at taming my sweet tooth. 

 

Wren picked all these roses from the yard (we live in wild rose country (aka Alberta) and they are EVERYWHERE. and they're edible). We jazzed up Sean's birthday cake with a little bundle of them for a cute, summer-y touch. He wasn't super excited about it but all us girls at the party were. Guys...

 

Speaking of parties... I am excited that my favorite couple on the planet are tying the knot this weekend!!! Craft paper, chalk and some adhesive chalkboard paper cut in the shape of a heart (also used here and here)  eliminated the need for a card on my shower gift.

What projects have you been up to? Anything crafty and fun?

I'm doing What?

I didn't realize that it has been over 2 months since our last edition of "I'm doing what?". Sorry guys! I was in the midst of pulling together a "things that make me happy" post when I realized that most of the items actually belonged in this post.

It is kind of an obvious question to ask me what I've been doing because not only has my last week or two been filled party prep, then clean up, but I share a lot of my days on Instagram.

But, these posts are little snapshots I like to capture of moments around the house. Lately I have been in a mail frenzy. Sending out my first Hey, Oyster orders (THANK YOU!!) as well as receiving a very cool mix of e-friend surprises, belated birthday presents and a really lovely dress I was excited to start rocking from fellow-Albertan run Splurge & Co. The wrapping alone almost felt too pretty to open~

Wanna know what I was doing last week? Getting called a Diva by my favorite Barrista (is that the right term for a guy barrista? Feels like it should be barristum or barrister or something). I can't tell you how many times Holly has been spelled Holy on my coffee cups so I am just going to start telling them Diva when they ask. Don't even ask what the Shanana part is about.

 

Sometimes I need a Diva boost though, specially before heading over to ParkView, because I tend to be a bit of a softie with those guys. And I had to lay down some laws so I brought my Beyonce-fied Diva attitude with me on my last few trips.

I don't rock a mean mug very well.

 

I also found a few moments to switch out the kitchen nook rug for an extra Ikea rug I had in the closet. Simple white seems really refreshing and bright for now. Maybe I'll try my hand and Ombre again with this guy in the spring~

 

Last, but certainly not least, I have joined the ranks of washi tape addicts! It makes a really cute way to display Wren's art for a few days as she produces new pieces that then take the place of her older creations on the wall. And it saves Momma from finding new spots to lean or place her art!

A few other things I've been up to but will share in separate posts coming up:

-easy valentines treats

-we FINALLY hung the new light at the front door

-first coat of paint it up on the walls at Parkview and I am in LOVE with the color

I'm Doing What?

It's been busy here! Between enjoying the first real Holiday season weekend, lots of helping at Wren's school, and getting ready for a couple birthdays this month I feel like the days are blending together. But I find myself savoring special moments more and enjoying the simplicity of little things when I take the time to document it. So while I have been updating many of these moments on Instagram as they happen, I love adding them to my virtual scrapbook (aka my blog). 

Mornings are COLD right now. And dark. Don't let our pretty snow fool you, it is a wasteland up here in the tundra! LOTS of hot cocoa and mochas are my only line of defense right now. And a fistful of marshmallows does a soul good.

 

The one thing I have been LOVING is holiday party season! We had a big party to attend this past weekend and the next few look equally glitzy. I am not really a big holiday outfit shopper so I am trying my hardest to rework and juggle some pieces around into multiple outfits (we will be seeing the same people at several events). These Zara heels from last winter have the perfect amount of sparkle for me, just on the heels.

 

Wren and I are getting our bake on! She is the perfect age for helping, and the decorating part is beyond fun for her. I am glad that we have so many giggles and fun in the kitchen, it is exactly what I hoped and dreamed for when we started our reno journey years ago.

 

And speaking of Wren, I love doing little surprises for her. I've said it before, but we don't buy a lot of toys in our house. She has a LOT of books, games and craft supplies but brand new toys only happen as gifts on birthdays, Christmas and Easter. So little surprises like finding her bedroom filled with balloons when she comes home from school so she can pretend she's flying in the clouds are very appreciated and I hope will give her memories to cherish.

 

If you were to ever ask me what I'm listening to, I'd tell you that I have his three CD album locked on repeat. 

(but I doubt anyone would  ask)

 

What else am I doing? Devouring boxes of Salted Toffee Cheesecake Pops, of course. 

and wearing thermal underwear. Lots of thermal underwear. 

 

Finally, I just started a new book. I love a mystery! And a warm blankie. And a fresh cup of mocha. 

Let's be honest, this cup stays full all day.

So that's the long and short of my last couple weeks. What have you been up to?

I'm doing what?

I want to start a new regular post today. Not sure how often it will be, but like "things that make me happy" I'm guessing it will be monthly or biweekly. Somewhere in that range. It is like "things that make me happy" in many ways, except it will focus more on activities, not on things (duh!), so going forward there will be more 'things' in one and activities/what I'm doing in another. Sounds repetitive? It may be a little but I love catching little moments here and there, but not every photo necessarily deserves a blog post so here is my solution. I share a lot of them on Instagram as they happen as well, so check there for sneak peeks (and likewise I apologize to those who've already seen some).

Ready to rewind my week? Here we go!

Can you believe it's almost Christmas? Well, not quite, but it is sure coming up quickly this year. This whole year happened in the blink of an eye for me. I am not one to decorate early, but I have been picking up some new red/white themed decor this week. It is the best time to scour the thrift stores for good stuff because it isn't picked over yet!! I have gotten a lot of good stuff, and some neat things I have projects lined up for. I am also really excited to get decorating this season as I'm partnering with Ikea to bring a Swedish touch to our holiday this year.

Also on my Holiday to-do list, I got all my holiday bulbs planted this week. Some years I wait too long to get this going and by then the bulbs are past their prime or sold out. So I felt pretty proud to stay on top of it this year. I also cleaned out a bunch of candle containers this week from candles I've used up. The sweater pot is one those gems. Just another reason I justify my candle obsession.

Wren is practicing the age old tradition of letter writing. We need to write Santa a letter still, but she got all her best friends covered with these beautiful 'notes'.

Is it Fall? Is it Winter? We can't seem to make up our minds up here in the prairies. Winter wonderland one day, slushy the next. I have come to rely on my rain boots more than ever, but they're not that warm so I have to double up on the socks on cold days. Sounds ridiculous, but it is SOOOO comfy.

Went to a big Antique sale and found some salvage goodies. I have no particular use for a heavy metal letter 'G' but it will get loved all the same. Pristine, perfect antiques are still all the rage here so I was able to bring this guy home along with some beautifully rumpled antique silk fair ribbons for just a few bucks. A treasure hunter never sleeps, I tell ya!

Buying new clothes for Wren. This girl NEVER.STOPS.GROWING!! I swear this shirt was a dress about 3 weeks ago. I am constantly torn between buying cute as a button stuff in her size or making the poor girl wear clothes two sizes too big just so I don't have to reload her wardrobe once a month! Yet again, thrifting has saved the day and my kept my Christmas fund intact...

So that is what's been keeping my calendar full (aside from Wren's school, ParkView, and the usual suspects). What fun items have been on your calender recently?