Buttons Are Treasure |

I have always been fascinated by buttons! My mom always kept her buttons in a ‘Royal Margarine’ plastic container and I loved to open it and dump it out playing with the buttons and organizing them, trying to decide which was my favourite! They were such treasures to me!

Over the past few years of living on my own I have tried to start my own collection of buttons. I would save the any buttons that fell off me clothes (in case I ever got around to mending them) and I would also save the extra buttons that came with the new clothes I would get. But even after saving buttons for 5 years I only have about 15!

At my slow rate it really makes me wonder how grandmas and moms can have such large collections of buttons. Buttons definitely must be an item that gets passed down through generations. I guess that enhances my argument that buttons are indeed “treasures”.

Due to my lack of a collection I was SO THRILLED when a friend from back home gave me a beautiful jar of buttons! She he seen them at a garage sale and although she loves buttons herself she could not think of a place where she would put the jar in her own home. So she thought of me knowing that it would be something I would like and that the jar would look lovely in our new home (Thank you SO much for thinking of me!)

So now I have inherited someone else’s treasure of buttons and will add my own collection of 15 buttons to the mix!

Maybe one day my children will have fun sorting through them or even making crafts out of them! I just love my new collection of buttons, I am truly a rich woman!

The Button Jar:
A coat with just one button isn't warm.

Last Year's Tree |

Our little Christmas tree from last year.

It was a real tree potted so that we could plant it outside later.

It was more of an old-fashioned theme with golds, browns, creams and Burgundy.

Complete with popcorn string, acorns and gingerbread garland is was a cute change of pace from the fake tree we usually use.

Underneath is the beautiful tree skirt that my grandma quilted for us.

Christmas Tree Makeover |

--------

With Halloween over I am already getting excited about Christmas!

Being in our new home this year I have begun to think what we are going to do for a Christmas tree this year.

It got me thinking about how you can give any tree a 'makeover'!
Here are a few inexpensive ideas that will change up your current Christmas tree and give it a whole new feel!

1. Instead of the classic Christmas tree skirt this year, why not place your Christmas tree in a basket or a metal pail? Not only is this a nice casual and rustic look, but it also doubles as a cover for the water bucket that your tree is sitting in.

2. Set up in a new location! Placing your tree in a new spot in your home such as the dinning room, the kitchen, the foyer or any where different in your home gives your tree a whole new feel, and will make your Christmas celebrations feel different by gathering with your family in a new space in your home.

3. Make some new inexpensive ornaments for your tree by using fruit! Dried orange sliced look lovely as well as hanging apples and pears. Placing cloves in the fruit also add to their beauty and make the room smell lovely!


4. Instead of a classic star or angel topper for your tree this year why not try sticking branches in the top of the tree for a 'foresty' and natural look.
Go on a family walk in the country to collect these branches to make it a memorable event! Collect some pine cones while you are at it and stick them in the branches to add to the natural flare.


5. Do you usually buy a natural tree? Well for the same price as one natural tree why not buy three mini artificial trees? Who says you have to have ONE Christmas tree. These cute rustic pines would look great in a display with each tree on a different level. Decorate them all to coordinate, or decorate each in a different style of colour scheme.

Hope you have fun choosing, decorating and setting up your Christmas tree this year!

Halloween Decor |

Here are the pumpkins we carved this Halloween. It was our first time using templates and I chose 'the face' (a difficulty level ONE) and my husband carved the spider (a difficulty level FOUR)!

Lanterns on the front porch. These lanterns were used at my wedding handing above the head table. It was nice to get more use out of them for my Halloween decor. A cute little boy dressed as Batman even stopped to smell the candles! Quite Adorable!


Mini Lanterns on the mailbox. Again these we re-used from my wedding, I had them hanging in the guest seating tree at the wedding and they came in handy for Halloween decor this year as well.


Decorated Pumpkins and Lanterns on the window ledge inside the dinning room. One little boy dressed as a gorilla ran right up to the window and put his hands on the glass and exclaimed "WOW"... His farther had to drag him away from the window. I am glad all the little trick or treaters appreciated the decor hehe.

And of course the CANDY... I was also able to use the sunflower basket that my flower girls held at our wedding for the candy!


Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween! :D

Hawksley |

This weekend we got a Canary! His name is Hawksley. I didn't want to pay $135 for a Canary at the pet store, but I also didn't want a finch that just "chirps" away and doesn't have a beautiful song to share.

So I looked on Kijjiji and sure enough found a few Canaries being sold in my area! We ended up getting an orange canary for only $40!

We named him Hawksley after Hawksley Workman, a singer that my husband and I like!

Here he is! :D

Pretty Pillows |

I came accross these Pillows today on Etsy and thought they were the cutest thing!!
I can think of so many words I would like to have our our sofa and/or bed!

Ladylike Pumpkin Carving |

This weekend a lot of people will be carving pumpkins. But instead of the classic Spooky Face why not do some ladylike carving.

Here is a really cute idea found on Family Circle and it goes with my post from yesterday about unconventional candle holders. Instead of leaving the top of the pumkin intact with the lid, cut it off, scallop the edges and add some detail and you will have beautiful pumpkin candle holder. These would also look great sitting on your steps or on a table on your porch for Halloween and they will also give off more light than the classic enclosed jack-o-lantern.

Here are some more ladylike patterns from Country Living

Check back soon for pictures of our own pumpkin carving experience this weekend.

We are going to be using templates for the first time and hope that it goes well!