joy filled day...

{while digging through her stocking}

I've been a bad, bad blogger. BUT we are heading home from the cottage to close on our new house in a few days....there will be many posts on that project to come!

Happy Christmas to all! xo

fall around here

We are enjoying a quick trip up to the cottage this weekend. It is crisp, yet sunny, outside - perfect for doing a puzzle by the fire at night and taking a fall walk during the afternoon. My daughter was loving her ride on daddy.

I also mentioned early in October that I was designing and constructing a costume for my toddler for Halloween. Well, it turned out ok, but it was much more stressful than I had anticipated. Last year's owl costume was a bit more straight forward. Figuring out the flower petals was a bit of work, but I think she ended up enjoying the finished product. And the neighbours seemed to get a kick out of our wee flower pot too! 

I wanted her to be a three-dimensional flower, not the kind I see everywhere with petals only around her face. The way I made it, she looked like a flower from all sides, and especially from the top. The petals were the hardest - I had to use a strong enough gauge wire so that the frame would hold and support the felt and tulle, but it also had to be flexible enough to mould nicely around her head. After wrapping tule, for what felt like years, the rest of the costume was easy. I found a green shirt at Walmart as well as a black pot which we cut the bottom off of. I used a bit of ribbon to hold up the pot and found a yellow cotton hat on the internet, and voila! We had an adorable pink flower!

{sorry for horrible iPhone photos}

She was so grown up that night - she ventured up to the doors, knocked while yelling "trick or treat", and remembered her "thank you" before leaving ALL BY HERSELF. 

We had to drag our 2.5 year old flower home that night. 

Something that's REALLY scary...

In keeping with all things spooky and a bit adrenaline inducing this month, I share with you the house we bought this past weekend. 

Now THIS is FRIGHTENING:

Yes, I know it all looks like one room, but I assure you it's not. We bought a LOT of red. And faux brick wallpaper. 

If I can't pull this into the 21st century, I need a new profession. :)

October is here...

...and you know what that means - Halloween is around the corner!

I never used to be a big Halloween person, I still am not. However, having a 2 year old forces me to think up a costume. And because I'm a crazy, over-think-the-details-designer-mum, I am feeling the pressure to design a cute costume for my darling daughter. 

How can I possibly out-do my creation from last year?  She was the sweetest lil' owl I've ever seen!

Here's to one October sewing project!

We're Moving, Eh?!

I'm so excited to announce that my family is moving back to Toronto the first week of May! California has been an amazing place to start my married life, get my masters of interior design, and create a little miracle I call Rael, but home is where the heart is. 

As you may imagine, I have been up to my eyeballs in packing and organizing for a cross-continent move, so while I will try to keep the blog updated, it may be neglected some.

A Springy Weekend

Bunches of my favourite variety of flower (ranunculus or persian buttercup) are waiting to freshen up my home at every local grocery store I visit these days. Their curvy stems ooze casual elegance - I just can't get enough of their organic lines and gorgeous colours. I'm currently loving my pink & yellow blooms...

We also enjoyed the decent, albeit cloudy, weather with a bit of playing in the sand and surf, and watched a family of dolphins doing the same...

And someone has been enjoying an early birthday present. This Schwinn roadster is a great tricycle for toddlers! It looks adorable and vintage, is solid and sturdy, and handles well. With big and wide rubber wheels,  it's hard to tip. This biker-babe approves...

A First Taste Captured

It was strawberry.

I've Been Busy Busy Busy

I am finally back from our trip to Canada which was supposed to be six days yet swiftly turned into 16 while we were away - whoops! I wasn't prepared for blogging from my iPad, so it has officially been nearly a month since my last post, but I'm now back and ready for heavy duty blogging.

While braving the chilly North, we...

1. CELEBRATED OUR 5th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY in Quebec at Mont Tremblant with our good friends. My husband was thrilled to spend the weekend with his three groomsmen and their young families. 

{Reportage Photography}

2. With five kiddies under four, it's no surprise that more than half of the Tremblant lot GOT SICK, including my daughter and hubby, so we laid low for a few days after flying from Montreal to Toronto.

{My daughter mid jump - but really appears to be attempting some sort of Michael Jackson impression}

3. Next I soaked up the sights and sounds of my hometown. I truly love Toronto, and urge everyone to visit! There has been so much building going on since we moved to LA five years ago, and GAWKING AT TORONTO's NOTEWORTHY ARCHITECTURE which is nicely sprinkled throughout the city, was one highlight of my visit.

{Clockwise: Sharp Centre for Design (OCAD) - Alsop Architects with Robbie/Young + Wright Architects, Art Gallery of Ontario - addition by Frank Gehry, Royal Ontario Museum - "crystal" addition by Daniel Libeskind, Four Seasons Centre - Diamond+Schmitt Architects} {ps. these are not my photos!}

Now I'm home and back to the daily grind...and there will be more on that to come!

Toronto's Indie Coffee Passport

I'm a little late to learn about this, but I'm pulling the "I haven't lived in Toronto for five years, or been home to visit in over a year" card for this one. I just read about how small coffee shops in Toronto have come together to create an Indie Coffee Passport at a friend's travel blog. 

Here's the idea. You pay $25 dollars and over the next few months you get a cup of coffee (up to $5 value) at 24 indie coffee spots. Very cool! I would LOVE to slowly sip away java, and stay warm, with this passport. I really hope they organize this again - if you've read my profile, you know I love my caffeine. 

Such a great idea for any city!

{via}

Dear California,

Sorry I'm so hard on you. You really deserve more credit. 

Summer-like weather in January is quite delightful. Keep up the good work.

Saara

The BIG 3-0

The BIG 3-0 happened a week ago! I've never been one to care about age, but I have to admit that the day I turned 30 I actually did feel a bit anxious. You turn 20 and while it's a huge decade for growing up, no one really expects you to get your act together and stop having way too much fun with your friends. Well, I hit 30 and suddenly felt like I had to mature, and FAST! By the end of this decade I feel like I'm expected to be fully responsible, doing well financially, chasing a few kiddies around, and only be adorned in fancy, grown-up clothes - this last part especially daunting as I currently live in leggings. :)

On to the fun stuff! I had a Christmas and birthday list which was long, and I never thought would be completed. BUT I was very spoiled this year and pretty much got everything my heart desired, and more. Here are the things I received from my parents, in-laws and hubby which I think are classic, well designed products and will no doubt help lead me into the next, mature sophisticated, phase of my life...

1. Hunter rain boots in Aubergine 

I have wanted these forever but it doesn't really rain where I live so I couldn't justify them until now. A slightly frivolous item but you need one of those for your 30th! I am loving the deep purple because it looks black from a distance but is a little more unique. This colour also goes with everything - black, grey, green, brown, khaki, you name it.

2. Marc by Marc Jacobs Suki watch

Another item I've wanted for some time. I love the gold and the shape can go either casual or dressy, perfect for work or play. Now I'll just have to save my pennies for a stainless & rose gold watch, those are new on my radar.

3. Missoni scarf

Love the classic Missoni flame/zig zag. It will easily turn a plain work outfit into something fabulous, and the colour combination is amazing.

4. Le Creuset oval oven

This enameled cast iron oven cooks so well, I'm not sure how I've ever lived without it. The white (Dune) colour looks great with my two sets of dishes and serving pieces, and it doesn't compete visually with the delicious food inside. I've already made a hunk of beef tenderloin and chunky stew in this and it is worth every dollar!

I'm nine days into my 30s, and so far, life is good!

New Year, New Decade, New Blog

It's the beginning of a new year and, for me, a new decade - I turned 30 last week! Something about entering a new decade in life has got me all excited to start something new, and thus, värv was born.


After blogging over at GEORGE Interior Design with my good friend Emily, I've decided to go solo and start a blog where I can continue to talk about my love for DESIGN, but also add in tidbits about my personal life - think FOOD, TRAVEL, FAMILY & HEALTH. Blogging for GEORGE has been so much fun, and I hope to continue to work with Emily for a long time, but värv is a little spot just for me, my thoughts and ramblings. Welcome!