A day shopping in Rosedale-Summerhill

Tuesday I spent the afternoon with my Mom. Our destination was to be Farrow & Ball to try to find some wallpaper for her bedroom and bathroom renovation that is going on. But of course when you go to this area in Toronto, you have to stop in at all of the awesome stores. Take a peek at the Rosedale-Summerhill Guide in Toronto Life. The area is a flurry of activity right now with the shops showcasing their winter and holiday wares. (Which I'll be blogging about for Style at Home Magazine) It always amazes me how certain areas of a city are so different. It's a very high end area of the city and I spotted the most fashionable people lunching in the bistros and wonder what they do for a living, what their lives are like. Do you ever wonder that when you step into a wonderland of an area?

[1] We parked in our usual spot by these awesome trees that always love [2] Had a bite to eat at the Rosedale Diner. Please know that the prices are far from diner prices but - the food was absolutely delicious, and in my mind well worth the price for a special treat of lunching with my Mom. [3] After lunch we popped into see Kevin at Chair Table Lamp. Little tidbit of info - Kevin and I attended the same University - Trent. Being a small University, when you find someone who also attended there is an immediate connection. Anyhow, as always the store was packed with awesome treasures. I fell not only for the chair in [4] but the blanket almost came home with me. That pattern was perfect for the upcoming winter ($79). Next we popped into [5] Artifacts that had the most glorious magnolia wreaths that I drooled over. Inside the store is filled to the ceiling with glorious finds. [6] No stop to this area is complete without a pop into L'Atelier that has it's seasonal items out now. It's worthwhile to pop into the store to marvel at their way of combining a mix of unique pieces and we finally made it to Farrow & Ball, our reason for popping into the area. No wallpaper was right for my Moms renovation. So the hunt continues. :)

Sewing Patterns Blog Tour ~ Jess from Craftiness is not Optional

As I mentioned yesterday, The Cottage Mama Sewing Patterns are going on tour.  The first stop is over on the lovely Jess's blog, Craftiness is not Optional.  Today Jess is showing off her version of the Janey Jumper sewing pattern and giving away two copies of the pattern!

Jess has two sweet little girls and comes up with some of the best little girls outfits.  She is so sweet and has a really fun writing style.  We 'met' (though we've never met in person) through the first edition of the children's sewing contest, Project Run and Play. I've loved her blog ever since and am so glad we can both share our love of girly girl outfits and sewing for our girls.  Jess's blog always brings a smile to my face.  Not to mention the fact that I think she might have two of the cutest little models in blog-land. 

Here's her darling version of the Janey Jumper sewing pattern:

You must check out more pictures of her little cutie-pie modeling her version of The Janey Jumper over on her blog.  

Also, head over and enter to win one of two Janey Jumper patterns that she is giving away.  

Click HERE to visit Craftiness is not Optional.

To check out more stops on the sewing pattern tour, see the schedule below.......

The Cottage Mama Sewing Patterns ~ Blog Tour Schedule:

November 8^th – The Cottage Home

November 9 ^th – Craftiness is not Optional

November 10^th – A Lemon Squeezy Home

November 11^th – No Big Dill

November 12^th – Kojo Designs

November 14^th – Aesthetic Nest

November 15^th – Girl.Inspired

November 16^th – Noodlehead

November 17^th – The Cottage Home

Patterns can be purchased here on the blog (in the right side-bar) or through my etsy shop, The Cottage Mama.  Patterns are also available for wholesale purchase.  Please email Lindsay at thecottagemama[at]gmail[dot]com for wholesale order minimums and additional pricing information. 

antler season

We are getting to that time of year here, when the thermometer is dropping fast, there's a dampness in the air, the echo of hunters in the woods,  a smell of autumn leaves, mushrooms and the promise of winter just around the corner.

This is the time when we want comfort, elegance and a touch of rustic charm in our decor, not too much, but just enough to remind us how wonderful the great outdoors could be if we were  ... outdoors.

 A classically elegant accessory for the rustic/hunting/winter-in-the woods look is antlers.  For years, generations even, they have been hung on walls, used as lamp stands, their outline reproduced onto soft cushions and chic candle holders.

In our home we have a couple of antlers lying, posed on a bookshelf, or placed beneath a lamp.  Sometimes I see antlers in the brocante fairs and momentarily toy with the idea in the hallway, but so far I've resisted.

What about you, is this a look you go for all year around, or do you also feel it's seasonal?

Art...

I desperately need art for our living room. The debate for the past few months has been to do a painting, or to do a blown up photograph. 

The easiest choice I felt was to do a blown up photograph. But although I love photographs enlarged I feel as though it's a very modern look, which isn't the look of our living room. The alternative was to do a painting - which is harder to do, but I think the look that suits this room most. So, I've trusted my gut and I'm going with a painting.

We debated the size. Do you go larger than the console, or smaller? I chose to go smaller, as I visualized my console as a fireplace mantle. Rarely do you see art that is larger than the mantle...right? And, rarely do you see art that is larger than a couch. As my Dad said, when I asked him - it would look top heavy.

I cut a piece of paper 2" smaller than the console - taking into consideration there will be a frame around the canvas. I pasted that above the console and although it looks a bit weird in the photo above, I feel as though it works. Now, this wouldn't be the only art - I'd also add in some smaller art on the side - totally inspired by this image of Sarah Richardson's farm

I'm on the lookout for nice little landscapes, perhaps I'll find some in my travels. But my next step is making/buying that canvas and painting it. Let's see how long it takes me to accomplish that. ;)

Dear Magazines...

Dear Magazines,

I miss you. Maybe one day we will be reunited. Maybe.....one day.....

Also, just realized the pacifier in the picture. Not intentional but very appropriate.

The Cottage Mama Sewing Patterns ~ Blog Tour

I'm excited to announce that over the next two weeks, The Cottage Mama Sewing Patterns will be going on tour with some of your favorite bloggers!  Seven of my blogging friends will be sewing up one of the two newly released The Cottage Mama Sewing Patterns, sharing their creations and giving away two of my patterns on each blog......that's a total of 14 patterns!

Here are the blogs that will be participating:

These ladies are all incredibly talented and I am so excited to see what each of them has created from my new patterns. If you aren't a regular reader of these blogs, I highly recommend you check them out.  You can click on any of the links in the schedule below to visit these crafty, super-sewing ladies!

I'd love for you all to follow along on the tour.  I will be announcing each stop on the tour, but in case you wanted to plan ahead, here is the schedule below.
 
The Cottage Mama Sewing Patterns ~ Blog Tour Schedule:

November 8^th – The Cottage Home

November 9 ^th – Craftiness is not Optional

November 10^th – A Lemon Squeezy Home

November 11^th – No Big Dill

November 12^th – Kojo Designs

November 14^th – Aesthetic Nest

November 15^th – Girl.Inspired

November 16^th – Noodlehead

November 17^th – The Cottage Home

Patterns can be purchased here on the blog (in the right side-bar) or through my etsy shop, The Cottage Mama.  Patterns are also available for wholesale purchase.  Please email Lindsay at thecottagemama[at]gmail[dot]com for wholesale order minimums and additional pricing information. 

Bounce Dryer Bar Review and $50.00 Visa Gift Card Giveaway

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Bounce. All opinions are 100% mine.

Laundry, laundry, laundry - does it ever end? Well, with three kids under the age of four, the answer is..........no. I was recently asked if I would like to try out the new Bounce Dryer Bar and I jumped at the opportunity. Have you heard of this product? Well, it's the newest in the line of products from Bounce and it is fabulous! It has all the benefits of dryer sheets, but brings it to you in a more convenient form. I know I have reviewed products here and there on the blog, but trust me when I tell you that I would not recommend a product unless I truly thought it was great!

The Bounce Dryer Bar was so simple to install that I actually installed it in the dark. I'm not kidding. Our laundry is in the basement (otherwise known as the dungeon) and when I went down there to start using this product the light was burned out. I didn't realize my husband had installed a light elsewhere, but that's beside the point. The point is that this product could not be any easier to use. If I can easily install it in the dark, you know that you will have no problem at all installing it in the light!

Here's how the Bounce Dryer Bar works......... You remove the bar from the packaging and peel off the paper on the back side of the bar to reveal the sticky adhesive. You open your dryer and place the bar (sticky side down) on the side wall of the dryer. All you have to do is hold it down for 15 seconds and you are good to go.

How many times have you forgotten to put a dryer sheet in with a load of laundry? Or have you ever been doing laundry and ran out of dryer sheets? Well, that can be a total bummer and with the new Bounce Dryer Bar you do not even have to think about it. You just toss in your laundry and forget about it. You end up with months of great smelling laundry as well as softness and static control.

Granted, a dryer sheet may not seem like a very big deal, but in the life of this busy mom, it's just one less thing to have to worry about. I think we all want to find ways to make our lives a little bit easier and the new Bounce Dryer Bar does just that! The bar lasts for three months and after it runs out, you can simply buy a refill pack. The holder stays in the dryer and you just replace the bar. So you only have to think about it four times a year, instead of thinking about dryer sheets for every load of laundry.

The Bounce Dryer Bar comes in the scented and unscented varieties depending on your taste. I tried out the scented version and it smells great! I love the way fresh laundry smells and this has the perfect scent. Some people are very sensitive to scented products, so in that case I would recommend going with the unscented bar.

The bottom line is that the Bounce Dryer Bar is great. Like I said before, it's all the benefits of a dryer sheet, but it a more convenient form..........now that makes life easier and I'm all about that!

To find out more about the Bounce Dryer Bar, please visit the Bounce Facebook page for videos and additional information.

Do you want to win a Bounce Dryer Bar and a $50 Visa gift card from Bounce and BlogHer? To enter the giveaway, please tell me how the Bounce Dryer Bar would make your life easier?

Follow the rules below to enter.

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

Giveaway open through 12/6/2011.

For more opportunities to win, visit the Bounce round-up page on BlogHer.com to read other bloggers' reviews!