Emma's Sweet Pink and Grey Nursery

I am so happy to finally be sharing pictures of Emma's nursery! This project was so much fun to do. When Grace was born, we were living in a small 1 + 1 condo in the city and her "nursery" was actually the den! That being said I still managed to put together a sweet little space for her in the 8 x 6 foot room and if I can find where I stored those photos, I will definitely post them.

Now that we are in a house, I had a lot more creative freedom given the additional space we have to work with. My mommy style, doesn't tend to stray very far away from my personal style - I like classic, clean, sophisticated looks, with a touch of trend. Graces nursery was cream and pink and I had made her crib bedding from a beautiful toile fabric I purchased in the garment district. This time around, I chose to go with grey and a soft blush pink as my theme colors, and I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out:

I really scoured the web and sites like Pinterest and Project Nursery for ideas and inspiration. One of my favorite things in the room is her framed "E" monogram. The silver E is made of wood, and I found it at Chapters-Indigo for just $15! I felt like it needed something to accentuate it and so I removed the glass from a black Ikea mirror and spray painted the frame with a high-gloss white paint to create the look below:

Crib - Babyrama (Ajax)

Bedding - Carousel Designs

"E" - Chapters-Indigo

Frame - Ikea

I had come across a lot of nursery designs that had opted for "pom poms" in lieu of a crib mobile - an idea that I really liked. So I was thrilled when I found these silver and white pompoms at Michael's with a damask print that was a nice complement to the crib bedding. I dressed up a standard Ikea dresser by switching out the knobs with these pretty glass ones from Zara Home, and added a changing pad and mirror to give it double duty as a change table:

Mirror - Homesense

Lamp - Homeoutfitters

Piggybank - Winners

Dresser - Ikea

Curtain Rod (Umbra) - Homesense

Curtains - Homesense

Now although we are now in a house, and this is an actual bedroom as opposed to a "den". this room is still on the smaller side. I had initially hoped to add a glider (something we had absolutely NO space for in Grace's nursery), but when I went to try a few out, I found that the gliding motion actually made me nauseous!! Fortunately Ikea makes a really comfortable sitting chair that looks very similar to the Pottery Barn glider I was coveting but is much more small space (and budget) friendly. I relocated this pretty, nail head trimmed ottoman that we had in our living room to create a perfect space for nursing, and reading and cuddling with baby Emma. The pillow is a leftover from Grace's nursery covered in that toile fabric I mentioned earlier. The plastic butterflies were from a home-made "diaper cake" given to us by a friend. I think they add just the right amount of whimsy:

"The Sweet Life" wall hanger - Pottery Barn Kids

Chair - Ikea

Pillow - DIY

Diaper Bag - Marc Jacobs

Ottoman - Homesense

Rug - Walmart (2 sewn together)

Finally, I found the perfect grey linen hamper that I prettied up by sewing on this off-white bow that I got from the ribbon used to package a stroller blanket that I had purchased:

I am so delighted with how it all turned out. I think it looks pretty and sweet and it is a space that I think we will both love to be in. The bedding was a bit of a splurge, but I saved in so many other areas and with a bit of creativity still managed to pull of a custom designed look.

I'd love to hear what you think of Emma's space as well as your own ideas for creating a serene nursery for your little one.

Simple Gifting - Why I love Chapters-Indigo

I love buying gifts for girls - birthdays, Christmas, hostess gifts - I love the wrapping and the ribbon and the bows and the cards. Mostly I love watching a girlfriend/sister/cousin open up something simple yet special that they probably wouldn't have purchased for themselves.

About a year ago I discovered that Chapters-Indigo had expanded to include an amazing gift and accessories department with everything from luxurious feeling faux fur throws, to jewelry, handbags, decorative pillows and scarves. I have treated myself to more than just a few items, and this has become one of my favorite places to shop for gifts. 

A few days ago I found myself in need of a gift for a girlfriend's birthday and so I headed to out to Chapters-Indigo and I wasn't disappointed. Not only did I manage to get something for my friend, but with a huge sale on almost all of their gifts and accessories, I even got a few items for myself as well as a gift for another friend whose birthday is coming up in March!

Here's what I picked up for my friend Liz:

Liz has always been a "list maker" and "note taker" and so I was thrilled to find this beautiful gold leather bound notebook/journal - a throwback to the days before we recorded everything in our smartphones.

The leather is really soft and I just love the tassel closure. It's been even further reduced and you can purchase one - or a few for friends - online here. I think it would make a really nice bridesmaid gift or even a bridal shower gift for guests!

Papyrus makes some of the loveliest cards, and so I picked up this fun little birthday card as well:

I love how the little gift bags have real tissue paper sticking out of them!

For myself I picked up this faux fur neck-warmer that I think looks really great styled with this cream overcoat:

 You can find it for 65% off here.

I also found these really fun file folders that I will use for organizing my bills, receipts, things-to-do etc:

I envision one day having a super girly home-office space of my own complete with this filing cabinet from CB2,

 and lots of white furniture. I think the file folders will add the perfect touch!

Finally I picked up these china serving platters for myself and for another friend whose birthday is coming up in March. I love entertaining and I think these will be gorgeous for an upcoming afternoon tea I am planning: 

You can get your own at 67% off here.

I love unique ideas for gifts for girlfriends and I think it's wonderful that there are so many great options for affordable little luxuries at Chapters-Indigo. Fabulous!

Baby It' COLD outside!!! (Sub-zero Style)

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a great holiday. Mine was jam-packed with family, lots of food and good times with friends. Sorry I didn't get around to posting, but with a newborn and the rush of the holidays I just couldn't find the time. However, new year, new leaf - I am now committing to much more regular posts that I hope you'll enjoy :)

I woke up this morning and the forecast was for a "balmy" high of -19° C with the "windchill factor" making it feel more like -30°C. For those of you who live in slighting warmer climates, the windchill factor temperature is how cold it actually feels due to high winds. I don't know why they report two temperatures - but they do - it's very Canadian. And very cold!

So I though it might be fun to do a post on what I put on to brave the elements that maintains both form and function - and of course - my personal style. To me, fall and winter fashion is really about outwear and accessories. Especially if you are just running around completing errands, or shopping as opposed to going to an event. Chances are, you will never remove your coat and so your OOTD look is really about your coat, boots and accessories. As a result, I've found that if you invest in a good coat and pair of boots (for us cold region dwellers, good means it is both WARM and stylish) and a nice handbag to lug your stuff around, you will always look chic and pulled together, and with very little effort. Top it off with some great cold weather accessories, including sunglasses, scarf, gloves, hat - and you're good to go.

Here are a few of my recent looks:

 

Navy overcoat - Zara

Shirt - Target

   Tall boots - Michael Kors

Parka - Canada Goose

Black & White scarf - Zara

Leggings - Forever 21

Short boots - Ugg

Diaper bag - Marc Jacobs

Sunglasses - Fossil

Gold scarf - H & M

For Coats/Jackets, I believe there are two must-haves:

1. Parka
2. Wool blend coat

A good hooded parka will keep you warm and toasty and there are many brands that come in a more fitted style so that you can avoid looking too bulky and feeling frumpy. There are a lot of great options at price points to accommodate all budgets.

Here are a few of my favorite parka splurges and steals:

1. Nobis 2. Moncler 3. Mackage

4. Roots 5. Zara 6. Aritzia

The wool coat is great for fall and warmer winter days or for when you want to go for something slightly less casual than the parka look. I tend to be drawn to options with shiny metallic detailing in the zippers or buttons or a combination of wool with leather trim. I use a drugstore razor to remove pilling and always dry clean to increase the longevity of my coats and keep them looking fresh and new.

Here are a few options:

Clockwise from top left: DVF, Mango (sold out), Mango (sold out), Massimo Dutti, Forever 21, Zara

Its a great time of year to invest in outerwear for next winter as most places are having their end of season sales - I personally am considering picking up either the Massimo Dutti Italian wool coat above or the Zara zip coat (now $99 discounted from $199!) for myself :)

I don't believe you have to sacrifice style for comfort when it comes to dressing in sub-zero temperatures. A great pair of boots and a statement handbag will tie it all together and keep you looking effortlessly chic. Don't forget a cool pair of shades to keep the snow-glare out of your eyes, and a cozy scarf and gloves to shield you from the wind and add some personality to your performance gear.

What are your favorite ways to stay warm and looking great when the mercury drops?