My Favourite Designer

My favourite all time designer is Kimberley Seldon from Toronto, Ontario Canada.
I have always loved her true take on timeless design. Kimberley can bend in any direction with decorating. She doesn't stick to one style. I am a big lover of Country French design and to me no one does it better than Kimberley. She is also contributing decorating editor to Style at Home magazine in Canada. Kimberley makes regular appearances on Toronto's City Line decorating show.
But don't take my word for it on how talented she is just view these gorgeous photos instead...

I had the privilege a few years back to attend one of her fantastic design seminars. She was wonderful , informative and very very funny.

Actually my friend and i were late getting into her seminar. As we entered the room Kimberley had already begun her introductions...well right there she stopped everything and had alot of fun singling us out!

You would also think that Kimberley being a top notch Toronto designer and celebrity would be on the snobby side. She was warm, gracious, funny and a very down to earth girl. She is also quite sexy in person!

Thanks Kimberley for letting me have my photo taken with you!

Good-bye Peach...Hello Gorgeous!!

When we moved into our home the living room was Peach. I hate peach. It has to be the worst
colour on the colour wheel. I really don't know anyone who likes this colour. No offense to the previous owner but gee whiz it is a really bad colour. After almost 2 months of enduring this colour i had enough. Yesterday i broke down and went to the paint store and purchased a better colour. This colour even looks worse in the photos.

I spent all day yesterday painting it out!

Look at the results...

Don't you feel calm just looking at the room? I wish you all could see it in person.

It is gorgeous!!! My husband and son agree.

All the moldings and the beautiful ceiling now stands out.

I've posted lots of photos for all of you because i am just so excited by this!!

All my collectables look so much nicer.

It was alot of fun rearranging everything. Tomorrow i will probably do something

different.

Let me know what you think of my paint colour. I can't wait to hear all your

comments!

Pamela xo

What I love about my House

Grace at Sense and Simplicity asked me to join her in "What I love about my House" . Grace has become a good friend to me. She was my very first follower that was not a friend or relative when i started my blog. She is also from my home province of Ontario...and that makes me like her all the more! But seriously she is always there to help me with all my blogging problems.

There are so many things that i love about this house. Having moved over 3,000 miles away from friends or family you can get kinda homesick every now and then. If homes have a soul then this one does. When i met the neighbour she said to me "There's alot of love in that house!" and i tell you i do feel it. I feel comfort too living here.

Just to let you know it has been really cool here so i have yet to get plants and flowers for the front porch and all my urns. Today was the first warm day so i am going this week to the garden center!

The house sits on over 2 acres. Most of the yard is gardens and mature trees. It is a real haven for many types of birds, rabbits and deer. Sitting in the yard you feel like your in a aviary!
The lawns are so green from all the rain and the lawn is mixed with alot of moss. It is so nice underfoot when walking on it.

This is a very old house. There is so much charm and character. This what i really love about it.

All the old french doors and windows are something you don't see much of today. This home is very rare here. It is a hidden gem.

Front porches are such classics. My husband and l like to have our coffee on the porch. It's very peaceful. You don't even know there's neighbours.

I love the grand stairs to the porch. Yes i know i must get flowers for the white urn!

When all the flowers are in place i will post photos of them.... i promise!

The windows here are lead. Aren't they charming?

Inside the home are so many places to display books, collectables, and photos.

It really is a fun place to decorate and constantly rearrange.

AHHH...and then there is my love of claw foot tubs! This home has not one but two claw

foot tubs!

I really love my guest bathroom. It's a very calming space.

And yes i do use it!

My kitchen is bright and cheery. The big picture window looks out into the forest. All day long i watch herds of deer go by. I do not need window treatments as this is a very private spot. The tree that you see through the window is an Arbutus tree which is native to Vancouver Island. A very hardy tree.

My french doors as you enter the dining room are a favourite. They look like something you would see in France.

Built in china cabinet in the kitchen is a real show piece. My china looks so beautiful here.

If i had to pick one thing that i love the most about my house it would be this...

the view that i wake up to every morning. Nothing is nicer than starting off the day by feeling like your right in the trees and hearing all the song birds.

Stop on over to Grace's at http://http//gracie-senseandsimplicity.blogspot.com/ to see more of What I love about my house!

Thanks for visiting me..

Pamela xo

My Bathroom

Having recovered from yesterday's disaster's i have

taken advice from my friend Becca over at Patina Moon

and that is to have a nice relaxing bath in one of my claw foot

tubs!

That sounds good to me...

I think i will chose my own bathroom this time for my bath.

I love the vanity in this room. The colours are my favourite combination

Pink and Green

And here is my fabulous claw foot tub just waiting for
me to pour in some soothing lavender oil...

Hope to see you all tomorrow...

I'm sure things will be better then!

Pamela xo

Unwanted Visitor

As you all know i live in a very old home. It was probably built in the 1920's. It has charm and character. The grounds are just lovely. Today i was going to join Grace over at -sense and simplicity on" What i like about my house. "

Well...things got a little crazy over here . The thing with many old homes is that they have
alot of holes...nooks....and crannies all over. And sometimes unwanted visitors find these little holes and just make themselves at home. The cupboards are always the best especially when you keep your toaster there. Toasters no matter how much you clean them

always still have lingering crumbs.

Case in point... this little guy decided to make my cupboard his home. I noticed some left behind debris one day as i took out a bowl. Hmm... looks like we have company i said to my hubby.

I have two cats and a dog... you all know that. My one cat the male is our bad boy. Always getting into trouble or stirring up trouble. I decided it was time to put him to work so i opened the cupboards and he jumped in. He found nothing so of course he went off to lay around upstairs. Just then i saw this little fur ball run right by me! Got the cat back down and brought him in the kitchen and sure enough he found that the mouse went under the bench.

The only problem was now the cat walked away totally not interested. Lazy lazy cat!

My husband and son came home just then and i explained that the mouse was now under the bench. My husband lifted the bench while Sam opened the front hoping the mouse would run outside. No such luck. He ran the other way to the living room.

This is my painted hutch that i always always keep my good crystal wine glasses in. We have moved numerous times and each place we live the glasses are stored in here. You think my husband would know that by now right?!!!!!!!!! I even said to him when we moved here..."Your wine glass is in the painted hutch with my GOOD wine glasses. (He says i never said this?)

Here is a similar picture of my beautiful crystal made in Germany wine glasses.When the mouse ran into the living room my husband was sure he was under the cupboard so instead of moving it away from the wall he grabbed the front and tilted it completely towards him!


Okay i am screaming now....what the @#$% are you doing?!!!! And as i screamed


all my beautiful crystal glasses came crashing out!


It gets better....

As i began to clean the glass...as i was calling him every name... in the far distance a sound

of loud running water could be heard... I thought to myself "Why is he running the water full blast in the kitchen?"

Oh no it was not the kitchen but down the hall to the laundry room...


Our water tank burst

Water was everywhere spraying all over my new washer and dryer!



My new front loaders... thank goodness we were home to stop it.

I cannot imagine if we had been out for the day!Needless to say we did not catch the mouse! We have no idea where he went.

Maybe I'll put Acoya in the cupboard tonight!
Hope your day was better!

Pamela xo

My Lucky Day....

I can't tell you how shocked i was first thing this morning when i checked out my blog.

Not only had i received one award but two!!

What a wonderful surprise. My little blog receiving two more awards.

My first award came from the beautiful Li at creamy white.

Li hails from Alberta a fellow Canadian like myself. Her blog is lovely and a joy to read.

You get a sense of her wonderful kind spirit when you read her blog. I am honoured Li that you

chose me...really it means alot.

My next award came from Melissa at red cranberry cottage

Melissa is also Canadian and lives right by me on Vancouver Island. She's also become

a wonderful friend to me. Having just moved here and no friends or family of

my own she has really helped me out alot.

Her blog is lovely but oh so funny. It is a riot. She is quite the story teller.

Now i am supposed to list seven things about myself...hmm ...well here goes 7

things you don't know about me.

1. I am a compulsive re arranger of furniture since i was a little girl. I drove my parents nuts rearranging my room and now i drive my husband nuts rearranging the entire house!

2. I love animals...period. Whenever someone dies or there is a divorce the first question i always ask is "How are the pets?"

3. I hate working. I cringe every time someone asks when i am getting a "job". I love being a homemaker...which is ironic having been raised by a very strong independent successful business mother. My husband is okay with it so that's all that matters.

4. I love to cook! You will never leave my home hungry... i feed everyone. It's the Italian in me.

I love to cook and entertain.

5. I have a very strong faith. I give God the first part of everyday and lastly before bed.

6. I have a huge fear of snakes. Hate them . When i see one i want to vomit and then i can't even eat. My friend Grace at -sense and simplicity did a "wonderful" post on snakes in Winnipeg and i nearly had heart failure and had to close my eyes as i scrolled down to leave her a comment! Man that was traumatising...but it's okay I've forgiven her!

7. I talk to myself! Yep all the time. It drove my mother crazy and now my husband. But the funny thing is ....my son does it!! I catch him all the time talking to himself!

Like mother like son ...gotta love it!!

Now i am supposed to pass on this award...

My cousin Karen at karen something or other or known as Ow, my anst. My cousin

is funny, witty with a dry sense of humour on the musings of life. She should really

be a writer. Check her out!

My friend Susan at ash tree cottage who is an interior decorator and always gives me

great design advice. Her blog is lovely and sweet . It will take you back in time. Visiting Susan's blog is like visiting an old friend. And you must meet her adorable dog Bentley.

My new friend Becca at Patina Moon. Becca is an artist living in the desert where it's always hot and sunny. Her work is beautiful!! I love visiting Becca especially for her great taste in music. That alone is worth the visit. Plus she's a cat person!! She has two beautiful orange cats.

My fellow Vancouver Island friend Lorrie at fabric paper thread . Lorrie's blog is full of beautiful photos of the island and crafts she's done and wonderful stories i love to read. I find Lorrie's blog interesting and has alot of variety.

Thanks again to my friends Melissa and Li... it meant alot to me!!

Pamela