Warm Up with Off the Hooks

It gets C-O-L-D in Canada in the winter... what better way to warm up than with fabulous handmade goodies made by someone who knows!

Ashely of Off the Hooks whips up an array of fabulous, cozy and eco knits and crochet pieces.

Suffer from cold fingers like I do? These would keep 'em warm and still let you type:

Perfect for figure skating, of just keeping warm while looking cute in your favorite skirt ~ leg warmers are back with a vengeance:

When not knitting up a storm, Ashley collects and repairs vintage & antique spinning equipment! How cool... I'm dying to see a picture of that collection!

And while my knitting skills amount to long rectangles {a.k.a. scarves} I am drooling over the beautiful array of hand-spun and hand-dyed yarns available. All of Ashley's dyes are eco-friendly and non-toxic, btw!

Keep your eyes on Off the Hooks in the new year ~ Ashley just picked up a drum carder, which means you'll be seeing some fabulous art batts for spinning and felting!

Pop on over to Ahsley's blog Crafty Ash to learn more about her, and the next team member in our Trans Canada Etsy Team round robin!

Bride on a Budget: Pro Photos

Our pro photos have arrived! Here's a sneak peek {and my favorite photo of us!}



A full wedding recap to come soon!!!

From Country to Contemporary: the Guestroom

Our current guest room / the mister's office was formerly a teenager's bright red bedroom:



Originally just going to be the mister's computer room, we were given a guest bed and so now it's a combo.

The mister picked out the colour {Mansard Stone by CIL}, with only a little guidance from me, and we both love the end result!



We decked the room out with two wedding gifts from his sisters, a hand-dyed duvet cover and a large airplane print in the same colour theme. Not at all what we'd been originally planning, but sometimes you just have to roll with it!

Add in a couple of other airplane pieces, a print of the Chicago skyline {we're hunting for a San Fran one to go with it} and a computer nook courtesy of Ikea.

The side table was a family hand-me-down ~ along with another side table and a coffee table it used the grace my grandma's living room back in the 50's and has for a long while held center stage at the cottage. Come spring I plan to refinish the set, but until then they're doing quite nicely!



We still have a few paint touch-ups to do plus hang the rest of the art above the bed, and will eventually re-do the floor {it's finished plywood with horrible seams} and replace the door and window. But for now, this room can be considered done!

Oh, did I call this out guest room? Excuse me, it's actually the cat's room!

Decking the Halls

Our new house has neither a mantle or stair baluster. And while I'm happy to have only six steps to go up or down, when decking the halls for the holidays I realise just how much I wish I had either one!

I have a small, but very sentimental collection of battered old vintage ornaments, which last year graced our mantle. This year I couldn't quite decide how to display them.

I tried a few vases, but they weren't the right size or shape. I tried laying them on a pretty white cake stand, but that didn't work either. Then I dug out the "present box."



A pretty gold box my MIL gave me a few years back for my birthday {a long with a selection of pretty ornaments I typically fill it with}. Well those pretty ornaments got the heave-ho {mostly to the tree, not to worry!} to make way for my great-grandparent's mercury glass Christmas baubles...



A pretty solution which also keeps the ornaments safely contained, and currently graces our coffee table!

In Progress: the master bedroom

We're still in a state of primer in our bedroom, but it's slowly coming together!

Last week I picked up some lush curtain fabric for 50% off at the local fabric store {seen below, across the end of the bed}.



Originally we'd planned to wallpaper the headboard wall in a big bold floral. But at around $180 we quickly vetoed the idea. I was thrilled when I found a fabric similar to the wallpaper we'd been eyeing! It's rich and textural, and oh those blues! If the stems & leaves were lighter/white it'd be absolutely perfect!

Then this weekend we picked up the playful but neutral {and reversible!} duvet set, by Brian Gluckstein on a mega sale. I love the polka dots on the reverse side, they were a surprise when I pulled it out of the package!


We also used a wedding giftcard to pick up this chandelier {Sisi collection, by Gen-Lite}, which we're hoping to suspend as close to the ceiling as possible.

I love the soft shade and the chrystals, and the misters loves that there aren't too many crystals! Best of both worlds really.

Now the hunt is on for the perfect paint colour to tie it all together. I'm thinking a blue-grey... but who knows what will happen once I get to the paint aisle with fabrics in hand!

Mega Giveaway: Only Two Days Left!

There are only two days left in the Trans Canada Etsy Team 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway for a mega prize pack of all made-in-Canada goodies! The giveaway ends on Dec. 6th!

Here's what you can win:
Here's how you can win: Every purchase of up to $10 at RJ Charms and other participating shops counts as 1 ballot {ie: spend $8 get one ballot, spend $16 get two, etc.}. Even better, many of the shops are offering special sales during the giveaway!


At RJ Charms buy 3 get 1 free! Great for picking up stocking stuffers, teacher gifts and great little gifts all for under $15!

So order those last minute holidays gifts, stocking stuffers and maybe even a treat for yourself!

Honeymooners: Day Seven & Eight ~ the Final Recap!

The last day of our honeymoon you could tell we were ready to get home. We drove from Solvang to L.A. and checked into our airport hotel, where we had a lovely room but a disappointing lunch in their restaurant.

We tried to do some shopping, which took us past the Hollywood sign {neat!}. After spending a half hour in an open air mall in 30+ weather I was ready for a nap!

Fortunately the Mr. woke me up in time to convince me watching the sunset from the Santa Monica pier would be a great way to cap off our trip.



And he was right!



The pier was unlike anything I'd seen before. A tiny amusement park crammed onto a wooden pier, jutting out into the ocean. We paid $5 {each!} to ride the ferris wheel and check out the view as the sun set behind the hills.


Self-portrait on the ferris wheel, with the pier behind us.

Then it was time to head back to the hotel, to be ready for our early morning flight and loooong day of travelling!

I lucked out once again with a window seat, and clear skies most of the way home. I spent most of the flight watching out the window at the scenery below {including the Grans Canyon!}.


Grand Canyon!



As always, you can click on any of the photos above to view the full set!

Previous Honeymooners posts:
Day Six: Solvang and Santa Barbara
Day Five: Winery Tour
Day Four: Pacific Coast Highway
Day Three: A Cable Car Ride and Really Tall Trees
Day Two: Alcatraz and Sight-Seeing
Day One: Cutest Hotel Ever and the Wharf at Sunset