Inked....

It was a special day for one of my best friends and I this past week and we celebrated with a gals day just for the two of us....

Pedicures, shopping, lunch, great chats and.....we both got some more ink!

She and I went for our first tattoos together about 16 years ago, have been for another together since and felt it was a good time to go again...

My gal pal is much more brave then I am when it comes to what/where we get our tattoos...she and her hubby even have their wedding rings tattooed...

The last tattoo I got was the Gemini sign you see on my left foot (she and I are Geminis and my Dad is also).

This time, the right, freshly pedicured foot would be the canvas.....

I know you're all going to think that I've jumped on the "Keep Calm" bandwagon....but it is far from that! My family has been 'calm' for over 30 years, seeing as the initials of our first names spell out the word....

Cheryl, Ardis, Larry and Mike = C A L M

Our family has been through quite a number of ups and downs the past few years and it seemed only fitting to incorporate this as well as the word 'Believe'.

Some of the first items we brought into the new house were decor pieces that included the word Believe....

After everything that had happened, we just had to keep on believing that life would carry on, things would get better...and of course, it has!

I wanted something simple yet very meaningful and this was what I came up with.....

My family and friends mean the world to me...and through little things like this, I always have them with me!

RR

A Day in the Mountains..

I have just returned home from a trip to Calgary to visit friends. To say I LOVE the West would be an understatement and this trip only added to my love affair with the Western lifestyle, especially the mountains.

My friend Antonio, his lovely 18 month old daughter Isabella and I took a day trip out to Kananaskis Country to hike at Upper Kananaskis Lake with the goal to get to Rawson Lake. It was an amazing day, with the temperature perfect for a hike. There was only a bit of rain from time to time and the sun peaked out through the clouds  all day long.

When you drove into the parking lot...this was the scene that greeted you....

A section of 'beach'...

Out flow of a gorgeous waterfall....we had lunch lakeside just left of this outlet.

The waterfall...

Close up of the waterfall from the footbridge...Isabella had a great view from the pack on her Dad's back.

Where we had lunch...

I could have sat there for hours just taking it all in....

As we climbed the Rawson Lake Trail, you could still see Upper Kananaskis Lake from time to time through the trees

As we climbed higher (past 6000 feet above sea level) the snow pack hadn't really started to melt (hence why the lakes were so low). The snow to the side of the 'hard packed' trail was well above our waist level as we found as as we fell through from time to time. 

We could hear this fast flowing creek as we climbed the Rawson Trail....we went off the path, in snow up to our waist, to see if we could find it.

The snow kept getting deeper the higher we climbed so we did not quite make it to Rawson Lake. It was a difficult climb, not only through snow, but also in steepness and the change in elevation...this Ontario Gal got quite a workout at almost 6 times my normal sea level elevation at home.

 Panorama shot from the Upper Lake trail...

Isabella and I enjoying one last look at the lake before we headed back to Calgary.

I had an amazing trip and can't wait to get out again and finish that trail hike!

RR

Found it!!!

Since moving into my home almost 2 years ago, I have been looking for the 'perfect' piece to use as an entertainment centre.

I have a 10 foot length of wall that I wanted the piece to run the full space of and it had been a challenge finding exactly what I had envisioned.

My parent's neighbours are getting into the reclaimed wood business and I had planned on asking them to put something together for me....but....then Mom and I went on a shopping road trip to the town of Neustadt.

We frequent this small town quite a bit for their wonderful shops and the fantastic people who own/operate them. To our happy surprise, we found a new shop called Refurbishment and needless to say, I could have decorated my entire home with their reclaimed, up-cycled, refinished, refurbished and one-of-a-kind pieces!

I was walking around, letting it all soak in when I saw it...THE piece I had been looking for!!!

An 11foot length of aged, raw pine with gorgeous antique legs.....the word SOLD leaped out of my mouth so fast I couldn't believe it!

My heart almost broke when the shop owner said that another patron had been in earlier in the day and had asked her to 'hold' it until she could go home and do some measurements....

We left the shop, after giving he my contact information, with fingers and toes crossed that it would not fit in the other patron's home as I knew it would be perfect in mine....

About 45 minutes later I received a text....IT WAS MINE!!!! A short happy dance ensued and we set up a time for delivery (yes, she would deliver it to my home in Guelph....COULD THIS GET ANY BETTER?!?!)

After some major re-arranging at home....here it is installed! :)

I LOVE IT!!! 

These pictures were taken just shortly after getting it together and set up so I will likely still play with some of the styling and items located on/around it. We had to take a bit off the one end and I will turn that into a shelf, but other then that, it fit and works impeccably with the space!

Here's a close up of the raw, natural edge (I LOOOOVE, LOOOVE, LOOOVE it!), the unfinished wood and those gorgeous (and heavy) antique legs!

This piece has finally brought the room together and given it the look and feel I had been hoping for....it even makes the room and overall space seem bigger!

So...if you're on your way to lake Ontario from the GTA...detour through the cute lil town of Neustadt (just outside of Hanover)...it is WELL worth the trip!

RR

Mom's Day...Every Day!

I'm a wee bit late in posting this, but we had such a great Mom's Day weekend, I just had to share some of the photos!

Love you Mom!!

Succulent in a tea cup for Mom!

The perfect 'directors chairs' for a beachy feel from Chat Noir in Guelph.

Indoor plants for my home to freshen things up... From Sweet Violets in Guelph.

Gorgeous Tulips from my parent's garden!

We did a road trip to some local stores like we always do.....We found the cutest yet glam tea set from Gay Lea in Teeswater! LOVE the GOLD LIP PRINTS!

Mom and I went for a drive which included this gorgeous country lane....we both commented on how it would be a perfect wedding setting!

Another view of the lane...

I'm lucky enough to live close enough to visit my parent's on a more regular basis, making it easier to have "Mom's Day" on a much more regular basis!

RR

What a week..a great week :)

Or maybe I should say....what a month!

I have no idea where April went or how May 1st is next week.....

Life seems to get away from us sometimes, but this past Saturday I had the chance to put things on 'hold' and get together with my University Gal Pals here in Guelph. We had a great afternoon chatting, snacking, enjoying some vino...and just having a great time!

For the Gals' arrival, I had bought some tulips (just from the grocery store, nothing fancy) and became enamored with them (as evidenced by the photos below).

They still look great almost a week later.

Then, it was off to a 2 day conference in Simcoe with work. It was a chance to put our work on hold and let my co-workers and I get together from across the province for 2 days of sharing and learning.

We headed to Callahan's Beach House for dinner and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset, amazing fish and fantastic wine/spirits. 

The name just says it all..... ;)

This is going to be a busy weekend too...I'm doing the Spring Sprint for the Canadian Brain Tumour Foundation tomorrow, in memory of a great highschool friend.

What a week...what a great week! 

RR

Window Dressing...Not Required...

I've been looking through West Elm's FB page and noticed the number of round/circular windows they have been showcasing via other bloggers/websites.

I love the idea of a circular window and the somewhat unexpected line and aesthetic that it brings..

They are definitely a style of window that you would not want to cover up with any type of window dressing, so their application would likely be best in a room where privacy was not a concern.

I don't have a circular window in my home...but one that is very similar...I have a hexagon!

Autumn View

Winter View

It is found in my front entry way and its not a huge window by any means...but...it just adds that little something else...something special to my lil cottage. 

Next time you're doing a reno, or even of you were considering an opening in the wall between two rooms...consider a unique shaped window....They add architectural interest and can stand on their own as a design element.

RR

*Please just click on photos for credits*

Joie de Vivre!!

Life is what you make it....Life throws us curveballs...Life is a never ending roller coaster ride...Life is beautiful!

I'm taking some time today to reflect and be truly thankful for the life I have...the life I lead....and the life I have ahead of me.....

GO LIVE YOUR LIFE!!!!!

RR