I'm thinking of...portières

It is getting so cold out here in Canada!

The whippet pup Tallulah is regularly wearing her sweater to lazy around the house. I've even ordered her 2 pairs of flannel jammez. I can not believe I just told you that.

Once it starts to get cold out and the days get shorter I go in to nesting mode. To that end I've been busy painting the walls running east/west on the main floor of the house in Farrow & Balls Railings and the north/south walls in F&B's Blackening. It's dramatic and very cozy! Which got me to thinking about how much I hate the winter cold getting in to the house when the kids go in and out. 

So for the past month I've been thinking I want to put up a set of portières to close off the entrance.

• portière - an interior passage way with drapes.



via Traditional Home

 Here's a sneak peak at the living room:



last month



in progress - wall colour: F&B Railings

*Bisous*

Dane

The ever witty, clever and stylish Karen & her DIY fire pit

I want one and you will too.

Just in time for cool crisp Canadian evenings, read FREEZING, Karen Bertelsen has posted a DIY fire pit on her blog 'the art of doing stuff' that is tres chic.

Feast your eyes on the finished product...you'll have to go to Karen's blog for the step by step details.

I am so making this.

*bisous*

Dane

Timbreblue Dances For Money

Tallulah aka Tulah aka Tally aka Lulu aka The Tallywacker....

I'd love you to meet my wee blue girl:  Timbreblue Dances For Money. Her pedigree can be seen in the Whippet Archives.

Her family name is Tallulah Caldwell Kuffert. Tulah is a Whippet pup whelped in Lexington Virginia May 26th of this year. I was so lucky to find the breeders Timbreblue. They have a blogspot blog as well in case you are looking for breeders who are AMAZING.

I saw my wee blue girl being born which was just incredible to be able to experience.

Tallulah is too cool...she is in disguise. And asleep.

Whippets sleep a lot.

Whippets catch rabbits. 13 weeks old is getting a bit of a jump on that instinct.

While doing her whippet yoga...she fell asleep.

Owned...by Ms. Piddles.

Steve Owned.

Tallulah's Lee Industries sofa...she'll grow in to it. Sort of.

Master Bedroom - Dressing Room Update: Week 40ish?!

Well, like many who undertake their own renovations, ours is going in fits and starts.

This is where we are today:

view in to dressing room (now used to house tools etc.).

Old doorway on right still to be closed in. Among other things.

view from bedroom

sigh

*bisous*

Dane

Gone So Long

I've returned from South Carolina and miss it terribly...including the heat. Considering SC daily low temperature is generally the same as Toronto's daily high I definitely prefer the south.

I have limited access to the Internet while in SC so my blogging and keeping up with the great blogs I follow has been non-existent. I wish it wasn't so as I miss keeping up and conversing with everyone.

My first post back is to catch you up on some great (thrift store) finds I have purchased over the summer:

Drexel's Declaration:  Mint Mid-century mahogany dresser with mirror designed by Steward MacDougall (furniture) and Kip Stewart (upholstery). If you'd like to learn more about this amazing line I recommend Pam Kueber's Reto Renovation's blog as it seems to be the most comprehensive I've come across (note Pam's got a martini in her hand...my kinda lady).

Want to see more pieces of this Drexel line?

The dresser was going to go in The Boy's bedroom...till the gorgeous and oh so brilliant husband pointed out The Boy would destroy it. So it is now my new dresser. Just have to break it to The Boy. Btw, the thrift store also had 2 matching bed tables but sold them separately (and before I arrived). Grrrr.

Lee Industries rolled arm sofa! Paid $100 :)

You will notice the newest member of the family on the sofa. Tallulah! The photo was taken today. She's 16 weeks old and hails from Lexington Virginia. But more on her in another post. Some day I'll have a slip cover made or re-upholster it but for now it is Tulah's sofa so the floral stays.

Mid-century modern solid wood (mahogany?) Brutalist side table. I have no idea who's design this. Frustrating. I have tried to research it but have had no luck. I know it is from North Carolina but there is only model numbers and NC stamped on the back. Inside, it is the back is mirrored.

I've got a mirror on top to protect the wood and I use it as a bedside table. My water glass and carafe are always filled with ice water which means they sweat. Sucks. This is also where I hide the candy from the kids. This also means I spend my evenings stuffing my face with junk :(

Post Modern Tubular Chair

The Boy's new Post Modern chair. Evidently this was a day when The Boy dressed himself. He loves his new chair.

Well these are the major pieces I've found this summer. Can't wait to see what I find next!

*bisous*

Dane

Thrift Store Finds

Thursdays are my favorite day to head out to the thrift stores. It's also a day The Boy is not in school. Every Thursday morning after taking The Girl to school we climb in the truck and head out.

The Boy is happy and chatty...until we pull in to the first Thrift Store parking lot. 'Oh no...not *here* again'.

Funny he's not figured it out by now. He's always totally surprised. He's a good little shopper though; gets a cart (regardless of need).

I thought I'd share with you a few of my finds from yesterday.

Shinto Lion: $5
Bishamonten God of War & Warriors: $4

These are Japanese Shinto figurines. I got the Bishamonten as a place holder till I can find some more Shinto Lions. For $4...I'd have been crazy to leave him. He's also considered a god of healing, able to expel demons of plague (need that!) and he is the dirge of evil-doers! Yay!

I love my owl bookends! $7. They are very dusty and heavy. When I saw them I instantly thought I'd spray paint them white. Silly, They will remain gold. Trends shmends...my owls will remain as is!

Conch shells...I can't have too many. My favorite of the two is the gray/blue on the right. It was $1. The conch on the left was found at a different thrift store and was $2.

I've begun collecting globes for The Boy's bedroom. Till yesterday I just had one so it's been in our hall way (on my $25 hard wood credenza) for a couple of months. I found the second one yesterday. Paid $7. I'd like to find some smaller ones. Eventually they will be moved to their home in The Boys room.

The Boy made out pretty well himself. At the first stop he found a small keyboard that does just about everything. $20. Turns out I could plug it in in the truck...yay. So he played it (the whole time) on the drive between thrift stores. At any rate, he was quite happy to continue thrift store shopping...not once did he ask if we were 'going home yet'. Worth the $20...although I felt it was over priced when he asked for it.

*bisous*

Dane

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*bisous*
Dane