My Happy List

My Happy List is short, but intense this week.

1.  I'm happy I was able to have a wonderful visit with Angie from Echoes of Laughter.. She was here in Toronto going to a conference so we decided to meet and have breakfast together. Five hours later we still hadn't run out of things to talk about, but that's what happens when you finally meet a bloggy friend you have known for years. We found each other's blogs very early on and have been commenting and emailing ever since. We discussed blogging and families and crafts and Christmas cookies (oh yes, we're doing Christmas Cookie Week again). It was great to finally meet you Angie!

Oh and she gave me the prettiest tea towel which I used as a table runner because it was much to pretty to actually dry my hands on.  She also gave me a yummy candle and a lovely little bag made by women in Ghana that is a patchwork of beautiful batiked materials. Thanks Angie for being so generous.

2.  I'm so happy it is Thanksgiving this coming weekend.  We are going to the cottage which is always an amazing way to spend the holiday.  All of our kiddos are away and won't be joining us for Thanksgiving this year - which will be our first holiday without any of them -  so we are very happy that our friends from France will be joining us at the cottage instead.  They are predicting nice weather so I'm looking forward to catching up with our friends, walks in the woods, and a big turkey dinner with all the trimmings and pumpkin pie for dessert.  Yahoo!  Can't wait.

What's on your Happy List this week?

Linked to Ricki Jill's Happy List at Art@Home 

More Things I Learned at Blogpodium

I posted some of my thoughts on the inspiring, stylish, motivating, thought-provoking day that was Blogpodium in my last post.  But now for the nitty-gritty of what I actually learned from each of the presentations.  I took notes because lets face it I can't remember my own kid's names so I certainly can't be expected to remember the material from five different presentations and I have a responsibility to all of you to report back.  So here are some of the points that caught my attention at Blogpodium.

Sarah Richardson gave the keynote presentation and it was fabulous.
She encouraged all of us to persevere with decorating and experiment with new ideas because that is what is needed to develop your skills and grow a business. She talked about how she got started and her big break when she had her home featured on the cover of Canadian House and Home in 1998 (I remember that issue and wrote about it here).  Her apartment was decorated with cast-offs and thrift store finds including a lamp that cost $2.50.  

Sarah also talked about upcoming projects she is working on such as a new TV series called Real Potential, a book she is writing, and a collection of fabrics through Kravet that is about to be launched (you can see some of the fabrics in my photo below). She told a funny story about a recent trip to New York City to photograph the new fabric line. Sarah had sent five boxes full of props to be used to style the displays and just as they were leaving to go to the airport they get a call that the boxes had been held up at customs.  So Sarah and her colleagues all quickly gathered props from their own homes. They traveled with treasured bowls and favourite candlesticks in their carry-on luggage so that they wouldn't get broken.  The customs officers must have really wondered about that.

And a few more of Sarah's tidbits: 

• Decorate so that it lasts.  Sarah said that she likes to be able to look back at a room years from now and still be happy to have her name on it. 
• Be practical in your decorating.  Sarah likes to balance the practical with some of the finer things.  She described her rooms as casually elegant or classically simple.  
• Make the main investment pieces neutral and then make a statement by adding colour in items you can change easily. 
• Be sure to include character and history and fun and whimsy in every room.  One of the best ways to add personality is through seeking out handmade artful objects.
• Don't over-think the process. Make a decision and then move on because there are a million right answers. If you over-think the decorating you will second guess yourself and end up going over budget.

Waving to Sarah's mother

Samples of Sarah Richardson's new fabric collection through Kravet

During the rest of the day I went to four hour-long sessions. Here's what I learned:

1. Power Tools - How to Clinic (Home Depot)
I learned that we need to buy a mitre saw and a lightweight nail gun.  I got to use both and they were amazing.

You can see the project we were making in the photo above. It was shelf rack with a cover that folds down to form a workspace. Wouldn't it be cute as a craft centre with the shelves lined with little pots of paints or a spice rack to be used in the kitchen.

Avery Swarz

2. Creating a Style Guide for your Blog (Avery Swartz from Avery Swartz Makes Websites)
Avery believes that all bloggers should create a style guide.  It can be anything from a formally written folder, or a pinterest file, or post-it notes stuck to the computer. The style guide should include things like guidelines about your blog's content, logo, colour palette, fonts, how to navigate through the blog, how the links will be indicated, and how the images will be presented. Make your decision on what your blog style will be and then be consistent in using it.

And a few more of Avery's tidbits:

• 90% of the first impressions about a blog are based on colour 
• since images take centre-stage on blogs you may want to keep the other colours more neutral
• have high contrast between the colours of the fonts and the background
• do not centre align your text or Avery will hunt you down
• did you know that serif fonts (ones with the little lines at the ends of the letters) are used most often in books because the little hooks help the eye read the words more efficiently, while online it is the opposite and sans-serif fonts (without the little lines) are easier to read.
• Helvetica is a font that became popular in the 1950s and has been used in the NYC subway. Some typefaces, including Helvetica are really families of fonts. Helvetica has around 50 different fonts within the typeface family, everything from heavy to condensed to italicized. I changed the font of this post to Helvetica from my usual Verdana. What do you think? 
• You should pick no more than two typefaces - one for the body and one for the decorative contrast. However, you can pick different fonts within the typeface family as they will all look good together. 

Jennifer Ballard

3. Get the Shot!  Photography + Instagram Workshop (Jennifer Ballard from Jennifer Ballard Photography)
Jennifer led us through the intricacies of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO by comparing them to the human eye.  She had great slides to demonstrate how one scene can look different by varying these three settings.  I knew that I needed to get my camera off the auto setting, but until Blogpodium had never figured out how to use the manual settings.  Jennifer had us all give it a try and helped us play around with the different settings.  It was great to begin to get an understanding of what I need to do.

The main tidbits I gained to help with low-lighting conditions (namely all winter long here in Toronto) are:

• use a reflector to help light objects from the back - even a piece of white britol board will work
• use an external flash to help avoid red eye and ghost face
• point the external flash up and backward at the ceiling or wall behind to get diffuse light
• attach a white card with an elastic band to the top of the flash pointed at the ceiling and a little bit of light will bounce back from the card 
• use an f-stop of around 2.8
• use the delay timer to avoid the jiggle that your finger makes depressing the shutter button

Karen Bertelsen

4.  The Art of Monetization (Karen Bertelsen from The Art of Doing Stuff)
I signed up for this presentation because Karen's blog is hilarious and I was hoping for more of the same in her presentation. Fortunately, Karen didn't disappoint - she is a great presenter and I learned lots.  

Not only is Karen funny, but she is the most honest and up-front person I know. She told us how much she earns from blogging and what she charges for different writing and photography projects. It was so refreshing and so helpful because frankly I had no idea what the going rates for some of these things are. She feels that if we talk about the pricing then the power will be in the hands of the blogger rather than in the hands of the companies. Good point.

I really have had limited interest in monetizing my blog as I want to keep it as a hobby, but according to Karen we should all have Google adsense on our blogs because ... well ... why not.  It brings in money without any effort on our part and in fact Karen revealed that it is her top money maker every month. You just sign up and wait for the cheques to come. The cheques will likely be small at first, but as your readership grows and Google figures out your blog then it grows. I thought that was an interesting idea and you just might see some ads on here soon.

So there you have it, one day's contents of my brain unloaded for you. I hope you found a few take-away points too.

Following Your Friends

I don't like change so I was a bit upset to find that Google Friend Connect is going away. I have all sorts of blogs that I follow and didn't want to lose track of them so I signed up for Bloglovin' and transferred them all over. It was easy as pie (okay, pie isn't easy) - it was easy as lemon squeezy - to sign up. I love following along with my favourite blogs and would hate to lose track of them.  

How do you follow blogs? I'm curious to know since I feel like the blog world has got more and more complicated since I started a few years ago.  Let me know in the comments what you have found to be the best tool for following blogs.

So we can stay in touch after tomorrow, you can continue to follow this blog by either using Bloglovin' or having the posts come to your email (it was ages before I knew how to check my email followers stats and when I finally did I was surprised to find out that so many of you follow along this way).  You can sign up for either of these in the sidebar over to the right.

P.S.  Have a great Canada Day tomorrow for those of you up here in the Great White North - which is green not white right now, by the way!  

How Blogging is Like a Marriage

I've been thinking a lot about blogging recently.  It could be because last month was my third anniversary of blogging. Coincidentally our 32nd wedding anniversary is this week.  As I've been pondering both anniversaries I have been struck with how similar blogging and marriage are.  

Starting a blog is like starting a romance.  Do you remember the infatuation of those first weeks and months of blogging?  Do you remember how annoying you were to everyone else?  All you could talk about, think about, and do was blog.  That unreasoned passion is short-lived though and must give way to a deep affection and liking. Sometimes with blogging (as with a marriage) you forget why you fell in love in the first place and you falter in your dedication when little disappointments come along.  In marriage the infatuation stage supposedly lasts a year or two and in blogging I'm guessing about the same.  

As I was thinking about this post I noticed an article in the New York Times that just said it all:  Long-Lasting (Blogging) Love Takes a Lot of Work.  One of the points that I found interesting in the article was that we tend to become habituated to positive circumstances - or in other words "we get so used to things that make us feel good that they no longer do" (also called hedonic adaptation).  The author suggests that we take time with our blogs (I mean spouses) and express what we like about them.  She also says that variety is the key as it is innately stimulating and rewarding.  You can't just keep writing the same kinds of posts all the time or you will become bored with your blog (as will your readers).  Instead you must change things up to keep your blog "fresh, meaningful, and positive".  Surprise yourself by learning something new or trying a different kind of post.

I also looked at some marriage advice to see how it might apply to blogging.  (Who knew that the best list I found would be on Wikihow.)  So here are some sensible tidbits for helping you have a better blog (er, I mean marriage):
Be yourself from the start of the relationship.  So important.  I love when people say that my blog sounds like me.  It isn't always easy to stay true to that when we read other blogs and want to channel a little of their style.
Exercise your sense of humour.  I love funny blogs, but I'm not a humourist.  Even if I'm not outright funny I do try to stay light-hearted and not sound preachy.
Try to let the little annoyances go.  It is very easy to look at other blogs and see what they are doing, the ideas they have, the projects they are doing, the opportunities they have received and feel disappointed in your own blog.  It is always important to keep the right perspective and let those little annoyances and jealousies go.  You never know how long or how hard that other person has been working on their blog.
Make time to post regularly and visit other people's blogs.  Not always easy when life gets in the way, but to really grow a blog it is important to spend time with it.
Be cautious and think before you choose the words you use.  It is so easy to post something you may regret later. Always think whether you would share that same information with someone sitting next to you on an airplane.  You never know who is reading your blog and once it is out there it is there for good.
Learn from your mistakes.  If you ranted and raved in a post and regretted it later, move on.  There's plenty of room for forgiveness.
Act like everything's okay.  To get over a blogging slump, it is important to try new things and look for inspiration to bring happiness back to blogging.  Sometimes acting like there is nothing wrong and you are satisfied with blogging is the best medicine - just keep going and the inspiration and freshness will catch up to you. Remember what you love about blogging (okay, I added this one on my own).  Then you can focus on the real reasons you blog when you become discouraged.  I've been meaning to come up with a list that I can pin to my notice board.   Any other suggestions?

And what do the pictures of citrus fruit have to do with blogging and marriage you ask?  Well nothing actually, but last weekend I decided I wanted to sample every citrus fruit that was available at our nearest grocery store.  I couldn't get enough of all that citrusy goodness so I had some fun and took a few photos.  It was an exercise in healthy eating and trying new things to keep life interesting (see this post).  

Oh and by the way, have you tried a Cara Cara orange - that's one of them cut open in the photos above.  They are the best orange I have had bar none.  They are so pretty with their pinky-orange segments and are sweet and juicy and delicious.  If you get nothing else from this post than an orange recommendation, then I will consider it a job well done.  Let me know when you have had one.

Linked to Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill,
Weekend Bloggy Reading at Serenity Now

Feeling the Young House Love

Last night I went to West Elm and waited in line for a couple of hours to meet the crazy popular bloggers Sherry and John Petersik, who have recently launched a book featuring over 240 easy and creative DIY projects (mind you, if that's news to you then I don't know where you have been hiding).  
Sherry and John are on a jam-packed book tour schedule right now with stops in different cities almost every day.  I can't believe they have the stamina for such a busy tour.  At the Toronto stop alone there were over 450 people waiting to talk with them, have their books signed, and pose for a picture.  
So what were Sherry and John really like, you ask?  Well since we spent some time getting to know each other I can fill you in.  They are just as fun and likable in person as they are on their blog.  They are both super friendly and kept up their enthusiasm to meet fan after fan for hours and hours.  When I told them I have been reading their blog since 2008 (seriously, I feel like I really really know them) they said I was one of the originals and Sherry even wrote "to one of the originals" in the book.  Sherry is very bubbly and outgoing.  She complimented me on my blue pants and wanted to know where i got them.  Mind you, I know it was only chit-chat since Sherry wouldn't be interested in buying them unless they came in black.  Anyone who reads Young House Love knows Sherry dresses mostly in black.  Just like we know that Clara likes to wear pink Crocs and John wears shirts featuring pop logos and Burger likes to burrow under the blankets after the bed is made to sleep all day and ... many many other random Petersik facts that anyone who reads their blog knows about them.

Thankfully I didn't have to stand in line for hours by myself.  Instead I got to hang out with Lisa from Wicked and Weird, Janine from Tonic Living, and Jen from Rambling Renovator. They were wonderful company and made the time seem to pass quickly.  Being wined and dined cookied and cocoaed helped as well.

Janine and Jen were both on Sherry's list of who she was hoping to meet in Toronto, so there was much excited chatter and hugs when it was their turn.

Jen and Sherry hugging like old friends

Janine getting her photo with the celebs

The person in front of us had stood in line so her sister could meet John and Sherry via her i-phone.  Here's John and Sherry posing with her.  Sherry thought that was hilarious and took photos of her own.  How cute is that?

Obviously Jen got the memo to wear yellow on top (she not only had a yellow jacket, but a yellow cardi as well) and blue pants.

It was my first time at a West Elm store and I loved it.  I've been wanting to make the trip for awhile now so I was excited to take a tour of the store.

I thought the little nook near the cash filled with driftwood and owls was adorable.

The Christmas trees were inspiring - lots of white feathers, glass balls, painted pine cones, and twig decorations.

And this little twig all wrapped in white wool looked so wintery - and possibly like a very labour-intensive DIY project.

Do you want to see what I bought (well besides the book natch)?  

And do you want to know what my dear husband said about my beautiful garland - "What the heck is that?  It looks like someone's intestines."  Unbelievable!  I'm sure he will fall in love with it when he sees it on the mantel.  Don't you agree?

Moving on...  

Now that I've had a look through the book, I have to say it is wonderful.  John and Sherry have come up with over 240 projects that are easy ways to bring your house some love.  Their book would make a great gift for any DIYer.

And I also want to add a thanks to West Elm for hosting the book signing!

Blogger Showhome House & Home Event

I attended the Blogger Showhome House & Home event tonight.  What a blast it was!  We got to tour the showhome, meet the people involved in creating it, and ask questions. 
The house is a modern take on a traditional Ontario farmhouse and hit all the right notes in my mind.  It is a lovely house and really should be seen in person to be fully appreciated.  Tickets are on sale now to tour the house and it is open for viewing starting on Saturday (you can find out details about ordering tickets here).  Not only is touring the house a treat for you, but all the proceeds go to the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre to help conquer cancer in our lifetime.

I don't want to give away everything about the house so I thought I would show you a few take-away ideas I saw while touring the house and my favourite room.  
1) Make your pathways from rectangular stones separated by grass.  The pathways looked like modern stepping stones.  

Even the patio was done this way.  This could totally work around most homes and would be much easier to do than laying a solid stone pathway or patio (well not having done either - I assume it would be anyway).

2)  Decorate the dining room table with a series of bowls, vases, and bottles in a unified colour palette   I've done my homework and counted the containers for you - all it takes is three white vases, seven blue glass bottles, three low blue bowls, and an assortment of eight pottery vases in a variety of patterns and shapes and sizes.  Definitely doable!

3) Add some stripes.  In the basement a variety of stripes added interest to the TV room.  There was an interesting patterned rug with red, green, and beige stripes, as well as a black-and-white patterned throw on the chair, 

and painted striped sticks in a vase in the corner.  I love this!  I'm so going to steal borrow this idea myself and paint some stripey sticks for our house.

4) Use a large wicker container as a bedside table.  The ones used in the house were a lovely mix of a modern form and traditional material.

And as for my favourite room in the house - it would have to be the study.  I loved the cheerful colours on the chair, the sofa, and the throw cushions.  And I loved the tall stack of wood on either side of the fireplace.  And I loved the round table that was so simple, yet so elegantly constructed.

There were several Toronto area bloggers that I chatted with.  I was also excited to meet many of the well known faces from the pages of the Canadian House and Home magazine.  I particularly enjoyed chatting with Lisa from the blog Wicked & Weird and Margot Austin, the Editor of Special Issues for Canadian House & Home (you can find her blog here).  
I featured Margot's kitchen awhile back on one of my WISH Wednesday posts (which you can see here) and I've obsessed over her house that was featured recently in the magazine.  It is a perfectly decorated tiny jewel of a house and it is just what I would love to have (well that and a country place).  We had fun chatting about design and the showhome and the maritimes and lots of things. 

Being a good blogger, I thought to ask Margot what her favourite parts of the house were and she wanted to give me a list of ten things.  Given that my brain can't hold that much information without pen and paper, she restricted herself to three things.  So here they are ... drum roll ...
First, she liked how the house is the perfect blend of traditional and modern.  The outside being more traditional - like a farmhouse that has had additions built onto it - yet when you step in the door you are immediately drawn to all the openness and light and modern clean lines.  As you move from room to room you are struck by the balance between the modern and traditional elements.
Second, the marble island in the kitchen (not the best photo of it, but you can see it in the background in the photo below).

Third, the AGA stove (I was rather agog at this as well as I had never seen one in real life before).

I had to agree with her on all three counts.  
It is a wonderful house - decorated thoughtfully and beautifully.  I would encourage anyone who lives in the Toronto area to buy a ticket and go and tour the house.  And for those of you who live too far to see the house, you can see more photos here.