Welcome Elizabeth from Blue Clear Sky

I'm excited to have Elizabeth from Blue Clear Sky doing a guest post today.  I met Elizabeth early on in my blogging career when she recognized where one of my pictures was taken and emailed.  We soon realized that not only do we work in the same town but we live fairly close to each other and we even know some of the same people in the community.  Small world, eh?  If you haven't been over to Elizabeth's blog, then hop on over to get to know her better, read about her amazing sons, see her lovely patio and garden, and read about all the things she has been doing in her house, especially her family room.


Thank you, Elizabeth, for doing a guest post today.

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My friend Grace at Sense and Simplicity has invited me to do a post for her summer series of Mondays’ guest posts. She sent some great questions to choose from and I hope you enjoy learning a bit more about me. Thanks Grace!




What inspires you more - the mountains or the ocean?

The mountains! I have always been attracted to movies, art and design with a mountain or rocky setting. I'm very fond of rustic. I love rocks and trees. I love the textures and colours. Growing up we spent a lot of time in the outdoors in Northern Ontario and I think that has a lot to do with it. Even better would be a lake in the mountains. I love inland lake beaches. The HGTV dream home is always in my inspiration file. I love the building structure, the scenery and many of the decor choices.

Images: HGTV DREAM HOME 2009

If you could choose would you like a personal assistant, a personal chef, a gardener, or a chauffeur?

Definitely a personal chef! I like to dabble in my garden and it is on the small side, so no personal gardener needed here. Organizing is near and dear to my heart, so no personal assistant required. I drive all the time, to work and travelling with the family and actually chuckle at friends who avoid the 400 series highways here in Ontario. But a chef would be a dream. I would love to have someone tailor a healthy menu for us and cook great food all the time.

What are 3 colours you love and do you have them in both your home and your wardrobe?


I really believe the old advice that says to look to your closet to see what colours, and often textures, you can live with comfortably in your home. My three favourite colours are blue, blue and blue. Oh, three different colours. Do white, off white, black, tan and brown count? Of course I have other colours in my closet, some pink, red, and greens, but blue, black and white are predominant. Lots of shades of blue. If I was to translate the materials of the items in my closet to my home it would be denim, cotton, twill, and leather. I'm a casual kind of girl!

Image: Wrangler

Image: Buffalo jeans

If you could live in a house anywhere in the world for one month - where would it be and what type of house?


A beautiful Timber Frame home in the west. Timber Frame is my favourite architectural style. I would love to have one built one day and fill it with all kinds of leather and wood and white. I would love to spend a month on a working ranch in Alberta or Montana. My kids and hubby could do the work though, I would just soak up all the beauty and maybe mess around with some baking in the kitchen. Or The Pioneer Woman's home and ranch! Farm animals, a lodge and a dream kitchen all in one.

 Above 2 images: The Pioneer Woman

If you could have one decorator help you work on your house who would it be and why?

Sarah Richardson, and her budget of course! I would love her help in getting the look I want in our home. Sort of a rustic lakeside farmhouse feel. Phew, that was a mouthful! I really admire both her Georgian Bay cottage and the farmhouse in the Collingwood/southern Georgian Bay area. Partly because both of those locations are near and dear to us. I also love that both those homes have a collected feel and are not showroom matchy. I adore quilts and pine furniture and always have.

If you could fill your home with furniture from only one store, what store would it be?


I would love to shop at Ethan Allen, http://www.ethanallen.com/. Buying one good piece there would be a treat, but to fill my home with furniture from Ethan Allen would be so much fun. I especially like the New Country series.

A friend gave me one of their design catalogs, a book really, and I refer to it often. I also visit their website just for ideas or inspiration. Just for fun, here are some of the pieces I would choose:

Above 4 images: Ethan Allen

What is the oldest item in your home?


Besides hubby and I? ;) Probably an old Canadian sideboard a relative gave to my mom. The inside is really cool, old cherry is my guess. The original little casters are on it, but it could use some new hardware. It was refinished many years ago but I plan to strip it to the original wood and maybe wax it. I like that it is a piece that can be used in different rooms for different uses. It has been in our dining room and family room for baking pan storage and now it's being used as a TV stand. We have upcoming plans for a flat screen and some detail to highlight this area.