Category Archives: Uncategorized

Hudson Bay Stripe Throw Cushions

Posted on by

2

I planned this project a while ago and got motivated to finish in time for our ex-pat Canada Day party.

While it was fun going a bit over-the-top with Canadiana for the party, I appreciate classic Hudson Bay stripes for providing a more sophisticated touch of Canadian culture. This iconic pattern has a great retro homey feel.

I used cloth napkins with Hudson Bay stripes for the front of the pillows and denim for the back. You can find my favorite throw pillow pattern back in this post.


Happy Canada Day, eh!

“Jewels”

(Ex-pat) Canada Day Party

Posted on by

2

Canada Day is coming up this Friday, July 1. My ex-pat friends and I had the pleasure of celebrating a little early today. “What is a Canada Day party?” some of our American friends asked. Well, a regular Canada Day party is a nice summer picnic or barbecue, but when you are an ex-pat, you have to go over-the-top to assert your Canadian-ness, and today was a good example.

Setting the scene:

Red-and-white everywhere!

And some more subtle elements like these Hudson Bay striped pillows:

Music:

So much good music comes out of Canada. You will have no problem putting together a playlist with artists like Bare Naked Ladies, Sarah Mclachlan, Bryan Adams, Tragically Hip, Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morisette, and so many more!

Food and drink:

You can find Canadian beers, wines, and soft drinks at specialty stores like BevMo. We also enjoyed Nanaimo bars, smoked salmon, “Timbits” (donut holes), and other treats.

Be sure to add these adorable igloo ice cubes!

Games:

Falling in July, Canada Day is not typically celebrated with snowball fights, but that didn’t stop us from having a ball with Snowtime Anytime.

Happy Canada Day to my friends at home and all over the world!

“Jewels”

Book Review: The Design Cookbook

Posted on by

4

I love books. Not just the stories in them, but the feel of hefty printed pages in your hands. I especially love looking at used books stores and book sales. There’s something about the combination of a good deal on a newer book mixed in with the curiosities of vintage books that makes for such an enjoyable browsing.

I was recently in Chicago, where I met up with some friends from high school to do the Avon 39 Walk to End Breast Cancer. On our last day, having walked 39 miles through the beautiful city and shopped our hearts out at the fashion outlets, a friend and I hunted down a big used bookstore: after-words in River North.

I found some fun books for souvenirs for the boys, and my personal pick was The Design Cookbook by Kelly Edwards. Even in this day of Pinterest, I find there is something special about browsing glossy images in a book or magazine.

Kelly Edwards really captures my style goals in this book – the rooms all have an eclectic combination of classic, modern, and whimsical elements. This can be a hard look to pull off, because the room is much more than a sum of the parts, so the “cook book” format is especially helpful. Kelly shows a series of rooms and then breaks them down into a list of features, like a painted lamp and dark walls. I like how this step-by-step approach to decorating can help you with recreating any room you see. The book also includes a handful of DIY projects.

Here are a few of my favorite vignettes from the book.

I am definitely feeling inspired, and I hope you are too!  For the “recipes” for these rooms and more, check out The Design Cookbook by Kelly Edwards.

“Jewels”

Chinoiserie Chic Living Room

Posted on by

0

Our living room has evolved over the years. Here’s a look at some of our latest additions, including the color block drapes and these pretty turquoise chairs from Article (formerly Bryght). I have to admit I was pretty nervous when the intense color showed up in my living room, but I am so glad I took a risk!

Over on the other side of the room, I have a little bar set up next to the dining area:

I recently moved this painted Chinese screen over the bar area when I was rearranging our art. I really like how it brings the eye up and emphasizes the tall ceilings.

And here are two paintings by my mom that I recently added to the living room. These remind me of De Gournay wallpapers and add an authentic bit of Chinoiserie to our home.

Hope you enjoyed the details in our living room!

“Jewels”

Stitch Fix #2 Review

Posted on by

2

So, I believe in writing up Stitch Fix reviews, because the mystery element in this styling service is both appealing and nerve-wracking. Unfortunately, Fix #1 was a bust, but I diligently gave tons of feedback, tweaked my style profile and I was pretty excited when Fix#2 arrived!

I’ll show you all the goodies, but here’s a picture of the two items I kept: a pretty lace blouse from Pixley and these super-comfy Liverpool jeans.

  1. Market & Spruce Juli Lasercut Detail Blouse. I really like the elements of this blouseL the navy and pink, the polka dots, pleats, and details on the hem. However, when put all together, this top was just a bit too cutesy for me. The fabric is a bit shiny-cheap, too.
  2. Nine West Onlee Pointed Toe Flats – I was actually excited to see the striped ballet flats, since flats are the staple of my shoe wardrobe, and I have been eyeing cute striped shoes. However, the finish on these is super-shiny and plasticky feeling, and I just didn’t like them enough to keep.
  3. Donna Morgan Sunni Dress. Not really sure what happened here. I do like the color navy and the geometric print, but I noted in my style profile that I do not like high necklines or dresses with fitted bottoms, so this was really a miss for me overall. Too bad!
  4. Pixley Yuli Lace Cap Sleeve Blouse. I fell in love with this blouse as soon as I saw it! The color is actually a light light peachy-pink, but it is neutral enough to go with everything. The lace is pretty and feminine, and there are beautiful details in the collar trim and the seaming. The top hangs very nicely for a flattering but not clingy fit. Yay! Being introduced to something new and beautiful like this is exactly why I joined Stitch Fix!
  5. Liverpool Collen Straight Leg Jean. When I first saw these jeans, I thought they were a bit blah. I had actually asked for special items and no basics, so I was disappointed. However, I did try them on, because I wanted to be able to give feedback on the fit. And these jeans are SO comfortable. I kept thinking I should return them, because I don’t really need jeans, and these have a pretty basic look – but I seriously could not bring myself to take them off! The material is 81% cotton, 17% polyester, and 2% elastic, and they feel like wearing stretchy comfy yoga pants. Happy I kept them!

If you are counting, you’ll see I kept two items and returned three. Not a home run, but I am pretty excited and definitely ready to try Stitch Fix again! I’ve scheduled my next fix for a couple of months right now and look forward to reporting back!

If you are thinking of trying Stitch Fix, you can use my referral code. Thanks!

“Jewels”

 

Stitch Fix #1 Review

Posted on by

0

After admiring some lovely and fresh looks on a few friends who’ve tried Stitch Fix, I decided to take the plunge!

While part of the appeal of Stitch Fix is the element of surprise and the idea that your stylist could introduce you to something new and fabulous, it’s a bit scary to let go of control.

I poked around to look at some other reviews to see what kinds of clothes other people were getting, and that helped me feel a bit better. In that spirit, I’m going to share my first Stitch Fix review. Here’s what was in my box!

  1. Donna Morgan wrap dress. First up was this wrap dress. I love wrap dresses, because they are so flattering and classic. I have several in my closer already, and I did not find this one special enough to keep.

2) Penny Loves Kenny flats. So, I admit these shoes got me pretty inspired about the idea of Oxfords. This was my hope with Stitch Fix – that I would be inspired to try new styles. Unfortunately, I did not like the fake leather or the pointy toe on this particular pair. The material feels really cheap.


3) 41 Hawthorn Irsia blouse. This was my favorite item in my first fix. I really like navy, and I like the texture of the fabric and the feminine scallops. However, the shirt is a little bit too boxy and long for me. It catches on my hips and then bunches up. I wish this had fit better!

 

 

4. Creative Commune Kalina blouse. I asked for an ivory sleeveless top that I could wear layered with blazers and cardigans for work. I like the color of this top and the lace on top. However, it is too boxy, and the synthetic material feels cheap.

5. Kut from the Kloth boyfriend jeans. These were nice jeans that fit well. They were the right length and fitted but not clingy. However, I did not need another pair of basic jeans, so I sent them back.

In the end, I didn’t end up keeping anything from my first fix, but I give a lot of feedback which my friends recommended. I’m a little wary, based on the quality of items I received, but I’m going to give them another try and report back to you!

If you are ready to give Stitch Fix a try, I’ve got a referral code for you, and thanks for checking it out!

“Jewels”

“I Love You” Collage

Posted on by

0

Here’s a fun DIY art project that you can customize so many ways. I added names to ours.

And for my sister-in-law’s wedding, I put the bride and groom and their wedding date:

You can get creative and use not just letters but pictures of objects or patterns. Can you spot the keys I used for the letter “I” or the clock for the letter “o”? Depending on the space, I switched up the wording. Variations include:

  • I love you
  • Love you
  • Love
  • I love u
  • etc.

What other ways would you customize this?

“Jewels”

Star Wars Birthday Photo Booth

Posted on by

1

Our photo booth that made its first appearance at our Mad Men party a few years ago is becoming a staple at our parties.

I started with an iPad for the camera, backdrops, and props. As time has gone on, we have added more backdrops and props, as well as a tripod and a Canon SELPHY Photo Printer for instant gratification!

For L’s birthday this year, we decorated with a Star Wars theme – like everyone else, we were all just a little excited about The Force Awakens!

I found some printable Cut-out masks for props: 

As a party favor, I decorated simple picture frames for the kids, so they could display the photos from the booth. For this project, I used

Add some Star Wars stickers, and the kids were able to bring home some very special souvenirs!

I’m looking forward to trying out more fun themes at parties to come! What ideas do you have?

“Jewels”

 

 

Ideas for Handmade Romantic Gifts

Posted on by

0

So, it was just Valentine’s Day and we’re going to Steve’s sister’s wedding in a few weeks, so I’ve been busy searching for the perfect romantic gifts with a handmade touch.

Here are my favorite ideas. I’ve tried some of them and can’t wait to try the rest!

1. Printed pillowcases

pillowcases

I love this and all the other whimsical designs from ZCreate on Etsy, and how perfect that this business is run by a couple!
2. “I love you” collage

img_0211

I made this collage for our family a few years ago. It took a lot of time and work, but it’s not technically difficult, and it’s almost free! You could customize this with a wedding date or other details.
3. A year of dates
This is what I actually ended up giving Steve for Valentine’s. One activity for each month, some at home and some out on the town, including some local adventures I have been waiting to try!

4. Personalized wine or bar glasses


I love these vintage monogrammed glasses I found for our Mad Men party a few years ago. You could also make your own with Glass Etching Cream.

5. Personalized wine labels

winelabels

What a fun way to personalize a gift of wine, with these milestone labels available from Label the Occasion and other sellers on Etsy. Or design your own and print on blank labels.

7. Message written with paper mosaic


I used Chinese characters (love, double happiness, and family), but you could do this with an English phrase, too. I printed out the template in reverse, glued one inch squares onto the back side of the paper, then cut out the template and glued it on a background.

8. String art heart

string art heart

You can buy this from Etsy or make your own with some wood, nails, and red embroidery floss. I’ve been wanting to try this for a while!

9. Personalized luggage tags

IMG_6234

I made these luggage tags and other art projects out of wedding invitations. I found the self-laminating tags here.

10. Framed wedding invitation art

IMG_6194
You could also do this with a birth announcement. It’s  special way to preserve your friends’ favorite images.

 

Hope you’re in the mood to create something special for the ones you love!

“Jewels”

Playing with Paper: Custom Greeting Cards

Posted on by

0

Here’s a short post where the pictures speak for themselves. I love playing around with pretty papers, and I put these together recently as a gift for a friend.

I used the same basic idea I shared in this post on quick DIY cards, but I varied the papers and added some fun washi tape as well. The other addition to these cards was using a corner rounder to add some interest. Still a straightforward project, and I love how each card turned out so unique!

Playing with Paper: Custom Greeting Cards | Jewels at Home
Playing with Paper: Custom Greeting Cards | Jewels at Home

Playing with Paper: Custom Greeting Cards | Jewels at Home
Playing with Paper: Custom Greeting Cards | Jewels at Home

Playing with Paper: Custom Greeting Cards | Jewels at Home

“Jewels”