Monday Motivation

After a relaxing and reflection filled weekend....I have decided that this is going to be one 'kick-butt' week! I am home all week (at least as of now I have no travel booked) and I plan to make use of every single second.
Maybe it's this gorgeous Spring weather....or the fact that I lost an hour of sleep (yes, I tend to do better on less sleep)....my motivation levels are sky high! Here are some quotes to hopefully help 'pump' you up for the week, help you focus, and also reflect on the good things you have in your life!

Do what you love......

Dare to jump.....

Seize the day (love this!)...

This is my favorite...'good things'...

I hope you all have a great week...and as the sign says above...'get off your ass and never give up'!! You deserve to live every second of your life...so get out there and live!

RR
*images from Pinterest

Warmth in a storm....

The combination of the snow filled wind storm, power outages and all of the tree branches lying on the ground got me thinking about fireplaces.....yes, fireplaces. I bet there are a lot of people in Ontario today, without power, who wish they had a fireplace to help keep warm on this cold March day.

Of course a fireplace serves a true, practical function in the home, but it can also serve a decor function....becoming the centrepiece of a room. It can be something that draws people together into one room to enjoy not only the warmth, but the beauty of the oranges, reds and yellows of the flames.

Whether it has a stone or brick or concrete facade, a mantel or not...a fireplace adds a rustic, earthy and romantic presence to a home. My next home will definitely have one....inspired by these....

I hope you are all able to stay warm this weekend through these storms.....and if you do have a fireplace, that you have the opportunity  to curl up in front of it and enjoy.....

RR

*images from Pinterest* 

My Style....

I take a lot of my personal style inspiration from what I use in my interior decor/design. Leather, earthy neutrals, natural materials like wools & cottons and overall,...comfort.

I love the colour of this leather, the mustard yellow pillow, the tones in the pictures/frames on the wall, the textured wallpaper and the contrast of the black cabinet. I have boots and a leather jacket the same colour as the chair, I use pops of colour much like the pillow and I ground my wardrobe in the darker tones like chocolate and black. Boots, vests, jeans, jackets/blazers, sweaters, scarves, cowls, wool socks, leather belts/purses/jackets, and simple but statement piece jewellery sum up what can be found in my closet/drawers and make me feel like me! Each one of these outfits would be perfect for going for coffee, running errands, a day of antiquing, a casual date.... I LOVE my Wellies! I wear them almost every day! Distressed leather, browns/tans/mahogany...riding boots, purses/bags....a gal can never have enough of either!

The photo above could be of me on a Sunday morning walk along the water with the dog...the hair pulled up in a loose bun, the scarf, the vest, the outdoors....no matter what your style/taste...own it, know it and most importantly, make it yours!

Island Living

One of the most functional pieces in the home has to be the kitchen island. It provides prep space, storage and a place to pull up a seat & gather around....it really helps make the kitchen the heart of the home.

As much as I love my new home, I must admit, I do miss my 8'x3' island in my old loft. I had the butcher block top made, I sanded and stained it and my brother and I installed it. I could stand at that island, look out into the living room and visit with guests or have them sit right there at the island with me as I prepared dinner/drinks.

Wth my parent's building a new home, I have been looking for some inspiration to help plan their new kitchen that I hope will contain an island that we can gather around and make new memories at!

These are some ideas I found and love!....

 

I tend to lean towards wood, open storage, natural materials and function..as illustrated in the pictures above.

 These are good combinations of open and enclosed storage and offer a variety of materials and styles.

No matter what style of home you have or the size of your kitchen, an island can serve a mutlitude of purposes. Whether you are preparing a holiday dinner and need as much counter space as possible....or you are serving a romantic dinner for 2....if you are planning or remodelling a kitchen, adding one into your design is something I would highly recommend!

For My Gals...

With Valentines Day just around the corner, I wanted to do something different. We get so focused on our significant others on this day....but I want to focus on those who have been there for me...through many 'significant others'...through good and bad...through laughter and tears....these are my girl friends!

I would not be the person I am today without every single one of the amazing women in my life and I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful network of friends....who I consider not just friends, but family!

This is for you gals...I love you all...and I thank you for always being there for me...

You all have an inner strength....

An inner confidence, grace and class.....

An inner playfulness...

An inner teacher....

An inner happiness....

And most importantly...I wanted to tell you..... 

I just couldn't resist! :) I hope you all have a wonderful Valentines Day....and more importantly, a wonderful every day! xo

Burst of Winter...

After a long weekend out West in Calgary & Banff and almost a week of travelling in the East end of the province, I think it's safe to say that winter is still holding on. Just when I was starting to look forward to packing away the scarves, mitts and boots....winter is back with a vengeance!

Winter is one of my favorite seasons...I love waking up to a fresh snowfall covering the tree branches in it's white blanket...so I will admit, I am happy to see the snowflakes gently falling outside.

Few things in nature are more beautiful then a winter sky filled with clouds....



Evergreens......

Some day I will have a dinner party in the snow....some day....



As much as I like winter, I am still looking forward to the warmer months ahead....I will leave you with a few "summer" scenes, covered in snow!

 Hope you have the opportunity to get out and enjoy the beauty and inspiration of our Canadian winter....

RR

Cozy...

I had bundled myself up in a hat, infinity scarf and my down jacket this morning to go for a walk with Charlie in the gorgeous snowfall we're having. After coming in from our walk, all I wanted to do was make a cup of hot chocolate, turn on a good movie, light the fireplace, wrap up in a blanket and just have a cozy, comfie day.

When you walk in your door every day, you should have a feeling of 'home'...you should feel extremely comfortable...and through rustic charm and details, you can make your home the cozy environment that makes it a perfect place to come in from on a snowy day.



Curl up by the window and watch the snow fall



Make a decadent cup of hot chocolate





Light a fire and wrap up in a blanket



What's more rustic then a woodstove, wood panelling and a quilt?

Lie in bed and watch the snowflakes



A knit comforter and a bunch of pillows



Blankets/throws, lanterns, candles, hot chocolate for 2....

A bath by the fire..... COZY, RUSTIC COMFORT!

Arbor Aesthetic

I was lucky enough to grow up in a home that was surrounded by forests. Watching those trees change through the seasons... dropping their leaves, snow on their branches, buds forming, the spectacular fall colours ... was like watching an ever evolving story. Each one is unique in their structure, appearance and make up. Trees have to be my #1 design/decor inspiration...whether it is a great piece of art capturing their true natural aesthetic, a piece of driftwood on a beach, a colour inspiration from a single leaf or a piece of weathered barn board.....I use trees as jumping off points in every form they may be found in..and..through the products they offer.



 The picture above was taken while I was walking along the river here in Guelph. It was shortly after sunrise and this picture perfectly illustrates the natural wonder and lines that only something in nature could provide....this is one of my favorite photos and I find myself drawn to it ...drawn into it....every time I look at it.

The way the snow clings to the branches....almost like frozen, sparkling pom-poms...this picture was taken at my parent's home on one of my walks through their forest. The marriage between the snow and the trees is again, only something that nature could do.

There is something about pine trees in Northern Ontario. This picture was taken just outside of Kenora Ontario, on Lake of the Woods. These large, majestic pines cover entire islands, grow in ways unlike any pine in the south due to the wind and weather of the north....but to me, they represent a piece of my childhood. We spent every summer on Lake of the Woods and there were huge pines outside my bedroom window. I would fall asleep every night to the sound of their branches swishing against my window and I would spend my days collecting pine cones, trying to avoid the sap that had dripped from their branches and collected on the blanket of needles that had fallen to the ground beneath them.

This picture is taken from a chair lift on a ski vacation to Lake Louise. Yes, the Rocky Mountains in the background are spectacular, but the trees in the foreground completely catch my eye....their tall, skinny stature, a necessity at those altitudes, and their abundance on the mountain-side complete the majestic and rustic beauty of the West.

The picture above speaks for itself. The colours, the bare bones of the tree covered in a shimmering hoar frost....that morning was so incredibly beautiful that I had to pull my car over and take some pictures!

The next 4 pictures are not mine but they ellicit an emotional response from within....the natural and wild beauty of trees almost hypnotizes me....

Whether it is the smooth, silver bark of a birch or the rough, rugged bark of a walnut...each species, type and kind of tree provides their own inspiration through texture, colour and form. The way they bend in the wind, cradle the show in their branches, the fluid motion of their leaves in the breeze and their quiet beauty...they definitely are one of the elements in nature that get better with age.

Trees are your best antiques.  ~Alexander Smith

Doggie Lovin...

I got home from a day on the road and just like every other day, the second I walk in, a huge grin comes across my face, thanks to this guy.....

Some days, he greets me at the door, tail wagging and he always has something (ie. tennis ball, sock, shoe etc) in his mouth to show me. Other days, he is still snoozin' on my bed (yes, I am a dog owner that lets my dog sleep on the furniture...always have and always will)...and when I enter my bedroom, he has the cutest look of drowsiness and confusion on his face...kind of like, "what are you doing home already (see below)".

I grew up surrounded by animals...dogs, cats, horses etc....and out of them all, the Labs my family have had through the years always hold a very special place in my heart. This breed, and more specifically, Charlie, means so much to me, I incorporated him into my business name...Rustic Retrievals.

I owe this little (ok, not so little) guy a lot....he gets me outside at least 3 times a day, he makes me laugh with his antics and he knows when I need a cuddle (like he is right now beside me on the couch, snoring away). He's my Charlie Bear...and I cannot imagine the last 7 years without him!



As you can see from the pictures above and below, he LOVES his sticks! He really is a true Retriever and we can/have spent hours on end at the beach, in the fields, at the park and in the yard...playing fetch and just enjoying being!

Another thing both my family and I have to be thankful to Charlie for is his son, Chip. I have been thinking about him a lot lately and it always seems like Charlie knows or senses this. He has been extra snuggly lately..almost like he is trying to give me a hug and comfort me. We lost Chip this past summer when my parents lost their home to fire. He was such a special creature and he sure loved his ride on my Dad's 4-wheeler, as evidenced in the picture below. We called it the 'Chip-Mobile'...it let him ride along with my Dad and Charlie when he was a puppy so he could go with them on their longer trips through the bush.

As I'm sitting here writing this, Charlie has placed his paw on my leg. I call this is "Doggie Lovin". Instead of 'shake a paw', I will ask him to 'show me some lovin' and I get one paw, then the other..full of his lovin'.

If you are a fellow dog owner/animal lover.....give your pet an extra treat and some extra attention tonight and always. They bring so much to our lives and we need to be sure to never, ever take them for granted.

RR

Sunday Inspiration.....

Some Rustic Inspiration for you on a Sunday afternoon......



Granite, wood, glass....



 

Beams

 

Loft height ceilings..





Barn door....

 

More beams, neutral colours...





Wood, windows and the view...





Mantel, candles, wood tones...









Island top, light fixtures and windows...





Snow, blankets...




Stone, skis, beams....



Hope you have a great week and keep moving towards your goals through inspiration....

RR