In The Blink Of An Eye...

I'm lounging in bed listening to Ray LaMontagne's 'For the Summer' and it hits me just how quickly this Summer flew by! I know we say this every year, but this year it has literally gone by in a blink of an eye! 

The photo above was taken one early Summer evening at the country house and Charlie and I were both enjoying just lying in the freshly cut grass, taking in all that is country living (and he was also on high alert due to all the bunnies hopping around us). 

Charlie loves going to the lake just as much as I do. He spent an afternoon swimming in the waves and it was like my 10 year old was a puppy again. I practically had to drag him back to the truck...he didn't want to leave!

I seem to have spent a lot of time at the lake this Summer.... Port Elgin, Sauble Beach, Bayfield, Kincardine.....the shores of Lake Huron are one of the places I love to escape to whenever I can.

A friend and her family and I spent a day at MacGregor Point Provincial Park. We hiked along the shore line, waded in the water and had a nice relaxing evening by the fire.... It was time to put our feet up after walking 20,000 steps that day. We also watched the sunset and was it ever spectacular!...I've written about this before, but you will be hard pressed to find a more beautiful sunset then those you can watch along the shore of Lake Huron!

We also had our second annual Gals Week at the cottage in Sauble Beach. It was a week of amazing weather, lots of sunshine, sand between our toes, frosty beverages, some shopping and again, enjoying all the beauty that the shore of Lake Huron has to offer. It was such a great week and I can't wait till next year!

It was also a Summer of 'get togethers'....whether it was a potluck brunch at a neighbour's house up the street (isn't that a scrumptious looking spread above?) or a night with gal pals with pizza and taste testing some local craft beer, it was so good to be able to get together with those that matter most!

It was also a Summer that included a lot of gardening! The gardens at the Country House were expanded and we made many stops at local garden centres, such as Wild Things near Clifford Ontario, to help fill the space around the house..There's something almost therapeutic about getting your hands dirty, putting the plants in the ground, watching them grow over the Summer and seeing how the garden changes as the Summer extends into Fall.

And of course, it wouldn't be Summer without nights out on my back deck. I didn't spend as much time out there as I would have liked to this summer, but when I did, it was so relaxing and it allows me to forget that I live in the middle of a city.

I hope you had an amazing summer too....and cheers to the sweater and boots season that lies ahead!

RR

5 Years....

I can't believe I've been blogging for 5 years..... 

5 years..... Half a decade..... 

As I look back through the memories, posts and events, I experience every emotion possible. It is the ultimate roller coaster ride and I'm so grateful to have this online journal, my story, full of joy, sorrow, happiness, sadness, excitement, disappointment, hellos and goodbyes....

Blogging hasn't just been a way  for me to capture stories and memories, blogging has actually facilitated and allowed quite a few of those memory making events to occur. If I hadn't started blogging, so many wonderful people would not have entered my life and if there's one thing I cherish other than the journal of memories my blog has created, it is the friendships that have formed because of how people share the love of creativity, writing and inspiring others.

I never would have guessed that four years ago when I moved into my city cottage that there'd be 5-6 other bloggers within a 4 minute walk and these gals are some of the most amazing women you'll ever meet. I'm so blessed to have them as sounding boards,sources of inspiration and most importantly, friends.

We sit in each other's living rooms, on each other's decks or in restaurants and pubs, brunching, munching, drinking, sharing, venting, motivating, brainstorming, laughing, crying, having moments of strength, moments of weakness and most of all, we unconditionally help each other grow and get to that next step.

I can say with absolute certainty that I could not have made it through the past 4 years without these amazing women (and all of my other friends for that matter) and I thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for all of the "absolute wonderfulness" you've brought to my life.

I've sat at this desk,surrounded by inspiration, and written many posts. Almost everything in that room is a source of inspiration for me, from the desk my brother made me, to notes from friends, to the quotes on the wall. I can't help but feel like creating when I'm in that space.

That's another great thing about blogging....Very few blog posts are completed without photos, so in addition to having memories in the written form, I also have them in the photographic form as well.

Whenever I need a 'pick me up', I look through my photo album on my phone and a smile comes to my face. The day at the beach, a stunning sunrise/sunset, Charlie snoozin' on the couch, a scrumptious dinner, a great home decor find at the market...every one of those photos holds some sort of significance and to be able to share them but also keep them for posterity on the blog means a lot to me.

I think I get my love of photography from my Dad. He never went far without a camera in his hand and I will cherish the photos he took forever.

One of my favourite things about blogging is developing the story behind the post and the various ways to share that post once it has been polished to the point of hitting the "publish" button.

Most of my posts start with a photo and develop from there. For instance, the photo above is one I took on a hike in Kananaskis Alberta. The photo summed up the elements of the day perfectly (the spectacular beauty, the rugged terrain underfoot, the towering mountains still covered in snow that slowed out climb, the crisp blue sky) and the post literally just rolled out from under my fingertips. I wanted to share every minute of that day and the exhilaration I felt with every step up that mountainside.

Once the post is up, let the fun begin by sharing it with others. From posting more photos on Instagram to writing a blurb on Facebook and even 'tweeting' on Twitter, the word needs to get out that a new post is up and ready for review! To say I'm mildly addicted to certain social media platforms is a very safe statement to make. I must say that Instagram is my favourite, as a 2 minute flip through, and 'hearting' photos is one of the best mid day pick ups one could have!

Perhaps my biggest 'fan' (and the world's best proofreader - aka retired English Teacher) is my Mom. I bounce so many ideas off her; she keeps me true to the written form as it should be (though I do sneak in a few "Ardis-isms' here and there) and I value her feedback more so than anyone else. Cheers to you Ma and the next 5 years of our journey!

Thank you too to the publications, individuals, friends and fellow bloggers who have shared my work over the past 5 years. Seeing your name in print or hearing how your work has inspired others never, ever gets old...and it makes your heart beat a little faster in sheer happiness!

And then there's Charlie...My furry, four legged, tail wagging muse.... The creature that always brings a smile to my face.....The "retrieval" in Rustic Retrievals... I can't imagine the last 5 years (actually 10 years) without him as my sidekick!

At the end of the day, first and foremost, I blog for me... for myself. It is an outlet, a way to capture memories, a way I hope to inspire others, a way to share ideas...and as I mentioned above, it's my story to the world. I can't wait to see what the next 5 years have to bring and I hope you continue to join me for the ride!!!

RR

Meat, Cheese, Meat, Cheese...and Olives!

I was out with friends for dinner at one of my favourite restaurants in Guelph, OX, and we ordered some wine, their Fried Olives and a Charcuterie Board to begin our meal.  The hard and soft cheeses along with the spicey and smokey meats, mixed with the salty olives, crusty baguette and sweet mustard allows for a perfect taste sensation with every combo you put together. The chef at OX regularly changes up the combinations of the meats and cheeses on their boards and you can always be sure that what they serve is of the utmost quality and flavour as they're able to source their product from Ouderkirk & Taylor (a specialty food store in Guelph, who shares owners with OX).

There are days that I would be happy to only eat meats and cheeses for every meal...throw in a bit of crusty bread & olives and I'd be in heaven. Growing up, we were a family of grazers and most weekends, we'd watch sports or movies with a spread of meats from the butcher (Greens Meat Market in Wingham) and cheeses from local cheese shops (Pine River Cheese outside of Kincardine). 

We were planning a gals brainstorming get together and as I was inspired by my meal at OX, I decided I was going to bring some meats and cheeses. I headed out to my favourite local gourmet market.... Market Fresh to stock up on yummy goodness. 

I filled my basket with hard and soft cheeses. I chose a Jalapeno Chedder, a Herb and Garlic hard cheese and a soft and creamy goat's milk cheese. I then headed to the deli counter and selected a Spicy Salami, a Sopresatta (another spicy option) and a sentimental favourite, Noah Martin Summer Sausage. I asked that they be sliced quite thinly (almost the thickness of shaved, but not quite that thin) and they came out perfectly! I then wandered over to their olive bar and chose some green and black olives with feta cheese in oil. Then it was time to decide on crackers....I chose Table Water Crackers and some scrumptious sweet/savoury Raincoast Crisps in Fig & Olive. 

I grabbed a few more items (freshly baked Chive & Feta Scones and fresh flowers) and headed home to prepare my 'board'. Instead of a rustic board, I decided to use a crystal platter.... I cut, arranged, taste tested and ended up with this as the final result....

I was so glad to be able to taste test a wee bit as I put this together as my mouth was absolutely watering in anticipation of fully diving in!

The spicy meat, combined with the sweet/savoury crackes and soft cheese.....or the summer sausage with the jalapeno cheddar and an olive.....the flavour combinations were endless!

I wandered next door and our afternoon of brainstorming and snacking began! Of course, we had to snap some photos of the 'spread' before we dove in! 

I can't think of a better way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon then with gal pals, having great conversations while snacking on scrumptious food (complete with Caesars)!

Whether you're planning on having some friends over or are feeling like having a 'loungey' Sunday afternoon on the couch with yummy snacks, here are a few tips for putting your own charcuterie board/platter together:

• Use only quality ingredients. Find a local shop or market that you can count on for consistent quality and a wide selection.
• Use only fresh ingredients. If you can go to the market the morning/day of your party or lounge session, I believe having the meat and cheese as fresh as possible makes a huge difference.
• Use products you're familiar with, but don't be afraid to try something new too! I take an 80-20 approach. I use 80% of products I am familiar with and know will never disappoint and the other 20% allows for me to experiment and try something new. I tend to ask the staff at the market for their suggestions and see what they recommend too.
• Use a variety of textures and flavours. Spicy and smokey meats, hard and creamy cheeses, sweet and savoury crackers....This ensures that the board will appeal to a wide variety of people and allows them to try something a bit outside of their comfort zone.
• Try some 'add ons'. Olives just naturally marry with meats and cheeses, but you could also introduce fruit (fresh or dried), spreads/mustards or even pickles/pickled veggies. These bring another dimension of flavour and other textures to the board.
• Have fun! These board/platters are supposed to be rustic and organic...whether served on a wooden board or crystal platters. How you decide to present your selections is absolutely up to you and don't be worried about making the presentation 'too perfect'!

Cheers to getting back to basics.... Meat, cheese, meat, cheese...and olives!

RR

5 Things That Make Me Happy!

What makes you happy?! How do you get the most out of your life!?

I made my list and these are 5 simple things that I am already doing that make me the most happy in my day-to-day living (and thankfully, I didn't have to do too much adjusting):

1. Get Outdoors

• Enjoy a sunset, plant a garden, sit on a patio..... Taking even 15 minutes to step out, get some fresh air and soak in the sun can refresh and re-energize you like few other things can. Rather than having dinner indoors, why not take it out to the deck/patio? Instead of watching that tv show, why not go for a walk and re-discover your neighbourhood?

2. Spend Time with Gal Pals..and Guy Pals

• Whether it's catching up at a local coffee shop over a latte, a brainstorming session in our comfies with yummy treats in someones living room, walking along the beach at the cottage or on my back deck having brunch, I cherish the time I have with my gal pals. I have been quite lucky to have had many amazing women come into my life and allow me to build a wonderful network of support, caring and life long friendships. 
• I also have some key men in my life and I can't imagine life without them. I find these friendships very grounding, very real and a lot of fun! Sushi and beers with the guys is always guaranteed to be a great night!

3. Get Active

• I like to mix this with being outdoors as often as possible. Whether it's hitting the slopes, taking to the trails for a hike, walking Charlie or hitting the links for a round of golf, I really enjoy being active. Being active is also another way to spend time with friends. We have an annual Ski Bunny Weekend that lets us get together, get caught up and get active all in one weekend. Getting more active is something I do need to adjust....I need to add more activity into my life. I'm going to be starting a new exercise class (that I can't wait to try) and I have been walking in the evenings with the goal of walking 5km per day as often as possible (with the end goal of jogging 5km at least 3 times per week by my birthday).

4. Try Something New

• Whether it's a new restaurant, a new exercise class or a new recipe, I truly believe that being open to trying new things really does allow for ever evolving happiness. It's so easy to get stuck in a rut so when you find yourself feeling like that, why not grab a gal pal and try that new resto in town (like I did by heading to the Bread Bar in Guelph) or challenge yourself with a different workout. I appreciate that change can be difficult, but think of these things as new experiences, new adventures and you just never know what new activity, food, person etc you may fall in love with!

5. Always Have Fresh Flowers In Your Home

• Something as simple as fresh flowers (whether it be the $10 grocery store bouquet or a $60 bunch from a local flower shop) always brings a smile to my face as I walk in the door after a days work or when I wake up to them in the morning. It's a simple and relatively inexpensive way (ie. $10/wk) to bring colour and cheer into your home.

These are all things that bring happiness to my life, but as we all know, sometimes life gets away from us and these things somehow get moved down on the priorities list (which in turn can have unhappy consequences). In order to ensure what makes you happy is ever present in your life, this is one of my favourite things to do to always keep reminding myself of this:

• Put it in your calendar!! Yes, schedule those weekend plans with friends well in advance. This gives you something to look forward to and ensures it happens. The same goes for things like workouts/physical activity. It's so easy to come home at the end of the day, plop on the couch and call it a night. If I have something written in my calendar, it holds me accountable to it and I'm MUCH more likely to get my butt off the couch and go for that walk. 

I recommend making this list of 5 'things' (or 10 things) for all aspects of your life (ie. your career, your family, life in general etc) and see how these lists either flow together or compliment each other. Being happy doesn't have to take a lot of money or be difficult. It just takes time to let yourself realize what these 'things' are that get you to your happy place and sustaining them so you maintain that level of happiness you deserve!

RR

Meagan Smith at The Vintage Marketplace

Be Still**

I am always amazed by beautiful creations that pour out of people's finger tips from an image in their mind......and I'm even more amazed when a friend reveals a hidden talent of creating these stunning pieces of art!

I had known Meagan Smith for a while before I had the opportunity to see her work and needless to say, it's an understatement to say that I was blown away when I did.

Meagan and I share a love of a rustic and natural aesthetic. Her adoration of Mother Nature's creatures and beings is evident in every aspect of her work, from what she chooses to paint to the 'canvas' she chooses to paint her pieces on.

Field of Dreams

Free Spirit

She captures every detail perfectly....the delicate tree branches, the fluid movement of a horse....and the fact that she uses wood from around the world, as well as local reclaimed barn board, just adds an extra level of depth through the wood's grain and texture.

Be sure to "Like" Meagan's Facebook Page to see pieces that are currently available and learn more about this incredible woman!

Autumn Leaves

Thumbing My Way

Meagan will be bringing her gorgeous creations to The Vintage Marketplace at the Hamilton Convention Centre in Hamilton Ontario on April 18th and 19th.

Learn more about my beautiful friend via this excerpt from her bio for this event: 

"From as young as I can remember, I have had a great love for art, and would spend hours in my room drawing and painting. Having grown up in the country on a farm, I’ve always felt a connection with, and an appreciation for, Mother Nature and her creations. It was after a profound personal loss that I was inspired to create these pieces as a tribute to a special person who always believed in me, took interest in, and encouraged my artistic abilities. I have found comfort and closeness in the wisdom of the trees, the spirits in the sky, and the innocence of the animals. These gifts from Mother Nature have become my subject matter. It was by purpose that I came to paint these images on reclaimed barn board. Like the one which inspired me, each piece holds a story, has character, and has been resilient to life’s challenges."

Wise Old Friend

This is Meagan's favourite piece (Wise Old Friend) as it was inspired by her horse Jess (a thoroughbred/Clydesdale cross). It evokes a very sentimental feeling for me too as I grew up beside a farm that raised Clydes and they're one of my favourite breeds of horses.

Be sure to make the trip to Hamilton the weekend of April 18th and 19th to attend The Vintage Marketplace to meet Meagan and see her stunning pieces of art. 

I'll see you there (I might even head there extra early to take advantage of their VIP shopping time between 9-10am)!!

RR

**All images are the property of Meagan Smith**

The Wonderful Willow House

The power of social media and a strong network of amazing local women never ceases to amaze me!

I follow Willow House Furnishings and Design Studio on Instagram and Facebook and have fallen in love with this store through their photos and posts. Not only is their store absolutely stunning, but so is the store's founder and proprietor, Kim! It's funny how you can 'click' with people over social media and then when you have a chance to meet them in person, that 'click' becomes even more amplified. 

A few weeks ago Willow House posted that they'd be hosting a Trends in Fabric event featuring Avant Garde fabrics and I immediately RSVP'd for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I really wanted to finally meet Kim and see the beautiful store/business she'd built over the past 20 years, but I also have a 'thing' for exquisite fabrics. Looking through fabric books, feeling the various textures and weaves, seeing the mix of tones and colours and seeing how a variety of prints with work together is something I could do for hours on end.

I intentionally arrived early to the event so I had time to immerse myself in the shoppe but also so I could have a good chat with Kim. Kim's smile and magnetic personality fills the store and adds another level of amazingness to her already beautifully curated space.

As you can see from the photos, it's the kind of space that implores you to want to re-decorate, to 'spruce up' your home and make it your own through their beautiful one-of-a-kind, rustic-lux pieces. I literally could have taken home entire vignettes just as they were as they'd been styled so perfectly by Kim and her wonderful staff. I did take one piece home with me....but I'll show you that a little later in this post.

Over 40 stylish and design savvy women filled Willow House's Design Studio for the Avant Garde presentation. I'm planning on re-doing my dining chairs as well as window coverings in two of my rooms, so needless to say, I was uber inspired by all of the luxurious fabrics we were shown. It sure sounds like grey is here to stay (YEAH!) and I was so glad to see it being reinforced that it really is the 'new neutral' that works with almost every colour. The jewel tone blues and greens, the burnt oranges, the sunshine and butter yellows...the combinations are endless. I fell in love with the velvets (I'm leaning towards using velvet for my dining chairs to add texture and interest and wee bit of luxury to my space) and will likely use the chairs as a venue to introduce some colour into the space. I always have a soft spot for linens and we were told that they're now even more suitable as window covering due to the dyes that are now being used to prevent sun damage (double yeah as I am planning on using a linen based fabric for my window coverings). 

The photo above shows one of my favourite fabrics of the night.....the multi tones of grey with a touch of cream and white, the stripes to add interest, how beautifully it hung...I just loved it!

After the presentation, we were treated to some scrumptious cheeses by C'est Cheese Please ...... 

I was in heaven!....Two of my favourite things in one space... Home Decor and Cheese. Thank you too to C'est Cheese Please for the bag of goodies we got to take home!

Thank you to Justyna Sokolowski for taking this photo!

And here we are....Kim and I chatting like old friends. To say she's one stylish lady is the understatement of the year! I'm really looking forward to growing this new friendship and to also work with her to continue to make my house my home and freshen up my space.

When I walked into the store, a certain piece immediately caught my eye. If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know about my love of horses. These creatures have brought so much happiness to my life and I love how you can truly see their souls through their eyes.....

So after walking by this piece at least 15 times...stopping...looking...being drawn in.....I knew it had to come home with me....and I'm SOOO glad it did!

I woke up and walked out to my living room yesterday morning and seeing this immediately brought a smile to my face. Yet another step in making my house truly my home.

I need to extend a huge "Thank you" again to Kim and all of those involved in making the Trends in Fabric event happen. It was such a great evening for many reasons and I can't wait to get back to Willow House!!

RR

Inspired Spaces...Bring on Spring!!

I really do cherish my weekends at home as they're few and far between. Some gal pals were coming to visit last weekend, but due to some crazy weather, we had to cancel our plans (insert sad face here). With the change in plans, I thought I'd take advantage of my time at home to freshen up the space a bit and start bringing in some Spring.

February is such a 'funky' month....we're well into winter, have snow up to our knees, the fun and festivities of the holidays are long over and we see Spring starting to pop up in fashion and decor. All of the bright and airy Spring looks and pieces have us yearning for warm sunshine filled days,  green grass, patios and flowers. Seeing as I don't see green grass or drinks on a patio happening any time soon, the way I like to start bringing Spring into my home is through flowers. Tulips happen to be one of my favs and they're in abundance right now...and...they're oh so reasonably priced!  When you can find them for $10 a dozen, I can't think of a more chic, fun and cheap way to insert some Spring and colour into your home!

I also like to turn to magazines for inspiration, especially this time of year, because part of the February Funk also can bring with it a bit of a lack of inspiration. It's a transitional time when it comes to fashion and decor...we want to bring out all the light and airy Spring pieces, but they seem out of place with snow still on the ground. I find turning to magazines helps with finding that balance right now and I owe a huge THANK YOU to House and Home Magazine for the article, A Study In Contrasts, in their March 2015 issue. The kitchen designed by Barbara Purdy and Olivia Botrie on pages 84-87 is the epitome of my dream kitchen! Every...single...detail and element from the exposed beams, to the colour palette, to the cabinetry, that island (swoon), the windows, the pantry (those doors)....EVERYTHING is absolute perfection. 

When it came time to freshen up my sideboard, I pulled my colour scheme from the pantry in this article...the muted, earthy tones...the creams, beiges, mochas, straw, winter white, light wood tones. These colour and tones are a great transitional colour scheme for this time of year. They're still warm and cozy, but have a lighter and more airy feel to them too.

The final product is very simple and has a natural, earthy feel to it. The grapevine wreath I made from vines in my backyard adds a bit of whimsy, the antique postal scale a dear friend gave me adds a sentimental and historical touch, the feathered wreath from Hive of Bayfield adds softness, the golden metallic tea light holders from The Garage add some *bling* and the oil cans from The Aberfoyle Antique Market add something unexpected and industrial.  They all come together in a muted, rustic chic way to slowly start to welcome in Spring.

I hope you can take some time today (it's a holiday here in Ontario) and read through some magazines and get inspired. Go down to your basement, open up some dusty boxes of home decor items and see what you can bring into your home to welcome Spring. Oh....and don't forget to treat yourself to some flowers!

I arrived home yesterday to a beautiful bunch of tulips from a great friend! Talk about a wonderful Galentine's Day! I can now spend the day relaxing, enjoying my space and continuing to get inspired!

Cheers to inspiration, great design, friendship, Spring and fresh flowers!

RR