A little too late and some dollars short...

I know I am the last human decorating blogger out there to acquire some chevron in their life.....so as usual I will be bringing up the rear again. Ordered this little baby today from O.com. I got the 5.6 x 7.6 to settle in front of the slipcovered couch. The rubber backing means it wont become a sled with the boys riding it across the room. I ordered it in the Light Blue as my livingroom is Woodlawn Blue by Benjamin Moore.

I had scored some awesome deals at IKEA with my gift card that I won on the IKEA "Pin It to Win" contest. I bought some gaming chairs for the boys, decided against the slip cover in houdstooth and went with a canvas coloured one. I still have the "gold records on the wall"....but am picking away slowly at the gaming/office/livingroom.

Slowly.

Kinda like how much I have blogged in the last month. OY.

Some of the other tidbits added to the room are all from IKEA. Yes, I went over the $100 gift card :)

Stockholm cushions

Poang armchairs

Lack tables

I am now stuck on an overhead light in the room to replace the weirdo chandelier. Just keep Pinning, Just keep Pinning.....LOL

Rockin’ Around the House

 

Our boys have been surfing the dungeon enjoying the semi-finished basement with their friends for seven years in our home. This has kept the noise to a dull roar when large hordes of boys are in my home and means I mostly only see the teenagers when the fridge light is on. But….the guys are 10 and almost 16 and I hate to admit it, but they are growing up. As in, they are going to be gone soonish. I actually enjoy them and want to see them more. So, Greg and I came up with the brilliant plan to rework the under-utilized living/dining room at the front of the house into a lounge for the dudes and their filthy, eatingmachine  lovely friends. Complete with computer station, PS3 and reading area.

You may remember (or not) this shot of the room when I first came across the $40 settee:

We moved the extra loveseat upstairs (to be slipcovered this weekend or it will never survive), put the PS3 and TV on my hope chest for height and surface area. Baskets were scattered around to hold controllers, games, comics etc. But I hit the wall, literally, when it came to a huge expanse of wall over the settee. What the heck did I have on hand that didn’t have flowers on it or a lady in a beach scene to make wall art?

TO PINTEREST! (Just imagine Batman saying that.)

Aha! Inspiration anyone?

Source: modernkiddo.com via Dharma on Pinterest

 

I have records. Really cool records. I can do that……Quick…Robin get me my finishing nails, some bulldog clips and my record collection.

Janis Joplin? Check.

The guys love this new setup and tonight I laughed when Greg noted… “Hey we are all sitting in a room together, and no one is eating!” I think this will be awesome. Lots more boy time. Yay!

 

Thing that make you go Mmmmmm-hmm!

I love the new issue of Lonnymag! Just out for March/ April 2012, there is a new feel for me to the e-zine. It's a bit, if I may say, more luxurious and less DIY. Not that I hope that is the driven direction of Lonnymag from here on in...I do have a budget, dear ones. But like I do with Veranda, I enjoy to float out above my suburban yawn-inspiring decor every once in a while and see something spectacular!!!

I am loving these bohemian, tajmahal, very-L.A. drenched spaces that come from the castles of dessert sheiks or from the hilltop mansions of 1950s-era mavens of the silver screen. Or at least, that's my fantasy. Do you like to only look at "attainable home decor and/or DIY" or do you dream big and become inspired from larger-than-life motifs and design like this? Or does this make you want to hurl?

Source: lonnymag.com via Dharma on Pinterest

Imagine being 2 little girls and sleeping over night in the above room.

Source: lonnymag.com via Dharma on Pinterest

Behold! The largest chandelier I have ever ding-dang seen! LOL The scale of the art and the ceiling medallion in this room blows my mind.

Canadian Design Bloggers - Meetup #3

Oh my. Where to start.....well, I could start with pictures but mine are still on my camera :) Hopefully our hostesses-with-da-mostesses have quicker/ better pictures than moi!! I could start with a deluge of gush regarding the awesome speakers but their pics are in the same cycle :(

How about a teaser then?

What if you met this person? Would you know who he is?

Check out Brian Gluckstein here:



video by otimamediaproductions.ca



What if you WON this? Would you too skip back to your hotel singing "We Are the Champions"???

Badee Badee Badee....that's not all folks! I'll be back soon with those pics and links to all the fabulous sponsors we had at the event, show you the best sneak-attack photo I took of the night and tell you why I am in love with this woman.....from coco & kelley

Oh, and I'll tell you how I ditched the boys for all of it. Tata for now!

Check it out here for some pics to tide you over!

Turning the light on the Mermaids....

...or leaving a light on for Susi from Arcadian Lighting. A true "wannabe mermaid"! She's dropping in from points down south from my chilly Canadian burg, bringing you a guest post here in blogland that brings Mermaid-Inspired decor (featuring Arcadian Lighting's line) and other ideas to getcher mermaid selves out there.

Experimenting? I'm in....so take it away Susi!

Hi, I'm Susi a blogger for Arcadian Lighting, a great resource for ideas and inspiration for light fixtures and design inspiration. I love the Wannabe Mermaid blog and am excited to be a guest blogger here today. My post is about mermaid inspired interiors. I decided to focus on the mermaid's tail and those gorgeous fish scales. Enjoy!

How gorgeous is this wall of mermaid inspired fish scale tile? The colors are those of the sea. It's so perfect for a mermaid's bathroom.

This gorgeous fish scale wall is made with a stencil called Mermaid. How perfect! The gorgeous fish scale pattern could be custom colored to fit your décor. The blues in the wall color, bedding and glass lamps are beautifully reminiscent of the ocean.

Another version of the Mermaid stencil is done in black with a matte and gloss finish that shimmers like real fish scales. What a gorgeous pattern for a bedroom or powder room.

A fish scale pattern on an area rug makes for a wonderful graphic pattern for the floor. This pattern in blues and greens would look even more like a mermaid's tail.

Gorgeous shimmering fish scale walls in purple feel like a mermaid's tail. I love the purple mermaid wall in a foyer or in a mermaid inspired girl's bedroom.

I love the shimmering surface of the fish scale tiles in this shower. The soft sea inspired colors of blue and aqua have an iridescence that recall the mermaid's tail.

Shimmering gold scales look gorgeous in a frame. Imagine an entire wall covered in this cool DIY idea that uses layers of circles make the fish scales.

Like the gold fish scale art, this wall is a DIY project. For the mermaid look, paint the circles a range of blue, aqua, green and purple. Careful positioning of lighting fixtures accent this creative wall. It's gorgeous!

If you loved these mermaid inspired interiors and are craving more inspiration, check out Arcadian Lighting Blog. You'll find the best tips on bathroom lighting and more for your home. Who knows, you could even find inspiration to create a mermaid inspired room for your home too!

Image Credits: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Arcadian Lighting is the best source for lighting fixtures and accessories at discount prices. Arcadian Lighting has been in the lighting industry for over 15 years selling decorative home lighting fixtures and lamps online, and has become one of the top Internet retailers for home lighting products.

Thanks Susi and Anna (my contact at Arcadian Lighting) for the fantastic post. I'm going to be looking all over my house now to see where this mermaid can hang her scales. I have yet to try and/or review one of their products....but I think I'll do that and let you know all about it. Shall I?

I'm just teasing....

...but someone has a Guest Poster coming up. Here at the Mermaid...about mermaid inspired design.........written by mermaids (OK that one might be a lie). But never the less watch for a post early next week to getcher mermaid on!

A hint? Geez, you guys are so nosy....

Just to keep you dreaming on a cool, Fall day....

I receive Coastal Living magazine, you know for the drool and jealousy factor. This new Beach House 2011 is to die for....shall I run away from my life and move to Virginia? I'm thinking about it!

The "junior" Master Suite is where I'd like to lay my head....how about you?

DREAM indeed!

A little dab'l do ya!

My main floor is where it all happens. Seriously, you have to be on this floor to get anywhere else in the house. Therefore it is the one sure place to be seen. I struggle with this space though. See, I have an aversion to green. There I said it. For all of you who love and embrace green as a colour in nature second to none.... I will send you my countertops.

When Greg and I bought our first house, everything was "1985 Hunter Green". So sexy. I was so stumped I went out and bought Hunter Green sofa and chairs to match.....oh woe is me that I don't have those pictures anymore. You would seriously cringe. Hence the beginning of my aversion to dark green. Now, you know I have a beautiful spring green bedroom (which I will be showing off this week - she got an updo) but you would know if we were next-door BFFs that I ABHOR dark green :(

Enter, what I consider to be, my dream home. The only problem, really? The ding-dong who built it used the same dark sage green countertops in not only the kitchen. Oh no. Why? When you can enjoy green with a scroll design in every room that has the need for counters? Yes, ladies and gents, all my counters are the SAME throughout the house. Green. *sob*

So, after fighting and raging against the machine for 6 years, I have become zen with the green counters in my kitchen. I had decided earlier to bring in a different shade on these fab mod finds and this past weekend I brought more green in. I figure as long as I like the pattern and shade.....meh, maybe the counters will grow on me.

So here are some updated photos of my main floor kitchen and dining room. Of course, I also had to flip the table and paint the skirt/legs to match my new cabinet and buffet :) Thanks to my neice Casey for being a trooper and helping me do a number of projects this weekend.....all of which I will be boring you with in great detail!

Does this happen to you too?

Wow, I went shopping for drapes and hardware. Came home 2 hours later, giddy from finding everything I needed for 5 windows for $70 (Yes, bow to me) and *puked* this allover my kitchen table. Seriously, why do my projects always end up allover my table? You with me?

Anyway. I digress. I had bought 3 panels for the kitchen/dining room. One to alter for over the kitchen window and 2 for the dining room. The rods I chose were cream to match the new-to-me furniture I've refinished for the space.....so onto the kitchen window. Wait......are those chips? Cracking? Since when.......ugh.......alright.

Get the paint.

Paint, dry, alter drape panel, hang rod and put up new lovely cafe curtain......





I love you cafe curtain. Meet your parents? Why I'd love to!

So, after rediscovering the kitchen table, Casey and I flipped that sucka and got down to business! Outside? Who goes outside to paint in 110 degrees? Pbbbbbbtttttttttt!

SO! Here is a shot of the kitchen. New green curtain, new green rug, same white range hood. Hey, like all of God's creatures my kitchen is a work in progress.





The barstools above will be painted out soon and boy do I have some goregous fabric to do those up right! (Yes, I am wringing my hands together and twisting my moustache:)

Like I said we are all a work in progress. I have decided a little dab of green in this space is good. I have yet to complete the barstools, switch the range hood, find a 6 foot hole to dump that water cooler in and buy new kitchen chairs that aren't plastic but for now......I am pleased. I am one with my green countertops.....ommmmmmmm ommmmmmmm ommmmmmmmm.

Back to looking for drapery fabric!

I'm thinking this for the ROCK room we did for Quinn. One panel for his cloffice and two shorter panels for his big picture window....thoughts? Opinions? The thought makes you swoon? Scratch your eyes out now please? matching pillows for his bed?

River Rock

Tonic Living

Tommy and Me....Canadian Bloggers Meetup!

I had so much fun at the Canadian Bloggers Meetup in Toronto yesterday. Met some ladies I knew from the last event in November and met a lot of new faces too.

I had been out "slingin' beers" the night before at an outdoor concert. My hubs volunteers his time with the local fire department and they provide bar services for an outdoor concert series through the summer. I wore my tank top. I made good tips. T.I.P.S. y'all....not..... you know. :) I left there and ended up having a rockin party with my sister and my girls. We played old 45s in the garage all night and ended up hot tubbing. We had one girl end up falling into a garden but most of us made it though the night fairly wound-free. Thankfully the laughs outweighed the first-aid.

So.....this all to say I didn't get the earliest start to Toronto! LOL I did leave shortly after lunch though, the traffic gods were smiling and I ended up with a little over an hour to kill in Kensington Market. Bought a vintage top from a cool place, the "Eye of Shiva".

Just enjoyed the cloudy, cool day. Walked around with my Starbucks latte. Peered into cool cafes, vendors and the Army Surplus. Who knew camoflauge pants came in pink?

The event started at 4pm so I made my way over to Brassaii. Of course, our Hostesses were there to greet me. Daniella of Dress, Design & Decor and Vitania of Verdigris Vie.

What talented and lovely ladies they are. They put so much work into these events and it shows. The sponsors, the speaker....everything down to the perfect colour of the swagbags :)

Brassaii was gorgeous. Lots of people in black and very trendy. Of course, I took pictures of the bathroom for you. I'm weird, but obsessed! Seriously a continuous concrete sink? Love~

The ladies (and a few gents) present were of course, very stylish indeed. Lots of maxi-dresses and black. Tons of wedge sandals and fabulous bags. I swear the people-watching at these events is worth the drive.

 I did manage to meet Lisa from Recaptured Charm and we had a great convo about what we do with vintage, old, broken-down pieces.

Lisa's a peach, go check her out! In a room full of interior designers and stylists, she and I were a minority but we did manage to locate Lindsey who blew our socks off when she told us she was an upholsterer! Lindsey has her own blog at Recreated. Lindsey took herself all the way to the UK to learn technique. WOW! She is a talented lady. I will be able to say I knew them when.

Our keynote speaker was Tommy Smythe (from Sarah 101 fame and before....). Tommy gave an interesting talk on inspiration through travel and he really showed me how talented he truly is. Some of the ideas he had that came out of simple travel pics were amazing. It taught me to look at my surroundings in a bit of a different way. Personally, I think he just wanted a captive audience. I'm surprised the photos weren't on slides...LOL!!! Remember when your family would do that? Invite you all over to look at their travel slides? Laugh!

Tommy is tiny but mighty. He held all the "bitches who blog"'s attention. His words not mine :)

Eventually, you know I was all over that man. He made a glib comment about constantly being in the company of and liking tall women.

I offered to make him feel more manly.

Our sponsors were very generous! IKEA gave a $1000 gift certificate. Which I did not win. Delta Faucets came loaded for bear with their Touch2O product line of sink jewellery and some showerheads.....I did not win any of those either. CIL Paint gave away an I-Pad. If I had won that this post would be prettier!!!! LOL - I did get a gorgeous swagbag from our event planners and their sponsors at House & Home Magazine, IKEA, CIL etc. Thanks to Leah at Forever Moments for all the gorgeous photos that obviously put mine to shame...

Overall a great day. Well worth the drive. Makes me wonder why I don't shop in the Big Smoke more often?

Drapery Questions.....

So, after perusing for what seems to be hours on Tonic Living, I have come up with a few alternatives for drapery in my soon to be fresh and retro-mod space that is our family eat-in kitchen.

Remember this corner?

See that apple green? The glorious wallpaper lovingly applied by Maya and I in the cabinetry? Next to that gorgeous cabinet and over my kitchen window I have been looking for drapery fabric to continue the VIBE. I also want to paint out a set of tatty barstools and recover them in the same fabric. Here are our choices.....

Aromatherapy Seafoam

Aspen Celery

Blossom Buds Breeze.

Your thoughts? Hate? Love? Kinda lukewarm? Maya and I need to know. I am also perusing for fabric for this room, which I must report has had little to no freaking progress whatsoever. No, really, if this room was a boyfriend we would be 3 days past the awkward "we have to talk".