I'm in like, not love, with my new headboard.

For a long time I have lusted ove the Crate and Barrel Collette  headboard....but it is way (and I mean wayyyyyy) out of the budget. I inquired about having one made by my go-to upolsterer, which was going to cost about $800 if I wanted the nailhead detail (which I did)...this seemed more reasonable, but still expensive for a room we don't spend much waking time in.

So I opted for one off Craigslist that I like but don't looooove.....and I'm totally comfortable with the compromise. It was only $50 (start the car!) and is a beautifully stained dark hardwood with a vintage circular design.

If I ever win the lottery I will go get that Collette headboard and not look back...after all, I am sure I can sell this baby for at least $75 on Craigslist next time around!

What do you think? Does this work well enough?

(and yes, that is 50 Shades of Grey on my bedside table....so far (up to pg 73) I'm pretty underwhelmed).

buyin' and sellin'

My husband is away for a few days, so last night the kids and I headed to the Chalet Swiss for some family friendly grub. The Goodwill is conveniently located next door, so we couldn't resist popping in.

I scored this Pottery Barn Kids rug for $15 (retails for $166 new)!!! It's in perfect condition. I don't need it, and don't even plan to use it.....it just seemed like too good a deal to pass up, so I'm going to list it on Craigs List and see if I can make a few pennies for the "paint the house" fund! Don't judge....I'm on mat leave!

UPDATE: Sold for $80 2 days after posting it on Craig's List! Woo hoo!

Brew masters

How do you make your perfect cup of coffee?

Both my Mom and Grandmother drank Nescafe instant coffee when I was younger. This is a family legacy that I chose not to carry on. Reeeevolting sludge.

Since I'm the only coffee drinker in our house nowadays, I make most of my coffee in my Bodum* or my beloved espresso machine.

But my favourite coffee maker is my vintage GE percolator, which I inherited from my Grandmother, and which she received as a wedding gift (talk about standing the test of time!!). It has an elegant shape that goes from counter to table, makes perfect coffee, and even has a 'warming' function. Best of all, it makes enough coffee for a crowd, or for a lazy day of coffee drinking and newspaper reading for one.

I have since bought two more of these beauties - one off of Craigs List and another at Eclectisaurus, a fabulous vintage store on Gerrard East in Cabbagetown. I am keeping one as a backup in case mine breaks, and the second was given to my friend who developed a life long passion for percolated coffee at his cottage on Lake of the Woods.

While I adore my collection of coffee makers, I will not be turning down a cup of drip coffee made by someone else anytime soon.....after all, coffee tastes best when someone else makes it!

* I previously bought a very inexpensive french press coffee maker at Canadian Tire that worked great. It was just as good as my Bodum. But my mom cracked the beaker while washing it, and so at that point I upgraded to the Bodum. Somehow its shape is just a little more beautiful and its stainless steel frame just a little more sparkly than its no-name cousin.

Easy nursery art

In advance of my son's birth in August, we moved my 2 year old daughter out of the nursery into a 'big girl room'. The nursery has some floating Ikea shelves in it that were filled with special mementos of my daughter, but have sadly remained virtually empty since my son moved in. ....it's the plight of the second child to not have as many keepsakes, I suppose!

Until I come up with some more special items to fill these shelves, I've come up with a temporary alternative. I collected a series of special books that we've received and put them up on the shelves. I like all the colour they add, and the way they can easily be switched around as the spirit moves me!

....and yes, I need to find a more visually pleasing clock. I love Tivoli's Model Three Clock Radio but am waiting patiently until one shows up on Craigslist.

Chic or chuck-worthy?

I was inspired by the rust coloured leather and chrome chairs that Shannon of 8foot6 has in her living room.
I love how she's mixed traditional and modern pieces. This is a look I strive for, but it never seems to turn out. ...but I continue to try!!

I found these ones on Craigslist (sorry for the poor photo quality - this is the picture that the seller sent me). They were listed at $40 for the pair, and I got them for $30, which seemed a) like a steal, and b) not so much that I would have terrible guilt if they didn't work out. Definitely risk worthy. They are missing the metal rings that hold the arm straps on in a few places, but I think I can find something that will work. The leather is a beautiful caramel colour. It has some patina, but I like it. They are also deceptively comfortable.

I think I will put them in my basement....more to come once I repair them and get them in place.

What do you think? Am I crazy? ...my husband thought so (what's new!?)

Baby, it's cold outside!

Even though it hasn't been too cold this winter so far, I still find these months difficult when I'm trying to get 2 kids out the door in the morning for activities. My husband takes our car to work, so I'm carless during the day, instead relying on my UppaBaby and 2 feet.

My favourite baby product of the moment is the 7am Enfant Revolution stroller blanket. It is essentially the best quality universal stroller sleeping bag you can find. It is windproof, down-filled, fleece-lined and cosy from your baby's toes right up to the top of their head thanks to the 'hood shape'. This bag is convertable to various sizes, so it works right up to age 3 or so.

These bags are incredibly warm. I put my kids in without shoes or a coat and they stay toasty warm.

They retail for almost $200 CDN, but once and a while pop up on Kijiji and Craigslist. I have bought 2* of them from Craig this year for $100 each.

* I had 5 stroller bags altogether. Crazy, I know. But one of them was the UppaBaby Ganoosh, which I thought was horrible so I sold it on Craigslist recently. It is way to thin for a Toronto winter. I would not recommend it. So now I have 4: 2 for my UppaBaby stoller (1 for each kid), one in my running stoller, and 1 in the stroller that our nanny uses with our daughter and her friend. I am all set for a cold spell!