Never enough comfortable chairs....

"Nature is by and large to be found out of doors, a location where, it can be argued, there are never enough comfortable chairs"- Fran Lebowitz

Chairs, I probably have too many. My sister is still complaining about the "extra" furniture in the spare room she moved into yesterday. Yes, I am no longer a roomate-less Haligonian (who is still islander at heart!).  Gasp!! Regardless, I feel like accent chairs can be both functional and fabulous! They can be pricey or almost free, needing just a little bit of paint, fabric or sanding! Mine are of the free or almost free variety! Check, check, check, check em out!
-m

Spare room, this was given to me, it was going to be tossed!

Bedroom Bliss! Also saved from the curb (thanks Mer!)

Six dollar yard sale find! I think the fabric cost three times as much!

Throw pillows keep guests comfortable in a deep chair!

Kitchen bistro chairs, all different shaped backs and this is the second time I have revived them!

Bad artists...

"Bad artists always admire each others work"-Oscar Wilde

I have spent many a happy afternoon strolling about the NS Art Gallery, local galleries and The Dunes Cafe' with a good cup of coffee. There are few places that I like more. When I travel I go out of my way to check out the galleries, with The Tate in London and MOMA in NYC topping my list. That said, I can lust after art as much as I like but there is a very small chance that affording it will ever become a reality.

Although I would consider myself an artistic person, an artist I am far from. Winners and Home Sense are my haunts for wall art because in my opinion a bare wall is a sad and naked wall. That said, here is a very simple idea that anyone (with or without an artistic flair) can very easily create without spending very much cash. Pick up a few inexpensive canvases and some acrylic paint from the dollar store that matches your decor. I created mine for my baby blue spare bedroom to spice it up with a punch of color. Paint each canvas a solid color of your choosing and let dry. Take your accent paint and mix it with a small amount of water until it is the consistency of a light syrup. This should pour smoothly and slowly off of a spoon (while the original paint would take quite a while to pour). With a large spoon, take your accent color and let it run down a dry canvas from the top down. More paint will give longer and wider drips, less will give smaller and narrower drips. Do this with the other canvases and you may want to do a different color for each. Let this dry and voila! Unique, hand made wall art that will get lots of notice and compliments. All that without an artistic bone is your body, pat yourself on the back!
-m

Words of Wisdom..

"Big girls need big diamonds"- The glamorous Elizabeth Taylor

Food for thought on a Monday...

"You want to be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else!"-Judy Garland to daughter Liza Minnelli

Is it time to go home yet?

"Is it time to go home yet? I keep clicking these damn shoes, but nothing happens"- Robin Hecht

Many of you know I have a "thing" for shoes. This love of shoes has slowly gotten bigger and has slowly taken over the entire closet in my spare room. This may seem extreme, but I can see every shoe I own and it is easy to find the perfect shoe, for the perfect dress, for the perfect date (haha)! All of this perfect shoe storage is sadly coming to an end with my baby sister moving in for a few months. That entire closet now has to be empty! So where can I put all of my things that have filled up that closet only because my bedroom and hall closets are already full?! I swear.... I am not a hoarder. Well here is the solution that I have come up with. This may be beneficial for any of you who also suffer from the shoe-whore gene.. The dollar store sells wonderful clear plastic shoe boxes. These are compact but can still hold ankle boots and knee high boots if they are of the softer variety. They are clear so it is easy to find the shoes you are looking for, unlike the original box the shoes may have come in. They are easy to stack and look neat and tidy, which is a large bonus for the orderly type like myself! Just an idea.
-m

Far too pretty to pack away!

Small and compact!

Easy to stack! New home in my hall closet!

Never go to a doctor...

"Never go to a doctors who's office plants have died"-Erma Bombeck

House plants. People love them or people hate them. I once overheard a friend say to her future roommate "We can live together...but only if you don't have plants". I have an opposite stand to this. My apartment isn't exactly teeming with house plants, I have three to be exact. But these three are happy, healthy, inviting and have all been in my life for over five years. Needless to say these plants have lasted significantly longer than any of my relationships. The best thing about these plants is that as they grow I can clip off a piece, set it in a vase and let it root. They look pretty in vases and mason jars as they root and then they get potted and passed along to a friend or family member. Try it, ivy is the perfect plant to start with!
-m

Snip off a small clipping...

Place in water to root...

When the roots look like vase on the left, you are ready to pot!

Fashions fade...

"Fashions fade but style is eternal"-Yves Saint Laurent

I really like style and fashion. I always have and I have always sort of beat to my own drum in this department. You don't have to be trendy or up to the minute on fashions to be stylish but wearing what you like with confidence and ease is the trick to success. Finding clothes that suit your body type that fit well are a big help too and accessories like beautiful shoes, jewellery and hair just sort of seals the deal in my opinion. But I am far from an expert.

So. Here are a few of my favorite things!

Favorite fashion blog:

http://www.thesartorialist.com/

This is the brain child of a fashion photographer who takes pictures of street fashion all around the world (as well as of models are celebrities, but most are random people he sees). This is both interesting and inspiring. Thank you to Miss Brittany to introducing me!

Favorite place to buy shoes:

John David Shoes..

John Ingram has been in business for twenty-one years and he more than knows a thing or two about shoes. For the most up to the minute and fashionable footwear a lady could dream of  and a huge selection in a wide range of tastes and sizes, this modernly decorated store is well worth the trip. Known for quick, friendly and fashionable service, they are located in Park Lane Mall, on good old Spring Garden Road.

As expressed before I have an unquenchable thirst for shoes...I try to behave myself but I may have two pairs on hold as we speak! EEEP!

Favorite places to lust over expensive beautiful things:

Club Monaco, there is something about their clean lines, soft color pallet and simple pieces that will be in style for years to come.

Foreign Affair, a Halifax staple of high fashion, they have a little something for everyone, just not for everyone budget.

Favorite Bargain spots:
 Elsie's and Put Me On, both are used clothing/ thrift stores located on the upper portion of Queen street..you never know what you are going to find and they are both reasonably priced and oh-so-fun to dig for treasures.

Favorite vintage/ you never know what you will find store:
Dressed In Time, located on Brenton street just off spring garden, these guys specialize in the vintage, fabulous and sort of bizarre. I can spend entire afternoons digging around the racks and hundreds of pairs of shoes, purses and hats. The owner and his girlfriend are also very funny and very unique and eccentric which only adds to the appeal!

Sweet Pea:
Say you have a date and are dying for a new adorable little frock to rock, this is the place that has the cute little dresses for a cute little budget ( most of the time) I must say, their sales people go above and beyond. Kind of like having your very honest best friend with decent fashion sense shopping with you . Good service is awesome.

You can never...

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough, or a book long enough to suit me"-
C.S. Lewis

Back on the tea thing. Most people I knew growing up had china cabinets in their dining rooms. As a child we referred to these, along with formal living rooms as "fancy" rooms and we automatically knew they were off limits for our horsing around or whatever trouble we were getting up to. Many of the said cabinets had an abundance of beautiful tea cups and saucers, be them their mothers china from her wedding, cups passed down through generations, or some purchased over time. I have always thought of this as a waste of a very pretty thing. Just because they may be delicate does not mean they have to be dust collectors. I realize that most people my age do not have tea cups kicking around their apartments. They are becoming an old fashioned thing. I feel that makes them more beautiful and over the years I have been picking them up when I see a pretty one at value village, a flea market or a yard sale. I have also received some as gifts, as my friends know me all too well, and I have a beautiful set of four that my nanny gave me when I purchased my hutch. Yes some of mine may have receipts in them and I am quite certain another is full of matches but I always have them set up so that I can enjoy looking at them and so that I have easy access if I want to find a more practical use for them!

So if you have tea cups and saucers, plan on having some in the near future or are now by reading above paragraph inspired to go hunt for some, here are some ideas for not letting their cuteness go to waste tucked away in a cupboard.

- They make adorable vases. They are short and squat and look lovely on a bedside table or a bathroom counter with a few wildflowers.

- Perfect for serving a dessert in such as a trifle, ice cream/sorbet ( with fruit or decadent sauces), a baked pudding with a sauce or maybe just fresh fruit. Creme brule will set perfectly in a beautiful little tea cup. This will be a fun and unique way to present a dessert to company, martini and wine glasses also serve this purpose well.

-Hosting tea parties? Or maybe company is coming, no need to opt for a mug, tea cups will make your guest feel special and you can enjoy them as well!

-They make lovely candle holders, tea lights fit perfectly into the bottom! China tends to be thin and the warm glow comes right through the cup itself.

-I always have one on my vanity or next to my bed to place my jewellery in when I take it off at night, especially if I plan on putting it on again in the morning. A saucer without a cup works very well too and they are usually just as beautiful!

Just some ideas! Enjoy!
-m

..up on a perch for everyone to see!

...all in a row

That's where all my matches went!

mmm cranberry tea lights!

really lights up a simple white tea cup!

Pretty on a vanity!

...holds pretty things!

...a saucer will do!

Perfectly pretty!

Come, let us have some tea..

"Come let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things!"- Chaim Potok

So, as I have already expressed my over-abundant and over indulgent love for coffee, I should inform you that this love, although not quite as animated and not near as strong does extend to most warm beverages . Tea, cider, wine (yes, wine is good chilled, room temperature and toasty), you name it and there is a 99.2% chance that I will or have enjoyed it. Today I am going to focus on tea. My grandmother, (who is perfectly wonderful in every way) born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland is probably the biggest tea enthusiast I know. For as long as I can remember she has a pot of tea simmering on the stove. Morning, afternoon and evening. I  have vivid memories of drinking tea at an age well below five with my grandmother, lots of milk , laughter, stories and an extra helping of sugar. Not much has changed except that I no longer ruin my tea with sugar.

Tea is also a beverage that most people like. They may not like coffee (they obviously have never given it a fair chance) but tea, especially herbal tea tends to be a big hit. Peppermint, green, wildberry and any of the wonderful and flavorful loose teas from the market or Davids Tea calm me down and are the perfect fix me up at 3am during a twelve hour night shift. There is also nothing better than sitting around with my sister or any number of my family members or friends and catching up.

So I am going to pass on a possibly well known trick to making the perfect cup of orange pekoe tea. My nanny, being a tea snob has always stressed this fact to me (and she is the first person I know to complain of a bad cup of tea) and this trick is to properly warm the pot. I am not sure why this makes any difference, but I am told it does and I have practiced this for my entire life..

So boil your water, I like a whistling kettle myself, when the water is good and boiling, pour some into the pot or cup or mug you are using. Give it a good swirl, dump that into the sink and then toss in your tea bag(s). Let it steep till your desired strength, dress it up however you like and enjoy!
-m

bubbling..

this makes tea parties even more fun!

perfect cup of tea!

Silent Gratitude...

"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone"- G.B.Stern

Just wanted to say thanks all, I have hit about 250 views of Shabby-Yet-Chic in just over a week. Impressive and mostly just by word of mouth!! Woo! So if you don't hate this blog (maybe you even like it!) and you think you may have some Internet savy friend that also might enjoy it, pass it along and thanks for the support! I am going to try and post every two days or so...
-m

C is for cookie...

"C is for cookie and that is good enough for me"-Cookie Monster

    Recently I have had many problems with my apartment. Problems big and small alike. Tub drain freezing solid in the winter, my bathroom ceiling leaking then crumbling into my tub and recently my kitchen window decided to drip with a vengeance. You know, all the normal kind of things that come up. No big deal. Needless to say my superintendents are on speed dial. This particular day that my kitchen sprung a leak, my supers had already been to my place a few hours earlier to replace the plastic sheeting holding my ceiling up (have I sold this apartment to any of you? Good thing it's both cute and central..) .  Anyway I was feeling bad because I realize this is all sort of out of their hands so I decided to bake them some cookies and then pawn the rest of them off on my sister and her roomies. Plus, in my experience people tend to like you even more if you bring them baked goodies. Maybe now I will get even better superintendent services. Doubtful  but I will keep you posted on that.

     Upon reviewing the contents of baking cupboard ,as I didn't want to brave the rain and snow to pick up some silly ingredient, it was decided ginger sparklers were to be the winners. This is a very simple recipe that is sure to please. The dough is spicy and delicious and I have revamped the recipe over the years. Plus when they are baking they make your place smell like the gingerbread house that enticed Hansel and Gretel. Mmm....Recipe to follow. Enjoy!
-m

cream me please!

look at all that spicy goodness!

fin.

Ginger Sparklers

-3/4 cup butter, margarine or shortening
-1 cup of brown sugar lightly packed
-1/4 molasses
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 large egg
-2 cups of flour
-2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 1/2 tsp ginger
-1tsp cinnamon
-1/4-1/2 tsp of cloves
-1/4 tsp of nutmeg

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees, cream together first five ingredients. Wisk together dry ingredients and then blend into wet. Roll into one inch balls and then roll balls in granulated sugar and cinnamon. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes. Let cool and then give away (or enjoy)!

I drive with my knees..

"I drive with my knees. Otherwise, how can I put on my lipstick and talk on the phone?"-Sharron Stone

      Can you guess what one of the very few products is that actually increases in sales during an economic crisis? Lipstick....seriously google it! During the Great Depression and even in the past three years with the economic crisis in the United States, lipstick sales increased. Instant gratification my friends. Maybe you can't afford to buy a new dress, new shoes or get an expensive hair cut for one reason or another.  Try skipping the mall (lets face it, retail therapy on credit or window shopping can leave you feeling sad and regretful) and for as low as $1.75  and for as much as $30 , you can have an instant change in your look and an instant self esteem or mood boost. So next time you are feeling a little under the weather, say you are having the kind of day where everything magically makes it's way to your shirt like a magnet ( be it coffee, pigeon poop or baby vomit...just to name a few). Walk, drive, cycle or bus your way to Walmart, Shoppers , M.A.C or where ever you like to spend your hard earned dollars and pick out a new shade of red, a pretty nude or a fun pop of pink-melon.  But promise me two things....

1) Ask for help in selecting a color. Bad lipstick is just as bad as a really bad haircut, people can't help but stare..

2) Don't perfectly match your new lips to your shirt, your purse, your fabulous new shoes or anything like that. Close is ok, identical is really bad.

-m

Some of my shades...MAC is my all-time fav...

Muuwwah!