Give the Gift of Antiquity

While on some serious sourcing missions for clients I have come across some charming vintage treasures that would make amazing holiday gifts:

This set of three vintage tartan boxes ($275)  is from Angus & Co and has loads of country charm:

This precious chess set ($245)  from Marie Antoinette depicts the Battle of Waterloo. I just adore the stylish French and British lady figures included in the set! Check mate!

This vintage crystal and brass lighter ($75) looks like a perfume bottle. I'd never use it but it certainly is lovely to look at!:

Black Gold

No I’m not going all There Will Be Blood on you – instead I’m referring to my recent vintage black and gold purchases for my impending apartment. I am all over the warm shiny metal contrasted with slick black these days. The colour combo oozes retro glamour and will infuse my living/dining area with a luxe polished look.

One of my biggest scores that warms my heart every time I look at it is my beloved Dorothy Draper-esque curio cabinet. I scooped it up at FOC!, Furniture on Consignment, for a steal. It is in perfect condition with amazing brass hardware, gold detailing, chinoise feet, adjustable glass shelving, a mirrored back and working built-in lamps in both the top and bottom sections! I plan on using it as a bar cabinet and seeing how that goes.

My second black and gold find was an adorable Italian side table with a stunning gold floral base, topped with smoked glass. It’s a vintage find from Chair Table Lamp and has so much character!

The last black and gold find, I just purchased this week from Of Things Past. The large mirror is perfect for the dining room nook wall and has a stunning fleur-de-lis-esque centre motif with tiffany x’s accenting the frame.

OneofaKind Show: Top 25 Booths to Check Out

After hearing plenty about the OneofaKind shows from friends and family, I decided to check one out for myself. What seemed like a simple plan was thwarted by some errors in judgment on my part. My first mistake was going down on a Sunday morning, aka prime family outing time. My second mistake was only leaving an hour and a half to cover the entire show. My third mistake was going during the holiday season when the focus is on Christmas. This resulted in a hurried Jew who has no patience for the double strollers and slow walkers who crowded the aisles, and generally has no interest in santa-related paraphernalia. But, despite my sub-par planning , I still managed to skim through 95% of the exhibitors and pick out my favourite discoveries to share with you.

Without further adieu, here are my top 25 favourite finds from the OneofaKind Christmas show whose originality stood out from the moccasins and other wares that looked like they came from a souvenir store at the airport:

The graphic pop of art of Mark Jeremy Gleberzon.

The folksy simplicity of the carved wooden dinnerware by Ed Hummel.

The delectably delightful glass work by Andrea Ripley that takes my love for cupcakes into a higher art form.

The rainbow of edgy canvases by Blair Chivers.

The vibrant stationary and paper goods by Flakes Paperie.

The adorable aprons by Crumb Designs – especially “The Lucille” with it’s floral print reveal behind the lovely pleat.

The dreamy selection of wall art, linens and more from pi’lo.

The lovely gold lockets and chains by Biko

The tongue-in-chic canvas totes by Hoi Bo that are more Birkin than bag-lady.

The dancing poppies of Edward Chan.

The arrow-adorned pea coat by Desperately Different.

The so-cute-you-could-eat-them-up creations from the Cate & Levi collection – their goods are made with the goal of leaving “the softest possible pawprint on the planet”

The hippie-chick vibe of the spunky printed cushions by Rock My Soul.

The baby collection by Schoolyard – the black and white acorn onesie is too cute for words!

The made-for-the-cottage rustic simplicity of Jardinique’s frames, mirrors and signs.

The snazzy printed Ts by Model Citizen.

The quirky alphabet canvases by Dear Betty Designs.

The charming toss cushions made using vintage fabric remnants by Kailey a.m. hawthorne. I also loved her painted clocks and over-sized wood lettering.

The sleek memo pads by Schleeh Design that marry form and function – there is even a sticky note version!

The calming yellows and blues of abstract artist Caroline Versteeg.

Stunning toppers made by legendary Toronto millinery, Lilliput Hats.

The lovely grey and violet tones of the glazed ceramic pieces by Michelle Mendlowitz.

The beautiful wooden bowls, cutting boards, coasters and more by Stinson Studios.

The ethereal glow of the stone lamps made by Rocklit.

The edgy art blocks by B.C.-based Cedar Mountain.

In the end I was pleased to leave with some savory shortbread by the Coach House Shortbread Company and some small pieces by Kelly Grace for a gift. If you head down to the Direct Energy Centre, make sure to stop by the artisans mentioned above to check their stuff out for yourself, and if you’re not in Toronto, be sure to explore the artist’s websites because some of them are on etsy.

Watching Canadian Design Online

Did you know fans of Canadian mag House and Home can now watch episodes of House and Home TV online?

I'm loving that I can access the hands-on demos for projects such as quirky framed chalkboards, and the house tours of some of the recent beautiful spaces that have featured in the mag whenever I want.

Also available at the click of the mouse now is design lab with arren williams,  a fun look at the world of design from the point of view of the delightful freelance stylist and reporter. In the first webisode, he frolicks with Style at Home and Pure Design host  Samantha Pynn and discusses eco-friendly design. I'm loving the animated intro!

Shaking it for the Cure

We’re already into the end of Movember, so  I know I’m not exactly timely on posting these, but I wanted to share some photos from CIBC’s Run for the Cure, which I participated in for the first time this year.

Our team name was TuTu’s for TaTa’s and we had such an amazing day downtown marching with survivors and supporters alike.

 

 

After the emotionally stirring walk, we celebrated with a festive brunch with adorable pink themed-decor –- even the chandelier was wrapped in tulle!

Not content to be left out, all four of the cats decided to get in on the tutu action in the days following.

    

Mis Miu went so far as to break into the closet so she could sleep in the bag that was storing them!