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DIY
A Mom, two girls and tea!
May 11, 2012
Yesterday I got to spend the entire day with both my girls at their respective schools which was a perfect lead-in to this Mother’s Day weekend!
First I headed over to my youngest daughter’s Montessori school for their Mother’s Day Tea…with lots of singing and baked goodies.
Look at the pretty tissue-paper flowers that greeted the moms when we arrived!
Then this fabulous group of children sang beautiful songs for their mommies. Here is a snippet of one of the mother’s day themed songs:
Mya and her friends singing a song to all the mothers.
We then enjoyed iced tea and baked treats that the kids had baked earlier in the week! That mini carrot cupcake was so delish!!
Mya then presented a drawing she made of the 2 of us. And you’ll notice that the both of us are wearing crowns on our heads! She is definitely my little princess!
And here is present #2: a stunning DIY art project! I am absolutely floored by how fabulous this keepsake piece of artwork is. And it is so easy to do. Just glue the crayons to the top of a canvas, turn on the blow-dryer at high heat and watch the melted wax drip down the canvas board!! And voila, you have a piece of original artwork!!
Oh and look how amazing her printing is getting!!
Here we are enjoying some tea and baked goodies together. Look how proud she looks after giving me her precious mother’s day gifts!!
After tea, I rushed down to the Medieval Times Castle in Toronto to volunteer at my oldest daughter’s Grade 4 class field trip! Mackenzie and I had a great time watching all the cute Knights joust and sword-fight, while wearing our crowns and eating with our fingers!
I am incredibly lucky to be the mom of these 2 precious little girls who I know love their mommy very much! I’m looking forward to spending this weekend with my family – and getting a ton of kisses and hugs!
My wish is that you too have a wonderful Mother’s day weekend filled with lots of love. And if you are not a mom, then I hope you get to spend some valuable time with your own mom!!
Happy Mother’s Day!!!
Glamorously yours,
Christine xoxo
Decorate as You Dress! Mint Green Obsession!
February 23, 2012
Hi Everyone,
Lately I have been obsessed with mint green in both fashion and home decor. To the point where I just got my nails painted in this lovely hue!
I also started a board on Pinterest highlighting everything I love in fashion and home decor in Mint Green. You can follow my board here if you have an account.
In the meantime, here are some glorious images of this fresh colour to inspire you to add some mint green to your closet or home decor this spring!!
The current issue of House Beautiful is all about green!! Love that stunning chair!
The fashion runways for spring 2012 also showed a lot of mint green. However, this colour has been popular for many years now as seen in the gorgeous Haute Couture gown by Elie Saab from her spring 2010 collection. So there really is no need to be fearful of adding this colour into your closet or a few toss cushions!!
Now let’s look at some interior design highlighting mint green in all its glory!!
source unknown – via Pinterest
Gorgeous mint green walls!!
Room design by Nick Olsen
How about a mint green kitchen??
If that is too much for you, then how about some mint green pieces for the room: Like this vintage green fridge by SMEG! FUN!
A simple green chair can also make quite the impact!
I’m loving how fun this mint green vintage tub looks in this bathroom!
How about a quick DIY: Grab some mint green paint and freshen up your bookshelf for spring! (don’t you love how the shelves were styled also!)
I absolutely adore the look of this room. Imagine a sea-side cottage and you’ve got this gorgeous room. I love the mint green grass cloth wallpaper and accessories. 
!!
Here’s a sneak peak into my family room. The wall colour is called Sea Haze / BM 2137-50 and depending on the light it can look like sea foam. I really love this colour by Benjamin Moore because it changes to so many colours throughout the day! Highly recommend it!!
And last but not least, I couldn’t resist including these vision boards I found on Pinterest – they basically say it all!! I love Mint Green!!
So are you obsessed with Mint Green now….I hope so, because you will be seeing a lot of it this spring!! Have a great day!!
Glamorously yours,
Christine xoxo
Posted in Accessories, Bathrooms, Decorate As You Dress, DIY, Fashion, Glam Blog, Home Decor, interior design, Kitchens, Runway to Home | 
1 Comment »
Cityline & Dabble Day: Tips on Styling an Étagère
July 14, 2011
WOW! What a fantastic week it has been for me professionally and personally!
1) The Dabble Magazine Day show on Cityline aired on Tuesday, July 12th!!
2) I had a group of great women join me for breakfast that morning with lots of champagne and OJ to watch and celebrate my debut on Cityline!
3) I’ve had wonderful feedback and comments from many, many people on Facebook and Twitter!. So thank you very much!
So if you didn’t get a chance to watch it live, then you can click on the link to see it via the Cityline website.
Oh, and this really excited me also!!
It may seem insignificant to some but it’s a big deal to me – especially when you are trying to build up your business –- my name and company name was on the website as a Guest Expert!! Whooo Hooo!
So just to quickly summarize the styling tips I shared in this segment:
· Think in layers when placing items on the bookshelf and in different heights (i.e.: glass bowls layered in front of the picture.)
· When selecting objects, be aware of the scale and color. Objects shouldn’t blend in or get lost on the shelves. Beware of adding too small decorative items that will just end up looking like clutter
· Books are wonderful home accessories, so showcase the most beautiful ones in your collection.
· You can arrange the books by size, subject and color. And don’t forget to place books horizontally as well as vertically – it adds a nice rhythmic pattern to the shelf
· Most people love symmetry when styling their shelves….it provides some structure and balance to the room…especially if the rest of the room has more chaos – like kids toys, etc. – this can be accomplished through matching book ends
· When grouping objects together – just remember the basic rule of threes — objects tend to look better when gathered in odd numbers, like 3s or 5s
· Adding objects such as shapely ceramics, decorative boxes, small sculptures, family photos and original artwork makes your bookcase more visually appealing and personal.
And because I was so nervous I totally forgot this last point I wanted to mention which was:
· Don’t forget about the background of your shelf….in this case; the shelves are open so you can see the dramatic painted dark wall…which helps your decorative pieces stand out stand out.
· Or you can paint or wallpaper the back of bookshelves to add a pop of colour and really bring the shelf to life
Well I hope you enjoyed watching this Cityline/Dabble Mag segment as much as I enjoyed taping it. Have a lovely weekend!! Cheers!
Christine x0x0
Dabble Magazine, Cityline and ME!!
July 11, 2011
What are you doing tomorrow at 9am – that would be Tuesday, July 12th at 9am or if you prefer afternoons…than how about 2:00pm?
Why you ask? Because one of my career aspirations is coming true tomorrow!! I’m appearing in a design segment with other fabulous Food & Design contributors from Dabble Magazine on Cityline.
It’s an action packed hour with Kimberley Seldon and her daughter Raleigh on stilts!! yes, that’s right – stilts!! Dabble Chef Corey James Burgan prepares a Caesar Salad to die for and great tips for having a great picnic!
![264737_357981454948_514474948_1431764_6979490_n[1]](http://decorbychristine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/264737_357981454948_514474948_1431764_6979490_n1.jpg "264737_357981454948_514474948_1431764_6979490_n[1]")
In this photo: , Corey James Burgan, Raleigh Gilliam Seldon, Nicholas Rosaci (photos), Christine Da Costa (Erin Mercer
Dabble’s DIY guy AKA Mr. Chic-ster Nicolas shows everyone how to create a funky étagère
![268582_357980554948_514474948_1431746_2324859_n[1]](http://decorbychristine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/268582_357980554948_514474948_1431746_2324859_n1.jpg "268582_357980554948_514474948_1431746_2324859_n[1]")
And I get to provide tips on styling a modern informal étagère versus a formal more traditional étagère.
![261247_357980254948_514474948_1431742_1062612_n[1]](http://decorbychristine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/261247_357980254948_514474948_1431742_1062612_n1.jpg "261247_357980254948_514474948_1431742_1062612_n[1]")
Do not ask me what Tracy and I were laughing about after my segment….I swear to god it is all a blur to me right now. When I watch the episode tomorrow it is going to be totally new to me also!!
![263667_357981039948_514474948_1431756_7097229_n[1]](http://decorbychristine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/263667_357981039948_514474948_1431756_7097229_n1.jpg "263667_357981039948_514474948_1431756_7097229_n[1]")
In this segment Nicholas and I were teamed against Kimberley and Tracy and Corey and Raleigh to see who could set up a picnic table the fastest.
![267567_357981144948_514474948_1431758_827538_n[1]](http://decorbychristine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/267567_357981144948_514474948_1431758_827538_n1.jpg "267567_357981144948_514474948_1431758_827538_n[1]")
I won’t tell you which team won!!
![263452_357981209948_514474948_1431759_6562056_n[1]](http://decorbychristine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/263452_357981209948_514474948_1431759_6562056_n1.jpg "263452_357981209948_514474948_1431759_6562056_n[1]")
Then we showed Tracy what each of our favourite item was to bring to a picnic!!
![269567_357981259948_514474948_1431760_1654076_n[1]](http://decorbychristine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/269567_357981259948_514474948_1431760_1654076_n1.jpg "269567_357981259948_514474948_1431760_1654076_n[1]")
A great pic of Dabble contributors, Kimberley and Tracy
![264867_357981369948_514474948_1431762_4916504_n[1]](http://decorbychristine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/264867_357981369948_514474948_1431762_4916504_n1.jpg "264867_357981369948_514474948_1431762_4916504_n[1]")
End of the show Kimberley and I were all smiles!!
![270567_357981794948_514474948_1431774_501124_n[1]](http://decorbychristine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/270567_357981794948_514474948_1431774_501124_n1.jpg "270567_357981794948_514474948_1431774_501124_n[1]")
Thanks so much to Kimberley for this great opportunity and to everyone at Cityline for making my first time on Cityline so much fun!
Hope you will be watching tomorrow!!
Christine xoxo
Lee Ann’s Kitchen Reno: Part 6 – Adding Femininity via Up-cycling!
June 22, 2011
I will be revealing Lee Ann’s kitchen reno next week with the granite and backsplash installed, along with the awesome faucet Delta Canada provided for Lee Ann. In the meantime, I wanted to show you a little up-cycling project I just completed for Lee Ann’s kitchen.
With all the hard lines of black, white and grey going on in Lee Ann’s kitchen, I really wanted to add some softness and texture to her kitchen. And the easiest way to achieve softness is through fabric. But since our budget was practically depleted, I decided to find a used chair in great condition for her small desk area.
If you are in the Toronto area, than you have probably heard of Moveline Hotel Liquidators – their products originate mainly from major hotel chains across North America. Quality furnishings at fantastic prices. This is the chair I purchased for Lee Ann.
This is the fabric we chose to update the chair through Crown Wallpaper & Fabrics. What do you think??
In addition, the legs of the chair were pretty banged up so I had them sanded down and painted a high gloss black.
And this is now the $55.00 chair!!!
I adore it and so does my client!! I think it’s very glam,chic and feminine! What do you think?
All that’s left is window treatments for the window by the sink to complete this kitchen reno. Anyway, stay tuned for a look at the completed kitchen reno next week…..and my dilemma with this chair.
If your kitchen is craving a glamorous makeover, then contact me online or in person! I’d love to help!
Glamorously yours,
Christine xo
Posted in Accessories, Budget Decorating, DIY, Glamorous Decor, Kitchens, Renovations | 4 Comments »
Lee Ann’s Kitchen Reno: Part 5 – The Kitchen begins to take life!!
June 17, 2011
It’s been a white since I’ve updated you on Lee Ann’s Kitchen reno and lots has been happening!!
If you recall, Lee Ann donated her kitchen to our local chapter of Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore. You can read the post here as a refresher.
Once the kitchen was cleared, my contractor came in and started rebuilding the walls and removing useless bulkheads on the ceiling.
Lee Ann also desperately needed proper lighting in her new kitchen so a new lighting plan was created. We added 10 pot lights to her new kitchen layout.
And a few days later, this naked kitchen slowly started to get clothed with a fabulous new floor!!
The flooring goes out into the hallway all the way to the front door. I’m so happy the way it turned out. But that’s not all…..a few days later my contractor came in and installed all the upper & lower cabinets!! Soooo exciting!! Are you ready!!!!
I love how the uppers go all all the way to the ceiling finished with a lovely crown moulding. Cupboards were painted in Benjamin Moore’s CC-80 Grey Mist.
If you remember from Lee Ann’s old kitchen (click here for a refresher) her stove used to be right by the doorway into the kitchen. Now we have the stove framed by 2 sets of mini pot drawers. What a huge difference!! And so much more functional with lots more storage!!
And I turned Lee Ann’s old eating area into a more functional space by adding in a much needed pantry and a new desk area for Lee Ann to check her email or pay bills. And how apropos is it that her new desk is adjacent to her new wine fridge. 
See that box on the floor above – inside is the gorgeous new faucet that the folks at Delta generously supplied to Lee Ann!!
Apparently Lee Ann couldn’t wait for the kitchen to be finished….she went right ahead and started displaying her wine glasses. My kinda gal!!
You may have noticed that the countertop and backsplash are still missing. Well, you’ll have to come back next week to see it all installed!! I’m also going to share the fabulous faucet that Delta provided for Lee Ann’s new kitchen and the old chair I “up-cycled” into total feminine kitchen glam!!
If your kitchen is craving a glamorous makeover, then contact me online or in person! I’d love to help!
Glamorously yours,
Christine xo
Posted in Budget Decorating, Colour, DIY, Glamorous Decor, Interior Decorating, Kitchens, Renovations | 1 Comment »
YAY!! Three New Decorating Shows launching in Canada!!
June 4, 2011
Three new decorating shows are launching in Canada on Sunday, June 5th, and with all the reruns out there, I can’t wait to start watching these summer shows!!
On the W Network, Million Dollar Decorators premieres at 9pm. It features celebrity interior designers decorating for their very exclusive clientele. You will meet L.A.’s most exclusive and sought-after interior designers –Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, Kathryn Ireland, Jeffrey Alan Marks, Mary McDonald and Nathan Turner.
Looks like a cat 
fight ready to happen!! You can read all their bios here
On HGTV Canada, two new summer decorating shows starring some familiar faces also premiere on Sunday night!
Home to Keep
With his team of experts in tow, Peter Fallico takes on a new challenge every week, working through different space challenges and giving each lucky family a space that will truly make it a Home to Keep.
Summer Home
Designer Karen Sealy packs up her samples and design pad and heads up to cottage country to makeover summer homes. Using functional and practical designs, Karen creates dreamy retreats that celebrate summer living. From a derelict waterside bunkie to a multi-family country lodge, Summer Home captures the fun, humour and emotion of a summer at the family cottage.
Will you be tuning in??
If your home is craving some glamour, then contact me online or in person! I’d love to help!
Glamorously yours,
Christine xo
Posted in Celebrities, Design Shows, DIY, Glamorous Design, Home Office, interior design, Interior Designers | No Comments »
Happy Easter!!!
April 24, 2011
Just a quick note to wish you and your family a very Happy Easter!!
Below are some very pretty Easter centrepieces that I thought you might enjoy!!
Aren’t these centrepieces adorable? All pictures are from Better Homes and Garden. Instructions for creating these gorgeous centrepieces are also included on the website.
All the best……and remember there is no such thing as too much Candy!!
Christine xo
A Quick DIY Project: Lampshade + Ribbon = Divine!!
April 12, 2011
I’ve had these 2 turquoise lamps with very white lampshades for the last year. I purchased them at Homesense when I started to convert my family room colour scheme into an orange and turquoise palette.
I’ve been thinking about adding orange ribbon to the lampshades for some time and today I just went out and purchased orange ribbon from…….The Dollar Store!! I know…can you believe it!!! I’m still in shock!!
All I used was double sided tape at the ends of the ribbon to keep it secure at the seam of the lampshade. I’m so impressed with how they turned out….and what a difference it made to the lamps and the room. The ribbon accents nicely off the sofa cushions and my two orange occasional chairs.
Listen, I’m not a big DIYer…so I’m pretty proud of myself right now!! 
So tell me, do you like my little DIY project??
If your home is craving some glamour, then contact me online or in person! I’d love to help!
Christine xoxo
Cityline and the Blogger-Fest!!
March 30, 2011
A couple of weeks ago I received an email from Kate Moore at Cityline asking me if I wanted to be an audience member for a ‘mystery’ show. Well of course I said Yes. One, I love a good mystery but most of all, I love the folks over at Cityline and have attended many show tapings in the past…like here.
The mystery was finally solved when we were told that the show was going to focus on Bloggers –a group of Decor, Beauty, Food and Mommy Bloggers! AND..the show officially aired today..so if you missed it, you’ll have to catch it online at Cityline’s website!
The Blogger guests included my decor BFF, Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault from Benjamin Moore, Eric Ehm – Founder, Yummy Mummy Club, Claire Tansey – Food Editor, Chatelaine, and Tracy Peart — Makeup Artist to the lovely Tracy Moore
I absolutely love the sofa from Barrymore Furniture – the tufting and gorgeous blue colour is so very glamorous!! And Leigh Ann’s DIY silhouette artwork is so adorable…I want to do this with my family at home!!
BTW: Thanks for the shout-out today Tracy…and yes, I absolutely loved that chandelier floor lamp!! (unfortunately I cannot find a picture of it…but it’s gorgeous!!)
My usual gang hanging out in the audience, Leigh Ann, Sarah, Christine, Meredith Heron, Ana, Vitania (her head is hidden) Vanessa and myself tweeting away about the show.
And the lovely Sarah Gunn is Cityline’s first Blogger of the month – check it out here! Congrats Sarah!
After the show, Cityline hosted their very first Tweet-Up at the very swanky and ultra glam Ritz Carlton
Just hanging at the Ritz: Me, Leigh Ann, Ana,Sarah, Kate, Jennifer Brouwer, a blogger’s names I forget (sorry.…tell me your name and I will revise this post) and Vanessa
Thanks Cityline for a great show and wonderful tweet-up….can’t wait for the next one!!!
Glamorously yours,
Christine xoxo
Photo Credits:
1 – 3: Cityline Website
Decor by Christine Collages
Last Pic – http://www.cherishtoronto.blogspot.com/
Posted in Colour, Design Bloggers, Design Shows, DIY, Food, Glamorous Decor, Home Decor, Living Rooms, Parties | 1 Comment »
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