I am way overdue for a Decorate as You Dress blog post and the recent purchase of these fabulous floral wedge heels inspired me.  Aren’t they absolutely gorgeous for spring/summer.  And what an easy look to incorporate into your home decor this season.  Love the feminine chintz pattern on these seat cushions (image from Style at Home magazine)

Here are a few more images from the same home featured in the April Colour issue of Style at Home Magazine. 

And of course, you can never go wrong with having fresh flowers in every room!!

In the latest spring issue of Dabble Magazine I wrote how Florals in home decor are a constant trend during the spring/summer season.  You can read my latest column here.

So, will you incorporate something flowery into your closet and home decor this season.  Let me know by leaving a comment below!! 

Happy Victoria Day long weekend to my fellow Canadian friends!!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

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

In honour of the Kentucky Derby taking place today I thought I would share with you some beautiful photos of true  equestrian style!

Love this equestrian themed office….look at the legs of the desk!

My oldest daughter is a budding equestrian and I can see her wanting some of these gorgeous fashion accessories in the future…or maybe mommy wants that purse now!!

I’m incorporating  a bit of an equestrian theme to Mackenzie’s room with large photos of horses and displaying the ribbons she has won so far  – I like what they did in the picture below!!

The equestrian style is so classic….love it!

Love this entry way – and how they displayed all the ribbons in a shadow box!  Must remember this idea!!

This is the stunning Charlotte Casiragh, daughter to Princess Caroline of Monaco.

And here is my princess Mackenzie at her last Horse Show winning all kinds or ribbons with her pony Elmo!  Now this girl definitely has equestrian style!!

Have a great Kentucky Derby weekend!!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

All photos except the last two are via by Equestrian Style Board on Pinterest.  See it here for sources

I love anything purple and when I saw this stunning purple bedroom designed by Annsley McAleer of Annsley Interiors, I was instantly hooked!

Everything about this room is a Glam Slam!  From the floral headboard, to its curvy sexy shape and the solid purple banding that give it that extra oomph!!  Love the fabric of the long bolster cushion with the hits of gold and orange.  And the beautiful gold-leaf chandelier is the perfect finishing touch….like long dangly earrings accessorizing the perfect outfit.

The ever-popular x-bench is a staple everyone should have in their home.  The rich details of the gold mirror above bring out the gold and orange in the fabric.  By painting the legs purple this traditional looking bench now has a glamorous edge to it.  I think it is absolutely perfect!

And then…..these chairs…Oh la la!!! I think I’ve died and gone to heaven!  I’ve been trying to find out the name of this style of chair so if you know what this chair is called please let me know.  Are they not stunning or what?  The purple stripe detailing and piping give it that glam chic look I love!!  And any mirrored furniture is definitely a friend of mine!

So what do you think?  Are you in love with this bedroom as much as I am?  Would you have these chairs in your home?  I know I would!!

If you are looking to glamorize your bedroom with some purple touches, then send me a message through email, Facebook or Twitter!  I would love to help!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Today I am participating at the media challenge for The Canadian Breast Care Foundation’s annual Yard Sale for the Cure which will take place across Canada on May 26th.  My team, The Designers will be competing against four other teams comprised of traditional media, ‘mommy’ bloggers, Re/Max agents and more to create the best yard sale display!! So it promises to be quite a fun, but very competitive evening!!

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Yard Sale for the Cure is a series of yard sales that take place on the last Saturday every May in local communities across Canada in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Every dollar raised through Yard Sale for the Cure goes towards breast cancer research, health promotion, advocacy, education and awareness programs.

Nervous about organizing your own yard sale at this year’s event? Below are some top tips from seasoned yardsalers, our favourite how-to articles and our own hands-on experiences to give you the know-how (and confidence) you need to host your most successful yard sale yet!

(list provided by Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation)

1. Make it official

It sounds simple, but the first step is to commit to the idea of hosting a sale. Why? Your determination to make your sale a success will come with a little commitment. Once you register your sale, you can set up your own fundraising page, create a new team, or join an existing one. This makes it easy to share information about your sale and accept financial donations to put towards your total proceeds.

2. Rally the troops

Holding a sale is a lot of fun, but it’s even better when you have someone to do it with. See if your friends and neighbours are interested in hosting sales and ask local businesses to chip in. Its good advertising and you could dream up some fun activities with their help. For example, you can get a local salon to do mini manicures for $5 each, or have a local butcher host a barbeque at your event!

3. Location, location, location

Decide where you want to host your sale. Do you need a permit to host your sale there? Do you need tables or tenting? Where will you put your signs? Think about where everything will go and how you can make it as easy as possible for your shoppers. If you have a big group, consider using the main street or a nearby park. The more sales in one area, the more shoppers will come!

4. Get organized

Start collecting items for your sale. Ask your friends and family if they have anything to contribute. You’ll be surprised at what they’re holding onto and more often than not, they’ll jump at the chance to get rid of it! Organize your sale items by category and pack them into clearly marked boxes. Avoid seller’s regret by doing this a few weeks early – if you don’t go looking for it chances are you won’t miss it.

5. Name your price

People are more comfortable negotiating when they have a starting point so clearly price each item. Use painter’s tape for small items and a sheet of paper for larger items like furniture. A great way to price items is by group, for example, “All CDs $1” or “All items on this table are $.50 each”. Remember, Yard Sale for the Cure™ is a charity sale so don’t undervalue items, but also take care not to overprice them – you don’t want to discourage potential buyers. Here are some tips to help you along:

Clothing – Ask for 5% to 10% of its original value. If the garment is designer or trendy and in pristine condition, feel free to price it a little higher.

Shoes – Ask for 10% to 15% of its original value. Leave out any ratty old shoes, they will reflect poorly on your sale even if all your other items are in great condition.

Electronics – Ask for up to 50% of its original value, depending on how relevant the technology still is. Make sure it works and keep an extension cord on hand for buyers to test it out.

Sporting goods – Ask for 20% to 30% of its original value, depending on condition and age.

6. Spread the word

Tell everyone that you’ll be hosting a Yard Sale for the Cure™ on May 26. Put posters up, mention it on Facebook and Twitter, blog about it, call the local radio station, or use Kijiji and craigslist to advertise your sale. Make sure you mention where it is, what type of items and activities you have, and most importantly, when it starts. Many avid yardsalers will arrive as early as 5am to pick out the best items so be fair to others and stick to your start time!

Want your sale to be featured on our website? Email a description of your sale including any special items to  yardsaleforthecure@cbcf.org

7. Give shoppers a reason to stay

The more you have to offer, the more time people will spend at your sale so be creative. Ask the local pet groomer to run a mobile pet wash for $10 per animal, get a fast-talking friend to run a live auction, or get local musicians to play. If you have kids, get them to do a soccer ball kick at $1 per shot with trinket prizes, let them host their own section of your sale, or encourage them to run a snack stand.

8. Don’t forget the change

A day or two before your sale pick up some rolls of coins from the bank. The more change you have the better – you’ll be surprised how fast it goes! Make sure you have some CBCF donation forms on hand so if someone makes a cash or cheque donation, we get all the information we need to issue them a tax receipt. At the end of the day, simply send in the completed donation forms and donations and we’ll take it from there. Please note that buyers are not eligible to receive a tax receipt.

9. Get down to business

On sale day, greet shoppers with a quick hello or a smile. Be visible and available for questions, but don’t hover. If a buyer asks you for a better deal, remind them that this is a charity yard sale and their money is going towards a great cause. Don’t feel pressured to drop prices early in the day because the items that you have then are the cream of the crop! If you plan on dropping prices later on in the day, keep it a secret or people might hold off for a better deal.

10. Clean up and celebrate

When the day is done, it’s time to figure out what to do with the items that didn’t sell. Don’t want to hang onto them? Arrange for another charity to come pick it up, or drop it off at a local shelter. If you live in a busy neighbourhood consider putting what’s left in a “Free” box outside your home where people can see it. Or pack it in and save what’s left for next year’s sale!

Whatever you do don’t forget to reward yourself for a job well done. And what better way to celebrate than a potluck with all the people who helped make you day such a huge success?

Tomorrow I will post some pictures from this media event!!  Have a super day!!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Picture Sources:

CBCF

Lowes

http://congariel.dormroomdeco.com/home/yard-sale-2

http://bringnephtalihome.blogspot.ca/2011/05/yard-sale-for-nephtali.html

http://www.liveinto.ca/blog/the-yard-sale-for-the-cure/

What does this famous quote by Muhammad Ali mean to my blog post – nothing really!  I just liked it and I have definitely been a busy little bee this past month. 

You know that feeling when you lose control of the hours in your day and once the kids are put to bed you have nothing left to give….well, that’s how I have been feeling lately.  And unfortunately, my lil ole Glam Blog suffers….so my apologies for the lack of blog posts this month.

So I thought I would share with you some of the client projects that has been keeping me working like a busy bee:

I’m almost finished with my Northridge Trail client.  We just finished installing some custom built-ins.  Here’s a sneak peak.

This is the new entertainment unit I designed for their family room — without the hardware in this pic.  I love the clean lines and the shaker style door.

And here is the new built-in foyer seat with the custom cushion. Underneath are 3 small drawers for my client’s daughters to store their hat and accessories. 

And a close-up of the hardware – don’t you love the half-moon pulls.

There is also a window seat in the living room but you will have to wait for the grand reveal to see it.  I’m really excited to show you how I was able to transform my client’s first level of her home!!

Now my Palace Pier client lives in a condo and needed a lot of storage space….which is why we turned to built-ins.  Below is a sneak peak at the installation that happened last week.

This storage unit in the office was built to organize and store my client’s daughter’s schoolwork, crafts etc.  It’s also a perfect place to store the printer and display some books or photos on the open book shelf.

This is the built-in I designed for her daughter’s bedroom.  As a result, she was able to remove 2 sets of dressers in this small room, open up the space but have the exact amount of drawer space she had before.  Behind the mesh screen is a shelf for her TV and DVD player.  The Swarovski crystal knobs give it a very girly touch….love it!!

And last but not least, is the master bedroom wardrobe with this incredible custom detailing on the doors of the wardrobe.  Once this room is finished it is going to look so glamorous….so stay tuned!!

Then I was busy completing a a design plan for a client with different floor plans options of the family room.  Here is a small sampling of what I present to my clients.

The Dollhouse rendering view of the room.

A 3-D perspective of the room from one angle.

And a technical overview of the room.

Well, that’s a snippet of a day(s) in the life of an interior decorator – ME!   I can’t wait to show you the professional pictures of the first 2 projects above once they are done.  Oh, and thanks for sticking with my blog!!  I should be back to a regular blog posting schedule in the next week.

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Happy Friday Everyone,

Home Depot launched their latest DreamBook this past week and is having a “Match the Look” contest to promote it.  Home Depot invited 6 Canadian Design Bloggers (including me) to choose one of their favourite looks or finds from the interactive DreamBook online.

And all YOU have to do is guess which look I chose and you could win a $200 gift card to buy all the fabulous spring & summer home decor products they have featured in the DreamBook.

You will need to enter the contest through Facebook using Facebook Connect.  Once you are there you can tag the look that you think I chose. Below is what the page will look like when you click on it.

Oh look, there I am……click here and tag one of these fabulous finds that you think I chose on this page!!!

And just a little hint:  it may not be as obvious as you think! Tee Hee!  So my lovely glamorous readers, how well do you think you know me????

Here are some more great images from The Home Depot DreamBook!  It definitely is designed to inspire!!

You have till next Friday to “Match the look” to me and hopefully win a $200 gift card.  Then it will be onto another design blogger’s pick for the next 5 weeks.

So please enter this fun, interactive contest!!  Hope you win!!!  And don’t forget to come back here and let me know what you tagged as my pick!!!

Have a fabulous weekend!!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

I attended the Media Preview Breakfast on Wednesday for the latest One of a Kind Show which is on now at the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place in Toronto.

If you have never attended this show, than I highly recommend you visit this weekend before it ends on April 1st.  Where else can you find unique home decor items, fashion and jewellery all made by Canadian Artisans.

Below are some Displays & Special Features you should check out while you are there!

One of a Kind Umbrella Competition

April showers bring May flowers! We have invited all of our Spring Show exhibitors to create a piece inspired by the theme “Umbrella” to welcome Spring! From the shape of a raindrop to the freshness of the season, show off your creative edge and use your own medium to design an exciting creation based on your interpretation of this theme. Be sure to visit this display in centre aisle,  and cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award!

One of a Kind Handmade Display

From sketches to photographs, paint colours to fabric swatches, explore the inspiration boards at this year’s feature display and discover the imagination that drives every piece you see at the One of a Kind Spring Show!

One of a Kind Craft Community Of Canada

A platform for emerging artists to launch their careers! This section features ten of Canada’s brightest talents in the handmade industry, as nominated by the nation’s leading art and cultural organizations. Click here for more information.

One of my favourite artisans is at the show.  You may remember Lia Fagan from Mod Pieces….she created that fabulous chevron vintage lamp that I used for my second Cityline show appearance last September.

Love this lamp!

I also totally fell in love with the pottery from Claire Madill!

Gorgeous!!

Another highlight for me was this new artisan to the show, Coeur De Lion Textiles.

Is this not the most fabulous throw you have ever seen?

And look, fabulous cushions to go with that gorgeous throw!

And last, but not least, I fell in love with Tat Chao’s glass candle holders – made from repurposed wine glasses!

What do you think of this light fixture he created – it’s quite phallic looking and quite the conversation starter! It’s so original….I luv it!

Again his stunning candle holders!!!

And if you are planning on attending the show on Sunday, then please keep on reading!

On Sunday, April 1, at 1pm my dear friend and fellow design blogger Christine Dovey, Writer, Owner and Curator of Bijou and Boheme is on stage talking about The Curated One of a Kind Home.

Hope you enjoy the One of a Kind Show this weekend!! Bye for now!!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a fantastic March break last week.  As you know, I was down at Walt Disney World with my hubby and my two girls so this last week has been major catch up on some client projects that I am finishing up.

Today I was at Crown Wallpaper & Fabrics with a client looking at wallpaper for her powder room (one of the last rooms I am decorating for her) and so I couldn’t resist showing you some beautiful wallpapers that can make a huge difference in the look of your home!

I’m a bit biased towards Candice Olsen’s line of wallpapers since she adorns the walls of my dining room and my eldest daughter’s bedroom.  Now get ready for some wallpaper porn!!

This is the wallpaper my client chose for her powder room. It’s called Shadow Flowers and has the most amazing texture.  I can’t wait to show you the powder room once it if finished.

Wallpaper are available in lovely neutral colours….where you go bold is with the pattern…but when it is tone on tone, a very glamorous, elegant look is achieved. 

Or you can go wild with colour….and you know how much I love purple!!  Paired with neutral grey chairs, this living room truly becomes unforgettable!

So fabulous and what an easy way to create impact in your dining or living room!

Want to create oomph when your guests walk into your home?  Than wallpaper your foyer or entryway with dramatic wallpaper.

Of course, the bedroom is an obvious choice for wallpaper and you can go as subtle, glam or over – the-top as the pictures below show.

I’m a huge advocate of wallpapering a child’s room.  My only advice is do NOT go juvenile.  Your child is going to grow out of child-like designs…so keep that in mind when choosing the design. 

This wallpaper is very pretty with the little pink bunnies….but when the little girl becomes a teenager she just may get sick of those bunnies.

As you may recall from this previous post, I am updating both my daughters’ bedrooms. I chose Candice Olson’s Dark Pink Mini Daisy Spot (image below) for my daughter’s bedroom when she was 6 years old.  She is now turning 10 in a few months and this wallpaper will grow with her into her teens.  Her room is almost complete and I can’t wait to show it to you here.

If wallpaper still intimidates you, but you are dying to try it in a room in your home, then the powder room is the perfect place to start.  It’s a small room so the investment will be minimal, you’re not in there a lot (I hope) so you won’t get sick of it and your guests will enjoy the scenery while they use the amenities.

This is my powder room.  I wanted high impact with lots of glam!  And I wanted my guests to feel like they were being wrapped in black velvet every time they stepped into this room.  Almost 4 years later, and it is still one of my favourite rooms that I have decorated.

I’m also in the midst of redecorating my office and these photos definitely inspire me.

I’m thinking of using this pattern but in blue versus the pinky-red.  I will let you know what I decide.

Well,  I hope you stayed to the end of this very long post and I hope I was able to convince you to wallpaper at least one room in your home this year!  Let me know what you decide.

If you want to know how to decorate your home for 2012, then contact me online or via twitter…I’d love to help!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

I’m dining with the Disney princesses 3 times this week so here is my wardrobe plan for the week!

All images via Pinterest

What do you think?

Glamorously yours,
Christine xoxo