Gilt-y Pleasure

Hi my loves! I'm so sorry for my extended blogging absences lately. I've been so swamped with school, working, completing an internship, and writing my thesis that it leaves very little time to blog. Now, add moving to that list!!

Yes, that's right, I'm leaving my current student housing sitch for a big girl one-bedroom apartment.
 I'm feeling a bit sad to leave this little studio apartment that has brought me so much inspiration and opportunities over the past 2.5  years. But it's time for me to move on to a place all my own, a lovely charm filled one bedroom apartment located downtown Toronto that I can't wait to show you all! This also means a blank slate for new decorating (aka lots of new blogging material!). Not to mention no one else's dirty dishes in the sink. I am so excited about this next chapter and to get back into the blogging swing of things over the next few months.

To celebrate, I just bought myself my first housewarming gift, a gorgeous vintage gilt framed mirror that I cannot wait to hang up in a very special spot (stay tuned!).

I especially love the shell details on my mirror. This is a motif made popular during the Rococo era.

I will be fully moved in by April 1st, but in the meantime, enjoy some gilt mirror goodness that is serving up some MAJOR inspiration for the new space!

Lauren Gold via Lonny Mag

Nate Berkus and Anne Coyle via Elle Decor

Sarah Richardson via HGTV

Jennifer Ferreira via House and Home

Gilt mirrors are my total gilt-y pleasure. That and Pretty Little Liars...

What's YOURS?

xox

Sarah and Tommy's Gingerbread House: Last Day to Bid

Hi Everyone!
Today I'm sharing an exciting project that I worked on in collaboration with the talented Sarah Richardson and Tommy Smythe. The design duo partnered with the Children's Aid Foundation and Raghuram Addagada, executive chef at the Ritz-Carlton Toronto, to create one masterpiece of a gingerbread house! I sat down with Sarah and Tommy, who explained their design ideas in detail. I then translated the design into some sketches which were given to the chef in order to build the house. 

 Here is the final result - it turned out so lovely! The dough has even been dyed in Sarah's signature watery palette. The back of the house is open like a dollhouse, showcasing some holiday inspired interior design.

image via @sarahrichardsondesign

The gingerbread house is being auctioned off and today is the last day to bid! The best part is that all proceeds go towards the Children's Aid Foundation, which helps children who have experienced abuse or neglect. The winner will also receive my sketches. This was such a fun project to be included on. Happy Bidding! Click here to go to the auction!

xox

My New Job - Sarah Richardson Design

Hi my loves. You may be wondering why I have been blogging so little lately, and I felt I owe you all an explanation. If you follow me on instagram, then you might have already picked up on this.

I recently started a new {absolute dream} job, working as a junior designer for one of my biggest career influencers and role models, Sarah Richardson. I still can't believe it! When I first moved to this city just over 2 years ago, I dreamed of something like this happening, but did not actually believe it to be possible. I have been watching Sarah's shows for as long as I can remember, and now to be a part of her fantastic team and learning the ins-and-outs of the business from people who I respect and admire so much is such a dream true. Every day is a new adventure and I wake up happy and excited to head to work.

I am still also doing school full time until June, so between the new job and school I don't have much time for blogging at the moment. After Christmas my course load lightens up a bit and I should be able to resume a more consistent blogging schedule. I hope that you will bear with me until then! In the meantime, I will continue to post whenever I get a chance!

Sarah and her team have been responsible for some of my very favourite rooms, including this one which I just had to draw. The warm colors were calling my name on a chilly October day last week. It was such an honor when Sarah shared this rendering on her facebook and instagram over the weekend!

via House and Home

I'm so excited for Sarah's new book, Sarah Style, where she shares her tips and tricks with all of us, and you can see this and many more gorgeous rooms. Did you get your copy yet? If not, click here to get your copy of Sarah Style today! 

xox
 
 

In my Sketchbook: Living Room by Sarah Richardson Design

As you might have guessed from my post about 3D CAD rendering, I'm at a point in design school where we have moved away from hand rendering and into digital rendering. I love hand rendering, however, and in an effort not to lose this capability, I have started sketching some of my favourite rooms designed by some of my favourite designers.

Today's room was designed by Sarah Richardson and was featured on Sarah 101 a couple of years ago. I have talked about this room before, here and here. It is a space I seem to keep coming back to.
I can't get enough of the palette! For me, it felt only natural to keep rendering skills fresh by illustrating this lovely living room.

image via HGTV

I hope you enjoyed this peek inside my sketch book! More to come.
xox

Blogpodium Recap Part 2 of 2: Photobooth Fun and What I learned

Ah guys I am swamped this week! It's finals week which means no sleep and a whole pile of work. But, I promised to share part two of Blogpodium today and I am a girl of my word.

First, some hilarity to make you giggle this morning:

Obviously I was pretty enamored with this photobooth, I did it six times. Mostly I couldn't get enough of laughing and goofing off with all of these lovely ladies I had been DYING to meet. Do you spot anyone you know?

Secondly, I wanted to share the key piece of info I got from each seminar that I attended. I learned so much from each speaker, it was hard to narrow it down!

 Wise words from some seriously successful and inpirational people.
And now I am signing off to kick some design school butt!
Wish me luck loves!
xo

Blogpodium Recap Part 1 of 2: Overview of the Day

On Sunday I attended Blogpodium with about 250 other amazing bloggers. 

You guys, I had the BEST time. If you were there, then you are probably as inspired as I am by all the talent, creativity and advice that we were surrounded by all day. The blogging community is just as amazing and supportive in person as it is online - and that is something to smile about. If you weren't there, you best be coming next year - but in the meantime I will catch you up:

I will admit I was a bad blogger while I was there...I took about zero photos. I'm going to chalk it up to being in the moment and being busy socializing! Luckily the always amazing Anna with Love captured the day better than I ever could:

 ^ The decorations provided by minted were absolutely perfect! I loved all the pretty details.

^Sarah Richardson's keynote speech was one of the highlights of the day for me. She spoke about her struggles to get to where she is today, about her family, her style, her business. She was totally open.

^Getting ready to learn from fabulous Steph Sterjovski with some old and some new friends! Elyse, that hair flip is pretty unreal.

^ So proud of my girl Steph!  Her presentation was invaluable. Such a genuine heart!

^ Amazing food all day long keeps this blogger very happy

 ^A seminar on "How to grow your blog using Social Media"...I have to say Meredith Heron is exactly as I imagined her to be...hilarious, honest, and amazing. I got to spend some time with her throughout the evening and learned so much from this inspirational woman!

 ^Cute ribbon wall to display all of our business cards!

^"This is my goodside" - evening photobooth backdrop...You will see it in action tomorrow.

And in case you are wondering what I wore, this is the only picture I have of my outfit. Luckily it's a cute one and features me with my newest bloggy friend, Lynsey of Frou Frou and Frills!

 A red/orange pencil skirt, basic grey tee, some bling bling and a little leopard belt. With some gorgeous studded flats that have left me blistered and defeated.

Come back tomorrow for some of the most useful things that I learned and some photobooth fun (way too much photobooth fun).

How was your weekend?

**All photos except the last one courtesy of Anna with Love Photography.
Too see the rest of the photos from Blogpodium, click here.