Bloomingville's Spring Summer 2013

I'm loving all these photo's from Bloomingville's Spring Summer 2013 catalogue that I just came a cross this week.  Beautiful vignettes of this Danish-based home decor line featuring furniture, home accessories and outdoor patio items.  I'm hesitant to post about patio decor just yet, but it's definitely worth taking a look at.  Lots of relaxed Scandinavian-inspired pieces.  I see they have a Toronto store - which really has me thinking how I could get some of these to Vancouver. Take a look at a few highlights below ; you can view their catalogue online here.

 

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Professionally Designed Waiting Room Areas to Inspire Your Space

The waiting room or visitor area is the first place seen by most anyone visiting your place of business. First impressions are formed from this areas decor, style, and level of professionalism. Creating a stylish waiting room starts with an idea or inspiration. To provide that spark, this article will highlight several beautifully designed spaces sure to get your creative juices flowing!

Space 1: The Serpentine

Braden lounge furniture by Global Total Office highlights this space. The modular lounge seating set offers a serpentine shape that's sure to impress. Sets like the one highlighted here are perfect when space is at a premium. Braden's modular design and simplicity make it an easy to spec solution for almost any visitor area. The seemingly limitless array of Global upholstery solutions make interior designers dreams come true. This space is also accented with with a matching square coffee table and gorgeous tile floors. The marbled walls and blue fabric compliment each other nicely, while the whole area boasts a welcoming feel.

Space 2: Elegance On A Budget

The Mayline Santa Cruz collection of leather lounge furniture is hard to beat. This affordable line includes a variety of leather sofas, matching ottomans, and stylish seating sure to impress event he harshest of critics. In fact, all of the seating and items used in this room can be purchased as a set to ease the shopping process! Available in a choice of Almond or Black leather, Santa Cruz lounge furniture sets key on one of the hottest industry trends, light upholstery. Using white, cream, and almond colored materials show class and elegance without taking away from grandeur or the area it accompanies. Along with the seating, this unique visitors area includes full panel windows and contemporary wood wall paneling for an enhance modern appeal. The tile floors and retro side lamp pull this space together for an all around professional look.

Space 3: The Highrise

When it comes to waiting room furniture, OFM,Inc. offers one of the largest selections of quality products found industry wide. This fantastic modern office furniture manufacturer has built an excellent reputation based on customer service and awesome products that ship quickly. This space is a true testament to that fact. The highrise features a curved reception desk from the industry leading Marque reception station collection along with an abundance of sled based visitors chairs. As you can see, this area is all about the welcoming desk. The floors, natural lighting, tables, and seating are all geared towards bringing out the wow factor or the reception desk. The curved designed and plexi glass transaction panels truly make for an impressive space.

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Cool Antlers

Well it's another short week here - things should be back on track and in full swing starting next week but I thought I'd drop in with a little post since I'm loving this space so much from the latest issue of Covet Garden.   OCAD grad and photographer, Greg White (no last names in Covet Garden) has a rather eclectic space filled with fun art galore and I couldn't help but fall in love for that bicycle handle bar and seat(?) above his mantle that is fashioned into a antler type thing by Alex Jowett.  Yeah.  Love.  Also that pinball machine piece in the fireplace.  This space makes me want to be this guys friend and hang out and make crafts all day. It also reminds me of my days in Montreal hanging out with my cousin and his friends creating stuff (mostly music and super8's) and painting murals on the doors of my rented McGill ghetto apartment. Check out a few more choice images below and the rest at covetgarden.com.  Photography by Valerie Wilcox.

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Elegant and Practical Storage: Armoires

Posted by savannahcollections in Bedroom, Craftsmanship, Design Tips, Featured Collections

Pretty and Practical Storage

Armoires can serve as a practical yet beautiful addition for your storage needs. They can be a delight to own, as they provide flexible storage and can be used in a myriad of ways.

Armoires have long been utilized among the powerful nobles as wardrobes in palaces and castles. Originally used for storing weapons, armoires have now taken on new roles in modern homes. This multi-purpose storage space makes it a popular luxury furniture piece to own and can be placed within almost any room in the home.

Convenient Out-of-Sight Storage

Some armoire enthusiasts opt to use them exclusively in bedrooms, but instead of using them as extended closet space, they may place a television set within the wide space on top, while putting cable boxes and TV accessories in the lower cabinets to create an entertainment system. The doors provide a convenient way to hide unsightly clutter when the television is not in use.

Others still prefer its traditional use for storing clothes, as the upper open area is ideal for hanging anything from blouses, shirts and jackets, while the lower portion can store socks or smaller items.  Again, the doors provide extra protection from dust and the elements, while any clutter is conveniently hidden behind closed doors.  Storing linens and thick winter blankets is also an option to consider, and is excellent for use as seasonal storage space.

A Mark of Luxury

The Monterey Armoire as shown above, for example, creates an understated elegance that immediately draws the eyes to that corner of the room.  Armoires have been growing in popularity of late, especially for use in smaller spaces that lack inherent storage space.  With the variety of ways armoires can be used, and the potential to store just about anything neatly out of sight, these luxury pieces go a long way, and are ever a welcome addition into any home.

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'Scovy duck loving

I've yet to mention we sold off the chicken coop & it's tenants. As much as I enjoyed the look of the coop, it had quirks which were not ignorable. The Captain stands 6'3 and at the highest V pitch inside, the coop was just 6 foot. The nest box setup needed improvement and became a pain due to the system already in place. There were a few other little things that were making it a pain for the Captain to help me with cleaning and  egg collecting. So we took a break from poultry while I worked at the Big Farm and have decided this Spring we will raise Muscovy ducks once again. It was The Captain's suggestion and I fully agree. He prefers the ducks over chickens. Has been asking to get more since we moved here 2 1/2 yrs ago.

Remember back in 2007,when we brought home our first batch?

 Frog was just a babe. So enchanted by our little basket of fluff.

Now we are browsing for the right kind of shelter, with all lessons learned from our experience in Muscovy ducks as well as the Blue coop purchased in 2011. It will be more of a long house design of just 4 ft tall. A 6 1/2 ft tall "tower" addition on one end will be done due to the desire of owning  just a few chickens in the bunch. This will be set up against the wall of the workshop/Garage within the large run. The dirt will need leveling so as to prevent the buggers from nesting under any elevations before set in place.

 This Tarpaulin contraption,a durable "tarp" for ease in cleaning the Duck house, is a wonderful idea.

* {click here for a description}

I am rather fond of the metal curve roof seen here. An appealing gypsy caravan touch:

I feel it would be lovely on the Chicken tower end. It will be a mere 4 ft deep, but the appearance will be charming. I even love the green paint! The tower will have their entry door. Much like the one seen above. A mini door for the poultry within the large size door for human entry. As for the Long house portion, being just 4 ft tall, the "roof" will open for cleaning of the interior. This is where the Tarpaulin would come in handy.

As for their pond, Mr. M put in an outlet when we moved in for the poultry heat lamps. I am placing just a small pond system within the run and found this nice tutorial on using a submersible dirty water pump and homemade filter system. Over on Backyard Chickens by user OldGuy43. I will use a larger pool or find a larger pond hardliner on sale for this purpose.

Tutorial: * http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/716298/duck-pond-filter-shower-with-lots-of-pictures *

They will be raised for meat & eggs but will be butchered here at home. As for those pin feathers, we have decided to just skin them instead of plucking. I fear we will need another deep freezer by this time next year. Between the garden, our groceries and the foods for Moose, I will soon run out of freezer room.

MUST share before I dive back into my pile of catalogs and sketch books, this inspiring and now a must make solar lamp is in the plans for our exterior duck house night light. If I can stumble upon more old warming light shades,  I'd like to put one on my garden shed as well as hanging from the twig arbor. A wonderful tutorial has been shared by The Shabby Creek Cottage:

* http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/2012/06/upcycled-outdoor-light-fixture.html *

Now off to sketch out the 2013 garden plans and find The Captains requested "Ghost peppers".

Wishing you all,

Sunny Dreams,

~Tammie

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Looking Back on 2012: My Favorite Recipes

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches

One of my favourite ways to start the new year is to look back at all the recipes I've made over the past year and make note of the ones that I loved the best. I've narrowed down all my weekly posts into 12 favourites for 2012 below. You can see my list here for 2011.

It's hard to hate chocolate (unless you really are one of those who just do), that's why two my favourite recipes that I made for Poppytalk involved chocolate, of course. First up, Nanaimo Bars.  What more can be said about these treats? I waxed poetically about them back in November and I can't wait to make another batch. A true Canadian classic. 

And if you're looking for a way to introduce chocolate to breakfast, say hello to these very coffee-shop worthy baked goods: Chocolate and Cherry Cream Scones. Whole wheat flour gets added for a wholesome and nutty crumb and bittersweet chocolate and cherries just make a good partnership.

Soup season is here and I made quite a few soups this past year. The Smokey Southwestern Apple and Squash Soup from last February totally hits the spot. Chipotle, jalepeno and chili powder add heat while the squash and apple provide a natural sweetness. Serious flavour and seriously good. Why  haven't you made this yet? 

I'm not sure what it is about this Potato and Lentil Soup, but it tastes like home. It's comforting as any good soup should be and it's a quick meal that can easily be gathered from the remains of a pantry. Did I mention that it's also an affordable meal too?

First thoughts about coleslaw and potato salad and you might think mayo. Lots and lots of mayo. Not here. First off is this Sunshine Citrus Slaw. It's colourful and looks like summer but uses ingredients like cabbage, lemons and limes that make it very winter-friendly. 

This Salt and Vinegar Potato Salad doesn't share much with its mayo-laden cousin. Instead, this tangy, salty potato salad reminds me of potato chips. Seriously. Chips. But in a salad. A new favorite for me.

How can you say no to something I like to call Magic Juice? This drink is mind-blowingly good. Blood oranges and limes get freshly juiced and mixed with a whack of grated ginger for this delicious looking bevy. Serve over ice or if you want to make this even better, store the pitcher in the freezer for an hour or so to get a little slushy. Looking for something with a kick that doesn't come from alcohol, make this magic juice now. 

I'll always remember 2012 as the year za'atar entered my life. Za'atar is a simple spice blend that combines sumac, herbs du provence, salt and lightly toasted sesame seeds into the salad topper of the year.

Let's not forget about pasta! Fill up your bowl with colourful vegetables in this Vegetable Pasta Bake. Cheese and a easy bechamel sauce round up the comfort level. Cold outside? This is your ticket to a comforting weeknight meal.  

These Spicy Garlic-Ginger Noodles leave creamy aside and go for a big hit of spicy. It's ready in a jiffy and I love the mix of asian flavours: ginger, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, sesame oil and hosin sauce. It all comes together into a delicious meal that becomes a little addicting.

People go nuts for the combination of rhubarb and strawberry. Fools. I think ginger and rhubarb makes everything way better. For example, this Double Ginger Rhubarb Crumble. Fresh ginger gets candied into the rhubarb and it also makes an extra appearance in the crumble topping. Such a perfect dessert that subs easily for breakfast with a heap of tart yogurt alongside. 

Oatmeal isn't something people usually get excited about. So let me change your mind with this bowl of Creamy Apple and Cinnamon Oats. Sure, it's a healthy good start to your day, but it's also really delicious. Spicy, tasty and good for me? Totally.  

If you've made something from the past year of recipe, please let me know in the comments below! Or if you've got a favourite from my list, I'd love to hear about it. Here's to more cooking and baking to look forward to in 2013!

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Last Call for Submissions - Valentines and Wedding-Themed Market

Love Transforms - January 14 - March 1st, 2013
We'll be holding our 6th annual Love Transforms market at Poppytalk Handmade  –which is a Valentines and Love themed (Valentines, Wedding, Love, Romance) online market running January 14 through to March1st, 2013.  It's another double month market (because we're loving them) with a special discounted rate. Click here for new rate info.

This is the last call  for submissions. The deadline is January 4, 2013.

Please email us by clicking here (poppytalkblog [at] yahoo [dot] ca) with the words "Valentines Market" in the subject line to submit.  Please include your shop url along with new work images if not yet in your shop.  We look forward to hearing from you!

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