It’s been a while…. and things have been busy! I find when things are this hectic it often helps to take a break from work and do something totally different (and enjoyable) to take my mind off of everything for a few hours… of course, it was 11:30pm and rather than just call it a night I decided to put together a holiday gift guide while binging Gilmore Girls (season 5… don’t get me started on the revival). So without further ado here are 11 items I own and love for home plus 9 that i wish i owned!!! Naturally there’s a theme… green, black and white oak. If anyone is interested in seeing more let me know and I can put together some more that aren’t so “Cabin Co. centric”

THINGS I LOVE AT HOME

1. Match Strike – I got this in DC last weekend and love it on my coffee table!
2. Jerry Print – This is at the framer as we speak. I certainly owed it to Ben after taking down the entire gallery wall of music posters to replace with two simple monochromatic prints (more soon). Also who doesn’t love a greened out Jerry Garcia.
3. Hunter Green Pendant – This rejuvenation pendant was a long time coming. I searched everywhere for the perfect pendant and this was it… only it took forever to come. The wrong one was sent twice and shipping them back was such a hassle but it was so worth the wait! It gives off the nicest glow at night and we love using it without the pot lights on when we have friends and family over for dinner.
4. Camp Mug – This store on Ossington, VdeV is amazing and so well priced. I fell for these mugs and had to have them. They have so many great hostess gifts and housewarming presents too if you’re in the market.
5. Sonos Speaker – This was an anniversary present for Ben and it’s changed our entertaining and everyday life drastically. It’s SO nice to be able to easily play music and have it on in the background while working, cooking or entertaining.
6. Norquay Paddle – This was a wedding gift from Ben and I just hung it (a year later). I made the leather harness myself by cutting up a leather sample from my sample bank. I love how beautiful it looks hanging on our white walls in the main hallway of our house.
7. Canister – We store our Nespresso pods in here and it looks beautiful on the counter (plus it hides those ugly pods)
8. Brass Frame – I love this frame. I have it in white too. It’s just a bit more interesting than your standard white mat and frame.
9. Cabin Porn – Still love this book. The cabins are all so beautiful and it wouldn’t be my den without this book on display!
10. Charcoal Soap – Smells so good and of course I love charcoal soap because it’s black (it’s also safe and paraben, etc. free)
11. Geometric Vase – I actually don’t own this but I’ve used it in many client projects… this is more so about my money tree bonsai plant in my kitchen. I get tons of questions about it via Instagram and i’m obsessed with it.

THINGS I’M COVETING FOR HOME

Blanket | Catchalls | Wood Salad Bowl | Coffee “Kettle” | Fringe Basket | Candle | Oven Mitt | Print | Lamp

I’m a winter person… or at least I was a winter person. Perhaps I was a winter person when winter involved building snow forts at recess and snowboarding on the weekend. Once you start working full time, winter in Toronto tends to take on an entirely different meaning. For me, I feel like the past four months have been a constant cycle of waking up to grey skies, forcing myself out of bed to make a coffee, getting back into bed while drinking said coffee and answering morning emails, forcing myself out of bed again, throwing on my most comfortable jeans and coziest sweaters in rotation, completing daily tasks while searching for parking on streets filled with 5′ snowbanks, constantly brushing up against my filthy car and ruining every jacket I own, getting home when it’s dark, eating chips, watching Netflix, drinking wine, and never leaving my house on the weekend. ugh. winter.

There is, however, a bright side. Spring and summer come after winter. And spring and summer are wonderful seasons in Toronto filled with nightly ravine walks, drinking on patios, lounging in parks, jumping in freezing cold lakes, driving with the windows down, hosting delicious bbqs and most importantly, looking alive.

Now that we’re starting to see sunny skies and temps above zero, it’s gotten me thinking. Why not fill the walls of your home with summery art to help brighten even the darkest winter days? Here are some of my current faves. All of the links can be found on my Art Pinterest board.