Our kitchen reveal is almost ready but to be honest I'm still contemplating whether or not to paint this wall a dramatic blue (like the cabinets). In the meantime, I'm super excited to share a sneak peak of the gorgeous lighting we've installed. As part of the Modern Handmade Home series we've partnered with Mitzi Lighting to share some fun lighting transformations and my top 5 wall sconces for the kitchen. The sconces in my kitchen are Winnie from Mitzi Lighting. I love the lighting at Mitzi, it's modern with a traditional twist and they're always updating their selection. When I decided to opt out of upper cabinets in my kitchen I knew I needed some fun lighting to add interest and make the space pop. These lights have really hit that mark. I feel like they give my kitchen an old world bistro feel, if that's a thing lol. Scroll below for my Top 5 Wall Sconces for the Kitchen.





Top 5 Wall Sconces for the Kitchen:
1. Julia from Mitzi Lighting
2. Winnie from Mitzi Lighting
3. Alyssa from Mitzi Lighting
4. Everley from Corbett Lighting
5. Garden City from Hudson Valley Lighting
Be sure to check out the other bloggers in the #modernhandmadehome series to see how they've changed their spaces with Mitzi Lighting: Thalita from The Learner Observer, Lindi from Love, Create, Celebrate and Colleen from Lemon Thistle.

There are so many options for birthday parties these days it's tough to choose. My number one criteria for selecting a birthday party venue is ease; ease of set up, ease of festivities and ease of clean up. I like to be as hands-off as possible so I can watch my little one enjoy the party and take pics. This year we decided on the PC Cooking school Pizza Party birthday. The kids loved it and they were surprisingly quiet (partly be cause they were eating the whole time).


I picked up some balloons, checkered table clothes and mustache straws to take the Pizza party them to the next level because well it's me.




They started the party by handing out paper chef hats for the kids to write their names on and decorate. Then they gave each child a ball of dough to kneed and flatten. We chopped up some cheese, meat and veggies and put the pizzas in the oven. 




I couldn't help myself so I made some additional pizza party favours complete with pop bottle bubbles, pizza stocks and felt mustaches. 


I loved that they took care of all the prep and clean up and I especially loved how happy it made my son. He and his friends had a blast. There's nothing I love more than seeing the smile on my son's face and hearing his hearty laugh. His birthday is a wonderful reminder of the day he made me a mom - I love you little man.

We're slowly moving into our new home. This week we tackled our master bedroom. It's not totally done yet but it's done enough to live with for awhile. The previous owners of our house had a ceiling fan in the master (one of those tulip fluted fans from the eighties) my first thought was to replace it with a regular light fixture (because that's always been my knee-jerk reaction to ceiling fans), however I decide to take a look at the ceiling fans on the market today and see if they had evolved with the rest of the world Guess what? They have! There are so many amazing options for ceiling fans now days, everything from finishes to number of blades to remote controls so I thought I'd share my tips for selecting a ceiling fan below.


As part of the Modern Handmade Home Series we've partnered with Emerson Fans to update one room in our homes. Emerson Fans have set the industry standard for ceiling fans of high quality and timeless design. From the minute this fan was installed I've been in love. Honestly I love waking up to the nice breeze every morning. I selected the Astor model (it's new), it comes in black and white with hints of gold. I love it's round shape, it really compliments the rest of the light fixtures in our home. Here are some tips on how I landed on this one:

1. Ceiling Height
Fans are generally good in spaces with ceilings 9 ft or higher.  If you have ceilings on the 9 ft side be sure to select a flush mount ceiling fan or one that can get as close to the ceiling as possible. Emerson Fans has a whole bunch of recommendations around this on their website so be sure to check it out.


2. Remote Controls
Those fans with the little pulled down chain still exist but they've made advances in how these could be controlled remotely. For example, my Astor fan comes with a remote control that enables me to change the speed of the fan (up to four speeds) and turn the light on and off without leaving my bed (very handy at night). Be sure to look into these features, it's something I didn't think about at first but I'm so glad I did.


3. Lighting
Not all ceiling fans have lights included. This is a personal preference. There are many lighting options for fans, everything from LED to the shape of the shade, there are tons of decisions to make. Be sure to double check the size and shape of the light you select because it will need to correspond to your fan fixture.

All I can say is that I love my fan. I'm a fan of fans (whamp wham).  I don't think I'll ever go back. 
Be sure to check out the other bloggers in the #modernhandmadehome series to see how they've incorporated an Emerson Fan into their home: Lindi from Love, Create, Celebrate, Colleen from Lemon Thistle and Thalita from The Learner Observer.

I had this idea to create peg board for my office/craft storage but I didn't want the traditional peg board you find in the hard ware store. I wanted more of a square pattern. Here are the step by step plans:

Step 1: Layout your plan
This may seem like a silly step but it will help ensure your end product suits your storage needs. Start by laying out all your craft supplies, then pull out your most used items, like scissors, pens, glue etc. Determine whether they should be placed in baskets or hung off hooks etc. and draw a rough idea of what your ideal craft storage center would look like. Remember, Don't stress too much, this project is customizable so you can adjust it any time.

Step 2: Drill Peg Holes
Be sure to check the off-cut bin for wood/mdf for this project, it's more economical and often you can find a suitable piece for a desk area.
Now that you know what you want your craft center to look like you can simple drill your holes using the Kreg Shelf jig. I wanted my holes to be fairly far apart so I drilled every third hole. Be sure to use the stopper that comes with the Kreg Shelf jig to ensure you do not drill all the way through your material.

Step 3: Add Pegs and Organize
Insert your pegs into the holes according to your original plan. Cut the pegs or dowels down to any size you like. Add your craft supplies and adjust the pegs as necessary.


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Last week at the thrift store I picked up a bunch of great finds to host my first "girlfriends picnic". I scored some beautiful pink and peach glassware, a wicker wine purse, a floral bug net and an old blue cooler drink dispenser. Everything sort of matched except for the bright blue beverage dispenser. Which is why I was excited to partner with Rust-oleum on their Spray New Life campaign. I had a vision for this cooler and Rust-oleum made it happen proving once again everything gets better with a little love and attention (haha am I right mamas?)



Since my theme centered around a girls picnic I knew I wanted to incorporate their Rust-oleum Champagne Pink spray paint and their Pure Gold spray paint. Honestly, this project turned out so much better than I expected (I’d chalk it up to my great technique but it’s more likely the great quality spray paint). Rust-oleum’s Universal line offers one coating spray on a wide assortment of surfaces and comes in 5 different finishes, how could you go wrong?



To upcycle this drink dispenser I followed a few easy steps. First, I thoroughly cleaned the inside and out with soap and warm water. After that was dry I sprayed the entire exterior with a light coat of primer and let dry. Next I sprayed my first colour (champagne pink) and let dry. Finally I taped off the areas I wanted to protect and sprayed my last colour (pure gold).


After everything was dry I set up my girlfriends picnic table. I found all these fun elements at the thrift store and I couldn't help myself. Lately I've been loving pink or peach glassware so I loaded up  because I know I'll continue to use them plus they pair so well with my valentines day dishes I scored earlier this year.




Can you believe I found a wicker wine purse (well that's what I'm calling it) at the thrift store!? It's so cute I can see myself carrying this to my next party and them some.


I also snagged this cute bug net, total impulse purchase but I really like how pretty it is as well as functional. This set up is so cute I can't wait for my friends to see it - bring on the rose!



I love the way this project turned out and I couldn’t have done it without Rust-oleum. Honestly, if you’re a DIY’er you know the sense of accomplishment a spray paint project can provide.


And be sure to check out all the other #SprayNewLife projects. There are some great before and afters.

My family and I are planning to spend more time at the beach this summer. My husband loves our local beach and we're even thinking about renting a cottage for the whole summer which is why I knew a father's day gift centered around the beach would be the perfect fit. He's a great dad and deserves a little pampering here and there. As part of the Modern Handmade Home Series, myself and the other 3 bloggers partnered with Personalization Mall to select some Gifts for our Husbands and Dads. Here are my 5 Personalized Father's Day Gifts for the Beach Lover:


1. Embroidered Beach Towels
We are planning to spend more time at the beach this summer so I tried to tailor these personalized father's day gifts for the beach. Like these great personalized towels. I had them embroidered with "The Legend" and "The Legacy". Their great quality and size are perfect for those long days in the sun.

2. Embroidered Cooler 
This collapsible party cooler is the perfect container to keep your drinks cool while at the beach, cottage or golf course. Have it embroidered with your Dad's name or just a cute saying. It is sure to make any Dad smile plus it comes with beer bottle opener.


3. Monogrammed Bath Robe
Nothing feels like luxury like a plush terry cloth bath robe.  This has always been on my husband's list but it has always been a nice-to-have rather than a need. I can't wait to see the look on his face when he open's it.

4. Personalized Magnets
My husband loves magnets (for some reason), I'm more of a "clean fridge" gal but alas it's Father's Day and I want to make him happy. I figure if I have to have magnets on my fridge I might as well make them cute so I personalized them with beach photos from our last vacation.


5. "Nuts about Grandpa" jars 
Every year I ask my dad what he would like for Father's Day (or his birthday) and he often says nothing or "I just want my kids to be happy" (which just makes me want to get him a gift even more). The older I get the more I realize gifts don't need to be extravagant they just need to be thoughtful. My dad (and father-in-law) love nuts so when I saw these "nuts about grand-pa" jars I knew they would make the perfect gift for the kids to give to their grandpas.




Happy Father's Day to my dad and my husband. It is wonderful to have such great men in our lives to set the example for the little men in our lives.

I made the movie screen by simply tying two knots at the top of a king bed sheet and hooking on some bungie cords that were wrapped around a tree. It worked out perfect. This could work anywhere really, you don't need a huge backyard to make it happen (plus you could always just pull your TV outside if that's easier). For added comfort and ambiance I layered a few outdoor rugs, pillows, blankets and hung some outdoor lanterns.


For the snack bar I picked up a few southwest melamine plates and platters from Kitchen stuff plus, (so on-trend, affordable and durable!) I decided on a semi-camping, semi-movie menu; popcorn, s'mores, cookies, milk, you get the idea (and I threw in some fruit for good measure). The kids loved it.





One of my favourite things were these old fashion milk glasses and metal straws and my boys loved them too (although they did get spilled a few times lol). We eventually used these acacia wood serving trays to act as tables while the movie was playing.





Special thanks to Kitchen Stuff Plus for helping me set the scene for this magical moment, my boys loved this DIY outdoor movie night. I have a feeling we'll be doing it again real soon. PS - we watched Minions but I couldn't get it to show up in the photos lol.