Showing posts with label Newton Ave. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Newton Ave. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

cookbooks in the kitchen



We have a lot of cookbooks; there are no two ways about it. We also have a smallish apartment. Compounding the problem is that fact that the apartment is not only smallish, it is also lacking in storage space – not the best combination. Until yesterday we had been keeping our cookbooks on a shelf in our dining room, which never really bothered me, but after the Christmas haul (which included three new cookbooks) there simply was no more room. (Heaven forbid I move my eggcup collection. Yes, I have an eggcup collection. Don't judge.) What is a girl to do? 

Enter Ikea.

When I was in Ontario this fall we made a pilgrimage to the temple of blue and yellow as those deprived of inexpensive Swedish furniture do. As luck would have it the two things I had my heart set on (1 & 2) were sold out. Woe is me.

Woe was me.

My mother-in-law sent me the black and white blanket with our Christmas presents and brought the cute turquoise kitchen cart with her when she came to visit for New Years. I know, she is the best ever.  You know those times when you think you really want something, when you do really want something but you don't quite know how you will use it? That was how I felt about the kitchen cart. I imagined using it for my baking supplies, but it didn't really work in practice. Other people have used them in bathrooms, but ours is too small. Then it struck me -- our cookbooks! My mother-in-law and I organized them in the cart and voila, a cookbook-mobile was born!

What do you think? They are tucked right by our stove and can be wheeled away if we are making something extra-spattery (or if Jeff is cooking anything at all ;).

The only problem is we can't fit even one more cookbook, so this might be a temporary arrangement!

xo

Em

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

self-love

Photo by emilyandjeffrey 

It all started with an attempt to add warmth to our front entrance. I've been admiring photo rails online for a while now and I thought our very own would make the perfect addition to our basic foyer (it is laughable to refer to our front hall as a foyer, but that won't stop me). 

While we were in Ontario a few weeks ago we did as all Nova Scotians "abroad" do -- we went to Ikea. We went for two things, just two I swear, but somehow a photo rail and an inordinate number of picture frames ended up in that cursed blue bag. Everything is so cheap -- I couldn't help myself. 

Anyhow, Jeff put up the rail and I printed a few photos at Blacks. We still have some empty frames to fill, but I have to say I am not digging the look. I feel like I have created a veritable shrine to Violet. We only have one kid and I'd rather have a shrine to her than a shrine to myself or Jeff, but I have a feeling it will be bordering on creepy for all who dare to enter.

Welcome to our home, we hope you love us as much as we love ourselves. Look how good looking our child is -- more is more, we always say. 

I'd be freaked out.

I'm hoping if I add a few older pictures, say of my grandparents wedding or engagement or even childhood pictures of my parents the effect will be more what I was going for. 

Why is nothing as easy as it looks on Pinterest?

xo

Em

ps -- as always advice is welcome (especially if you have exceptional taste -- come on, you know you do)