I am going to lay it all out there that I have an addiction to Pinterest. I sometimes (or always) get consumed for hours looking at images of just about anything for some inspiration. This time, I was searching ideas for a holiday wreath to hang on my front door that I could DIY. I came across two ideas that I loved and wanted to mesh the two together. One was a wreath made up of silver push pins (thumb tacks) and the second was using a frame instead of a conventional round wreath and hanging something inside of it.

If you are hosting a party and want to give  fun party  favors to your guests, decorated cookies are the perfect confection for the job. Highly customizable, you can make cookies in all shapes, sizes, flavours and colours. They can also serve several functions: make holes in the tops before baking, and your cookies can now be ornaments or name tags. You could also use decorated cookies as place setting cards.  All you really need to know is how to make Royal Icing.

Let’s be honest, the first few months of mommy-hood are ROUGH!!!
The sleepless nights….the physical and emotional fatigue….the zombie-like state of functioning….the unkempt hair….the Lululemon uniform…    Although this period seems like forever ago, for the past 3 months, I have been experiencing a similar but milder form of sleep deprivation c/o my wonderful son who seems to think he no longer needs an afternoon nap and that 4:30 AM  is a suitable time to start his day.

Real Estate Boutique - Patricia Karchemny - 37 Simone-de-Beauvoire, Notre Dame Ile Perrot (98 of 141) All my single ladies... All my single ladies!!! Really... who needs a relationship when you can buy your dream home on your own? I’ve met many buyers in my career and as a busy real estate broker; one of the thing I’ve always admired was the single ladies buying their dream homes on their own. I bought my first condo at 24 years old. It was my first foray into real estate. I got a two bedroom, one bath, 700 sq.ft. condo near the Plateau. It did have paper thin walls, but the location was amazing and the potential to renovate was better. It was steps from Sherbrooke Street and six blocks from the Main.  It was my first big investment and when I sold it a couple years later, I made enough money to start my real estate portfolio - but I digress...

To put it lightly, being 27, single and attending an event where the ages range from 12 to 75 is rather challenging. So, to put you all at ease, and to let you know how it all went down, I encourage you to read this brief and to the point passage.

EGGPLANT MANICOTTI WITH RICOTTA, ASIAGO AND PARSLEY FILING: VEGETARIAN DELIGHT!     Eggplant. Really, what a terrible name you were saddled with. And what an identity crisis! To have an alter ego…the aubergine - which sounds exotic, foreign and sophisticated!! It’s a lot to contend with. The good...

When my husband and I entered into this crazy world of parenthood together, I had no doubt in my mind that he was going to be an excellent father.  I vividly remember him changing my son’s first diaper as I helplessly recuperated from my C-section and anxiously watched over his shoulder.  He was calm and gentle and he handled my son’s little bum with such ease and confidence. 

There was a time when virgin women were considered the cure for a man who was afflicted with syphilis or “the pox”.  It was an unfortunate myth that put many innocent young ladies at risk for their own health and lives.  The Virgin Cure is set during that period in history (1871 New York), where we are introduced to Moth Fenwick.  She lives with her mother, who seems to be making a living from fortune telling.  When we meet Moth (an only child and fatherless), she is twelve and on the verge of being given away for a price.  We get the feeling that there is no love lost on her mother’s part, but Moth imagines that she will one day return home.

 

For those of you who don’t know... I was an interior designer in another life!

Nothing makes me a happier then home decorating projects. I LOVE everything about them.....the contractors, the paint fumes, the trips to Home Depot and even the mess. I love the rush of running through Homesense or Ikea with a full basket and the exhilaration of receiving my online purchases at my front door from Restoration Hardware.  And the most fulfilling aspect  of  designing my OWN  space is that I can take RISKS with colours, textures, and design! I love to make changes in my home and every project I've conquered so far has been exciting.

  [caption id="attachment_2585" align="alignleft" width="250"]Sold by Tatiana Londono! Sold by Tatiana Londono![/caption] There’s an old saying that goes, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.  In real estate, the outside of your home is the first thing potential buyers see when they come for a visit, and it’s their first opportunity to start forming judgments.  If your house is unattractive, or looks poorly maintained, people won’t want to go inside.  Even if the inside of your home is immaculate and gorgeous, you’ll lose potential buyers if the outside lacks curb appeal.  This is one case where people really do judge a book by its cover.  If you’re unsure about the condition of your house, ask your real estate agent for an objective opinion.  But be prepared to handle the truth.

I wanted to share a project I had already completed about a year ago. Once upon a time, I loved modern design and had short back white leather chairs with metal legs. But after falling in love with shabby chic, rustic and farmhouse decor, I decided we needed a change. I began my hunt online for four second-hand dining chairs using resources such as:

Ryu - ryumtl.com 288 Laurier West Montreal, QC H2V 2K2 (514) 439-6559
Let’s talk about Montreal’s sushi scene for a sec. We all have our favourite corner sushi stops and while I am certain that mine is still far better than the most, the large majority of sushi places have rolls baring the same names, the same ingredients and the same dominating spicy-mayo tempura flavours and carrot flowers immaculately carved to mask the fact that your chef’s choice dinner for two really is somewhere between mediocre and decent.

BEST TIME SAVING IDEAS FOR THE KITCHEN Whenever I watch one of the cooking shows or worse – a variety show with a guest chef, they cook up a feast and have everything in cute, convenient, pre-measured little containers.  Doesn’t it all look so very easy? Not like at home where you might need a GPS to navigate the nether-reaches of your pantry. Whenever there’s a way to bring the tricks of the cooking trade into my kitchen, I’m all for it! One of the best resources I’ve found is “Cuisine at home” (www.CuisineAtHome.com). This is a no nonsense, so ads, just cooking magazine. Here are some of my favorite time saving ideas for the kitchen:

What to buy... when to buy... where to buy???

As the ever changing market starts to shift from what was a strong balanced market to a buyer’s market, the question remains... what do I buy, when do I buy, and where do I buy??? The quick answer to this is... BUY NOW AND BUY CONDOMINIUMS!!!