Getting Cozy: Creative Spaces for Kiddos

When I think about cozy spaces in a home, I don't forget about my boys. They need a place that is cozy and where they can play, read, and be creative in play and in art. Their toys and books usually spread everywhere in our home and don't just stay in the playroom, but I love that we have a space that is colourful, fun and just theirs (besides a cabinet of my craft supplies). 

I have thinking about their space again and wanting to change up a few things. My plan is to *hopefully* turn the closet that is full of random things that don't have a specific place, into a reading/hideout for the boys. To take off the doors and put up a curtain so it is easy to access and hide away. Here's hoping I can find places for all the random junk!
Since I am a planner and love to be inspired by different spaces, I've put together a few pictures of my favourite cozy places for kids to hang out and be themselves.

I think this is my absolute favourite. The teepee, bunting, and colourful rug together make a great room for kids.

via Growing Home

Here is a great example of a book nook in a closet. I love the light fixture and the shelves on the side of the wall.

via Thrifty Decor Chick

Here is another example of a great playroom with a teepee in the corner. 

via 6th Street Design School

What could be cozier than floor pillows that they can cuddle up with a book on? Or in my son's case, jump on? 

via Lauren Leonard Interiors

I can't forget about their bedrooms. Our boys don't play in their room; we keep the toys downstairs, but we have books in a bin ready to be read before bed. I want their room to be a place where they can go and feel at rest. Since that is my goal - for them to sleep!! 

via Divaani Blogit

via A Cup of Jo

via Back to Basics

To catch up on the rest of our Getting Cozy series, click the button above! 

Getting Cozy: The Colours of Fall in Your Home

I spent some time looking through my "home" boards on Pinterest recently, just looking at what I had pinned in the past and I found a few colours jumping at me in a few pictures; the colours of fall.

Yellow. Orange. Red. Blue. Brown. 

 

 via

On their own, these colours are vibrant and gorgeous, but when you put them together, they are powerful. Just looking at that picture, I am just in awe again of how beautiful this season is.

My home has been evolving slowly throughout the years and so have my decorating and colour choices. With our living room walls now a perfect shade of white, I am free to add mustard yellow and different shades of blues and even a bit of red here and there. Spray paint is a wonderful thing and has allowed me to change up a few key items to display my changing colour palate.

I found a few pictures to show you how you can bring the colours of fall into your home.

These are beautiful red leaves displayed in gorgeous blue vases. This combination reminds me of looking up to the sky on a bright, clear day.

via 

I think I could move into this next room and be completely happy. I love the map hanging on the wood wall, which is flanked by the mustard yellow chairs. There is so much warmth to this room!

via

Here's a room for my boys. I love this rustic room and the sheepskin rug, Hudson Bay Company blanket, and the aqua, red, black and grey combination.

via

Next up is this beautiful bookcase. The mustard yellow herringbone background on the bookshelf is the perfect display to the ceramic owls, vintage suitcases, and wooden crates.

via

Lastly is, I think, my favourite example of bringing the colours of fall into your home. The yellows, blues, reds and even a bit of green all compliment each other beautifully. Though there are gourds and pumpkins in this picture, this is a colour scheme that could follow into winter, spring and summer.

via

There you have it. Some ways that you can bring fall into your home all year round. What is your favourite colour scheme?

This is day 20 of our Getting Cozy series. 

To catch up on all of our posts (and to enter our cozy cowl giveaway), click the button above! 

Getting Cozy: Being Creative

One of reasons that I love the cooler weather, is that I don't feel guilty if I want to stay inside and scrapbook or do something crafty. After my boys are in bed for a nap, I can pour myself a cup of coffee, pull out my scrapbooking supplies, turn on some music quietly and get crafty.

mini album

That being said, those moments don't happen as frequently as I would love. In fact, just recently, I told Jesse that I wish that I had more time to be creative.

Now that I am getting a good start on the Project Life style of scrapbooking (aka way easier), I am finding myself renewing that love for being creative. I am getting pictures into albums and even writing down memories. Success. 

You may not be into scrapbooking. That's fine! What do you do to be creative though? 

 via amy douglass

via craftyblossom

via jones design company

the heidi cowl

via chatelaine

You may look at those pictures and think that there is no way that you could do any of those crafts. Well what about baking? Revamp one of your favourite recipes. That's being creative. What about restoring furniture? That's being creative. Find something that you love to do where you can be creative and do it.

via poor and pretty

This is day 16 of our Getting Cozy series. 

To catch up on the series, click the button above. 

Getting Cozy: Thanksgiving Table Setting {Inspiration}

Since we're talking about 'getting cozy', what better way to get cozy, then with a loud family dinner...sitting elbow to elbow with family members. With Canadian Thanksgiving coming up this weekend, this is how many of us will be spending the next few days.

Thanksgiving has a lot of good memories for me. When I was younger, I loved decorating the table for Thanksgiving. I have heard my siblings making fun of me for piling the table with leaves and branches, but I am sure I had a theme. The wicker cornucopia was pulled out of the cupboard and I went down by the road and picked sumac branches, pretty leaves and grabbed the mini gourds that my mom had bought from the grocery store.

To this day, I love a pretty table setting. But to be honest? I never set the table fancy now, besides flowers in a vase. But I love looking at pretty table settings. I've gathered a few pictures to inspire me and you to set our tables pretty every now and then.

I love the simplicity of this table. The kraft paper "I am thankful for..." place mat is lovely. What a great memory to take pictures of everybody's list every year. 

via oh my deer

Placing table runners the opposite direction is a great idea if you don't want to use place mats. Beans in clear cylinder jars and tall white pillar candles with a pumpkin or two, finishes this beautiful, but simple table.

via liz marie blog

How easy, but cute is this place card? Send your kids outside to gather pine cones (or you can...or you can buy them at a craft store), write everyone's name on a small tag and tie it around the pine cone.

via cupcakes and cashmere

I love the look of this rustic board running down the center of the table. Instead of using pumpkins or gourds, she used apples, dried hydrangea flowers and old silver to decorate the runner.

via far from rubies

I didn't forget about the kids. In my family we cannot forget about the kids. There are eight under the age of three. Need I say more? At this age, most of them are in high chairs and booster seats and still need their parents to tell them to "keep eating", so they aren't at their own kid's table, but I couldn't pass by these pictures.

I apparently have a thing for kraft paper. But what can I say? It's cheap and it's perfect for the kids to draw on with crayons. I love the little fringe at the bottom of this table.

via bunnycakes

One more with kraft paper, but this one has the plates outlined with permanent marker. So cute.

via bunnycakes

Okay this has inspired me. Maybe this Thanksgiving I'll set the table nice at our family thanksgiving? I think my siblings have been missing the old cornucopia...

This is day 10 of our Getting Cozy Series.

To catch up on the rest of days, click the days below: 

Intro, Hello Fall

Day One: Cozy Cowls

Day Two: A Fall Mantle

Day Three: Harvest Vegetable Soup

Day Four: Favourite Fall Book List

Day Five: A Cozy Cowl Giveaway (Open till October 30th!)

Day Six: Decorating with Nature

Day Seven: Kids' Style

Day Eight: Styling Bookshelves

Day Nine: Autumn Vignettes

Getting Cozy: Decorating with Nature

One thing about fall is that you don't need to buy anything fake to decorate your home. Just take a walk outside or go to your favourite farmer's market and gather the beautiful decorations that are already around you. Pumpkins, bright coloured leaves, pinecones, and mums. Why go to the craft store and pick up a fake pumpkin, when the real ones are available in abundance.

 via dear lillie

via bgh

via bgh

I realize not everyone lives in a place where they can buy pumpkins or pick them from their garden. Or not everyone lives in an area where the leaves are turning gorgeous shades of red and yellow. But for those of us that do? Go for a walk and gather up the beautiful nature that is provided right in front of you and bring it inside.

via bgh

via martha stewart

Stick potted mums in hollowed out pumpkins. Place branches of leaves in enamel jugs or vases. Decorate your steps inside and outside with pumpkins.

via three pixie lane 

via lambie-pie 

 via southern living

Let's take advantage of the beautiful creation that is around us and make our homes cozy!

 This is day six of our 31 days series: Getting Cozy.

You can click below on each day to catch up:

Intro: Hello Fall

Day One: Cozy Cowls
Day Two: A Fall Mantle
Day Three: Harvest Vegetable Soup

Day Four: Favourite Fall Book List

Day Five: A Cozy Cowl Giveway - For you!  (Open till October 30th!)

Restful Spaces

Since we came back from vacation, I have been craving calmness and simplicity in our home. I have also been wanting to get little projects done around the house that have been on my list for a long time. Like painting the front door and putting up shelves in the kitchen. Check and check.

Here are some pictures that have been inspiring me as I continue making our home a restful place.

via IRON + TWINE

via The Little Corner

via decorology

via call me classy

via Country Living

Although white couches are not on my list of reality (although I do hear that they are easy to keep clean since you can just use bleach to get rid of the stains), there are a lot of elements in these rooms that I have in mind for our home. Stay tuned to see what I have in mind. 

How do you make your home a restful place?