Restoration Hardware, baby

I've been checking out the latest offerings from Restoration Hardware's baby & child line:

{ schoolhouse play table }

I've always had a soft spot for the 'schoolhouse vintage' esthetic. This hardwood framed table looks like it could stand a bit of battering & I like the sheet metal top. Would be great in the playroom or as a 'kids' table' in our family room.

Sebastian is over-due for some new bedding. At present he's using my old eiderdown from uni days & a patchwork quilt I bought him when he was three. I'd love either of these on his bunk beds but I'll have to run it by the man himself:

{ vintage airplane blueprint }

{ jersey letter sheet set }

I must admit when Restoration Hardware first came out with their kids' line I wasn't that impressed. But I'm liking these offerings. What do you think?

Luck O' The Irish

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The kids & I are heading to the Vancouver Aquarium today to enjoy another leisurely day of Spring Break. We don't go to this fantastic Vancouver landmark often enough but when we do we always have a blast:

{ wishing fountain at the Vancouver Aquarium }

When we get home we plan on making leprechaun spirits using some bottles leftover from Paulina's Alice in Wonderland birthday party last year & this simple template from design*sponge:

{ Elixir of Luck }

We will be sure to wear green to avoid any pinches from errant leprechauns!!

I'm 0ff to deal with a few permit issues for a project & finish off some dishes before we head out. These lovely shamrocks are what I get to look at while at my sink:

{ dishes & candles & shamrocks }

{ view from seats at the kitchen island }

{ close-up }

Inexpensive island decorations:

• shamrock plants bought at local Superstore
• small galvanized Socker pots from IKEA
• Glimma tealight holders & inserts from IKEA
• assorted candlesticks {2 were inherited from Craig's family, 2 were wedding gifts from Restoration Hardware (those specific candlesticks are no longer in production) & 2 are mouth blown glass from (where else!) IKEA)

May the luck of the Irish be with you today!!

New Lonny

I am indulging in the new Lonny mag as we enjoy our first leisurely morning of Spring Break...

{ hello, Lonny, glad to see you again! }

My favourite articles in the online magazine are:

• Stella McCartney's West Hollywood store. Love love love the classic dark brown-trimmed & white exterior covered in vines:

{ Stella McCartney's Beverly Boulevard store }

• Colleen Locke's eclectic home. Enjoy the mix of fancy sophistication & rugged rusticity:

{ Cape Cod meets glamour meets vintage }

• Nolita townhouse. Check out the glossy black trim paint:

{ Manhattan breakfast nook }

• 1947 Hollywood restoration. Drooling over the heavenly walk-in closet:

{ boutique feel walk-in }

Wait a minute... have I included approximately half of the articles in the magazine??!! Yup, I do love Lonny!

In My Nest

As I mentioned in a previous post, we aren't putting together our nursery until baby is born & we confirm if he's a boy or she's a girl. We have a bassinette set up in our room:

{ anticipating baby's arrival }

The moses basket is an inexpensive find from Toys R Us {click HERE for the link} & combined with a rocker base, suits us just fine! I love the sage & off-white colour (which is perfect for a newborn boy OR girl):

{ loving the stripes! }

Some hand-me-down teddy bears from big brother Sebastian & big sister Paulina await our wee one:

{ cozy spot to land }

And a bunch of books to read & blocks to play with:

{ I love Beatrix Potter }

While I was setting up baby's space in our room, I was indulging in some non-alcoholic beer. It's not quite as good as an ice-cold big girl pint but this little baba is well worth the sacrifice in taste:

{ non-alchoholic beer & baby belly }

We've got a chest of drawers full of itty-bitty clothes, receiving blankets, diapers, etc. etc. & I've set up a change table on top:

{ diaper-zone }

If you've had a baby, did you find out the sex? Why or why not? And are you good at predicting... what do you think we're having?

Boy??

or girl??

Baby~Belly & Family Photo Session

Baby is still "in". Which I am quite grateful for, to be honest. I've never experienced the last month of pregnancy. Both of our other kids came early & I am enjoying these last few days & weeks of being pregnant with a belly full of baby. I know that this baby won't be premature, which is a reassurance. And I have had time while the kids are in school to rest & relax & get a few 'to dos' off my list. It has been a reflective, quiet time which I don't always allow for in my day-to-day life. We've been having some fun family times too, as we look forward to all the changes ahead.

As promised here are a few pictures from our photo shoot with Becky of Bee Chalmers Photography:

{ Craig & I holding hands }

{ love this one }

{ and I love this one too }

{ me & my boy }

Becky also got some pictures of the two of us, of us as a family & of the various 'goings on' of a Saturday morning in the Smith household. She even got a shot of the family cat, Sinatra (who is all tough guy with other cats but is pretty nervous around humans).

{ Sinatra observing the goings-on }

{ Craig being a goofball }

{ Paulina being a goofball ~ she came by THAT honestly }

{ whirling dervish }

{ sibling love }

{ Smith Family in our bedroom }

{ Sebastian giving his Mum a cuddle }

{ Father-Daughter Time }

{ Sebastian & some of Becky's kids at one of our fave parks }

Can you tell how much I love black & white photos? And how hard it was to pick just a few to share??!

You can also see from the periphery of the pictures how much we need to do around this place. There is no art on the walls, there is painting to be done in the master bath (note panels around tub), & we have a minimum of furniture. We don't even have a proper master bed & our bedside tables are 'make-dos'.

I feel like our house is a home but needs a few more layers added to give it a bit more personality. Maybe the arrival of this new little one will trigger us to get some of these projects done around the house...and perhaps bring fodder for a new blog post?!!

Posters

I am loving these posters from {a}VINTAGE POSTER (and they are priced right too!):

{ Carnival-Inspired in Mushroom}

{ Modern Inspired in Cotton Candy }

{a}VINTAGE POSTER also does custom work as evidenced here:

{ mini ABCs/123 posters perfect for a clean & simple child's space }

Love love love...

Tea & Style At Home

I just received the latest issue of Style At Home

{ red, white & blue issue }

It seems a little Americana~coloured but I'll reserve judgement until I've had a chance to read it. After a bit of work this morning I intend to sit down, put my feet up, and peruse... most likely over a cup of tea.

{ tea & belly & me }

I just received a disc of photos from my friend Rebecca (from Bee Chalmers Photography) who did a fab photo shoot of our family & my belly. She's amazing (have I said that before??!!) & the shot above is by her. A subsequent post will show you some of the pics but there are some sneak peeks on her website if you click HERE.

Off to work. I'm working on a new project & will post about it when it 'gels' a little more. And then tea & mag reading before school pickup...