New Year, New Thoughts

The New Year always brings with it a sense of renewal, and I always feel the need to make a change of some sort. As I look back through this blog, I can see a pattern of January rejuvenation:

January 2009:  On January 9th, Cherish Toronto was introduced.
January 2010:  Goals were set for the year 1,2,3,4,5 (all of which were eventually accomplished) and I had a quick getaway to NYC.
January 2011:  My living room got a quick & colourful makeover with a fresh coat of Flamingo's Dream.
January 2012:  Bedside tables were found and plans were coming together for guest room decor in the new condo.
January 2013:  Crickets...

So far this year I've been feeling rather uninspired. That's not to say that things aren't happening - in fact I've tackled a few projects (closet organization and an art wall), but I'm not excited about anything new. I'm having a hard time putting my finger on the problem, but I think it might be this:

 Inspirational quote via Girl Hearts Camera

The blogging community here in Toronto is made up of some very, very, very talented people, many of whom I consider "blogger friends", and I often make the mistake of comparing my efforts to theirs. Big mistake. Big. Huge! Many of these bloggers have either been a guest on CityLine, appeared on Steven & Chris, or have been featured in Style at Home magazine. Is it weird to be super happy for all of these amazing bloggers, while at the same time being just a little bit jealous? They make we want to step up my game, and I'm struggling to get there, but I often feel that what they're doing is soooo much better than what I'm doing. I mean, look at what these bloggers have up to over the past year:

Christine Dovey of Bijou and Boheme
Christine set the tone for her entire home with Project Kitchen Gorgeous:

Image via Bijou and Boheme

Jennifer Flores of Rambling Renovators

Jennifer and her husband Sean have mastered the skills of home renovation:

 Image via Rambling Renovators 
 

Vanessa Francis of Decor Happy

Vanessa is an interior designer by trade and her home reflects her talent:

Image via Decor Happy

Sarah Gunn of Sarah Gunn Style
Sarah is the Queen of DIY and is a regular Cityline Guest Expert:

  
Image via Sarah Gunn Style 

Tim Lam of Design Maze

Tim always puts together beautiful rooms:

Image via Style at Home

Lisa Mackay of Wicked & Weird
Lisa has created a comfortable home for her young family:
 

  Image via Wicked & Weird

Lindsay Stephenson of Little House Blog

Lindsay and hubby Aubrey recently finished a kitchen renovation:

 

Image via Little House Blog

 So what are my thoughts for the year ahead? I think that it's an honour to be acquainted with such an incredibly talented group of bloggers who delight their readers by chronicling their DIY, design and renovation projects online. In 2013, I hope to by INSPIRED by them, and yet CONFIDENT enough in my abilities to find joy in my own home.

Weekend Activity: Style North Garage Sale

If you're staying in town this Victoria Day long weekend, you won't want to miss the 2nd annual styleNorth Garage Sale happening Saturday, May 19th @ 9 am. The sale is being held in the Artscape Wychwood Barns, and I'm sure there will be lots of fabulous goodies to be had. My friends Tim (Design Maze) and Amy (Eye See Pretty) will be there with their wares, so be sure to check it out.

Have a super duper long weekend, everyone!!

New Addition

I recently came across a set of 3 bamboo chairs on Kijiji, and immediately I knew I had to have them!! They were just like the chairs I wrote about in this April 2009 post. Since I didn't need all 3 chairs for myself, I forwarded the ad to my friend Tim of Design Maze and we decided that we would split them between us. And so a deal was struck!

Ooh la la, bamboo goodness...

The caning is in excellent condition, but since I'm keeping this chair at my office until the new condo is ready, I've thrown a colourful cushion (from HomeSense) on the seat to protect it from wear and tear.


Eventually I'll be using this chair in my home office, so I will end up giving it a coat of paint and having a proper seat cushion made. Piece by piece, it's already coming together.

Intro to Design Maze

This is the living room of fellow Toronto design blogger Tim Lam, who writes Design Maze. I love the way Tim uses slipcovers and pillows in colourful fabrics to add a sense of the season to his space. On March 17th, his entire condo will be featured on CBC's Steven & Chris, or for more immediate gratification, visit the Design Maze blog and website.

Welcome to the Toronto design blogging community, Tim!!