I got to touch the Olympic Torch and boy was it dirty!

Huntsville Ontario December 30, 2009!  Well that was really cool.

signed, the willow

Christmas with the Griswolds

Christmas Eve we spent some time with the normal side of the Griswold family.  Electronics topped their list this year.

It was insisted by *Mila* to open her traditional Christmas Eve present.  Her tradition began this year!

All the dogs waited in hopes that there would be something delicious or edible inside.

But there was not.  Was there Sonny?

The next morning we awoke at 5 a.m. to begin the furor of Christmas. See *Steve* below:

Here  is the furor:

And here is the materialistic smile:

The whole day was an amusement to her.  I wish every day felt as good as this.

signed, the willow

Time Machine for handbags

If I could go back in time I would have bought this one of a kind beautiful purse.  Wouldn't you?
Hurry, before they run out....you can find them here and here and here.  Lisa, you're a rock star!

signed, the willow

Favourite Stores

I've been researching retail (online) stores and I've come up with a list of my favourites:

ChiChi (Winnipeg)

modern karibou  (Canada - online)

structube (Ontario & Quebec)

Kir DeVries 

eclection  (Ottawa)

supermarket

modern echo

signed, the willow

An Icelandic Rune

At the Nordic Store you can get one of these fabulous runes that will save you from getting lost in a blizzard.  Provided you wear it when you go out into the blizzard!

signed, the willow

My 5 Loves for Today

If I were Tom Thompson and I was paddling down through the wilds of Algonquin Park, I think I'd love to paddle my way into this kidney dish from cul de sac.

And then I found these adorable ceramics from Jasna Sokolovic.  Delectable!

Lady of the Lake made this bunting for her cinched waistline Christmas Tree.  (Pssst, she lives in a forest and yet puts up that nasty looking deformed tree!  She really needs to get in that canoe and paddle down to Algonquin Park for Christmas.  There's always a seat at my table for her any day of the year!)

These swell mugs are small versions of the infinity pool for a cold Canadian winter.  Yum PMO Designs!

And lastly, Blair Chivers.  A fine set of canvasses that I long to display/sell in our store! 

signed, the willow

Glass Ceiling? Glass Floor. Oh Yeah

While I'm busy busying up the shoppe in Downtown Huntsville, enjoy this link on Think Glass.

Isn't it divine to walk on glass? 

signed, the willow 

What Did You Do on the Weekend?

Once upon a time there was a smart little cookie, who like her mum would create all sorts of little creations and thrill her world with her oddities and uniqueness.  She makes the world go round and I'm proud to be her mother and her friend.

signed, the willow

As Shallow as a Wading Pool

Tonight as I opened up my mail I began my usual "feeling sorry for myself" hour of the night.  Until I opened up my birthday card from my mother. 

So, yes Mom, I received your great card and your wonderful gift.

Now to describe my hour of self-wallowing.  I sat there and began to day dream about the countertop, sink and tap that I would "need" in my bathroom to fit into my status symbol world.  I opened another bill and changed the address over the phone for this biller with a fellow in a third world country, where English was obviously rehearsed and not even a secondary language for him.  I was frustrated and not feeling the least bit sorry for someone who obviously worked in a boiler room.  There were voices in the background, they weren't happy voices.  And then I opened up my mother's card.  Inside she gave me the gift of giving to those less fortunate.  A health check up for 5 children and vitamins for a year for 5 children.  You too can help the hungry.....Food For the Hungry.  I promise to not feel sorry for myself because my sink and tap are not in vogue.  I promise to feel more for those who actually do need a sink with clean water flowing from it.  After all, avocado green isn't as bad as an infectious disease is it?

signed, the willow

First Day @ a New School deserves a Banana Split

signed, the willow

Will Big Cook make Little Cook STOP???

*Mila* and I are spending some relaxing time in front of the tv this morning.  The insane British show that I picked this morning was "Big Cook Little Cook".  It went something like this:


signed, the willow

Let the Creativity Fold

Benja Harney of Paperform created these wonderful windows for Hermes in Sydney, Australia.  Absolutely, positively to die for.  I'd love to have my windows dolled up with those wings but I'm afraid I would die (because I said they were to die for and then I'd have to die.  Okay, nevermind).

How cute are these?

Wouldn't you just want to buy that super angelic purse and fly away with it?  MMMMMM?  YEP!

But look at some of Benja's other work:

Models on the Runway pop-up for Bazaar Magazine?  Is that Kate Moss in the mix?

High tea made of paper?  Now this reminds me of the 'Prince of Wales' in Niagara-On-The-Lake.

Thank you Benja, you rock!

signed, the willow

Twinkle Twinkle Little Bunny

signed, the willow

My Dog Fell in Love...

My dog fell in love with a lifesize wooden pig!  Every time we walk by the house with the large black and white wooden pig, Suma decides she NEEDS to pull me over to have a good sniff of Porky.

signed, the willow

Muji

If I would have chosen these "City in a Bag" blocks for my daughter, I think I would have played blocks a lot more often!  You can find them at Muji.

signed, the willow

Combien vous n'aimez the Wallpaper?

Nama Rococo wallpaper!  Can you just imagine how divine you could turn a rather bland room into something extremely fun with this limited edition paper?  I want to make some.  I have to make wallpaper.

signed, the willow

Like, Can I be a Swede already?

Lisa Bengtsson, if you weren't a girl I would find a way to marry you!  Like when can I become a Swede?

signed, the willow

As I was saying about the Swedes

This is where I want you to begin.  Forget about IKEA.  I had a momentary lapse as I struggled with packing, moving, real estate deals, lawyers, and yes even the FLU!  The other day, I was flipping through pages of pictures on desiretoinspire.  Yes, they are 2 very talented and creative women, one being Canadian. 

They had linked over to this blog Dos Family by two women that live 7 hours apart in Sweden named Isabelle and Jenny.  I love the Swedes again because they relate their distance from one another in time, a favourite pastime in Canada.  And so I began my journey of getting lost on the internet. 

I went here to mikodesign where blogger Erika blogged about her textile designs.  Ok, I don't believe that she's Swedish, but what do I know.  She has a daughter named *Mila*, so that makes her a wonderful thing.  And her textile designs are to die for.

Then I went to freshly found and found myself spot on in South Africa. 

Next I wandered into kids haus.

And next to one of my all time faves:  Skinny laMinx.  Faves because my Grampa called me Skinny MaLinx or Skinny LaMinx when I was a little girl.  And well, my Grampa is always looking out for me from above and I'd do anything to make him proud that I became that unique individual he said I would be.  Again, Skinny's not a Swede, but a South African.  Not that there is anything wrong with being a South African.

Because my mom, Lady of the Lake, and I are big paper fans:  Papier Mache magazine.  Now I've hopped over to Australia.

And lastly for today, some Aussie goodness, lmnop.  As simple as that.

signed, the willow

 

Oh to be a Swede

Why are the Swedes so damn stylish? 

We have IKEA

Then there is IKEA

And furthermore IKEA

signed, the Icelander

We did not buy the farm

But we bought a store.  Downtown Huntsville, Ontario.

Come and visit us really soon! 

We're busy with a big move and a change in lifestyle.  Must be something in the air in 2009, it seems as if we are all smitten with some new venture in our lives.  Be sure to stay tuned for the misadventures of Willow and her family.

signed, the willow xxxxxxx

Location Location Location

They say that location sells a house and it may be the reason we bought this house.  Take a walk with me.

Outside meet the big trees out front.

The house is solid and needs a good power wash, but the roof is new and let's walk around back.

Yum!  What's that I see?  More BIG TREES?  Yippee!  And a playhouse to boot.

Let's zoom in and see what that thing is beyond the trees.  Oooooh a lake!

And now, we'll take a walk indoors where we meet some fugly carpet and mahoghany trim. 

The window coverings are sure to block the view.

We've lived with avocado green fixtures before and we'll have to put up with these for the next year or two.  But they are clean and functional.

My brother drew up a floor plan of the place for us and listed a few light fixtures....

See?

Now couldn't this kitchen win the ugliest kitchen contest.  Here's the bonus, what you can't see is that there is a pantry on the left blocking lower cabinets.  Someone actually went to the trouble to match up the pantry to those cabinets thus blocking off the functionality of the cupboards.  Ugh.  Hello IKEA kitchen event.

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

signed, the willow

This is Why I Love the Internet

"A Daily Dose of Goodness", ABC DEFG!  It's the design alphabet of course, silly billy.  OMG, I L-O-V-E this blog. 

If you are a bride, or even if you're not you need to read Style Me Pretty.  Oh, heck have a wedding for your dog and the neighbour's guinea pig if you must.  It's all too darn fun!

And I'm one step closer to taking a Swedish as a Second Language course, thanks to Skona hem.  Yes, first IKEA, then Lotta Jansdotter.  What would we do without the Swedes?

Design Within Reach carries just about every single dining chair on the planet that I love.

I can pretty much tell you that the Origami Club is not like the Chess Club.  Hello!  Don't you want to run out and buy some delicious paper to make a dozen of these:

No kidding!

And I can't forget about Michelle Forsyth.  She's phenomenal.  What an artist!  I couldn't decide which work to link up to her name.  There's too many favourites.

So, many more reasons to love the internet and take the internet out for dinner, maybe on a picnic or on a long romantic walk along the beach.

Until next time.

signed, the willow