Lately on the internet I have been randomly found here and here and here

Doing Blogilates with this cool chick


Visit her blog and Blogilates along with Cassey.


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And quite honestly, I spend a lot of time here (but who hasn't?):


Pinterest!



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A great blog to read (and lots of decorating eye candy) from Croatia (and heck I'm married to one - a Croatian. that is):


COPY PASTE




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I've been exposing my Viking side to my Croatian husband and he's become more and more intimidated thanks to the History Channel's Vikings.

Meet Ragnar Lothbrok



via  Vikings


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Speaking of Vikings, I love me a little Iceland and while I dream of my journey there soon (very soon!), here's where I drool



Wouldn't a marathon in Reykjavik be fun? Get ég fengið bolla af kaffi? 



signed, the willow

A drive on the Etsy highway

Today I felt like a scenic drive.... on Etsy.


First, we need a ride.

source:  blackbirdletterpress on etsy


Look out the window, we're all passengers.  Say goodbye to the hydro lines of the city.

source:  blackbirdletterpress on etsy



maybe we'll stop at a roadside diner somewhere.  which one?

source:  elukka on etsy



I think I'll be needing this hat for the ride.

source:  buygail on etsy


Finally, a little road trip freshen up to "blow the stink off" as my mum would say.

source:  signal mountain on etsy


signed, the willow

Brown Paper Bagging It

Since *mila* has to present on how she feels about herself by placing 5 objects in a paper lunch bag tomorrow,  I thought I'd try the same.  Remember, it has to fit in a paper bag!


source:  club doctissimo

1. a croissant:  I can't put the cappuccino in the bag.  I like to think of myself as pensive and a bit of a daydreamer that can sit over an americano and a nice croissant in an outdoor cafe in Paris.



source:  art paints

2. an indigo paint chip:  Rich in character like the colour indigo. Dark and mysterious.  Vibrant and fun.




source:  touches home interiors

3.  a crystal door knob:  It creates prismatic views of life.  It allows others to open new doors.  It is the way in or out, not the door itself.  It's like I need the attention that a doorknob from 'Alice in Wonderland' would need in order to be opened.  I like to be tippy-toed around, handled with kid-gloves and all those other wonderful things!  No, I'm not a princess or a diva, just fragile like that crystal door knob,




source:  schleich

4. a toy icelandic horse:  it's unique and has a gait like no other (I have a normal gait, but I march to my own drum).  It's a reminder to be true to who I am.  It's a reminder of my familial roots (my great-great grandparents emigrated from Iceland to Canada).   Oooh, that's a boy pony, isn't it?  Eeek, sorry about that.




source:  coo home designing

5.  an ikea catalogue collection:  First of all, I have a collection of IKEA catalogues.  This is not my collection.  I guess if you have no clue who I am or just started to read my blog, you probably haven't noticed that I'm a bit of an IKEA freak.  Been there for dinner tonight, have a Billy bookcase in just about every room.  I know each and every catalogue like the back of my hand.  How does it describe who I am?  Well, I'm a bit obsessive.  I like to collect and I can't dare throw anything out (sometimes).  I'm loyal.  Loyal like a dog.  I was born in the year of the dog.  99% of my home items come from IKEA.  I like to think that IKEA acts with integrity and I like to think I do too.  Or at least I try.

+++++=====++++++


Normally I would identify myself by my relationships.  I'm a mother, I'm a daughter, a sister, a wife, a grand-daughter, a cousin, and an aunt.  But, this time I needed the autonomy lesson.  We all do.  Life gets busy and life can whisk us away to places that take us down roads where we forget who we are.

Take some time to fill up your bag.

What did you put in yours?

signed, the willow

Bend little willow

It's not everyday that you can blog about your middle name.  But I'm so lucky I can do it over and over and over again.  And now, I have so many more reasons to love willows:




willow leaf ring
silver blueberry on etsy




source:  pinterest




source:  pinterest




(blue willow inspired johnny walker bottles)
source:  pinterest



incredible sculpture of dancing lady
source:  trevor leat





signed, the willow

The many-drawered

If there is one thing I love, it's many, many, many, mucho drawered things.



source:  apartment therapy




source:  art of asia corp



source:  design sponge




source:  cantyshanty





source:  all about abbie






source:  daily decorator






all 3 above, source:  driftwood interiors






source:  american listed





source:  scissor variations




what would you put in all those drawers?  i think i'd keep polly pocket's shoe collection in any given set of drawers.


signed, the willow

Studio Moodio Love

Daydreaming of a new art studio?  Daydream no more.  Put your paints or musical instruments in one of these beautiful studios here.


source:  wishstudio



source:  roomzaar






source:  borough gallery & studio


source:  flickr




source:  studio-house




source:  emergency response studio





source:  jenniferyoung





source:  fashion copious



source:  interiordesignnet




I long for a studio in a loft space.  I know, I know, "be careful what you wish for".  Maybe I'll take a room above the garage instead. Or, I love the idea of transforming a trailer or airstream!


Do you have a studio?  Send me a link and I'll make a special mention!

signed, the willow

True Indigo

I am a lover of all things indigo.  Not navy bleu.  Indigo.  It's rich, deep, dark and mysterious.  Kind of like aubergine.  Don't ya think?

A few of my favourite indigo covered walls:



source:  rue magazine




source:  apartment therapy
via:  french by design



source:  houzz
via:  french by design



source:  world of threads festival (psst! this is judy martin's manitoulin island studio.  how lucky is she?)



source:  inspireplease



source:  pinterest





source:  pinterest




signed, the willow

Refuse Art

Always on the lookout for artists who recycle, who reuse, who reduce.

Here's today's collection found on the network that connects us all, called the internet.

Wonder Baby. Meet Ruby Reusable, where I found Wonder Baby by artist Olympia Dumpster Diver aka Ruby Reusable.  I found her on Find, Make, Do.  One helluva good site too!

(source:  Ruby Reusable)

woven plastic bag art via art business

Unintentional art is the mining of phosphorus in Florida.  It's beautiful blended lines and crystalline inertia is sinfully as bad as admiring a fur coat (on a person).  But, it's mesmerizing, isn't it?

source:  Discover magazine

free garbage art via art business

wabisabi chair via inhabitat

signed, the willow