Tomato, tomahto

You say Ikeya, I say Ikea!

Now that we are finally getting our beloved Ikea back, it is time we all learn how to pronounce it.

It’s Ie-KAY-A, not I-KEY-A. I know this because I watched this YouTube video AND it’s how I had always pronounced it … until recently, when I finally jumped on the Ikeya train. Never again my friends. Never again.

Text from Erin:

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But I digress. What I am actually here to write about is, what’s on my wish list for the big opening – in 14-16 months. I get to visit Ikea once a year when I make my annual pilgrimage to the holiday office party in Montreal. Jessica happily joins me in a slow stroll through the store and she listens to me say over and over “It’s just not fair” … “Do you think I can fit this in a carry-on?” … “If only Halifax had an Ikea” … “Did you know Halifax once had an Ikea?” … Honestly, I annoy myself with all the whining.

That’s why it was so exciting when I got the news that Halifax is getting a store! Turns out, the whole city freaked.

Now I’m no fool, I know what good quality is and I know that Ikea is not always known for that. I also know that if given the choice, I’d much rather furnish my whole house from Design Within Reach… but my budget does not match that store. So with this in mind, here are TEN items I have been ikying (get it? eyeing):

VITTSJÖ Shelving unit, white or red, glass, $59.00 ::: because it’s crisp, clean and an easy-to-spray piece of shelving. I’ve seen people spray it gold and it looks 3-x-fancier. However in red, I think it will work in our non-existent basement rec. room.
ea5bc56c9b44b65b095d001738e72830STOCKSUND Sofa, Ljungen light red, $849.00 ::: because it’s red and sharp. It’d be more awesome if they release a navy or deep green version in 14-16 months. Just saying.
ba39e4ec29dd452ef8aa615bed7faf59KNAPPER Standing mirror, white, $49.99 ::: because we do not have a full length mirror in our house. I never match because I can only see 1/4 of myself at a time.
fd0943820378af7412ec90db50a72cd5ALVINE RUTA Rug, flatwoven, white/yellow handmade, $299.00 ::: because we need a new rug for our living room. this will do but in all honestly, it’s not the one… I am still looking.
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STRANDMON Wing chair, Skiftebo green, $399.00 ::: because it reminds me of the movie Beetlejuice, in a good way. It makes me smile.
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TURBO Clothes rack, indoor/outdoor, black, $49.99 ::: because my wardrobe (an Ikea wardrobe) is literally busting at the seams and we do not have closets in our house. A few of these would be awesome in our dressing room… which is actually the spare room (I will explain another time).
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SINNERLIG Serving plate, assorted colors, $12.99 ::: because they look like Denby but a lot cheaper.
905d794d31eee10c738a33de89c8e611NORDLI Bed frame, white, $349.00 ::: because at some point in the future (14-16 months) I’d love to have a proper spare room and get rid of the crappy futon we make our guest sleep on. It’s very sad. No wonder no one visits.
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STOCKHOLM TV bench, walnut veneer, $499.00 / and STOCKHOLM Nesting tables, set of 2, walnut veneer, $299.00 ::: because I need furniture for our non-existent basement rec. room.
a8ed47d3758429594220056968f4aca5stockholm-nesting-tables-set-of-__0212224_PE350629_S4How about you? Are you excited? I am.

This is PART ONE of my Swedish celebration. Check back for more posts including: My current collection, my Ikea favourites, and more!

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50 under 50 favourite things

My friend wrote a post about Oprah’s Favorite Things. (Yah, I know you remember it; best show of the year although, I always felt sorry for the suckers who had tickets for the taping right before or right after that one.) … Anyway, Monique’s* post was about the ridiculous prices of some of Oprah’s favourite things and I have to agree! Then I got my weekly email from Goop featuring her annual gift guide which was equally nuts so I thought it’d be fun to do my own favourite things/wish list but keep all items under $50. I hope you enjoy and please let me know what your favourite things are… Especially if you are on my list!

Fav things

kijiji’in

I do not have the greatest luck when it comes to Kijiji but from what I’ve been told, practice makes perfect and I don’t practice.

Kinda like grade eight band class and my trumpet…

Anyway, I am always envious of my friends who score amazing stuff from Kijiji, the Value Village and even Frenchys, and I never understand why I have no luck! Then, I realized, it’s probably because I actually don’t spend enough time looking. For that one J.Crew sweater, she* probably sifted through 50 bins. So, with this being said, I am going to practice and share some finds I found on Kijiji Halifax. I have set my filter to a 50 km radius.

To start, I am going to select some key words that interest me. Even though I don’t need anything, it is always fun to browse. And speaking of looking… for frig sake, if you are posting furniture, take a picture!

Lets start with my favourite word:

SCANDINAVIAN

haha, the first think that pops up was:
Vintage IKEA hall table – early ’80s design ($45).
Um, I don’t think this is what I had in mind. 1-$_35

The second (and only other) item was:
6 teak chairs ($240).
With awesome fabric, these would be amazing… and doing the math, that’s $40 a chair. Not bad. 2-$_35

Since there are not a lot of SCANDINAVIAN items listed, I tried TEAK and found 25 pieces of furniture! Here are some goodies.

Wow, this whole title sings to me:
Mid Century Modern Danish Teak Extendable Dining Table ($450).
Darling, if only I had the space. 3-$_35

This is nice too but I am not sure about the leather top. I am also not sure why there’s a question mark in the title:
BEAUTIFUL WALNUT LEATHER TOP DESK CREDENZA TEAK? MID CENTURY ($350) 4-$_35

Why do people not give prices. It makes me angry:
1960s Danish teak credenza with hutch 5-$_35

Moving on… DANISH may be a word used more than Scandinavian. Nevermind, just a repeat of everything I’ve already seen.

CREDENZA: 10 items

Solid Wood Dresser/Credenza **Delivery Included** ($75).
Not loving the colour but liking the price. 6-$_35

At this point, I feel like I am seeings more and more repeats so I am heading in a new direction.

BUNK BED: 26 items

Red Metal Bunk Bed Frame ($100).
I love the red! I had my heart set on solid wood but the colour is calling me. Mike thinks the railing at the top is not 5-year-old friendly.  7-$_35

Argh, not a lot of bunk beds. How about something I would love but do not have the room for: BEDROOM SET: 10 items

Not much out there for my liking but this set was probably the nicest:
Canadian Made Wooden Bedroom Set: Sleigh bed and 2 dressers ($1,850) 

8-$_35

MID CENTURY (these words make me nervous – I feel like a lot of people don’t know what mid century is): 30 items

Mid Century Modern Walnut Occasional Chair (2 for sale) ($200)
Someone took the time to reupholster them in neutral grey rib weave resistant fabric. Bonus. 9-$_35

Eames Lounger (unique mid century replica) – Own a classic ($600):
At $600, this guy is not only offering a chair but a whole lot of explanations: This is a unique find from a few years ago that I refinished myself, and I just don’t have the room for. It does not come with an ottoman. This is NOT an original eames brand lounger, so let’s get that out of the way so you don’t get too excited. However, this is not a ratty vinyl modern chinese knockoff either (Which cost over a grand I might add). It’s real leather except the arm rests and dates from the 70’s. (I guess the knockoff’s started from the get go, and this is one of them.) Now for the oddities: The previous owner’s cat scratched the leather. It’s in the pics, but the leather is picked at (no rips). The base is not fixed like the eames original. The base on this is fairly beat up metal with new plastic feet, and it reclines. I myself like it better. (Have you ever sat in a real one. They’re not all that comfortable, especially with a laptop, or trying to talk to anyone else in the room.) This one is. I find it quite comfy, (you can fall asleep in it reeealllllll easy). The originals are tinted orange. This one is stained with more of a burgundy. It is also kind of creaky (I think in an endearing way), but if you’ve sat in a knockoff at project 9 or attica, it’s not as machined as that. This looks like an eames lounger, but feels like a lazy boy..in a good way. 10-$_35

That last guy’s post got me thinking about how I can smooth talk people into buying my stuff

Bosch Washer/Dryer set ($250): This set has survived not one but two floods! And, although they may roar slightly louder than a kitten, they still work! We (and the guy who assessed them) recommend a new motor for the washing machine however this team would be great for a cottage. Bosch is a great brand and both you and the environment will love them. Call today before they get swept away *again.

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Please let me know what words you search for and if you have scored anything truly amazing. All of the items found above (including my washing machine set) are still available… unless someone else bought them. Good luck!

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*she: Sarah, Amanda, Sabrina, Georgina…

bundle up

Autumn is here and we are holding off on turning on the thermostat. I bet we are not the only ones who treat this annual ritual as a game… how long can you bear it? To participate, you need to be strong and you must bundle up. With this in mind, I gathered up some fall-inspired fashion (aka my current wish list) that makes it almost okay to accept the brisk temperatures.

Autumn

But before I fill up my fictional online baskets, have you heard about a capsule wardrobe? I landed on this site and the idea intrigues me. Should I? Could I? I know there are clothes in my ‘closet’ that I’ve hung on to but do no wear and since I don’t actually have a real closet, it has become more evident that I am waisting valuable real estate. I think a capsule wardrobe would be a great way to minimize what I own and then decide what I really need. Here is Unfancy’s fall capsule wardrobe. Nice, right? If I decide to give this a go, I will be sure to let you know. In all honesty, I think I need to focus more on purging … not purchasing.

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A. Catbird Chained to my Heart Necklace / B. Catbird Ballerina Silver Earrings / C. Free People Jacquard Vegan Moto Jacket / D. Madewell High Rise Skinny Jeans / E. Jen Cogliantry Neck Knot / F. Lulus Bench Warmer Orange Plaid Infinity Scarf / G. Patagonia Women’s Toggle Down Vest / H. Kate Spade Saturday Pinstripe Hooded Circle Scarf / I. Sweaty Wisdom You have the same amount of hours in a day as Beyonce Mug / J. QP x Collections Helmet Bag – Small – Green and Tan / K. Sweaty Betty Pace Run Tights / L. Vans® classic slip-ons in perforated leather / M. Hugo Guinness Original for J.Crew Epic Sweatshirt / N. Madewell ex-boyfriend shirt in cherry plaid / O. J.Crew Merci Tee / P. Frye Melissa Button Short / Q. Madewell prinkshop for edible schoolyard & madewell tee / R. Boden lightweight roll neck / S. Kate Spade Saturday The A Satchel / T. Aritzia Wilfred Diderot Sweater / U. Swatch Scuba Clownfish

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dog days of summer

Anyone who knows me knows Henry – my side-kick who spends every day under my desk. He’s a bit of a shadow and I love him for it. So, in celebration of my fabulous companion and the dog days of summer, I though it’d be fun to do up a shopping guide for our furriest of friends. Sit pretty and enjoy.

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dogsA. Doggie Style Print / B. The Big New Yorker Book of Dogs / C. Furminator Fur Ejector Long Hair Shedding Tool / D. Tsavorite Dog Charm and Chain / E. Rope Ball Tug and Toss Dog Toy / F. Daplyn Grey Harris Tweed Dog Bed / G. Jamie Red Dog Bowl / H. Claudia Pearson Dog Plates / I. Big tote – Be the person your dog thinks you are / J. Waterhog Pet Place Mat / K. Treat Bag / L. LoveMyDog Harris Tweed Dog Blankets / M. DC37 Turbinehead Animal / N. Personalized Dog Bone Pillow / O. Chevron Dog Bed / P. Adelina Pink Liberty Print Dog Collar / Q. Found My Animal Carrier / R. Metal Engraved Buckle Dog Collar / S. Chalk Painted Dog Bowl / T. British Slip Dog Lead / U. Large Plush Durable Dog Toy with Heart Fortune& Squeaker / V. Ombre Rope Dog Leash

Photo: Taken with my iPhone: Wallace River, Nova Scotia
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