It's Been A While.....How Are You...No Really...How Are You?

It really has been a while….Almost 10 months since my last post.

If you had asked me what 2020 was going to look like when I wrote my post on March 8th, never in a trillion years would I have been able to begin to fathom what the year was going to bring to us all….to our entire planet. When you think of it that way…our entire planet….it gives me goosebumps, but for all the wrong reasons.

I was able to sneak away for a weekend to a friends cottage this summer and as I sat on the dock and looked up at the stars one night, I was reflecting on a number of things and that’s when it truly hit me…That sense of ‘the entire planet’…..It was enough to bring tears to my eyes and made me take a few deeps breaths to collect myself.

Noting all of our lives have literally been turned upside town, twisted, shaken and triple lutzed (yes, I was a figure skater back in the day) how are you? And I mean REALLY…how… are...you?

I truly hope you are doing as well as you can. I’m absolutely certain there are days that are better then others and I hope you are finding ways to get through the more challenging days in a healthy and mindful manner. I appreciate that it can be difficult to do so, but if there is one thing the last 10 months have allowed for is the ability to take a step back and really come to realize who and what is important in my life. Who has been there to talk to, what has brought joy, what has brought sadness or disappointment, who has disappeared from my life….I hope that if there is one positive thing that has come from 2020 is that you have been able to examine your life and bring close those people and things that bring in goodness and let go of those that don’t. It sure has for me!

Overall, I’d say that I’m doing alright. I have a lot to be grateful for and I really try to focus on that on the days that seem a little extra crazy. I honestly have no idea how it’s December this week and I truly feel that 2020 has been a bit of a blur at times. I started a new job…twice…yes, twice during this time and wow, has onboarding been quite the unique experience. Meeting new co-workers over virtual meetings, learning the ins and outs of an organization via a computer and phone calls and working from home full time (which I am immensely grateful for, though there is something to say about human connection). I work in a field that thrives on human connection, being able to speak to people in person and face to face, to be able to read body language, have deep, meaningful conversations and all of that has been put to the test during this time but overall, has been a success!

And speaking of connection….I think you all know how much I love animals and feel that having a connection to them is extremely healing and cathartic. Well….as of April, I added a third fur babe to the family. If you follow me on social media, you would have already met Jackson and learned how I am officially a ‘foster fail’. This smart, sweet and loving pooch came to me via Fur-Ever Able Dog Rescue and it was literally meant to be. He has been such a wonderful companion through all of this for many reasons. First and foremost, he has the sweetest personality and to see him come out of his shell has been so inspiring. We still have some work to do around socialization, which has proven challenging during this time of physical distancing, but he has come such a long way and made great improvement. He’s a great motivator to get outside and be active as we both need to work on our conditioning this days! Overall, having the stars align to have him come home has been an extremely bright light these past months. Having him around to bring a smile to my face and to literally make me laugh out loud has been so fantastic!

I will admit, that laughter has been very helpful as there are times I feel as though I’m living in the movie Groundhog Day (and I’m sure that this is a feeling a lot of us share). I’ve gone from being on the road almost everyday with work to not having had an in person meeting in months. It sure has been a shift. One thing I have come to realize, mainly on my trips to the farm to see the two big fur boys, is how much I enjoy driving. How much thinking I do when I’m driving and how it allows me to clear out some room in my headspace. Those trips to and from the farm are really most of the driving I do nowadays and I’m grateful for that time to turn up the music, get behind the wheel and think….process…and clear my mind.

Another thing that has really been reinforced is the comfort of home. If you’ve followed my journey the past 10 years or so, you’re well aware of the fact of how I value and find the importance of making a house truly your home as an extension of you/your family. To make it that extension of you and your family, so that when you are within its walls you feel like you are in a comforting cocoon it takes being surrounded by not only the people but pieces, colours, textures and momentos that you love and are, in a way, an extension of you. I often write about how creating this type of space and environment takes time. To fill your home with what you love, what inspires you, what brings a smile to your face can take years and that’s truly what this past year has helped me realize even more so. I look around my home and I see a gallery wall of memories from trips that let me travel back to those experiences via those photos. I see a piece of driftwood from an afternoon at the beach, a piece of pottery from a local artisan, my table and desk that mean so much because my brother created and built them for me, cozy pillows and throws from a small business here in town and the list could go on and on. I’m grateful to have a space that I truly do feel at home in. A home that is an extension of me and what I love and I will admit, having that feeling in my 800sqft lil cottage has had an incredible calming effect this year.

Another thing you know if you’ve been ‘a regular’ to the blog and my social media (especially Instagram - Rustic Retrievals) is how important supporting local and small businesses is to me. If there is one silver (and maybe even golden) lining of 2020 is the positive spotlight it has shone on the importance of shopping locally and supporting our friends and neighbours and their small businesses. It has broken my heart to see shops/businesses close after years of their owners dedicating their heart and soul to their passion project. I have witnessed first hand how friends and family have had to constantly shift gears to stay afloat during these times and I cannot applaud them enough for doing so. One thing that has warmed my heart, however, is how the year has strengthen the sense of community, at least in the ‘town’ I live in, Guelph, Ontario. Yes, we have seen businesses close, yet we have also seen businesses start and thrive during these times. I regularly ‘shout out’ via my Instagram stories my favourite local businesses and small businesses across Ontario and I encourage you to do the same. Yes, if we can purchase their products, that’s amazing and supportive, but even sharing their accounts and stories through your own social media platform can go a long way as you never know who may see what you’ve posted and that person could turn into a new customer for that shop or business. I have promised myself I will blog more as I really enjoy the craft of writing and I will be sure to share many of my favourite small and local businesses in posts to come…so stay tuned. And in the meantime, keep watching my stories on Instagram to get your fill of small business goodness!

I could keep going and going as this sunshine really has me inspired today…but…I’ll leave it here.

I wanted to check in to see how you truly are doing provide a bit of an update on the year that has been 2020 and alllll the craziness that it has brought along.

I wish you all good health and please, be safe. We’re all in this together…we truly are…and we’ll all get through this if we keep that sense of community well being alive and well.

Take good care and keep your eyes open for more posts to come….I’m back at it and can’t wait to share so much more with you! :) xo

RR

Salle de Bain Reno

You all know how much I LOVE my lil City Cottage. Well, there was one wee part of it that since I bought it, I hadn’t really been a fan of….

Enter space capsule/time machine shower enclosure…

I really liked everything else about my Salle de Bain, but, when the time machine started leaking a wee bit, I felt like I finally had an excuse to reno this tiny space into what I’d always hoped for.

Who better to do this for me than….my brother Mike!! He’d done my gorgeous backyard patio, has built me my stunning dining table and desk and now it was time for him to work his magic on my small space living washroom. Off I went to house sit for a friend who was out of the country and off he went on demo-ing, so we could say ‘so long’ to my space capsule.

When I walked in and saw this (see above) I was so excited but also so scared….what had we gotten ourselves into?? My brother is a contractor so he lives this everyday and to see this space transformed in such a short time was amazing..yet partially terrifying (for all the right reasons). It was literally stripped back to the studs and it was also so nice to see the history of my home that was hidden behind the walls.

My brother had filled the bin with the time capsule and everything else and off we went to Home Depot for a round of supplies. I had picked the stone/pebble tiles about a year and a half before the reno as they had been a fantastic deal (see below) and I knew that I wanted to incorporate them into the room once I was reno-ing it. They were my jumping off point as far as a palette for the small space and I knew they’d add a little, ‘je ne sais quoi’ as well. I found these gorgeous porcelain/stone look tiles at Home Depot for another great deal (see below) and just like that, the core of my bathroom was decided!

Mike found me the PERFECT small space vanity at Rona in Mississauga, at a price point for less than $100 as it was the last in stock (YASSS!!- you’ll see it in the reveal). My goal for this project was to complete in as economical manner as possible, but to not scrimp on quality, hence why we chose to put in a Schluter Shower System (see below). As a Contractor, I can always count on Mike to have done his research and be up to date and well versed on the latest and greatest when it comes to home renovations. With this system being installed, I feel confident in the fact that I will be able to enjoy this space for years to come without a concern.

I left Mike to his devices. I not only trust his skill but also his design savvy. He’s someone that not only thinks about the install but also what the final product will look like as well from an aesthetics perspective and his attention to detail is second to none! For instance, due to his care and concern, he papered over and taped off my hardwood outside the washroom all the way to the door and literally took such calculated steps in laying the first few floor tiles as we knew they’d be pivotal as we were not only tiling the floor but the walls too!

This next piece of attention to detail still blows me away to this day. He was installing the pebble/stone tile as my shower floor and didn’t like how it was angling towards the drain and also didn’t care for how it was looking….so….what does he do? He removes every pebble/stone from it’s backing and places them individually to make up the pebbled floor. INDIVIDUALLY!!!!!!!! Can you believe that level of care and concern for both the practical usage application but also the aesthetics piece? Again…BLOWN AWAY! See below for this gorgeous handiwork and also how he took the time to ensure proper spacing of the wall tile…again, attention to detail is at 110%!

So…..here it is…the BIG REVEAL. To this day, I still can’t believe this incredible space is in my wee cottage!

To say I love it would be such an understatement as it is exactly what I was hoping for…and even more. And, knowing that this is Mike’s handiwork means so much too! I truly feel like I’m walking into a spa every time I cross the threshold!

Below are some photos of my salle de bain today (I feel like I have to call it ‘salle de bain’ vs bathroom as it’s just too nice to be called a boring old bathroom). We’ve put a shower curtain up for now and maybe someday I’ll put up a glass door…but….we’ll see. I’m beyond perfectly happy with it as it is right now! I found a great small space storage solution at Homesense that houses my day to day toiletries and works perfectly with the vanity and also blends in against the tile. I also love how the colours change in the room, depending on the time of day and natural light coming in.

And last, but certainly not least, is the HUGE THANK YOU to my brother Mike for all of his incredibly hard work, time and attention to this project…I truly cannot say thank you enough!

If you’d like to work with Mike, his email address is Bigfoot.Contracting.TO@gmail.com and he’s located in Toronto, with projects around the GTA. Be sure to keep an eye out for his logo and you’ll be sure that a one-of-a-kind true piece of craftsman ship is being created at that site.

And P.S., if you’d like assistance with your renovation design or home decor/styling, you can contact me at rusticretrievals@gmail.com or on Instagram. I’d be happy to help you transform your house into a home!

RR

Time For A Refresh - Part Two

My last blog post took you through the first steps of my living/dining area refresh. 

From painting the walls in Ink Black from Home Depot, to my gorgeous antique sideboard from Simply Cottage in Bracebridge, the room was taking shape quickly!

A part of the refresh also meant a new couch was in order too. I had originally had my heart set on a camel leather option but after much searching and researching, I came to a sad conclusion. Living in a small cottage has its limits and whoever designed the entryway of my home obviously did not have the idea of moving furniture in mind when they built it. I am limited to the size of furniture I can bring in both my front and side door (sadly) and I could not find a couch of the leather colour and type I wanted that was small enough and I was not about to spend thousands on a custom leather piece either. Soooo......I found a very, very happy replacement with the help of the amazing gals at Urban Barn in Cambridge. We had paint samples, fabrics and accessories strewn around the back corner of the store as we decided on fabric for a custom piece for my home. I was also in the market for a new rug too and they happened to have THE perfect one that would still allow me to bring leather into my space, just in a different avenue.

After much contemplation, re-checking measurements and trying out the 'comfie' factor, I decided on the Lure Custom Sofa in a lux, cozy fabric option. I cannot say enough about how wonderful the staff at the Cambridge store were and how the entire experience of choosing, ordering and delivery have been nothing but impeccable! Another aspect that I am really happy about is that my couch is Canadian made (and Urban Barn is a Canadian company). It feels good to know I'm supporting our economy through my choices and receiving a high quality, beautiful end product.

The day of delivery arrived (to say I was excited is an absolute understatement) and the photo above was taken literally two minutes after the pieces were placed in my living room (the delivery experience was fantastic and the guys took impeccable care of the pieces as they entered the house through tight constraints!). I mayyyy have let out a wee squeal of happiness to see the pieces in place and I spent the duration of the afternoon pulling the space together.

I went with the cozy grey velvet-esque fabric to add warmth to the space and tie to the faux bois fabric in the chairs/coffee table. The leather 'rag rug' has hints of camel, grey and turquoise to tie in the sideboard and bring some light into the space. My 'forever' pieces from Willowhouse still look amazing in the space (my coffee table and sofa table on my gallery wall behind the chairs) and I just couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear as I witnessed everything coming together.

With the key pieces in place, it was then time to add in just a few more accessories, but mainly, throw pillows! I had looked high and low and had an idea of what I was looking for and to say I was overjoyed when I found the perfect options at Comfort & Co in downtown Guelph would be an understatement. Wendy and I had fun mixing and matching the many fabtastic options she had in store and I ended up taking home 4 pillows that exude comfort, coziness and bring their own story to the space through their texture and tones. These two in the photos above have helped transform this corner of the couch/living room and the faux fur options in the photos below have added a sense of lux coziness that only 'fur' can add to a space.

My home is transforming every day to be even more 'me' and I couldn't be happier! I cannot say 'thank you' enough to those involved in assisting in this transformation, from friends and family who I bounced ideas off of and helped move things around, to the companies I worked with the bring these beautiful new pieces/colours into my home. I couldn't have done this without:

- Home Depot, Guelph

- Simply Cottage, Bracebridge

- Urban Barn, Cambridge

- Comfort & Co, Guelph

Stay tuned for further updates and I can't wait to show you the dining table that will be the final piece to bring this space together.... I hope you've enjoyed the journey through my design/decor adventure as much as I have!

RR

So Long Summer......

So where the heck has Summer gone?!?! 

I can't believe it's already September and when I look back at the last few months, I realize how jam packed with fun and great times they were and I'm so very grateful. I'll take you on a photo journey of the Summer of 2017 and all that it held for me, my family and friends.

I ate some fantastic meals with some wonderful people this Summer. There was a point where I ate at the Bread Bar in Guelph 3 times in a week and a half! One of my favourite ways to spend an evening is with friends, surrounded by great food and drink!

Not only did I have great meals with friends, I had great times with friends! One of those oh so memorable days was the Queen's Plate at Woodbine in Toronto with some pretty incredible women!!

Making memories with friends doesn't just happen in restaurants and sports venues, it can also occur in our own backyards! Whether its under a pergola on the deck of my friend's 100 year old home or on a bouncy castle in the yard of a friend who has held her summer bash for 20 years, thinking back on these times bring a huge smile to my face!

Then there's Saturday mornings at the Farmer's Market (and Balzac's). I didn't get there as often as I would have liked to, though I did find other Markets this summer as well, it was always a great way to kick off the weekend!

I've done a lot of walking this summer (sometimes on my own, sometimes with a friend) and I've been able to truly enjoy the city that I call home. I've watched the gardens transform over the months and as always, admire the beautiful homes/architecture this city has to offer.

My happy place.....the back deck of my city cottage. Some great stories, laughter and memories were made here this summer. I even fell asleep a few evenings under the stars and the canopy of the trees. It truly is my escape in the ity

One thing that illustrates to me that the Summer truly got away from me, is the fact that I really only got to the lake once.....yes, only once....and only for a few hours. There was no cottage this year, no swimming in Lake Huron, but, that's ok....there's still September and I enjoy time at the lake just as much (if not even more) now....

I spent a lot of time with this big guy this summer (isn't he handsome?!) and finally got my photo of him, 'Look Me In The Eye", printed on canvas! If you'd like your own, have a look in my website shop!

Even though there are around 20 days of Summer left, Labour Day Weekend always feels like the unofficial end to Summer...the sunset of summertime :(

I hope you've all had the Summer that you were hoping for and had the chance to make as many wonderful memories as I did (and am very grateful for). Cheers and so long to the Summer of 2017!

RR

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!!

It's Boxing Day and I'm sitting here at the Country House beside the Christmas tree in a partial food coma. It's been a mix of emotions the past few weeks but as I sit here, I'm feeling very lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful family and friends and am very grateful for their love and support!

I will admit, I found it difficult to get into the Christmas spirit this year and I know many others expressed the same feeling. I think it had to do with the fact that we had double digit temperatures (in the positive #s) and green grass that could have almost used a cut on Christmas Eve. There's just something about a fresh blanket of snow to realllllly get you in the Christmas mood (not that I'm complaining at all about this amazing weather we've been having!).

I wasn't going to let the lack of snow dampen my Christmas decorating and I had such a good time decorating both my City Cottage and the Country Home. You saw the decor for my City Cottage in my Winter Neutrals post and I will say, the evenings I spent wrapping at my dining table with a warm adult beverage and sweet treat (see above), the magic of Christmas was in the air...finally!

Since that post, people have been inquiring as to where they could find similar rustic and natural decor pieces. If you want to create a similar look as that above and in the Winter Neutrals post, some sources for the decor items include:

• Hive - Bayfield
• Willow House - Cambridge
• The Garage - Belmore
• Achesons - Harriston
• Folmer's Landscaping - Walkerton

Then it was time to decorate at the Country House. One of the great things of country living is that so many of the elements from your back yard can literally be used in your decorating.

I literally walked around the `back 50`, cut some some cedar, pine, spruce and red willow branches and voila, we had urns! 

We went to a local tree farm and found the perfect tree (with Charlie`s help of course!). We got it home, let it drop, hung the lights and after adding snowflake themed decorations, we could just sit back and enjoy its beauty! I`m sitting here, with the lights all aglow and it makes me wish I could freeze time...that we could leave the decorations up all year long... 

 I hope you had a great time with your family and friends and that you had the opportunity to make many more wonderful memories this Christmas! All the best!

RR