Holidays...

December 1st rolled around and I realized that I still had over half of my vacation days to take...so....Holidays started December 19th this year! I usually try to have most of my Christmas shopping done by the beginning of December, but, that wasn't the case this year, so I was SO GLAD to have some extra days to get caught up. 

Holidays meant local shopping in downtown Guelph, out for lunches & brunches, bevies (found a new fav!), cozy nights in and time with friends...all my favourite things to do this time of year! (...any time of year really)

The holidays started like this...on the couch, with a glass of wine, candles and doing absolutely nothing but relaxing!

Then...

After an evening of relaxation, time to start wrapping! I also had a wee helper to keep my mug of coffee filled and my supplies ready at hand....

Let me introduce you to....Bling Crosby!! The best Holiday Helper (aka Stuffed Dude) ever!!

Then...it was time for some shopping!!

At trip downtown Guelph wouldn't be complete without a stop at Blush!

I'll take one of each, please!

Then, it was off to another one of my favourite shops....

Coriander!  I absolutely LOVED these home decor pieces!

This ornament...too cute!!

After all that shopping, time for some lunch!

Off we went to Atmosphere for an amazing salad and BLT pizza!

Then to Sapphire for dessert (their homemade icecream and a brownie) and an 'adult' cappucino! Emily, thank you sooooo much for introducing me to this! Adult = Amarula! Yum Yum Yum!

It was so good, I had to go back for lunch again the next day....with magazines in tow! By the way...their sandwiches are fabtastic! (my fav is the summer sausage!)

Then back home to continue wrapping and Holiday preparations!

With plenty of coffee, espresso, Amarula on hand, I had all the necessities for a wrapping marathon! I also had Rick Grimes (of the Walking Dead) to keep me and Bling Crosby, company too! Another thanks to Emily for introducing me to that series!

Ready to press....

A HUGE "Thank You" to my wonderful gals pals for your generous gifts of all the holiday essentials, whether I'm snuggled up with a good book or getting ready to host some friends!

Emily made this mug…how wickedly awesome is that?!? 

Then....Mother Nature decided to throw us a curve ball....a very, very icy one!

 These photos are of my lilac bush in front of my home...

This absolutely insane weather was frightening yet beautiful....picturesque yet destructive! When the weather system blew through, it brought us all out of our homes in a true sense of community....de-icing, salting, sanding...driveways, sidewalks, vehicles...all the while, laughing, telling stories and making the best of a difficult situation.

Then...after packing up my vehicle....it was time to head to my other home...Mom and Dad's in the country.

To be continued...

RR

Too Much Fun = No Rest For The Weary!

The past few weekends (and weekends still to come) have been quite busy...but in a really, really great way! There has been little rest...I am a tad bit weary..but...it is soooo worth it!

A wedding....DIY projects...a Blogger Party....too much fun!

A good friend from University got married at the Ancaster Mill and friends from across the country came to attend! The venue was spectacular....the rustic charm of the Mill has been so well preserved and integrated into the modern renos that they have done. 

Isn't this cake topper fun! His 2 loves...his motorcycle and his bride! Simple and beautiful table settings...that we quickly filled with an assortment of beverages.

Seeing as this was a Mill at one point in time, it was amazing to see how they incorporated the waterfalls, that would have once been for a more practical use, into the beautiful ambiance of the grounds. Thank you Dave and Monika for having me!

The next weekend, my friend Maria texted me that she had found a great coffee table for one of my DIY projects, so I headed to her shop to pick it up.

This home is just down the street from Maria's boutique....I have 2 words for this home... 

ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!

I got the table home, gave it a good sanding and a few coats of paint (I sprayed the table versus applying pain with a brush). I did have a bit of a 'hiccup' with one of the cans (the applicator broke) so the plan changed from the the table being a Satin Nickel to a Glossy Almond....

Here it is in my living room....I'm really happy with how it turned out!

I even put together a Fall center piece using last years dried Hydrangeas, a tall Crown Jar, a wire tray and some gourds ..(I even snuck in my bronze bird).

Then.....it was time to get ready for a party...a Blogger Event at Blush in Guelph.

Here's my #OOTD....the invitation (how gorgeous is it!) asked us to wear some sparkle....I ended up going with a dark pair of DKNY jeans, copper booties, a shimmery tank, blazer, flowy scarf (from Blush) and the amazing bracelets that came as part of the invite.

The shop looked absolutely amazing and there were so many yummy goodies to ensure we kept up our energy as we mingled, chatted and shopped. (I treated myself to the black and white geometric dress)

Hey Lovely! ... It was great to meet fellow Canadian Bloggers such as Stephanie, Krystin, and Renee.... Make sure you have a look at Blush's Blog to see all who attended! Michele, THANK YOU for such a fun afternoon!

Louis even joined the party! SUCH A CUTIE!!

After a super fun afternoon of meeting some great gals and some oh-so-needed retail therapy...I had to get on the road to the Muskokas for some meetings for work the following day.

Had some sushi and Sapporo at Wabora in Bracebridge.

This was sunrise the following morning at the Sherwood Inn where we were having our meetings...

This weekend I will be attending BlogPodium in Toronto...I am REALLLLY looking forward it and the opportunity to meet even more amazing bloggers that I have gotten to know through various social media sites...but can finally put faces to names!

The weekend after that I am off to Homecoming at Western University (or, the University of Western Ontario as it was called when I attended). I try and go every year and it's always a blast!

So....looks like I won't be getting much sleep...at least for the next few weeks...but as they say, sleep is highly overrated!!

RR

Life Right Now.....

I have a feeling this is another year that is going to fly by and it'll be Christmas again before we know it! I love capturing life via photos and here are a few from the past few weeks!

Beautiful sunset as we were out for our evening walk....

This handsome guy turned 8 on March 5! I can't believe how quickly time does indeed fly by!

 

With Spring around the corner, I head to Blush to get the perfect minty purse and clutch! I can't wait for a bit warmer weather to work these into the mix!

I've added a few more items to my Rustic Retrievals Etsy shop! This is an Emerald Green Tea/Coffee set. Perfect as we're getting so close to St. Patrick's Day and it's also the colour of 2013!..Pop on over to our shop and have to look to see our other items!

I was finally able to get together with a great friend (A Paper Buffet and Knitley Road) and we had a chance to exchange Christmas gifts (yes, we've both realized we need to slow down a bit). Part of my gift was this absolutely scrumptious homemade Baileys! I've already put in my order for next year (I'm keeping my finger crossed for maybe 2 bottles!) I decided to try it in my latte on a SUnday morning and needless to say, it was TRES YUMMY!

The finished product....It was soooo good! 

Last weekend we got our first taste of Spring so Charlie and I headed out to the front porch to enjoy the sunshine and my new issue of House and Home magazine.

As much as I enjoy the snow and colder temperatures, I'm more than ready for Spring to arrive!

RR

My Wish List...

I don't know about you, but I love this time of year! Family, friends, lights, traditions, decorations, snow, yummy food....the list of fun, good times and frivolity goes on and on!

 

However, the one thing that does make me a bit uncomfortable about this time of year is making "THE List".....a Christmas List. I'm one of those people that would much rather give than receive. It's a catch 22 ...I want to be sure that what I give to someone is something they want, but that it is also something unique and relates to my relationship with that person.

 

The catch 22 is that when people ask me for my list, I have a difficult time putting things on paper...I really don't need anything....and as for wants....well...there really aren't many things I yearn for...BUT......if someone would like to put a Range Rover in my driveway, I wouldn't complain ;)

 

 

All that being said....I am going to try and put a bit of a list together....a list of things that I would like to receive because they aren't just 'things' but are reminders of life events, memories, would help me make more memories, are practical (most of them) and just remind me of me....of who I am.

 

1. Sorel Conquest Carly

 

 

As you know, I have a wonderful 4 legged pooch and we do a lot of walking in all 4 seasons. A boot like this is perfect for those sub zero walks in the snow at 6am!

 

2. Classy T-Shirt and Lab Sweatshirt

 

 

This just makes me smile.....and is SOOOO true!

Perfect for our walks, the gym or for lounging!

 

3. Starbucks and Dean and Deluca

 

 

My guilty pleasures....They're my 'security blanket'...My "Sunday morning in my comfies on the couch" beverage/treat of choice! D&D...you NEED to start shipping to Canada or open a store here ASAP!



4. Travel Guides/Journals

 

Ireland - have never been and can't wait to go!



NYC - MUST go back again this year!



Alberta/Lake Louise - Can't wait for my annual trip out!

5.  Burberry



I think it speaks for itself...GORGEOUS and CLASSIC!

6. ANYTHING from Blush!







The perfect LBD, the Oxblood Pom Pom Beanie, the Button Hand Warmers, and the Buckle Cuff ...Yes Please!

7. Giftcards






.....Homesense, Etsy, Borealis Grill (my fav local resto), Williams Sonoma  etc...for those days when a gal needs to treat herself to a lil something.

But...most of all...what I REALLY want for Christmas is to be able to continue living the very blessed life I lead, that my friends and family stay healthy & happy and that the year ahead holds a lot of fun and many adventures!

RR


 

Some of my favorite ladies!

Some of these gals I know personally....and some I know via their Blogs, Instagram, Facebook etc...But... from our interactions and discussions, I feel like I know them personally and they are my long lost internet soulmates!

 

A Paper Buffet

Steph is a good friend of mine from London. We're both Kinesiologists and work in the Rehab/Disability Management field full time, but we also have our 'part time' passions. Steph makes gorgeous cards, invitations and other paper products via her Etsy shop, A Paper Buffet. She has also recently opened a second Etsy store called, Knitley Road, where she offers her amazing felted wool and knitted products (I have the iPhone cozy and LOVE it!). Steph is also a very talented photographer and my avatar on Insta, Twitter and FB is a pic she took of me a few summers ago :)






Lovely and Chic
When I moved into my new home just over a year ago, not only was I lucky enough to find a house I love but I also soon found out what a wonderful neighbourhood I had become a part of and Michele and her hubby are the best neighbours/friends a gal could ever ask for! Michele owns an incredible boutique in downtown Guelph called Blush and has a very loyal and devoted following of fashion conscious and stylish patrons! Everytime I walk into her shop, or even pull into my driveway (she has a shop-on-wheels called BOW that is every gals dream of a shoping experience!)...Michele's fantastic sense of style and grace are ever present!






Design the Life You Want to Live
I would have to say that Lynne is my long lost internet soulmate! She and I have never met (we will someday soon), but her sense of humour, her outlook on life and her supportive nature remind me a lot of myself.....as well as our like/love of G&Ts!
The other interesting tidbit about Lynne is that she lives about 45 minutes from my parents on an absolutely spectacular piece of property with a gorgeous home/pool and very, very cool treehouse! Her wonderful home and grounds were recently published in "Our Homes" magazine...definitely have a look!







Heritage Row Reno
A&J are renovating a 1890s row house in St. John's and her pictures/blog make me want to pick up and move out there...or at least find a vacation getaway like theirs anyways! We have never met, but she won my 'Backyard Contest' this summer and through our interactions, her photos, her blog etc, I think that if we lived down the street from eachother, we'd be fast friends! We have a similar style, enjoy the same things like escaping to the water (in her case, she gets to go to the ocean to her cottage), the outdoors, DIYing....and...they have a Choc Lab!!!





Here are a few more ladies and their Blog's that I read/follow and offer me never ending inspiration:

Sashay - Meredith Heron
Made By Girl - Jen Ramos

Thanks again to these ladies for being part of my life in their own unique ways!

RR