Cheers to 2012!!

Happy New Year!! As we start a new year, with hope and wishes of the great things to come, here are a few things to always remember and never forget!!

Life is a gift....

Life is art...

Life goes on......



If you make one resolution for 2012, make it this...TO LIVE!!!

Homemade Holiday Wreath...Silver and Blue..

I had the kind of custom order come in that I always really enjoy....my customer said that I could do whatever I would like!
Knowing she and her husband's favorite hockey team (Maple Leafs) and the fact that they just had twin boys, I decided to do a natural greens wreath with a blue and silver colour scheme.

I lined up the greenery on the deck (the weather was fantastic so I did this whole project outdoors!). I used a mix of white pine, cedar and spruce.

I then assembled all of the adornments for the wreath...the 'picks', ribbon, balls etc.

I made this wreath from 'scratch'...adding the greenery to the wire wreath frame with florists wire...cutting and putting together every bunch to place on the frame. Tools required include: florist wire, garden snips (for the greenery), wire snips (or an old pair of scissors), wire wreath frame (I got mine at Michaels).

I LOVE the creative process of rearranging bunches to get just the right fullness, trying picks and ribbons/bows in different spots and just the overall  'trial and error' that makes home made items as much fun to make as they are!

Here is the finished product....

I am really, really happy with this piece.....if you'd like to see more, please pop onto Facebook and check out/"Like" my page, Rustic Retrievals or, follow me on Twitter, @ructicretrieval (no "s" on retrievals). I'm also in the midst of setting up a shop on Etsy, so definitely keep you eyes open for that as well!

"Oxygen Mask"

One of my recent posts was about looking back and reflecting....this post is about looking forward, planning and truly LIVING every single day.

Quite a few people are already talking about resolutions for 2012...but I have decided to start them now....immediately! Those of you who know me well, know I do not sit still all that well and what better way to keep moving then to keep pushing forward, set new goals and really focus on something that I hope is so very important to all of us..."Oxygen Mask".

I use this analogy quite often...when I'm out presenting to my work groups, when I'm speaking with friends...but, like a lot of us, a lot of the time, I forget to actually implement it myself. I was on a flight the other day and like every good airline steward/ess says during their pre-flight..."Please put the oxygen mask on yourself before trying to help others". Such a small sentiment but with such HUGE meaning!!

You MUST take care of yourself (mind, body and soul) before you can even begin to take care/help others! 'Oxygen Mask' is my #1 resolution...take care of myself before I can take care of others!

Like these 2 quotes say...see each day as a new beginning and begin each day with a deep breath (put on your 'Oxygen Mask' and the air begins to flow)! If the 'going gets tough' throughout your day, take a step back and "just breath".

A part of the 'Oxygen Mask' and taking care of yourself, is knowing yourself. Knowing who you are, what you stand for, where you want to go in life and how you want to get there, strengthens you in so many ways. The stronger you are in who you are (when you have your 'Oxygen Mask' fully on), you can begin to truly live every day of your life...and help others.





A HUGE percentage of everyday well being is psychological..how you approach your day-to-day and everyday life..this is the oxygen flowing into that mask. This quote says it all.....

.........."then be" your own 'oxygen mask' and LIVE every single day of your life to the absolute fullest!



Giving Thanks..

I can't believe my last entry was in February...yet, I have no idea how it is already almost December! The past 17 months have been a bit of a rollercoaster to say the least, but tonight, as I sit in my new/old home/cottage, I wanted to sit down and get everything 'out there' and reflect on how thankful I truly am...

It all started last summer...my Grama, who had been ill for some time, passed away in August 2010. I had been to Kenora to see her in June and we had had a WONDERFUL visit...she truly was and had always been such an amazing woman for so many reasons! I will never, ever forget her, "All Night Children", Coronation St, the Camp, our Sunday phone calls or her voice saying, "Goodnight Tootie" (her pet name for me).

November 2010 rolled around and while I was away on a business trip, my dog Charlie, was hit by a car. He/we were very lucky, even with a badly dislocated elbow and damage to his face....I'm just so happy to say that one year later he is out running again and is pretty much back to his old self! This picture was taken just a few days before his accident.

Then in December 2010...we lost my Godmother. The woman who helped raise me since I was 8 weeks old...she saw every first day of school, was at every major milestone...she really was a second Mom. Whether we were baking and getting flour all over the kitchen or at the lake, getting sand all over the cottage...she just let us be who we were/are and was behind us, supporting and loving us every step of the way. This is a picture of her, her husband and me at my birthday.

Don't get me wrong, there has been some amazing things happen this year too...friends having babies..true miracles; I'm lucky to have a job I enjoy and I inherited a great caseload of people to work with and I sold my loft and purchased a new home in August 2011 as I was more then ready to have a yard for Charlie to run in, a garden and a fresh start.

On August 24, 2011, I received a phone call I will never forget and this day will forever be etched in my mind. A severe storm system had rolled through that night (and it was only a few days after the Goderich tornado) and at 11:35pm, I got a call from my Dad who said, "the house is on fire". Every possible emotion rushed through my body at that moment and as cliche as it sounds, time stood still....My family home, the house I grew up in and that my parents had lived in for 33 years was gone..absolutely destroyed in minutes. It had been struck by lightening and my parents had had a matter of minutes to get out and thankfully, they did make it out. I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my face as I write this...and they are flowing even more when I think about Chip...my dog's son, my parent's dog...who we lost that night in the fire. He had made it out with my Mom but we figure he went back in inthe darkness to get my Dad.....a truly loyal and loving companion until the end. He was such an amazing dog...you had to smile everytime you even just looked at him....

You are probably wondering where the "giving thanks" part of this comes in....but through all of these things/events that have happened, I have grown and matured as a person, our family has grown closer and stronger, friendships have continued and have also strengthened, new lives have been born...and most of all, my perspective has really, really changed. At the end of the day....the people in your life are all that matter! As long as you have a network of people around you, to love, care for and be there for, life is complete! I am so very, very thankful I still have my parents...and all the wonderful memories of those that have passed on...but also for the newer memories made as we all got together to celebrate the lives of those who are no longer with us. Family and friends have always been a priority in my life...but now, so much more then ever.

My Visit West

I was lucky enough to recently travel to Calgary to see some wonderful friends and enjoy/experience the lifestyle of the "west"...one that I absolutely love and hope to one day, experience on a much more regular basis!

We did some skiing at Castle Mountain (see below) and then went and had some of the best pizza I have had in some time at in Fort MacLeod at this little 'hole in the wall' pub/restuarant.

The next day was spent in Canmore.....could I ever get used to living there! Between the spectacular scenery, the lifestyle, the design/home aesthetic and the shopping/dining....all I can say is WOW...it has everything I could ever ask for!

We did some shopping at an amazing (an my new fav) store called Stonewaters. We then had a wonderful lunch and some local beer at the Grizzly Paw.

Here are some pics of items I wish I could have brought home with me from Canmore:



Overall, it was a wonderful and inspiring trip...and I can't wait to go back!

Such a wonderful holiday!

What a wonderful past week and a bit spent with fam and friends! I can't get over how fast the time flew by...back to work tomorrow.

I was able to get home to my parent's and spent a good amount of time outside with the dogs.

This is the sunrise on Christmas morning...almost eerie, but very picturesque!

The snow on the trees was spectacular and I was able to get some great pics! Boxing Day also had a wonderful sunset that I just had to snap a few shots of.

I was lucky enough to get a sewing machine and acessories from Santa and I also received items so that I can begin to knit.....I have a feeling its going to be a very crafty 2011!!

It's been a while.....

Wow! It sure has been a while since my last post! So much has been going on and I don't have a clue how it's almost Christmas.

This is my table full of gifts, wrapping, ribbon, cards etc etc...





Here are some decorations, waiting for me to find just the perfect place for them somewhere around the loft......I love those deer!




The tree is up, decorating is pretty much complete, I have started writing cards....and I may even do some baking!


I was in Sudbury, Blind River, Espanola and Little Current for meetings earlier this week. On my way back from Blind River, I came across this amazing Trading Post on the highway just north of Espanola. They had wonderful Christmas decorations, rugged and rustic clothes for winter (ie. fur lined trapper hats and I just had to get one for my Dad), cute kitchenware, and just a great selection of home decor items.

It was just great to get north, be by the lake....and I must admit, smell that pulp and paper smell again!



It was also a roller coaster week in the fact that my dog Charlie, had a run in with a car and ended up with a dislocated elbow, cuts in his mouth/muzzles, and a bunch of scrapes. He/we are very lucky.....and I am just so happy to have my guy home safe! I love you my Char Bear!

Kitchen Renewal

It has been a while since my last post as life sure has been busy!!

I have been working on renewing some areas of my loft, the biggest being the kitchen. The 'bones' of this loft are wonderful...original 100 year old wood floors, brick walls, exposed wood and iron beams, 14ft ceilings with wood panels etc.

I love the colour of my cupboards and wanted to jump off from there. This is the 'before' of the kitchen.

As you can see...great place to start but a bit plain. I wanted to pick up on the grey tones in the cabinets, so here are some 'after' pictures.

As you can see, I need a 'prettier' coffee maker!

The counter is granite which I had installed through Home Depot. I can't get over what a beautiful piece of stone it is...the pictures don't do it enough justice! Home Depot's customer service was amazing and so much so, that I ordered a bathroom counter too (pics to come soon). The backsplash tile was inspired by a friend's kitchen tiles and they were installed by my very talented brother, Mike McDonald.

I am also having a butcher block top made by local Mennonites for my 8'x3' island and once that is completed, I will post pictures. I can't wait to see the finished product!

Needless to say, I LOVE my new kitchen and a HUGE thank you to everyone that helped put it together! :)

Dog Park....

Charlie and I hit the dog park this morning....only to find, to his delight, a rain made pond that he could wade through, chase tennis balls in and literally, just splash around in.

Charlie is my 5 year old Chocloate Lab...and the Retrievals portion of the name of this blog/hopefully soon to be small business, comes from the fact that he is a Retriever and joins me on many of my trips through the countryside, looking for those rustic pieces.

We spend a great deal of time outdoors and have gotten to know many of the rivers, lakes, streams etc of southern Ontario because if he wasn't a furry four legged creature, I would swear he was a fish! He just cannot get enough of the water and this morning was no different.

When we aren't outside enjoying the sun/rain or whatever the weather may be, he can generally be found, maxin' and chillaxin' on some soft surface in the loft. Couch, bed...possibly even his own dog bed! Haha....

This has to be one of his favorite positions to lie in....and as you can see, he has little to no shame!

Well I am off to make brunch....ok, maybe lunch, and then am off later this afternoon to a friend's place for dinner and a visit with old work chums!

Productive day!!

Wow! What a productive day! Having lived in Guelph for almost a year, I'm still finding little hidden treasures in this city...one of them being one of my new favorite stores, Creative Edge (http://www.creativeedgegifts.com/). The store is full of rustic treasures...like barnboard frames/mirrors, pegboard shelves and the pegs are made of golf club heads, one of a kind chairs etc etc. I also found an independently owned pet boutique called Tattle Tails (http://www.tattletailspetboutique.com/). I purchased a GREAT new, multi-function leash for Charlie (my 5 year old Chocolate Lab) and I will definitely have to head back there for more goodies! I also found a new hair salon, called Acqua (http://www.acuqasalon.com/) and am sooo happy to have found a great stylist named Nikki! No better way for a quick 'pick me up' then a good hair cut!

But prior to finding all of these wonderful places/things, I hit our local ReStore (Habitat for Humanity http://habitat.ca/restoresc648.php ) to see if I could find some tile for my bathroom backsplash. Did I ever luck out!! I actually found 2 sets of tiles that I LOVED and got more than enough of each to do the space in the bathroom...and all for less than $30!!

This is the first bunch I got....slate 4x4 squares that are both sleek but rugged all at the same time.
This is the second set...they remind me of the oceans with the waves and colours.

As you can see, they are VERY different styles but I really, really like them both.
Everything in my bathroom is white (vanity, shower tile, floor tile) and the new vanity top (which I just ordered today) will be white with a slight hit of grey running through. I definitely have a beach/cottage theme going in the bathroom with shells, sand and accent colours of aqua, light blue, brown, sandy beige, silver etc. I even have a rough wood post running down the wall of the bathroom....an original feature of the building (a loft conversion) that I live in.
I hadn't been to the ReStore for a while and everytime I go, I always leave with something...and today, I am extremely happy with my finds! :)