necklace rack

I'm always looking for new ways to display my jewellery that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. On a recent hike I couldn't help but admire all of the birch bark trees. Birch bark is used in a lot of crafts in the Northwest Territories, and my mum once bought me a beautiful heart shaped birch bark basket. Unlike the baskets, the necklace rack I made requires just about zero skill! I simply cut a section of birch tree, hammered nails in and secured it on the wall. Minimal cost, minimal effort...sounds like a great Sunday project.

I love the cabin-feel it gives my room, as well as a hint of enchantment.

porcupine quill earrings

a warm space

Disregard the crooked map :)

love your walls

Want a fresh way to display photos? Try this neat idea I got from Black Eiffel Blog. Print 53 of your favourite photos and cut them into squares before mounting them on your wall. Both black & white and colour look great and add drama to any space.

Beauty & The Budget

If, like me, your not willing to shell out mega-bucks for guilty pleasures, an easy solution is Do-It-Yourself projects. Below are some pics of headbands and hair accessories I made - some for myself and friends and some for fundraising events. Ribbon, jewels, superglue and patience were all I needed - plus a few personal touches.

If you're still not convinces that D.I.Y is for Y.O.U check out www.etsy.com It's an amazing site with entirely homemade items... From furniture to jewellery, clothing to candles, this is a site you'll want to bookmark.

Self-Sufficient: Why DIY Projects Rock

Though I love just about anything with a vintage/antique vibe, the apartment I rent right now feels very mod. I would love to redecorate the whole place but I have a feeling my landlord would object, and living on a student budget can be very limiting. My solution is to add my personal style with little things here and there.



I love using giant coffee mugs as flower pots. They add something special and when your plants die (as mine ALWAYS seem to) you can go back to filling it with copious amounts of caffeine.





This is an old cigar box I found at a market in Belgium. It's perfect for holding tea and adds a lot of character to the kitchen. I doubt I’ll be in Belgium again anytime soon but it’s not difficult to find items like this in any city. Thrift stores, antique shops and garage sales have some amazing finds if you're patient enough to hunt for them!



Wine and Perrier bottles make great candle holders - they're cheap and beautiful with light shining on them. My favourite place to buy the long candle sticks is in China Town where they're only 30 a piece!

My apartment still has a long way to go but little tricks like this have already made it so much more comfortable.