Happy Holidays

Before I log off for the Holidays I would like to share the images of my tree with you. The ornaments I have are a mix and match of store bought and home made creations. (If you look closely, you will even see my new business card used as an ornament. This was a big year for me and Poppyseed and I thought that it deserved special representation during the Holidays). Look closer and you may even spot a picture of a celebrity in my tree. If anyone can tell me who that person is, I will tell you the story as to why they deserve special treatment.
I especially love my tree topper angel. My best friend and I bought matching Peruvian dolls from a street vendor in New York a few years ago and we both use them as tree decor.
As a sign off to this year, I wish you all oodles of happiness, health and love today and for the years to come. I will see you in 2010 my friends.

Emma's dresser - before and after

The orange before dresser belonged to my friend Philippe and as a kid he used it to store all his treasures. It was very important to him to keep the dresser in the family and preserve all its hardware, so his wife commissioned me to give it a facelift and make it more suitable for their little girl. Today's proud owner of this piece is their 2 year old daughter Emma. Happy memories Em!

Bella - 100% preloved

On one of my regular weekend "hunting" trips I came across this little treasure. She was tucked away in the corner and completely ignored. I dug her out, spruced her up a bit and named her Bella, cause that's what she is.

Christmas ornament to my taste

I got this one from my friend Karen as a gift last week and had to share it with you. I guess K knows me so well that I could not have picked a better one myself. Thank you K

Little yellow dresser

This little cutie may have been featured in this blog already, but never in the surrounding as it was in this AM. I visited the studio of Brian Reiser and here is the glam shot of this little piece that I am super fond of. Hope you like it too.

Croched necklace

I was browsing the net early this morning and came across this beauty. Now I need to learn to crochet or find someone who can to make me one. This necklace is so feminine and you could wear it with a pair of jeans or a casual dress for a touch of girliness.

Handmade Wilderness Projects by Ruby's Lounge

I was browsing on Etsy the other day and came across these wonderful wilderness projects by a fellow Etsian at Ruby's Lounge and wanted to share them with you. Wouldn't they look great as a non traditional display above the mantel for the Holidays? Hoping that some day I can own one of them as well.

This is Twyla

I came across this ugly duckling on one of my recent "hunts". She was hidden in a pile of furniture, completely forgotten and unwanted. Take a look at the before picture and you will know why. In my studio I stripped the old faux marble finish and gave her some teal shoes to wear, and look at her now. Ladies and gentlemen, here is Twyla, your not so everyday coffee table.

Perfect dining room

Who says you need tons of $$ to create a stylish dining room? I absolutely adore this look and admire the genius who thought of this. Everything in this room looks so casual and nature inspired.
Bon Apetit.

My new favourite dress

I was browsing the Marimekko concept store pages this morning and came across this beauty. Violet base with yellow polka dots, mmmmmm. Hope I can get it in time for holiday parties.

Gray dresser

And here it is, ready for showing in its beauty. Charcoal gray with aqua coloured glass knobs and two accent knobs from Anthropologie. This picture may not be the best one as I took it with my camera with my less than good photographic skills and while the piece was still in my shop. Will share a better one soon. Hope you like it.

What to do?

Just last week I came across this piece and no time has gone by before I started working on it. Now that all the dents have been filled and sanded I have to decide on the final colour and need your help. I am toying with the idea of pumpkin orange, eggplant purple or charcoal gray. Any other suggestions? Please share your thoughts and take part in this marvelous transformation... Thanks friends

A little bit of yellow on a gloomy Tuesday morning

I painted this little piece in a bright shade of yellow to brighten up the upcoming cold months. "Another yellow piece", you'll say, but I just can't help myself since I love it so. There is another piece in the works, but the colour I intend on introducing is a new one for Poppy. Can't wait to share it with you.

Fresh Start

It has been a while I must admit. Lots has been going on in the past few months and I have neglected the blog a bit. I have decided to leave my day job and completely dedicate my time to the growth of the furniture and home styling business. I have also decided to mature my brand image a bit and have introduced a new logo, just something to tell everyone that I mean business. Even though I loved the old one i think this one may take me a bit further.
Here is a picture of the first job that I did under the new image. For more, check out here. Hope you like it.

Poppy onToronto Craft Alert Today

My pride and joy piece - as my bf calls it "Wayne Gretzky of Furniture" - got featured today on the Toronto Craft Alert blog along with my furniture painting tutorial and my mini ad. Thank you TCA team, forever.

Another Yellow Dresser

This dresser has been painted yellow but i have allowed it's history to shine through as old coats of paint are clearly visible. Despite many coats of paint, it's finish is silky smooth. Top drawer has been topped off with a vintage floral print. The dresser has casters and can be easily moved from one room to another.
Dimensions are as follows: w 18" x l 32" x h 33.5 (32" with casters removed)

Latest Poppy

This past weekend was hectic. So little time and so much to do. Despite all that I managed to squeeze in one refinishing job. Remember the sad looking dresser from some time ago? Here it is now, all prettied up with some yellow paint and gorgeous handles.

Red bath tub

I came across this picture when I was browsing the blog of Australian designer Anna Spiro. Her blog Absolutely beautiful things is on my must read list every morning. If you take some time to browse through her posts, you will see how light and airy her interiors are and they make me want to live in every one of them.
I have been thinking about the possible ways to improve the look of my bathroom and this photo will most definitely make its way into the inspirational folder. The red painted tub adds the element of unexpected, the old armoire gives it a touch of history and the slightly off centered art simply makes me smile. Thank you Anna for the inspiration!

Paintings by Jennifer Harrison

About a year ago I saw a painting by Jennifer Harrison in an art gallery in Fanelon Falls. I did not stop thinking about it since. It was a large format piece similar to the ones featured here depicting a residential neighborhood in West Toronto where Jennifer lives and works. I simply love the colours and textures this talented artist uses in her work and hope to be a proud owner of one of her paintings in the near future.

Back in the city

After a weekend of slacking in the nature, I really have the urge to get back into my "studio" and work on a few pieces that have been waiting on their turn. One of them is this adorable little dresser that would make a great bedside piece. Hoping to get it done and presentation worthy by the end of the weekend. Stay tuned.

More teal furniture

I managed to squeeze in working on two pieces over the weekend. One is Cam's island from my previous post and this amazing dresser. (I was so eager to start working on it that I forgot to take the before picture.)Originally I had several different colours in mind, but this teal prevailed. I kept the original Art Deco hardware which offers a dramatic contrast to the vivid backdrop. This piece is available for sale and is priced at $350.00 CDN

Cam's kitchen island

Here is a before and after of my friend Cam's kitchen island. Cam was going for the aged and distressed look so after hours of paint stripping, painting, distressing and polishing the transformation is obvious. Hope Cam likes it as much as I do.

Bed of flowers

About a year ago I found the images of this beautiful house in a magazine. I love it and its vintage flaire so much that the copy of the magazine is always close by to allow for a quick peek.Today I found out that the house is located in the Netherlands and is appropriately named the Bed of Flowers. The rooms are available for rent at very reasonable rates. Click here to visit the website.

Brian Reiser photography

To me, Brian is not only an amazing photographer, he is a friend. Grown up in Montreal, his work bursts with charm and elegance of that city. Brian's portfolio covers food, people, products, places and much, much more. Included here are only snippets of his work. For more of Brian's photography and to learn more about this amazingly talented resident of Toronto check out his newly redesigned website.

Decorating with mirrors

I love mirrors and think they are awesome. They are not only functional, but can make a great home décor . Mirrors can be used to add light and space to the room. Their use is not limited to bathrooms, bedrooms and entryways. You can use them throughout the house, including kitchens for some added glitz and glamour. When choosing a place for a mirror, try to have it reflect something pretty, like a nice piece of art or your garden.
My favourite way to display mirrors (preferably of different shapes and sizes) is in groupings similar to an art wall arrangement. Each mirror will reflect part of your room and will render a different picture. You can introduce prints and paintings in this arrangement for some added visual interest.
A great source to look for different mirrors are your local vintage stores, flea markets and garage sales. Don’t worry if the mirror itself shows signs of age, in my mind this ads character. If the colour of the frame is not to your liking it can be easily changed with a fresh coat of paint.