spring cleaning

It has been ages since I shared photos of our home on the blog, mainly because until recently it had been in a state of utter disarray during the academic year. Earlier this month my spring cleaning frenzy evolved into rearranging our entire living room (by myself!), which is where Liam and I spend most of our time in the apartment. It's a difficult room to photograph, but I am very pleased with how it looks and love this space now more than ever! 

This post is also an excuse to show off my new (to me) dress form, which my mom found and decided to name Ethel. She's vintage from the '40s and only cost  $50, which was apparently a bargain as they start at $200 on ebay. Now that I have Ethel, my vintage etsy shop is one step closer to becoming a reality. 

The print above the fireplace is a section of a Klimt painting from Ikea and all furniture is vintage/second-hand. No one ever sat in this chair where I had it before, but this is my new favorite spot to read (and blog - I'm sitting here now!).

The branch on our mantle in these pictures never did bloom, so I cheated and cut some from the riverbank by our apartment to set on the shelf. I love having flowers around me but sadly can't afford bouquets on a regular basis, so this is a cheaper alternative. 

This embroidered children's bed cover hanging above the sofa is one of my favorite pieces ever. The theme is indiscernible (a combination of seasons and holidays?) and several of the characters are a bit wonky, my favorite being the kitten with a lazy eye. I also like that Halloween is represented twice while Christmas is mysteriously absent.

As a kid I was enamored with the Kit-Cat Clock hanging behind the counter at a local diner, and in later years I figured it had to have been vintage; it wasn't until recently that I found out the clocks are still manufactured. Little did I know about the pink lady cat model (complete with eyelashes and pearls), but when I saw her I knew she had to be mine. That's it for the living room tour, I hope you enjoyed it!

another nook

As soon as my exams were over I surrendered the use of our dining room table, which I'd been holding hostage as a work station for the past school year. Now I'm on holidays and have more time to make fun and cute things, so I've set up a smaller desk in the bedroom and this little area has instantly become one of my favorite corners in the apartment. Neither of our very old fireplaces are functioning (there's another, even nicer one in the living room), so it's safe to have my desk beside the mantle full of trinkets and an adorable heart garland from Isa strung across the hearth.

Above my desk are some old photos and postcards, drawings from friends, and gifts from pen pals.

This little white desk has a glass surface which is great to work on, and it was Liam's idea to put confetti underneath it. I'm forever tracking sequins and glitter around on my clothes which is somewhat charming until you have to vacuum them all up, so this is a perfect solution for at least some of those sparkles!

Celine sent me a bunch of silver stars in a recent letter and I love the way they look under the table top. I've had this stamp (which prints my name flocked by hearts) since childhood and recently rediscovered it, much to my delight.

I found these beautiful jewelry boxes at an estate sale a few months ago and decided to re-purpose them for craft supplies, including washi tape. My collection is modest compared to many I've seen, but it's expanding steadily and has already grown since this photo was taken a few days ago.

inspirational abode

My apartment and I are featured on the adorable Hello, Mr. Rabbit blog! Click here to see the full post.

soft spots

A few more of my favorite nooks around our apartment, and the little hat (complete with daisies and a velvet bow), set of jewellery boxes, and vintage birthday cards I brought home from an estate sale for $3 the other day! We've only lived here for two months but the knick knacks crowding every surface such as these give the appearance that it's been closer to ten years. While our pad is unabashedly very feminine, Liam has his own office/studio which I might feature in an upcoming post. Today is Canadian Thanksgiving and I have so much to be grateful for, including this wonderful place to live.

for liam with love

You most definitely would not guess it from these photos, but earlier this month my boyfriend and I moved into a wonderful little apartment together. Lucky for me, he doesn't mind my vast array of knick knacks, vintage garments, and mismatched furniture being strewn throughout the space, and so I've quickly taken to adorning every corner with floral arrangements, sparkling dresses, and delicate embroidery. There's also an assortment of Star Wars and Ninja Turtles collectibles on display among the glitter and lace, but boy toys have never been my forté, unless we're talking about one in particular. This post is dedicated to him, for allowing and even helping me to make such a cozy home for us. For a peek at my previous dwellings, see here and here.

bookshelves & pinafores

In September I moved into a little house with two of my favorite male companions, which sounds quite saucy but isn't meant to. Sharing the rest of my space with boys has resulted in designing a bedroom which is even pinker, lacier, and more sparkly than the last one I lived in. This is not only where I sleep but also read, write, blog, and often times eat (toast crumbs in bed, anyone?). I'm naturally a homebody but during the long winter months I see more of this sanctuary than most places, thus it's naturally strewn with my favorite dresses upon the walls and trinkets cluttering each and every surface.

tennessee bunny

Outtakes of Tennessee Thomas (and her saddle shoes) in her New York apartment shot by Nathan Perkel for Jalouse. In case you were absent the first 526 times I've declared it on this blog, she is the ultimate babe!

hermit at heart

My lair is looking less shabby than usual after a bit of spring cleaning inspired by the ceremonious sporting of knee socks after a long winter. This room has been mine for almost two years now and has been one of my favorite places since I moved in. A lot of the time there is no where else I'd rather be.

this must be the place

Lately I've been thinking a lot (more than usual) about being elsewhere, but I cleaned up my room this weekend and am feeling better about spending time where I am until the end of the summer. Even if I'm in a slump and haven't been writing or drawing or taking pictures I'm pleased with, at least I have my personal space as an extension of the way I want things to look. Since childhood I've been somewhat obsessed with surrounding myself with decoration and garnishes of any sort, and am completely guilty of taking comfort in my possessions (though to be fair we're talking cat masks and a staggering surplus of hair bows here, not luxury vehicles).

cat fancy

I am horrendously allergic to real cats, but feline figurines (and videos) are a different story all together. These are just a few of the ones scattered around my room, most of which came to be mine via thrift stores. Decluttering is a concept totally foreign to me, as it is precisely the stockpiling of knick knacks that ~*make my house a home*~