Diwali cards

I just discovered that Minted has Diwali cards. Like all their cards they are adorable and it's made me very, very happy even though I don't send out Diwali cards. I couldn't resist mocking up a card though. Here's a screen grab :)

Making it Lovely has a feature going on where you can mail in and ask for some interior design help, so I took some photos of my living room to send it in. I asked for help making the room cosier and better for entertaining. I also need some help to cover up those wires. There have been days when I hate the living room but after I tidied up and took these photos I'm inclined to think that it's not too bad and it's nothing some art work, sidetables and maybe a small book shelf can't fix. I'd also like to change the light fixtures out for something a little more modern. So I won't be too heartbroken if I'm not picked and I may not even qualify anyway since she specified Chicago & Oak Park and I'm pretty sure Arlington Heights doesn't count.

Slippers

Now that it's getting colder, I've been looking for slippers for Aditi and me to wear about the house. Of course kids clothes are cuter and I started looking for Aditi first. One of my superpowers is to look at a product round up in a magazine and pick the most expensive thing on the page. Apparently I can apply this to the internet too - my favourites are the wabi slippers and if I amortise it it's only $10 a month if I make her wear them for the next 6 months right? My budget option from Target is sadly out of stock. My in between option are the TOMS, so Aditi and I can get matching shoes. (Hee!) The Lands Ends are probably the cosiest though.  

Which one do you like?

Camper Wabi slippers $55

LaLa shoes Pop Finland Toddler booties $52

Mysterious Toadstool Moccis 

Cameria Fleece Scuff Slippers $7.99

Metallic Tweed Tiny TOMS Classics $29

Nylon Quilt Slip-on Bootie Slippers $29.50

This Saturday we realised that it's been a year since we bought the house. We've done a ton of stuff to the house - we put insulation under the roof, knocked out some ugly panelling in the basement, installed drywall, painted and carpeted the basement, not to mention rip out the entire kitchen and put in a new gorgeous one. We removed a fence that was randomly in the middle of the backyard, sown a new lawn, cut down a dying pine tree and moved our neighbours swingset into our yard. It's good to write all this down because sometimes I forget that we did so much. There are still a lot of things that I would fix around the house - the ceiling was only half painted by the previous owners and while it isn't immediately obvious, it's pretty jarring once you notice it. The shower cubicle in the master bathroom is still stuck in the seventies and that's a pretty big project. Plus there are little finishing touches that needed to be added here and there like trim and new switch plates.  So I'm starting this blog anew to document the house as it gets done so I appreciate all the hard work and money and time we put in instead of taking it all for granted.