HOW TO STYLE BOOKSHELVES LIKE A PRO!

Hey guys!

We made it. First week of school is complete and the kids came home smiling. Phew! I had no idea how nervous I was for them until Monday night when I tossed and turned thinking about the first day jitters. The kids were cool as cucumbers and I had to most definitely mask the mama nerves!

I thought I would do an update on bookshelf styling. Last week, while Mr. Fix-It is was out one night,  I decided to do a little bookshelf re-style. Armed with a glass of vino, everything came off the bookshelves (ironic that they're called bookshelves, yet we have hardly any books on them?! You might have more styled on your shelves) and I started from scratch.

Sometimes, you just need a little shake-up in your decor. Nothing new to purchase, I just looked around the house and took items for all over!

A Review of the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello - A Luxurious Canadian Gem!

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a fabulous place with you. Mr. Fix-It and I just returned from a winter getaway. We spent two nights, three days at the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello in Montebello, Quebec. Oh was it fab! Let me tell you about it...

In June 1930, a private Seignory Club was built in Quebec, along the Ottawa River for the rich and famous. This gorg club was built in just four months with over 10,000 red cedar logs! Later, in 1970, the club was converted into a beautiful rustic chic hotel.

I truly fell in love with the feeling in the main building. The huge fireplace anchors the room and provides guests with a cozy place to sit in front of the fire and read, enjoy a cocktail or just be.

The beams in the ceiling are incredible and when you think of the word “cozy”, this space is it. Mr. Fix-It and I sat in the main lobby a lot. He read the newspaper cover-to-cover (since when does that happen when you have small kids?!) and I flipped through my fav magazines. We returned back to the lobby in the early evening for a few warm cocktails. Perfect.

Our room was awesome. We felt like it was our own little cottage. The décor is a rustic, log cabin that feels Canadian in every way, however it has all the luxurious amenities.

 

Before heading down for dinner, we set up our own little cheese plate in the room and cracked open the vino. Something to note, you can bring your own food and alcohol into your room. I would recommend you do this for mid-day snacks. There is a small store in the lobby to grab a bag of chips and water/pop, however it’s expensive. We headed into the town of Montebello and found a little cheese store that made the most delicious blue cheese. It was quickly added to our in-room cheese plate. Also, if you don't speak French, I recommend you bring your own reading material because you wont find many English magazines or books in town.

The activities. Fab. Again, if you love winter, this is your winter destination. They have snowshoeing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, dog sledding (yup, dogsledding!) tubing, ice skating, cross-country skiing & sleigh rides. Mr. Fix-It and I went snowshoeing into the forest (you can follow the trail or make your own) and it was super fun. Neither of us had been and it made a walk in the woods a fun adventure. Is it just me or does it look like my snowshoes are on the wrong feet?!

Of course, after all that fresh air, we needed the spa. Heaven on a plate. We opted for the couples massage (one hour, two massage tables in the room). Lovely.

The food. Are you a foodie? You can choose from the main restaurant or the bistro. We had dinner at both. The bistro is more like pub food, with a band…goodtimes. The food in the restaurant is outstanding! Melt in your mouth delish…go for the three course option.

You know how I only tell you about my fav products and places? Hands down, Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello is one of them. We were sitting in the spa and so relaxed, we called up the front lobby and booked ourselves in for another night!

If you are looking for a romantic getaway or a wonderful destination for your family, then consider Fairmont Le ChateauMontebello. I promise you, you’ll love it. Love it! They even have a supervised movie room for the kids to watch a movie in the evenings (on weekends)…and mum and dad can then have a quiet dinner in the restaurant. Win-Win!

They have a few promotions going on right now. The resort is turning 85 this year so click here and you can see their promotion package. Also, it’s a great place to go for Easter! They have lots of activities for the kids to do including a Golden Egg hunt. Adorable. The resort is open all year round so a great opportunity to visit in the warm weather also. A whole new feel!

I know we will definitely be returning to the magical fresh.fabulous.sophisticated Canadian gem and I hope you get there too!

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram - KEEPITBEAUTIFULDESIGNS and on Twitter- @keepitbeautifu1 for more photos of the fab resort. Also, here is a video that I made about the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello.

 

Keep it Beautiful.

 

*I received special perks (complimentary night& breakfast) from the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello. However, my words to you are all mine and from my heart. I truly loved everything about this fabulous resort and recommend it to all of you!

Decorating for Winter

Have you put away all your holiday décor? Does it feel a little bare? Maybe you're loving the clean fresh look or maybe you're feeling like its looking a little empty?

I feel like the house always feels so bare once all the Christmas glam is gone. What’s a girl to do? My mantle still needs a little love. It’s time to do a little decorating for winter. Here’s what I did to keep it feeling winter-y and not Christmas-y.

I removed all the ornaments and left the pinecones in the candle holder, the birch logs in the centre of the mantle and just moved vases with greenery from the built-in shelves in the breakfast room to their new home on the mantle. Easy peasy. This way, it still feels like winter but allows the space to breathe after all the Christmas décor the mantle receives.

Here are a few other ways to cozy up your home for the winter season:

• Layers – swap out your lighter throws for something warm and tactile. Or switch up your throw pillows with something knitted. I picked up this throw at Homesense. My kids call it the “cozy wozy” blankie.

 

• Texture – baskets, pinecones, extra blankets and sheepskins at the foot of the beds and more area rugs. I added these pinecones and piece of birch in my silver tray that sits on the coffee table.

• Candles – you can’t have enough of these babies in the winter. Line them up along your mantle or group 6-8 pillars together in the middle of your coffee or dining table.

I’m sorry I was MIA last week. I was hiding under my blankets fighting off strep throat and pink eye in both eyes! Yup, a whole lot of grossness and I'm still not feeling 100% but I'm definitely on the mend. I’ve had pink eye before (a for sure thing when you’ve got little ones) but not like this! Hope you’re staying well. Fill up on extra Vitamin C to keep those nasty colds and flu away.

Keep it Beautiful