Keep it Beautiful Designs

Monday, January 14, 2013

The Colour of 2013!!

Happy Monday everyone,

Hope you had a great weekend. Our big guy is on day 8 of battling this nasty flu. Ugh, its brutal! We're going on vacation in about a week so I'm just hoping we all get on the plane healthy! Fingers crossed.

However, to raise the sicky spirits...Pantone Color Institute (they create colour standards for the fashion, beauty and home industries) has announced the colour of 2013.

EMERALD is the colour of 2013!

Ooooh-la-la! Indeed, the vibrant shade has been a fashionable favourite for some time, from the sleeved, sequinned Versace number worn by Angelina Jolie to the 2011 Golden Globes to the sleek, silk Mulberry dress donned recently by the Duchess of Cambridge.

I can't think of anywhere in our home that we have the colour emerald. I don't think I'll be splashing my walls with it but I'm open to picking up a few accessories to add. These hits of the green in these rooms are fresh and pretty...

And, I'm sure HomeSense will be stocking their shelves with this jewel colour that allows you to add trend to your home for little moolah. Or, if you love the colour than splash those walls with the vibrant hue!

A laundry room would look great with pops of emerald. FRESH!

Don't forget to add a little vavavoom green to your wardrobe. I'll take one of these any day :)

Keep it Beautiful.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Cable - Not Just Your Mama's Sweater!

Happy Fabulous Friday everyone!

While cable knits have always been a classic, they seem to have risen in popularity in the last little while. My mum and I have a running joke that whenever she buys a new sweater, it always seems to be a CABLE sweater!

My mum has great style but for years, I dreaded when she whipped out yet another cable! However, recently I've been all over the cable and loving the looks, textures and how home design has embraced it.

No longer are cables just hot for sweater and mitts....

My Great Aunt Mary gave these cable Gap sweaters to the kids for Christmas. Adorable.

Now enter in cable for your home! The texture of the cable knit, the look and the cozy feel can add beauty to any room. If you're looking for a "winter look", adding cable- anything will add the perfect accent.

How cozy does this bed look?

Cable knit throws, me likey.

I was swooning over them so much I'm going to go out this weekend and pick one up for my couch in the living room. Yes!

What about these accessories...

Pouff anyone?

I'm feeling like this is a little over the top, but hey, I'd sit in it!

At first I thought this was toilet paper?! Instead it's a vase.

Whether its a cable sweater or a cable thow pillow. Add any of these to your wardrobe and/or home decor and you'll add texture and beauty. An easy way to keep your home fresh.fabulous.sophisticated this season.

I'm looking forward to curling up under my new cable knit throw on Sunday and may put on a pair of these babies...

Have a great weekend.

Keep it Beautiful.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Wednesday Yummies: Grilled Halloumi with Figs & Blood Oranges

Happy Wednesday!

On New Year's Eve my friend Suzanne cooked us this fantastic dinner. One of her appetizers was this recipe and OMG it was delish! I can't say enough about it. Have you ever tried Halloumi cheese? I hadn't and it is super yum. It's a mixture of goat's cheese and sheeps milk and grills up beautifully while staying soft.

If you're having company over in the next little while and need a little appie...this is so fab. It's from William Sonoma.

Ingredients:
- 4 blood oranges
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
- Sea salt and ground pepper
- 6 ripe red or black mission figs, halved lengthwise
- 1/2 lb. halloumi cheese, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

How to:
Using a knife, cut off top and bottom of 1 orange and stand it upright. Following contour of fruit, slice off remaining peel and white pith. Holding orange over a bowl, cut along both sides of each segment to separate it from membrane, allowing it and any juices to fall into bowl. Repeat with remaining oranges. Add mint and toss to combine. Season well with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat a stove-top grill pan over medium heat. Put figs, skin side down, on grill pan and cook, turning once, until juices start to run, about 2 minutes per side. Add figs to bowl with oranges.

Drizzle cheese slices with olive oil and place on grill pan. Grill, turning once, until golden, 1-2 minutes per side. Add cheese to bowl with oranges. Toss everything together and serve at once. Serves 4-6.

My mouth is watering it's really good.

Keep it Beautiful.

Monday, January 7, 2013

The Best of 2012

Happy New Year everyone!!

One week into January already? Time flies when you're on vacation. I hope that you had a lovely time with family and friends. We spent the holidays in Toronto at my parent's house. It was relaxing, we ate too much, played in the snow and the kids were so excited for Christmas. Goodtimes. I went back to the office last Thursday and it was definitely a challenge to get back into the swing of things. I'll admit that last Thursday and Friday I tried to stay small and quiet in the office so that I could slowly transition back to it all.

What's to come in 2013? I'm looking forward to it and have lots of ideas. Oh, and I got a new camera so let's hope my photography gets better ;) I would love to hear from you as to what you would like to see. More DIYs? Renos? Recipes? Crafts? Please let me know. Let's make 2013 great!

Also, on an exciting note, I'll be starting to blog for the Ottawa Mommy Club starting this month. The site is currently under renovation but will be up and running soon! Stay tuned.

I launched Keep it Beautiful last May and thought I would share with you some of my fav posts from each month over the last 7 months. Here's a look back: