We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online learning and we’re all losing it a little. Things that are helping: pretending that we’re in the Mystery Machine, headed for a campground with a mystery to solve! Jude says the camp counsellor is pretending to be a ghost while Luca was busy getting “Honey” into her sleeping bag for the night. And then a pirate showed up, so this story is really getting good 😂

@playmobil is honestly a life changer because the kids get to build AND use their imagination. It’s a win-win, and let’s face it, we could all use a little win these days.

How are you all coping with kids at home?
Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table looks like right now. No, there aren’t markers, papers, toys, food, crumbs and tears on it. Nope. Nope. Nope. None of the above. Everything’s cool and calm over here, folks.

(If it’s not abundantly clear, I am joking.)
What does your Monday morning look like today? We’re over here prepping for online learning (note computer on dining room table) and I’m using our @playosmo to get our kids engaged in some math and language activities before we really get going. Every time I post about our Osmo, I’m asked: “do you really like it?” And my answer is always “YES!” I mean, just look at these kiddos. Jude is obsessed with the tangram and Luca loves sounding our words - he was trying to figure out whether to use ‘k’ or ‘c’ for ‘cat’ here. To them, they’re “playing”...but we all know what’s REALLY going on! #unboxingosmo #osmosocialclub
Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out r Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out reels, but I’m not letting that stop me. I made one showing you the materials and steps to make this super easy ornament storage so would you go watch it, pretty please?

I’ve been using this method of ornament storage for 7 years and it all started with a cardboard box, some red cups and a single layer. A few years later I upgraded the system to multiple layers, used foam board and white cups and voila! Scroll over to see what I mean.

Would you try this? It’s super easy and you can probably still go ahead and just use old cardboard and whatever cups you have on hand. It’s the best thing I ever did for my holiday decor!! Just make sure you use double sided tape or hot glue to attach the cups - loose cups are no bueno!

If you do this, show me, ok? I wanna see everyone put away their ornaments with no breakage! 🙌
Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of wee Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of weeks...but with a puppy in the middle of it all. We’re picking up Taco on Friday so prepare yourself for puppy pictures ALL over the place.

Also: I’ve been feeling uninspired lately and have taken a little break from both posting and consuming when it comes to social media. I’m trying to soak up the holiday magic, read things other than captions (as I write this that seems weird), and even writing more things down.

This time of year always makes me reflective - less because it’s the end of a calendar year and more because it’s my birthday in 9 days. Yes. It’s on the 25th. Yep. Christmas Day. No, seriously. Yeah, Christmas baby! I don’t mind it now, but I didn’t like it as a kid. Oh you know someone who also has a birthday on (or very close to) Christmas! Cool! <— that was just me reacting to like every single conversation ever about having a birthday on December 25th. 😂
I’m still thinking about these adorable little @ I’m still thinking about these adorable little @tubicenlighting lamps that you just touch to turn on and off. And this cutie little door all decked out with a smart doorbell and lock. And the beautiful blue kitchen by @remodelcanada.ca. And all of the vanities from @canaromatoronto. And this gorgeous hardwood flooring from @coswickcanada.ca.

Can you believe this was all under one roof? @improvecanada has 350 showrooms and it was so much fun seeing how many we could get to yesterday.

I’ll be sharing lots more about @improvecanada in the coming months, but if you’re curious and want to go see it for yourself, they’re open! You can call and book an appointment or even have a customer service rep help you make an appointment at showrooms suited to what you’re looking for. Pretty great, right?
#improvecanada # ad #makeitright
So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now I just need to gather all of the boys for an adorable family photo. Christmas miracle, maybe?

I made these sweaters for all of us last weekend using my @officialcricut Joy and now I may need to start personalizing a LOT more shirts around here! It was my first time using infusible ink and I love how the sweaters stays super soft! I may just be wearing this for the rest of the year!

O.S. If it wasn’t clear, our last name is Murray 😆

Have you made matching Christmas sweaters? What would be on yours if you did? # ad #cricutmade
Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or may Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or maybe you’re like me and you like to think you’re crafty but lack the patience to take out a whole bunch of things to make one tiny craft? Well then I have the thing for you. Meet the @officialcricut Joy! It’s tiny but mighty, and you can just have it casually sitting on a shelf waiting to be used when inspiration strikes because it takes up basically no room at all! I made these labels using mine, and you can swipe to see another easy project you can make with a Cricut Joy. It’s the perfect little gift! I even wrote a blog post about why I think so. I’ll share another Cricut project with you later this week!! # ad #cricutmade
Can you believe this room was completed two years Can you believe this room was completed two years ago? And I still love it as much today as I did then. And I still believe that my kids can have a fun, comforting space even if they don’t get to decorate it themselves with superhero bedding and Lego everywhere! But ALSO, I would never judge you if you’re that parent who does let your kids decorate with all the primary colours because you do you, boo and if it makes you and your kids happy, I say do the dang thing!!!

Ok that is all. Have a wonderful judgement-free day!
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Decor, DIY, Thrifting · October 14, 2012

The $20 lamp (and a $4 table)

Remember that thrifting trip a few days ago?  And that lamp I got for $5.99?  Well I got it a pretty little shade from that Ikea trip yesterday for a whopping $10.  Alex found a little white table on someone’s curb a while back, and when we were fixing up the kitchen cabinets, he figured it would do well for resting the doors on while we painted.  Turns out I quite like the little thing and thought it could be of use in the living room.  I went to Canadian Tire and got some primer and spray paint, and today I got to spraying.  Here’s the set up before.

The table may look like it’s in good shape from afar, but this is what it looked like up close:

How sweet if this little note written on the side of the table?  I painted around it, so it’s still there as a lovely little reminder to “think goood” :)

Here is the lamp is its full flowery glory:

I taped off areas of the lamp I didn’t want to get paint into, and it was time to get started!

Here’s the lamp primed, table painted in the back.  The flowers are gone!

I moved the painting party to the basement.  Mosquitoes were not only sticking to me, but also to the wet paint!

First coat of paint and it’s already so much better!

And now for the finished product!

I have to say I am extremely happy with it, and for what it cost, it’s the perfect imperfect table-lamp combination.  The little switch on the right is a dimmer I decided to add on so that we have more lighting options.  It’s really nice not being forced to have nothing but an overhead light on in the room.

Lighting – one more step to cozying up our home.

Check the rest of the progress here.

Linking up here!

Written by Thalita - Visit Website

In: Decor, DIY, Thrifting · Tagged: 31 day series, 31 days, home, house to home, ikea, living room, thrifting

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Comments

  1. Lindsey Brock says

    October 17, 2012 at 9:45 pm

    I love this colour you picked!! So pretty! And amazing job!! You are inspirational!

    Reply
  2. Gillian says

    October 19, 2012 at 8:41 am

    I agree – the color is lovely! Bright but not distracting. And what a sweet little message on the table. I love little surprises like that.

    Reply
  3. Zara Tretyakova says

    October 20, 2012 at 9:44 am

    What a very informative site, I have found alot of very useful information here and still have a lot more to read. Thank you very much for the time and effort you have put in….

    Reply
  4. Sara @ Stay at Beach Mom says

    October 26, 2012 at 9:42 pm

    I also love the color you chose. Ikea is such an awesome spot for lampshades! I hadn’t thought of getting a lamp from a thrift store to refinish it… brilliant!

    Reply
    • thelearnerobserver says

      October 26, 2012 at 10:58 pm

      Thanks Sara! The lamp was a steal, and it was one of the most “expensive” ones there!

      Reply
  5. jocieopc says

    October 27, 2012 at 10:40 am

    So pretty! I love spray painting lamps, it makes such a big difference for cheap!
    Found you from your comment on my chalkboard revamp. Thanks so much for visiting!
    Would love if you came and linked up with us. We’re giving away one free week of ad space for one lucky feature, and our blog gets thousands of hits per day! Hope to see you there!

    http://www.oneprojectcloser.com/the-humble-brag-link-party-4/

    Reply
    • thelearnerobserver says

      October 28, 2012 at 4:01 pm

      Thanks for checking out my blog!! I will definitely link up and add you to my link page! Looking forward to seeing more of your great ideas!

      Reply
  6. rea says

    October 31, 2012 at 11:42 am

    that lamp makeover looks pretty! i like the color that you chose :)

    dropping by from make it pretty monday, come and visit me back at: http://smart-momma.blogspot.com/

    huggies***
    rea

    Reply
    • thelearnerobserver says

      October 31, 2012 at 11:51 am

      Thank you Rea! I’ll be sure drop by :)

      Reply
  7. Nic says

    November 17, 2012 at 4:39 pm

    What color did you paint your walls and the lamp? I love them both.

    Reply
    • thelearnerobserver says

      November 28, 2012 at 9:58 am

      Hi Nic,

      So sorry, I have no idea what the name of the wall colour is… The house came with it! The lamp, however is Krylon’s “Blue Ocean Breeze”. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  8. Shelly minettesmaze.blogspot.com/ says

    August 16, 2013 at 9:58 am

    Looks Fantastic!! Thank you for sharing on CSI Project “Thrift Store Turnaround”!

    Shelly@MinettesMaze

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. A Quick Makeover - Or A Lesson In Patience - The Learner Observer says:
    May 22, 2014 at 7:03 am

    […] recognize these items if you have seen ANY picture of my living room, or if you happen to remember this really embarrassing post from eons ago!  Eeeep!!  I cannot believe I just shared that link with […]

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Nothing says home like… Ikea?

Hey, I'm Thalita! Daydreamer, serial decorator, mama of twin boys, lover of thrift stores, fuelled by coffee! This is the space where I share my DIY triumphs and failures, as well as interior design inspiration and regular life stuff.

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We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online learning and we’re all losing it a little. Things that are helping: pretending that we’re in the Mystery Machine, headed for a campground with a mystery to solve! Jude says the camp counsellor is pretending to be a ghost while Luca was busy getting “Honey” into her sleeping bag for the night. And then a pirate showed up, so this story is really getting good 😂

@playmobil is honestly a life changer because the kids get to build AND use their imagination. It’s a win-win, and let’s face it, we could all use a little win these days.

How are you all coping with kids at home?
Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table looks like right now. No, there aren’t markers, papers, toys, food, crumbs and tears on it. Nope. Nope. Nope. None of the above. Everything’s cool and calm over here, folks.

(If it’s not abundantly clear, I am joking.)
What does your Monday morning look like today? We’re over here prepping for online learning (note computer on dining room table) and I’m using our @playosmo to get our kids engaged in some math and language activities before we really get going. Every time I post about our Osmo, I’m asked: “do you really like it?” And my answer is always “YES!” I mean, just look at these kiddos. Jude is obsessed with the tangram and Luca loves sounding our words - he was trying to figure out whether to use ‘k’ or ‘c’ for ‘cat’ here. To them, they’re “playing”...but we all know what’s REALLY going on! #unboxingosmo #osmosocialclub
Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out r Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out reels, but I’m not letting that stop me. I made one showing you the materials and steps to make this super easy ornament storage so would you go watch it, pretty please?

I’ve been using this method of ornament storage for 7 years and it all started with a cardboard box, some red cups and a single layer. A few years later I upgraded the system to multiple layers, used foam board and white cups and voila! Scroll over to see what I mean.

Would you try this? It’s super easy and you can probably still go ahead and just use old cardboard and whatever cups you have on hand. It’s the best thing I ever did for my holiday decor!! Just make sure you use double sided tape or hot glue to attach the cups - loose cups are no bueno!

If you do this, show me, ok? I wanna see everyone put away their ornaments with no breakage! 🙌
Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of wee Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of weeks...but with a puppy in the middle of it all. We’re picking up Taco on Friday so prepare yourself for puppy pictures ALL over the place.

Also: I’ve been feeling uninspired lately and have taken a little break from both posting and consuming when it comes to social media. I’m trying to soak up the holiday magic, read things other than captions (as I write this that seems weird), and even writing more things down.

This time of year always makes me reflective - less because it’s the end of a calendar year and more because it’s my birthday in 9 days. Yes. It’s on the 25th. Yep. Christmas Day. No, seriously. Yeah, Christmas baby! I don’t mind it now, but I didn’t like it as a kid. Oh you know someone who also has a birthday on (or very close to) Christmas! Cool! <— that was just me reacting to like every single conversation ever about having a birthday on December 25th. 😂
I’m still thinking about these adorable little @ I’m still thinking about these adorable little @tubicenlighting lamps that you just touch to turn on and off. And this cutie little door all decked out with a smart doorbell and lock. And the beautiful blue kitchen by @remodelcanada.ca. And all of the vanities from @canaromatoronto. And this gorgeous hardwood flooring from @coswickcanada.ca.

Can you believe this was all under one roof? @improvecanada has 350 showrooms and it was so much fun seeing how many we could get to yesterday.

I’ll be sharing lots more about @improvecanada in the coming months, but if you’re curious and want to go see it for yourself, they’re open! You can call and book an appointment or even have a customer service rep help you make an appointment at showrooms suited to what you’re looking for. Pretty great, right?
#improvecanada # ad #makeitright
So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now I just need to gather all of the boys for an adorable family photo. Christmas miracle, maybe?

I made these sweaters for all of us last weekend using my @officialcricut Joy and now I may need to start personalizing a LOT more shirts around here! It was my first time using infusible ink and I love how the sweaters stays super soft! I may just be wearing this for the rest of the year!

O.S. If it wasn’t clear, our last name is Murray 😆

Have you made matching Christmas sweaters? What would be on yours if you did? # ad #cricutmade
Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or may Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or maybe you’re like me and you like to think you’re crafty but lack the patience to take out a whole bunch of things to make one tiny craft? Well then I have the thing for you. Meet the @officialcricut Joy! It’s tiny but mighty, and you can just have it casually sitting on a shelf waiting to be used when inspiration strikes because it takes up basically no room at all! I made these labels using mine, and you can swipe to see another easy project you can make with a Cricut Joy. It’s the perfect little gift! I even wrote a blog post about why I think so. I’ll share another Cricut project with you later this week!! # ad #cricutmade
Can you believe this room was completed two years Can you believe this room was completed two years ago? And I still love it as much today as I did then. And I still believe that my kids can have a fun, comforting space even if they don’t get to decorate it themselves with superhero bedding and Lego everywhere! But ALSO, I would never judge you if you’re that parent who does let your kids decorate with all the primary colours because you do you, boo and if it makes you and your kids happy, I say do the dang thing!!!

Ok that is all. Have a wonderful judgement-free day!
Put the finishing touches on our front porch this Put the finishing touches on our front porch this past weekend and I gotta say, this might be my favourite one yet.

Truth: I actually really dislike the exterior of our house. With exception of the front door, it’s pretty darn ugly. The 1970’s red brick mixed with buttercream yellow and burgundy siding are like the WORST combo ever. Add in little bits of the foundation which is painted blue and the concrete isn’t pretty either.

BUT those things don’t stop me from prettying up this little space anyway. Because for like 99% of us, making a home takes time. Renovating takes time. Even if TV shows and social media lead us to believe otherwise.

Now if you want to see some front porches full of personality and holiday cheer, all by Canadian ladies who get that nothing happens overnight, do I have a great lineup for you! Go check them out! #acanadianchristmasporch
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@bethanythislittleestate
@thesuburbanhome
@celineshouseonramsey
@alysia.jantzi
@unclutteredhouse

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