Instagraming January!

Hello hello!

I’ve started to paint my kitchen red. I’m loving how it’s looking so far. Such a relief considering how dark the colour is. It’s a bit scary to paint the first stripe. I can’t wait to show you!

Anyway, here’s what I was up to in January:

Coffee on New Year’s Day! // Mittens in progress. Now frogged because I don’t like how they turned out. The yarn is so pretty though. // Enjoying the gorgeous big blue Manitoba sky // Working on Missoni blanket again. It’s been over a year already! // First day back to class // Winter is coming scarf // Wild by Cheryl Strayed. Obsessed with this book. // Isn’t it cute that I thought -34C was cold when -44C was just around the corner? // I love my Travel & Leisure subscription but sometimes they’re rubbing it in. // Sprinkles! // Making scones // Treated parents to Creme Brulee French Toast. Recipe here. // Tea Cozy! Post here // Born to be Brad – Love this book! // Chevron NOTD // Sundogs!

What have you been up to this January? I love following new instagrammers. Follow me on instagram @Lesleylu and I’ll be sure to follow back! x

Instagraming December!

Hello hello!

I hope you’re all having a lovely weekend. I’ve been asked to help out on my friend’s curling team tonight. Very nervous since I’ve never curled before. Do I need my own broom? What do I wear? lol I’m not really sure how I can grow up in Manitoba and never thrown a rock before but there you have it.

Anyway, here’s what I was up to in December:

Loving the beautiful pastel sunsets we get in the winter  // Decorated my front window based on a pin I can no longer find.   // Latest Glossybox // First chocolate of the advent calendar. Still not sure what it’s meant to be // New (to me) dining table & chairs – post here // Working on baby blanket // Baby blanket complete  – pattern here // Working on term paper // Hot chocolate! // Very  cute owl in my parents’ front yard // University // Another pretty day full of hoar frost // More blue skies // Christmas morning cinnamon buns – recipe here // Red velvet trifle inspired by this pin (used box red velvet mix instead of madelines & whipped cream instead of cream cheese & marscapone) // My kobo smiling

What have you been up to this December? I love following new instagrams. Follow me on instagram @Lesleylu and I’ll be sure to follow back! x

Pretty Things: Retro Dining Table & Chairs

For the past few months, I’ve been trying to find a retro chrome table (preferably in red) around town. On Sunday, I found these on kijiji! The table is grey and the chairs are red but I still think it’s perfect for my dining area.

Awesome, isn’t it? I was so excited when I went to pick them up because I loved them in person even more than I thought I would. They also go perfect with my poppy wallpaper.

Here’s a close up of the table top:

Once I finally paint my kitchen cherry red, it’s really going to pull everything together. I already love the pop of colour that the chairs bring.

Everything together came to $125. You just can’t beat that. For the locals, these were picked up at the Candle Co. Antiques in West St. Paul.

Have you found any thrifting treasures lately?

Silent Sunday: October 21, 2012

Out & About : Wolseley

Hello all!

I had such a lovely weekend and took full advantage of the gorgeous autumn weather. Wolseley is one of my favourite Winnipeg neighbours even though I don’t get down there very often.

Here’s my weekend highlights:

{I completed the crossword puzzle!}

The Winnipeg Etsy Street Team had a craft sale on Saturday. Thank you to Daphne your post last week that reminded me! I often find Etsy overwhelming so I was excited to have an opportunity to see local products in person. I was so glad I went!

{Pretty soap dish I got at the sale for $5!}

{Sock yarn I purchased at Wolseley Wool}

Best wool shop ever! I often get frustrated when I can’t find the type of yarn I want in the colour I want. This place has everything.

How was your weekend?

What I’m Going to Miss About My Neighbourhood: #4 Elm Tree Canopies

Hi all! This next entry in the series has perfect timing with our gorgeous fall weather lately!

4. Elm Tree CanopiesWinnipeg is known for its elm trees particularly in the older neighbourhoods. In these neighbourhoods, the streets are a bit narrower allowing the trees to completely cover the area below. It’s so beautiful and especially romantic when the leaves start to change colour and gently fall to the ground below.

Check out the rest of this series: 10/9/8/7/6/5.

What do you love about your neighbourhood?

What I’m Going to Miss About My Neighbourhood: #5 St. Boniface Library

Hi all!

Did you know that October is library month? It’s true!

5. St. Boniface Library

{St. Boniface Library}

The St. Boniface Library is now one of my all time favourite libraries right up there with the Banff Park Library. I like them both for the same reasons. They have a great selection but you’re only exposed to a small amount of it at a time. Because of the smaller selections, I find that I’m more likely to try something new rather than the same type of books I generally go for.

For those who aren’t familiar with St. Boniface, it’s a large french speaking community within Winnipeg, Canada. Its library, (the one picture above), holds books that are primarily French. I would estimate that about 90% of the libraries books are French. The English books take about 3 or 4 rows as well as some racks of paperbacks. Of course, because it’s part of the Winnipeg public library system, I was able to order English books and pick them up there. However, sometimes you just need to browse you know?

At this library, I took a chance on books and authors I honestly wouldn’t have picked up at larger libraries. That’s the benefit of smaller libraries and sometimes fewer options.

Check out the rest of this series: 10/9/8/7/6.

What do you love about your neighbourhood?

What I’m Going to Miss About My Neighbourhood: #6 St. Boniface Post Office

Hi all!

6. St. Boniface Post Office

{St. Boniface Post Office}

This might be a weird place to miss but I’m really attached to the St. B Post Office for a couple of reasons:

• There are very few freestanding post offices anymore.
• I get to practice my French by eavesdropping on the other patrons.
• The main post office guy there is so quick! Seriously, if I have to send 4 packages at once, he has them processed and ready to go in 5 minutes.
• Parking right out the door! So handy when you just want to run in and out.

Check out the rest of this series: 10/9/8/7.

What do you love about your neighbourhood?

Curbside Coffee Table

Twice a year, the citizens of Winnipeg put their gently used furniture on the curb with the hopes of finding it a new home. Even though I was looking forward to this fall’s curb swap I had no idea when it was. A couple of weekends ago, I figure it out when I drove by and saw items dotted along the front lawn down several streets. I was really hoping to find a coffee table because even though I need a lot of furniture, that was the one item I kept wishing I already had.

Fortunately, at around 8 pm on the Sunday, I drove by this coffee table. After about 10 minutes trying to figure out how to get it in my car (unscrewed the legs!), I had a new coffee table for my condo.

 

Even though there’s a few scrapes, it’s actually in really good condition. I also really love the detail that that goes around the entire table.

I’m undecided on whether I should paint it or not. Because I’m  not obsessed with the idea of painting it, I think I’ll leave as is until I love the idea of changing it. I’m open to suggestions!

What do you think I should do with it? Paint, leave as is or any other suggestion?

What I’m Going to Miss About My Neighbourhood: #7 Le Croissant

Hi all!

I’m so behind on this series! I moved over a month ago already.

7. Le Croissant

{Le Croissant}

Without a doubt, one of the places I’m going to miss the most is Le Croissant. This little bakery makes the absolutely best croissants in Winnipeg. One of my favourite things to do was to wake up and walk the 20 or so minutes to the bakery to pick up a croissant for an am break. If you haven’t been there already, you really have to go. Just get there early to make sure there’s a bit of a selection. I personally love the selection of fruit croissants that arrive in the summer.

 {A raspberry croissant}

Check out #10 , #9 and #8.

What do you love about your neighbourhood?