I have been busy, busy reviewing my product offering and trimming it and thinking that I need to get back to what my long time customers really love. I will be editing the shop, here and here, and offering some tried and true product offerings (look for new paper kits coming soon), a new online class as promised here, and also some new options for prints of some of my work from my journals.

But these are all the details of running an online business and today I thought I wouldn’t bore you with all that. Instead, I thought I would talk about the comforts of home.

If you follow me on facebook and/or instagram you may know that I was recently in Mazaltan, Mexico.

What a wonderful, indulgent week. We walked the beach in the early mornings, lay on the beach in the afternoon, and participated in the entertainment at night - even if it was just with a cocktail ; ).

While we were there we were struck by the easy pace of life. How great it would be to do this every day. To be there with my dog, Bones, every day, and to let him run on the beach with us. Oh how he would love that! We could get our groceries at the local market, ride bikes, swim in the ocean and really enjoy life. A little house on the beach sounded really good!

And then we came home to reality.

And while I still love the idea of a place to stay in Mexico at least during the cold winter months here in Montreal, I also realized in coming back home, how much I love my place. Every time I enter, I am comforted by the cosiness I have created for myself.

Last year I purchased this couch from a local, (as in Montreal, Canada) company called “Element de Base”. I could not be happier with it. I wanted a couch that I could lounge on, and that Bones (again, my dog) could climb on with me. I wanted a comfy couch. I purchased the couch along with two slipcovers - the one you see above for winter, and a beige linen one for summer. The blue velvet winter version is my favorite. (And yes it shows the dog hair a lot but I vacuum daily so that I can still enjoy my dog and my couch!)

My dining room is right next to the living room. You may have seen my post on my previous blog (which is no longer there) on how I created my wood wall - the feature wall of the whole entrance since the house is only 1200 square feet total. I had wanted to do a wood wall forever and I knew I would never tire of it and I have not. It was a labor of love stapling in each piece, one by one, using two different colors of woods which I purchased from stickwood.com. (Yes they do have a stick on version but I wasn’t confident it would “forever” stick so I opted to buy a powered staple gun). I could not be happier with the result and I still love it every day. If you have been debating whether to do this -just go for it. (Maybe try it out in a bathroom first if you are really unsure). Unlike when I did this 4 years ago, this is now readily available in most big box home stores and so you no longer have to purchase it online.

I have done other changes in my home one of which I showed you here in a previous post. I will will show you other renovations/diys I have done in other rooms and in the back yard in upcoming posts so stay tuned.

So I still love the idea of living in Mazaltan Mexico (at least for a few months in the year) but if I do go that route, I will make sure it gives me the same comfort as this home does.

Any new renovations in your home? New products you have used.? I would love to hear about them. Leave a comment below and thanks for being here.

BIG PS. Did you know that as a subscriber to my website you can receive 10% off all handmade books in my shop at anytime. Just enter THANKYOUSUBSCRIBERS at checkout to immediately get the 10% off. Just for you, my subscribers!