3.24.2010

Your Questions Answered

Waaaaay back in January I asked if any of you had any questions for me - and some of you did! So I wanted to ensure I answered them because I did not forget and I appreciate you taking the time to comment/write/ask. So here goes.... :)

Me on a camel in Egypt '07

Mandy asked: Who or what has been the biggest influence on your style/how you decorate? What's your favorite TV show? What's your favourite meal to cook?


Hmmm fun questions! I think the biggest influence on my style/how I decorate is travel & different cultures. I LOVE travel and learning about different cultures and it's something I try to incorporate into my apartment in accessories, details & finishing touches....even with some of the colours I choose. I love interiors that have ethnic touches and pieces from around the world. My favourite TV show - that's a tough one! I watch a lot of TV. I love Cold Case & watch a lot of CSI (all 3 versions). I'm also not above reality TV - I like Project Runway (PLEASE don't say who wins - here in Canada we are behind by about 3 or 4 episodes!) and if anyone follows my tweets you'll see I tweet a lot about America's Next Top Model on Wednesday nights lol...and I really love Modern Family - so funny! My favourite meal to cook is probably curry chicken (Jamaican style) & mashed potatoes - I'm a pretty simple gal.


Katelin asked: What's your next big decorating project? I always love seeing what you come up with.


Thanks Katelin! My next project is my bedroom. It has remained UNTOUCHED since I moved in (1 year ago). It's crying out for attention and as much I desperately want to do something...I can't decide what I want to do in there. Dark & moody or light & airy....I'm so confused. But I did buy this duvet cover which is huge & I plan on using it to make a padded headboard...or curtains. Or maybe a bed skirt. See? Confused.

Ceecee asked: Well...have you met up with anyone you've met online? (bloggers/commenters) is it something you are willing to do if presented with the opportunity?


I've only had the opportunity to meet up with 1 other blogger so far - I don't know if it has anything to do with the fact that I'm in Canada and a lot of my blog readers (according to my stats) are in the U.S. Earlier this year I met up with Nicole from So Haute while she was in Toronto for work. I'm a fan of her blog so it was nice to finally meet up with someone after having followed their blog and exchanged emails. I'm totally willing to meet up with bloggers/commenters. Meeting at least 3 in person is actually on my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days - so if anyone wants to meet up drop me an email! I'd love to go to one of those huge blogger meet up thingys but they are always held in the U.S. and not some place I can get to easily (like NYC).

Mrs. Limestone asked: I always meant to ask you this but did you change your blog name? Or for that matter why have more than one blog? Just wondering what your thought process is.


Hmmm. Not too sure what name change you're referring to because there has been a few...but not in a while - so I'll try and address them all :) Waaaay back when I started blogging the blog was called "I'm Not Really A Diva" and it had the matching blogspot address. Then when I decided I wanted to have more of a design focus and I actually moved into my first (& current apartment) I re-named the blog "Apartment 412, etc" - I think that was about a year ago. Then when I got a new look for the blog in November 2009 I wanted the blog name and blogspot address to be the same - which leads us to the current Apartment #412. So it was a natural kind of progression. However, at the beginning of this year I did start a new blog called Ice Cream & Peonies. It's a separate blog and it's a bit more personal - it's basically where I post anything BUT design/decor. My thought process in creating that blog was to have this one remain more design focused and another that is more personal. I wasn't certain how to incorporate my more personal thoughts/posts into this blog and to be honest - didn't feel that some readers would be interested in all of a sudden reading more personal posts when the primary focus had always been design...and I totally get that. So I thought it'd be better to have a different blog for that.

Anna of the blog Door Sixteen's small kitchen solution

Shella asked: What are your biggest inspirations (in regards to design, blogging, life in general)?


My biggest inspirations in regards to design are travel (see first question above) and also seeing how regular everyday people like me decorate their homes - that's why I love blogging! Don't get me wrong, I find inspiration in design magazines but I love seeing how people without millions of dollars or access to professional designers or 'to trade only' fabric decorate their homes. How they come up with solutions to issues that I have too (like incorporating a desk into your small living space or adding interest to a plain box of an apartment with zero architectural detail...) And with so many design blogs - updated every day, and constant house tours on blog/sites like Apartment Therapy and Design Sponge, inspiration is everywhere!

Nicole's chic living room (blog So Haute)

Jason's small but stylish condo (blog These Roving Eyes)

My biggest inspiration in regards to blogging? Hmmm. I don't really have a blogger inspiration. I have tons of blogs I adore and find inspiring (for a variety of reasons) but I don't think they inspire the way I blog...(I hope that answers the question? or did I get the question wrong?)

My biggest inspiration in life in general? Whoa! Let's see. I'm really inspired by people who are living their lives passionately - who have the guts to do what they love and are making some kind of a difference in the world at large. I'm inspired by my sister who is one of the hardest working, most genuine & giving person you'll ever meet. I'm inspired by Maryam of the blog My Marrakesh who is doing exactly what I'd love to be doing in 10 years. I'm inspired by people like the author/founder of Room to Read John Wood and the founder of Charity: Water Scott Harrison. I'm inspired by many, many people...

taken with my iPhone...

Maria asked: I would love to read the whole quote that is up in your living room, painted on, what looks like canvas..? Did you write/make that yourself?


Yes I did make that myself! I blogged the entire thing and you can read the tutorial here. I couldn't decide on just one quote (and then I got the idea to do lines from songs I like too) - so it's a combination of a bunch of quotes/lines from songs and I did it so they kinda run into one another...no punctuation. Here are the lines/quotes I used - separated & with punctuation:

"Forget about trying to get through the storms, life is about learning to dance in the rain." (a quote I read from R&B singer Tamia)
"Express yourself. Don't repress yourself." (Lyrics from Madonna's Human Nature - one of my fave Madonna songs)
"Make it work." (Timm Gunn)
"Nothing happens until you decide." (Oprah)
"I am unwritten. I'm undefined. Can't read my mind. I'm just beginning the pens in my hand - ending unplanned." (Lyrics from Natasha Beddingfield's Unwritten)

And I haven't finished it yet but the final quote (once finished) will read: "Sometimes good things fall apart so that better things can come together." (Marilyn Monroe)


I'm actually thinking of doing another canvas with just ONE quote or the lyrics from ONE song and hanging it somewhere else in my apartment. High impact, low cost :)

Seen at my local thrift store - could've kicked myself that I was too late to grab it up!

Anonymous asked: Hi there Kay, I was just wondering where you tend to do your "thrifting" here in Canada?


I search craigslist quite a bit (scored my bamboo chair on cl) and one of my favourite thrift stores is GUFF - they get great items and the prices are pretty fair. Occasionally I'll stop at a yard sale or two in the warmer months (scored this and this at one). But, by far, my favourite place to thrift is my local Value Village. The majority of things I've found & blogged I've found there. If you want to know which VV email me as I'd like it to remain my little hidden place :) but here's a tip: when going to the bigger chain thrift stores like Goodwill or Value Village go to the ones that AREN'T in the trendy/hip areas. Usually thrift stores in trendy/hip/fashionable areas have NOTHING and if they do get something worth salvaging it's gone in the blink of an eye. People in those areas know what they have and aren't likely to just give it away. However, if you go to one that isn't necessarily in the most fashionable area...or one in the suburbs - you'll find great stuff because usually people don't know what they have and just give it away. Or it's people (older or younger) cleaning out their attic/basement and getting rid of 'junk' or their grandparents stuff...that's when you find amazing stuff at even more amazing prices!


Whew! That was fun. If any of you have any more questions feel free to ask & I'll answer them in the future.

6 comments:

Helena - A Diary of Lovely said...

Really good post!!
Did I tell you I love the new header?

ceecee said...

Glad you answered the questions, it was a fun read. I'll let you know when my plans to visit T.dot finalize.

Jason Hudson Dot Com said...

Thanks, pal!
Wondered why I had a spike in hits!

(Still need to figure out a meet-up so you can get this camera gear! Springtime is outrageously busy for me at work. Hence my blog-stall! Soon, soon, my dear!!)

Liz Harrell said...

Fun quiz, just stumbled onto your blog this morning!

Designwali said...

Just found your blog. so much fun.

So Haute said...

I'm so behind on my blog reading and just now seeing your post! I had so much fun hanging with you in Toronto! Now you have to come for a visit to NYC soon:) And thank you for including the photo of my living room! How is everything going? Hope all is well! xo

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