My Beach House - The Exterior & Entry

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Thanks so much joining me on my house tour.
I have really enjoyed reading all of your lovely comments.
I am finishing of the tour with the entry
so I am doing this all a bit back-to-front!

The exterior is in need of a coat of white paint
but we have been busy bees in the last 10 months so that will be the icing on the cake!
That will be our little summer project! 

One of the downfalls of the house was no driveway,
so we started on that the weekend the keys were handed over.
Next was to re-orient the front steps which lead you smack bang into a big tree!
Then there was paving the path and downstairs entry to save mud from being trapsed through the house.
The crazy paving we picked from Eco Outdoor was a perfect match
 to the seventy year old stone on the house.
The final job before our summer break was re-doing the deck.
I love the the crazy ship's ladder that is part of the original design.
The little kids love it!
The entry is simply decorated with a white washed cane console from Mandalay Designs
and a collection of hand blown aqua vases, coastal books, shells and surfing magazines.
It's relaxed and casual and sets the theme for the rest of the house 

 Melissah xox

Credits : Matt Lord Photography for Coastal Style Blogspot

Check out Coastal Style Pinterest

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And so it begins...the Holiday Rush!

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Hey guys! Well the first week of December is nearing it's end. Our Black Friday, Small Business Saturday right into Cyber Monday Sale was a great success! We are so incredibly thankful for all of the orders and so excited to know that our art will be a part of all of these homes and fabulous holiday gift giving! We have been working like mad all week. And we nearly feel like we can toot our own horns a tiny bit... we've been killin it! The thing with our art and shop selection is that there are so many different kinds of things! We try to work in a production line style as much as possible, and all the hopping around to different mediums keeps us fresh. In the span of a day we have to bounce around between the following: matting prints,  making ornaments...all different types of ornaments, painting wooden signs, cutting out die cuts outside on the scroll saw, putting together art kits....and then there's all the packing. It never gets boring. 


Our nights have been spent painting lots and lots of wooden signs. I swear every surface on the first floor was covered with boards laid out to dry. Aaron had to finally take to the floor and lay out some cardboard boxes.


All the hard work totally paid off! We've been shipping almost daily. Today's packages were filled with such great orders! So many fun pieces. We love seeing the combinations of items that each collector chooses. 


See these? They are all big wooden plaques! Wood mounted prints of some of our all time best selling paintings. We've been asked over and over about bringing back plaques, and yep...you guys got your wish! We will be adding some to the shop tonight! They are 11x14 and are ready to hang! No need to go buy a frame! Hooray! 

(press play above)

There has been sooo much of this going on over here! And we couldn't be happier!! Once that bow of bakery twine is tied we know that a box is about to be packed and sent off to it's new home. 


This here is a very special package that went out to a long time collector of our work. A fella in Brooklyn, who happens to be one of our very first online collectors...going way way back to maybe 2006 or earlier. We don't actually offer our faux mini doughnuts for sale since it just isn't very time or cost effective for us...but we made an exception upon our old friend's special request. And we love these things! They're one of our favorite projects in our book


We added a few new Starlet ornaments to the shop too!! Yes...Pink hair! And Aqua too! 





Oh hey! 


Stacks and stacks of boxes headed to homes all over.


And we also added Charlotte ornaments to the shop! She has been our muse for years and years.

It really was a busy week and we're thrilled to be taking a little time off tomorrow! 

Yup...tomorrow is the Country Living Fair in Tarrytown NY, and we are going with a few local gals. Super excited! It happens to be outdoors, but with "heated tents" we shall see what that means. Its supposed to be quite cold and raining the entire day. Oh well...I guess my hair will be a big cotton candy wreck by the end of the day. But if we find a few treasures, and meet up with some friends it'll be all good. Anyone else going? We'd love to see you there!

xo, Jenny...and Aaron 


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The 12 Days of CHRISTMAS…. Great Gifts for your Dog this Holiday Season!

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Who can resist an adorable little sweater or coat for their dogs, plus all dogs adore treats -- what dog doesn’t?

This Christmas I will give my kidlets sweaters and coats (really for me) and treats and toys (really for them) from a variety of wonderful retailers in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland who offer such a fabulous selection of fun, adorable & unique things for your pooch!

1) Three Dog Bakery carries bath products that are fur-tas-tic, including products by Fresh Dog, Dermagic, Earthbath and Buddy Wash. The smells are delicious (lots of peppermint, oatmeal and vanilla), the products are fabulous and the prices are great, too! There are also dental products to keep your dog’s teeth sparkling and breath fresh, by Kissable Dental, are also available at Three Dog Bakery in Vancouver & Port Moody.

2) A new dog bed is always the perfect gift.  Bowser dog beds, available at Bowwow Haus, are super stylish and contemporary beds made of upholstery grade fabrics in dozens of fabric options. Durable, comfortable, completely washable and best of all, Canadian made! Self warming, round, comfy sleeper beds by K&H are fashionable and super snuggly for your pooch and available at a Tisol location.

3) “Muttlucks” and “Paws” booties to protect your dog’s precious paws. With winter creeping up on us, these little boots save doggys’ feet from the salt and chemicals used to de-ice the sidewalks. The “Paws” reusable disposable booties, which look like balloons, are available at Barking Babies. Other paw-saving bootie types and styles are available online and at various locations throughout Vancouver and the lower mainland.

4) Slip a most “pupular” peanut butter personalized stocking cookie, wrapped and ready to go with a gift tag, into your dog’s stocking. Three Dog Bakery has been capturing the hearts & tummies of people and their canine companions since 1989. All baked goods are carefully crafted to ensure the best quality for your loyal friend. This outfit is known for fresh-baked personalized celebration cakes, as well as dog treats and cookies, but they also carry great packaged specialties like Puppermint Mocha, Snickerdoodles and Star Wafers 2-pack gift sets. This dog bakery always gets two paws up!

5) Barking Babies in Yaletown has the best selection of “High Fashion-Haute Couture” coats and sweaters like no one else in this city! For the ooh-La-La and wow factor head over to Barking Babies for cashmere sweaters by Louis Dog, around the world fashion ensembles by Touchdog, leather jackets by Hip Doggy and NHL Sports Jerseys.

6) Professional Pet Portraits by Angie Wojciechowska, of Off-leash Photography, who has made a name for herself as Vancouver’s premier pet photographer. She is amazing at capturing your beloved dog on film! Angie has a huge soft spot in her heart for dogs and cats and would love to help you capture your beloved pooch as an everlasting keepsake. From personal experience, I promise that you will never regret spending the time and money to have professional photos taken of your dog. The photos I hold closest to my heart, two years after my own gal passed away, were taken by Angie. Gift certificates are available.  Contact her at angie@offleashphotography.com

7) RC Pet Products, carried at Tisol Stores throughout Vancouver, manufacture the best selection of functional & stylish canine outerwear.  The coats and raincoats protect your pet from inclement weather while looking great with styles aptly titled “West Coast Rainwear,” “Yaletown Slicker” and “Robson Rainwear.” Many are fleece-lined or PVC-coated and are waterproof which is mandatory on the west coast. Their matching leashes and collars come in a spectacular assortment of eye catching colors and patterns which are fun, fashionable and affordable.  Tisol also carries an excellent assortment of packaged treats and goodies to stuff your dogs’ stockings at reasonable prices!

8) TOYS. TOYS, TOYS!! We love the retro dog toys available these days. Tisol and Bowwow Haus have plush versions of “Where’s Waldo,” “Lambchop” and “Mr. Bill” Squeaky Toys. Bigger dogs need tougher toys. Try the Kong Brand of toys guaranteed to survive your dog’s rough play available at Tisol. Plush puzzle toys that engage your dog's natural instincts to search, stalk and capture are de rigueur. Find a selection of these toys at Bowwow Haus and help challenge and develop your dog’s problem-solving skills while keeping them entertained for hours! Finally, award-winning, durable PrideBites dog toys come in a variety of fun designs & they float, making them an ideal toy for dogs who love water...available at Bowwow Haus on East Broadway.

9) Fruitables “Love life Together,” Calorie Smart Dog Treats are 100% natural and contain delicious, healthy ingredients like pumpkin, banana, apple, cranberry, organic oatmeal, pearl barley, cinnamon and molasses. A great little stocking stuffer for your pooch, these are available at Woof, Tisol, Bowwow Haus and Barking Babies in Vancouver and Uptown Dawg Spa in Port Moody.

10) Lampe Berger Products, invented in Paris in 1898 to purify the air in hospitals, still remain the best in fragrance and purification for your indoor environment (read: doggy smells) using its patented catalytic diffusion system. These lovely lamps and fragrances are available in many styles and scents to complement any home! A perfect holiday hostess gift and available exclusively at Bowwow Haus’ West Broadway location.

11) Created especially for dogs, Vancouver designed and manufactured, ZUKA Pooch collar jewellery uses only the best quality Swarovski crystals, Czech glass and pewter components.  ZUKA Pooch Charms are available in two styles, flower and paw print,  and are purely fun for the fashionista in your pooch. These delightful sparkly collar charms sell for $10 with $2 from every sale to be donated to Vancouver animal charity, Paws for Hope. ZUKA Pooch is for the dog about town, one who loves to stand out and be noticed. They are available at Love on a Leash's Santa Paws is Coming to Town Event at Tisol Grandview on Dec 14th and 15th or via http://www.zuka-art.com/

12) Bruno spike dog food bowls.  These gorgeous cast aluminum bowls come in two sizes (small and large) and feature removable stainless steel inserts for easy cleaning, and will compliment the décor in every home! Available at Bowwow Haus on East Broadway.

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