A very merry happy time to you

I apologize for being so very absent from this space...I promise to be more on the blogball in the new year...but for now, I am here to say that I wish you and yours a very merry, happy, joyous, wonderfulous, special holiday time...may it be filled with family and friends and good times, and if for some reason you are not with family and close friends, as I am quite aware that happens, then may it be filled with all that you love and enjoy. Breathe deep, relax and take it easy.

Go gently and be happy.

KZ

Here come the holidays...

It's been way too long, sorry for my absence here, it's been a busy time...when is it not? New creations coming out of my studio with a bit of a holiday whimsy, however, they can easily be enjoyed all year. I am loving working with glass orbs of varying sizes, there is something so serene and beautiful about the clarity and openness from every angle that makes these pieces simply lovely. For those that hang, they swirl gently and there is a peek in to every side of wonder, little bits of nature can be captured from any angle. The round orb shape is somewhat modern, and then adding natural elements give them a very organic and hip feel.

See for yourself, and don't be shy, tell me what you think. You can hop over to my shop to see more and pick one up as a gift, or maybe it's time you treated yourself?

Warming up spaces

Sometimes it just takes a little something something to make a room light up and when you are in that space, you feel a comfort and warmth which makes you say Ahhhhhh...here is a new line I am working on. I love candlelight, it makes things seem so warm, relaxed and usually kind of romantic, so why not mix it with living (safely) lovelies to inspire and lighten? This is short and sweet as sometimes a picture is enough (plus I find the long wordy posts hard to read due to time constraints, so I like to keep my entries a bit on the short winded side, to the point and leaving you to hop along to your next order of business). Have a stylishly, superb day!

Little change up

Here are some shots of a recent redesign completed by KZ interiorz for a lovely lady who just wanted some truly refreshed spaces in her home. She was a joy to work with, so open and willing to make switch-outs and changes. This is why I love, I mean, really love, what I do, making a difference in people's living environments and working completely with what they have, is an amazing thing. So, this gal left for the day (and was so happy to do so, it made me giddy) and then returned a while after I was gone and I recieved a lovely phone call alerting me of her excitment and happiness with her new home. To imagine, she came home, turned on the lights and was delightfully surprised by all the beauty her home was waiting to share. Special art was grouped to showcase it's beauty, treasured keepsakes and memorable pieces were displayed to shine, artwork moved and made to blend in each seperate space...new creations designed for her own rooms in mind by KZ interiorz brought new life and pop to certain areas in which she was pleasantly surprised by for a few days following.

So, here is to our homes, for all they offer, they usually offer more, sometimes it just takes a fresh perspective and some alterations (which are not permanent) to make us fall back in love with our homes, rooms and sacred spaces. Afterall, our homes are an extension of us, they hold our treasures, our quirkiness, our style, our flaws, our personalities, they are us and sometimes we too, need a bit of a change up. It's all good.

Dropping in to beautify

In case you don't know this is me too and I am a creator of all things living and lovely which add whimsy and beauty to any space.

I presently can only handle 4 shows per year and I love them, so lately I have been inspired to create some new pieces and I will have more pics to follow and show you all, but for now, I thought I would post these here as they really do make a space more wonderful, and I am all about the wonder (and spaces!).

All photos in this post are by the most wonderful Mike & Allie

That amazing lamp that you see a wee glimpse of behind this design is made by my man FZ for our anniversary (that rhymes) a few years ago, he is slowly working on more, much to my enjoyment.

Memory Cloth

I saw this over at livingetc. and thought it is a great idea for the upcoming holidays...this is so something I would do. Host a dinner party, Thanksgiving, Holiday, New Years and have friends and family jot down a thought, inspiration, dream, wisdom, (oh heck anything they want) and then follow the simple steps to a lasting memory cloth...could even fold and sew one whole side into a loop to hang on a cool rod as a wall hanging for a spell...or take out the following year to have a laugh, I can see having a New Years dinner party and the theme for the memory cloth would be a dream/goal for the following year. Then come together again the following year (for another New Years party, love that) to enjoy the follow ups ...do a new one each year...well, it's all very fun and festive...I like it.

My schedule probably would not allow for embroidery (see Step 3 below) time, so I am thinking some cool fabric pens would do the trick..keeping with one or two colors...or say gold or silver...just a thought. But if you have the time the embroidery idea is a great one and it would look quite sharp.

STEP 1: What you need: A heavy-duty linen tablecloth, a water-erase pen, embroidery threads, embroidery needles and scissors.

STEP 2: Get your guests to write messages directly onto the tablecloth with the water-erase pen. Top tip: Write larger letters than normal so the words are clear when they're sewn.

STEP 3: After the party is over, backstitch over the ink at your leisure. Try to keep the stitches on the lines and of a uniform length (about 2cm). Once sewn, rub with a damp cloth to remove the ink.

Art is wonderful...

Well, besides being a best friend, a holder & maker of memories we carry in our hearts and laugh about over and over again & all around great soul...this artist is amazing (& very dear to my heart) and so it only seems right to share what a wonderful addition art makes to any space here on my blog.

She recently paid us a visit and my heart is full of happiness at seeing her and spending some wonderful times, but the same heart is heavy with missing that very person.

Vibrant, colorful and unique prints to inspire & beautify.

I love to buy art when I travel, it may be just a small piece, but to have a memory and connection to somewhere I have been which I can then hang or display in my home is priceless to me, each time I pass it or look upon it, I am taken back to that moment in which I found it and was drawn in some way.

This art does that to me, perhaps because it is like a old friend (so is the artist) or because the colors relax and inspire me at the same time, but when I see it I smile and my soul fills.

Married to the man...

When you are married to the man who does everything...in that sense I mean he is a fix all, do all, and mainly paint all guy, sometimes you just have to stop and say Thank You to whatever forces brought about this wonderful being in your life.
As a professional painter this man has the eye and the knack for turning a boring room into something spectacular.

So, just to let you know, we are living in a house that should, and will, have a blog site all it's own when the work truly begins...we are going to be doing a complete and simply wonderful remodel to what was my parents' home.

My family of 4 (2 wee ones, my husband, plus moi) live here now, and as much as we love it, and the bones are standing for our mid-century home to exist, there is so much to do and such a budget to find in order to do it all, to be quite honest.

However, this weekend we have some old friends coming to town and we all know that nothing lights a fire more than visitors to get a few things, major and minor, moving along in one's house....so my gracious, and most amazing, husband, after working all day, is painting our entry...my long desired white...yep, I am moving into the white zone for backdrop, it makes blending all other variations of color so smooth.

Having a more white backdrop (canvas if you will) makes it so easy to bring in a variety of colors into a space.
So, here is the man (perhaps not at an angle completely welcomed by all in above shot) but the point is that our men are so gracious and we need to always recognize that fact.

And this is our brand new chalkboard pocket door at the entry to greet guests and all that enter. I will shoot a pic when we write on it (that rhymed).
Have a lovely evening.

KZ

Home on the road

I wish wish wish I had pictures of our 73' Terry trailer when we got our hands on it years ago and the mini transformation we made to our wee home on the road. I will take some shots this weekend to share. However, I am getting ready to do a small overhaul in decor so maybe these will be befores and then afters will come soon...if the man has his way, he would like to do a complete makeover (tear it apart), but I say facelift, my dearest, facelift will do just fine.

Regardless, we are heading out on a family-downtime-getaway in our rolling pad.

Long walks, quiet sunsets, knitting by the fire, soft breezes whispering the secrets of the sea in our windows at night, dirty hands, feet and faces from day long playing outdoors, surrounded by good friends...I am ready.
I shall return next week with some goodies.

Excuse the lag in blog posts, I am not quite sure how time slips away so darn quickly.

So, have a beautiful weekend and make sure you stop to enjoy where you are, be it home or away.
Toodaloo.

KZ

Bliss

Just some blissful pictures to leave with you with for the weekend and may you relax into next week...

Love this idea for outdoor dining on the patio, I can see ferns, maybe some stones scattered with more leaves throughout the table.

I would give anything to relax here for an afternoon of reading, snoozing and just pondering life.

All photos by Annika Vannerus

Simple, crisp and earthy...I am ready for an evening of friends, laughter and quiet conversations.
Creating spaces with pieces that are special to you and which evoke a sense of calm is what makes lifes pressures fade and truly ground us at home. Set the stage for your own peace of mind.

What do you do to create a relaxing space?

Light up your life

Often at dinnertime, even amongst surrounding craziness that occurs with 2 wee ones and 2 four legged lovelies, I get down a few of my votives (leftover from our wedding over 9 years ago, we had them all over the tables)...and I light candles on the dinner table and set on the mantle as well.

This always somehow relaxes me, the act of lighting them and then the warm glow and soft light make our dinnertime very intimate (yes, even with wee ones) and feels special in a quiet way. Then of course, after dinner everyone makes a wish and blows out a candle or two.

Here are some inspirational and idea sparking ways to display candles I came across and thought I would share, some are great for upcoming holidays or just anytime.

A lovely way to greet guests...

Print something special in a fun font, personal or relating to your event (what you are thankful for at Thanksgiving even naming those at the table) on parchment paper and attach to outside of simple glass candle holder.

I love candlelight, in bathrooms, in bedrooms, on tables, outside, you name it, candlelight just adds that special something to a space.

Of course, you must be careful, and take extra caution with little ones and pets as well.

A fresh and new way to use your pie platters, I might even add a little something around the candles, sand, pebbles, stones, greenery...

Wine glasses transformed.

And then champagne flutes flipped
(make sure the rims are thicker style).

Easy holiday table decor, wrap with wire whatever your heart desires

(could be any holiday!)...think of the possibilities; spiders, webbing, stones, moss, berries, acorns, feathers...oh my the list is limitless! Fun stuff.

Or line them on the stairs...so cool.

Love this simple and festive look.

Now, don't you just want to get out those candles and set the mood for a good time?
All pictures are from realsimple

Outside is in(side)

Well, it is obvious I am lover of all things from nature, woods, lichen, moss, plants, oh you name it, if it came from outside I want to try and bring it in.

By that I mean as art, decor, furnishings, textiles and that which surrounds me to make my space seem undefined (in terms of out and in) and to bring some peace and harmony from nature into my everyday inside living spaces. Here are some shots I enjoyed and thought I would share.
This freestanding teak bath was handmade by a boat builder, and I rather like the other surrounding touches of wood in the screen backdrop, stool and mat.
All pictures are from livingetc.

I love the influx of green in these pics, I mean the varying shades, and the different textures and lines.

I know there is just an outpouring of going 'green' these days...I don't want to inundate with that idea but I just happen to be quite fond of the color green.

What about you? Are you liking any of these spaces?

Have a very happy evening, until we meet again...soon.

KZ

From heart to hand

In case you have been to this blog and do not know...I am also here and have a shop here.

My art feeds my soul and since I love all that I do, it comes together wonderfully and keeps me quite happy.

I started my Etsy shop sometime ago and am just now finding the time to get the shelves filled with my designs. Here are a few, and believe me when I say there is so so much more coming.

I hold a strong love and appreciation for succulents and low maintenance botanicals, unique pieces of earths treasures and all things natural.

These pieces are like time standing still, however, there is something alive and quietly breathing in every one of them (usually requiring very little maintenance, just a whole lot of lovin').
I am most happy when combining colors and textures to enhance and peacefully add to any space.

Now, go, have a lovely weekend!

KZ

Dining Away...

Since I am a gal who loves family time, I find one of the highlights in our busy day is dining together. Usually, that meal is only dinnertime, but hey...we enjoy what we get.

I am always dreaming and planning for a new and fresh dining space and so I find myself poking around and storing ideas of spaces that I like.
Here a few cool & hip finds:

1. & 2. Apartment Therapy 3. & 4.. Living Etc.

Take off.

Since summer is coming to a close and school is about to start, I figured it was time for a wee getaway.

So our bags are packed and we are off for some serious fun in the sun and relaxation. Sometimes, it is nice to remove ourselves from our regular spaces, the change of scenery brings on a rejuvination and coming back home is always somehow refreshing and new.

So off we go!

No interruptions, just the family soaking it all in.

I am bringing a book I started over 3 weeks ago and never find time to read (except Dr. Seuss, Richard Scary etc. etc., we'll be bringing those too) and am hoping for some stolen moments of reading bliss under the canopy above!

Have a wonderful week, maybe squeeze in a little rest and relaxation wherever you might find yourself.

Simple Beauty...

While visiting a somewhat new (feels old) friend just the other day at her home on top of the world...I was reminded of how important our childrens spaces are...and how they deserve small or pretty good sized (when you are on top of mountains) corners of the world created just for them and their wonderous imaginations...here are some shots of all that caught me by wonder, and not so surprise. Here is to kids playhouses, jungle gym's, above-the-ground (yep, you read right) pools, just a few things that make kids so absoluetly happy.

Oh yes, and Mums who are wonderfully amazing and so great to hang with!

Life is lovely....stop and look, you will see & it's oftentimes in the smallest of details.