So necessity must really be the mother of invention. This week the husband committed to hosting his work Christmas party at our house. Which I'm thrilled and excited about, but the unfinished projects lying around are making me less than enthusiastic. First on my list is our entryway.

You may recall way back when, that I wanted to complete the entry fairly quickly after moving in. And I fully intended to. I've had three rolls of Ferm wallpaper sitting in the closet for 13 months now. But our hesitation was/is our abysmal front door that needs replacing. While it's on the hit list, there have definitely been more pressing items to attend to. And I refused to spend all that effort papering the entry if the new front door is going to screw it up.

But I can't possibly have a house full of people show up and have their first impression be an unpainted, half finished room. So, onto plan B!

What is plan B you say? Well, I don't want to give too much away, but here are some images to tease you a little bit.

I can't wait to share the results!

In honour of Feist performing in Calgary tonight!

It was kinda sorta an early weekend for me, as I am in Montreal right now for some work and play! But either way Friday is Friday, and it means sleeping in tomorrow and having fabulous adventures au francais! So here we go:

• Handcut map of Montreal from etsy artist studiokmo, pictured above. There are many fabulous locations to choose from.

• s[edition] is a great new contemporary art website, where you can download digital artwork from today's leading contemporary artists for a super deal! Artists include Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst, and Mat Collishaw.

• Lololove these green glitter ombre nails on Alexa Chung. I must figure out how to do these for the holidays.

• Turkey, Cheddar, and Apple Hand Pies! Oh my!

happy weekend!

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Two!

One of my favourite suppliers, Schoolhouse Electric had some big new over the weekend. The shop has expanded their line to become Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co, featuring a great array of homewares, furniture, and utility items in addition to their fabulous light fixtures.

For me, Schoolhouse is always on the edge of design. It seems that despite the popularity of classic, utilitarian pieces over the past little while, there is still a huge gap in the market for unique, quality goods. While many retailers seem content to simply modify what is already out there, Schoolhouse continues to push the boundaries.

Higgins Mirror with Rope Hanger

I love the contrast of the smooth, cool bronze with the rustic quality of the rope hanger.

Schoolhouse Extension Cord

This piece perfectly illustrates my point. Schoolhouse effortlessly elevates the classic cloth extension cord.

Ticking Stripe Sheet Set

I love mattress ticking and cannot get enough of it. These are fabulous, although I wish they were available in grey or black.

Blackline Stoneware

One thing that we haven't seen a lot of is stoneware. These pieces are nicely modernized with bold black rims and stripes. I'd love to see these on my kitchen counter.

Factory Light No. 4 Cable Pendant

And these gorgeous enamel pendants would look stunning over my kitchen island.

Music Monday: Washed Out

It has been a tremendously sad and difficult week in our house. On Monday, we had to say goodbye to our sweet Margot.

She was the most loving and amazing companion that anyone could ask for. Everyone who met her instantly fell in love with her. She loved running in the park and swimming in the river. Every day we would come home to her sitting on the back of the sofa so she could watch the world outside, and watch for us to come home. Each night she would curl up behind my knees to sleep.

Now our house has empty corners and empty hearts.

Margot, I miss you so much.

this girl is remarkable

This guy's got a bit of that Dylan quality about him, with the slurring lyrics and simple guitar based songs.

Now that's it's fall, I'm getting in the habit of big cooking days on the weekend. This weekend I made my favourite vegetable soup for lunches all this week.

Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup

2 tbsp Olive Oil

4 Leeks (white and pale green parts only, sliced)

3 Celery Stalks, sliced

3 Carrots, cubed

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

Salt and Pepper

5 1/2 cups of Stock

1 1/2 cups of Water

1 small Butternut Squash, cubed

2 Yukon Gold Potatoes, cubed

1 bunch of Swiss Chard, sliced

1 can of Beans (I like Romano Beans)

2 tbsp Lemon Juice

2 tbsp Fresh Mint, sliced

2 tbsp Fresh Dill, sliced

Heat oil in a large dutch oven. Add the first 6 ingredients and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes. Add stock and water and bring to a boil. Add squash and potatoes and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until veggies are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the greens and beans and return to a boil. Stir in lemon juice and herbs. Season to taste and serve.

Sometimes inspiration can strike in unexpected places, and I experienced that earlier this week when wandering through Anthropologie.

My sister is getting married next year, and it turns out she loves lace. We both thought that it would be a great graphic element to tie everything about the wedding together. I started to do some research and see what was out there, but everything I saw was overtly feminine and romantic and a little too pooh-pooh for my sister. Then I saw these plates.

I love that these plates have a grittiness to them, which helps to tone down the feminine quality that lace is intrinsically tied to. It got me thinking of an overall softer gothic feeling, which I think will be perfect for my sister and her beau.

Tattered Lace Plates by Anthropologie

So Fab Friday turned into crazy busy Friday. So I'm going to keep this short and sweet.

Microsoft has released a series of videos depicting it's vision of the future and the further integration of our lives with technology. I think this is the start of an interesting conversation, and would love to know what you think:

One thing I adore is a gorgeous children's book, and I am pretty thrilled that one infamous little shell is having his story hit bookshelves this week.

After the incredible viral success of their youtube video, Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp were approached to move their character to new mediums. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On: Things About Me picks up where the video left off, touring the audience through various parts of little Marcel's life.

The book features beautiful oil paintings created by artist Amy Lind that perfectly capture Marcel and his surroundings. The authors chose not to photograph the images, to help remove the book from direct comparisons to the film, and I think it was a brilliant choice.

Marcel has also been issued as an audio book/app, and features narration by Slate, as well as some interactive screens to enhance the digital experience.

And what's next for Marcel? Plans are in the work for future books, and an accompanying television show and I for one can't wait to see more of this little shell's world.

Oh, and you can buy the book here!

Words can't describe how excited I am to see this film:

Happy Movember! I checked out the new website today, and was completely blown away with the amazing graphic design for the website and campaign. I love the vintage references and the gritty manliness of the whole thing.

This year they even have a mobile app, so you can monitor your donations, recruit friends, and view different options for styling your 'stache.

They are also encouraging people to host Movember Parties in their homes, and you can apply to have this package sent to you in support of that. How fabulous!

Please visit the website and donate today!