Spoils, Labels and a Few Guest Posts

Well hello there.

How was your holiday?

Was Santa good to you?

I had a delightful Christmas...one that treated me WAY too well...especially since it was supposed to be the year of 'scaling back'...so much for that grande idea.

This actually turned out to be the year of the coat and the book.

Every one in my family, with the exception of the teenager, got at least one coat...I got two.

First, there is this delightful number from my parents...fun, fun, fun...not much I love more than a giant fur collar.

And then there is coat two...my husband went way over the deep end with his me gift but....well I adore it.

More on that in a bit.

First, the other goodies.

As I said earlier, there were coats and books mostly.

I got two pretty coffee table numbers from my parents and daughter...Helmut Newtown Poloroids from the teenager....

and The Faces of Fashion Vogue Models from my rental units...

Love both.

And you know what else I like...the Christmas artwork I got.

Like this Debbie Carlos print that just completed my art wall...

...this illustration {top one} that arrived from the very talented Eleni Sofroniou...

aka Store Around the Corner...

and finally in the art/Christmas department...I'm beyond smitten with this ah-maaazing print that literally arrived minutes ago from my incredibly talented friend, Nancy Marcus...

could you die?

I could.

I'm not sure where this pretty is going yet but I'll keep you posted...I'm thinking foyer somewhere...or the master...we shall see.

Along with the art, coats and books, there was also this....a DIY present gone rogue...

The coffee table was supposed to be a gift to my parents.

After seeing this DIY over on Bryn Alexandra, I had my trusty friend Tim gold leaf the legs.

Only problem...the table is 10" high and that just wouldn't work in my parents living room...their ceilings are like 15ft., the room is ginormous and well...the table is wee so...I'm keeping it.

This means that the live edge number that was there before is now up for sale...along with 30 or so other things, which PS, are rendering our garage and play room unusable disaster zones...arg.

Anyhoo...

Back to prezzies...

Along with the above, I was also spoiled with some clothes, nail polish, hats/scarves/mits, jammies and finally, though definitely not least...this....

Yup...I'm now the VERY proud owner of that Burberry coat goodness on the right.

Now let me just say something about this.

I am NOT a label girl...now this doesn't mean I don't love to shop/buy but I just have never seen the need to spend so much more just to get a name on something...I've never spent more than $400 on a coat or a pair of shoes...ever...well except for on my honeymoon in Paris but you get the general gist.

Sure I have a few goodies from various 'houses' but truly, I don't seek the stuff out....mostly because I prefer to spend the cash on things for my house.

BUT...and this is a big but...of all the things I truly needed, a good winter coat was it...and although I never would have spent the money myself, and as much as I was a little annoyed with husband for going more than slightly above our agreed upon budget, I truly love it.

And...I'm beginning to think there might just be reasons for this whole quality over quantity thing.

I have probably purchased a winter wool coat every 2/3 years since I was 20 and you know what, they have always fallen apart after a couple of Canadian winters under their belt...I've of course spent anywhere from $100-$300 on each and replaced them without much thought.

So for those of you who do invest on quality pieces, I have a question for you.

Have you found shelling out the extra cash to be worth it?

Does the label actually mean real quality?

I'm thinking in my coat's case, the answer is yes.

It feels so wonderfully soft and is obviously tailored impeccably.

Not to mention that I look like a zillion dollars in it...the coat is basically making me want winter all year round just so I can look at myself in it.

It's also occurred to me how easily I spend money on some things {like dying my hair at PS, $300ish a pop every 3 months or a pair of shoes that I'll buy for an evening out without a second thought} but feel so much more guilty about it when it's for the things that I really should invest in.

Weird.

This coat is also making me think that a closet overhaul is looooong overdue.

I can't even walk in my walk in anymore- it's packed to the brim with some great things, but lots of crap.

I'm taking this quality over quantity thing and running with it I think.

The credit card is on disability for the next few months but that doesn't mean I can't cull all the nonsense and see what's really worth keeping.

Yup...I'm doing it...that's officially my New Year's resolution...you heard it here first.

Master/my closet overhaul 2012 is in the works.

And you what else is happening?

My She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not guest post over at the fabulous Michaela Noelle Designs.

Click HERE to see some things I loving...

and some things I'm not...

And make sure you stick around to read up on all her good stuff...there's plenty of it!!!!

There's also a giant load of pretty over at L.A. in the Bay...I posted a few of my favourite Christmas memories over there last week and am just now linking over...bad, bad...I'm blaming the holiday craze...anyhoo...you can click HERE to see what things I love most about this glorious time of year...there's a little of this involved of course...

And with that veeeerrrryyy long post...I'll say later skaters for now.

Oh and PS, I'll be posting some decor/family shots once my teenager returns from her annual pilgrimage to Montreal with our camera in tow;)

Kisses.

xo