What to do with a vintage doctor's bag

The only thing I brought home from the Ottawa Antique Market besides some FABULOUS modernist jewelry (pics of that on closet rivalry) was a leather doctor's bag my husband bought me. Once we got it home I wondered what in the hell we were going to do with it. 

Then it hit me - magazine rack next to the sofa!

The Jielde, an industrial corner, and some cats

A couple of months ago I blogged the arrival of my new Jieldé, and I mentioned how it had a really shitty (non-original) base attached to it. My husband scored a 2008 Honda Civic front brake rotor from our mechanic friend for $20 and VOILÀ, my Jieldé is looking alot better. It still needs a new funky cloth cord, and I have to figure out what to do about all the copper showing through on the shade. 

BEFORE

AFTER

I love this industrial corner I have going on in the living room. 

Lucky and Edgar were being adorable so I snapped some photos of them too. 

another dinner at Union Local 613

It seems I've blogged the incredible restaurant here in Ottawa called Union Local 613 twice already (here and here) but I have got to blog it again as it is THAT GOOD. My husband and I were there last night for dinner and stuffed ourselves until it hurt - literally. It was AWESOME and when my folks get back from their 2 month hiatus in Mexico, we're going to take them there. This is southern cuisine at it's finest. And the cocktails are out of this world. (Sorry some of these photos are blurry - hard to shoot in low light)

my first cocktail - TO DIE FOR - Hibiscus rum punch {5 year flor de cana rum, spiced hibiscus punch }

boiled peanuts to munch on

Jeff's app { mike mckenzie’s smoked ham, pimento cheese, bread & butter pickles, saltines }

my app { crispy collards & roasted beet salad, radish, grapefruit, clarmell goat cheese, smoked arbequina olive oil, sherry vinegar }

my second cocktail - Centennial Tea { 10 year centennial whiskey, cold sweet tea }

Jeff's main - { miami-style shortribs, dr. pepper & soy glaze, magic chilis & peanuts, peashoots with a side of roasted carrot & clarmell feta salad, parsley, pumpkin seeds, cumin dressing }

my main { cracker crusted louisianna catfish, pecan puree, wilted frisee & lemon with a side of cheddar & roasted garlic hominy grits }

i really didn't need this { pineapple-lime jelly, coconut milk & sailor jerry’s anglaise, crumbled macaroon & shaved pineapple }

from puerto vallarta

I'm back from my trip to Mexico (and 3 days later my missing suitcase was returned - having turned up in Quebec City) and really wish I could have stayed longer....like, the rest of the winter. But at least I have a tan, and I brought back some goodies. You can see all the clothing and accessories I bought on closet rivalry, and here are the few things I picked up for the house. 

I inadvertently ended up with a wall of Mexico finds. :)

And here are just a few photos of things I spotted while wandering around shopping.

DIY pallet dining set

Recently one of my sister's asked my husband to make a really low platform type bed for my 2 yr old niece out of pallets. It's a cheap, easy way to create a bed for a growing little girl (and one that can have her toppling out of it without any injury). So I have pallets on the brain, and coincidentally Robert emailed with this cool DIY tutorial on how to make a dining set out of pallets. What a great idea for outdoors! (Or indoors if you're really into rustic furniture). Instructions can be found here. 

You start with some basic pallets:

And here is how you create a chair: 

Now for the table:

And voilà!