a peek inside the fishbowl

There are about a million things I should be worrying about right now as it pertains to the reno. Instead, I continue to be fixated on a number of seemingly Irrelevant Things That Can Be Figured Out Later. Like a new front door. It’s all I’ve been thinking about lately. I want a lovely new front door, one that (a) lets in some light and (b) gives us the right amount of privacy (for me), and (c) says HELLO HOW ARE YOU.

Our architect gave us a glossy catalogue of amazing custom doors, but I think that we can find something we like a lot cheaper. So now I’m on the hunt.

This search reminds me yet again of a very important fact: if you sell or manufacture anything that someone might like to shop around (windows, doors, floor treatments, garden sheds) you MUST have something to show on your website. Holy lack of photos batman.

Our home is east-facing, and I would really like to take advantage of morning sunshine if I can. I love this door, a LOT. The house number just seals the deal for me. And then there’s this door, um, one that I scoped out in our own neighbourhood and really like the look of too… although I wouldn’t have those little windows running down the side. (Forgive the grainy surveillance-type shot there. I feel mildly paranoid when snapping photos of other people’s homes. I mean, my god, what if someone catches me doing it!?)

Anyway. Yes. Doors. I think they’re one of the most important design features of a home. You can tell a lot about someone by their front door. Don’t you think?

I came across local crafter Jennifer C. awhile back during the writing of an article for SavvyMom and I’ve been admiring her Etsy store ever since. It’s full of charming eco-friendly handmade items: toys, organic baby bedding, home decor and more. Her work has been featured in Canadian Family Magazine, Mothering Magazine, HGTV, Romantic Homes Magazine, Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine, Peppermint Magazine, Cool Mom Picks, Cool Hunting & Apartment Therapy AND SewnNatural was recently selected as the #1 baby bedding shop on Etsy by Babble.com. That’s a lot of kudos eh?

Jennifer would like to give someone out there a lovely gift and a memorable night on the town. Woot!

One family has the opportunity to win two tickets for the Thursday December 8th Ray Charles tribute concert at the NAC. (It’s at 8:00 p.m., and you can read more about that here) and a baby rattle duck OR gnome doll from the SewnNatural shop. Winners choice. :)

Want to win?

• Check out the SewnNatural store and leave a comment below telling me what catches your eye. (Personally, I’m all over these adorable felted acorns. Eep!)
• This giveaway is open to anyone residing in the Ottawa area but is void in Quebec. (Here’s why.)
• A maximum of one entry per family please.
• Please make sure you’re free to attend the concert before you enter. Thank you!
• Let me know if you can’t post your comment here. My email is andrea AT quietfish DOT com … however I cannot be responsible if your entry is misdirected or gets stuck in my Spam folder.
• I will do a random draw at noon on Tuesday December 6th and announce the winner here.
• The winner will have to pick up the tickets from Jennifer in Old Ottawa South at some point before the concert.

That’s it! Over to you! Good luck!

Note: Jennifer is offering all Fishbowl readers who live within the greenbelt free delivery on orders made between now and Christmas. Just mention the Fishbowl when you’re placing your order.

Our television set has been a source of embarrassment for my poor husband. It’s a 23-inch Sony, a good set, but a bit on the smallish side.*

What is it with guys and their need for large television sets? Whenever we have people over he sheepishly waves at the TV and explains why it is so small. And every story begins with “… so we had this custom cabinet built” and ends with “…it was a VERY expensive TV at the time…”

Poor guy.

I like where our TV is now. It’s tucked away in a corner cabinet (yes, THAT corner cabinet), which is my preference because I don’t like having a TV as the focal point of a room. I do like being able to shut the doors on it and pretend that it’s not there.

Want to know something funny? When the girls were toddlers and they’d beg to watch TV I’d shut the cabinet and tape a sign on the front of it. It was a picture of a TV with a red X over top of it. The first time I tried this trick I made a declaration: “Whenever you see this sign it means it’s NO TV DAY.” And you know what? IT WORKED. They never bugged me when that sign was stuck on the cabinet.

I like watching TV. It’s not ENTIRELY a wasteland. Mark and I both watch the Office, Parks and Recreation, Community, House (which I am getting a little tired of), Castle, and Pan Am. Additionally, I like to watch Glee and Parenthood, and I hate to admit this, Desperate Housewives. Sometimes we’ll catch a movie, sometimes we’ll tune into the news, but that’s about it. We record all of our shows on the PVR and watch them when we have the time and the inclination.

As I look over my list I realize it seems like a lot. I shudder to imagine all the things I could get done in my life if I gave up on television.

The girls record their shows too. We watch Once Upon a Time together as a family, but otherwise they have a handful of shows they watch together. I’ve lost track of what they are, but overall, it’s not a lot. They don’t watch TV after school, and only occasionally on weekday evenings, in which case it’s usually a Nature of Things that Mark has recorded. For the kids, TV is pretty much reserved for Friday nights and weekends or when they’re sick at home.

Anyway, yes, Mark, who is a TELEVISION AFFICIONADO, has been coveting a new one for years. And when we started planning our reno he only wanted it to include one thing: a new TV. This is understandable, considering he makes his living in the world of television. Thankfully he acknowledged that our living room – both the current and to-be-renovated versions of it – would look ridiculous with a 60″ flat screen. And so he settled on a 46″, which he bought yesterday. *sigh* It still seems large to me. We’ll see, I guess. Now I’m on the lookout for a really cool stand or better yet, a cabinet** that will fit our needs today and after the reno is over. I have a feeling it’s going to be a challenge.

* I admit, I have been finding the 23″ set a little hard on my eyes too.

** Sadly, Mark has already forbidden me to enclose it in a piece of furniture. So I should really give up on the cabinet idea. :(