visual heart creative studio

Loft Kitchen Updates with Breville Barista

July 30, 2018 2 Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve shared an update of our kitchen in our loft. When we moved in here about 7 years ago, we renovated it and kept the design pretty simple because it is open to the rest of the loft so we didn’t want it to feel like it was taking over the entire space. 7 years later and I still love the design, but in recent months we did a few updates that I’ll share with you. In a previous blog post, I shared the addition of matte black cabinet handles and how that small and fairly […]

Recipes

Flourless Almond Chai Cookie Recipe

July 9, 2018 2 Comments

almond chai cookie recipe by visual heart creative studio

I recently made a spontaneous purchase of a giant bag of Almond Flour but then realised I needed to find some recipes to use it. I came across this almond meal cookie recipe from Minimalist Baker and wanted to alter it to make a spiced chai cookie using my favorite chai from Aslan Chai. I used the basics from the recipe and added in the chai to creative a delicious and very moist spiced chai cookie. After a little bit of experimenting with the method of making these, I think I’ve found a good balance of ingredients and directions. Check out the […]

Before and After

Dresser Makeover Using Fusion Mineral Paint Laurentien

May 23, 2018 2 Comments

Painted dresser using Fusion Mineral Paint Laurentien - before and after by @visualheart

This dresser makeover is a bit different than usual, because it’s not 100% my typical choice. This one doesn’t have legs and adding legs sadly was not an option. Initially, I thought I could remove the base trim and add legs like I did on this piece, but it was built a certain way that it would not work unless I took a jigsaw to it and risked messing it up even more. The main decision for not adding legs is that it was taller than I thought (I had someone drop it off at my studio without seeing it […]

Interior Design

Our Library Ladder Featured in The House That Pinterest Built

May 4, 2018 2 Comments

Diane Keaton The House That Pinterest Built

I finally got my hands on a copy of Diane Keaton’s new book, The House That Pinterest Built. Our loft apartment library ladder is featured in the “Book” section as inspiration for her library and various areas of her home. I was beyond excited when I found out they wanted to feature our library. It’s safe to say my life is complete now, as I’m a huge Diane Keaton fan. The book is stunning. It’s oversize, definatley a coffee table book. As a graphic designer I am in love with the design, under the dust jacket there’s a beautiful fabric […]

Interior Design

Article Ceni Sofa Review After 2 Years

May 1, 2018 6 Comments

Back in 2016 I purchased an Article Ceni Sofa in Pyrite Gray, you can read about that process over in this blog post. I’m here to update you on how it’s holding up after almost 2 years. First off, you should know I do not have children or pets, this sofa lives with myself and my partner Andrew but we both use the sofa every day for serious lounging. I’ve had a lot of inquiries through email and social media on how it’s holding up and if the fabric and the cushions are wearing well so below is my honest […]

Before and After

Vintage Dresser Makeover with Fusion Mineral Paint

March 19, 2018 7 Comments

vintage painted dresser makeover by @visualheart

For this furniture makeover, Fusion Mineral Paint provided me with paint from their Tones For Tots collection. This was my first time using their paint so I was a bit nervous, but that feeling quickly went away as soon as I started painting. Read more below on the process of painting with Fusion Mineral Paint. This plywood dresser was in rough shape, some hardware was broken and the surface was damaged, including the plastic laminate on the top surface. All of the rough spots were sanded and patched with wood filler. The plastic laminate surfaces were scuffed up with sandpaper […]

Recipes

Vegan Chocolate Mousse Recipe

February 14, 2018 No Comments

Vegan chocolate mousse? Yes!! and it’s actually so good, so don’t be fooled by the word vegan even if you’re not vegan! I’m not vegan, but I’ve been trying to reduce my meat and animal product intake over the past year by introducing new recipes, swapping out ingredients I’d normally use for something plant-based instead. Generally, this means a healthier diet with more vegetables, but occasionally I want to indulge in something sweet, this recipe does the trick. Speaking of trick, you can totally trick your friends into thinking this is actually full cream chocolate mousse because the texture is […]

Recipes

Spiced Carrot Dip Recipe Using The Breville Boss

January 28, 2018 No Comments

Spiced Carrot Dip Recipe with the Breville Boss from @visualheart

You know that feeling when you’re so hungry you need to eat immediately and you begin to get kind of angry?! Some might call that feeling “hangry” and it’s not pretty and at that point, you’re too hungry to make anything so you just order takeout or grab something unhealthy because it’s quick and easy. I’m here to help you avoid this hangry feeling with a healthy and very delicious dip you can snack on all week long. This spiced carrot dip recipe is from the recipe book that came with my new Breville Boss, but I altered it a […]

Before and After

Before and After: Mint Mid-Century Modern Sideboard

January 16, 2018 4 Comments

This mid-century style sideboard was in rough shape. It’s made from particle board, the worst material in the world (ugh). It has a thin layer of melamine on top with lots of scratches and water damaged which immediately posed a challenge. I could see it had good bones and was just asking for a second chance at life, especially since mid-century modern is still very popular right now. Scroll down to see close-ups of the before and what it looks like now. I’m also sharing tips on how to paint water damaged particle board. The first step is clean it, […]

Business Advice

How To Use Pinterest To Grow Your Business

January 4, 2018 6 Comments

Pinterest tips for business. How to drive traffic to your website using Pinterest. @visualheart

If you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, side-hustler or blogger and you’re not using Pinterest you should. It is one of the fastest growing sites and it is an amazing tool to drive traffic to your website. I joined Pinterest when it launched in 2010 and became addicted to pinning inspiration, graphic design ideas, project ideas for clients and much more. This is my account: pinterest.ca/visualheart I quickly saw the value in it as a tool for my creative projects, but also saw it as a way to share ideas with other people. After pinning frequently, I discovered my following building, […]

Crafts, DIY

Simple Modern DIY Pom Pom Wreath

December 13, 2017 No Comments

DIY Anthropologie inspired pom-pom wreath

The first Christmas wreath I ever had was back in 2015, it was a gift and it was absolutely stunning, you can check it out over in this feature post on Poppytalk’s blog. This season, it seems like the pom pom is all the rage along with all things wool and felt. I really wanted a neutral minimalist wreath for our home and I refused to buy one, crafting something unique is always the way to go. After a quick search on Pinterest, I found a few pom pom wreaths that I really admired, but I wasn’t into the medley of […]

DIY, Printables

Printable Modern Christmas Gift Tags

December 10, 2017 No Comments

Printable Christmas gift tags by @visualheart

Happy Holidays! Here’s a set of 12 printable modern Christmas gift tags versatile for just about any gift. They are perfect for last minute gift wrapping and brighten up plain kraft paper or gold paper. I’ve designed them simple and modern on a standard 8.5″x11″ letter-sized sheet of paper so all you have to do is pay for the design and the .pdf file will download. Then print it at home on card stock paper or take the file to your local print shops like Staples or Kinkos and get it printed on card stock. The last step is to […]