Soup season is back! Now that summer is officially over, it is time to start getting cozy. Try out this quick and easy 5 ingredient soup recipe that will have you ready for Fall and embracing the pumpkin trend in your meals this season!

 Thai Pumpkin Soup: Serves 4

Source: www.foodiecrush.com 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of red curry paste

4 cups of chicken/vegetable broth

(2) 15 oz cans of pumpkin puree (If you choose to use a real pumpkin, pick a 2-3 pound pumpkin, peep and chop and cook it in chicken broth. Blend)

1.75 cup coconut milk, or a 13.5 ounce can, reserving 1 tablespoon 

1 large red chilli pepper, sliced

cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the curry paste for one minute. Add the broth and stir.

Cook for about three minutes and add the coconut milk and cook until hot.

Pour into bowls and drizzle extra coconut milk over top and garnish with cilantro if desired. 

You can find pumpkins at Robertson Valley Farm on Valley Road or Tierra Del Sol, both local establishments five minutes out of Saskatoon. 

Mother's Day is right around the corner on May 10, 2015! This Mother's Day is the perfect opportunity to make a special memory with the important women in your life with Paramount Day Spa.

Paramount DaySpa Salon & Boutique and Creatively Speaking Photography have teamed up to give you the best Mother's Day gift idea!

A photo shoot complete with hair and make up for mom alone or for mom and a few of the special people in her life.

For additional information & availability call (306) 242-0017.

We have also created a short video with a few tips when getting ready for your session!

Happy Mother's Day - from the team at My Saskatoon!

After spending the weekend at the HomeStyles Home Show in YXE we are ready to tackle some of our own renovations and home decor projects.  But before we start knocking down walls and ripping up the floors, there are a few local renovation experts and stores that should be on our "hit list". 

photo credit: Better Homes & Gardens 

Contractors & Trades

Let's be honest, some of us have the best intentions in the world when it comes to handling our own renovation projects, but truthfully we should be either consulting with or hiring the pros.  Here is a link to the General Contractors & Speciality Trades found on My Saskatoon.  If you are planning to do any kind of relocating of light switches, electrical outlets, or lighting, definitely call Saskatoon Electrical Services prior to the demolition - electrical is one thing you don't want to mess with on your own.  

Kitchen & Bathroom Renovations

Kitchen and bathroom renovations are never a cakewalk. While the deals at Ikea and Home Depot look tempting, it is always worth your time to consult with local companies who specialize in doing the very thing you are planning to attempt. These two rooms in your home can add the most return on your renovation investment; however, if they are done poorly, they can actually decrease the value of your home.  Here is a link to the Kitchen and Bathroom category found on My Saskatoon. Consider getting an estimate from a local company in Saskatoon!

Flooring Stores

There are so many local options when it comes to flooring. Here is a link to the Flooring category on My Saskatoon.  Working with any one of these local businesses to find the right flooring for your space is well worth your time.  If you're looking to sit down with a flooring specialist consider visiting Braid Flooring and Window Fashions.  Braid Flooring currently has some great pricing on selected flooring until April 20th!    

Home Decor Shops

For those of us who are looking to complete minor home improvement projects this spring, take a look at these local home decor companies in Saskatoon.  

Financial Planners & Mortgage Specialists

If you're looking to free up some monies in order to complete your renovation dreams, consider connecting with a knowledgable financial planner and/or a mortgage specialist.  These experts can help you get creative with your finances!

photo credit: Better Homes & Gardens

Working with local renovation and home decor businesses in YXE is always a good choice!

Happy Renovating Everyone!

In anticipation for this year's Home Styles Show we've been posting articles having to do with home improvement and home decor to our Facebook page, Pinterest, and of course to our blog. Well we are happy to announce that the week we've been waiting for has finally arrived! The home show is scheduled to kick-off this coming Thursday, March 19th - 3pm at Prairieland Park, with over 400 booths! 

The Home Styles Show is "the big event" in Saskatoon that truly speaks to the hearts of the renovation, home improvement, DYI types. With guest speakers Damon Bennett and Kate Cambell at this year's show, it's easy to see how people will be inspired to tackle their home renovation or custom home build with confidence after attending one of their speaking sessions.  

Now for those of us who may not have a home renovation or building project in the works, don't worry, because the home show also caters to those of us who might be in the market for a new home or are looking for lifestyle products like cookware and hot tubs! 

Speaking of being in the market for a new home, last week we met with local mortgage broker, Deb Murdoch, to discuss the benefits of working with a mortgage broker when purchasing a home, finding capital to renovate your home, and securing a great interest rate - click here to read the interview. Deb Murdoch will be at the home show this week and can be found at the First Avenue Furnishing's booth. Be sure to stop-by the booth to speak with Deb about your mortgage. 

Other local business found on My Saskatoon that will be exhibitors in this year's home show include: 

• BP Banister
• Decora Homes
• Dynamic Bath & Shower
• Glass Doctor of Saskatoon
• Haven Builders Inc. 
• Palliser Rooms EQ3
• Reed Security 

We're looking forward to this year's home show and can't wait to see all the local businesses in attendance!

photo credit - Home Styles

2015 Home Styles Details 

Show Times

• Thursday, March 19th - 3pm to 9pm
• Friday, March 20th - 12noon to 9pm
• Saturday, March 21st - 10am to 7pm
• Sunday, March 22nd - 10am to 5pm

Admission Rates 

Tickets available at the door - but CASH ONLY!!

The home renovation season could be called "The Season of New Beginnings".  Simple transformations in your home can make huge differences in your day-to-day life and the life you hope to have in the future.  From something as simple as installing a closet organizer to something major like renovating a master bathroom, home renovation season is full of exciting possibilities that could literally change your life. Here are some of our favourite renovation ideas this season. 

Living Space - Embrace the Outdoors!

2015 will mark the year where homeowners decide to extend their living space by embracing the outdoors.  From covered patios, heated areas and fire pits, to cozy outdoor furniture, oversized decks, and outdoor kitchens, families will be getting creative and finding ways to take full advantage of the soon approaching warm summer nights. 

Photo Credit - Better Homes & Gardens

Kitchens - Everything is Revealed...

If you're organized and have the space, then this new trend is worth considering - exposed large-scale walk-in pantries and wine closets! Style at Home Magazine interviewed Toronto designer Colleen McGill, and this is what she had to say...

Plenty of storage space has always been a must in kitchens, and 2015 will take it to the next level with large-scale walk-in pantries and wine closets. “The great thing about these walk-ins is that the room feels like part of the kitchen, but is a separate space which adds an exciting element for entertaining,” says Colleen. “In a more classic style kitchen, they can be hidden behind a cabinet door, but in modern spaces, steel-framed glass doors make these rooms even more amazing!”

Photo Credit - Style at Home

Bathrooms - 4 Hot Trends

1. Homeowners are trading in their outdated bathtubs for spacious walk-in showers.  We're in love. 

2. Incorporating hints of gold, metallic, and brass into the space through fixtures and decor pieces. For inspiration check-out My Saskatoon on Pinterest. 

3. Bathrooms will demand more square footage in new home builds - as homeowners desire to have their bathrooms become their own personal retreat!

4. Moroccan inspired tile layouts and unique tile focal pieces.  Braid Flooring and Window Fashions in Saskatoon have flooring specialists that can help you create the Moroccan inspired tile design for your space. 

Photo Credit - For more trends check-out a great article on Forbes.

Bedrooms - Adding Greenery to Your Space

One of our favourite trends for 2015 - the addition of greenery! There are tones of health benefits from adding a few plants to your space.  Here is a link to an infograph that highlights some of the benefits. 

Photo Credit - Decoist

Local Business - Braid Flooring & Window Fashions

Last week we had the opportunity to sit down with Braid Flooring & Window Fashions to discuss some home renovation trends for 2015.  One of the hidden treasures at Braid Flooring is their experienced Interior Decorating Team. Did you know that you can schedule an appointment with a specialist to help you pick out the best products to meet your home renovation needs?

Braid Flooring has some of the most sought after product lines in flooring, tile and window fashions, not to mention they are an exclusive stockist of Farrow & Ball.  Browsing through their showroom, located on Millar in Saskatoon, gave us plenty of ideas for some home renovation projects of our own.

Here's to a season of new beginnings! 

March is finally here! There is something special about the month of March.  Out of all of the months in the year no other month can bring about such a sense of excitement, anticipation, and purpose to the hearts of homeowners.  

March is the month where we get organized. For some of us that means dusting off the 'to-do' lists and getting the supplies we need to finish the odd jobs around the house.  For others it means sitting down and prioritizing some of the major renovations or landscaping projects we plan to tackle over the next six months.  And for a large majority of us the month of March is a time to be inspired by the emerging trends in home decor and interior design.

So in the spirit of March, below are some of the 2015 Home Decor trends we've discovered!

Runway Inspired Pattern

Now's the time to mix-match patterns from fabric to wallpaper. 

 Photo Credit - CN Traveler

Custom Bookshelves & Gallery Walls

This makes for interesting feature walls. Long gone are the days of simply painted feature walls. 

Photo Credit - Decoist 

Pantone's 2015 Colour Palette

We like Custard, but the colour of the year is everything Blue!

Photo Credit - Elle Decor 

 You can view Elle's exclusive gallery here

Reclaimed Wood

The trend from 2014 is definitely here to stay!

 Photo Credit - Elle Decor

Geometric Meets Organic 

This eclectic style is eastern inspired and tells a story in every room. 

Photo Credit - Kara Paslay

Gold Fixtures

It's time to get bold with Gold!

Photo Credit - Business Insider

Happy First Monday of March!