knitting, notes, etc

Are you in the midst of endless winter like we are? Argh! I really don't mind winter and having grown up in the Canadian Prairies I'm a big season fan, but this winter is trying my patience. *so. much. cold. so. much. snow.* Proof you say? Well here is my son who is 5'9" shovelling snow at the back door. It's getting hard to know what to do with the white stuff.

It hasn't helped that our crew is sick yet again. Hence my absence from the computer. We are taking it all in stride and doing our best to keep our spirits up. Even if that means mid day basking in the sun from the indoors. For a brief moment it gives me the illusion that everything is green and growing outside. Yes I'm a dreamer.

minted

They arrived! A sweet package from minted.



I ordered Thank You/New Year cards last month for those who attended a big famiy birthday party that we had in late 2013. Besides the "thank you" portion, I owe family & friends updated photos of my growing crew.



I've been waiting to get them all addressed and sent out before I committed to this post. No sense in spoiling the snail mail surprise for the recipients who are reading my blog.



My thoughts: The photo is 5 x 7 in size with a nice matte finish. It will be easy for people to frame later on, if so desired. I ordered 25 cards plus envelopes and I didn't bother with their proof reading service so that saved me a bit extra cash. Shipping to Canada was via FedEx and cost $9.95, great for over the border.

Overall, the process was simple and delivery was quick. I really enjoyed my minted experience and I will definitely be ordering from them again.

summer summary

Hello there, it's been awhile hasn't it? I mean - July to November - now that's just way too long for an update! So what on earth could have taken me away from this space all this time?? Life. I've embraced it and I've been busy in the thick of it, much like many of you I suppose (& to those that are able to keep up blogging along the way kudos to you).

As for me, my mojo for internet ramblings have up and left me right now, as have my crafty endeavors. I'm not fretting too much as I know things are cyclical. Overall I think I am more distressed that my craftyness is on the fritz as it is usually a huge energy booster for me. And couldn't we all use an extra boost of energy in our days? 

But lets not focus on that, I'm here today and I have a wee bit o' an update for ya. Our happenings were normal fodder for a family of 6 during the summer: 

~ bike riding continued on through the whole summer as a family 

~ and sometimes friends joined us

~ had a fight with the white cabbage butterfly and made decoys...

~ and bug juice - more likely salad dressing because I lost the fight and have no garden kale to speak of :( 

~ saw the local sights

~ hung out together at the pool

~ and by the fire

~ we baked apples

~ and then we baked  in the late summer heat

~ harvested vegetables and savoured their lovely taste and wished that the garden was bigger and the growing season was longer

So there we have it, all caught up with July & August for the most part. Watch for September's highlights, I promise it won't take 4 more months, lol.

May/June happenings

Now that it is officially July I thought I'd post a few highlights from the past two months instagram style. 

from the top: 

~ dance recital for the girlies who played the part of orphans singing "it's a hard knock life (Annie)" *ps, they did not dance in the Crocs ;P

~ flowers from daddy for two girlies who did such a great job at their dance recital

~ mass organization of papers around the house, including 5 years of the girls' art work *big job

~ mushrooms along the path of our daily bike ride

~ lunch for me: sole on a bed of lettuce *yum 

a pinteresting lunch

Yup, I'm addicted to pinterest you know, but I'm getting better now. I don't "need" to pin everyday but on those days when I do visit, there are so many yummy things to see and pin, it's inspiration at your fingertips. But I'm not just a pin and look sorta girl. I've gotta try things out you know. And so I gave this recipe and go and my review is: I liked it, my kids however did not - too tarty and limey for them (keep that in mind if you do not like lime, I however adore all things lime). Between you and me I'm not very sad that they don't like it because there is never quite enough of this stuff to share when I do make it. 

Now go and do likewise: don't just pin, make :) Happy Friday, xo

 

in my corner...

...summer is officially here and that means so many, many good things:

...the weather is giving us beautiful warm days of sunshine sprinkled in with overcast days of shade and even a sprinkling or two of rain.



...our friends have returned and they have brought with them new little ones to love and admire.







...our school year is ending today and now we turn our attention to some serious outside play - bring it on!



...the garden has been planted and the veggies are growing, the flower pots are blooming and green is always our favourite colour.



...soccer season has ended for the summer, bike riding is a daily occurrence, we've made one trip to emergency so far and popsicles continue to make an appearance in the grocery cart.



...I am excited that mr. duckyhouse will officially be on holidays for almost all of July in which we will soak up his goodness with lots of play, beaching, day trips, and yes even some more renovations.





...I am picking up my camera again after a couple difficult months and realizing that it is through the lens that I am inspired to live a more grateful life.



...hoping your corner is filled with grateful memories too!

a new banner

that is screaming "spring" to me. You wouldn't have known if you were here last Saturday. I awoke to this...yeesh.

on the other hand, crazy weather like that doesn't last very long this time of year and it was well on it's way later in the day. but still...I like it when things more like this in April.

I'm signing off for the weekend. Tomorrow is Good Friday and with Easter around the corner I still have to find the Easter baskets for filling. Hope you have a lovely weekend and I'll be back in this space on Monday.

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(='.'=)
(")_(")

Happy Easter! 

a sort of wordless wednesday

 

"the most regretful people on earth 
are those who felt the call to creative work, 
who felt their own creative power restive & uprising 
and gave to it neither power nor time." 
 

~ mary oliver

the melt

During our break last week, we took a walk around a local park to view the spring melt in action. I always think of spring as my least favourite season because of the messiness. In my brain it should be a cleaner process: winter ends one day, snow melts for a day or two, and we all begin our life outdoors - very tidy and systematic.  Ha! not that way in these parts, it usually takes a month or two for the snow to disappear and during that time the streets are so dirty from all the gravel & sanding that our city does to the winter roads so our cars don't crash into each other. 

But all this got me thinking that the man side of spring and nature side of spring are two different things. On the one hand we have the mess that man creates by necessity and on the other hand nature does spring so beautifully. The snow melts, the water pools and waits to find a place in the ground, our feathered friends return to their summer nesting ground, trees come alive with buds and blooms, days grow longer and the sun grows warmer, while more critters and creatures wake up to show their faces.

;

I can't think of anything in those descriptions that I don't like. In fact I love it all!  Yay, Spring!

february 365

So okay, just off the top, taking photos for my 365 project are apparently much easier than uploading them (I'm hoping that I won't be this tardy for march). In the meantime here is a mosaic of february images and as always you can find the rest of my photos here.

;

In other news you might want to return in the next day, or so, because I dusted off my sewing machine and... well, you'll just have to check back to see what I'm working on.

Happy Monday, xxx

january re-cap

in pictures...

:: his other love ::



:: dear hipstamatic: i love you ::



:: started pride and prejudice ::



:: noticed how little things make me smile ::



:: bright colours make me feel so happy ::





:: thinking a lot about food ::







final notes: After 1 month of the 365 photo a day, I can honestly say that this is going to be a challenge. I've really gotten out of the habit of photo-journalling life and while I love the camera, I feel rusty behind the lens. Most days I'm not sure what I should take photos of, I find myself hoping the inspiration will just show itself as I go about my day. And certainly while the light is right, if you know what I mean ;) It's a bugger when the idea strikes and the sun has set. If you want to see more of my 365 set you can hop over here to view them. all for now, xxx.