The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

Years ago when we were dating, Glen gave me this beautiful quilted stocking.  I did not grow up having stockings and so this was all new to me. 

 

                           

 

 I was a student teacher at the time and I remember running across the street to the mall with another student teacher friend and landing in Shoppers Drug Mart.  I saw this snowman and thought it would be perfect in place of a stocking for Glen.  I would stuff his tummy with lots of great things!

 

 

 Little did I know that stuffing this guy would be such a hassle!  His belly is way to shallow and every year since 1999 I've been stuffing him then covering all the items that stick out with mounds of tissue paper and plastic bags.  Glen has affectionately named Mr. Snowman "Stuffers".  This year I decided that perhaps it was time to give Stuffers a break.

 

 

So I got busy...

 

 

I had some paper pieced quilt blocks from an advent calendar project I had abandoned awhile ago.  I  used some on the kids' stockings a couple of years ago.

 I think of all the skills that I've used the most in my sewing, I am most thankful for the beginners quilting class I took years ago.  The skills (like making binding) and tools (my rulers and rotary cutter are indispensible!) have come in so handy for all kinds of projects. 

And here she is.

 

 

And here they are all hanging in a row.  We have a fireplace this year!

 Merry Christmas!

Christmas ornament garland

I crocheted these cute little ornaments after being inspired by Emma Lamb's beautiful work.  They were a joy to work at over a few nights.  I loved going through my button stash and finding random, quirky buttons.

Once made, I decided to hang them in a beautiful row on my freshly painted cream wall.

Aren't they delightful?  They make me smile.

Hello!

Hello, hello, helloooo!  Boy it's been a long time....so long that probably no one even bothers to check this blog anymore!  It feels like I haven't been terribly creative recently (well, enough to have anything postworthy!) and I've been obsessed with my nutrition and fitness over the last 16 weeks.  It seems like I spend a lot of time in the kitchen making various yummy healthy food/treats like this...

                                                                        and this....

                                                                          and this.

 

I've gotten on the Clean Eating bandwagon and enjoying every minute of it.  My wish is to post more regularly and I'm sure you will see much, much more of this delightful food!

 

Fall is the start up of everything, and having recently moved here, it was not only the start up school and other activities, it carried with it the stress of being the new people.  September pretty much overtook us like a big ol' steamroller.  It was a hard month being new and watching my kids struggle at being new.  Now life seems more settled, less new, and more calm.  Schedules have been ironed out and there is more time to breathe in and out...in and out....

 

One of the highlights of being here for me is the ability to SHOP SECOND HAND again!!!  No more worries of, "I found this awesome thing, but we're moving so I don't want to buy it."  At the most recent thrift store 50 percent off day, I saw this beautiful antique dresser.  I didn't know where I'd put it or what I'd use it for, I only knew it had to be mine.  There was no price on it and the store was very busy so I had to keep a close eye on it while finding a salesperson.  Turns out that someone (the lady with the black shirt, I found out)  had already spoken for it :( I was really disappointed but couldn't help overhearing the conversation of the lady in the black shirt with her friend.  "I should get it, right?" (there seemed to be some doubt in her voice).  "I wonder if they'll let me pick it up on a later date". (Maybe she didn't have a way to get the thing home?)  "...for $35 I can't go wrong".  (Whhaaaaat?  Only $35??)  I stalked them all the way to the line up where the lady with the black shirt asked the cashier about holding the dresser for her to pick up.  "We can only hold items for 24 hours," says the cashier.  LBS (Lady in the Black Shirt) was hemming and hawing and finally said that she wouldn't be able to pick it up in 24 hours and which point, I LEAPT in awkwardly, heart in my throat and said, "can I buy the dresser?"  YES!!!!!!  IT'S MINE!!!!!  $35!  Later in the day when I went to pick it up, the stockperson said that a man came in and offered to pay $200 for it!  Lucky me!

  I just love everything about this piece.  The marbley grain of the wood is exquisite.

 

Aside from the loose handles, the drawers work perfectly.  I don't even mind the gold and white paint because it's not too much.  I can tell you that this dresser will be well loved for many many years and displayed prominently and proudly on the main floor.

 

The creamy walls behind the new dresser are newly painted!  I am grabbing time here and there to repaint the living room and dining room.  The sage green simply has got to go (in my opinion, of course!  Many others (including my husband, kids and mother), don't agree and yet I happen to be married to a man who will let me make my visions become reality and I'm eternally grateful for that.  I see a couple of  homespun style rooms inspired by Selina Lake in my future!

 

I took a long break from crochet and am now back into picking up the beginnings of my granny stripe blanket again.  I love the rhythm and peace that this art form brings into my life.  Even though I've been enjoying other things in my life, I am so glad to have picked up my crochet again.

 

 

 

 

I apologize for the small photos in this post.  I am having a terrible time with blogger, as it won't let me enlarge these pictures.  I am going to stop fighting and just post this now.

Blackberry Season

It is blackberry season here in British Columbia.  The only blackberries I've been exposed to in my Prairie life are those expensive baskets at the store of often sour blackberries that have been picked too early.  Still, with a good dose of sugar they're delicious with milk in a bowl.  Well, here in Victoria British Columbia we're in blackberry heaven!  I had no idea that these berries grow everywhere, and I mean e-ver-y-wher-re.  On the side of the highway.  In ditches.  By schools and other institutions.  In Regional and Provincial Parks.  

 

When ready, the berries almost fall off the branches and they are sweet, succulent, perfect in every way. It's a love affair with the tastebuds.

Our kids now know to leave a berry alone if it takes even a bit of prodding to get it off.  And when we announce that we're going to pick blackberries, everyone knows exactly what to wear.  Long sleeves. Long pants. Socks. Hair pulled back.

The bushes are thorny much like rose bushes.  Picking is not easy if you don't have sturdy gloves to maneuver the branches.  We bring the branches to kid level so little C can have at 'er.  The first time we went, we brought a ladder 'cause nothing is more frustrating than looking at bunches of ripe berries just out of reach.  People walking by were commenting on what "serious" pickers we were....hah!  If only they knew that we're really just a bunch of Prairie newbies who didn't really have a clue!

Mmmm...can't you just taste them?

 

I try to freeze at least a few before the entire bucket gets gobbled up.  I spread them on a cookie sheet, pop them in the freezer then put them in a ziplock bag.  This prevents them from sticking together.

But mostly they get eaten fresh.  Delicious in a bowl with milk.  Amazing in spinach salad with candied nuts and sesame dressing.

I love the deep purple hue of this blackberry-banana smoothie.  (1 banana, 1 cup blackberries, 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 Tbsp ground almonds and 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup).

 

 Beautiful in a bowl of morning oatmeal (my oatmeal consists of 1/2 cup large flake oats and 1 Tbsp each of wheat germ, chia seed, hemp seed and flax seed).

G made this blackberry sauce for our waffles yesterday.

And do you remember our sweet neighbors?  Well, yesterday these 2 gifts were sitting on the fence for us.  It was a delightful surprise, especially for the kids.  Fresh, still warm, jam and syrup.  The syrup in M's words is, "to die for!!".
 

 

Peanut Butter Smoothie

My kids are major smoothie lovers and this chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie is one of their favorites.  It's packed with super healthy goodness and I don't know about you, but I love it when my kids request healthy snacks!  It's adapted from Bob Greene's Best Life Diet.  One recipe makes one big glass or two smaller glasses.

                                  One tablespoon of all natural peanut butter, no additives please.

One tablespoon of cocoa powder.

One banana.

...and one cup of almond, soy or cow's milk.  In his book, Bob Greene uses a cup of chocolate soy milk.  My kids surprisingly find this too sweet, so I use plain milk. Blend it all up.

Delicious, filling, and packed with super wholesome goodness!  An awesome mid-afternoon booster!