Thursday, January 28, 2010

proud to be canadian.


TNA makes the best "canadian pride" gear in time for the Olympics, I think. :)
Aritzia, I love you.... we will meet again post-partum, I promise.

ps: I want to start a weekly blog feature and I want my readers opinions.... if I were to start one, what would you like to see? What should it be about?

love love

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

the start:


Meet my first Blythe doll. She came in the mail today, from Maryland. Her name is Talula Lilac. :) Katie and I went 'halfers' on the Simply Lilac and Peppermint doll set. So they're like sisters. :)

I've had fun checking out forums and tutorials online this afternoon. I'm looking forward to trying different techniques, and maybe trying to make a scalp with mohair... I mean, I'm in the hair business, so it seems natural for me to get into that. ;) There's a lot of helpful tutorials here. If anyone has other links they want to share, feel free!
It looks like the possibilities are pretty much endless! ...

Ok, I'll quit being a Blythe nerd now.
What made YOUR day?

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

[Tattoo Tuesday Feature]


The super sweet Danielle has a great feature on her blog called Tattoo Tuesday, and I love reading it! I was so happy she asked me to be a part of it this week. :) Check out the post here.
It's really interesting to see all the different styles of tattoos, and the meaning behind them.
Thanks Danielle! xo

Monday, January 25, 2010

Simon says funny things:



I open the door of the bathroom after having a shower this morning....
Simon is standing at the door, looking up at me.
S = "I ate a candle."
me = "you what?!"
S = "I ate a candle."
".....um, ok. Are you sure? Do you mean you ate a candy?" I could see the remains of something red around his mouth.
S = "No mom. Not a candy."
".....ok, where did you find it?"
S = "On the table."
"show me where"
He points to Ryan's desk in the office.
S = "I stood on daddy's chair to reach it." **note his remarkable vocabulary! It's been growing this week, lol.
"ok then... are you sure it was a candle??"
S = "yes, it was crunchy."
By this point I'm worrying that he found a tylenol or something... so I call Ryan on his cell immediately asking if he'd had any pills on his desk, he says no of course not, 100% sure. Ok... so what could it be? I licked my finger to wipe off some of the red stuff from his mouth and tasted it... it was sweet. I have no red candles in the house... so I'm thinking he found a part of a candy cane and ate it. He was completely normal all day, so I guess whatever he ate was fine.

That was an interesting part of my day.
Hehe, how often do you hear "I ate a candle."

Blog party time!

Happy Birthday to Red Velvet Art! XOXO

Elsie is having a blog party today, and there has been so many great posts already! Lots of cute tutorials, and a bunch of fabulous giveaways!
I have a post you can check out, to learn how I made a granny square neck warmer. :)



hope everyone is warm and cozy tonight, it's been blustery and storming here like crazy!
look at how much snow was outside my Mom's front door!
Manitoba winters are nuts.

Friday, January 22, 2010

eye *candy* love

My sister is getting married in June, and it's fun to talk about the theme she wants, and details that come with it. She's decided on a "vintage carnival" theme, and so she thought Lollipop centerpieces would be fitting! How fun! The above image comes from The "Un-Bride" blog.

We were browsing The Candy Warehouse to get prices, and it made me crave a lollipop! Look at these pretty ones.




So we're thinking of having a similar centerpiece to the first photo, but having them sit in retro looking popcorn tubs. :) I think they're going to look awesome!

Speaking of lollipop loveliness.... I love this photo print by Danielle Thompson.


It's the weekend!!
oh... and, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACKIE! xo

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Answers: Part Four

Last round!
Thanks again for asking these questions. I love my blog readers!


27.
How's the new camera ?
I haven't used it a whole lot yet... but from what I have, I really like it. I keep forgetting that I have it though! Ryan and I went to see Switchfoot in concert last night, and I didn't remember to bring it.. oops. (I got a Canon Powershot sd1200 IS, in case you wanted to know) It's super sleek and thin, which is what I was looking for, and I know it will have the performance I need, being a Canon. :)

28. where do you most like to shop for craft supplies?
Michael's usually. I love visiting new places while I travel though... I enjoyed going into Hobby Lobby while in Missouri last time. I also love locally owned scrapbooking supply stores, like I have one close by in winkler, and I liked the one Elsie and I went to in October.

29. after a long day of waking up early, and working hard, how do find the energy and drive to come home and dedicate time to your hobbies? i find it hard to get up off the couch, HA!
I usually only make time for my hobbies on the days that I'm not scheduled at the salon... If I'm there, I work til 8pm usually, and come home & do supper, put simon to bed, and then maybe blog while Ryan does the books, and then hit the hay. On my days "off" I can sleep as long as Simon does, and then do FUN STUFF during Simon's nap, and later on that day too. If I have a deadline for a specific project, I'll just make time for it, like if I have to knit until 3am I will, but it's all fun. I like making goals and having deadlines. I find that if I make my hobbies very important, then I'll make time for them. A wise woman once said "A woman's work is never more important than her ART." - Rachel Denbow.
For me, the problem is not finding energy or drive, that's all there. The problem is how to manage time to do it all, like making sure to have date nights with Ryan, or going to bed early instead of crafting, so I can spend time with him too.

30. I want to know how you define your style and does it change based on moods/time of the year, etc?
I think it does, certainly. I would define my style as cute/quirky/fun. When the seasons change I think my style does too, to a certain extent. For example, springtime always brings out the girly girl in me, admiring florals and cute dresses etc, almost a child-at-heart attitude. Whereas autumn makes me feel more mature and sentimental.

Does your hubby enjoy being creative with you and or take advantage of your creativity (like having you make things for him or friends)?
No, he doesn't. He doesn't always "get" my crafts, but he doesn't have to, because he's still supportive. He understands that they are MY passions, and he respects them, which is great. He has his own hobbies and passions as well. He and his father are actually building a 2-seater open cockpit bi-plane! So we both enjoy "making" things, just in different categories. :)
I've never made anything for his friends, but if he would ask me, I would!

31. where do you buy your clothes?
Replicca Etsy is a love love.
-I also LOVE to shop at Aritzia (when I have the $$)
-GAP jeans, "curvy low rise" are my fit of choice, post-baby. :)
-Lululemon
I want to try to venture out to new areas/stores in Winnipeg that I've never been too this summer to shop at some boutiques, like in Osbourne Village, or down Corydon Ave.

32. If you had to commit to only one hobby for the rest of your life what would you choose?
Good question! I would have to say CROCHET. It's at the top of my list right now, and it's so easy to take around! Like seriously, a hook and some yarn, done. Yarn is also my favorite supply to shop for right now too. Plus I think it's so charming and timeless, the things you can make! So, hands down, crochet.

33. what is the overall look of your house?
My house is small, and not well organized....because it's hard when you only have 620 square feet! We have used furniture that was given to us when we got married, and it's nothing fancy. I want to work on decorating it more in 2010 and doing a photo house tour, so I can share more about it then. My dining room has a big black chandelier and a large painting by Elsie on the "flagstone" walls, so I do like that room. And I painted a mural of a cherry blosson tree in our bedroom, which I enjoy. (though not completed...)

34.-did you design your tattoos?
No, none of my tattoos are designed by me. Silje did one, Elsie did one (with the collaboration of the artist, Zara), and the tattoo artists have designed the others. I think it's important to find an artist that is good at the style you are going for, and let them be a part of the designing process.

-what ink are you getting done next?
I plan on finishing my half sleeve (right upper arm), and hopefully starting a chest piece in 2010.

-what are some ideas that you have for tattoos but haven't ever done?
My grandpa has a tattoo of an anchor through a heart, so I think I would like one like that someday. Or I've thought a fawn would be beautiful.


35. are you a vegetarian? if not, what are your views on how animals are treated before getting on your plate, sorta-speak? Just getting opinions together.
I am not a vegetarian, but I think it's cool that some people are. I personally don't have any convictions about eating meat, I believe that some animals are made for our consumption. I hope that animals are treated well during the raising process, I disagree with the mistreatment of animals, for sure.

36. I wonder about your birthing experience... Just wanted to know your opinion on birth seeing as you're preparing now for your next one!
My birth experience was a good one, I would say, other than the fact that I had to be induced, 2 whole weeks after my due date. I was induced by cervidil at around 9pm on Sunday evening (Sept. 9th), and the contractions started during the night/early next morning. (I also had my water broken for me) I was handling the pain ok until about 4 or 5 pm and then asked for an epidural. I waited a little long before I asked for it (because originally I didn't want one), so it took a long time before the anesthesiologist came.... next time I won't wait as long. Once the drugs started working, I could have a nap, which was heaven! I don't remember much else from the evening, other then when I could start pushing, which was at 11:00pm on September 10th. I remember feeling very nauseous during the 'transition' phase before pushing. I only pushed for 1 hour, 10 minutes, which was awesome!! Simon Rodney was born naturally at 12:10am on September 11th, 2007.
I'm looking forward to giving birth again, and I don't really have a set plan.... I'll just do what I can do, and get another edipural when I can't handle it on my own anymore, and hope for the best! We are really blessed to have such a great hospital in our area. I call it the Hilton. :)


37. do you wear fake nails and why? and if so do you prefer acrylic or gel nails?
I have gel nails. I prefer the LCN gel. The esthetician applies it to my natural nail as an overlay, and I get them "filled/filed" every 3-4 weeks. I started getting gel nails because our salon offers it as a service, and a lot of people want to know what they look like, this way I can show them! I'm looking forward to getting sparkly pink tips for valentines!
I've had acrylic before, and find that they broke off a lot easier, the gel seems a lot harder, and tougher.


done!
happy thursday! Style School students can look for my Style Feature on the blog tomorrow! :)
ps: while looking at wedding photographers' websites with my mom today (for my sister) I fell in loooove with this photo. SO cute.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

one way you can help...

... the crisis in Haiti. While getting a pretty reminder of your donation for your home!
Check out the adorable painting for auction over at A Beautiful Mess, and make a bid.

I think it's so awesome that the world is coming together to help a country in crisis.
Hoping the little that we can do will make somewhat of a difference...

Saturday, January 16, 2010

24 weeks and counting... 16 to go.


24 weeks feels like the week of the watermelon... from here on in it's just big & bigger. Today I felt like I was carrying around a melon, lol.

And in case any of you were wondering (which you likely weren't), potty training has been awesome so far! I mean, it's only been 3 days but the little man is a rockstar!
His favorite outfit these days... "Cars" pull-ups, and boots.... I think he likes them because he can pull both things on all by himself. :P
If any mom-bloggers out there have any potty training advice, I'd love to hear it! I'm all new at this, and doing it whichever way seems the most positive for parents & child, and it's been good, but I can always use some advice from those who have been there before.

Looking forward to a relaxing Sunday... crocheting is due, and some Supercross will be watched. I love sundays.

show your loves.


It was fun to participate in this round of Bleubird Vintage's Show & Tell!
Head on over to miss James' great blog to check it out. :)

I loved Milla's littlest pet shop collection. :D
(they're all awesome! It's a super fun read.)

Friday, January 15, 2010

.pleasant melodies.

I thought I would share some tunes that I've been listening to...





...and Aritzia posted their Spring '10 preview, and it's pretty pretty. Makes me wish spring was a little bit closer.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

me and a movie...





Sometimes I like to rent movies on iTunes and watch them by myself.
I chose to do so last night, as I was working on finishing a knitting project.. turns out I had to put the knitting away, because I didn't want to miss anything about this one.
"Adam" caught my attention as I was browsing the titles, because I had never heard of it before, and it looked charming. A romantic comedy with unexpected events... perfect for my mood.
It turned out to be very charming, and lovable. I have never heard of Asperger's Syndrome before, and it was neat to see an actor portray the condition in the movie. I cried during some of the sweet parts, and some of the frustrating parts too.... definitely not your typical Hollywood romance, but definitely worth watching. I'm glad I picked it.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

slightly obsessed....



I can't stop! I just keep wanting to make more batches to perfect them.
Here's another recipe I tried.

Lemon Macaro(o)ns (batter recipe from A la cuisine, with changes by moi)
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 cup ground blanched almonds
-sift, and then grind/mix together in a food processor. I use a Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus
3 egg whites
-microwave for 10-12 seconds
add pinch of salt
-start mixing with mixer until foamy
slowly add 1/4 cup granulated sugar
-continue mixing for about 2 more minutes, until stiff peaks form.

Fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites, and when almost combined, add 1/2 tsp lemon extract and 6 drops of yellow food coloring.
Stop folding as soon as it looks mixed/smooth.

Pour into big Ziploc bag, and cut the tip off. Pipe onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets in ONE INCH hershey kiss like circles. If you make them too big, they'll collapse. (learned this the hard way...)

Let the batter sit for 15 minutes, and then bake at 325 degrees F for 10 - 11 minutes. My oven is a little hot it seems, and 325 makes them a bit too hard, so I use my oven at 300 degrees instead. We tried a lower temp at my mother in laws place, but then they collapsed, and were too soft. So start by trying 325 until you know how they work in YOUR oven.

I made a simple lemon buttercream for the filling. I didn't even measure, but I mixed about 3 tbsp butter with 1/2 cup of icing sugar and a couple tsp's of whipping cream with yellow color and a lil splash of lemon extract. Once the macarons are cooled completely, ice them and make little sandwiches. :)

They were soft and chewy and lemony... yum!
I made raspberry ones tonight...... someone stop me! Or someone tell me what flavor to try next! :)

Monday, January 11, 2010

Answers: Part Three



I'm almost through answering all the questions from my Ask Away post, here's the third batch... :)

19. Do you have any advise for me about how to be positive, focused and happy?
My advice would be to always be checking your attitude. Being positive boils down to making the decision to be positive. If I felt like being down on myself, or to find things in my life that suck, I would find them! We have to keep CHOOSING to stay positive and look at all the things we can be so thankful for. My family is a big part of keeping me positive.. so when I'm in a bad mood, I'll browse through Simon's baby scrapbook to remember fun times, or I'll sit down with him to read a book. Also, making sure to include close friends in your projects takes stress out of deadlines, and makes it much more fun! For example, find a great sewing pattern with a friend, and make it together! Sometimes I can get lost in my crafty to do list... and feel like it's never going to get done, so I make a master list. Write down all the projects you start, and all the ones you plan to start, and check them off as you go. This helps keep me focused on what I'm working on, and keeps me from getting frustrated. If you put your mind to it, you can do it.

20.Have you ever had this kind of time when you aren't able to create anything? and if so: What do you do about it?
Great question. Being pregnant, I know how it feels to lack inspiration and motivation! I've DEFINITELY experienced those times. I try to be easy on myself when this happens, because I know it's going to come back. These periods of time are great for your mind to rest, and get re-charged. Maybe a clean slate means a whole new adventure in something is on the way. I often browse inspiring websites like Flickr to spark inspiration (ex. Red Velvet Art Flickr Group, and Crochet Flickr Group), or I'll e-mail a crafty friend to see what their currently working on, and shoot ideas back and forth to get the juices flowing. Often a walk will do you good too! Take time to go outside for 20 minutes even, spend the time in prayer, or just admiring nature and the surroundings. This can sometimes motivate me, plus, how often do we busy people take the time to do that anyways!? It's good for the soul and mind. So don't think of these uninspired times as a bad thing! Think of them as an opportunity to refresh, and relax for a little bit.

21. How do you keep yourself inspired? I have trouble with that! And what is your favorite craft supply store?
The above answer pretty much answers the first question. For my favorite craft supply store? I usually find my supplies on various Etsy shops (hardly ever the same one), and Michaels. It seems that there aren't very many great craft supply stores around me... but I find most of everything I need at Michaels.

22. What is your favorite childhood memory?
woah.. don't think I could pinpoint just one...
I loved going on leaf hunts with my mom and sister.
I loved going for KFC picnics at Assiniboine Park with my mom and sister.
I loved staying over at my Grandma's place for night.
I loved trips to bookstores with my Dad.

23. I was just wondering what products you use. and what is your normal styling routine...
I use Sexy Hair products for styling. When my hair is still wet, I spray in Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Plus at the root/crown, then I put one squirt of Marrekesh Oil (argan oil) in my palms and rub together, then evenly distribute throughout my hair. This adds shine and protects it from the heat of a flat iron/blowdryer. Then I blowdry it in sections with a round brush to get volume, and use my flat iron just for my bangs, and for a few layers around my face (my hair is very straight to begin with, so I don't need to very much) and then I add some texture to it with Short Sexy Hair - Frenzy, which is a paste. I'll finish off with a light mist of Big Sexy Hair Spray & Play Harder.
Add bow. :) (not always, but I feel pretty when I wear a bow)

24. I did ask recently where you find your nose rings I was hoping I could find one on etsy or something.
I order all the body jewelry for the salon from Rage Body Jewelry.

25.what is Morden like? Where is it? How big is it? Are you close to major cities? How do you keep so inspired and crafty in a small place where sometimes the choice in materials/inspo is on short supply? Would you ever consider moving somewhere else (like the US?)
Morden is a great little town. It's population is around 7000. It's in Southern Manitoba, about an hour and a half south west of Winnipeg, which is the capitol of MB. I keep inspired by my online friends/blog community, as well as the people I'm surrounded by. If I can't find any good craft supplies locally, then Etsy is an awesome resource. I would most definitely not consider moving anywhere else. No offense, but Canada is such a wonderful country, and I love being close to my family, and close to my awesome hospital, and in a community that I can feel safe in, and feel good about raising my family in. :) Good question Gen!

26. must say I love your haircut and the color...wish I was that daring....what color is it?
I use Schwarzkopf Igora Royal haircolor. 1 part 6-88, 1 part 9-998. Sorry that won't make any sense to you who aren't in the hairstyling business, lol.

Seriously, who designed your blog...I LOVE IT!!!
Aw, thanks so much! I designed everything myself, with the occasional HTML help from my technically advanced husband, lol.
I use photoshop to create my headers and backgrounds.

How would describe your style?
If you're a Style School student, you can look forward to my feature on January 21st!
I would describe it as unique, fun, somewhat girly, and bright.

Ok, time for bed... I'll finish with Part Four later this week.
I seriously enjoy all these questions!

I was pumped when I saw OPI's newest collection of polishes!! Can't wait to try them, I ordered this for the salon today:


and if you haven't already, be sure to check out Elsie's camera makeover, I LOVE it! So much.
cute, huh?

I gave macarons another go tonight, with my Mother inlaw. We made Lemon ones, and I'll blog about the experience tomorrow. Maybe share another recipe for them if you guys are interested at all. :) Let me know! I think I've almost got them down.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

they worked!

My second attempt at making French Macarons was a success! I was very excited. Please ignore the terrible pictures, no natural light = weird colors.

Chocolate Macaron Recipe
(adapted from Vanilla & Lace blog with some changes by me)

1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup ground almonds
3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
-Grind the icing sugar, almonds, and cocoa in a food processor first.
2 room temp. egg whites (they say to age them 3 days on the counter, but I just microwaved them for 10 seconds as per advice from a blog reader)
5 tbsp granulated sugar
-whip egg whites with mixer until soft peaks start to form. Then slowly add the 5 tbsp sugar, one at a time, while mixing on medium speed, until stiff peaks form. Approx. 2 minutes.
Fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites (they will slightly deflate), with a scraper/spatula until just mixed, and has a smooth texture.
Spoon into piping bag (or ziploc bag)...
Ryan helped. :)
..and pipe onto parchment covered baking sheet in 1 inch drops (so they look like hershey kisses).
Let sit for 20 minutes so they can smooth out, and then bake at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Let cool completely before peeling them off the parchment.
I melted Lindt chocolate for the middle, but you can use buttercream, or any other ganache/icing that you fancy.



I'm so glad they worked! It was exciting to watch them bake, and see the 'feet'. Now I want to experiment with different flavors, fillings, colors, etc.... I'm gonna be hooked!

back to my knitting....