Friday, October 29, 2010

Now for that announcement...


I'm without one of my boys for a few days... the one that I'm in love with :) I still have the other guy to keep me company - he's my little darling.

The reason why I'm temporarily husband-less? He's helping his dad... get the house ready... for us to move in! That's right - 

we're moving!

Daniel got a temporary position at a hospital that's a lot closer to where we're from. He gets to keep his position here, though, since it's the same district - meaning, if the job ends, he can have his old one back, and the same seniority level. We get to be with our families! Daniel's parents have a granny suite built on their house, so we get to live in an entirely separate apartment. Cool beans :)

I get to take the winter off - and work on a business plan! Things are happening very quickly - I'm finishing up with work next Friday, so I've only got a week left. We've been busy little beavers, dividing our possessions into ditch, keep, and store (the new apartment is smaller than our current place). Over the next two weeks, we're going to be flat out, but I'm hoping to get some posts pre-made and schedule them so you don't miss your daily reads.

I hope that your long, long week has come to a pleasant end - enjoy the weekend!

Happy Friday!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

A-maze-ing

 We took what will now be an annual trip to a local corn maze this past weekend. If you have the means, I highly recommend it. Especially with a kiddo or two - or a night-time trip with adults. You'll have a great time.

I think we kind of caught the corn maze at the end of the season... some of the sights weren't too appealing. The corn was a little rotten looking, and the paths were quite trampled down. We did have fun, though - we'd love to go with a big group of friends at night and play spotlight tag in the maze. Spooky!





I hope that you are enjoying every ounce of your fall/autumn this year. Drink hot chocolate or cider, cuddle in your cardigans, walk through the leaves, play in the park, carve a pumpkin or two. Change is in the air! I've got a little announcement for you tomorrow...

Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

DIY Wednesday


It's DIY Wednesday - stool edition!

I've had two stools (retro?! vintage?! second-hand.) for a while now. I couldn't decide what to do with them, as I love the fabric's pattern, but it's a little bit too faded. After brainstorming fabric styles (mod?! graphic?! vintage?!) and sources (Etsy?! Fabricville?! thrifted?!) I finally had a brainwave. Vinyl! I've had a meter and a half of red vinyl in my closet for almost a year... another forgotten project. Red vinyl? Sounds perfect to me!

I took the stools and the vinyl up to my mom's house over the weekend, and we tackled the project together. So easy! I recovered the stools, and Mom scrubbed down the legs and made them look shiny and pretty again. They had some rust spots, and I really didn't want to spray paint them. I don't mind a little rust - worn equals loved, right? Too much rush looks neglected. Neglected equals not loved.

The entire project took about half an hour. Since the stool tops are round and not square or rectangular, I had a little difficulty spacing out each of the creases. Hey, they have to be equal! :) The average joe might have been able to staple-gun those bad boys a lot more quickly.

Here they are:

Before



After


What a difference, eh? I can't wait to get some use out of them, instead of the stools just taking up space. The red is a nice cheery pop of colour, too. Can't beat that.

Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Polyvore Loves

It's time for another Polyvore Loves!

Daniel helped me create the latest edition of Polyvore Loves. I explained to him that I picked a theme, event, or occasion where the outfit would be worn, and then I choose each of the items. He picked an outfit to wear to a market... he's my kind of guy :) From there, he chose worn-looking jeans with a cuff, a big cozy sweater, a plaid scarf and cute boots. Instead of a purse, Daniel thought it should be a nice reusable bag, since it is a market where this outfit is making its debut. I wanted a hair accessory, so he chose a simple leather buckled headband to finish it off.

Take a look at his completed ensemble:


to market


Nice job, eh? Perfect for a fall trip to a farmer's market or craft show. I think I'll keep this guy around :) He's got great taste!

Happy Tuesday!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Multitude Monday


I love this little feature of Multitude Mondays! It's such a great reminder of things going well... I seriously smile every time I write these out. You should give it a shot!

This week, I'm thankful for...

61 - corn mazes :) (look at it up there!)
62 - inexpensive handmade fudge
63 - old sitcoms watched from a cozy couch
64 - verse-of-the-day calendars in the bathroom almost every morning
65 - Chinese take-out... on a whim
66 - a clean apartment, and a day off without cleaning!
67 - trips to drop off items at the thrift store
68 - sweet dollar store finds
69 - a favourite pair of tweezers :) hey, I'm bizarre like that
70 - a healthy and happy spouse

What are you thankful for?

Giveaway Weiner

Calling winners "wieners" never fails to make me giggle :)

Well, here's the big giveaway winner....

Ashley posted at 11:10 pm... that's pretty darn close to 11:11, the magical time. I had to share the runner-up with you, too:



Heee heee - I love that Ashley "liked" that Heidi was too late :) If you don't know my lovely friends, they are sisters. Ashley isn't taunting a random stranger, hahahaa...

Multitude Monday is coming up later... hang on to your hats!

Happy Monday!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Giveaway!

Alright ladies (and the occasional gent), it's giveaway time!

*drum roll*

 Prize pack number one: 
Adorable Accessories


 
The handmade shabby chic plaid headband shown above

A handmade jersey and vintage wooden bead necklace, "magic" wallet, gold and robin's egg ring, and vintage gold pin.



Prize pack number two:
Sweet Scrapbooking/Paper-crafting Supplies


Anna Griffin alphabet rub-ons, black and white labels, two sets of vintage red buttons, Anna Griffin ribbons, vintage yellow rick-rack, "let's get together" stamp, and various embellishments shown above
Here's how to win:

My high school friends and I used to make a wish every night at 11:11 pm. Here's the deal: tomorrow night (Friday, October 22nd) the person that comments here on this post, or on my Facebook wall closest to 11:11 pm AST (Atlantic Standard Time - aka my time) wins the prize package of their choice! In case of a tie, there will be two winners :)

So, recap:
Friday, October 22nd
11:11 pm AST
comment on this post/Facebook wall

Good luck - and happy Thursday!

Blogging Update...

Coming Up...

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Tuesday Shenanigans


Well, there's been some big news around here... again, not baby-related. I'll let you know tomorrow, once our family and friends know. Things have been pretty crazy around here so the giveaway has been moved to Thursday. Take the time to tell your online friends... you won't want to miss out! Thanks for understanding the delay - it'll be worth it!

Happy, happy Tuesday!

Craft It.

I finally got some pics of my crafting space to share with you. I love seeing other people's studios and creating zones, so I thought you might like a peek, too! I hope you enjoy!


My desk

My little storage unit and antique table (now side table slash printer table)


My button shelf - all of those jars hold buttons, except for the baker's twine and brushes


My little amigurumi friends from Kelsie 



My bookshelf - well, the bottom shelf is crafting books, storage on the rest



My acrylic paints


 My sewing corner



Little magnetic board, Nikki McClure print, and goals chart



One of my favourite Emily Martin prints, and the fox. The darling. Other tidbits as well...


Writing goodies... and Daniel's cute mug :)


The reading/sleeping nook - cozy! That's my dress form, too :) 


Little Valentine's Day pillow that I made for Daniel (it's from Madagascar 2)
Hope you liked the glimpse into my space. It's small and has not natural light, but it's cozy and I love being in there!

Have a great day!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Multitude Monday

I can't believe it's Monday again! Ei-yi-yi! This week, I'm thankful for...



51 - surprise hot chocolate date nights
52 - exciting baby news (not me, not me, don't get too excited!)
53 - secret winter plans
54 - planning ahead for a handmade Christmas


55 - pixel-y twinkle lights and fallen leaves
56 - homemade barbecue chicken pizza
57 - a clean craft room
58 - a healthy family
59 - the beautiful new Anthropologie catalog
60 - love notes left on the counter

I'll be back later this evening with a look at my craft room... :) Don't forget about Wednesday's giveaway, either!

Happy Monday!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Currently... and for Next Week...

Demonstrating road rage at the playground...

Can you believe it? Another October week has passed! Each day dragged on, since I was on day shift at work, and Daniel was on evenings. Thank heavens we're both off tomorrow!

I've been in my craft room all evening, cleaning, organizing, and purging some bits and pieces of "maybe I'll use them in the next project" scraps. I am re-organizing a lot of my storage bins. Man, I've got a lot of supplies that I'm hoarding. I counted 24 packages of vintage rik-rak and hem tape... that's a lot! Ribbons, galores, too... and don't even get me started on my buttons. Buttons are okay though, they're my "collection"... right? :)

I'm going to do a craft room peek on Monday - overall room shots, and a few detail and organizational ones, too. I would love to do a giveaway next week - I have a few ideas that I'm toying with. Scrap-booking and paper-crafting goodness? Lap-top decals? Handmade accessories? We'll see what I decide over the weekend. Maybe I'll let the winner decide! Don't worry, it will be open to my readers that comment on my Facebook instead of through Blogger. Perhaps it will bring all my creepers to the surface :) Just keep your eyes open next week - there will be a fun way for you to win that you need to stay on your toes for.

I've been giving Sage treats all evening, since it's just him and I chilling, and he's keeping me company. I came out to the kitchen to write this post and I caught him sniffing in the storage room for more treats. Little rascal :)

I'm going to have a little snack and then right back to cleaning business. How's that for an exciting Friday night? :) Not your classic night out, but certainly one of my favourite nights in. 

Have a lovely weekend... Happy Friday!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Yummo


Nothing says autumn like a delicious caramel apple.

'Appy T'ursday, by!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Polyvore Loves

It's Polyvore Loves time!

Daniel's cousin is getting married this weekend, and I'm trying to make the most of my current wardrobe... AKA not buy anything to wear. I bought this dress at H&M a few weeks ago (in two colours - I never do that!) and thought it could be mixed into a wedding-worthy ensemble. The dress' real colours are in the little square of floral in the corner - the Polyvore version of the dress has more muted colours. As for the rest of the outfit...

Opaque black tights? Check.
Round-toe black wedge heels? Check.
Black patent clutch with gold trim? Check.
Vintage beige trench? Check.

Sounds like I've got myself an outfit!
weddin'

weddin' by littleohme featuring pumps shoes

Happy Wednesday!

Letter to Etsy

Dear Etsy,

Are you trying to kill me? A fox feature?! I've been begging my husband to let me have one for a pet. Be still, my heart. I had to close the window before I spent a fortune. Look what you made me do.

Love,
Katie



P.S. I learned how to do a screen-shot! I feel all computer fancy...

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

23 before 24


I was a bit frantic when I saw my "23 before 24" list on my magnet board - there weren't many goals highlighted, and I've only got a little more than a month left! Not to worry, upon closer inspection, I do have a few more done than I had originally thought...

Goal # 22: Try a new sport

Zip-lining totally counts as a new sport! I would never have volunteered to go: Daniel knew I could do it if he pushed me, so he called and signed us both up while I wasn't home. That rascal. I was totally out of my element there. I'm not an outdoorsy girl, it's really something that I'm working on. The man running the company was really into it, and went first to show us what it was like. I felt a little more at ease. Daniel went first, I went second, and Shamus was last. The worst part was letting yourself go... being in the air was fun! And - it wasn't that scary! I would definitely go again... you can pay a little more and spend the whole afternoon there, which is what I'd love to try the next time. 

Please try it! Push yourself - I know you'll love it.
Happy Tuesday!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Multitude Monday

It's Multitude Monday - on Thanksgiving! Today, I'm thankful for...



41 - my little Halloween pup
42 -a yummy Thanksgiving dinner cooked by my mama
43 - a family that gets along
44 - a car that I'm not afraid will break down during road trips
45 - decor websites that contain oodles of inspiration
46 - a new recipe with delicious results
47 - a lovely lady who will deliver a birthday present to a lovely friend
48 - old, old canning cookbooks (1963!) for Christmas gift inspiration
49 - three little munchkins (niece, nephew, nephew) who are always excited to see me
50 - gray nail polish - hey, can't the last multitude be fickle?! : )

I hope you had a lovely weekend that you got to spend with family or friends. I had a little of both this weekend - very relaxing. My darling has been sick for the past week, so we didn't get to get much out of the Bible conference that our church put on over the weekend. I was a bit disappointed, but I'm glad that today he's finally starting to feel a little bit better. Here's to good health!

Happy Monday!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Happy Birfday...


Hey sweet Shamus, happy 13th birthday!

Love, your sis.

xoxo

Friday, October 8, 2010

What's in my Bag?

I haven't done one of these posts in a while, and I figured it was a great chance for my to clean out and switch purses. Let's just say that hasn't been done in a long, long time. I was actually laughing about it, and decided to write down the contents so you could have a chuckle, too.

In my messy purse, I had...

2 notepads, 2 flyers, 2 giftcards, 2 business cards, 2 hotel room cards, 2 subway tokens, 3 bandaids, 2 paystubs, 30 receipts, 2 coupons, 4 expired coupons, $11.13, 0.30 in Canadian Tire money, a postcard, tissue, camera charge, my brother's puffer (!), gum, bookmark, button, pen, gelato spoon, grocery list, cardboard coffee cozy, ring service plan, Epipen, Tylenol, Benadryl, car key, sunglasses, throat lozenge, wedding shower invitation, Thinsations, recipe, and a day planner.

What?! After I cleaned it all out and switched to a pretty purse, here's what the contents looked like:


The pared down contents included:

my wallet, "believe" bookmark, gift card holder from Heidi, cosmetic bag from Janelle, lip gloss from the Body Shop, Benadryl, Epipen, Tylenol, 2 notebooks, day planner, Disney pen from Lauren, and gum.

What you don't see in the picture above is the guy I had to keep fighting off:


I have a very nosy pup that has to investigate absolutely everything, and gets very insulted if you don't let him. He's my little darling, though, and I love him.

I hope you have a lovely weekend - and Happy Thanksgiving, Canadians!

xo

Lushie


I think I've found one Lush product that I'm not impressed with: Up You Gets.

Up You Gets is an Emotibomb - a little fragrant fizzy tablet that you place on the floor of your shower. I've tried one other Emotibomb and loved it. I had picked this one up a while back and was saving it for a special day off so I could enjoy it... bad idea. I forgot that certain Lush products should be used as soon as possible. When I bought Up You Gets, it smelled delish. It was a yummy citrus overload. After a month or two sitting in its little paper bag under my bathroom sink, I think it lost its oomph. I used it this morning, and when I first placed it in the shower, there was one burst of citrus scent and then nothing. Nada. I guess this is partly my fault, but I'm not sure if I'd buy another one to try. Sorry Lush, this is the first time you've disappointed. My other Lush shower goodies, on the other hand, make my morning.

Speaking of showers, I've had my eyes opened towards the wonders of the wide-toothed comb. Several friends had told me that they use it to work conditioner into their hair, so I picked up a comb last week and tried it out this morning. Why has no one told me sooner?! My hair feels silky smooth and I think I could get more than one day out of it. Aahh... what a discovery!

Happy Friday!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Creep.


Okay, guys, I've found it:

Nova Scotia's unofficial creepiest mannequin

He lives in the Greenwood Military Aviation Museum. Don't ask what I was doing there - ask my husband and brother.

Thought you'd enjoy a creepy little giggle.

Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Tips and Tricks: Vanilla Extract


It's time for a new feature: Tips and Tricks. I love coming across little baking and cooking techniques and facts that help me in my kitchen endeavors. Knowing that you probably feel the same makes me want to share!

At work, we got two different types of vanilla extract in: Madagascar and Tahitian. I am getting low on my own artificial vanilla here at home and thought I'd splurge and get some of the "real stuff". But - which one is my best bet? I put both bottles on hold and came home to find out...

Essentially, Madagascar vanilla is the most commonly used vanilla because of it's full-bodied flavour. Tahitian vanilla is more rare and more delicate. It's better suited to fruit desserts or cream or custard bases that require little baking or heating. Madagascar beans are sweeter, and tahitian beans are fruitier.

Since I use vanilla primarily in baking cookies, cakes, and other desserts, Madagascar vanilla is the way for me to go. If it were summer, or if I was big on lighter flavours and textures, I would definitely try the Tahitian. At work, they are both the same price, so there is no reflection of the Tahitian beans being rare. Whichever type of vanilla you choose, I'm sure you won't go wrong. It's one of my favourite flavours and scents!

Hope your Wednesday is lovely!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Happy Birthday, Splide!


My darling friend Heidi turned 25 today! 
I wish I could share some cupcakes with her today - I miss her like crazy!

Happy Tuesday!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Multitude Monday

 It's that time of the week again... Multitude Mondays! Today, I'm thankful for:


31 - two adorable brothers... I love that we're at the age where we get along - well, most of the time :)
32 - my first roasted turkey!
33 - homemade apple dumplings and ice cream... mmm, mmm!
34 - a husband who takes me to get blood work done on his day off (I'm a big wuss and faint sometimes)
35 - a new dreamy cardigan... and chilly weather to wear it in!
36 - my sweet darling Heidi's big birthday tomorrow!
37 - big decisions to make, and an awesome God to turn to for answers.
38 - paint chip bookmarks - they're a pretty hit of colour when you open up your latest read.
39 - a family who visits as often as they can.
40 - beautiful dried hydrangeas from my cousin's garden (hydrangeas are my favourite!)

I hope you had a lovely weekend, and that you enjoyed my multitudes. What are you thankful for today?

Happy Monday!
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