say yippie

Valentine's Day.

2012-02-14T08:49:00.003-05:00

I love this silly, commercial holiday for one reason: The Colors!

Who doesn't love pinks and reds (and maybe a bit of orange mixed in)?

This year our Valentine's Day craft was inspired by a Fortune Cookie I found in my bag (from when? where? I don't know....my bag is way too big).

We decided to make fortune cookies for all of Winnie's classmates, attach them to some homemade Valentine's with a little chocolate kiss, just because.

In the spirit of spending less and using what we have, I dug through the craft cupboard to find the materials we needed.

{Thankfully, I found a whole bag of materials from last Valentine's as I was minimizing the junk in another cupboard. Serendipity!}

First, we made Valentine's from Heavy White Paper, Stamps Made out of Sponge & Eraser, and some Old Paints:

Then we made Fortune Cookies from Felt (Thank you, once again, Martha Stewart!) and pipe clear we happened to have.
See all directions HERE.

We Wrote Little Love Notes for the Inside of the Fortune Cookies...

And we put it all together!

XO
Happy Valentine's Day, friends!

Good Things.

2012-02-13T09:38:00.008-05:00

It's been a lazy New Year.

Free weekends stretched out in front of us (we don't know how it happened, but we plan to make this a January/February tradition!): family time, friend time, us time.

So many lovely things have come out of our slow moving Saturdays.
Here are a few Good Things from this weekend.....

Hugo by Brian Selznick
This book is absolute magic. Part novel, part picture book, it reads like a film.

Santa brought it for Winnie and I and it is, for sure, my favorite present of the year. Night after night we delve deeper into the world of Hugo Cabret and his life in 1930s Paris.

Winnie is obsessed. We tried to go to the (Oscar nominated) movie this weekend, but it was gone from the theatre. So, for now, Winnie will be left in her imaginary world where she is Isabelle (main character), Pippa is Hugo, and the cubby under the stairs is the train station in Paris.

{Admittedly, it's a nice change from Winnie declaring herself the Virgin Mary and Pippa her donkey.....}

Winter!
Welcome back, friend. Thank you for returning.
We're so happy you brought our backyard rink with you.....

Prepping for Pippa's FIRST Birthday.
What could be better than celebrating one full year with this cuddly/kissy little ball of love?

Making Valentine's.
The preparations have begun!

Making Project Plans.

We have a drawer full of knobs and hardware, found on sale, over the past few months. Now we just need to figure out what do with them all........I'm sure you'll see the results over at The Painted Pear in weeks to come!

Family Zumba.....
This has been the highlight of the winter. Seriously, I cannot describe the fun we have.....
Every Wednesday night, Winnie has a dance class at the YMCA. We discovered that, immediately following her class, there is a family Zumba class. A chance for the whole family to dance-ercise to LOUD, FUN music. And do we dance!

It's cracks me up. A room full of kids and parents trying to keep up with the teacher, Winnie taking it all very seriously, sipping from a water bottle between songs and declaring "Wow! My curls are SO sweaty"....

Grammie Ann and Pippa joined us last week and it was even better. We look forward to every Wednesday!

*Minimalist Mom Tip: With the kids $20 a month memberships, all of the activities at the YMCA are free! Swimming, dance, sportball and family Zumba. It's a steal!

Squeezing every last second out of Jamie's paternity leave....
Jamie went back to teaching this morning.

What am I going to do?

We All Deserve To Sparkle!

2012-02-10T09:14:00.005-05:00

“And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same”

-Nelson Mandela

[pic]

It can be hard to take compliments. Hard to Shine.

I feel so upset when I see my three year old daughter shying away from compliments, feeling embarrassed by her awesome-ness.

Why can't she see how amazing she is?

But I find myself doing the same....

"Oh that fundraiser? It was nothing"
"The article I wrote? Anyone could have done that!"
"Oh, I'm terrible at that!"
"I'm the worst...."

It's funny and, somehow, more socially acceptable to hide our greatness, highlight our weaknesses.....lose graciously.

Twice in my office this week I had women say: "Oh I don't talk about my [insert amazing thing: birth story, career, relationship] because it's so amazing, I feel guilty!".

And then I found THIS article, entitled: Let Yourself Shine from the very fun blog, Shoppe Girls.

Give it a read.
We all deserve to sparkle!

“Quit apologizing for your greatness. If people can’t handle your light… Hand them a pair of shades.”

-Lisa Nichols

It's Just Dinner.

2012-02-06T20:07:00.005-05:00

"There is a way of inviting friends over for dinner without hating them, yourself, the kitchen and the world.

Cooking isn't a performance art - or shouldn't be. Perhaps it's unrealistic to hope to be a model of serenity throughout, but if you can manage to relax, both the food and the evening will be better.

The answer is to cook in a way that doesn't involve huge amounts of effort and time. Ease yourself into a repertoire, make the food welcoming rather than fussy and remember that it's not a test of your worth and acceptability: it's just dinner".

- Nigella Lawson

The other night we had friends for dinner, as we often do. I was quite prepared.

I've gotten the whole *cooking for a crowd* thing pretty down-pat.......very little planning, an easy to make and assemble main course, a super simple appetizer, and most of the work (and clean up!) done before the guests arrive.

I genuinely like to just enjoy the time we have with friends and family and I really resent being stuck in the kitchen for any length of time.

But then there are those evenings, like the other night, when I just don't get it right.

The food was prepped: main course cooking, salad dressing made, salad assembled and two side dishes ready to go in the oven.

As we were sipping drinks and nibbling on appetizers, I was supposed to get those side dishes in the oven and ready to go....but I forgot.

Because I never stop talking.

And so they went in late and we were waiting and waiting and waiting until, finally, we couldn't keep the pregnant guest waiting any longer, and we decided to eat the meal in *shifts*.

Salad and main course first.....sides dishes to join later.

Shifts.

Not exactly the well-planned night I had envisioned.

I love Nigella's quote (above) because it so perfectly sums up the way I felt about the whole thing.....it's just dinner.

No big deal. No stress.

It's it SO bad to be having SO much fun with your guests that you forget dinner? I think not!

It was perfect.

The food was delicious, as it came out of the oven (oh so slowly), and we had an amazing catch-up.

Good food. Great company. All in all, a lovely night!

Healthy (Glowy!) Skin.

2012-02-04T10:02:00.003-05:00

[pic]

When Jamie and I lived in England, we travelled to Caldea, a spa in Andorra for the most intense and amazing hydrotherapy treatments.

Jamie had been there before and was convinced it was "totally my thing".....which of course it was, because hydrotherapy is a really big part of naturopathic medicine.

Hydrotherapy: the use of water for pain-relief and treating illness.
[pics: Caldea]

It includes many treatments that focus on the alternation of hot and cold water (always ending with cold!), causing an increase in blood and lymphatic circulation, increased metabolism, improved immunity and the healing of tissues.

At Caldea, we floated in their mineral bath (think Dead Sea, very bizarre floaty feeling), we drifted from indoors to outdoors and back again. We spent time in hot tubs, followed by brief sponge baths made of ice shavings. We napped in eucalyptus steam rooms and then woke ourselves up, plunging into cold pools.

The result: complete exhaustion and gorgeous glowy skin.

You can pay big bucks for these treatments at spas (and it really is lovely....) OR you can take advantage of hydrotherapy in your home, daily, for free (sort of).

Some of these practices won't sound like a walk in the park, but they're not so bad.....FUN even!

And the results are amazing.

When I'm doing the alternating showers (below) my skin really is more rosy and clear and the effects on my metabolism keep me feeling warmer all winter long.

[pic]

Alternating Showers.
At the end of your regular shower, alternate hot water (as hot as you can bear) with cold water (as cold as you can bear) blasts. Do this is a 3:1 ratio (i.e. if you blast the hot for 30 seconds, blasts the cold for 10 seconds). Do this 3-4 times. Always end with cold. Then hop out and bundle yourself up nice and warm.

Warming Sock Treatments.
This is particularly helpful when you're feeling stuffy and congested. Soak white cotton athletic socks in cooooold water. Wring them out and put them on your feet (yes, you put them on wet), cover them with thick wool socks, make sure you're bundled up warm and go to bed. In the morning you'll find your socks are warm and dry and your head is less congested. **This may take 2-3 nights.

[pic]

For Kids.
For fever in kids, I change up the warming sock treatment, just a bit.

Instead of soaking the socks in really cold water, I soak it in very warm (almost hot!) water with added fresh lemon juice (1 lemon to 1 cup of hot water).

Wring them out, place on feet and cover with wool socks. Again, make sure your babe is dressed really warmly and tuck them into a warm bed for the night. The sock treatment will help bring a moderate fever down!

"Local" Hydrotherapy Spa: Le Nordique.

We spent time at Le Nordique a few years ago on New Year's Day.
It was snowy and cold and we spent the whole afternoon outside in the pools.
**Serendipitous finding: Hydrotherapy cures hangovers:)

Have a great weekend!

Today....

2012-02-01T09:22:00.003-05:00

Coconut-Curry Noodle Soup.

2012-01-30T09:57:00.006-05:00

True to my goals to *keep it simple* this year, our diet has been pretty basic.

Lots of lean protein, vegetables and legumes.

Simple, uncomplicated meals that reduce our time spent grocery shopping, keep our insane-O grocery bills *in-check*, decrease the stress of *what's for dinner???*, allow me more time with my kids and less time in the kitchen......while still managing to fill our days with hearty, healthy food.

That's how we spend 6 days of the week. Simple, lovely food.

But on Saturday we have fun! Saturday is the day we let loose .

We run to the bakery for croissants and lattes.

We try new recipes.

We order in.

We call it *rest day*, as it gives us a rest from the routine preparation of food, the same simple meals, the healthy-ness of it all......

In reality, it's often not so much rest (because we like to cook, cook cook!) and it's certainly not un-healthy.

The opposite of un-healthy, I think.

This is a dinner I made for the family and some guests last Saturday night.
It exemplifies the extra bit of work I avoid during the week and embrace on the weekend.

When I saw the recipe it reminded me of the Pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup served with bean sprouts, basil, mint and wedges of lime. Pho was served in the cafeteria of my school every Tuesday (or was it Thursday?) and people would line up down the hall for it.....

The recipe was actually fairly simple, and the end result was amazing. So many incredible flavours.

Coconut-Curry Noodle Soup

[Adapted from Martha Stewart Living]

10 ounces Chinese wheat noodles (mein), or rice noodles (**I used rice vermicelli)
1 tablespoon safflower oil (**I used coconut oil)
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Thai yellow curry paste (**I used Patak's MILD Curry paste, so the whole family could enjoy it)
4 cups chicken stock
1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
1 lemon
Fresh basil, for garnish
1/2 English cucumber, chopped roughly, for garnish
3-5 green onions, chopped roughly, for garnish (**My addition)

Directions

Boil noodles according to package directions. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Toss with 1 teaspoon oil.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook curry paste, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in stock. Raise heat, and bring to a boil. Whisk in coconut milk. Cook until just simmering (do not boil).
Cut lemon in half, and squeeze 1 half into saucepan. Cut remaining half into 4 wedges. Divide noodles and soup among 4 bowls. Garnish with basil, cucumber, green onion, and lemon wedges. **I also added chopped basil and lime chicken (recipe below) to the soup before serving!)

Cook's Note

Noodles can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before using.

Basil and Lime Chicken

[from Martha Stewart Living]

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
1 tablespoon safflower or peanut oil (**I used coconut oil)
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 large shallot, thinly sliced into rings
Coarse salt
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces each), pounded to an even thickness (about 3/4 inch)
1 cup basil leaves

Directions

Stir together 1 tablespoon lime juice, oil, soy sauce, sugar, shallot, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in an 8-inch square baking dish. Add chicken; toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat broiler. Arrange chicken on top of shallot in dish. Broil 8 inches from heat source until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Flip chicken, arranging shallots around sides. Broil until chicken is cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes. Slice chicken crosswise. Reserve pan juices.
Transfer chicken and reserved pan juices to a bowl. Toss with basil and remaining tablespoon lime juice.

Cook's Note

Chicken can be marinated for up to 1 day.

[Pictures and Original Recipes from this issue of Martha Stewart Living]

Minimizing and Maximizing My Wardrobe.

2012-01-27T09:23:00.011-05:00

It's been 4 years of ups and downs for this body of mine.

4 years and two babies later, my wardrobe is a mess.

I have bins of clothes I haven't worn in 5 years, bins of maternity clothes, bins of outdated clothes, clothes that I love but have seen better days......and this is after moving and "de-cluttering" twice in one year!

In the spirit of Minimalist Mom, my #1 project is to clear out my wardrobe.
Clear. It. Out.

I want a "Small and Stylish" Wardrobe.
I want Form. I want Function. I want Flattering.

I know it's very hip right now to only buy at thrift stores, second hand, vintage, clothing swaps.....and I'm all for it, but my new rule is "it has to fit!".

Fit me. Fit my Wardrobe.

[www.weheartit.com]

I have all too often picked up a *great deal* whether it be at a sale or a thrift store, only to wear it once or twice and have it sit in my closet.....not such a great deal, after all.

I also have the terrible habit of buying the same clothes over and over. Do you know what I mean? I have 3 grey cardigans for example. All very slightly different shades of grey, of course......

I hope that by simplifying my wardrobe and buying only high-quality pieces that look good and "fit" me and my wardrobe, I will be able to both minimize the clutter in my closet and maximize the function of my clothing.

I think I'm gonna need some help......

Enter Style Guru: Beth Thomas.
{Beth has written for me before. You can read that piece, and learn more about Beth, HERE}

Beth has agreed to help me with my project.

We are going to wait until spring to give my body just a few more months to adjust, post baby #2, and then we will attack! Stay tuned!

Until then, I have asked Beth to drop in, once or twice, to talk about key functional pieces for every wardrobe.
Things you should spend time buying. Invest in. Take care of.

Winter Essentials
Beth Thomas

Being fashionable doesn't mean paying a high price and it definitely doesn't mean you have to own a lot of pieces of clothing. Some of the most influential fashion icons have an efficient working wardrobe. Filled with classic pieces that are easy to mix and match. What makes them stand out is how they wear their clothes, and how they accessorize.

One of the things that I focus on with my clients is homing in on their personal style. Think about what you want your image to say. Do you want to be perceived as funky, sophisticated, sexy, etc. This is a process that for some is very easy and for others it's a bit more complicated. But once you have a handle on it, shopping becomes easier, and so does piecing together existing items in your closet.

If you're not sure where to start, here are my top 5 items that every woman should own in order to have a functional and stylish winter wardrobe.

1. Coat - Although this seems like obvious item, I am constantly amazed with how little thought goes into purchasing such a "big" item.

The coat has several roles to play. It needs to be warm, needs to suit your lifestyle (and climate), it MUST fit properly, and since it's the main attraction, it needs to look good! I am a fan of this one from Danier because of its versatility. It can easily be worn for casual outings as well as more dressy ones.

Winter coat

2. Knit Cardigan - Knit cardigans are ideal items of clothing to own in our climate, and are great for heating up any winter outfit. There are lots of options out there to choose from when it comes to color, style and fit. The open cardigan is one of my favourites, since it lends itself well to layering and can act like a jacket on cooler spring days.

cardigan

3. Boots - Lots of women struggle to find a boot that can brave our weather and look good at the same time. These are my 3 picks - due to being fashionable ,warm, and are classic in their styling.

Sorel Sorelia Earhart

Merrell Oslo-WTPF

Pajar Laverne boot

4. The Scarf - They do a lot more than just keep you cozy and warm. They also act as a statement piece on even the simplest of outfits. This is where you can have a little fun and add a punch of colour and truly show off your personal style!

This scarf from Etsy has caught my eye. (faux fur)

5. Narrow leg (or straight leg) pant - This can be in the form of jeans, trousers or leggings. All depending on your body type and comfort. The narrow leg pant tucks nicely into a higher boot and also works well with an ankle boot. These ones from Reitmans tick all the boxes, from comfort and style to price!

trousers

So, there are my tips to keeping warm and still looking stylish, and I would love to hear what item you can't live without this winter!

As I mentioned above, stay tuned for the closet clear out of the century (I'm scared....) and watch as I slowly re-build and re-work my wardrobe until it's small, stylish and functional....all with Beth's help!

Until then, you can check out Beth's blog: The Owl and the Peacock for more fashion tips and other fun family stuff!

Have a Wonderful Weekend!

The Kid Line.

2012-01-23T11:09:00.004-05:00

A friend introduced me to Teddy Jam.
Night Cars, was the first book we read.
From the first pages of the first book, he had us hooked.

Since then we've read so many:
Dr. Kiss Says Yes
How We Were
This New Baby

Friday, we borrowed The Kid Line from the library downtown.

It's the sweetest story, told by the son of a hockey-loving man who grows up in Toronto, with Lionel and Charlie Conacher.
In adulthood, the boy's father becomes a mason, one of the many who built The Maple Leaf Gardens, brick by brick. The Conacher brothers become part of the famous *Kid Line*, playing for the Maple Leafs in the 1930s. The glory days of hockey and the iconic arena.

I'm no little to nothing about hockey. I've never been a big fan, but there's just something about this story: the history of Toronto and the Leafs, the story about how the war changed this boy's father forever, and the magical night they shared with their hero and their favorite game. It's nostalgic and magical and for some reason it brings tears to my eyes....

We've been reading it over and over. Simultaneously heading out to the backyard where we skate "like *The Kid Line*, mom!" on our little patch of ice.

Rosy cheeks, sore feet, bellies full of giggles.
There's something so quintessentially Canadian about a backyard rink, and the brisk cold, and the enjoying of winter......

....and the trip to the pub afterwards.
Happy Monday!

Martha's Flourless Chocolate Cake.

2012-01-20T08:56:00.001-05:00

Just in time for the weekend....

a flourless chocolate cake made with only 4 ingredients. It's perfectly moist and fudgy on the inside and just a little bit crispy on the outside. Warm winter yumminess.

Martha Stewart's Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees with the rack in the center. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

2. Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until completely melted. Let cool slightly. Whisk in egg yolks.

3. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar, and continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture; then gently fold in remaining egg whites.

4. Pour batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and is set in the center, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack; remove sides of pan.

I usually dust mine with icing sugar and serve with a dollop of, very slightly sweetened, whipped cream.
**I also like mine to be a bit more like a *pudding* cake sometimes, so I will undercook it just slightly.

Happy Friday!

Minimalist Mom.

2012-01-16T10:42:00.005-05:00

I talked about Resolutions and Ruminations a few weeks ago, HERE.

I admitted that I make resolutions every year. I actually prefer to think of them as goals.

At the end of December, Jamie and I sit down and make small goals for the year and review our BIG goals for the next 5-10 years.

[Irish Dresser Poster]

I love to see how our ideas of what we want and need evolve.
I also love to see how this simple act of writing down our goals, seems to bring what we need, to us, just when we most need it.

For several years we've been focused on growing. Growing our careers, businesses, family, house size, incomes.....

We needed to bigger and bigger we did.
But, recently, I've noticed a funny thing.
The bigger we get, the more we seem to "need".

Our businesses have grown. So too have our incomes. And yet, we still never seem to have enough. Though we met our initial financial goals 2 years ago, and all of the new financials goals we've set since, we still find ourselves saying "If we only made THIS much more money, we'd be really comfortable"......

We haven't even put the trim on this new house and we're already concerned about storage and closets and space.

The more we make, the more we spend, the more we stuff we have. Consequently, the more *stuff* we have, the more responsibility and stress we have.

It's a train, out of control, on a track to nowhere and I think it's total bulls*&t.
I want off the train.

So, this year the goals have changed. We want to continue to grow, just in a different direction.
Perfectly timed, my friend C sent me a link to the blog Minimalist Mom.

[Minimalist Mom Button]

The Minimalist Mom is a mother, wife and writer from Vancouver, Canada, currently living in the Isle of Man.
She lives with: 2 pairs of jeans, no car, no debt, more time and less stress.

Her Mantra is: A Rich Life with Less Stuff and she writes about her quest to live a life free of mental and physical clutter.
She's just the guru I've been searching for:)

[pic]

So, my goal for this year is to minimize.
Reduce clutter and "unecessaries" in our house.
Our budget this year is based on saving more, not making more.
Most of all, I hope that I can find creative ways to continue doing the things we really love, in a minimalist spirit!

I'll be riding the coattails of my newest blogger *friend* over at Minimalist Mom.
Posting monthly changes we're making to create a RICH life with LESS Stuff!

Here's a recent blog entitled You are Not Your Stuff.
Now, I'm pretty ruthless when it comes to de-cluttering but in this article she talks about de-cluttering your home library.
GASP! Books? I have to let go of books?

[pic]

I'm not sure I'm ready for this.....
One step at a Time!

Holiday Handmade Recap: The Video Collage.

2012-01-13T09:21:00.007-05:00

This is it. The last one.
No more holiday posts until next fall.....

The Video Collage
Jamie and I decided to reduce the spending on gifts for each other this year.
We don't really need new "stuff".
We don't really need anything.

Every year one of us buys the other a piece of art (more on that later!) and it was my turn this year. I bought Jamie a piece of art for our foyer and then that was it....budget blown!!!

Money or no money I knew there was just one more thingI really wanted to give him.

A homemade gift that wouldn't cost a penny:
A compilation of our last 3 years of video clips.

We have them everywhere....old computers, cameras, iPhones, emails.
All over the place and never really watched.

So, I dug up all the clips, I uploaded them into our Mac, and then (using iMovie) I turned them into a small movie.

A time line that started with us dating (it actually went back about 6 years) and brought us right up until the week before Christmas.

It's really amazing.

Not because it was well done (it was WAY more work than I anticipated and I could have used MANY more weeks of working time) and not because the clips are award winning or idyllic or even very well cut (I've got the lingo now!).

It's amazing because it's a visual history of us....stages, places, people and memories that we might have lost.

Moments that fade, slowly, as we age.

We love to watch it today and, with every passing year, it will only become more valuable.

The actual *movie* is 75 minutes long...
I won't bore you with it BUT iMovie has this hysterical program where you can create a *trailer* for your movie.

[You need to open it to see the full screen!]

It isn't really a great representation of the actual gift I made Jamie but it's pretty funny to see what you make with iMovie and 15 minutes!

Have a Wonderful, Snow-filled Weekend!

Holiday Handmade Recap: Dinner Napkins and Tea Towels.

2012-01-12T12:14:00.000-05:00

Remember the fabrics I posted HERE?

Well, I turned that collection of fabrics into dinner napkins and tea towels to gift along with our Piggie Cutting boards.

I made a set of small dinner napkins for my family a couple of years ago (see them HERE) and they are among the *most used* thingys in this home.

I lot of people don't use cloth napkins.
There are lots of reasons not to, I guess....

They seem too fancy.
You have to wash them.
They might get ruined.

No need to worry with these cloth napkins, though....I *purposely* made them imperfect and smaller than regular dinner napkins, so that they would (hopefully) feel less formal.

I call them Everyday Napkins.

Fun patterns, bright colors, 100% cotton or cotton linen blends.
They just get better the more you wash them.
The patterns hide small stains.

As far as all that washing goes?
To minimize the work, we temporarily assign certain patterns to certain people. You keep your napkin, meal after meal, until it is actually dirty (some meals they're hardly touched!) and then they get tossed in the basket.

The napkins are nice to use, they make dinner feel (maybe?) a bit more special and we cut down on waste, majorly!

As far as a pattern goes? There isn't one. I used a rotary cutter and a homemade cardboard template to cut square after square, without much concern for *square-ness*.

I then folded-up each side 1/4 inch and ironed.
Repeat once more, until all cut edges are hidden.
Then sew.
Again, I eye-balled the 1/4 inch.

I made them casually because I wanted them to feel casual.
I wanted them used everyday.
Not just on special occasions.....

It's a napkin revolution!

Holiday Handmade Recap: Cutting Boards.

2012-01-11T17:15:00.006-05:00

We borrowed this idea.
My sister's boyfriend's father (phew!) made her one of these piggy cutting boards for Christmas a few years ago. He then, very graciously, delivered some ironwood to our door, from his farm in Espinola, so Jamie could make some of his own.

Last year Jamie was way too swamped with renos to get involved in the Holiday preparations and the piggies had to wait. The wood travelled with us from home to home until this year when Jamie really had the chance to get stuck in!

He planed and jig-sawed and sanded and treated an entire herd (flock? school? gaggle?) of these pig cutting boards.

The wood is so beautiful and durable....we kept a couple for ourselves:)

Stay tuned!
Tomorrow I'll be posting what we gifted with the pigs!

Oink! Oink!

Holiday Handmade Recap: Up-cycled Leg Warmers

2012-01-10T19:32:00.004-05:00

I had a lot of projects on the go this season and, while I intended to knit my sister some leg warmers, time just ran out.

I needed a fun, simple, quick way to whip of a pair of leg warmers.....because she loves them so much and I was determined to include a pair in her present.

[Pic: Made by Lex]

Enter the blog: Made by Lex and her fantastic, simple tutorial on making leg warmers from old sweaters.

I just happened to have several misshapen sweaters that were dying for a makeover, so I picked the brightest sweater, in the best shape, and started cutting.......

A zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine and some cute buttons and they were done!

I haven't seen them on her yet but she says they're super comfy in boots (because they're not as bulky as most knit leg warmers) and they look great!

Click HERE for the full tutorial!

The Holiday Handmade Recap: Personalized Necklaces.

2012-01-09T11:04:00.005-05:00

It's January 9th, I know. A bit late.

I usually do this recap right after Christmas day, when presents have been opened and I no longer need to worry about ruining surprises......but our holiday was so lazy and relaxing, I never did get around to it.

So here it is, (almost) mid-January.

The Holiday Handmade Recap.

Personalized Necklaces

I made these for all of the lovely little ladies (daughters and nieces) in my life.

I took this Pinterest Inspiration:

and with the help of my wonderfully talented friend Emmy over at Bliss Studios, we made these:

[pic: Emmy]

A personalized pendant with each girls initial and birthstone.

Emmy ordered the materials and then *taught* me to stamp and wire wrap and give these babies some patina.

Emmy is a blogger, chef, photographer and jeweller. She has a beautiful line of jewellery, E.Pic, you can check out HERE.

If you like them, she can make some for you!

" These pendants are super sweet: about the size of a dime, each one is initialed at your request, it is strung on a 16" super fine chain and includes a Swarovski crystal in the colour of your choice (or to represent the wee one's birth month). Materials are made up from sterling silver plated in 14K gold. - Emmy"

I think they're a super sweet, special gift that the girls will, hopefully, have forever!

The Best of 2011.....

2012-01-06T15:36:00.005-05:00

A list we started making 3 years ago, on New Year's Day.
A summary of our favorite moments from the previous year.

Here it goes.......

[pic]

2011

Ringing in the New Year 80's style.

Packing up Christmas things (and all our things) and leaving our first little home.

Kickin' it in the 'burbs with Grandma and Grandpa.

Skating in a storm with a very pregnant mama.

Elizabeth Mitchell's "Little Bird" playing in the car, all winter long.

Saturday night movies and smoothies, while we wait for daddy to come home.

Walking around the block, over and over in knee deep snow, while we wait for daddy to come home.

Reading Brown Bear Brown Bear, while we wait for daddy to come home.

Daddy: working on our new home day and (literally) night. For us.

Waiting for a baby who just wouldn't come.

A new home!15 hours later: A new baby girl!

Just barely making it through every day, finding our way, as a new family.

One little flood and Auntie C moves in.....

Spring comes and brings lightness, in more ways than one.

Birthdays! Birthdays! Birthdays!

Pippa's first, sweet, baby laugh.

Career endings and beginnings.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles: A summer of holidays, friends and family.

New ideas, new passions, new directions.

Two more cousins, on the way!

An unforgettable evening at the beach.

Winnie starts a new journey at a new school. What a grown up girl we have.....

Reconnecting with friends who are family.

Winnie turns three!

Bit by bit, the house comes together.

We make new friends, we launch a new business, we find more time for each other.

Hallowe'en brings us back to our old neighbourhood. One we miss very much.

The preparations begin!

We celebrate 5 years together. 5 happy years.

Our favorite day of the year.

Parties! Parties! Parties!

A little elf-ing. Okay, a lot of elf-ing.

Packing up the truck, cranking the tunes, heading for the coast.

Nana and Papa's beautiful new home, fitted with rooms just for us.

A snowy-white, picture perfect holiday.

A Christmas Wedding.

Pippa's 1st Christmas!

Falling in love with each other, all over again.

Finding our way out of another year with great friends, games, drinks, and bedrooms FULL of little ones.

What were your favorite moments?

Meet back here Monday for a week-long recap of our holiday crafting and gifting.

Have a great weekend!

New Year's Ruminations.

2011-12-31T07:07:00.006-05:00

It's time!
Time for New Year's resolutions and champagne for breakfast.

I have rarely, if ever, stuck with a New Year's resolution. And yet I make them. Every year.
It's the whole "new-year-new-beginning" feeling that gets me.

Regardless of the outcome, I think it's a really positive activity. Thinking about how I can be better. It's about action and moving forward and having purpose, I think.

So I resolve.
Which is interesting, because I spend a lot of the year ruminating.
Instead of planning and moving forward, I find myself worrying about the past.

Past conversations, past actions, past decisions.

How could I have done things differently? Reacted less? Supported more?

A few weeks ago, reading the blog Not Without Salt, I stumbled upon an article from The New York Times: The Life Reports II. Give it a read.

Author David Brooks compiled essays from people over 70, in which they explored what they had done well and what they had done poorly in their lives. What made them happy and what didn't.

Though the entire article is incredibly interesting, this is the part that really got to me:

"Beware rumination. There were many long, detailed essays by people who are experts at self-examination. They could finely calibrate each passing emotion. But these people often did not lead the happiest or most fulfilling lives. It’s not only that they were driven to introspection by bad events. Through self-obsession, they seemed to reinforce the very emotions, thoughts and habits they were trying to escape.

Many of the most impressive people, on the other hand, were strategic self-deceivers. When something bad was done to them, they forgot it, forgave it or were grateful for it. When it comes to self-narratives, honesty may not be the best policy". - David Brooks

So my New Year's Resolution became: Stop Ruminating. Stop wasting energy on things that have past and move forward.

But then I got to thinking....if we never ruminate how do we get better? How do we grow? How do we learn from mistakes if we never take a moment to pause and reflect on them?

If we don't ruminate do we end up being shallow?

Confused, I asked four friends (and heavy-weight thinkers) to weigh-in on the topic of RUMINATION.

DJ BERGER
Too Few To Mention

The other night we talked about regret. We talked about the anxiety we all feel over our past actions, that replaying of things that keeps us up at night.

Why did I do that?
Why didn't I see this coming?
When am I going to stop making the same mistakes?

The person who brought it up (who, incidentally, seems to always be doing a hundred things right all the time, but there you go) specifically used the word 'ruminate'. I love this great, old-fashioned, chew-you-up word, not only because the long 'u' has the same music as 'doom' in it, but because its antediluvian aspect is in direct opposition to modernity's thoughtless self-assurance, all these empty maxims like

don't live in the past
everything happens for a reason
tomorrow's another day
shake it off
get over it
move on

And because it *is* such a life-is-for-drivers, just-do-it culture these days, I really don't have a problem with reflection and introspection, even the kind with pain laced within it. Like all things, it's just a question of amount. We should all seek the right level of questioning -- both of ourselves and the world around us -- and part of that is dealing with guilt and regret. But whenever I find myself feeling sick over the mistakes I've made, and wishing I could do certain things over, I remember the curative power of getting up and leaving the room and going for a walk, if only to see a greater perspective, because while we should never forget our missteps, we need to understand our ability to leave them behind, and how little they really matter, in the end, to the big wide world.

{DJ is a writer, artist, graphic designer and co-founder of UpStart Press. He is also the author of the *pee-your-pants-hysterical* blog: red-handed. He lives in Kingston with his super cute daughter, Oona and his, even-cuter, wife Christina.}

Y.S. LEE
On Rumination

At the risk of sounding like a smug smarty-pants, could we please distinguish between self-awareness and self-indulgence? To me, that seems to be the missing subtext from this post about the dangers of rumination.

Rumination, definition one: to be critical of your own failures, to consider how you might do things differently, to know your shortcomings. It means you stand a chance (however slender) of not making the same mistake over and over again.

Rumination, definition two: to luxuriate in a past hurt, to spend emotional energy on something you can’t change, to immerse yourself in the past without moving forwards.

Seems like a dead end, like the original blog post suggests.

{Y.S. Lee, also known as Ying, is the author of numerous books, including a series of fabulous (award-winning) books called The Agency. You can find her at her official website HERE. Ying is smart and funny and I just love to spend time with her. She lives in Kingston with her lovely husband Nick and their two adorable children.}

CHRISTINA DECARIE
‎“For if there is a sin against life, it consists in perhaps not so much in despairing of life as in hoping for another life and in eluding the implacable grandeur of this life.”
Albert Camus, Philosophical Genius

Our New Year’s resolutions emerge from regret. I wish I had been thinner. I wish I had been thriftier. I wish I had cleaned up the garage and organized the family photos.

Regret gets a bad rap. We are urged to reject it and its first cousin, Guilt. We should live in the moment, look to the future, and not wallow in the past. We should strive boldly and joyfully, living lives that are right, just, and good. Like Nancy Drew.
Imagine Nancy Drew drawing up a list of resolutions based on her regrets. “I wish I had been…braver. Oh, wait. I was. I was really brave. I wish I had been more polite and had better posture. Oh, wait, both are impeccable. I wish I had never stepped out the door without my hair and lipstick being just so. Oh, wait.”

Now imagine Hamlet doing the same. “I wish I could take action. I wish I could make a decision. I wish I had come home just a little earlier. I wish I had been nicer to Ophelia.” Alas, poor Yorick, indeed.

None of us is anything like Nancy Drew. Shakespeare is the genius in this little role play, and Hamlet is the character who held a mirror to us all and our inconsistencies and failings. We are imperfect. We wish we weren’t. Why reject regret and all the opportunities it offers us?

“Resolutions are popular because everyone feels they could use a little improvement.”
Marilu Henner, Hot Actress

{Christina is a writer, editor and co-founder of UpStart Press with her husband, DJ Berger. She is also a professor of Communications at St. Lawrence College and mama to one sweet little gal. She does 1 million other things that I don't have room to list. She's awesome.}

TINA COLLINS

When my friend and doctor, Jillian, asked me to write about ‘over-ruminating’ I, naturally, began to ruminate over the many ways I help clients overcome this life-interrupting condition.

Did I over-ruminate about it?
Possibly.

Does everyone?
Of course.

Does it negatively affect our lives?
You bet it does.

The truth is that it keeps us from living full, happy and abundant lives. But before I share tools to overcoming over-rumination, I want to shift our thoughts and feelings about the word itself. It implies that we’re doing something wrong which makes us feel bad about ourselves. Who wants that? So, let’s stop using “over-ruminating” and start using “holding on” or “letting go” instead; a much more positive message that redirects the focus from doing wrong to doing right.
Now that we have the semantics taken care of, let’s get down to business.

The first step in learning to let go is to discover the situations in your life that you let go/hold on.
Ask yourself:

• Do I let go/hold on to work-related, financial or friend/family related situations? • Do I expect a lot? • Do I obsess about what others think or about the things that I said or didn’t say last week?
• Do I think about things that I cannot change and that are out of my control?
• Do I let others get under my skin?

We all have situations in our lives that have more “sticking power” than others.
That’s ok. Let go of all judgement. This is an opportunity.
As you’re thinking about these situations WRITE THEM DOWN.

Next, you’re going to analyze this discovery.
From what you’ve written down, can you see trends? Are there situations in your life when you let go easily?

If yes, focus on those positive events. Ask yourself and respond honestly:

• How do I need to learn from this situation (whatever you’re holding on to)?
• How do I feel when I let go?
• How does life respond when I let go?
• How does holding on affect me?
• How am I comparing myself to others?
• How can I live more consistently with what is most important to me?
• How can I accept what is and let go of what could/should be?

After you’ve had an opportunity to analyze some of your truthful answers, revisit whether they are positive or negative. If an answer is negative, rephrase it to positive. Your answers are the keys to letting go.

If you’re still not quite ready to let go of something that’s ok.
Sometimes, it is really hard.

The idea is to stop the spiral of negative thoughts and redirect them towards more positive and productive ones, one thought at a time.

When your thoughts change, your attitude and behaviours will follow. And when you behave in positive ways, life will reward you with love, happiness and abundance.
I promise.

{Tina Collins is a life-coach and consultant extraordinaire. Through her businesses Lovely Life and People Centric Inc, Tina works to bring out the best in people and organizations alike. She's interesting and inspirational.....she also happens to have the craziest laugh I've ever heard.}

So there it is folks.
Now, it's New Year's Eve.
Get off the computer, get dressed up and grab a drink. It's time to ring in 2012!

Fingers crossed, we don't F&*K it up.

Happy New Year!
Jill

[pictures: www.weheartit.com]

Home for the Holidays....

2011-12-28T21:13:00.001-05:00

A Long Trip

A Visit with Old Friends

Nana and Papa's

Family Baking...

A Christmas Wedding!

Favorite Cousins....

Walks in the Woods

And a Visit from Santa!

Holidaying for just a few more days......

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T15:30:00.002-05:00

The stockings are hung, the wine is mulling and the snow is falling......
Merry Christmas to all! I hope you're spending the evening with those you love.

XO
Jill

Home Made Stocking Stuffers.

2011-12-19T08:36:00.004-05:00

Stockings can be SO insanely expensive. All of the little things can really add up and, in our experience, our kids love all the little packages they receive because they're small and cute, not because of what they are or how much they cost. It really is just the thought that counts.

So, in the interest of saving some $, and making more thoughtful gifts for our children, I decided to come up with some quick, easy to make stocking stuffers...

Candy Cane Playdough
A new favorite. We made this for Winnie (and Pippa's!) friends. It was the perfect project for little helping hands.

I used the recipe below, added peppermint essential oil (or extract) and then dyed half of it red. We then layered the playdough in jars on a slight angle.....the end product looks AND smells like a candy cane!

Candy Cane Playdough Recipe:

1 cup white flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoon cream of tartar (find it in the spice section)
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup water
Peppermint essential oil or exctract
red food coloring

Mix first 4 ingredients in a pan. Add water and mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 – 5 minutes. Dough will become difficult to stir and form a “clump”. Remove from stove and knead for 5 minutes–add food coloring and essential oil during kneading process.

This playdough keeps for ages in a sealed container.

Gnomes
I learned to make these at The Mulberry School. I included them in our advent calendar....but they'd be great in stockings too!

Felted hedgehogs!
This guy still needs a little work, but you get the idea. Little animals made from felted wool. Kids love 'em and needle felting is a moving meditation....some much needed "time out" at this time of year.

You can come up with ideas on your own (the hedgehog was my friend, Sienna's, idea) or use a book to direct your felting.

Book Marks
My friend, S, made these for Valentine's Day last February...but they were made with hearts, not trees, of course! I decided to make a holiday version of this simple bookmark.
Cut out felt trees in varying sizes and stitch together.

Have a Wonderful Monday!

Holiday Gift Ideas: Old Favorites!

2011-12-15T19:59:00.005-05:00

I'm posting a wee bit early because we're off to the east coast early in the morning. Yee-haw!

Here they are! Our old favorites.....
Super Special Gifts That We Can't Stop Making:

Christmas Card Wreaths
Always a favorite gift and a permanent fixture on our wall. This year I decided to go with a stripey red and white bow. They are so simple and sweet. Check out THIS BLOG for how-to directions.

Calendula Oil
In reality, this oil contains much more than just Calendula. I infuse this oil with a ton of beautiful herbs (red clover, calendula, chamomille, lavender....just to name a few) for several weeks, I then add some lavender essential oil and pour it into dark glass bottles. It couldn't be easier. It's my favorite winter skin treatment and heals any number of skin conditions in children and adults.

Peppermint Bark
The best. This Orangette recipe speaks for itself! Try it!

What are your favorite things to gift, year after year?

Making a Home for the Holidays.

2011-12-12T13:00:00.010-05:00

Every year, I relish the prepping of our home for the holidays. The boxes and bins, the tangle of lights, the smell of evergreen and cinnamon. Childhood ornaments, handmade ornaments, ornaments for every year of my marriage.

I think it's fitting that this year the feeling I had while decorating the house was less "happy, joy, nostalgia" and more "frenetic, frenzied, chaos".....because that seems to be the feeling that has stalked us through the past twelve months. The feeling we try desperately to shake, everyday. The overwhelming and unsettling feeling that accompanies renovations and new babies and new businesses.

As we unpacked boxes and trimmed the tree I had a pit in my stomach and a running to-do list in my head.
I lost focus of my children and my husband and my sister....totally aware that I was missing the moment, completely unsure of how to do anything about it.

And then, *smash*. Winnie, in all the excitement, dropped an ornament I had made for Jamie the year we bought our first house. It was ugly and inexpensive...but totally irreplaceable. Out of sheer exhaustion & frustration, I almost started to cry. For the first time in my life, I was feeling the weight of the holidays. A feeling I'd never been able to understand or appreciate.

I made a decision. "This will NOT be me. I love this time of year. I love the decorations and the making and the merriment and I refuse to let responsibility ruin that, I don't care how old I am!".

I mentally crossed things off my to-do list. I made a hot cup of tea and I settled in with my family. I strung orange slices, and laughed when the lights on the tree wouldn't work (do they ever?) and read Christmas stories and then I went to bed early, with my whole family in tow.

Over the following week, we continued to unpack boxes and add decorations, here and there. We made new decorations for our new home and passed on those that no longer "fit".

I love this place. The house we've built with our own two hands. With our families and our children. The house that didn't even exist this time last year. I'm so glad we took the time to decorate. To mark our accomplishment and to celebrate it......to celebrate each other and the coming new year.

Hopefully, 2012 is more calm. More peaceful.
It's exciting to think about the way "life" might be the next time we pull out these decorations?

Holiday Gift Ideas: Hostess Gifts.

2011-12-09T15:37:00.002-05:00

It's party time!
Every day & every night there are fun-filled events and gatherings.
Here are my favorite gifts for your favorite hosts!

Jill's Top 5 Hostess Gifts
1. A Bottle of Bubbly
It's festive and cheery and not everyone buys it for themselves. I always feel like the mood changes just a bit when a bottle of bubbly goes *POP* at a party.

You can go expensive (Veuve, anyone?) or more affordable. Prosecco is a fantastic (yummy) choice when you want to spend $20 or less. Read Billy Munnelly's blog: Doing Bubbly Without Going Broke. Love him.

2. A Holiday Plant
My two current favs are white poinsettias and red amaryllis.

The December Issue of Home and Garden's Christmas Ideas has a whole article on different, beautiful ways to pot and display amaryllis.

3. Homemade Laundry Soap
I made this last year as gifts for many people. It is always well received, fun to make and cost-effective. I make up 5-6 mason jars of this early in the season and then keep it on hand for grab and go situations. What we don't give out, we use!
Click HERE to see that blog!

4. An Ice Lantern
I bought this $15 mold from Lee Valley Tools when we were ordering some new hardware. A friend had gifted me one of these lanterns last year and it was one of my favorite most unique gifts....and it's just water.

You freeze the water in the mold, jiggle it out of the mold, get it to the party in a cooler and then your hostess can put a candle in it and leave it on his/her porch for the rest of the season (or display on a table for just a few hours!). They are so beautiful. I love the look of several of these on the stairs leading up to the front door!

[all pics from Lee Valley]

5. A Homemade Ornament
Or a bought ornament, doesn't matter. Last weekend I recieved an ornament from a guest at our cookie party. It was so thoughtful and sweet. Every year we try to make a new and unusual ornament. This year we made these copper tree ornaments for our friends, family and party hosts!

[Pic from Canadian Living 2010]

Have a safe party-filled weekend!

A Cookie Decorating Tradition.

2011-12-07T19:55:00.008-05:00

Every year we throw a cookie decorating party.
Sometimes it involves gingerbread houses, sometimes sugar cookies, sometimes shortbread....

What it always involves?
Too many children.
Too much sugar.
A lot of noise.
And a little booze (very necessary for adult sanity).

I meant to take pictures during the party but I forgot, which isn't surprising since I couldn't even hear my own thoughts.

Too much screaming and scream-singing and laughing and talking and banging and just plain crazy.

I'm actually surprised no one peed on the floor....oh wait, someone did.

Anyways, I think the before and afters speak for themselves!
It was awesome.
Can't wait to do it again next year!

Holiday Gift Ideas: Advent Calendars.

2011-12-02T07:52:00.001-05:00

It's December and the anticipation is rising! 23 days until the Big Guy arrives! Yay!

That is the best part about the holidays isn't it?
The excitement, the anticipation....

I decided that for the little ones in my life (nieces and nephews), I would try to package up that "butterfly feeling" this year.

I wanted my gift to help them enjoy every minute of this special time of year, so I made them Advent Calendars!

The Idea?
1/3 Activities
like taking a walk around the neighbourhood to see the lights, or donating to a food bank, or exchanging holiday recipes with a friend

1/3 Prizes
like little homemade gnomes, or holiday pencils, or personalized magnets

1/3 Chocolates
of course there has to be chocolate!

I can't give away all of my advent ideas just yet, but here are a few "advent calendar activities" to choose from!

Go Ice Skating
Read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
Watch It's a Wonderful Life
Make Christmas Cookies for friends.
Carry mistletoe around and make everyone kiss under it.
Sign up to purchase gifts for a needy child
Go to The Nutcracker
Sip Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows by the fire
Put up a wreath
Leave out treats for the birds
Make a Gingerbread house
Make dried orange ornaments
Tell stories of childhood Christmas' around the fire
Make spiced cider.

Also, a few other ideas for advent calendars.
Christmas Book Advent Calendar (I love this idea! Maybe next year?)
Box Advent Calendar (Very modern. So beautiful!)
FREE Printable Activities!

Let the Countdown Begin!

My Favorite Day of the Year.....

2011-12-01T09:27:00.002-05:00

See you tomorrow for more Holiday Gift Ideas!

Staying Healthy Over the Holidays!

2011-11-28T16:41:00.004-05:00

[PHOTO]

People often ask me how I "fit it all in" or how I manage to "find balance" in my life.

The truth of the matter is that I don't. Or maybe I do (?), but not in the conventional sense. There are so many things I love to do and never enough hours in the day and so, for me, balance is all about give and take. I focus energy in one place at the expense of another. Is that fair to say? Is "expense" the right word?

Anyway, what I'm saying is that some weeks I manage to get lots of sleep but then I have less time for work. There are days when I am so intent on my work that I have to cancel social plans. I always try to focus on what I am "in the mood for", as that's when I am the most productive. If I can't find the words for a blog, I ditch the computer and run errands. If I'm feeling creative, I'll delay file work for crafts.....

I try to really BE with whatever I am doing and then I set aside small, mandatory chunks of time to do the things I hate (like paying bills, which I did this morning, ugh). I try to accept that in order to do one thing, I may have to give up another. And that it's okay. It's okay to skip a workout when you really need sleep....or vice versa.

I try to "balance" activities over a period of weeks and months rather than feeling the pressure to balance my days.

[PHOTO]

These weeks before Christmas though, I really struggle with balance. Every year I find myself firing on all four cylinders, not willing to "give up" anything. These are the days that start too early and end too late. Days where I find little time for exercise or reading and spend an inordinate amount of time with chocolate and wine in hand. These days, on holiday, with all the fun and cheer are my most imbalanced days. So it's no surprise that, every year, around this time, I get really sick. Brutally sick.

I'm off to a bad start but I vow to make a change. Last night I took the first steps towards finding balance over the holidays. I will not get sick! NO! NO! NO!

Things You Can Do To Stay Healthy & Balanced This Holiday Season:

1. Eat Fruits, Vegetables, Lean Protein and Healthy Fat.....Despite the Treats!

When there is an unlimited supply of sugary, chocolatey, cheesy rich foods around it can be really easy to "chuck it all out the window". I've known more than one person who stops eating healthy food altogether because they think it will help compensate for all of the extra holiday party calories they are consuming. Unfortunately, it doesn't usually work that way. Eating unhealthy food makes us want more unhealthy food. Our blood sugar becomes unstable, setting us up, physiologically, to overeat foods that are the worst for us.

Indulge if you will. Of course! It's the holidays! Just keep eating regular meals. Then, hopefully, you'll be more likely to keep cravings in-check and keep treats moderate.

2. Take B Vitamins and an Herbal Adaptogen.

[PHOTO]

B vitamins are particularly helpful in times of stress. This time of year we eat holiday foods, stay up late, consume alcohol, and spend little time resting and rejuvenating. It's stressful on the body! B vitamins will help your body cope with all of the ups and downs of the season.

Herbal "adaptogens" also help the body cope with stress. Depending on the herb, adaptogens may help conserve energy or release energy. These are my GO-TO supplements at this time of year. Take them several times a day. (Examples: Withania, Bacopa, Borage, Rhodiola)

3. Drink Green Tea/Herbal Tea Instead of Coffee.

Coffee is a stimulant, obviously. As we become busier; more sleep-deprived, more stressed, our bodies begin to crave stimulants: coffee, chocolate, soda. Moderate amounts of coffee a day is fine. One cup? No problem. If you start to crave more, try substituting with herbal tea or green tea. It may not seem like "enough" at the time but you'll find yourself feeling better through the day and sleeping more soundly at night.

4. Get Some Rest.

This is tough, I know. I was out until after 11pm 4 times last week. Yikes! My new motto is, in bed by 10:30pm most nights of the week. That means that from now until after New Year's I have to be in bed early, at least, 4 nights of the week. This is the key ingredient to fending off illness, managing weight, stress and mood.

5. Make a Green Smoothie

[PHOTO]

If you find it hard to get your green in over the holidays, drink'em. Make a smoothie and add kale/spinach at the end. You'll hardly notice a taste difference and the greens will help ward off sickness and revive your liver!

6. Make time for Exercise and Outdoors.

As busy as things get, I vow to get outside and get some fresh air and exercise every day from now until the New Year. The air clears my head, the exercise makes me feel stronger and the action of both make me want to make healthy choices.

7. Make "To-Do" Lists

[PHOTO]

To-do lists make people happy. And organized. And in control. Make lists....lots of them! Have a clear picture of what you need to accomplish everyday in order to fit it all in.

8. Cross Two Things off of Your To-do List Everyday (without doing them!)

This is how I started my transformation this year. Yesterday I was super-stressed. I had 10 holiday gift projects on the go, two tired children, and NO time to finish anything. I was getting edgy and snappy.

"Why" I thought "am I losing my mind trying to finish things so I can enjoy the holidays?" Why don't I just enjoy them?

[PHOTO]

In that moment I cut three projects off my list and started having fun.
That is, after all, what these weeks are all about!

Have a Happy, Healthy Week!

Holiday Gift Ideas: For Animals!

2011-11-24T11:21:00.005-05:00

I love making gifts for humans. It's one of my very favorite things to do.

Some of my favorite humans have favorite animals. Surrogate children, if you will.
And so, through the holiday season, I try to remember them too!

Usually, I just whip up a few batches of homemade dog treats, like the ones below.

[pictures from A Cozy Kitchen]

Try this recipe from A Cozy Kitchen Blog.
Click HERE.

But I've always wanted to felt catnip toys or tiny felt mice. Simple and fun and dogs/cats always appreciate the effort (as do their owners, I think!).

You can make these easily enough OR Buy them on Etsy HERE.

[Vintage inspired felted mouse toys, from www.purplebone.com]

Happy Crafting this Weekend!

Holiday Gift Ideas: Sew, Felt, Knit, Crochet

2011-11-21T07:27:00.001-05:00

I'm a bit behind, I know, but it was our 5th anniversary on Friday and we had a bit TOO much fun and then we spent the rest of the weekend recovering and feeling very old.

So, here it is......this weeks gift ideas.

Sewing, felting, knitting & crocheting projects to make OR buy.

I'm giving you all lots of information on how to make these puppies but, just in case the days until Christmas disappear too quickly, I'm also providing (whenever possible) information on where you can find beautiful handmade alternatives.

1. Comfy Pants

Pattern: Ankle Biter Pants from Puking Pastilles

These are simple, easy to make pants that fit really well over cloth diapers. My friend Natalie (see below) directed me to this pattern and it couldn't be easier! I'm making a pair of reversible spotty dotty ones out of super soft cotton and flannel.

2. Upcycled Elf Hats

One of my favorite craft materials is felted wool. Felted wool = matted wool and it's pretty amazing stuff. Last year I made felted wool wreaths HERE.

There are about a million amazing things you can make with felted wool, but here's one of my favs. A felted wool hat from an old sweater. This picture below is from Living Crafts Magazine.

Simply felt a 100% wool sweater (tutorial HERE). Cut out the shape of your hat (using an old hat as a template) and stitch it up!

Too busy? Not enough time?
Check out these amazing upcycled creations from Jeni Juranics.

About Jeni:
Jeni is craft obsessed! With the few minutes a day that she has left between being a mom of two and family photographer, upcycling gently used clothing into cute kids apparel and accessories is her passion. Combined with her other crafty areas such as knitting, crocheting, working with wool and felt, Jeni sells her creations as Old Shirt - New Skirt ; Upcycled Kids Clothes & Other Hand Made Stuff! Check out more of her work HERE.

3. Knit Gnome Hats

I made these last year. Using big chunky wool and fat needles, they come together in one episode of Grey's Anatomy.

Pattern can be found in Living Crafts Magazine. I embellished with leftover bits of a felted sweater and buttons.

4. Leg Warmers
These A-dorable baby legs warmers were crocheted by Natalie George at Go Green Baby. You can read more about Natalie and her store HERE.

So freakin' cute!

OR, you could try making them yourself:
Download a FREE Pattern for crocheted leg warmers HERE from Green Baboon Designs.

What will you be making/buying this week?

A New Blog! Check it out!

2011-11-16T16:20:00.004-05:00

Jamie and I have launched a new blog and we're pretty excited!
Check it out HERE!!!

The Seat of Health is Not in Your Pants.

2011-11-14T10:06:00.008-05:00

Nope, it's not. It's in your tummy. More specifically, it's the 30-odd foot tube starting in your mouth and ending, well, in your pants.

Though it's one of the most underrated and unappreciated of organ systems, the digestive system is the foundation upon which health is built.

Through the digestive process we cultivate energy that fuels our metabolism, we absorb vitamins/minerals that fuel the chemical processes of life, and we excrete unwanted materials. A large portion of our immune system is located right in the middle of that big ole tube and now, new research is showing that our digestive track is the main source of "happy" brain chemicals.

Whether it's a head problem, a joint problem, a heart problem or a skin problem; good naturopaths know where to start! The digestive system, of course. Always the digestive system. We start there because we know that, when digestion in functioning optimally, many other problems "resolve themselves". I have seen the most bizarre and persistent of symptoms clear up with a few dietary tweaks and a handful of supplements.

"It's a miracle", patients exclaim! I'd love to let them go on believing that, but really, it's just some basic physiology.

What Does Optimal Digestion Look Like?

You should have at least one bowel movement (read: poop) per day. It should be well formed, about the shape of a banana, and it should float (nice Monday morning talk, huh?).
It should not be difficult to have a bowel movement, nor should it be urgent.
You should have minimal gas, which for the most part is NOT foul smelling! It's true!
You should not have bloating, indigestion, heartburn, or nausea at any point during the day.

Other signs/symptoms that indicate digestion may be "off": Mood issues, joint pain, skin disorders, headaches, just to name a few.

How Can I Optimize MY Digestive System?

1. Eliminate Food Sensitivities. You can figure this out by eliminating common allergens: wheat (and/or gluten), dairy, soy, corn, eggs, and possibly fructose. A naturopath can help with this process. Alternatively, you can have IgG food sensitivity testing done. This is a fast way to find out your major triggers.

A lot of people get really upset about this. They can't figure out why "healthy" food has to be taken out of the diet. It's pretty simple really........we are a society that consumes way too much of some foods and way too little of others.

Too much sugar, processed food and too many grains. Not enough fruits and vegetables and healthy fat. It throws digestion off and makes the digestive track sensitive to many foods, healthy or not.

When we eliminate the triggers and repair the bowel, we can return to a well-balanced diet, full of all our favorite healthy foods.

2. Optimize Stomach Acid and/or Digestive Enzymes. Again, a naturopath can take you through a super simple test to assess stomach acid production. A stool test can assess pancreatic output (read: other digestive enzymes). Without proper digestive acid and enzymes we cannot break our food down properly. This leads to large particles of food "leaking" through the bowel wall, into the blood stream where the immune system reacts to these seemingly foreign materials. This is often referred to as "leaky gut syndrome" and leads to a long and random list of symptoms.
*Note: Heartburn is actually a sign that you may NOT have enough digestive acid.....but that's a whole other blog!

3. Take Probiotics. Our digestive health begins at birth. When we pass through the vaginal canal, our brand new digestive tracts are inoculated with our mother's flora. From that point on, through the food we consume, the medications we take and our lifestyle choices, we cultivate/destroy our bowel flora.

Bowel flora is imperative to proper bowel function. Our tendency to overly processed & sugary foods, high stress lifestyles, prolific medication use and an obsession with hospital grade sanitation is destroying bowel flora balance in our digestive tracts. This leads to depressed immune function, a variety of illnesses related to immature immune development (allergies, eczema, asthma, ulcerative colitis, Chron's, etc), chronic yeast infections, and IBS.

We can fix that. Start taking a high-quality probiotic every day, or at least through cold and flu season, to improve digestion.

4. Manage Stress. The brain and the gut have always had a complicated relationship. We get nervous.....we get butterflies. We're stressed....we have diarrhea/nausea. It's no surprise that stress affects the bowels.

What's new? Well, medical Doctor Michael Gershon has written a book "The Second Brain" that explores the intricate link between gut health and brain health. It was previously thought that emotional disturbance led to digestive disturbance (in a top down model). Gershon challenges this with new research showing that digestive disturbance may actually be the cause (not the result) of emotional/mood issues (in a bottom UP model).

*Interesting Note: the gut is the source of 95% of our body's serotonin (the happy brain chemical). In Gershon's words: poor gut function "is as likely to cause depression as the brain is to cause IBS".

5. Stay Hydrated and Rested. Proper hydration and a good night's sleep both minimize stress on the bowel, improve bowel function and (sleep, in particular) allows time for repair of the digestive system.

Other: See your naturopath! This is the first step to a long and healthy life. If you can't get your digestive system on track on your own, get a little help. It will be well worth it!

Happy Healthy Monday to You All!

Holiday Gift Ideas: Wreaths

2011-11-12T08:53:00.003-05:00

Week Two of Holiday Gift Ideas.

I'm currently at the point I reach every "mid-November". It's the point when I realize I have been way too ambitious with my gift-making ideas and I have to sit down and prioritize.

These wreaths are a "100% priority".

They are amongst my very favorite holiday crafts this year. They come together so easily, you need little time/money/talent, and they look really amazing...every time.

Yarn & Felt Wreaths

Button Wreath

I saw THIS on Pinterest......

and decided to make it into THIS.....

It's not quite finished. There are still some holes to be filled and a nice giant ribbon to place around the top but I'm loving the quirkiness of all the buttons and the alternative color palette. The holidays don't have to be all red and green!

Other Wreaths I'm Loving But Have No Time To Make....

Maybe next year??

Happy *Making* this Weekend!

Remembering.....

2011-11-11T13:39:00.002-05:00

[Shirley Novak art.com]

I'll be back tomorrow with Holiday Gift Ideas.

Wishing you a peace-filled day!

Thoughts on Whole Living.

2011-11-07T20:12:00.013-05:00

I'm in the midst of an 8 week "Live Well Lifestyle Challenge" at work. The challenge has been designed to help the people in our clinic & community learn to live well.

It's not just about diet or exercise or weight. It's really about WHOLE living. We talk about sleep and stress and outdoor time. We talk about exercising our brains as well as our bodies. Finding ways to "be happy" are as valued as finding ways to cut down on sugar.

It's a lovely program. I have so much fun being involved, every time we run it.

That being said, last week was a tough week. True to the program name, it was a *challenge*.

So, I was pretty thrilled when I opened my Whole Living Magazine this month, and found ten inspirational thoughts on whole living.....just what I needed to get back on track.

Wishing You a Happy, Healthy Week!

Holiday Gift Ideas: Paper Crafts

2011-11-04T00:01:00.006-04:00

It's *that* time of year again!

The Top 10 Ways I Know it's *That* Time of Year:

1. The stores have all started to smell like cinnamon.
2. Egg Nog lattes are back! So are the holiday cups. Sad, but true, a Starbucks drink marks the beginning of the season.
3. Last night, I saw my first Swiss Chalet Christmas commercial. A Canadiana Christmas Classic.....but whatever happened to the Toblerone?
4. Our house is aflutter. A hive of Christmas crafting/preparation and mess. Love.
5. I have butterflies. And a warm, fuzzy feeling......and I haven't been drinking.
6. I've been feeling the urge to dig out Love Actually and watch it one million times.
7. I've made an appointment to have snow tires put on the car.
8. I'm homesick.
9. Winnie heard "jingling" on the front porch last weekend and she's 99% sure it was Santa.
10. There's only 7 weeks until the BIG day!

So, it's time to get busy. Once again, through November and December, I will be posting weekly Christmas crafting/gift ideas.
I love this!

Paper Crafts

You all know by now that I LOVE to make Christmas gifts and decorations. But, it's not always possible, is it? There's never enough time or money at this time of year. Paper crafts are a great way to exercise that crafting muscle, even if you aren't crafty or have a tight schedule/budget. Most of the crafts I'm showing today can be made with things you have around the house or can pick up for free/cheap.

1. A Recycled Cardboard Kitchen.
Jamie made this for Winnie two years ago, for Christmas.

It's made from cardboard (we picked up BIG boxes at a local furniture store, for free) and Mac Tac (you know the stuff I'm talking about? The self adhesive water-proof liners for drawers) The Mac Tac was NOT cheap, but the only expense in the project. We used a floral Mac Tac, as you can see, but they have all kinds of patterns....I really love the faux bois (see below). It would make a super cool kitchen.

You can get the pattern HERE, from the forty two roads Etsy shop.

2. Christmas Card Trees.
These are adorable. I love to see them all over the house. Trees made from old Christmas cards. We all have them lying around, whether they were given to us in previous years or left overs from those we sent, this is a great way to re-use and reduce.

I actually couldn't find my cards (we're still in LOTS of boxes over here) so I bought a huge bag of old holiday cards from Value Village for $1.99. Instructions: cut circles of various diameter from your old Christmas cards. Cut a slit from the edge of each circle to it's centre. Fold the flaps over each and glue to form a 3D cone. Stack your cones!

3. Paper Art Canvases?
I'm not sure what to call these? I got some Pinterest Inspiration and then started making these at break-neck speed. There's always a new baby or birthday or shower and these make great gifts. I think personalized canvases would be lovely for kids and Christmas-themed canvases could make amazing gifts for mums, aunts, grandmas, etc.

How to make them? Couldn't be easier. Get yourself some decorative paper (this can be expensive, but I just saw a HUGE beautiful pack of Holiday paper at Homesense for $12.99), some canvases (on sale at Michael's or at The Dollar Store) and some Modge Podge (watered-down white glue). Plan out your design and then: RIp and glue. Rip and Glue. Keep layering until you're happy your canvas is complete. To finish, give the entire canvas a coat, or two, of Modge Podge.

A few other things you can use for your canvases:
Old Golden Books from a flea market. 6 for $5, or less. I tore these apart and used them as background. I don't usually agree with destroying books but these were scribbled in and, to be honest, the ones I ripped apart had terrible outdated story lines (what? the princess ate NINE chocolates in a row?? She can't be a REAL princess....)

A Punch. There are TONS of these in different shapes and sizes. I bought this Martha Stewart Leaf punch at Michael's. It gives a nice, professional look to the canvases.

That's all for this week folks! Check in next Friday (and maybe once or twice between now and then) for more Christmas craft/gift ideas.

XOXO
Jill

Early Morning.

2011-11-03T07:02:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I get up really early.

Before the kids.

Before the hubby.

Before the sun.

It not always easy (and I certainly don't manage it everyday) but it's always worth it.

Whether I'm motivated by the desire for a moment of peace or a to-do list that won't let me sleep, early morning moments change my entire day.....

In the early morning, I:

take extra long, extra hot, uninterrupted showers

find time to brush my hair

watch the sunrise

answer emails

pack lunches

make dinner

catchup on my favorite blogs with a cup of tea

In the early morning I accomplish more in an hour than I do in 5 "later-day-people-filled" hours.

I think it's going to be a good day.

I burned myself.....

2011-11-01T23:21:00.006-04:00

It's a bad one. Every finger on my left hand is blistered & burning (typing with right hand: clickety, click, click). No pics of this one friends.....it's not pretty.

I was whipping up THIS quick and easy dinner for Jamie and Winn after swimming, rushing around like a chicken with her head cut off, so we'd get the kidlings to bed on time. I pulled a hot frying pan from the oven carefully, started to serve up dinner, got distracted by the baby, and then turned back to the oven and picked up the hot frying pan with my bare hand. My skin *sizzled*. Jamie heard it across the room.

Sound dumb? It was.
What's worse? I do this every 4-6 weeks.
The icing on the burnt-flesh cake? I just wrote a blog about first aid kits, I burn myself regularly (it's kind of *my thing*) and I don't have any burn supplies on hand. Everything else, sure, but nothing for burns.

So lesson learned. I'm going to round out my naturopathic first aid kit for home. You should too!
I'm ordering next week. The kits will include:

1. Probiotic: Metagenics Ultra Flora Plus DF Powder
2. Fish oil: Nordic Naturals ProEPA Junior
3. Vitamin E Oil by Genestra
4. Herbal Immune Combination: Echinasyr
5. Cough Syrup: Drosera Plex
6. Homeopathics:
Arnica 30C
Apis 30C
Belladonna 30C
Cantharis 30C
Nux Vomica 30C
Urtica Urens 30C
Arnica Cream
Muccococinum
Febriplex
Angioplex

I can sell them for $230 plus tax and shipping (if applicable). The retail value is approximately $280+.
Let me know by Monday if you want in!

Okay, must go replace the ice in the bowl of water that saving my fingers.
'Night.

[pics: weheartit]

Hallowe'en-ing.

2011-10-31T09:36:00.008-04:00

Hope you're having a SPOOK-tacular Hallowe'en!

Curtains....

2011-10-26T08:04:00.005-04:00

I hope that, over the next few weeks, our bedroom will be the first to be completed.

The curtains are step one.

When we moved in here last February we were living in a fishbowl. No doors to bedrooms or bathrooms and no curtains meant lots of ducking and running....and a few traumatized neighbours, I'm sure. As spring came, the trees filled in and so did our sense of security. We were free to roam the halls of the house in pjs or underwear (or less).

But alas, the fall is here and the leaves are falling and it's time for curtains.

The days of the "naked-duck-run" are over.

Naturopathic First Aid Kits For Kids!

2011-10-19T09:29:00.006-04:00

I've been inspired. Too many "middle of the night" health issues without the right herbs/remedies on hand have inspired me to compile a list of favorite go-to naturopathic treatments for common kid ailments.

When sickness strikes it's not always possible to get in touch with your naturopath right away and without the right information and supplies on hand it can be hard to avoid Tylenol and antibiotics and other unfavorables...because kids don't get sick Monday morning at 10am, do they? Well, not very often in my experience anyways.....

Here is a list of things to keep on-hand for your kids (and yourself) as a first line treatment for minor health issues.

This is by no means a complete list and the recommendations are general ones. The idea is to provide you with a few tools to manage your childrens’ health...until you can't manage it on your own any more......

So, here we go!

For General Immune Support:
These supps can be used all year, during cold and flu season or just as needed.

In the protocols that follow, these supplements will be referred to as "Immune Support".

1. Herbals Combinations:
• St. Francis Deep Immune for Kids
• Echinasyr by Genestra
• Adrographis by Promedics (this is in tablet for and you have to crush it. Better for kids old enough to "eat" the crushed tablet in a spoonful of applesauce or nut butter).
• Herbal Immune Punch: A tea I have formulated that can be mixed with juice, turned into Popsicles or served as a warm tea.

2. A Good Probiotic:
• Ultra Flora Plus DF Powder
• HMF Neuropowder
• HMF Natogen Powder

3. A High Quality Fish Oil
• Nordic Naturals ProEFA Junior
• NutraSea Kids
• Carlson for Kids Finest Fish Oil

The Common Cold
Includes runny noses, coughs, and congestion.

1. Immune support (Above. Just a reminder immune support = immune herbs + probiotic)
2. Cough Syrup (For children under 1, make sure the syrup DOES NOT use honey as it's base) I like:
• Drosera Plex Cough Syrup by Seroyal
• Homeocan Phytux Homeopathic Cough Syrup.
• For Children Over 2, this is the best cough syrup around:
• Chop up 1 yellow onion. Cover with honey (preferably raw honey/manuka honey). Let sit over night (though I start using it right away!). In the morning drain the honey off of the onion and into a jar (it will be more watery) Administer a TBSP of the honey as needed! *Note: I first read about this cough syrup in a book by Mary Boave but my friend and ND Rachel Schwartzman also wrote about it on her blog: HERE.

3. Other:
• A humidifier for the child's room is KEY!
• Echinamide (by Natural Factors) throat spray can be really helpful for a spasmodic reflexive cough. The spray helps to reduce inflammation in the upper airway.
• Avoid sugar and dairy while the child is ill.

Flu
1. Immune Support (above)
2. Mucococcinum OR Oscillococcinum Homeopathic Flu Treatment *Note: these can also be used preventatively

3. Other:
• Lots of fluids (watered down juices, herbal tea mixed with juice)
• avoid sugar and dairy
• ginger tea/capsules for nausea
• hydrotherapy to ease aches and pains and facilitate recovery.

Nosebleeds
1. Tilt head forward, pinch nose (fleshy part), cool cloth to the back of the neck and nose.
2. Homeopathics:
• Arnica 30C - For a nosebleed from Injury or blowing the nose too hard. Person will say there is nothing wrong even after serious injury.
• Belladona 30C - A nosebleed that comes on suddenly. Blood is hot and clots easily. Person has a red flushed face.

Minor Burns & Scalds
**In children, even minor burns may be very serious. Always consult your ND or MD right away.

1. Apply cold water to the affected area
2. Arnica 30C
3. Apply a compress soaked in cold water with 2-3 tsp of Witch Hazel or Aloe vera gel or a bit of lavender oil mixed with a carrier oil (olive oil or almond oil)
4. If pain is not relieved by topical solution try one of the following homeopathics:
• Cantharis 30C - burn is swollen, person may be angry or irritable from the pain
• Urtica Urens - Red skin but no blistering. Stinging , prickly burning feeling.

Fever
**Again, if fever is over 101F or persists for more than 24 hours, seek medical attention. Seek medical attention if your child's disposition changes or they become lethargic....or if, at any point, you feel uncomfortable.

1. Immune Support (above)
2. Febriplex: a homeopathic combination for fever
3. Other: warm baths, herbal teas, enemas

Teething
1. Hyland’s Teething Tablets or Boiron Camilia

2. Other: Chew toys, cloths, amber/hazelnut necklaces
3. *Avoid topical anesthetics! They have little efficacy and may lead to choking.

Ear Aches
1. Immune Support (above).
2. Eliminate sugar and dairy from the diet.
3. Garlic Mullein Ear Oil. Drop into the ear as directed.
4. Other: Chop an onion in half and blanch in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Remove from water and wrap in a clean tea towel. Place over the ear (careful not to burn!) for pain relief.

Bumps and Bruises
1. Arnica 30C, orally
2. Arnica Homeopathic Cream topically.
3. Other: *Traumeel is also great internally and topically.

I'm putting together kits! For those interested, email me! I'll let you know the price and what's included. It will be a great deal!

And the next time one of your children starts screaming about ear pain, in the car on the way home from a party on a Saturday night (this HAS happened to us!), you'll know what to do!

Shut the Front Door!

2011-10-14T01:26:00.006-04:00

We finished a project.

It a small one but it's something.

When we bought this house it had a nice front door. Old. Wood. Perfectly good condition.
But, in true Jill-Jamie fashion, we decided we would prefer the old, decrepit back door as a front door. Also wood, beautiful shape and great windows. Terrible condition.

So, on top of the million & one things that aren't done around here we had a door to re-finish. To start with, it took Jamie an entire day just the hang the wonky old thing and change the lock. Then we stripped and sanded. Painted and stained. And finally, we weather-proofed.

The end product is spectacular......or so we like to think.

There is something particularly satisfying about finishing the front door. The first thing to greet us and our guests, the last thing we look at before we leave the house and, the focal point, really, of the entire house.

For days I couldn't stop staring at it. So beautiful and so DONE. There are few things that fall into both categories in this house. We often hear "When are you guys going to finish that thing??" or "Is the house done??" and we hang our heads..."No, but it gets better everyday!" we repeat over and over again. We get tired of the mess. Tired of the chaos. Of having nothing done.

....and then we look at our front door, and smile, a breathe a sigh of relief because, no matter how long it takes or how frustrating it is....the house is getting finished.

Now, to start the trim!

Have a wonderful, productive, weekend everyone!

Cakes and Questions and a Girl Who is Three.

2011-10-13T09:51:00.007-04:00

She's three. Three years ago today, on Thanksgiving morning, we met her. Her big blue eyes. Her chubby cheeks. Her slippery little bum.

Everyday, we love her as hard as we can and I'm pretty sure she knows it.

Things aren't always easy, because she's a complicated gal, but life with Winnie is always interesting. And exciting. And so much more fun.

The curls, the smile, the fearlessness.
The dancing to "a song only she hears".
Oh, to be three.

The Birthday Questions.

Inspired by The Birthday Questions Book by Jeff Anderson.

The Cake

My first attempt at decorating with fondant. I took inspiration from the blog Not Without Salt. I watched the video below and it looked so easy, I decided to give it a try!

Gradient Cake from Gabriel Rodriguez on Vimeo.

It wasn't so easy. I made lots of mistakes and there are more than a few lumps and bumps on my cake (not to mention the hideous silver cake board I forgot to hide!).....but it was fun and, with a little practice, I think the results could be much much better!

Have a wonderful, rainy, day!

Giving Thanks!

2011-10-10T18:19:00.003-04:00

This just might be the most beautiful fall weekend I've ever seen. And that, my friends, is one of the things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving!

10 other things on the list of "stuff for which I am grateful":

1. Our Family: We spent the weekend with family. Brothers, sisters, cousins, in-laws. We've had photo shoots and birthdays and dinners and we're still boppin'. I'm so thankful we can have as much fun as we do with those closest to us!

2. Our Mixed-up, Made-up, Make-shift Family: Most of my fam is spread out across the country, and so it's rare that we're all together for a holiday. With that in mind I've slowly started to "make" an extended family for my family. Year after year, we accumulate (and cherish!) amazing friends that surround us, support us and *show up* for us over and over again.

3. Front Teeth that are FINALLY here! Thank goodness. They were so tough......

4. Lessons Learned: My good friend T says "You will repeat lessons until they are learned". I'm tired of making the same mistakes, falling into the same traps and thankful to be finally paying attention to the lesson. It's time to move on!

5. Trees Outside the Window: In the middle of a city it's nice to be surrounded by trees. This is our first fall with a second storey (!) and so it's the first time we've gotten to see the leaves turn from way up here. Those leaves! Changing color right before our eyes: in the bathtub, on the stairs and as we drift off to sleep.

6. A Good Book: It's not just a good story, it's a book that's making me think. It's changing my mind, my views and my approach to life and work. It's inspiring and energizing and motivating.

7. Watching Sisters Become Sisters: Everyday getting closer.....finding common ground and companionship and things to argue over and then reasons to make-up.

8. Time to Play: We are the midst of a very special, very short time. I'm seven months post-partum, enjoying a slower schedule and J is on paternity leave. Everyday, we're together.....as we work, parent and play. Soon he'll be running his own business, the girls will grow and go to school and I'll get back to my stuff.....but for now I'm thankful that we're together, finding time to play.

9. Cool Floors and Warm Fireplaces: The perfect accompaniment to the warm sunny days? Cool mornings and evenings.....I love to feel the cold marble tiles under my feet in the morning and cosy up beside the fire at night. I love it.

10. Gratitude: I'm grateful that I'm grateful.....for it seems to me that it's not the having that makes life so amazing, it's the appreciating!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Kale Chips For Dinner

2011-10-06T22:49:00.007-04:00

It's been busy around these parts. We've been prepping for a BIG 3rd birthday party, happening this weekend at our place (more on that later!).

At the same time, our (soon to be) 3 year old has been experiencing some "growing pains". I've been told that this is the way things go..... whether you're turning 3 or 93, birthdays make you crazy.

Either way, there is much to do and no time for dinner...so Kale chips it is. At least it's better than caramel apples....which is what I ate last night.

Kale Chips

Preheat oven to about 375*
Wash and dry 1 bunch of kale
Tear the leaves of of the thick stems of kale
Toss in a bowl with 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil
Spread out on cookie sheets.
Drizzle with about 2 tsp of olive oil
Sprinkle with Parmesan, Asiago or your seasonings of choice ** Optional
Bake for about 15 minutes, until edges are brown and kale is crispy when moved in pan
Sprinkle with kosher salt.

I think these taste like popcorn.........am I delusional?

Quote for today.

2011-10-03T14:23:00.005-04:00

[weheartit.com]

I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.

- E. B. White

Oy! I'm a sleep-deprived mama.....Today I'm mostly resisting the desire to nap.

Today I Screamed.

2011-09-28T12:08:00.006-04:00

[Photos: www.weheartit.com]

It was a morning of going in circles. Of dressing the two (almost three) year old, over and over again....only to turn around and find her naked. Of attempting to get ready and get out the door just 20 minutes late. Of bundling babies into raincoats and boots while they pulled them off and colored pictures, happily ignorant of the pressing schedule. Ignorant of the time. The lateness. Three times I calmed myself down. I took a personal time out to remind myself of what's important....

Close Eyes: Three. two. one. One. two. three. *Woosa* and all that.

Open Eyes: Kid pulling off her raincoat for the fourth time and school bag pulled apart.

I screamed.
I. Lost. It.

"KEEP IIIIIIIIT OOOOOON!!!!" spewed out of me. It surprised me and shocked me and shamed me. As I drug the barefooted, coatless babes to the car, in the pouring rain, I sort of fell apart.

A great way to start the day, no?

When we got to school I felt the need to tell the teacher what had happened. I, half-shamefully, half-indulgently explained how I had lost the plot over a coat and a bag and a poorly timed passion for coloring.....

Without missing a beat, her teacher looked at me and smiled and said "Welcome to the screaming club".

Thank you wonderful teacher. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Things We Love About Fall...

2011-09-23T09:50:00.003-04:00

Have a Wonderful Fall Weekend!

Today.

2011-09-21T19:06:00.006-04:00

Was *that* kind of day.

A *two latte* kind of day.

A *chuck your kids in the backyard to entertain themselves* kind of day.

Thankfully, in the end, it was a *good* kind of day.

Bribes, Lies and Deception (or Feeding Vegetables to Your Children).

2011-09-19T09:29:00.008-04:00

In this house we're big on modelling behaviour. We try to avoid mealtime power struggles, making a good example of ourselves, hoping the kiddies will eat the right things...and trying not to get too upset when they don't. We've been pleased to see greens and soups and stews heartily gobbled up and we LOVE when quinoa, chicken and broccoli are the snack of choice...BUT.

BUT THEN, just when we think we've got things under control, a week will go by that leaves me wondering "will you ever eat a vegetables again?".

Last week I wrote about my "Stacked Sundays", how I use one day a week to prep for the rest. As I was making baby purees for the Pipster on one said Sunday, I was reminded of Jessica Seinfeld's book Deceptively Delicious. The idea is simple and effectively genius: when you steam and puree vegetables you can hide them in virtually anything.

Her cookbook is fabulous, inexpensive and really necessary if you're looking for great ways to add purees to baking (oatmeal raisin cookies with zucchini, pink pancakes made with beet puree, or yellow cake with butternut squash) but for cooking you really can just go for it!

Add veggie purees to anything and everything (just add slowly and taste frequently!).

My favorite ideas from her book:

Adding cauliflower puree to scrambled eggs (or a spinach puree for GREEN eggs!)
Adding chickpeas to chocolate chip cookies
Adding sweet potato puree to hot chocolate (see pics)
Using veggie purees as part of the breading process for homemade chicken nuggets

Last week I needed a quick, last minute dinner for Winnie. I had some leftover rice pasta in the fridge and she asked to have it warmed up with butter and cheese. "Sure thing!".

I warmed the pasta up in some leftover, home made chicken stock (with bits of chicken in it), adding butternut squash puree that I had defrosted for the baby, and then added a dot of butter and sprinkled with cheese. It was really delicious, she ate the WHOLE thing and had no idea she was eating vegetables and protein. Imagine that.

We try to keep the lies and bribery to a minimum but a little deception can't be bad....right?

This Week.....

2011-09-14T20:16:00.010-04:00

we are enjoying the chill in the air and the changing of season.

Food Waste in the Western World...including our house.

2011-09-12T11:21:00.004-04:00

Food Wasting has become a bit of an obsession for me, as of late. Our weekly grocery budget is insane-o and, yet, we have on more than one occasion found ourselves composting mounds of food at the end of a week. Why? Why? Why? It makes me (and Jamie) totally crazy......

I think for the most part it comes down to time and planning. We pack our fridge full of healthy, local, organic produce, meat and dairy with a brain full of recipes and imaginative dinner ideas. Then one night I'm running late from work, and another night I'm exhausted after swimming lessons....and all of a sudden two+ veggie/protein packed meals have been replaced with popcorn & carrot sticks or eggs on toast. C'est la vie, je suppose.

That being said, the thought of chucking out perfectly good food still makes me feel awful.....and it's not just happening in this house!

What a disturbing irony! Good edible food thrown away while the world accelerates towards a food crisis of massive proportions.

India recently halted the export of non-basmati rice to ensure its poor can eat. Meanwhile, every month, residents in the city of Toronto, Canada, toss out 17.5 million kilograms of food. Images of green bins overflowing with food waste stand in stark contrast to media images of riots and food shortages around the world.

Food waste is pervasive in western society. A recent British study determined that about one-third of food purchased in the UK is thrown out every year. This equates to £10bn (about CDN$19.5 billion). A 1997 U.S. study found that 27 per cent of edible food is never eaten. In Toronto, the picture is not all that different: single-family households produce an average of 275 kilograms of food waste each year. Twenty-five per cent of this food goes inappropriately into the garbage (as opposed to the green bin) where city taxpayers pay nearly $10 million a year for its disposal. Most of it edible. Much of it still in its original packaging. -World Vision

[www.treehugger.com]

Crazy business!

So I'm taking steps to reduce food waste in this house, and just by chance the entire household is running more smoothly and I am a much happier mama!
[I think that's called a win-win...win situation, no?!]

Here's what we're doing:
1. Meal Planning: I've always been pretty good at this. I plan meals, shop for only what I feel I need and then do my best to stick to the plan. It's helps to save time and money....but doesn't always reduce food waste as much as I'd like. Here's how I am making the plan better....

I only plan for 4 meals a week (I used to plan for 6). This way, when life gets in the way we don't feel bad about make-shift dinners or ordering take-out once in a while. We aren't leave food to rot. I also plan for leftovers from those four meals so that, hopefully, in a pinch we have healthy leftovers to eat.
I am using the Sunday planners I wrote about HERE.

This one in particular, from olliebird.com is a favorite.
I have several week long menu plans that I rotate. They are kept in a magnetic plastic display cover on the side of the fridge. On grocery day, I choose one, buy the food I need and then have it on display for all to see. This also helps Jamie keep track of what groceries we need for what meals (so we aren't missing ingredients mid-week!) AND allows him to take over dinner prep when I am running late/busy. Very helpful!

{Another great idea: frame a large one of these menu planners in an ikea frame, hang on the wall like art and then use dry-erase markers to fill in your menu. The following week: wipe away and start over!}

2. Stacking My Sundays. I know I've written about Maria Menounos before, but here it goes again: her book [The Every Girl's Guide to Life] has totally encouraged me to get organized, reducing the amount of wasted time in my week. One of her big suggestions is to stack your errands. This involves setting aside a day/half-day to run all of your errands, pay bills, etc in a particular order that reduces time-wastage (word?).

I've always done this...I just didn't have a word for it! Now I'm more conscious of how I attack weekly household errands and food prep has become a big part of my Stacked Sunday.

I do all of my grocery shopping on Sunday and then set aside two hours, right before dinner, to clear out the fridge, use up food that's on it's way out and prep food for the following week.

I roast un-used tomatoes with olive oil and garlic and then add them to soups, pastas and sandwiches the following week.
I chopped unused veggies so that they can easily be added to stir-frys, salads or broth.
I roast one piece of meat: an organic chicken or piece of beef, slice it up have it in the fridge.
I take the bones from the meat and make broth, which I keep in the fridge for cooking that week or chuck it the freezer for future use.
I make big batches of veggie purees once or twice a month and freeze them in small batches....I feed these to the baby and add them to our food, Jessica Seinfeld-style, as a way to sneak more vegetables into Winnie's diet.
Overripe fruit is frozen for smoothies or slow cooked into a compote for oatmeal or as desert.

By 5:30pm on Sunday I have the errands for the week finished, food prepped for easy week-night meals, NO food wasted and dinner on the table. It's an amazing way greet Monday morning!

Happy Monday everyone!

End-of Summer Salads: Warm Lentil Salad

2011-09-08T08:57:00.002-04:00

An amazing recipe from Molly over at Orangette:

French-Style Warm Lentil Salad
Adapted from Epicurious.com

This lentil salad isn’t exactly like the ones I’ve eaten in France – those were usually plainer, with just vinaigrette and flecks of raw shallot – but I like it just as much. (And – bonus! – it doesn’t leave me with shallot breath.) It also keeps and reheats well, and it tastes even better the next day, which makes it perfect weekday lunch material.

1 cup French green (also known as “Puy”) lentils, picked over and rinsed
3 cups water
1 Turkish bay leaf
½ tsp. salt, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. red wine vinegar
½ Tbsp. Dijon mustard
Crunchy sea salt, for serving
2 Tbsp. finely chopped Italian parsley, for serving

In a medium saucepan, bring the lentils, water, and bay leaf to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in ¼ teaspoon salt, and then simmer, covered, for another 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but not falling apart.

While the lentils simmer, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just softened, about 7 to 9 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons vinegar, mustard, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, and whisk to emulsify.

When the lentils are ready, drain them in a colander or sieve, and discard the bay leaf. Dump them into the skillet with the vegetables, and add the vinaigrette. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, until heated through. Stir in the remaining ½ tsp. vinegar, and serve warm, with crunchy salt and parsley for sprinkling.

Eat it up on it's own or serve over salad greens.

Home Made.

2011-09-06T14:17:00.005-04:00

The end of summer has left me feeling a bit rough around the edges. Literally! So, Winn and I cooked up some home made body scrub over the weekend, using what we had in the pantry.

There a ton of recipes out there, I just sort of closed my eyes, twirled my finger and pointed.
Here's the recipe I found:

Home Made Body Scrub
1 Cup of Oil (Burt's Bees has a nice skin oil, olive oil, almond oil....any high quality oil of your choice).
2 Cups of Coarse sea salt or cane sugar (I used a combination of both!)
The zest of a couple of lemons (for smell and color).
*I also added some orange essential oil

Mix together and scrub-a-dub-dub!

I was a bit leery about the oil.....(and sugar and salt!) but it was a really lovely body scrub! Most definitely drug store worthy.
All weekend I've been feeling soft and smoothy (in the words of Junie B. Jones) and ready for fall!

Have a wonderful short week!

Summer Salads: The Easiest Sexiest Salad in the World!

2011-09-01T09:00:00.005-04:00

Sound promising? CLICK HERE to see Jamie's Oliver's late summer slam dunk: fresh figs, parma ham, and buffalo mozzarella. YUM!

Female Therapy.

2011-08-29T09:33:00.007-04:00

Last night I hosted Craft Club. My friends E and M came up with idea a couple of months ago after we had spent an afternoon discussing all of the projects on our *to-do* lists.

Last night marked our second get together and it couldn't have been more fun! Great company, great conversation AND I managed to get a very big project on the go.....

As I fell into bed in the wee hours of this morning, exhausted and knowing I had a looooong day ahead of me after a very late night, I thought about an email a friend had sent last week. It was a tribute to girlfriends and time spent connecting with other women. The email outlined a study that proves our time spent with female friends is as important to our health as food or exercise or meditation (which I actually plan to start doing today, most likely, I hope.).

Anyways, it was a great reminder that it's okay to need time to yourself, time with friends, time doing the things you love. And it totally made me feel better about staying up until 1am!

Here's the article:

The Power of Girlfriends
Unknown Author

"I just finished taking an evening class at Stanford. The last lecture was on the mind-body connection - the relationship between stress and disease. The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) said, among other things, that one of the best things that a man could do for his health is to be married to a woman, whereas for a woman, one of the best things she could do for her health was to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.

At first everyone laughed, but he was serious.

Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life experiences. Physically this quality "girlfriend time" helps us to create more serotonin - a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of well being. Women share feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities. They rarely sit down with a buddy and talk about how they feel about certain things or how their personal lives are going. Jobs? Yes. Sports? Yes. Cars? Yes. Fishing, hunting, golf? Yes. But their feelings? Rarely.
Women do it all of the time. We share from our souls with our sisters/mothers, and evidently that is very good for our health. He said that spending time with a friend is just as important to our general health as jogging or working out at a gym.
There's a tendency to think that when we are "exercising" we are doing something good for our bodies, but when we are hanging out with friends, we are wasting our time and should be more productively engaged - not true. In fact, he said that failure to create and maintain quality personal relationships with other humans is as dangerous to our physical health as smoking!

So every time you hang out to schmooze with a gal pal, just pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for doing something good for your health! We are indeed very, very lucky. Sooooo let's toast to our friendship with our girlfriends. Evidently it's very good for our health."

Have I seen the study? No. But do I really care? Nope.
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and believe that my girlfriend time is imperative to my health....even if we are drinking wine and eating chocolate!

PS Check out the amazing fabrics I've been receiving in the mail over the past few weeks! My sewing machine is going to be buzzing. Stay tuned....

Adventures at Home...

2011-08-26T12:53:00.007-04:00

Our holidays away really kicked our ass. After weeks away, we've been pretty tired and grumpy.

That said, there are still a few scrumptious weeks of heat and sun mixed with a perfect cool breeze to enjoy...and we can't just sit around here all day, can we?

So, despite my desperation to get home and just stay put, we've started adventuring again....just a little closer to home is all!

A few weeks ago we headed over to Wolfe Island, a small island in lake Ontario, just a short ferry ride from downtown Kingston.

I'm ashamed to admit I'd never been there before! But isn't that always the way? How many of us live in amazing villages/towns/cities with fantastic sights and activities we constantly overlook? We plan to go but never do.......

We had the most amazing afternoon on Wolfe Island: a beautiful ferry ride, lunch & drinks at a waterfront eatery, ice cream cones served up in a tiny diner, corner stores and that laid-back island *feel* most people pay big bucks to enjoy. All right there waiting for us, just outside our front door.

Since then we've been Kingston-obsessed and rightfully so. We've even extended bedtimes (our kids don't sleep anyway?! lol.) just so we can soak up the sights. This is such a beautiful place to live....we really are so, so fortunate.

Have a wonderful weekend, enjoying wherever is it that you are!

Summer Salads: Chickpea and Raisin Salad

2011-08-25T08:41:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago, in between holidays while we were still lavishing the dog days of summer, we had a quick Family Dinner with my sis and her boyfriend. Life was pretty hectic around here so dinner was brought to us: C planned the menu, brought the ingredients and cooked the meal! That's my kind of dinner:) Thank you!

Chickpea and Raisin Salad

The salad is super simple to make and absolutely delicious.....the recipe makes a TON and we still argued over who was going to get more:) Served with Feta (grilled on the BBQ in olive oil and Thyme), pita, and grilled veggie & local turkey sausage skewers it was a lovely, homey summer dinner.

Ingredients
1 cup of raisins
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp of sugar
3 15.5 ounce cans of chickpeas, rinsed
1 cup of fresh cilantro (or more!!)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions
1. In a small saucepan, combine the raisins, vinegar, and sugar. Bring just to a simmer; remove from heat and let cool.

2. In a large bowl, toss the chickpeas, cilantro, green onion, and raisin mixture with the oil, cumin, salt and pepper.

[All recipes from the June 2011 issue of Real Simple Magazine]

say yippie

Valentine's Day.

Good Things.

We All Deserve To Sparkle!

It's Just Dinner.

Healthy (Glowy!) Skin.

Today....

Coconut-Curry Noodle Soup.

Directions

Cook's Note

Directions

Cook's Note

Minimizing and Maximizing My Wardrobe.

The Kid Line.

Martha's Flourless Chocolate Cake.

Minimalist Mom.

Holiday Handmade Recap: The Video Collage.

Holiday Handmade Recap: Dinner Napkins and Tea Towels.

Holiday Handmade Recap: Cutting Boards.

Holiday Handmade Recap: Up-cycled Leg Warmers

The Holiday Handmade Recap: Personalized Necklaces.

The Best of 2011.....

New Year's Ruminations.

Home for the Holidays....

Merry Christmas!

Home Made Stocking Stuffers.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Old Favorites!

Making a Home for the Holidays.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Hostess Gifts.

A Cookie Decorating Tradition.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Advent Calendars.

My Favorite Day of the Year.....

Staying Healthy Over the Holidays!

Holiday Gift Ideas: For Animals!

Holiday Gift Ideas: Sew, Felt, Knit, Crochet

A New Blog! Check it out!

The Seat of Health is Not in Your Pants.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Wreaths

Remembering.....

Thoughts on Whole Living.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Paper Crafts

Early Morning.

I burned myself.....

Hallowe'en-ing.

Curtains....

Naturopathic First Aid Kits For Kids!

Shut the Front Door!

Cakes and Questions and a Girl Who is Three.

Giving Thanks!

Kale Chips For Dinner

Quote for today.

Today I Screamed.

Things We Love About Fall...

Today.

Bribes, Lies and Deception (or Feeding Vegetables to Your Children).

This Week.....

Food Waste in the Western World...including our house.

*End-of* Summer Salads: Warm Lentil Salad

Home Made.

Summer Salads: The Easiest Sexiest Salad in the World!

Female Therapy.

Adventures at Home...

Summer Salads: Chickpea and Raisin Salad

End-of Summer Salads: Warm Lentil Salad