Peppermints and Petticoats

Bedridden and Bored...

2010-11-02T10:51:00.002-04:00

Feeling a little bit sorry for myself these days...so this is going to be a bit of a downer post.

For the past almost 7 weeks I have basically been bedridden. I have bulging discs in my lower back that have seriously stopped me from doing almost everything. I woke up in late September on a Saturday with my back really hurting me, but it was the town wide garage sale...lol...and I really NEEDED to go. I went with a neighbour friend of mine and we had been looking forward to going for a couple of weeks now. But with just a twinge in my back I thought that it would disappear as the morning went on...not realizing how bad it really was...or how much worse I was going to make it. As the morning went on, everytime I got out of the car I was in agony....and I got slower and slower. Four hours later I was back at home lying down....just not moving at all....I could not sit, it was to painful. For whatever dumb reason I had in my head, I went to another neighbours BBQ that night....thinking that plying myself with alcohol might work. Not so much, I ended up standing for the whole night and then walking home. Yup, pure pain.....the next day I could not get up at all. Thank goodness it was a Sunday :)

For the next week I struggled through, lying down a lot, thinking it was my sciatic and that it would go away in a week or two. I had teacher meetings to go to for Gavyn to finally meet his Aide's and his support team, and parcel's to deliver to the PO. But going into the first week of October I was able to admit that this wasn't going away and that I needed help. So hubby made me (yes he did) make an appointment with his chiro team to see if they could fix me.

We are now into the first week of November...almost a whole month of chiro. I have also gone through MRI's(yup, I am claustrophobic), EMG's...and another test that I wasn't to fond of that involved needles. The MRI came back with the results about the bulging discs and severe impingement on my sciatic nerve and another nerve and some on the other side of me as well. So I am told that this could last from 6 to 12 weeks....ummm ya.....like that's a long time. This is Christmas season, the busiest time for me come doll production...I am really losing out. I am able to stand about 4 hours MAX a day......but definitely not at one time. So it is about an hour in the morning (okay, maybe 40 mins) to get the kids out the door and dogs fed,watered and let outside. Then it is back to the lying down position. Lunch I get the dogs out again, make myself a tea, get the dishwasher loaded and started and back to bed....rinse and repeat(shower time) and then back to bed.....kinda ditto when it is dinner time..... OMG I AM SO SO SO SOOOOO Bored!!!! Going on 7 weeks of this I am starting to sound pretty pitiful to the family. I am walking (if you can call it that) around with a cane now. I really hate that thing, but it is a necessary evil so I have discovered if I want to get up the stairs...and believe me I do, the heating pad is up there.....but shhhhhhh.....don't tell hubby or the chiro, they have threatened to take it away from me. But seriously it is the only relief I get....I am NOT giving it up. Besides, the bedroom is FREEZING this time of year and I need it on my feet :)

Going to try and make my day today a little more "exciting" going to try and sew (yes I said sew, so that means sitting) some doll faces on and then hand stitch the eye, nose and mouth on. I need something to do while sitting in bed all day...6 hours of computer time everyday, ALL day...just is not doing it for me anymore...

Wish me luck....

Busy, FUN....but busy...how are you??

2010-09-09T21:06:00.005-04:00

This summer has flown by, where did it go?? it is the first(ish) week of September and I am already pulling out the cardigans....which is kind of sad....but I do love my Cardi's. They are have such a cosy feeling....I would wear them well into summer if I didn't look so ridiculous and I kinda got tired of explaining to people that yes....I really was cold.....in 80 degree weather. Yes I am odd that way :)

Kids are all back to school (YEAH!!) and so far no calls from the school...hey, I know it is only two days in...but it has happened in the past...ohhhh Kyle...do I have stories to pass on about you...lol....

Hubby and I have decided (crazily) that we are bored...and that we need a project...a kinda of bonding sort of thing...not going to go into details...well because I hate to jinx things :))) But I will let you all know more about it if and when it happens, but sewing and crafting may get pushed on the way side for about a year or so....so one one hand it will be good....on another...not so much....

but crossing fingers and well wishes would be appreciated :))

I did manage to get in a nice big order of my Knotty Dress's so I have been plugging away at that :) I love mixing the fabrics, they really do not go or fit together all that well, but in my eye they do...and well...heck isn't that what counts...hehehe...

Here are a couple of things that I put up in the store today

I have a few of these at a custom sz

Halloween BOO

and I have a few Christmas Dress's up as well...

Snowy Day Dress

T'was a Night Before Christmas Dress

Quite a few others in the shop as well...I have had quite a bit of the dolls go out as well recently....some are shopping for Christmas it seems...much much better than I am being....eeeks....only a few more months....

Okay...so when I know about our "NEW" hobby.....I'll let ya'all know...better yet...I may even let hubby tell you....

But I won't jinx it...I really believe in that....so...shhhhhh :)))

oh, and check out the swagbucks linky thing at the side there...its addicting ;)

I know...I suck :(

2010-07-26T00:55:00.004-04:00

Not that I have been meaning to ignore you and all that, but my computer broke, and with that all my camera software went with, so I feel kinda blah about posting my fabulousnesses (like that word...I do)...and not having anything to show for it...

Hubby and I went on our 15th wedding anniversary at the beginning of the month, we went to the Southern Carribbean and had an amazing time....again....I would ummm...put up pictures....but I can't, so please take my word for it :)

I have another big order going out to Summer Studios in Avalon NJ....well it is big for me anyways...lol...More *Scrappy Dress's* and matching *Scrappy Dolls*...and a lovely old college friend (okay she is not old at all...we have just known each for forever) sent me a picture of her daughter wearing one of the *Scrappy Dress's* that I can share with you because she sent it via FB :)

Isn't she a cutie :) Of course when my puter took a dive I lost a TON of old photos of designs I had down in the past....so I was super excited to get this :) Thanks Alana

So that is all that has been happening in a nutshell...Kids are good, Gavyn has had Summer School this month to help with socialization and behaviour....and also to get him outside....which all and all will only help him in the long run....Autism sucks, but he certainly makes my life wonderfully full :)

Gave Lucy (the beagle) a well deserved bath today...she smelled like deathes door...ugh....now she is lovely and sweet smelling, until she rolls into the next horrid thing.

Tomorrow I have 90yrds of fabric coming in....I hit an AMAZING sale at fabric.com...I think it ends today (July 26th) so if there is any left (I did leave some behind, I am not that greedy....well maybe just a little bit) you should really check it out.

I now have to go and make some room for all that coming in :)))

Did I tell you that I was dieting???

2010-05-29T16:19:00.003-04:00

Good thing that Sawyer knew....he saved me from eating those cookies that I baked yesterday....3 dzn completely inhaled in like 60 seconds....bad dog....

I am hoping that the kids at least got a few....lol.....but it does save me from sneaking a couple at midnight....the temptation is gone....

But I am baking some more.....:) For the kids....of course.....

Gotta try to Butter-"Milk" it.....

2010-05-28T16:20:00.005-04:00

Have you ever bought all the ingredients to a recipe only to find out that you are not in the mood anymore to try it?? Okay...well that is how my ADD brain works sometimes :) Either I change my mind or I have forgotten the recipe I wanted to try completely.....

So what does that leave you to do??? Well often said ingredients end up going bad and smelly if they are the perishable kind in my house...with Kyle usually digging around for something to eat (like any normal healthy teenager does) to feed his bottomless pit, and he'll reach his hand to the back and quite often will pull out a bag of mush (ya, I hate looking at the back of my fridge some weeks).....I don't know what it was...but PLEASE just throw it out now (I am actually making the icky smell face remembering this).

Well I recently came across a stack of recipes I wanted to try using buttermilk...I have never used it in cooking. It always seemed a little risky because it goes bad quickly. Or at least it has the few times I have used it in the past....or I buy to much of it and forget about it and the whole smelly thing starts over again in my fridge. But again, I bought to much of it...I made the ButterMilk Chicken the other night....but ummm now what??? I have half a quart left...so off I went to scour the internet for the perfect blend of recipe that both me and the kids will eat (Stef is not to particular).

So far this is what I have come up with....a Chocolate Bundt Amaretto Cake and these basic but yummy ButterMilk Cookies

I am so so happy that I got to use my recent bought Garage Sale domed cake plate. I am always super happy when I can justify a buy with using it right away...it always a "SEEE" kind of moment :) The ButterMilk Cookies call for chopped walnuts sprinkled on the frosting, but Gavyn truly hates nuts of any kind (apparently peanut butter does not count) so I thought that I probably overdid it with the almonds on the cake...:) But since there is alcohol in that cake he won't touch it anyways...

I have only tried the ButterMilk Cookies....and while they are very good, they definitely need the walnuts for a bit of crunch.....and as for the cake...that will be for tonight....After we watch Iron Man 2. And possibly after I clean up this mess....

anyone else know of some good buttermilk recipes?? I have a little bit left and the due date on the carton is coming up fast....

My Very First Clafouti and Knotty Dress's....

2010-05-24T21:47:00.008-04:00

One of the fun things that I picked up at this weekends Garage Sale was this great looking recipe book called Luscious Berry Desserts

In a nutshell...the book is pretty sweet (see what I did there...desserts=sweet....ya ya I know). Tons of "healthy" recipes for me to try. Especially during the warm Summer months coming. I love new cookbooks....especially the yummy kind. So I opened the book and went looking through it today to see if I had any ingredients in the house to make a Yummy for after dinner today. Dessert is an essential meal in this house....if it is not happening people just do not eat (that just could say a ton for my cooking, not my baking though). As I was skimming I came across a recipe for a Raspberry Almond Clafouti. I first heard about this dessert from fabulous blogger Posie Gets Cozy she is my favorite blog to stalk. I have made so so many recipes from her site I just can not even count that high, heck she is probably the reason that my kids still eat my food, by the mere chance that I might make one of her concoctions for dinner....but I digress :)

The Clafouti was a dessert she introduced me to....not quite a cake....almost pancake like....but again not. It is set in a glass pie dish and I substituted Blackberries for Raspberries because that is what I had on hand....I also think I should have added a twitch of Cinnamon or nutmeg as it was a little bland...but that is the fun with recipes....making it your own....but I will try again...with the twists.....and oh ya....whip cream must be dolloped out in heaps. Oh and please ignore the "greasy" look to it....I literally had just pulled it out of the oven and it was still bubbling, it turned into a nice crispy texture.

Made a couple of Knotty Dress's that I will be adding to the MisMatched Molly store tomorrow or Wednesday....a few of them will be Customs...So WOOT for me....more sewing ;) Here is a couple of pics...

I need to keep telling myself that the iron is my friend and that I should not be afraid to use it....but darn it, I keep burning myself...so I am a bit tentative to use it. Gotta learn how to tumble dry iron :) So hopefully these will be up and in the shop in a bit.....

But for now....off to dreamland....I clocked in 9 miles of walking today....plus 45 mins on the treadmill....so my feet hurt a little bit.....just a little bitty bit :))

Oh How I love my Garage Sale finds....

2010-05-22T19:33:00.009-04:00

Today was the town wide Garage Sale and what a beautiful day it was (is)....now let me start off saying that I grew up going to garage sales when visiting with my Dad and Step-Mother. For the 2 or 3 weekends in the Summer that I (we actually, my brother and I) would get to visit my Dad, Saturday mornings were reserved for finding the best deal EVER!!! It didn't matter how long it took either, it had to be found. We would start off at 7 in the morning and would not be back till past noon. That was a lot of leg work for an 8 year old and a budget of 1$....but boy could I ever get a lot for a 1$ back then....lol...not so much anymore, but there are still fun deals to be found...

This was my first time today going to sales in a long long long long (well you get the point) time. One thing is that it is really hard to get hubby to stop for them...lol....lotsa times we will pass a sale on the weekend and hubby will say before I even can see the sale "We are not stopping..." most of the times I would not want to....looks like all baby stuff, or tools anyways....but occasionally I would gaze wistfully and wish he would stop. But that is what I get for not having my drivers license so no one to blame but me.

But this is the loot that I picked up today with my GF Abby that apparently goes on the town wide sale every year. I gave myself a budget of 35$ and prayed that I did not find thee most awesomest thing ever for 5$ more that I had....lol....but nope I was good, I spent it all....but I got a ton of goodies this is the hall I got...

I also got a copy of "Eat, Pray, Love" which I have not read yet and have really been wanting to get too (found it hiding in one of the baskets)...and will be reading this on our recent cruise that we just booked for next month. Those rolls of fabric that is sticking out of the picnic basket (2$) were all just a dollar each.....there is over 12 yrds of fabric and I got it for 6$. My fun finds was the glass cake dome (2$) that I was going to buy over on Amazon a couple of weeks ago for 35$ plus shipping...man would I have been kicking myself if I would have....grrrr.....but YIPPPEEE for me. Plus that little Vintage Raggedy Andy doll....it needs a little cleaning up cause it's a little dusty but it is still a cutie, and glad it has found a new home. I also found an extra remote for our TV as they always end up disappearing, so hubby was happy that I picked that up...

I was on a basket hunt....but I love the picnic style ones....and was happy to find a large and a smaller version, both for 2$. The vintage floral cake plates had all the right crackling throughout the porcelin to make it pretty and shabby too...and for the 1$ price tag I was not going to get to upset if I left it over a neighbors house by mistake (okay I maybe a little upset, they are so so cute). I was also surprised to find the bundt cake pan. I can remember seeing things like this in the past at Garage Sales and of course never really paying attention to them, basically because I was like 10 years old...lol....but my Step-Mum used to gaze at them and still thought that they were over priced even for these types of sales...but again this was something I had been looking at the buy, because I need a replacement for the ones I have, but spending the 45$ on it kinda irks me....not that I won't use it often, I just can not picture me paying that much....but I will happily pay 4$ for one...still maybe on the high side, but I knew it was a newer version so I did not mind paying more than I normally would.

My friend Abby and I shopped till we dropped and were pretty pooped in the end...fantastic weather and numerous sales, I am sure we missed more than half of them. But all and all I good some good fun loot!!!

2010-05-20T17:32:00.005-04:00

I love my neighbors.....they made me smile 3 miles wide this morning....The "Warren Street Happy Hour Birthday Crew" struck this morning. How cool is that :)) I had a row of birthday balloons this morning in my garden. I felt like a fairy princess walking through it...hehehe....

But I wasn't the only lucky one to get Birthday goodness....it seems that we have 3 people on our street that has a birthday today....so we all got Birthday Balloon goodness. How lucky our we!!! I say VERY VERY Lucky.....My good friend Abby has her birthday today and I brought her a birthday cupcake complete with pink jellybeans and a candle...not lit, but only because I did not think I could master walking down the street with it lit and not burning myself...ALSO it was little Jessica's birthday today as well....and I wanted to make her something sweet....so I made her a patchwork skirt and matching Scrappy Doll. I love the girly colors :))

I also got a fabulous bouquet from my little loves and a cupcake cake....lol...yummy. I am going out for Sushi tonight with hubby....what a lovely nite to be had....

oh and little brother rocks!!! he got me my own domain name....even though I have always wanted to do it....I have always been a bit of a ditz about it...now it is done, I can not wait to start fiddling with it....hopefully I will finally open a store on it...WOOT!!

We went visiting Avalon, NJ.....

2010-05-18T13:15:00.015-04:00

This weekend we took a little drive (2.5 hrs) down to the Jersey Shore...not because I am a fan of any of THOSE shows :) but because I really was itching to see where my designs were going to hang in a new shop. So I happily convinced Hubby to be stuck in a car with me for 5 hr's...and took a drive to Avalon, NJ to the Summer Studio Artist Shop. Where boutique owner Kim is starting a new venture. And "My OH My" was I ever blown away and happily surprised with her store (I should have taken an outside shop pic as there are Multiple French Doors leading out to a patio...very open and airy) and all the artist's that were being represented....

please be prepared for picture overload...I just really could not stop...she has over 69 vendors/artists in the boutique, and thankfully not everything has arrived yet or else I would not have known where to point the camera. But for the places that I DID point the camera...hehehe....I have those items stuck in my head and I know I will be coming back for, if I am so lucky....

The Boutique has a lovely mixture of Womens, Mens and Childrens handmade apparel as well as wonderful homewares

As you can see....yup....a ton of pretty pictures.....but none with my designs on the racks YET!!!! only because I was just dropping off the first boxful when I was taking the pics....but I can certainly imagine a bunch of my *Scrappy Dolls* and Dress's hanging out with those sweet and awesome clippies and purses :))). I saw a LOT of etsy designers in the boutique and I am so happy to be in such amazing company.

So if you are in Avalon, NJ anytime soon check out Summer Studios on Ocean Drive (right next to the Antique shop, and Tiger Lillies Boutique). Eventually (soon) the studio is going to have an Art Gallery on one side of the shop, and a fantastic (so I have heard) Cheese and Coffee-ish shop with a small patio Terrase....CUTE!!!

Small side note....if anyone of my boys would have been a girl, Avalon was top name pick...just thought you should know....;)

Afternoon Tea for Three (plus me)

2010-05-14T16:50:00.009-04:00

Had my (4th) cup of tea out on the front stoop today (and I had company too)...we had planted a bit this past weekend and I was "overlooking" the progress. We probably won't be doing all that much since we are renting. While I want to pretty up the place, I am not sure how much I really want to give the landlord, since he is not reimbursing us. One thing that we HAD to do....for my sanity's sake (and probably hubby's as well) was mulch...

and lots of it....28 bags later and we probably could still do a couple of bags more...but that sounds like crazy talk....since we weren't wanting to help out the landlord all that much....right....lol....

I did buy a couple of flats and enough flowers to fill up some pretty pots that were sitting in front of my front steps. I still need to plant my Mother's day flowers in a nice rusted metal planterish thing that I have...still debating if I want to spray paint the outside of it, or let the grunge look work??? maybe by next weekend I might make up my mind...

We also bought some cheap solar little lights to light up the front walk path....we shall see if they actually work or not? or I just threw money away again. Last time we bought these things Sawyer used them as chew toys....

Going to enjoy the rest of my tea (with the spoon...ALWAYS a spoon) and toast (and yes you can make fun of my snack...but I buy the chocolate chips now so I can eat them all I want....I love being a "grown-up") with my snack buddies. They know that I will share, they are just waiting for me to look there way....hehehe

Coming Out of Hiding :))

2010-05-12T11:36:00.009-04:00

Well at least until the next whirlwind brings me along with it...May has already been such an exciting month for me. This month both Peppermints and MisMatcHed Molly are being featured in new stores.....actual brick and mortar stores :) and I have been so very excited...and running around like a chick with her head cut off at times (well really to be honest it is not much different than I normally am)

Peppermints will be featured at Summer Studios in Avalon NJ...

Where a variety of my *Scrappy Dress's* will be on display (and purchase) as well as matching *Scrappy Dolls*. I was little on the late side in getting these to Kim the owner as I was kind of out of it all last month with surgery. So I wasn't sure I would be able to get all the dress's done....but they are and I am happy that I can wipe the sweat off my brow....hehehe.....here are a few samples of what will be in the shop...

MisMatcHed Molly is now also happily getting settled in my friend Delilah's new shop in Madison TX called Ruffled Rebelles

She has been working so hard at getting all the fine tuned details, and it has been a joy to be able to "watch" her get it all together and open this month...even if she is late at getting in in the morning....hehehe...

So scarily to say....I have been going a little overboard at getting all things sewing done...my studio is a wreck and I am needing to add more stock to my stores (just check over at the sidebar there for my stores) but I got a few of my tunic dress's in the Peppermints shop...and now I need to go through my stash again to add it to the MisMatched Molly shop....

and then I have to do the dishes.......Like I REALLLLLY have to do the dishes....lol...

A month late (or so) and a dollar short??

2010-02-04T10:33:00.005-05:00

We had guests this weekend...my in laws actually, passing through onto a warmer climate for the month (grrrr...need warmth). They haven't had a chance to visit since we moved in (well MIL was able to a few months back, but they have not been here as a couple since move in date) and of course things have changed in the DesRosiers abode :) first off is that the house is not covered in boxes....lol. The other big change is that I was able to paint. I LOVE to paint....it really is the easiest and biggest change in a room, not to mention the price.

Now if you know me then you know that I am NOT a neutral girl....while I always find that they look beautiful in other peoples homes....for me...not so much :) I our home before, our living room was raspberry and cantaloupe coloured with a chartreuse hallway/dining room....yes...I like it bright and loud. It was once mentioned that maybe I did not see colours "right"....this coming of course from someone who's home is all neutrals :)

So this new place, since it is not ours and I know that I will have to eventually paint it back to the original boring white, I painted only 2 walls (okay maybe really 4, but 2 of the walls are like half walls and in my mind they do not count) but I made those two walls count and then some. The living room I painted a really amazing deep magenta, it is such a rich and surprisingly soothing colour. I have a collection of oversized family paintings on the wall and it really makes some of the colours just POP that I normally would not have noticed....and then on that half wall that I painted there are some of Stef's photographs that he took that I have framed out it great black frames that is matted white....which also just POPS.

But I always felt that the space was missing something. While we do not have a lot of furniture in the room (dogs/kids destroy things like nothing) and it is slightly on purpose. I tried putting bench there...a chair...it just did not work. I had something in the back of my mind, but it was pretty much a lost cause. Price/would Stef approve kind of put it out of my mind. I did tell Stef that I did want this piece of furniture, and I had wanted one almost since we have been married...its an Apothecary. I have been looking at them in antique stores and in magazines for ages...drooling and then dying at the price tags. Always out of reach. They are such neat and interesting pc's of furniture...all those little drawers to put stuff in (more stuff). In my head it would be a great place to organize (HA) our little things...a place for gloves and hats ...heck a drawer for everyone. Mail would finally have a proper place as well...no more would it be absentmindedly left on whatever flat surface I would be off to next with. The apothecary would provide a drawer, not only a place, but a HIDDEN place. No longer a messy eye sore (because we have so much of those...lol)....sigh....an apothecary would solve all my problems. It would, I swear...

But years and budgets passed by and that lovely dream would not be mine...until our good friend went for what seems like his annual trip to Tibet and came back with his new business. Selling furniture that was made and handpainted by the monks in Tibet...all of it is just stunning and tells a great story and history with it. I have been in his "shop" a few times and drooled over many pc's of his, but the one that always stuck out was the apothecary. Not what in my mind was a traditional one...but an overdone and over the top handpainted one in such amazing colours...colours...yup that is what got me...just about always does :)It was just perfect, for me that is. I fantasized about it, eyed it in my perfect spot for the pc....even probably painted my walls for it, just in case. But the price always stopped me from truly getting it. Still a pipe dream.

Until Christmas....the day was as crazy as ever...morning chaos with the boys and friends over for Eggs Benedict Brekkie. Friends that owned the fabulous furniture...and while we were busy setting tables and making sure the holandaise sauce did not get lumpy....said friends wanted me to take a look at their newly car washed truck (it really was a dirty little thing and had been the butt of a few jokes) that they just had to show it off to me...like.....right NOW....in the back, in the bed of the truck, was the Apothecary, with a big purple bow on it :) Hubby had bought it for me for Christmas and with help of our wonderful friends they all managed to pull it off and I was just stunned.....and ecstatic. More than thrilled....such amazing friends for helping hubby pull this off, and really it boggles my mind at how lucky I am for having Stef in my life....not for the things he gets for me....but for because he "gets" me. Thank you so much sweets if I haven't said it lately...or enough...everything is starting to feel a little more perfect....and not because of the stuff. But because you make it so...

oh....and I will save it for another post...but I did not tell you what the other wall I painted was...and in what colour....can you guess?? :)

Almost got away with it.....

2010-01-29T10:06:00.005-05:00

Ever have a recipe (or something) that you know should be the simplest thing in the world to do...and for some reason in becomes the bane to your existence??? I thought that THIS year....(okay last).....I had gotten away with it...the family curse of all recipes. I am pretty sure I got the hatred of this recipe from my mother (yup I am blaming you Ma...again) as every holiday season I would hear her cursing in the kitchen....loudly. No one was allowed to enter as you would get "the rath of Mommie" and it was scarey...let me tell you. Nightmares......for WEEKS!!!! So much so that I hid the recipe on her a few years in a row...it would be in her box lined up with all her holiday baking, and magically it would disappear. Well then she would rant and rave about it missing, but deep down I know she was happy to not have to do it. Right Ma :) and then after I would place it back in the box....you know to further her knowledge that she was "losing it" when she saw it was exactly where she thought it was.

Well this is the cookie....it's just a cookie....but not just any cookie. It is called the "Candy Cane Cookie". And because I am my mother's daughter (yes that means insane) I thought I would carry on the family tradition when the boys were younger and have a boat load of Christmas Cookies out and about for visitors, kids and well.....me :) Low and behold in my many cookie cookbooks I came across the recipe a few times. After year 3 I figured why not give it a try....it can not be that bad....LOL.....maybe Mom wasn't that great of a baker (which I knew was a lie but I had to tell myself something to psyche me up to bake this). The first few years I just cried....I mean cried and cried and cried when I made these things....but I did it. Not great mind you, but they came out looking relatively candy caneish looking. Then I thought to look for other recipes....maybe the one I had just basically...well.....sucked (couldn't be me right). So different variations compiled into different amounts of frustration till the day I nearly burnt the house down (yup...that did happen) and I SWORE ....lol...very loudly.....and MANY MANY MANY times....that I would never make these cookies again!!!!

That was until Gavyn brought home his latest cookbook from the school 2 weeks ago. The kid brings home a Kids Christmas Cookie Cookbook.....its the middle of January...grrrr. But he is excited because he likes to bake. Actually he likes to point out recipes that he wants and I bake them, and then he eats them. See how that works...ya exactly...I'ma sucker :) Low and behold, in this lovely book is the one recipe I can NOT stand. Of course the little lovely (booger) wants me to make this one...the MOST. I make every other cookie in this book that he wants, I mean for 2 weeks we were saturated with cookie dough, but everyday he asks me "when are you going to make the Candy Cane Cookies" sometimes multiple times a day. To the point where I finally turned around and asked,

"Do you want to see Mommie go insane??!!"

Of course the boy just *giggles* and thinks I am kidding.....no...no I am not....not at all...

I will tell you, that I had absolutely no intention what-so-ever in making those cookies. Did NOT want to, did not need to, did not want the extra pounds from them, and to be quite honest, they really are not that good. Nothing special about them at all except for the fact that they drive me (and my mother) even more crazy than we already are.

But whether or not I wanted a reason to go crazy the other night or I was pmsing or something (I personally would pick door #2 on this one), but I silently talked myself into starting to make those cookies. Maybe this recipe would be different? Maybe I just needed a couple of years off baking them, I have gotten better at the whole baking schtick, MAYBE if I make them Gavyn will stop asking me 50 TIMES A DAY....

Making the dough really is the simplest thing ever....takes me about 5 mins to get it all made up and separated into two different bowls red dyed into one, plain in the other...now all I gotta do is roll each into 2 little snakes and then twist them together...right...easy peasy......OMG....omg omg omg omg omg.......O...M....G!!!!

WHY can I not do this??? Kids are coming in to ask what I am doing (looks like I am making something good...need to investigate....often) and if they can help. What they really wanna do is know when I am done so they can lick the bowl...scavengers I tell ya. I have floured my hands about 20 times and it just sticks. The recipe tells me that it will be sticky but I do not remember this from previous recipes, and they are just falling apart.....completely....kinda like me. Kid #2 walks it...and I just lose it..."GET OUT!!!...get out, get out, get OUT!!!!!".....seeeeethe......Kid slowly backs out of the kitchen....very slowly. I start again....roll....roll.....stick....fall apart..ARGH!

I get about 2 done (in like 15 mins, way to long) and then hubby comes in from work. He does his normal walk in the door, the dogs greet him like he has been gone for years, and then comes into the kitchen to see what I doing, and pretty sure he is wondering why I have not said hello....and then....he see's why. I am not sure what he is thinking....but it must have been a sink or swim mentality at that point....lol...cause he asks (after he asks if I am okay, which I am not, and I tell him so, cause really...why lie, it is written all over my face that if you touch me....I may have to kill you...) "If I can help", now I first say NO, the real reason why I said no is because if he can make these without going as insane as I am, well...I might just have to break something :) and knowing him, it will be the easiest thing in the world and be done in 2 seconds...and I just might have to break something...like him.

But I figured that I at least have to get 6 of these done so the boys can have 2 each (the recipe calls for 2 dzn, ya not going to happen) and I was thinking 2 people doing these are better than one, and let's face it, I was not getting anywhere really. So he picks up a teaspoon of the dough and plops it down and I am telling him "flour, you REALLY need to flour you hands...like lots....no more...MORE". Which I am pretty sure he is thinking, "lady, get a grip I can only get so much flour on my hands before it just starts falling off". I of course can not watch him make his little dough snake...I am concentrating on my own mess. Which finally after my fourth one is starting to semi look right, but no where near looking like the picture in the book...lol...Finally I hear hubby say "these things are really sticky, and they fall apart like nothing".

WOOOOOOT!!!!!

Sorry, but....WOOOOOOT.....I am not insane, it is not just my family (blood related that is) that can not make these darn cookies. I know I should not be gloating in my hubbies failure, but I was so so relieved. I did not have to hurt something for my inadequacies as a bakes...phew. I know, I know.....but really...at the time. It was BIG!!!! I tell ya, pms can really do wonders with your brain.

After a few mins of him trying to twist them together. He just squishes it all together like play-doh, and contorts it into a candy cane....he does the one, that is it. But it was enough for me that he tried (and failed) that I was able to keep going and finish up the bowl and make about a dzn on them. I think they just may have been on the biggish side :) but that is okay. They are done. I did my Mommie duty of making these darn cookies

I stuck them in the oven, and I did not burn them, and I did not burn the house down...another bonus :) and when they came out....well they looked NOTHING like the picture, but they were candy cane shaped, they were red and white, and these ones actually tasted like something.

Though not good enough to try again....cause that would be NUTZ.....and I think I am going to have to hide this book in the library.....actually it is a really good thing that he is not going back to that school next year. But if he takes it out again in June I just may have to lock myself in a pink padded room...

AND!!!! AND!!!!!!!!

he didn't even like them that much.......sigh......

So anyone know a decent recipe for these cookies.....cause ummmm......I know I am going to get asked again next year. I would like to be prepared.....lol.....and not go as insane, cause I am really not a fan of pink (you know, for the padded room)

Can not WAIT!!!!

2010-01-27T17:07:00.003-05:00

The BARN HOUSE is going to have an online shop....WOOT...since I am pretty sure that hubby will not let me go all the way to Battle Ground Washington for a one day flea market (though really...I do not know why) this is the next Bestest thing EVER...

I can not wait for this website to be opened up....midnight tonight :) You know where I will be...

SHOPPING

Things that need to be done.....PRONTO

2010-01-26T15:59:00.004-05:00

I have a lot to do these days...and while I would rather be baking and spending time with the kids. It seems that I am stuck (okay not really stuck) behind the sewing machine for hours on end. While on one end I am happy to be creating....always happy to be doing that. I just wish I would not get myself into time pickles....my own fault again. I think that I am faster than I am....and I am getting my orders completed, it is just taking a few days extra.

My store is basically empty at the moment (YEA!!!!) so I am having to sew like a mad woman to get it restocked (BOOOOO!!!!) So completed is a BUNCH of scrappy skirts that will go into the MisMatcHedMolly store. I have so many ideas for both of them and not enough arms and legs to do them with....lol...

Dolls are done and some are listed...they turned out super sweet...I have a bunch of Valentines Day Dolls up....and this is one of my favorite "holidays" to celebrate with the kiddos....lotsa sweet stuff....for the sweets. The older boys do not really celebrate "Love Day" it's to icky....so I will use up the extra cards I bought last year for Gavyn's class.....

Hope they can read French

Things that just won't go away....and I am okay with that :)

2010-01-20T18:18:00.004-05:00

So the family and I have been in the good ole "US of A" for about 6 months now...and I never realized some of the Quebec habits that I had (no no not the swearing)......(or the bad driving). But I have noticed some things that I am having a hard time changing as I am now here in Jersey....one of them being the two cheek kiss....lol.....Now I realize that in most of the world the one cheek hello (or goodbye) kiss is pretty acceptable....but in most French areas (Quebec, France) I think it is pretty common for the 2 cheeker. As I meet and greet people that I have started to get to know there is often confusion and head bobbing and sometimes.....colliding....eeeks....lol....but I am working around it I think. I have started to warn people ahead of time that I am still in the Montreal frame of mind and we are two cheek kissers. Most have gotten used to it, some still look at me strange....I am okay with that :)

Another thing that just won't leave is saying "Merci" and "Bonne Journee"...it's almost a basic reflex now in my vocabulary (and I will be honest here, it is about my only passable French knowledge after living in Montreal for more than half my life...I know bad me) since I know where to properly use it at all times....lol...it really was bad manners if you did not say either of them when you were out in public at least over a dzn times. So again, something that may take me awhile to unlearn....but heck it is who I am....and I am okay with that :)

I also still walk everwhere....and while this town is not HUGE by any sorts....I think that Ile Bizard may have been bigger...lol....it still I think seems odd for some of my neighbours to see me walking (and intentionally) to the Post Office, or the Doctors Office. I am only about a mile and a half out from the main street....nothing to die over, but one (VERY nice) neighbour is always asking if I need a lift and if I am okay....very sweet....but I desperately need the exercise and I will happily walk it...and I am okay with that :)

tried a new recipe this week that my lovely MIL passed onto me over the holidays, just some cinnamon rolls...which is a first for me...because I am usually just buying them from Pillsbury. But thought that they really could not be that hard to do....and while they weren't hard to make at all.....and they looked just fine

I really either must have over done it with the salt or the baking soda, because to me they seemed a little saltish. Not sure if I missed the measurements....or maybe the recipe is not superb....but I will try it again this weekend to see if it was me....or them...

If first you do not succeed.....blah blah blah......hehehe.....and I am okay with that!

Living in the DollHouse....

2010-01-18T20:38:00.006-05:00

So I have been out of the loop lately...busy with Christmas orders, traveling, New Years...kids, dogs, kids, dogs....oh ya and sewing :)

I opened up a new shop MisMatcHedMolly still getting rid of my bigger scraps and making OOAK's for pretty cheap.... 8.99$ skirts for the opening month....and I am having so much fun digging through my mass of fabric...finding stuff I haven't seen in years...literally....like really. I might just keep that price going till I get rid of it all....

I have also been dolling it up for a couple of weeks and have finally got a system going going with a "production line"...lol...

so I have been doing a lot of "that" lately....about 35 done....WOOT....I even made a special Valentines series of the dolls...and if I must say so...they turned out pretty cute (hubby still thinks they are fugly but I do not care). Oh Oh and some Emo-ish ones as well. I haven't really done any Goth dolls so this was my first attempt, so here goes it :) I am going to be listing this week hopefully on the Peppermints etsy site if all goes well with picture taking, mine have been really bad lately and I can not figure it out as to why (other than the fact that I am not a photographer)...

But for now I have to get out from under all these little arms, legs and teeny tiny skirts....

Holiday Stocking Stuffer thought??....

2009-11-20T22:02:00.005-05:00

So I have been busy, can you tell?? lol...I have not been around much, though it is the kind of busi-ness that I really can not explain, but it has something to do with mountains of laundry and the never ending dish pile...not very glamorous at all.

I have been doing some crafty shopping...I have picked up my knitting needles again, and hope to knit a few things for holiday gifts. Every year I try to do this....some times I succeed....but quite often it is a complete failure...though I do tend to blame the blond barky bark a lot for this. Two years in a row he has eaten straight threw a scarf that was incomplete. Kinda through me off my game of wanting to start all over again. This year I am going to have to find a higher hiding place I think....lol...or maybe just a really cute basket to put the yarn in :)

This year I am attempting ebay again for listing some of my craftyiness, as much as I love etsy, I know that I get a lot of views from that former venue. Last year I made a bunch of wonky log cabin quilt squares that could be used as pot holders, this year I am doing *Scrappy Dolls*

Which are really fun, and I have a small army amassed at the moment of them all staring at me (kinda creepy...lol) but I really love these and think that they would make perfect stocking stuffers/holiday gifts. I custom make each one with unique hair/eye colour combinations....you can make them to match your little girl? or something completely whimsical.

I hope to add a few aprons to the mix this year again, stick some BIN's...I loved the ones I did last year

that I made with Heather Bailey's POP Garden fabric and her apron pattern as well....great for gifty giving all around :)

Only how many more days left???...ugh....almost to scary to think about....

well onward and upward....

Pecan and Pumpkin Thanksgiving lovelieness.....

2009-10-12T13:48:00.005-04:00

Even thought we are not in Canada anymore....we are celebrating Thanksgiving goodness. Gavyn wanted to keep up with our traditions (I think he just wanted Turkey actually) and while I wasn't really planning to do anything, I did not want to disappoint. So we bought a HUGE chicken, winged it with the stuffing....mashed up some sweet potatoes (yams for our American friends)....and creamed some spinach up....I have to say that this was the easiest holiday dinner ever. Gavyn even ate some of the veggies without gagging (he can't eat them without threatening him with some kind of medievil torture that is basically all in his head, but we have to try something, the boy lives off of protein and carbs....) but I am pretty darn sure it had to do with what I baked for dessert. Which is the only thing that I kind of planned for the meal :) all of that really means is that I had all the ingredients in the cupboard and a free hour to bake.

I managed to make two of these sweet Pecan Pies for dessert, as I am used to having a gang over for Thanksgiving. As a family tradition on my hubbies side the pecan pie is usually frozen...which I completely forgot to do, as it was a sudden and last min. decision to make. So this is the first time in many years that we have had it "thawed"....lol....and yum....I have to say. I mean I rarely would give a Pecan Pie a bad review anyways....but really...I could actually like it at room temperature :) Though because I made two pies only one was eaten....so I placed that other lovely in the icebox for another time....

Now what Thanksgiving can be complete without pumpkin....well anything??? and I wasn't that well thought out....hehehe....so while I was on my favorite addiction (Facebook) one my of dear old friends posted up what was now available on her menu for her RAW restaurant. While I am waaaay to lazy to create raw meals....they sure are pretty to look at on her site...she posted in her status that she was adding Pumpkin French Toast to her menu.....and well since I had not had brekkie yet, and was pretty sure I had everything to concoct something similar I went upstairs to see what I could do to get that yummy goodness....

So....for my PumpKin FrencH ToasT this is how the story went

1/4 cup of canned Pumpkin
3/4 cup of Fat free half and half
2 eggs whisked
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin spice
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Then I whisked this all together and got a nice thick batch of mush :) You can adjust the spices to your taste...I just love any excuse to use pumpkin spice, I had the hardest time finding it in Canada....lol...

I would have loved to have had some big crusty bread to have soaked this into...but I had only regular Wonder Bread on hand...maybe next time?? I used about 8 slices...

and you place it is a frying pan like regular french toast....though the batter is a little thick so it may take a little longer to cook....yummy and delicious and perfect for a Fall morning...

Gotta love that real Maple Syrup with it as well.....WOOT!!

Happy Thanksgiving All...

Fear not all you Trekkies....I have just been assimilated

2009-09-27T20:33:00.002-04:00

Into the Suburban housewife....it was only a matter of time that it was going to happen. I have been fighting it for years actually....living out in the boonies on Ile Bizard was just a small deflect of a very large institution. I buried myself under a few rocks and trees....was hoping that the hippie way of life would honestly take me away....but after a few weeks of living in the US (really living, Jersey City was basically just limbo) on this wonderful kid filled and tree lined street I say "why fight it??" Maybe I should just give in to the happy homemaker way....throw away the black nail polish and grey sweaters and start baking apple pies (okay I do do this actually...but you know what I mean) and actually folding the clean laundry that I put away....have a routine....play nice nice with the neighbours (I have been to Friday night Happy Hour twice already) and try to let some of them step throught the threshold of our (sometime) happy home without having on the barky barks scare them off (I know they are only doing the job that I trained them to do when we were living in Canada).

I do like my "little" house....and it is MUCH smaller than our other small house....not enough walls to hang all my crap on....much to my despair.....to hang to family heirloom paintings? or to hang my weird whimsical stuff....fit right in....stand right out??? pro's and cons to all I am sure.....I am going with an eclectic mix of both....so far I have not been able to paint anything chartreuse and I am much upset with this...as it is my colour to let people know that I am slightly off balance...again...trying to fit in? or I haven't got my groove on as of yet??

We have pretty much unpacked most of our things....but not everything has found a place yet :( the flow is not the same and I am missing my house that I left...my sewing space is tiny, but I have one so I am not really complaining (only a little) but I have not felt the need to create anything other than curtains...while bold in colour, blah is style....thought really, the dogs are just going to tear through them in a few months anyways, other than shielding the neighbours from Gavyn's sporadic nakedness I do not even like curtains...

The schools have been great....the boys have yet to ask for a day off, 2 weeks in...that is an all time record. Gavyn is refusing to speak in Spanish class, which I knew would be a problem...he hated French, so the same was going to happen for Spanish I assumed....but everything else is coming along, we have talked to all of his resource teachers and he has been set on a new IEP (for those that do not know, Gavyn has PDD-NOS, on the autism spectrum) and while I do not expect to see miracles right away with the new school...I am happy with the way they so far seem to be on the same page as us...crossing fingers....

Hubby is so far still employed.....and heck that would make anyone excited in the economy. Not to mention that he is liking work...a bonus to all I say...woot....

But for me so far....I am happy to go along with the flow....keep the kitchen clean, vacuum a little, make sure we all have clean underwear (priorities you know)....and occasionally design a new creation....can't ask for much more right???!!!

Time for a new tatoo...

Not a fan of Fruit.....

2009-08-20T11:59:00.005-04:00

I have to admit to that (though I am a fan of my friend Becca's blog ) it's not that they have really done anything malicious to me over the years...the problem with them is their inconsistency to taste the same every time. I really need to look at the areas the fruit comes from when I find a fruit I like, then I might start to feel a little friendlier towards them. My family is also a little iffy about them....so I have been "trying" to use them more often.

This week I had an abundance of blueberries...so I tried a blueberry strudel of sorts....and still had a bunch left in the fridge for a few days...and well, for me blueberries scare me. I just can not take their mushy consistency when they start to "fade". So I knew I had to do something with them instead of wasting more moola in the garbage.

So off to my favorite recipe website with Gavyn I went, because that is one of our great pass times together....searching through recipes for things we are going to make down the road....and actually came across a blueberry drop cookie recipe....

and while it was a snap to make....I usually just look at the recipe ingredient list to see if I have everything and just start baking.....lol.....I should have read it a little more carefully....because then I would have known about the 4 hour chill time in the fridge....ooops.....just means that they will last 4 hours longer in my house....hehehe.....

While they turned out great I did substitute the almond extract for vanilla....and add a twitch more lemon for tartness....

I love baking, and I am glad that I am starting to get a little helper in the kitchen as well :)....

now if only I could get him to help clean up the mess as well....heheheh

OOAK's and why I do so many of them....

2009-08-18T15:48:00.003-04:00

OOAK (one of a kind) is something that I started doing almost right off the bat when I started sewing waaay back in the day on ebay when chenille was the thing to make a baby girls outfit out of. Not only was this fabric expensive, but it at first was hard to come by, especially when you were using the real vintage stuff. So I made a lot of my outfits OOAK....and while the ebay boutique venue grew and more "everyday" fabrics were being used I still got into that make only one kind of vibe....mass reproducing my designs a gazillion times did not appeal to me at all...even if I was getting good money for them. I began to resent my own copy cat customs and started to procrastinate, and then became late at delivering and I probably lost a ton of customers that way. So while I do sometimes offer a custom auction on ebay, or listing on etsy.....it is a rare thing. It is not that I do not want to make something for you...just not something I have done already....:)

Even though I have a closet full of "Ready to Ship" items and could probably get by with not getting behind and continuing to list while sewing a custom it still takes me to my boredom place....I feel very sad for admitting that...but I know that I constantly need to be doing something new....

There are times when I do cut multiple of the same thing though...sometimes different sizes so I get on an assembly line type feeling for that outfit, so it does not feel like I have done the outfit tons of times....it feels like just once....the downside. I may have 4 of the same thing and nobody likes it...lol....

Why this is starting to actually bother me now?? well I realize that the way I buy fabric is probably the wrong way = more expensive. I quite often only buy 2yrds at a time....when in all honesty I should be buying by the bolt. Heck, not only will I not run out for awhile, but it sure does look neater....than say....

this....

and not that I do not like a whole palette of colours thrown together like than. But I just might be a tad more productive if my like was a little more organized...

**GASP**

yup I said it....

But for now, I am sticking to my OOAK's.....it helps me in my creativity. Keeps my UFO's to a maximum too....lol....

but at least my mind is working....

it is.....I swear it is....hehehe

Holding a FaceBook Garage Sale...

2009-08-11T12:12:00.004-04:00

of sorts....Some of the Scrappy Dress's that you see a few post's down are up for grabs...and more

Just "friend me" to see what I have up and ready to go...

or even better...just go to this link if you are a facebook member already...

and you can get to my Facebook album from that to see what I have up....some stuff is already selling and will have the SOLD sign in the description of it...but you can e-mail me and let me know which picture # you want if it is still up for grabs :)

Go check it out :)

and yes....I have found it.....HOME....sigh....

2009-08-09T08:54:00.013-04:00

Yesterday I had the most wonderful opportunity to go....SHOPPING :) and not just any kind of shopping...but NYC SoHo shopping. Stef and the kids stayed home for the day, because really I can not understand them NOT wanting to walk around aimlessly for hours on end with no particular destination....gasp.....so ya...they stayed home and did not get to enjoy my trials and tribs to get lost....literally :)

While I did actually have one destination...I needed to get to PuRL to pick up some fabric and elastic....sure I could have gone just about anywhere for that...lol...but I wanted a good excuse to go into SoHo. It took me about 35 mins to get there via foot and the PATH train which was great timing think. It wasn't hard to find at all as I did a little bit of research before I left and knew I was looking for the light aqua store, and it definitely sprang out on the street. It was small and cosy, and the staff was very friendly and let us know about a future applique class that would be taught there (hmmmmm) only 6 students per class though, the space is that kind of small, so if I was thinking about joining to let them know soon....again....hmmmmmm.....lol....my appliques suck, and I should really try something else other than just straight sewing...

After I picked up my bunches of fabric, I went to tour SoHo....and I was in luck, there were sidewalk and end of summer sales everywhere. I LOVE walking in and out of stores, trying stuff on (I am a huge DVF fan :) and then talking myself out of buying them....lol...cause really who needs a 525$ tank top.....well....not me, but I am sure someone does :) But again it was about the experience. One of my favorite things to do is pick up their "cards"....at just about every store that I could find one I did. If I liked something I wrote on the back what I did, so then I could find them again, cause at that point things were just running on a blurr...so I came home with about 20 cards....and probably went into twice as many stores (I am sure hubby is VERY happy that he did not come...lol)

It comes a time I think in all good shopping experiences, that you really need to stop and refuel. There is an abundance of places to eat....with lovely little Terrasse atmospheres' just about everywhere....and they are all jam packed. Now I am not the type that is afraid to sit and eat alone...doesn't bother me at all...I do dislike being pushed in like sardines though, but I get it...it is NYC and that is what happens here....really how can a resto fail in this area??

But after waundering around a bit to find the perfect place....like a shining beacon...it called out to me.....

Vosges Haut Chocolat......lol....but of course :) Who really needs to eat anything substantial and hearty when you have chocolate....hehehe....actually what drew me in was not only there funky outside purple decor....but the sign on the door that said "Hot and COLD Chocolate"...and yup...they had me. It was friggin hot outside yesterday, and while I love the warmth, I needed a little respite from it, and I went in to try their Cold Chocolate. It looked like most of the servers where busy helping a BrideZilla to be :) with her order, and after looking at their displays of tons of chocolate I went to the cashier to make my order...which was going to be a cup of Cold Chocolate. But when he looked at me and asked what I would be having...I blanked...lol...it happens sometimes to me...words are there...but they do not come out....hehehe....so I asked him what he would recommend??? and he suggested not something in chocolate decadence but something called "Wattleseed IceCream" ...THEY HAVE ICE CREAM TOO!!!!!!(yup, that is it, up at the top)....omg.....yup ladies...I am moving in....lol...not only did they have me with the purple decor, the amazing crystal chandelier, and let us not forget the ever cascading dreams of chocolate, but Ice Cream too...le sigh....Wattleseed Ice cream is made from a wattleseed which is native to Austrailia and macadamia nuts, with a hint of vanilla...it just really hit the spot, and was not heavy at all which it could have been in that heat. I just sat there in the store and enjoyed reading about the founder of the store (Katrina Markoff) and how she came about with the concept of Vosges, and how she made herself successful (I always admire people that start off with an odd idea and make it work)...and listening to the Bride make the very patient staff go a little crazy.....hehehe. I of course after reading about Katrina could not leave without picking up some of her amazing chocolate, and I picked up a few of her bars so I could share with the brood back home (okay maybe not) I ended up buying Black Pearl Bar (wasabi, ginger, black sesame seeds and dark chocolate), Naga Bar ...omgosh you had me at Hello...(Sweet Indian Curry Powder, coconut flakes, deep milk chocolate) and the Red Fire Bar (Mexican ancho y chipotle chillies, Ceylon Cinnamon, dark chocolate) and while I thought I was done picking up an assortment of her varied tastes of bars, she mentioned in one of her articles that she hoped that if you were going to taste at least one of her creations it would be her first one...so I also picked up her Naga truffle (sweet curry, and dark chocolate)....I was so happy to have found this store....and I was so so sad to leave....

but not before trying one of there sampler truffles that they had laid out...yum...if you are an adventerous type with your food...and especially with your chocolate...I highly suggest going in for a visit :)....next time I am picking up the chocolate BACON bar.....yup..she went there...hehehe

yup, there went my diet right there.....lol...but so so worth it.

I think I spend about 5 hours waundering the SoHo streets...and going back and forth amoung the stores....lots of very everyday type stores (American Apparel type blah blah stores) but there were fun boutiquey type that I would never have found unless there...like Olive and Betty's, and Anna Sui, which I was happy to discover...

OH and this....hehehe....because my tiara loving friend also loves cupcakes...I was delighted to find these as part of the sidewalk sales....I picked up two of her red velvet cupcakes...and carried them all the way back home to share with hubby....see I did think of him :)

LOL....me and my parcels....checking out some really great re-done furniture...possible new sewing table?? what do you think?

How can one not have fun in SoHo.....??? But is definitely a place not to bring your hubbies and your kid's if you plan to shop...and seriously shop :)

Easy Come...Easy Go

2009-08-07T20:47:00.009-04:00

Sometimes it is so so easy to pc together one of my Scrappy Dress's...I mean literally throw the fabrics together and it works perfectly...in an odd way (because I really do not like to match anything) and I am so surprised at how easy it was. Even the sewing glides along like it is talking to me and telling me which patches go where...

Other times....man....it can take months for a dress to get going. Sure a lot of it has to do with my procrastination. Below dress was a color suggestion from a buyer...she wanted pink and red...and while funnily enough my scrappy dress's really do come from my scraps so I have to wait until I have all the right matching patches to do something with it...and well for whatever reason I have never been a big buyer of the color red??? surprising because to major holidays use that color in the schemes.

So when someone says I would like an aqua, green and yellow scrappy dress sometimes it just maybe impossible for me to do (at the time), but ask me in 6 months and I may have some of those colors lying around in my ruffle or scrap bin and all will be good...and I just may finish it in a lickity split time....lol...

Just to fill you in a bit on what is going on with us in a great big move to the US of A. Recently is seems that we have found a rental that will suit us fine. Nothing grand of spectacular mind you....but it will do. It has 3 bedrooms instead of 4 so Gavyn and Tristen will have to share...it has 2 bathrooms....which is a plus for us coming from a 1 bath house. The basement is USEABLE.....WOOT.....which in a lot of our house hunting it seems that this was a problem. Either it wasn't finished, or it was stinky...but this one we are able to put the TV room on one half, and have a computer room/sewing room for me and hubby....OH....and there is FENCED in backyard for the dogs...so tick, tick and tick off all the boxes and it will be okay (though I am going to completely ignore the fact that my kitchen counters are aqua...sigh)

So I have been checking out the schools that they are required to go to....one of the big differences from Montreal, where they could go to just about any school that you wanted them too...as long as you could get them there...But here it is by street to which school you can go to. Looking up on their schools websites on the weekend and I see that they have "Summer Reading" Books....that they have a list of about 20 per grade and they have to choose 2 books off of it to do a book report/essay questions on. With only a month left I had to take a list from the website and pray that the nearest book store had something...anything....I hit the jackpot with Tristen and I choose 3 books for him and he could choose the 2 that he wanted to do the report on...So he got "The Wednesday Wars", "Heat", and "Things Not Seen"...now I got those 2 days ago....he is finished the first two books already....KYLE on the other hand...I was not so lucky with. I took the whole list in....and all I could find was ONE book, which was okay as they would order another for me. So the book I took home was actually the one that I really wanted for him, and the one that he might get into because it was a true story...it is called "Alive" about a plane crash and the survivor's and how they get through it...it was made into a movie as well. The boy read 2 pages and said he wasn't going to read it...sigh...give it a 100 pages at least before you give up on a book...isn't that the tried and true?? So he bribed me....lol...or I bribed him...not quite sure how it went. But if he read half the book then I would have to make him cookies...hmmmmm....doesn't seem like that bad of a trade off...because I haven't baked anything like that in a few weeks and I was due...and heck, if it would get him to read the book how was I losing??? ...lol...this morning I woke up....and there he was sitting with more than half the book read. Since I know my son...I quizzed him a bit about the book to make sure that he just didn't dog ear a page for presentation, thank goodness I saw the movie and saw a biography about it years ago so I have the jist of it...and yup....apparently cookies is the main persuader for him....(must remember that for the future)

So this afternoon...I made 4 dzn of these....

Now normally these would not last more than I day in our house....but I thought that since I am making them later in the day that this would possibly stretch them out a day and a half....ha....finally going to outsmart them....well kinda, cause I know that Kyle will come down in the middle of the night and steal a few...he's a teen of course he is going to. But that is okay, because I held my end of the bargin, and so did he....

But I did not take into the equation big dumb blond barky bark....who since we have moved in to this place has pretty much been a solid well behaved dog....until now....I went upstairs to go to the bathroom....I came downstairs to make coffee and he looked guilty....like really really guilty....slinking next the the floor as I walked by and he just ran for it....Now dinner was roasted chicken...and I did leave it on the counter as well....the dog did not touch the chicken....not even the laywayed bone was nudged....he went right for the chocolately goodness.....all 3 dzn that were left....LOL....

as you can tell I am personally not upset....

the dog just saved my diet :) and Kyle read the book, and got his cookies

win/win/win

Yummie Laughter....

2009-08-06T12:35:00.006-04:00

They are all downstairs right now whooping it up....laughing, giggling, teasing and running....just like boys should be doing. A few "what the hells!!??" from Gavyn (okay we are trying to break him from that habit) so I know that all is okay.

They usually spend most of their time NOT getting along, that this sounds like bliss at the moment, even if it is a few decibels louder than I would like, how can I stop them...really why would I....what is a little noise amoungst happy sounds :)

Maybe I will call them up for snack soon to munch on the chocolate chip muffins that I just made, I can not believe that they have not sniffed them out yet and claimed that they are starving and haven't eaten it FOREVER.....which means that they truly are getting along....

how odd.....hehehee....I might be able to get used to it.....but then wonder what are they up to really?? Lulling me into a false sense of security is what they do best.....conniving children of mine.....you watch, they have me set up for something....

they are my children after all :) I expect nothing less....they keep me on my toes. Boy do they ever....lol...which is good because if it wasn't for sewing and them...(and possibly the dogs) my brain would go to mush.

But I love love the laughter....makes me light up everytime I hear it...

I listed a few new dress's and put them in my shop today...we are without some pretty spectacular wall colors in the new place....sigh....and hubby is not wanting to paint anything that we are renting. SO I am going to have to get his help in constructing a backdrop for me (oh did I not mention this hubby?? oopps.....yup, I will be bugging you soon about this) because the walls here are just not cutting it and it makes me sad to look at these listings....but I adore the dress's...take a looksie if you have time...

Still recovering from the BBQ...lol...

2009-08-05T14:03:00.019-04:00

This weekend was the 5th Annual (see I capitalized that) Diva BBQ...now for those of you that do not know what this is....it is the ebay designers event of the year...truly is. We come from all over to taste some of the best food, meet the nicest people and get to know our Hostess with the Mostest :) Lisa has been holding this even for 5 years now and this was my actual first time getting to enjoy it hands on after watching from afar via pictures that get uploaded onto the ebay design boards....and let me tell you I am sitting there all day refreshing just to see what I have missed....glutton for punishment...maybe just a little...lol...This years theme was Hot Pink and Zebra....so you will probably be seeing a bit of that in the pics :)

But since we have moved to the US, it was much much easier to convince hubby to drive 1/2 an hour to the Diva's house, than trekking 7 hours via car from Montreal. I finally get to be involved in all the festivities....and I was not disappointed.

Getting to meet...well...basically my co-workers after all these years was just a gift. I have been designing and selling on ebay for 9 years now, and while I have met a handful of ladies, this is the first time I get to spend all this time with them in this kind of atmoshere....and WOW....hehehe...and you Gals did not disappoint at all.

Lisa had Ziggy the magician again for all the kiddies entertainment (there most have been what??? 50 kids about?? not to mention the ones that came down the block to watch as well) and not only did he enthrall the kiddies...the adults enjoyed him too. The bounce house came in a little later on...as well as a kinda of swinging ride...it was awesome. But what kept my kids going basically all night was the trampoline....Kyle came off that thing just dripping sweat (mind you it was a perfect hot Summer day too)...and for Gavyn it was his first time ever getting on something like that. While it took a little bit to persuade him to at least try (he was afraid that he was to heavy and that he would break it...poor guy) the trampoline, once he got on, he never got off the whole night....something makes me think that I am going to have to try and convince the hubby that we need one of those :)

I of course went on every single ride, bounce house, and trampoline there....hehehe...I was going to get every experience out of this as possible....I was not going to miss a thing....WOOT!!!

She had a CANDY CART too...now I have heard about the infamous Candy Cart for years....but nothing quite prepares you for it except for being there is person. The candy was everywhere...all over the cart, in buckets on the cart, under the cart, beside the cart...you name it...she had that kind of candy. Not only did the kids drop their jaws....I sort of did too. But what was really cool....lol.....was when Lisa said go...all the kids started attacking the cart and dumping it into their little chinese take-out boxes (cute idea)....scavengers I tell...it was literally picked bone dry....(though I am pretty sure that Lisa has a stash hidden somewhere)

Now I won't go into the fact that she also had a cotton candy machine (which my children overdosed on) and caramel apples that are to die for (I have one in my fridge right now...) or that her buffet of food was never ending and OMG delicious at everyturn (the mussels were TDF) but I have not had that much fun in a trillion years, and I completely wish that EVERY weekend was like this....

We had people come in from all over...Cali, NY, NJ, PA, IL, almost got one special lady in from TN (next year right??...please please please??) where else...oh ya FL....hehehe...it was a day to remember.

and because I would like to keep this a nice family friendly blog...the night time was....ummmm....hehehe....interesting, entertaining, and well....unforgettable....hehehee....I love all those ladies, and I really cannot wait until next year (August 7th, 2010, mark your calenders)

Thank you so much Lisa Diva, Mr. Diva, Marielle and Joey for opening your home like that to complete crazy strangers....and even more for always inviting everyone back...

Got Mrs. Diva a little hostess gift of course....and well...if you know where my husband works...hehehe.....you know what kind of purse she got :) I have a feeling Marielle will be borrowing this too :)

Wordless Wednesday Photo

2009-07-29T09:01:00.004-04:00

I now have sympathy....

2009-07-27T21:59:00.006-04:00

For all you crafter's that only have their dining room table to work on to do their crafts with....being used to such a HUGE room in the past, I am having to make do for the summer....eeeks...and this is the space I am using now...

not that I am complaining....because I am not (okay maybe a twiddle) but I can make this work....I know I can. I just keep hoping that I do not scratch that glass table top. That would be a bad bad thing...

I have been trying to get into a groove and use up all of the fabric that I have brought with me...there is no way that I am buying any thing summmer...nope nope nope, not gonna do it, you can't make me...no matter how cute all the new fabric is looking these days (I am this close to buying some of the new Summer Soiree fabric by Paula Prass) but I am holding out. First of all because I need to know how to live in our new new space when we move again at the end of the summer, and I am dying to make a covered ottoman with those fabrics, but need to know how big first...and secondly...well, let's be honest...budgeting speaks louder these days. So I will be good and hold off...

In the mean time I have made these in and on my new Summer space...some of it is Back to School worthy. I hope to get them up in my shop sometime in the next week...woot...

my hall closet is getting fuller by the day....it's a happy feeling seeing all these hanging in there like that. Makes me feel like I have done something...there are a bunch more too, I just did not bring hangers that would hang the shirred sets properly....bad me....but it is nice seeing it all :)

SUPER excited for this weekend coming as it is the Diva's annual BBQ that she holds for the boutique designing community. She has opened her house to all the designers for the past 5 years, and this is my first year being able to attend after watching from afar all this time...woot!! this year I get to join in....I can not wait to share piccies....

A little Mexican my Dear??

2009-07-17T19:43:00.016-04:00

Well I have been patrolling the streets around here looking for different resto's and places to shop...which there are TONS of, and I am completely loving how everything is withing walking distance...We are near the Grove Park Path Train and really everything is just so close...Starbucks, a couple of Deli's, a Farmers Market on the weekend in the park...

But my night last night started out with me and Tristen going out for a dinner date, his favorite is Mexican and look what is just down from out street...

So we walk in and it really is such a cute little place....Tristen chooses to sit outside to eat...

it's kinda small out here but VERY cosy...and has lots of boogey boards and surf stuff....think someone is into it at the resto...

getting artsy

Meals were really cheap...but so so good....I had the rojas enchilada 7.95$....and Tristen surprisingly had ONLY had 2 tacos 2.50$...this boy (as small as he is) can usually smack down like 7 tacos...

We had a nice stroll after dinner on the hunt for dessert because well....I am guess that there really isn't any Mexican deserts...so off we went on the hunt...for well...a Dunkin DoNuts :) Yes, we are so refined...hehehehe...so this is a tour of our new neighbourhood...

Tristen is NOT impressed with the camera anymore and wants to go home...lol....but we haven't found dessert yet....

oh oh...okay....so we found the Dunkin DoNuts, but Tristen just could not decide which one he wanted....choices choices...lol...so I directed him the this great little bakery called BEECHWOOD Bakery...the boys got some yummy Vanilla Mocha Cupcakes...and I came home with Tiramisu for hubby....it was amazingly delish....woot...

it was a super sweet night out with my little gentleman....

Well I am not back to life yet....

2009-07-07T21:02:00.002-04:00

but happy to show that I got onto an etsy treasury

having a great time discovering my new surroundings though...it's kinda like NDG for you Montrealers....with a little bit of the Plateau as well....30 mins to mid-town Manhattan....way way cool....but to busy and loud for us country folk :)

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-07-01T21:07:00.001-04:00

MOVING.....

and that is all I have to say right now for a few days :)

if you have ever been through it, ya know what my title means....lol.....if you have ever moved between countries, just add a couple of exclamation points :)

see you soon....

My Little Graduate :)

2009-06-23T09:24:00.007-04:00

Tristen graduated from Grade 6 last night....can I get a WOOT WOOT!! Thats my boy :) He was so so relieved that he did not fail....lol....hopefully a little of that stress will carry onto Grade 7. OMGosh I am way to scared for him to reach High School....look how he fits in that locker.....eeeeks.....

We had such a great evening last night....with the graduation, then DQ, and then a little night on the beach.....loved it all....heck they even posed for a few pics without killing eachother (okay well you have to see the deleted ones of course, but there was only a little bit of torture goin on)

Only one more baby to leave elementary school.....heck, how did this happen?? when did they all start growing up on me....and can they please stop taking me with them....grrrr

Double Happiness Day...

2009-06-21T13:59:00.010-04:00

This is such a great weekend...we are usually doubly blessed on this weekend...because not only is it Daddies Day. But it also Tristen's 12th birthday...woot woot...While I might have wallowed in the fact that my amazing Father passed away 3 years ago. I won't, I will only think of what a fantastic man he was, and how I was so so blessed to have gotten to know him, and that my children did as well....but I definitely do miss him every single day.

Yesterday we had a family party for Tristen...lots of family chaos, in the best possible way. It was loud and crazy...dogs, kids, lots of bodies in a small house. Isn't that what family is about....lol. I enjoy it, and I don't...I never get to be where I want to be, and even though I pretty much had everything laid out I was still in the kitchen most of the time....but at least I had my jug of Sangria :)

OH...that little munchkin in the bug costume is my cutie nephew Alex....I do not know where he dug that costume out from, but it happily went home with him that night...hehe

The Present that he won't take off....lol...it's kinda eerie with the funky voice box that distorts everything...and the eyes...well....Sushi just won't go near him...lol...

Today is pretty much a laid back Daddy Day...whatava he wants to do....which pretty much is playing World of WarCraft....aka WOW...till about 2 in the morning, and I am okay with that :) It makes him happy and the boys can play with him as well online, so all is good with that. I baked a chocolate cake for dessert, but dinner will probably be leftovers from yesterday....

We are terrible at taking pics of ourselves, something that I am going to remedy with the move...he is the only recent pic of Stef with the boys, at Disney, in February...how wrong is that??

Gotta go and frost that Cake now :)

Need a last min Father's Day Craft???

2009-06-19T20:08:00.009-04:00

Anyone Need a Crafty thing to do???

Okay I am showing this here because I am almost positive that hubby NEVER reads my blog...lol....and I thought that this was such am easy and fun project...and if you have suddenly forgot you do not have anything for the man and you are not about to run out and buy him a plasma TV...then I think that this is a great craft to do for him....and well you and the kiddos to... Heck this is cheaper than buying the TV :)

Please click on the picture, it will give you a bigger picture

What you will need to start the project(or what I used, cause I think that this is adabtable, cut the project down a sz or two to make it not that scary)

24x20 inch canvas
Fabric Mod Podge
Tracing Paper (or heck, lined paper will do too)
Pencil
Scissors
Assorted fabric (if you do not have that, but you do have say old baby clothes, or stuff that is going to the garbage salvage a couple of pcs)
Paint Brush

What you will need to start do is trace your children's hands....just one of each will do. Keep the template of the hand. (I have 3 children to give you an idea of how many hands are on the canvas that I used)

Cut a GAZILLION of the hand's using your assorted fabric (I say gazillion, but I eye balled it and then added one or two more later). I folded the fabric in half, you get two of hands that way, a right and a left.

Lay your "hands" out across your canvas, to get a feel for how you will lay it out and if you may need more.

Then follow the directions on the Mod Podge in laying and pasting the hands. I glued the back first layed it on the canvas where I wanted it, and then I painted the tops of the hands with the Mod Podge. Don't worry, it will dry clear. Try to make sure you get all the edges firmly down.

Keep going until you get the desired effect that you would like....I did it in a mish mash collage style. But I can totally see it being done, say in a line right across with each kids hand in a same colourway, one under another...depending on how many childrens hands there are that could be really amazing...

Lastly, I added a border, I cut strips of a border fabric, I actually sewed the edges, but I am pretty sure you could iron and fold them under as well, and then I pasted it all down as well...I liked the effect that it gave, basically a finished look :)

Now I thought that it would be a great idea to get each kid to write a little something in the originally template hand and then I pasted it on the back so Daddy can have a little message from each...and if they can't write yet, maybe a crayoned up picture of the hand....

I hope you enjoyed my little project, I really had fun doing this....because hey, when it comes down to it, I am a control freak and I did most of it, but the kids picked out colours, and I was able to get one to help cut....the one that can actually cut a straight line that is....lol....

You can even keep this completely simple (and probably less time) with taking a much smaller canvas and just doing one hand of each child and then bordering it with a nice co-ordinating fabric...great for his office...well at least that is what I think :)

I am pretty sure and hoping that Daddy likes this :) this is the first time I have given a "tutorial" of sorts, so if you have any questions give me a shout in the comments section. I will do my best to help :)

oh, this did not take to long to do....all and all....about 2 hours, with a little help. Though it is seeming like it will take a bit to dry....so it you do take this project on let your man know to handle with care till it dries....

or do this for next year with plenty of drying time left ahead of Fathers Day :)

Let me just say....

2009-06-19T00:44:00.001-04:00

Modge Podge and a New Manicure just do not mix....grrrr.....why do I even bother trying??

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-17T23:21:00.002-04:00

Some of my favorite things...

2009-06-16T19:42:00.007-04:00

Yesterday there was a pretty big thunderboomer that came our way....I LOVE the rain, even better when I get a light show with it. But while I love the rain I knew that if I didn't go out (AND QUICKLY) cut a few of the blooming peonies then there would be petals smashed to the ground all over the yard....so out I squirrled as quickly as I could cutting as many different kinds as I could just to get a sweet selection....I love my peonies...they really are just a stunning flower. In blooms and fragrance....love love love....

I also had an urge to bake last night...GASP....no really....lol...me?? So out a whipped a dzn or so of these yummy cupcakes. No recipe, just kinda close my eyes and pray that they work out. I have come a long way from when I was 12 and wanted to use our brand new 1800$ microwave to bake muffins in. I am sure that my Mom had told me at some point NOT to use metal in it....but hey, I was 12, and listening to instructions was not my forte...so at 2 in the morning I bake these ???muffins??? in a metal tin in her VERY NEW, and VERY EXPENSIVE new machine....lol....thank goodness nothing blew....but for some reason they did not turn out ...like....lol...at all.....I ended up ditching the evidence in the backyard.....heck the birds wouldn't even eat them....apparently they didn't even decompose throughout the whole winter either....lol...

I am happy to say (and so our my children) that I am a much better cupcake maker now....but it took loads and loads of practice....

btw, that is one of my mothers favorite stories about me :) there are many actually....but I think this one is one of the tamer ones she can tell ....hhehhee

this "would" also be one of my favorite things...her name is Lucy and actually it is my hubbies favorite thing....but again, she would be if she would stop CRAPPING on my floor....geesh....but she sure is pretty....which is why I haven't killed her yet....

This on the other hand is mine...and I love my Sushi...to little itty bits and pc's....is he just not edible???hehhee.....love my puppy chow :)

I was given my project orders today :) ...so I think I have some things in the works....some cut, some still in my head....but I think they will turn out CUTE!

Flirty Skirt Surprise....

2009-06-15T16:13:00.006-04:00

When the call came out from a Tiara loving friend of mine that she wanted some skirts made for her for Summer...I came out for the challenge... am that kinda friend ya know ;) Though there was a catch of course....she was my guinea pig....lol...as I have never made an "adult" skirt before. Heck, I rarely use patterns, why change now...hehehe....so off I went into my dungeon/studio to find some fun fabrics that are not to childish but at the same time...well...are. I love fun bright fabrics that is for sure, cause when I look through my stash that is basically what you find...and boy oh boy did I find what I think is a great combination....and actually I ended up liking her's so much, I made one for me...and then another...heck, you just might find me in skirts all Summer because of this...There is way so much movement in these skirts....looks lovely going down some stairs, I go up and down just to see it move...hehehehe

I had Kyle take some pics of me in the skirts (hence the bit of blur, but he did great)....well because I needed to share the yumminess of them. Please excuse the wet hair...I just could not resist being clean and taking pictures....

OH and the shoes I wear with this...are divine. Miss PortabelloPixie had them on her blog about a year or so ago and I had everyone I know go on a search for them for me....I was so thrilled when one of my Gals came through and found them in Florida for me....Can never find anything cute here in Canada it seems...well at least not like these...

and here is one in my fav colours...I will probably end up buying a yellow tank for this, as apparently yellow is THEE it colour for the summer....who knew???....lol...

I had fun fun fun making these, and I definitely see more in my future.....

15 days and counting till the move day....woot....

Summer Reading and 3am baking

2009-06-12T08:33:00.005-04:00

I think I mentioned a bit back that I had my Summer Reading list ready (and that I may have started one or two before Summer has officially started) and since I have kid #1 now home from a finished year of Grade 7 HS, I think I can start to actually plan a few of my Summer rituals...one of them being reading.

I can remember many many Summers that the only thing I knew that I was going to be doing was having a book in my hand. I used to work as a gas station attendant during one of my many Summer jobs....lol....loved the job, and loved the time it gave me to read. I would often sit myself up on top of the POP machine with my book and just waste the afternoon away up there...

While my taste in books have changed, my love of reading has not (even though I do not make as much time for it as I used to and I am glad to have reading back in my life)

This is my list for the Summer... some quick reads, some I have read before but I am re-reading, and a couple of new authors for me to read as well...

While I usually waste the last few mins of my day reading before I turn in to sleep with the dogs on all sides of me (really need a bigger bed than a Queen Sized, never realized how much room a 17 pound beagle takes up till now, not to mention the 65 pound Golden retriever and the 55 pound Chow Chow) I have been having a harder and harder time falling asleep again. Insomnia should be my middle name, not Catherine. But up I was/still am reading blogs and trying to plan out my day...and as it has been of late, I have the baking bug.....now mind you I also have the "I still have to lose 10 pounds" bug as well....and this does not go hand in hand...lol....but the boys needed something for their lunches as they have already eaten me out of house and home and I need to make our food supply last another week (I only go shopping once every two weeks)

So here are the 3 dzn cookies I baked at 3 this morning....a little brown around the edges, but not burnt. These are pretty cake like, and quite yummy and I was surprised I did not screw it up considering....

The easiest recipe ever....no really....

Heat Oven to 350, grease a couple of cookie sheets

Really all I did was throw ALL the ingredients into my mixer on med. for about 2 mins and voila...spoon onto cookie sheets...

oh, the ingredients...yup right here...

2 cups Flour
1/2 C Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 Cup of Vanilla Yogurt (you can use a non-fat plain yogurt, this was in my fridge so I used it)
1 1/2 cups of Chocolate Chips
1 cup of Shredded Coconut
2 Tbsps Olive Oil
1 Tsp Vanilla ext.
1 egg

you do not have to use coconut, works well without :)

bake for about 12-15 mins...cool....and then place far away from the dogs...

Let's just say that the boys were really impressed with the cookies this morning and were wondering where I had hid them yesterday....hehehe

I am sure by dinner tonight they will be all gone though....which is fine, I am pretty sure I will be up till the wee hours of the morning again needing something to do...lol...

I love my chaotic yard

2009-06-11T08:19:00.008-04:00

Okay so to be honest everything about my life is pretty chaotic (and heck who's isn't these days??) but I really do love my yard, it is big and messy and I see something new all the time. I am afraid that we will be moved and outta here before the peonies have a chance to bloom (they tend to bloom late here in Montreal) and I have a ton all around. I even have some that came from my Grandmothers Cottage that was passed on to me, and I just adore them...

My step-mother Angel and I planted these in the lot beside my house outside my kitchen window a couple of Summers ago....before we bought the land :) it is always nice to see the purple amoungst all that green

I am a sucker for viburnum, one of absolute fav bushes....my MIL hacked this back last year not knowing what it was and I am so so happy to see that it still has some life in it :)

My very messy rock garden...lol....loads of peonies, lilies, and hydrangea in there....I am soooo going to miss this...even the well worn dog path running into the forest.

I know it is pretty much because we have the house up for sale, but my front yard has never been so colourful....lol.....love it to to much...

Butterfly Garden....not in bloom yet :( heck it is still pretty much in the starting stages...

So many things that I am going to miss.....but so many things I can start anew :)

Why.....

2009-06-10T07:29:00.004-04:00

I couldn't make him go to school today.....he was too scared

so now he is in his room crying because I was forcing him to wait at the bus stop with his brother....he ran home screaming and crying.....cause he thought I was going to force him to get on the bus. I probably was going to try to get him on though, so he was right to go home crying...

it was Carnival Day at school today, and I wanted him to have fun, and to try.....

Autism sucks.....

Let there be...well.......CAKE :)

2009-06-09T17:27:00.003-04:00

Just to let you all know....I am a blog stalker, I love reading and trying the things that other people try. I know, how unoriginal....lol...but sometimes when you read about what other people are doing you realize how unproductive you are (I know, then get off the darn computer right...lol) and try to change that. One such blog that I read pretty religiously showed off such a scrumptious cake that I had to try (she has a link to the recipe as well)....and by gosh, it was chocolate, what other excuse do I need??...lol....

Well here is my attempt at her amazing cake, while I baked it yesterday, I iced it today (and it was not icing outta the betty crocker jar either....handmade stuff, yup...I go all out...lol) and it is still around to tell the tale with 3 boys in the house....and yes I threatened them with death if they touched it before dinner tonight.....hey it worked didn't it??

It was one of the easiest cakes in the world to mix up....cake is not hard to make, especially from scratch....and it is definitely satisfying to do...even better when seeing the looks of those three boys eyeing it....lol....

But what is the bestest.....lol.....is that they HAVE to eat their dinner before they can have dessert.....oh yes....I am evil....hehehehe.....

Oh yes, one more thing....my GODSAVEAQUEEN set is up and listed.....and those little dolls in the post below are included....whether hubby like them or not :)

Okale' ....so he says I can not do dolls....

2009-06-08T16:06:00.003-04:00

So should I just give up??? I happen to think that they are tres cute....but hubby says I should quit while I am ahead....and well....I just maybe able to get rid of a few more scraps this way....lol....

But well I had fun making them....and we will see if I can keep going...heck I just might as well until I use up my stuffing....I do not want to move that if I do not have too :) sooo ummmm that is my story hubby and I am sticking to it...I will just make them until I get rid of the stuffing...and heck if nobody wants em, I will just have someone to talk to during the day that doesn't talk back....lol.....

The move is coming quicker and so is my anxiety....okay yes, so there, I admit it, I really really do get stressed. A lot, I just show it differently. By keeping the house a mess and not getting caught up on laundry....okay heck, that is all the time, but I at least have an excuse now :)

Kids are getting excited that school is almost done, and well I am excited that I can sleep in longer than 6 in the morning now....woot....well maybe not now, but pretty darn soon....double WOOT!

I have my summer reading list just about ready....10 novels that I am going to read that I will probably have finished in the first 2 weeks....I am also going to try knitting again. We'll see how well that goes...I am hoping to surpass the never ending scarf project, and maybe attempt a sweater....but I am pretty sure that involves counting and paying attention, both of which I am not terribly good at :) but we shall see....

any good beginner sweater patterns out there??

Things starting to get a little crazy around here....but

2009-06-04T22:46:00.003-04:00

in a good way :)

Finally it looks like things are starting to look up....I am trying to be a positive girl here. Corporate housing has found us a place to live next month....woot woot....we are going to be living in Jersey City (New Jersey of course) for the summer months. In that time we (I) are going to have to look for a permanate place to live in and around the Manhattan area, something that does not take Stef 4 hours of commuting, but has decent schools as well...oh and also accepts dogs. Which has been our #1 problem with finding a place. Mom is going to take the cats so I am not having to worry about putting them down (I was so not feeling good about that at all), and it just maybe a Summer without computers...GASP.....well at least for the boys that is...so they just may have to that green stuff outdoors to occupy themselves with.

Me, I am not so sure about bringing/packing up and taking my sewing machine with me....again...GASP....lol....spending some well one on one time with the boys seems like a good idea. I might just sew up a bunch of OOAK's and bring them with me and ship while I am down there, but actual sewing may take a bit of a back burner??? we will see....

But in the mean time, I have listed a few things on Etsy....some great Totally Tunics, and a new Scrappy Dress....

Hopefully on Monday I will have my listing up for the "GodSaveAQueen" launch. I mean, I have had the darned thing nearly finished since the beginning of May....and as usual I putter around till the end....argh....stupid stupid girl for not getting it finished ahead of time.

So that is about that...the boys are good, counting down the days till school/exams are over and we get our "Move On". Saying my goodbyes to friends and sharing some last fun times....I will be going up to see an old friend at the end of the month before I ship off....but it is not for good....I kinda feel that.....pretty sure that we will be back :)

I got one up....shhhhh.....

2009-05-01T14:03:00.004-04:00

Just to get me started and inspired to get going....

a whole bunch more going up on Monday...woot woot...

Fun Retro *Scrappy Dress*.....go take a look....

Retro 4th of July Dress

gotta get back to the machine...

OH, and wish up luck this evening...someone is coming to visit the house for a 3rd time.....

3 is supposed to be my lucky number :)

Stay Tuned....Gonna have a Blog Contest Soon....

2009-04-28T22:14:00.003-04:00

So do not be disappearing :) I want you to Blog about, Twitter and FaceBook the carp outta this contest....hehehehe.....

It will start Monday May the 4th...and continue allllll month long

The Theme of my Contest.....well since I am in a good GOOD mood.....

27 Dress's.....

what you can win.....well....one of my *Scrappy Dress's* of course, custom made for your little one....

oh.....and actually there are 2 chances to win.....but I will get back to that when I post all the details :) for now I have to get back to the sewing machine....it beckons

Can't Wait....

Annie Lennox Morning...

2009-04-20T10:24:00.002-04:00

Okay, I am supposed to be working...can ya tell that I am slacking :) I have about 4 peasant tops cut out and about 75% sewed up....but I am soooo not good at working non-stop...need to take a break and stretch a bit, and think....as much as I love being "one" with the machine, sometimes it gets monotonous/slack jawed drool worthy moments....hehehee

Did a ton of yard work this weekend with the boys...okay, so I paid them to do it...lol...but it got done....phew....Now Stefan can't complain to to much about the pile of leaves that I left there last Fall...eeeks.....I am sure those dead patches will grow back no problem. I love this time of year....looking around the gardens seeing what is popping up...forgetting what I planted last year and wondering what the heck it is...weed??? maybe not...let's see....

Tristen's grade 6 Health class is having it's "baby" project this week....which means that he has to take care of an egg all week and make sure it doesn't break a gazillion times. Kyle had to do this project last year and it broke about 6 times....till it got to the point were he just duct taped it...lol....Tristen has commissioned me to make clothing for his "baby girl" (darn it we are going to get girls in this family somehow...lol)....so far she has 2 hoodies, a tutu, some bedding....and a rug and curtains are on the list. Ya see her "home" is of course...a shoebox :)

I'll take pics when it is all done....

okay, my colgone moment is finished, and it is back to the machines....we have a house showing tomorrow at 1pmish....so I better get to glamourizing the house....

Still Standing....

2009-04-09T22:00:00.002-04:00

I am still here....haven't jumped off the deep end yet :) Trying to get some sewing done up and ready so I will have a bunch to list next week after the long Easter weekend. Still have stuff to buy for the kiddos to hunt up and the dogs to eat and get sick on...lol....

Still trying to keep the house clean...and I think we all know that that is a losing battle with 3 dogs, and 3 boys. Though I never said I was actually putting up a good fight to try and keep it all straight and together :) I do not think I am cut out to be that kind of person, and to be honest, I don't want to be...getting stressed about every little speck of dust is not in my daily "be happy" plan. While I do enjoy a clean home, I see people get obsessed about putting the right spatula in the correct container....ummmm....really?? Not about to waste my time....does it fit?? okay, that is where it goes....lol....

Made some brownies today, ate half the brownies today....hehehe...started another *Scrappy Dress*....thinking about doing *Scrappy Tops* as well....mixing and matching with denim?? maybe some knit leggings as well??? we shall see.....I have the ideas, just need to stop the procrastination train from rolling first thing in the morning...

Okay.....going to try to keep this blog thing going again.....

that wasn't so hard :)

missed you.....

Long Lasting Forever Friends

2008-11-22T03:48:00.004-05:00

It is 3:48am....and while this is not really unusual for me, as I pretty much have insomnia, I was actually asleep tonight. But I left the door open to my bedroom door, and leaving the door open is a bad thing, cause that means that the dogs have free roam without supervision....so at 3 this morning, they go slightly nutz....and then I here the pathetic "MEOW"....."Meow"....oh yes....I have cats too. Now Said cats and said dogs do not get along....they have generally been separate since we got dog #2, about 2 years ago. Now the cats have free range of my DH's shop....and come out at night. "MY" cat Aura takes more of a gamble and tries to get out while being chased back in quite often, but man he tries...he is such a people cat, that I feel extremely guilty. But the sweet purring machine has been with me for just about 17 years now...and giving him up is not an option. He is now getting so small, and not as quick that it is dangerous for him to get out. Not that the dogs would do anything, they just like to chase and sniff...but still a little upsetting for the real "King" of the house. So I have made a bed for him on my sewing table in the back with a cat bed and everything, so he can at least be in a human's presence. He is just sitting there purring.....:) We have been through 10 moves together, boyfriends (well mine, not his), marriage, more cats, kids, tears, long night talks, more kids...lol....and now dogs....17 years is a long time to be together....and he gets me...maybe even more than my DH....shhhhh......

So today is(was) one of my favorite days of all the year....today was the day that I decorated the lovely Ms. Birks home...for her Christmas decorations. Now I think one of the very first blogs was about my love for decorating her home. It is just so amazingly eclectic. I mean, no one decorates like her and has a flair of the odd, and unsually fantastic. No, no kidding.....really....I want to be her...no not me...I want to be her....cause it is just amazing....sigh....

and really...these pictures are just the supreme tip of the iceberg....it is just amazing to walk in her home...it is a feast for the eyes....that mosiac pc....is 9ft high, and it is in her bedroom...really...it rocks....oh....her her dog, is named Sushi...not a coincidence at all....I named mine after hers :)

oh one last thing before I go (okay actually two...ooops) The girls from the POP!kids ebay groups and the Not So Plain Jaynes are having there annual "Nifty Gifty for Under Fifty" launch....lots of fun gifties to give under the tree...or to yourself...check it out here

okay....another thing that you must know about me....is....ummm.....well............okay, sigh....

I am anti Christmas music....completely...hate it, and if I start hearing it before December...I gag....stagger out from whatever store I was in...refuse to step in until the song is over....you have a blog that has "THAT" music on it...I hit the back button....I won't go back till December....promise (sorry Kandy)....commercials....yup, flip em...I just can not do it...can not not not. So this is a surprise to me right here, right now....I bought (yes me), I bought an X-mas album.....via Mr. Itunes.....thank you very much. I was skeptical of course, but I subscribe to one of my favorite musicians MySpace page Kate Havnevik, and she let us followers know that she has something new out...a la collaboration in this (UGH) Holiday Album....and well since I am pretty desperate for any of her music, I went to take a listen and low and behold....it is not bad at all....much of my favorite female artists KT Tunstall, Fionna Apple, Kate Perry (YA, I know, how odd), Sara Bareilles, Colbie Caillat...and Kate Havnevik....if you do not know her...find her!!!

Okay...I have blabbed enough....this year is definately a handmade holiday....so I must get cracking....

oh and sorry Stef, I really had to buy that album....ya know...to get into the "spirit" of things....ya ya...that's it....lol....

My Day so far....I don't like November...

2008-11-11T18:38:00.004-05:00

I almost dislike November as much as I dispise February....though not completely as much. The days get darker and colder instantly...that darned clock thing throws me all off my schedule (well it I had one that is) the dogs don't want to go out, and man they smell when they get back in...ugh...nope there is nothing pretty about November, the leaves have basically already fallen, the stunning October colour is gone....all the joy from doing that first batch of raking the leaves has gone, now that you have done it umpteen times. Even the waves on the lake are ugly...and ferocious in the cold wind, that whips by my ankles at 7 in the morning while I am waiting for the bus to pick up my kids. Which is another thing I dislike....my kids leaving in the mornings...I actually like spending time with them in the mornings. We seem to have gotten a great routine in the morning going and it is complete non-stress....even when we get up late....which happens often :) Hot chocolate in the morning with banana bread....yum yum....I am going to have to invest in tiny marshmallows for the boys...not a fan of them, but they dress up the mug so well. Searching for Christmas ornaments is always fun....they are never packed in the same place year after year...and I always end up finding a new treasure from years before....lol...in some odd spot that I would never have thought I would have put it. New craft ideas are spurning around in my head...aprons, quilts, stuffies, POTHOLDERS!! things I have never thought to do before....November makes you reach really hard to find the best in it...it is there...I know it is....dig deep and behind the dark and dreary days....you will find....hot chocolate :)

As much as I hate spreading the word about these things....cause this means more interest and less chances for me to win....I must blog about the 12 days of Christmas giveaway it is such a nice idea, and great to help out for your holiday pocketbook....click the link and get in on the action....

Also MY favorite giveaway ever....please please please....do not click the link....no no really.....don't click it. I am sure you can find something else to do...just don't click this link Don't you have laundry to fold or something? Who needs a gorgeously fabulous fantastic newly aged to perfection quilt....I mean it....DON'T CLICK....Don't click the link....walk back outta the room like you never saw this......but be warned if you do click....you will never feel the same about a quilt.....sigh.....drool....

Gavyn came home today....early....he left the house feeling fine, but at 11am I got a call from the school that he wasn't feeling well. I was like "Really? because he was fine when he left this morning, is it his tummy? or a cold??" The gal on the other end of the phone did not know as she is "just" the secretary and was calling home because his aid asked her too. So.....I struggled with this....not knowing if I should send a taxi for him, or go myself...find out what is really wrong with him. I mean he is not the type to play sick...but he is the type to whine with every bump and knock...so a sniffle to him could be like death...you could say he has a flair for the dramatic. So while really thinking about it, and knowing how I felt this morning about missing him :) I gave a phone call to Grandma to see if she was available to pic him up...I live in the middle of no where, and do not drive.....and she was happy to go and get him. They arrived about 40 mins later....and when they walked in...he of course, looked....fine.....so I asked him, what was wrong??? Apparently his NOSE hurts....no sniffles, runny nose, or bruising .....it just hurts???!!!! WTH.......Gavyn think that his aid may have mistook nose for ears....or maybe he did....but really.... I am aggravated that they sent him home so quickly, without any real kind of sickness, and that I had to ask Grandma to go and get him...grrrr....

But hey, I will take extra snuggle time any way I can :)

I made the front page....hhehee....of Etsy :)

2008-11-09T21:13:00.003-05:00

I know, I know....some of you just won't get it at all....and to be quite honest, I did not think I was going to think it was going to be a big deal...but oh my....hehehe....was I happy girl when I got to see this...

Mine of course is the little dress at the bottom....but OH how happy was I to see this...the front page rotates about every hour or so, so to actually catch see in it is pretty good....I actually STILL have it open on one of my windows...lol....and it was early yesterday morning that is was up...yup...I am a little bit odd...hehehe...but I like me that way. Now the only reason that I actually caught this little bit of gold so early in the morning is because I am still going through my bouts of insomnia....sigh....and even worse it is not a productive insomnia. I spent most of the night up in chat, from FaceBook to Twitter....nicely got caught up with old friends and my sister...but nothing could get me into a tired enough state to get me into bed.....the reason why...it is empty. Yes it is full of 3 very furry dogs....but it is empty enough to not want to get into it. I miss my husband tremendously that I am losing sleep over it. He calls me daily....sometimes umpteen times...but I need to hold him. We are a very touchy feely couple...after almost 15 years together and we are still like that....he is my air, my story, the reason why I love my life so much. He gave me my life 3 times over...and I need him by my side....not to feel complete....but just to feel in general. Sad state we are...lol...

Can someone please just buy this house...so we can be together again, and I can stop feeling so tragic.

Back to the sewing machine, and hopes that dreamland comes to me tonight....

Lookie what I am doing... :)

2008-11-07T20:54:00.000-05:00

I have been attempting....and attempting is the right word here....to make a quilt. I have gotten the general concept down. I just do not quite understand how I can actually do a project that is longer than 3 hrs....I like quick things...it helps the ADD in my life...I need to move from project to project....even if it is the same one over and over again, I need to keep moving....but this quilt thing has me stumped....I have the pc's cut, and most put together....this is all the quick part for me...but then I was told that I have to hand sew (GASP) the binding and the quilt together....can that be right??? how did those ladies do it way back when...beyond me. So it is a slowly/quickly thing this quilt of mine...I will enjoy seeing it when it is all done...and if all goes well I may try again. It reminds me of Spring, which maybe what I am missing right now...even though my favorite season is Fall....I love the Emo-ish of it....but I adore the colours of Spring (though maybe not the dingy smell)

Tristen (son number 2) is going through a ton right now...feelings of not being accepted, of self blame, and that the world is generally against him. While I feel horrible for him...he has to learn that he can not get everything in life by crying...sigh...drama for the day....he wants an e-mail account...one of his own. And while I understand why he wants one, I just think that he is still to young and immature to handle the responsibilities of having one. He likes signing up for online games...which I am generally okay with him and his brothers playing...as long as they are not asking for money and downloading a bunch of crapola onto their puters. But in the past he has shown that he is not mature enough to handle it so it will be up for rediscussion maybe in a few months...but not right yet...he wants Facebook, and MySpace, and all those things that I really think that an 11 year old is to young to have, and hearing how some kids interact on those forms I do not want to subject him to that, especially since he is a very eager to please kind of boy, and takes things very sensitively. He doesn't need to extra drama in his life right now...but sometimes I wonder if I am being to over-protective....and if I should let him spread his wings little and get to know the wide world of ours....but for now...at this moment...I think I it would be better if I was in full control....let's hope he will forgive me soon for this...while I like giving him the world...I want to keep him in it for as long as possible...and who knows what can happen out there....

Okay, getting off my Mommie Soap Box there now...

here is a little bit of a sneak peek again of my stuff that I am doing...this is the starting of the darned quilt...this will give you an idea of what I am up to with this at least and why I think Spring so much....

and I have a couple of new listings up on ebay that I am having fun with...I am loving the ease of the A-line dresses and the fact that they are completely wearable for anyday dress....this is a new one for me...

Thanks for taking a peek...and I still think I haven't figured out how to put a link in properly...grrrr....

There is a certain sadness about leaving......

2008-11-07T04:49:00.000-05:00

It's a New Day....

2008-11-03T16:27:00.000-05:00

Started out as one of those "I'm gonna do everything" days....and slowly turned into mush....lol...

I have been having trouble sleeping since Stefan (the hubby) left....I basically always have when it is for long periods of time. But he usually comes back from a business trip and stays home for awhile inbetween before my schedule gets outta whack again. See going to bed at 3am and waking at 6am does not make for a productive Mommy at all....while I do try....along comes noon and I am out like a light for about 2 hrs. Which is thankfully while to kiddos are still at school...but man that is prime "doing stuff" hours. I did manage to walk the dogs, take out the recycling/garbage, and get the dishes done. I also had the task of catching up on all things internet worthy...but then I took a bath....I know....who takes a bath in the middle of the day?? Not I usually, but dumbly I did....and then laid down right after....and then that was it....

I woke up cursing myself....I swear (well not really) that I will not do this everyday to get myself back on track. But with DH being pretty much gone permanently until we sell the house and join him it does not look like I will be getting any beauty sleep for a long time coming....and boy am I needing it.

We had a great Halloween weekend though...the boys all had fun, and took home 24 pounds of candy...it really is so very very wrong. I am going to have to ditch some of it before it completely rots their teeth, and makes me gain that 24 pounds...lol.....thankfully good ole brat dog Sawyer is helping us out with that....who said that chocolate was deadly to dogs did not tell this pooch... He ate at least half of Tristen's bag-o-candy....even though it was in the cupboard and up high, the stinking sneaky dog still managed to get it....never fails....everytime we go out, he always finds something to destroy. I think he just likes to outsmart us...grrr..... We did the annual pilgrimage to Zellars to pick up all the boys snow stuff....hats,mitts, snowsuits (Kyle is now to cool for snowpants). Gavyn is now wearing a sz 18.....the boy is 8.....I am scared....while not in length, the boy is all torso, he is definately in the waist...and I get to do a lot of tailoring...hemming snowpants is not one of my labours of love, but I will for him...:)

Last but not least...I have been sewing up a storm these days, and I hope to fill a up a new etsy store...why? I don't know...cause I am silly that way...hehehe...I recently listed a couple of things with ebay for the NieNie Recovery launch...if you would like to see what is listed, please go to ebay and search NieRecovery...I have some sweet Silhouette dresses up....here is a sneak peek...

please if you have a moment and check out all the listings for her...I have a link in my sidebar that will take you to the story of NieNie and her amazing strength...I am in awe...

Coming up later on this month the POP!kids ebay group (the one I am in) and The Jaynes will be having their annual dual launch called Nifty Fifty....where you can find great Gifties for under Fifty.....all with BIN's....great time to pick up some great deals...like stocking stuffers and OOAK unique treats....more of that to come soon....and I will get some sneakies out for that too.....hope everyone had a great Halloween weekend...

A Day Raking Leaves

2008-10-18T17:46:00.000-04:00

While I did not get much done inside the house today (maybe tomorrow) I did get a ton of raking outside....and I introduced my two older boys to the idea of outdoor chores ;) While I raked, they bagged....actually Tristen got bag duty and Kyle got poop duty....I know it is a dirty job but someone has to do it, and though we have a HUGE yard, for some reason the dogs favorite place to do their business is right on the only part of real back lawn we have....thanks....

We are completely surrounded by a Conservation area just about....and while it is pretty (VERY) and colourful and all that...the leaves this time of year is non stop, so while this is my first go around with the leaf picking up, there will be plenty more in the next month. Since we are trying to sell our house, it pretty much will be a constant. Hopefully tonight I will have time to do some laundry and baking....I need my weekly fix of banana bread thank you very much.

These are my Puppies....Sushi, Sawyer, and Lucy....I love my dogs....well except for Lucy, who hasn't quite figured out that the dining room is not the poop place....grrrr....

Sushi MY Chow Chow :)

Sawyer the Crazy Ball loving dog

and Lucy....the trouble maker....

and here is my favorite shot of the day...a boy and his dog :)

Snip Snip Snip....

2008-10-06T22:45:00.000-04:00

oh man....man, oh man, oh man......

Now I feel the pain of all mothers of little girls that get there hands on scissors and give themselves a haircut....cause while Gavyn is definately all boy....he sure gave himself a doozy....and while he completely needed to get chopped, he didn't need it this way....not at all....right in front, right to the scalp almost....and for some reason, right at the top of his head too....I really didn't know what to say to him except...."Don't EVER touch scissors AGAIN!!" Not only is it dangerous like that....but you gave yourself a dorky haircut :(

I really should get a picture....but I am still in cringe worthy mode, so I can't look at it without him feeling bad..

oh, and guess what....lol.....tomorrow......is picture day :) Of course it is....

Tons of stuff

2008-10-01T12:44:00.000-04:00

Okay I gotta lotta stuff to do today....usually I try to post about things that are done...lol...now it is about things to be done. Let's hope and cross our fingers that I stay on track today. But somehow I doubt that. The house is clean....no really the house is completely clean...odd...lol...but it is. So I do not have to worry about that. I have about 4 *Scrappy Dress*s to finish today...which in reality I will probably finish two. Sucks to only get that far, but I get computer distracted easily. I also want to make a couple of chocolate chip banana breads today as the boys are digging into the school lunch snack reserves...lol...so that must be rectified somehow. I still want to start up the scrap quilt pillow that has been swirling around in my head for about a week now. I want to make a few of these as x-mas gifts, and if they turn out nice enough, I might enleash them onto the esty/ebay world :) so we shall see...

Geeesh....even my studio is clean.....I definately *MUST* do something about that....

Tally-ho...

Time to create...

2008-09-29T20:59:00.000-04:00

Well I have been busy today...crazy yelling busy :) I was fine till I realized I really needed to clean. Tomorrow we have an Agents Caravan coming through the house...now being in a home with 3 boys, 3 dogs, and 3 cats....it tends to get a little unfluffy...lol...quickly...and even after vaccuuming 3 times today (oh yes it is all about 3's for me) it still looks like a mud zone. But I am trying to be positive and hope that no one else notices my pig pen...lol...

One of Gavyn's favorite things to do is bake...well, actually it is to bring home cook books from the school library so I can bake :) He of course has a list of things that I *MUST* make....one of those things (in the midst of all my cleaning) that I made was these amazing fudge squares....and really they taste nothing like your typical fudge...and is oh so yummy I went back for more :)...twice....

***Easy Turtle Fudge***

1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
(note: I used dark chocolate, and used 4 ounces)
1 cup of sweetened condensed milk
1/4 tsp salt
30 caramel candies, unwrapped :)
1 tbsp water
40 pecans

1. Grease 11x7 inch pan; set aside.

2. melt chips in medium heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly. Remove
from heat. Stir is bittersweet chocolate until melted. Stir in condensed milk and salt until smooth

3. Spread in prepared pan; cover with foil. Refrigerate until firm (about 2hrs)

4. Cut fudge into squares. Transfer to baking sheet lined with wax paper.

5. Place caramels and water in small heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat until melted, stirring frequently. Drizzle or top fudge pieces with caramel mixture. Top each pc with one pecan half.

6. Store in air tight container in freezer. Bring to room temperature before serving...

Makes 40 (well 20 in our case as I did not have the right sized pan, but they were thicker)

I'll insert a pic when I get it uploaded....but bye bye diet....yet again :)

***************

My lovely group of ebay girls also have a launch today. In ebayland a lot of childrens designers are in "groups" basically we spin ideas off each other, collaborate, whine, and Gab :) Heather Bailey is a fabulous and amazing fabric designer and since our group is named POP!kids we thought it was kinda symbolic to do a launch around Mrs. Bailey's POP Garden new fabric line....this is my fav set that took me a little bit to get around in my head (okay, really not that much because her fabrics are such inspiration)

We each have made something either with or inspired by Heather's fabrics....if you have a moment (selfish plug) please check out our auctions...

http://shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=boutique+POP!kids&_in_kw=1&_ex_kw=&_sacat=See-All-Categories&_okw=boutique+POP!kids&_oexkw=&_udlo=&_udhi=&_sabdlo=&_sabdhi=&_samilow=&_samihi=&_ftrt=901&_ftrv=1&_sadis=200&_fpos=&LH_SALE_CURRENCY=0

I have yet to figure out how to link a link....lol....so please be patient with me...I am going to so if I can construct a pillow using the remenants of the last pc's of POP Garden....just to see what I come up with....

It isn't Pretty...nope not at all

2008-09-26T19:54:00.000-04:00

This has been a pretty busy week for me. Getting customs done, the kids put together, physically going to work, trying to keep the house clean (that btw is not working). It was my sister's 23rd birthday on Wednesday...the kids are still alive and I have not lost any dogs yet (dang)...so when it came to last night, I really wanted to veg in front of the tube with the kids and watch the premiere of Survivor:Gabon ...and selfishly after that Grey's....while that show was on I got a long distance phone call...ran up to see who it was on the call display...and saw it was my mother...had a slight "grrrrr" moment...she always calls late at night and usually during a show I am wanting to watch. I know pretty much no time is a good time to call, because I basically hate the phone...I do not even own a cell....because I hate it that much. I looked at the phone ringing and thought..."I'll call her tomorrow sometime" which pretty much means...I will forget and she will call again. WHich.....yup I did today. Completely forgot that she called.....until about an hour ago....when I was fiddling on this computer and I get a facebook message from my sister...

"Did you hear from Mom??" "She tried calling me and left me a message, apparently she had a mild heart attack and is in the hospital"

I rushed from this computer so fast....ran to the phone and listened to that message...

"Hi Jenn, it's your Mom....I just wanted to tell you, that I am okay...but I had a mild heart attack, but I think I am okay now...just wanted to let you know, love you"

Shit Shit Shit Shit.....sorry....but I do not swear usually...but I am so so so angry at myself for being selfish about my TV time...like really....TV!!!!! I tried calling her back but there is no answer...no need to panic if she is calling people I think. But I am still worried....

My Mom works 3 jobs....she barely sleeps, is a chain smoker, and like to drink the occasional beer....so she is pretty much prime candidate for a heart attack....not to mention the stress that she has in her life. I guess I am angry right now at her as well. Take better care of yourself lady....grrrr....you have 6 kids hanging around here and there....not to mention the grandkids that need to see you.

We have to many more stories to laugh about, and visit's to catch up on...you have a book to write, and a career that you have always wanted just starting....

please please be okay....

Lovely Little Cookies

2008-09-23T17:57:00.000-04:00

Okay let's face...I bribe my children. I do, but it is all to benefit them in the end. Like on all Monday's I bake....I do not know how I got into that habit, but I usually try to do that at least twice a week (which explains why I am getting rounder)....last night I made about 9 dzn chocolate chip and coconut cookies...yummm...hhehheee....I try to substitute the baked goods for afternoon snacks when they get home off the bus. Most kids like 2 cookies....but mine munchkins for some reason AlWAYS try for 3....why not...they try....sometimes it is a yes (depending on how many I have...and sometimes it is a no). This morning Gavyn really did not want to get on the bus...it is a French week at school, and he is completely against the French language. He complained his stomache hurt, his ear was aching...even that he damaged his big toe...I was not falling for it. But I did not want to make a big scene at the bus stop. So the deal was for all my boys, that if they had a good day....today....for snack....they could have *5* cookies....there eyes nearly popped outta there heads.... I told Gavyn that he had to actually try on his Spelling test today, and not give up and write nothing. I wanted to see words written on that page. They didn't have to be right, I just wanted to see words. Plus the new indoor shoes must be worn (he hates new shoes and I do not blame him) today.

So I go about my day knowing that at the very least I got them on the bus...somedays are easier than others and I get that...and somedays they need a little cookie incentive. I managed to clean up the backyrd and the porch...it actually looks useable now, and I may want to spend some time there :) I know the dogs are enjoying the new space...heck there are new smells uncovered....they must investigate....lol...I cleaned the stairway, prepping it to be painted tonight while little ones are sleeping.

They all run in from school with the dogs barking their arrival....and all I hear is "I GET 5 COOKIES!!! I HAD A GREAT DAY!!!!!".....Gavyn comes running down with his test with a huge grin on his face....he hands me the test. I looked down at his work and just smiled....

"Gavyn, this is excellent work, just awesome, high five" I am big on high fives :)

"But, Mom, I didn't get anything right, your not mad at me?? Can I still have the 5 cookies???"

I can see completely where his mind is focused....:)

"Did you have a good day?"

"Yup, I tried my hardest on the test, and I wrote every word, I just couldn't get them"

"Then that is all I can ask for, that you tried..."

Gavyn goes running back upstairs to the kitchen to grab his cookies....sometimes I am happy that it is just cookies that can make his day and turn it completely around. Cause I know as he gets older it is only going to be harder with him....

"MOM......can I have 10 instead??? I was really really good today!!!!"

LOL....

getting caught up

2008-09-21T13:52:00.000-04:00

Is like running around like a chicken with her head cut off....seriously.....I mean who ever actually ever gets caught up in life? There are so many things to do, it is completely constant. I would like to think I am at this moment, which is why I have been sitting here at my computer for the last 2 hrs (I mean where does the time go) I have to applaud my children...cause they are just amazing. They are pretty self sufficient at most things and leave me to my craziness in my studio....I am hoping that the new place we move to has my studio on the main floor so then I am with them more, instead of in my dungeon.

I was taking pictures yesterday of the house, to put up on MLS....doing a room by room sweep, trying to make it as neat as possible....no stray socks showing...that sorta thing...when I walked in to Dear Son #2's room....this is what I see....lol.....

There is of course another pic of him trying to get down as quick as possible....but not before he flashed his tried and true "peace" sign...

Trying to get the house in order has been interesting...I have had to paint all my lovely lime walls a toned down soft "lello" and while it was not intentionally something that I was going to like, it is growing on me for sure...I like the soft colour, and it is a lot brighter. I ended up painting my hall, the dining room, and part of th kitchen that way....and even though everything is basically neutral now (GAG) I have been able to add some *Jenn* into the house still....I used some of Tula Pinks new birds fabric as my curtains in the dining room, and added a cute tablecloth in the kitchen...I also found this amazing butterfly mobile on Etsy that still gives me my whimsy....that I NEED....so all in all, if we are stuck here for the next year because the house does not sell I will be...okay....with it....

I hope....

Life in the not so Fast Lane

2008-09-05T10:45:00.000-04:00

Well it has been one whole month without coffee....woo hoo....so far kicking my only bad habit (leaving clothes on the floor is not a bad habit, I like it that way...so thhhhupt!) has not been that hard at all. Well, only because the coffeemaker broke the day after I decided I was going to quit....gotta love karma...but I have not been tempted at all for a cup of good ole Joe since I left Simcoe....actually since leaving my mini vacation I have turned a lot of things around. I have started exercising more, eating a ton better....trying to keep the dust bunnies in check....I even signed up to get my drivers (knowledge) test done....what next sky diving??...ummm no....but it is a good step all around for me....

I am considering all my new "life" changes to being a part of nesting...or pre-nesting before we move. Trying to possibly get my life in check before I start on my new adventure to New Jersey....or either that I am bored :) I dyed my hair red, so that is definately an "I am bored" moment...but more with myself, than with what is going on in my life...

I am anxiously awaiting some new fabric to come in, as I have some curtain projects to finish....and a table runner I would like to create...I am in LOVE with the new fabrics by Heather Bailey (POP Garden) and Tulia Pink (Nest) and you will be seeing both in my home and in some of my new creations...More *Scrappy Dress*s will be on there way for sure....Halloween has also been churning in my studio....A little late for most of the masses, but I know there are a few stragglers that procrastinate like me :)

Planning on baking a bit today for the boys...well maybe a bit more.....so far this week it has been a chocolate chip cookie and banana bread week (without the nuts thank you very much, Gavyn would have a fit...besides we have enough nutz in this house) I hope the try a recipe from Paint in My Hair that I hope will appeal to my boys, and use up the last of the fruit in my fridge that is just about to go on me....though it would be so much better with ice cream.....grrrrr I am off ice cream...damn....

Maybe skydiving would be better....

I'm all outta time...

2008-08-12T10:22:00.000-04:00

Well it is happening...and I can not stop it. Sometimes I just wish I would say things a little quicker....I guess I thought it would never happen. That the stars would not a line, that someone would not dots the i's and cross the t's. But they did...and they did. What am I talking about....well moving. And not just moving to another part of the same city...moving to a different country. I am petrified....

I didn't think that I would be. I think that is the problem. I have no real ties here to the city. Once my father passed away it really has not been the same. I have been in a cloud of "I don't care" since then. So moving seemed like a perfect thing to do when my DH was offered the job. Great money, job security (well as much as anyone can offer these days)...possibilities for him are endless...which I am happy for. He deserves this, he's worked hard for all of us to get where he is....many midnight backaches, and stress headaches tell me so.

While all seems to be mapped out for him and his future...things feel like again, they are in limbo for me, and well the kids. I feel like it is a lot of hurry up and waiting...then stalling and stagnating....I am getting tired of trying to find myself and what I need to do. Because I do not feel like I am finding my path....heck maybe this is it and I do not know it. That this is where I need to go to start fresh again.

Hopefully this is what they have planned for me...and that it will all fall into place soon....

Lots of Yelling

2008-07-21T14:21:00.000-04:00

I will never claim to be a perfect mother...I would never dare to try...especially after days like these....lots and lots of yelling and trying to keep the peace. We are renovating a few rooms in the house before we try to put it up for sale...a fresh coat of paint here, a couple of repairs in the walls....you know all the stuff that you say you will get to later, and then BAM later is RIGHT NOW!!! It also means trying to clear some of are crap out...making the rooms look bigger...you know all the stuff the home improvement shows tell us about buying and selling a home. So to make new room out of old room we are changing our cluttered computer corner and just making it an open space and having the boys puters in their rooms for now. But that means taking it all down...which means they do not have their computers...which means they are at each others throats...oh, and did I also mention there is only one TV now as well....I know, my poor deprived children :) But it is what they are used to, so now they are trying to find ways to occupy themselves which does not include torture. So I thought I was being smart by scheduling their TV/puter time (there is ONE left...don't ask how many are in the house, you would laugh I am sure)...well what happens when one gives up their time, and allots it to another....does that person that gave it up get there time back? does that one that got extra still get to play extra, or only from the time they started....it is all very confusing, especially when I thought my rules were pretty good.....lol....little did I know that one would give up their precious time. Soooo that is were the yelling comes in...lots of "He said" "NO HE SAID" stuff.....ahhhh I need ear plugs......or to send them to their rooms.....might not solve the problem....but it would definatly help my headache :)

Quilts, Creations, and Moving

2008-07-20T20:02:00.000-04:00

Well the craziness of my life continues....believe it or not the thrill of a quilt got me back here to my blog posting. Hopefully it will pick up, but with the boys yelling and asking for my attention in the background really makes me feel like the posting thing will fade into the distance again. I will try to keep this up though, possibly for sanity sake....

It does look like we are going to be moving soon, well that is if our house sells :) So the creating will start to slow down soon. I already have about 30 *Scrappy Dress*s made to get up and list...I might have a draw for one, I just haven't figured out to do it yet...but all and all that means that I am going to have to pack....and not only that I am going to HAVE to keep a clean house....lol....3 boys, 3 dogs, 3 cats.....and a husband that will be gone out of town....a LOT....keeping a clean house will be nearly impossible....hey...maybe the house won't sell ;)

Here's a look at my *Scrappy Dress*s as I was going through my studio I realized I had a ton of scrap bins (don't we all have those, just some scraps are different than others) odds and ends of fabric...ruffles that I made to much of but didn't have the heart to throw out because I still pull all my ruffles by hand. So instead of chucking them....well I made these instead :)

Hopefully they will do well on the big E.....and I can support my vacation back home that is happening in a couple of weeks....I wanted to have one more trip home before I took off to the US....

I will let you all know how that goes....so crossing my fingers on the auctions... :)

Needless to say....

2007-11-27T14:32:00.000-05:00

I am very far behind. I keep getting orders...even though I told myself no more customs. I should not complain. I should be extremely grateful to be able to be earning money and working somewhat while I get to stay at home. But I feel like I am not being able to create the things I enjoy....which are basically OOAK's. I completely feel more open to createing and designing when i know I only have to do this once :) It's kinda of like washing the dishes....you pretty much do not mind cleaning all the pots and pans plus the utensil's, heck there can be a stack a mile high....and if you only have to do that once....great fine. It is done and put away....but if there is a gazillion more right behind it, you tend to feel a little defeated, and all of a sudden it feels like a job. I hate to pout.....lol.....but it does. So while I am ever astounded that people like what I do :) I sometimes feel overloaded.....and this is the time of year that I feel like I take on to much and I try to be something that I am not, and that is SuperMom....though my house would tell you differently as the floors are begging to be washed....and the dust has decided to have a family reunion on my Organ....lol.....

I hope to have the laundry put away, the dishes done and start making about 6 dozen cookies.....oh and let's not forget the roast that I took out to defrost. That should be put in the oven when the tutor comes over.....

In my mind all of that plus 2 customs will be finished by the end of the day (it is now 2:30 in the afternoon).....reality wise....less than half.....sigh...

Starting from the Beginning

2007-11-25T00:37:00.000-05:00

Wow, going to make this oh so special first post short and sweet as this really is just the beginning....Going to be sharing my ideas, projects and life learned lessons (sometimes badly) about me and my family just to see where this takes me. Hopefully there will not be to much whining and complaining....lol....but I doubt that :) Right now addicted to FaceBook so we shall see if this whole blog thing actually takes off.
I am about 3 outfits behind in my custom work (as usual)...so I am in the midst of playing catch up, folding the laundry, and making sure that I pick up all the dog hair (something that honestly will never happen, but I try)....

Stay tuned to the craziness of December starting...ack....help....