12 Days of Christmas

String Me Along is a proud member of etsy's TransCanada Etsy Team. Please join the team as we celebrate 12 Days of Christmas with a super prize package give-away, great promotions and discounts from some participating members, and lots of fun holiday stories and recipes.

Click the badge below to find out all the details, and to meet some of my fellow TCET members.

The fun continues until Dec 3.

Also, String Me Along will be offering 20% off on all purchases in store until Dec 3. Enter coupon code * TCET12DAYS * at checkout to receive your discount. I am also offer FREE international shipping during this period.

Come by my shop to look at the new designs, shop for stocking stuffers, or find a new favorite holiday accessory.


Noel Earrings by String Me Along

Remembrance

Have I ever lost anyone to war? No, and yes.

I have not lost a husband, a lover, a friend. I have not lost a child or a father.

Who I have lost, are those whom we have all lost.

Every husband, lover and friend. Every child and father.
Ever man who was killed in duty in a foreign land, or who lies "unknown" in a quiet field.
Every woman who died while serving her country.
Every child or elderly person who became a hapless victim of war.

I have lost, as we have all lost.

We lost the talent and the skill that they once possessed. We lost their knowledge, we lost their insight. We lost their passion, their love, their human kindnesses. We lost the joy of children. We lost the emphatic enthusiasm and promise of youth. And we lost the wisdom of age.

We all lost, even if we were the winners.

It is only through remembering that we have the capacity to truly win.




Lest we Forget.

Sick Days

It is been such a terribly long time since I have dropped in to say Hello. Since I have an unexpected day off - a sick day - I thought I would use this extra time to post.

I can't say that a sick day deserves an honourable mention. Instead, I am devoting this day to things that make us feel cozy on those days when we feel less than plummy.

Now, on such a day, nothing is of paramount importance so much as a cozy, cuddly blanket. Knitted is best, and having a fringe to run through your listless fingers, better yet. Here, we have a beautiful speciman from CricketsCreations.

To hug those chilled feet, keep your favorite slippers nearby. It just doesn't do to snuzzle under a blanket to get warm, only to have your feet hit bare, cold floor when you brave the world beyond the parameters of the couch. And truth be told, when we are sick, it does help to have one little thing that makes us feel pretty despite the blanched visage, red nose, and glassy eyes. So, choose a pretty, feminine pair of slippers. Maybe these ones from ing00te.

A steaming cup of tea is a perfect restorative. But how about teas specially blended to speed the return to good health. SpiritHorseHerbals has a combination pack of herbal teas speficially for this purpose - An Immune Booster, and Achy Breaky Tea.

And finally, to further soothe those aching muscles, steam away congestion, aid in the detoxification process, all while whisking you away to another world, have a hot, scented, salt soak. These luxurious bath salts in bewitching lichen scent can be found in the shop of, ForStrangeWomen. (Now, why does that shop name speak to me so?)

Now, rest. All will be well again soon.

Favorite Things - August 9

Hi. Bet you didn't expect to see me here today. After all the time that I have spent wiling away my summer days, eschewing all practical usage of time, today I discovered something fabulous that just absolutely needed to be shared with the world.


Let me introduce you to: Chimes Ginger Chews.


Chimes delivers a sinus-tickling power surge of ginger flavour in a teeny tiny sticky-chewy package. You need to be a true fan of ginger to enjoy these as there is an abundance of lively ginger taste. The candy does come in other (to me, rather bewildering) flavours such as peanut butter, peppermint and tangerine. Apart from the tangerine, I just can't imagine the combination of these flavours co-existing harmoniously together.


These are a natural candy, containing a mere four ingredients, all of which I recognise and can easily pronounce. That is a difficult feat with most foods these days.


Apart from the zowie great taste of these, I am also seriously in love with the retro style tin in which they come packaged.


I found these at my local Superstore, quite by accident, so I imagine they must be rather widely available. Look for them next time you are out.

Its the Handmade in Canada Party.

Have you heard the exciting news? The TransCanada Etsy team is hosting the Handmade in Canada Party, which runs from June 24-July 1. TWO great prizes are up for grabs.

First, is a handwoven rug crafted by team member, fiveforty.

Simply make any purchase from my etsy shop, or from the shop of the other participating members and for every $10 spent (excluding shipping) you will earn a ballot for the draw.

The second prize is a very generous goodie bag.

To win, find a hidden Canadian symbol in one of my shop listings. In the same listing, you will find a clue leading you to the next shop.

Please visit the team blog for full details on how to win and to see photos of the prizes.

*** Now, here is my PARTY FAVOUR to you!! Enjoy 25% off all items in my shop (excluding items in the Sale section). Offer is good until 12:01am EST, on July 2. I will refund the discount through paypal.

I'm Back...

Sorry for the super-long hiatus. Have you been waiting for my return? LOL

Well, we have now settled in our new place near Halifax , Nova Scotia. I am absolutely delighted to be here.

I have started a new blog here, titled "The New Haligonians". My hope is to share with you all the wonderful adventures that happen in my new homebase.

Hope you will continue to visit me here, and become a follower on my new blog as well.

Now stay tuned as I return to a somewhat regular blogging schedule.

Enjoy this photo of the Halifax Public Garden.

Moving On...

With our move only weeks away now, I have to onerous task tomorrow of calling around and informing credit cards, banks, utility companies etc, etc, etc of our new address. I wish that there was a nicer way to do this - someway that did not involve hours of time on hold waiting for someone to answer my call, and then having me spell out every single word using my own imaginative phonetic alphabet: A for Argyle Socks; B for Bread Pudding; C for Curling Ribbon.

Imagine if you could just send all the companies involved a kicky little card to inform them that you were moving on, please update your files. Imagine if there was actually someone at these companies who opened mail and actually cared. Well, there I go again with my grandiose dreams!

Let's take a look at some cute little moving announcements anyway.

This sweet card comes as a digital file from the shop of mailboxbliss. I love the simple, unlcuttered design and the whimsical illustration of the nest. The addition of the shadow below the nest adds a fabulous 3-dimensional element to it as well, which I really love.

This sweet, sunny yellow card is totally my style. I adore a good bee motif, and the mixture of honey yellow and chocolate brown is utterly delicious. These cards come with matching envelopes, and matching mailing labels. Fantastic! Find these beauties in the shop of WhiskerGraphics.

Mother

She takes us by the hand to protect and guide us. (photo by mariannat)

She nourishes and nurtures. (photo by janeheller)

Always elegant, feminine and refined. (Photo by kittyrogers)

She is the woman we hope to one day become. (photo by TwinkleLight)

Happy Mother's Day!

Dreaming in Purple

Do you dream in purple?

Purple may symbolize mystery and therefore represent, in psychological terms, deep intuition or awareness of some type as yet unexplored dimension of the self. Come, enter my dream world.

A doorway to a violet-coloured world. Let this vintage glass doorknob lead you through. Find it in the shop of Cariboucreek.

View the world through orchid-hued glasses. Vintage mother-of-pearl opera glasses from cherrylippedroses.

A dreamy pinhole photograph of OostDuinkerke, Belgium where sandy beach meets a melting purple sky. This photo is from the shop of benconservato.

Breath deep the scents of plummy-toned blossoms that surround. These hydrangeas join us from the shop of RaceyTay.

Discover these mysteries whilst you can, as dreams you know, are fleeting. As they slide from your subconscious rest your head once more, soundly upon a fleecy purple pillow. Wool roving from the shop of portfiber.

Favorite Things - May 3

I might be a bit weird in this respect, but I actually really love this thing that most people absolutely loathe.

We're moving again! I love the excitement of packing up boxes only to unpack them all over again in a few weeks. We still have boxes packed from our move to New Brunswick 2 years ago, so when we get to our new place and finally unpack them it will be a little like unwrapping endless presents. "Why, I forgot we even had this!"

This time we are only doing a one-province hop so not so big a deal. Under three hours of driving time as opposed to the twenty + hours of our last move.

Oh, want to know where we are off to? Nova Scotia. YAH!! I love, love, LOVE Nova Scotia and am so over the top thrilled about this move. I suspect that our new home will lead me to have many, many favorite things to share as I explore our new home.

So, today it is simply a big YAH for moving and for having new adventures await!

Not Jumping on Bandwagon Here...

I'm leading up to something.

I promise I am not jumping on the etsy "nautical" bandwagon. I will have an exciting announcement in a few days. Assuming, of course, that all goes as planned this weekend. Well, that's enough of talking around the point. Take a look at these lovelies.

A weather-beaten white row boat from photohale.

Scrimshaw cufflinks with a ship and lighthouse motif, found in the shop of lindalayden.

Gorgeous seagull giclee print from an original watercolour. This can be found in the shop of maryellengolden.

More to come soon. Keep your fingers crossed for me. :)

Punch of Colour

There is an ever widening trend toward pristine white or grey, pale, washed out pallettes for the home kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the home and in my mind should be the room with the most joy. Think of the colours of foods that you are chopping and dicing - rich red tomatoes, vibrant orange peppers, pale green cabbage - don't those colours look beautiful in your pale space. Keep your monochromatic pallette if you must, but add some punch to your space. Mix in colourful accessories to bring the fun and the joy back to the kitchen.

If you are timid about adding in colour, choose a nice mild addition such as a hit of pale green. Pretty vintage apothecary jars in tinted green glass from satisfind would look gorgeous housing cookies, beans, or other loose staple foods.

An arrangement of mixed bowls would be a nice complement to the jars. This quartet of Vintage Verde Cinderella Pyrex bowls are from sassboxclassics. Wouldn't they be pretty filled with various citrus fruits?

If you are a little more brave and open to the idea of adding colour choose a little modern whimsy like this cupcake cookie jar from fruitflypie. Its simply adorable, and blues are always a breath of fresh air.

A deeper blue is gorgeous with a pale colour scheme. A pair of pot holders in deep French blue is
a fabulous colour inspiration. Find these pallette pleasing potholders in the shop of Fluur.

It doesn't hurt to throw all caution to the wind. After all, a white kitchen is a virtual blank slate., Go bold. Gorgeous pale green and vibrant orange floursack towels are a great starting point. Fresh and eyecatching, these towels and other kitchen linens can be found in the shop of margotbianca.

For the truly adventurous, mix a few of the above colours together. See how the pale green and the orange look fabulous together in the towel above; or how the blue and white and khaki green are a charming trio in the potholders? Don't limit yourself to one accent colour. Have FUN!!

Al Fresco

Picnic lunches are the perfect summer treat. Don't you find there is something about fresh, clean air that increases your appetite? And food just tastes better when you are sitting beneath the cooling shade of a tree, or sitting crosslegged on a slightly sandy beach blanket, a light breeze ruffling your hair.

True, picnic lunches take a little careful planning, but there is no need to be overwhelmed by the idea of hulking coolers, and hibachis and various other bits of equipment to your location. Truth is, the simpler the better. A low fuss menu and a few simple pieces are all you need.

To keep sand and grass, and of course ants from ruining your meal be sure to pack a sturdy blanket. To make sure the transport of the blanket is easy, try this handy and sturdy leather blanket strap. (Hint... use it to transport your yoga mat off season!) Find this strap (free with blanket purchase) in the shop of mexchic.

A handmade picnic basket is the perfect way to transport your picnic lunch. Sturdy and beautifully crafted from from American Cherry and Black Walnut woods and finished with solid brass tacks. I found this in the shop of mattfeve.

And to make sure that you have all your utensils at hand, and never leave with sticky fingers, tuck one of these handy roll-ups into your picnic baskets. They come complete with two sets of bamboo utensils and two cloth napkins. No waste! Find these in NstarStudio's shop.

Finally, what is a picnic without potato salad. I borrowed this from my favorite foodnetwork.ca host, Laura Calder. Click on the photo to find the recipe.

SMILE....

...even when there isn't a camera in sight. Just in case you need a little encouragement, here are a few thinks that will surely bring a grin to your day.

The world's cutest spoonrest - Smile Spoonrest in Pistachio from CircaCeramics.

Meet Lydia. A wide, yet slightly shy smile graces her sweet face. Lydia and her many friends live in the shop of SugarandSpice.

This Billy ain't so gruff. Meet Mitten the Goat who boasts a most mischievous expression. His mug was captured by NatureMandalas.

Favorite Things - April 26

Curse you, I love you!!!

You know that love-hate relationship that we can develop with things. Well, that's how it goes with today's favorite thing. Its Facebook Family Feud. I love the adrenalin rush that comes from trying to guess the correct answer to the survey questions in the allotted amount of time. The glorious ding, as the correctly answered tab rolls over. The heartbreaking buzz of defeat. The pulse-rushing 50 seconds of fast money. The excitement is sometimes too much.

If I see someone begging for help to win more fast money, I click furiously to come to their aid. I need that quick rush of excitement, and that gloating feeling of achievement in helping one of my friends win more (virtual) money. I'm a damn good friend in this respect.

On the other hand, Facebook Family Feud eats up way too much of my time. I will troll the updates looking for someone else's game that I can complete. This sometimes holds my addiction at bay until my next two episodes come available. Sometimes I deny myself the pleasure of playing so that rather than having only two daily episodes, I will have four or six waiting in my bank. And then, there's an hour gone that I will never get back.

Damn you Facebook Family Feud. I love you and curse you.

Get Fit, Save the Earth, and....

...Look cool doing it.

I was gazing out the window earlier today at my long neglected bicycle. On Earth Day, I started thinking about ways that I could use my car less. Of course, using my bicycle seems like the smartest and likeliest answer. It also fits in perfectly with my "get fit, chubbo" goal.

My bike however does need a thorough tune up. And I need some cool accessories.

Once the bike is tuned up, it may be best to invest in a small tool set and learn how to do on-the-fly maintenance myself. Don't want to get caught out with a flat tire. This handy little tool roll, has all the necessary pieces, stashes away easily and it comes in a smashing khaki and pink colour. Find this and more in the shop of BikeCozy.

Bicycle security is always something to keep in mind. If I were to ride to work, my bike would be unattended for a full eight hours. A sturdy lock is of paramount importance. Having a place to keep it from banging against the bike, or against your spine (!) when not in use, is also very important. This leather holster from WalnutStudiolo attaches securely to the front or rear of the bike and safely stashes your lock away when not in use.

A bicycle basket makes it mush easier to run those little errands. Take a Saturday trip to the Farmers Market and leave with your basket brimming with goodies. The only problem is that wire baskets have a nasty habit of leave long thin bruises on delicate produce, and teeny items can slid through the wires. A handy and really pretty fabric basket liner will instantly solve both those problems. This liner comes from the shop of saralynnmo.

All potential problems solved, I now have no excuse not to use my bicycle more often.

Stroll the Paper Garden

Truth be told, it is not always a perfect day to take a garden stroll. But the beauty of the natural world is always worthy of our admiration. Today, my inspiration is garden-inspired papercraft.

These absolutely gorgeous orange peonies come in a ready-to-assemble kit, or you can opt for pre-assembly. Shown here as a table embellishment, I am picturing them also as an elegant gift topper. Find them in the shop of paperplatypus.

Handmade spiral flowers have been cut and rolled from gorgeous sturdy papers. A charming mix of textured edges and coordinating colours and patterns. There is no end to the wonderful ways to use these flowers. They are crafted by SuzanneBWebb.

Don't forget all the wonderful creatures that dwell in the garden. Welcome them into your home as well. These sweet orange butterflies would look sweet fluttering up a wall, or could be made into a mobile or hung from a thread to flutter near the wondow. Again, these would also be perfect to top a gift, a card, or as a scrapbooking embellishment These are found in thegildedbee.

I have a fondness for pretty gift tags, especially a prettily embellished hangtag. I also just adore whimsical vintage prints of flora and fauna, especially those involving nests and eggs. These tags from bljgraves therefore, are to me a match made in heaven.

Happy Earth Day

Earth Day is celebrating its 40th birthday this year. Such a milestone! Sadly though, despite forty years of efforts, the Earth is still in dire need of critical action. The idea of saving the Earth, may seem daunting, but there myriad ways you can help. And if everyone promises to make one or two small changes to their lifestyle, the impact can be massive.

The official Earth Day website has a list of action points that we can all try to incorporate into our lives. Click here to view the list, and then please let me know what small changes you will strive toward.

I have a lot of nasty habits too, and each year, I try to break a few more.

From the list I already, as a matter of habit, or whenever possible:

*Shop at the local farm's market, using my own bags, and eat a significant amount of locally sourced foods. Local and fresh food tastes better. And I believe in supporting the local economy and the small enterprise over the large multi-national.

*Use old paper for rough work to save paper. I have a stack of used envelopes nearby that I use for jotting lists, writing reminders, or scribbling ideas.

*Use less disposable products. No paper napkins is my number one rule. Plain and simple... I enjoy trees, and linen is simply nicer to use.

*Hang laundry to dry. This practice makes good common sense on so many levels. The repeated abuse from a tumble heat dryer is not good for your clothes. Air-dried laundry has a longer life, and it feels and smells fresher too!

*Do not waste water bottles. I tote a Stainless Steel Kleen Kanteen with me everywhere I go. I wrote a "Favorite Thing" post about it a few months ago if you want a review. I also have a re-usable coffee mug that sees a great deal of action.

*Pay bills online. If you drive to the bank to pay bills, you waste gas. If you mail the cheques and receive bills in the mail, you waste paper. Most companies have e-billing options, and some companies even give a small credit for this option. Most bills are also payable online, and yes, it is safe!

*Buy products with less packaging. Buy bulk products, for example. If your local bulk store allows customers to do so, bring your own re-usable bags.

This year, my goals are:

*To have at least one meat-free day each week to curb carbon emissions from the livestock industry.

*I will make my lunches 100% litterless. Right now, I am at about 80%... I can be better.

* I pledge to not drive it, if I can walk it.

Please share in the comments your plans on how you will help your Earth this year.

Roman Holiday

Easily one of my favorite movies, and a complete fantasy world for me, Audrey Hepburn's Roman Holiday is the inspiration of the day.

Endless curtsying and glasses of milk, gosh, what's a princess to do for a little fun? Naturally, you scale the villa wall and make a break for it on the streets of Rome. A gorgeous photo of crumbly Roman architecture, fittingly titled "Hide and Seek" comes from the shop of scenethirty1.

Be cautious of who you meet along the way. Not everyone is how they seem. Take for instance our dashing friend Joe. He seems to have your best interests at heart, but will he turn your escape into front page news? This vintage type-writer can be found in the shop of vintagerenaissance.

And how about those accompanying photographs; how did they get shot? Why that cigarette lighter was actually a camera? Oh, Irving... she placed such trust in you and Joe. Vintage sterling silver lighter (no camera included, sadly!) is from hatstoflats.

And here, all you wanted to do was zip through the streets of Rome on a Vespa, dance a top of the Tiberis and stop for a scoop of gelato.

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and every princess has duties that she simply must perform. The escape, though brief, was truly exhilarating but it is time once again to return to the villa, don the proper attire and demurely greet your admiring crowd. This dress is from the shop of TimelessVixenVintage.