How to Keep Her Happy This Christmas.

In my continuing attempt to make the holidays a little easier on everyone this year, today I lend my helping hand to the men.

Most women are pretty simple to buy for. We want pretty, extravagant things, that frankly, aren't useful... at least in your mind. We always find baubles and smelly things useful. We like to be pampered and to feel pretty. So pay attention, take note, and then get shopping. Don't wait until the last minute. If your lady knows that you actually made the effort to NOT procrastinate this year, she may reward you with the a few extra stops under the mistletoe.

First of all, remember that shiny things are always good. Not steak knife shiny... stay with me here. So something that is a little glitzy, and a lot girly is always a safe bet. These earrings from nancywallisdesign for example, that smack of old Hollywood glamour would be a welcome surprise under any tree. You could casually mention that they are a beautiful match to her eyes, but for the love of Pete, do this only if she she has blue eyes.


Women also tend to tire easily of drab, bulky and shapeless winter coats. Dressing them up a little is a nice change, and a scarf such as this one by artlab, would be perfect.
One thing you should know, is this is the time of year when allow ourselves a little dietary lee-way. Heck, we'll start worrying again in the New Year. In the meantime, feel free to treat us with decadent chocolates. Maybe something like these espresso martini truffles from denisesdelectables.

As a special treat, how about a small clutch or wristlet style purse. One that is small enough to hold all that we need for a night out, but small enough too that you have to carry your own wallets, keys, phone, etc. Its the gift that keeps on giving. A beautiful example is this leather poppy wristlet from tmStudioDesign.


Now for something that is for her, but also mostly for you. From sandmaidensleepwear, this pretty chemise with its soft lace and ruffles may cause swooning.


Oh yes, and finally something which you likely already know about us girls... we often have cold feet. So maybe slippers aren't a bad gift, but be sure they are as pretty as these ones from ing00te.

There you are. That was pretty painless. Remember to stay tuned, as we take a look next at what all the cool kids will love this year.

And so it Begins.....

I don't know what's happening where you are, but here there has been a definite shift in mood; one that swings from bubbling-under-the-surface-joy, to bah-humbug. Yes, the first snow fell; snatches of Christmas carols can be heard here and there; the faintest glimmer of panic has appeared in shopper's eyes. The Christmas season is upon us. How it catches us by surprise year after year is a mystery to me, yet year after year, we find ourselves caught off guard by its arrival.

The stress of the season, though, is not mandatory. A few minutes of simple planning can help you breeze through the holidays, rum-laced eggnog in hand. So let's get started on planning shall we.

We'll take this day by day. We'll shop for gifts - even for the most hard to shop for individuals. We'll trim the tree. We'll wrap our parcels. We'll plan a festive affair. And at the end of it all, we will fall into bed and let visions of sugar plums dance in our head.

So today, let's check off the most onerous task on the list: Shopping for the men-folk.

I can't exactly speak for the men of the world, but I suspect that they must get a little tired of receiving the same old things every year: cologne box sets, itchy sweaters, slippers, and nose-hair trimmers. This year, let's shake it up a bit and give them something they may actually want.

First of all, let's start with the men who don't actually mind the boxed cologne gift-sets, but need a bit of a push out of their comfort zone. The first item is a gorgeous hand-made shaving mug that comes with a shaving brush, and a handmade shaving soap. Both the mugs and soap are created by martisart.


To accompany this gift, what well groomed man wouldn't love to have his very own beer soap, perhaps in an luxurious scent such as Wood Cashmere? These soaps which yes, are made with real beer, are made by thebeersoapcompany.


Is your man dapper, and well-dressed? Or would you like to encourage him to be? Try outfitting him with a couple of these beautiful handmade accessories. First, a lovely warm scarf, from thescarfguy, handwoven from 100% merino wool.


Next, maybe a set of cool Cufflinks cufflinks, re-purposed from vintage typewriter keys.


Does your man need a little help with organization? Do you cringe when you hear, "Honey, where's my...?" Here are a couple items that can help, and each comes with the sumptuous smell of leather as an added bonus.

The first is a beautiful leather card case made by sakao.


The next item is a fabulous hand-stitched leather pencil case from chiidesigns.

Do have you an outdoorsman on your list? For a man who enjoys camping and waking to the warble of the birds, how about this fabulous vintage camper style birdhouse from jumahl?


Maybe you have a man who enjoys a tipple or a drink out with the lads now and then? Well, here's a perfect item. A truly literal shot glass, handmade by ofminedesign.


And finally for the introspective artistic type, those who prefer to be on the outside looking in, here is a perfect gift. This photo by beautifuldarklight is of a vintage camera and is printed in warm sepia tones.


I hope you have found some inspiration here. If you have others on your "nice" list, and you are stumped about what to buy, stay tuned for more ideas.

Favorite Things - October 19

It makes an evening more romantic. It makes skin glow. It adds extra excitement to an already joyous occassion.

Can you guess today's favorite thing? Its candles and candelight.

As sad as I am that the days have grown shorter, I am glad for the longer evenings because that also means more time for the soft glow and flicker of candles. I love a mildly scented candle to increase the gentle assault on my senses.

Two of my favorite new candle products are by Lucia and Woodwick.

Lucia is a Canadian company, whose wonderfully scented candles are made with 100% organic soy. The scent that I am currently most in love with is the Laurel Leaf and Olive Oil, but there are many others in the line which my nose has ferreted out for future experiments. (Hint... there are goat milk soaps in matching scents. As an added bonus, the candles come so prettily packaged. Just the perfect thing to take along as a hostess gift, or if you want to treat yourself to the added pleasure of unwrapping a gift to yourself.

One of my other favorites are WoodWick candles. Not having the luxury of a wood burning fireplace, I picked up one of these to provide a lit fireplace ambience. By far the most intriguing feature of these candles is the wick, which if you look at the name you would surmise, is wood. I thin slice of wood provides a slow burning wick that has the added bonus of a slight hiss and pop of burning logs. For added effect, they have even managed to concoct a "Fireside" scent. Admittedly, this might be an acquired taste, but they have many other enticing scents as well. For this time of year, the Harvest scent is quite divine. If you have scent sensitivities, they also have an unscented candle so you can still enjoy the auditory excitement.


Take advantage of the dark of winter and pull out a candle and indulge in the calming effects of candlelight.

(Note: Both of these products are available in Canada at Chapters/Indigo stores.)

My Birthday Present to You!

Its my birthday weekend. I can't say that I am exactly excited to be a year older, but I am really looking forward to the weekend. And since, I intend to have so much fun, I thought I'd share the love.

So.... my present to you, is a free shipping offer in my etsy store. This offer runs from 12:01am October 9th to 11:59pm October 12th.

Seems to me like this could be a great opportunity to get started on that Christmas shopping.

Enter to Win

Care to find out what inspires me? Well, here is your chance to find out, and to get a chance to win a pair of stringmealong flower hairsticks.

Fellow blogger, etsy seller and Canadian, - rikrak - is hosting a give-away on her very fun and beautiful blog. Click here to enter.

Be sure to check out the rest of her blog. It is so much fun to read. And check her etsy shop too for the most wonderfully fun and colourful eco-friendly goodies.

Favorite Things - October 5

My favorite thing today is something that is quintessentially autumn. I can't imagine a Thanksgiving or Hallowe'en without them, and I love to see a field full of them on a golden autumn evening.

PUMPKINS!

A couple weeks ago I mentioned that a favorite of mine was the fall fair, and the award winning fruits and vegetables that are a part of the grand tradition of the fair. Well, naturally the giant pumpkins are my favorite. But apart from that, the bring me joy in so many other ways too.

As a child, pumpkins provided my favorite part of Hallowe'en with the carving of the jack-o-lantern. There was so much thought and care that went into choosing the perfect pumpkin for carving. One had to be sure that it was a sufficient size, proper shape, and had a good heft. The heft is of course important, because that would ensure that there would be hidden within, a treasure trove of white seeds, perfect for roasting and salting for a crunchy, once a year treat. Once the pumpkin was sccoped out, seeds set aside, the pumpkin must be turned this way and that, while carving knife in hand, you decide on the perfect spot for the face. Ready? Carve out the eyes... happy, or diabolical? Carve a nose... triangle, upside or down? Mouth... toothy grin, or hollow 'O'? Lean back, twist the pumpkin slightly this way and that, and oh, isn't he perfect. The simple addition of a candle and he's ready to beckon trick-or-treaters and scare away the bogeys! Honestly, can you think of any other squash to whom you would entrust such a task?

As an adult, pumpkins provided my favorite part of Thanksgiving. Pumpkin pie, with just an added little dollop of whip cream is surely the most perfect after dinner treat. As I have gotten older, I've learned that pumpkins need not be kept for just a pie. Pumpkin muffins, scones, soup, risotto, pancakes... the list goes on and on. How did I not recognise the versatility?

I love the matte orange sheen of the pumpkin skin. I love even the elongated yellow bloom that preceeds it, growing along the slightly prickly green stem.

I love the look of a pumpkin reposing gently on a country home front porch; or correct little rows of them sitting at a market, full of undiscovered potential, just waiting for a buyer.


On a day that looks and feels truly of autumn, at the start of the month that heralds the harvest, the pumpkin seems like a perfect pick for today's favorite thing, wouldn't you say?

Favorite Things - September 28

Today's favorite thing is something that I can stare at and ponder for hours. Watching them float or whisk by, while looking for hidden shapes within.

Puffy clouds.



Honestly, is there anything better. Haven't you ever wasted an entire afternoon in lazy repose, pointing out to a reclining mate the images that you are able to spot within? If you haven't you have wasted far too many summer afternoons on pointless endeavours like housework, or work phone calls.

Next time you get one of those blue-skied, puffy cloud days, grab a blanket, lie back and daydream the clouds into your innermost dreams. Think of them as a less frightening version of a Rorschach test.

Now tell me, do you see anything in the image above?

Slow Down, You Move too Fast

You gotta make this moment last.

Maybe I'm too Thoreau for my own good, clinging fast to a Walden-esque idealism in this ever increasing fast-paced, modern world. I seem to have a very different idea than most, of what a walk in the woods is meant to be. Grasping a paper-cupped-venti-whatever, while wearing an ipod and texting is not how a walk in the woods is meant to be enjoyed.

A walk in the woods, if you allow it will enliven all the senses, leaving one feeling both satiated and invigorated.

Slow down, leave behind all your external distractions, and open yourself up to nature.

Breathe deep the soft, gentle air. Can't you smell the season? Allow the taste of the trees about you to linger on the back of your tongue. Its there: the subtle sweetness of spruce; the sharp tartness of juniper, and; the crisp tang of cedar. Intoxicating.

Listen to the symphony of the natural world as it goes on about its business. There is the avian vocal harmony of high-octave trills, and lower throaty warbles. Here the unexpected staccato scolding of a startled squirrel. The crunch of leaves underfoot, and the snap of a twig combine with the ever-present back-beat of wind-rustled foliage.

The vibrancy of colours mingles with the dancing light, creating a kaleidoscopic wonder. Look not only at the large picture, but focus also on the details. Notice the one leaf in many that has turned its colours from vibrant green to fiery red, and is poised and ready to float softly toward the earth. Appreciate that after the rain of the last few days, a few daring fungi have poked their heads from below the autumn mulch. Wonder at the lone birch whose bark, when illuminated by the slanting sun, glows pure white against a shadowy backdrop.

Slow down. That's all. There is a world of wonders at your feet. Enjoy it, and let the feeling last.

Favorite Things - September 21

Fall fairs. These annual events are easily one of my favorite things the world over.

Every year of my childhood, the first gruelling week of back to school was rewarded by the arrival of our county fair. "Just one more sleep", you would sleepily mutter as your eyelids closed that Friday night. Saturday morning, to my memory at least, always dawned sunny and warm but with just enough nip in the air to make the day seem perfectly autumnal.

Piling into the car, the excitement would build, as finally it reached fever pitch when our childish exuberance met the wild and fervid boisterousness of the crowd pushing toward the entrance gates. Just inside we could already make out the flashing strobe lights and fervent movement of the midway. The smell of warm sugar and hot frying oil, would tempt the olfactory senses. The squeals of excitement, the pulsing rhythms, the loudspeakers and the "step-right-up's" of the carnival barkers were a siren song.

Tickets in hand, we would burst through the gate and itemize all the days planned accomplishments. The merry-go-round and ferris wheel were of utmost importance. Cotton candy and caramel apples too, were top priorities. Play the midway and hope to cart home a giant stuffed bear at the end of the day.

Pet the cows, goats, sheep, and pigs in the barns, and admire the blue ribbon winners, not really understanding of course what made two seemingly identical animals more or less ribbon-worthy than the other. Watch the horses trot 'round the track and try to guess who would be the winner. Lick your lips over the prize winning pies and jams and wonder how one day you too, could be lucky enough to earn the job of judge to these decadent creations. Marvel at the enormity of the prize winning pumpkin, so big that it would take three of you to wrap your arms around it.

Mingle with neighbours, exclaim with excitement at seeing school friends.

Buy a balloon, and then cry a little at the end of the day as your little sticky hands, so tired from the day of excitement, forget to grasp tightly to the string, releasing the balloon into the air. The balloon drifts up into the night sky, as the day closes on the best day of the year.

Favorite Things - September 7

Autumn. Although from a strictly astronomical standpoint, autumn is still two weeks away. Its crept upon us though and it is making its presence known. Its in the air. Summer is drawing to a close. Today is Labour Day and tomorrow, school starts again for another year. There is a crispness in the air, and the temperature has cooled. The light has become clear and bright, and the sunsets are vibrant and breathtaking. The haze of summer days has migrated, making way for the new season.

This year, summer seemed an all too brief event. For many, the cooling temperature and shorter days are cause for anguish. For myself, however, this is the time of year when I feel most alive. I don't know if this is because I am a child of autumn, and this is the season when my conscious being was first introduced to the world.

I eagerly await the tinge of orange on the maple leaves, the gathering of the geese as they prepare to migrate, the annual ritual of pulling sweaters and socks out of the back of the wardrobe and pulling them on to greet the chill of night. I love adding the extra duvet to the bed, welcoming back its comforting weight, and snuggling under to warm my nose and toes.

I love that it is the season when a hot bath begins once again to beckon... so much more welcoming than a brisk, cooling shower. As the day grows cooler, soups begin to once again simmer on the stove, lending a homey aroma to life once again.

I find that I stop to inhale more deeply. The scents of autumn are so intoxicating: the slow curling and withering of summer wildflowers, which while signalling their death, smells sweetly of a short life well spent. Hay is mown and rolled, apples are ripened, and if one passes by an open window at the opportune time, there may be the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg wafting from a fresh pumpkin pie.

Autumn in its ascent is the perfect time of year. Lucky for me, the past week has been sunny and temperate. Blessed with a three day weekend, I have made the best use of the available time to fill my lungs and indulge my senses in this early autumn splendour.

Favorite Things - August 24

Maybe you were wondering why my blog posts have been so rare lately? As my sister pointed out to me, my silence is directly related to my recent acquisition - my new favorite thing: a Wii.

I am not actually sure that I can adequately express my love for it. The first day I broke it out of its box, I simply played the sports games that came with it. Fun! Then, I broke out the Wii Fit Balance Board that I bought with it, and me and my Mii have been spending a lot of quality time together. To date, my Mii is 2.7 lbs lighter than nearly 2 weeks ago! YAH-Mii!



I have never been an athlete, but when I have that controller and Nunchuk in my hand, I feel like Serena Williams, Anikka Sorenstam and Rocky, all rolled into one!! The virtual world is a happy place!!


Just look how cute I am in those candy-striped baseball tights!!!

Scribbles

A few months ago, a fellow Etsy Canadian member proposed to our Canadian forum group, that we delve a little deeper into our creative side. The ever-wise emmarts, believed that it would be fantastic artistic therapy for us to push past our creative boundaries, and set aside our fears of different media. The idea was to begin an art collective. Each person would do three quick sketches or doodles and then mail it on to another member. The recipient would then either paint or collage on that sketch or doodle, and mail it on to a third member. This recipient would then either collage or sketch (whichever the second person hadn't done) and then mail it to a keeper of the projects.

I'm a great fan of doodling. I'm more hesitant with paint as a medium, although I know from high school art classes that I am a big fan of it. Collage was an art form that I admired, but for some reason was fearful to try. Having the opportunity to try my hand at all three seemed like a fantastic idea.

I wasted no time in sending off my set of scribbles.



I faltered a bit however as the first set of drawings arrived to me and it was thus my turn to paint. I set aside my initial hesitation quickly enough though, and set to with paints and brushes. I don't think in this case it was so much the painting that had me worried, so much as it was the thought that perhaps the starting doodler, would be upset with what I had done to her work. I wondered if perhaps she had had a vision of what the doodles would look like by the end and if perhaps my amateur brushstrokes would offend her vision.

With the arrival of the next package the fear and hesitation intensified. Now I had not only one person's vision with which to concern myself, but two. For that reason, the package remained untouched for weeks, until I was prodded, scolded and reminded that the point of the exercise was to leave the fear behind. "True enough", I sighed and went off in search of collaging inspiration. Once I tucked into the project, and saw the finished, completely finished piece come together, I actually felt a sense of elation as well as accomplishment. Why, I hadn't ruined anything after all. The finished works actually looked quite nice. This one is my favorite:



AND, if you don't believe me and want to see the other two as well, you can see them for yourself now on Etsy, at TheScribbleGroup.
All the pieces will in time be available for sale in this shop. The proceeds from the sales will be going toward a fundraising effort by loopy4ewe who will be taking part in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer, for a second time, in June 2010.

More projects are in the works, so look for more additions to this shop, as we as a group continue to explore further artistic liberation.

Craft Show Weekend

If you are a fellow New Brunswick resident, and will be in Moncton this weekend, come see me at the Victoria Park Art and Craft Market.


I will be selling my String Me Along jewelry at this show all weekend.


The weather looks promising, and there is an exciting line-up of vendors.

Also, stay tuned next week for another exciting new crreative venture of which I am thrilled to be a part.

Pucker Up!!

This morning I went to the local farmer's market full of eager anticipation for all the best of mid-summer's bounty. It was a trip well-rewarded. Apart from the typical lettuces, beans, peas, and potatoes, I also came away with raspberries, which are easily my favorite berry, and gooseberries, which I had never tried before.

I was not really sure what to do with the berries, so I enquired while paying and the lady serving was so kind as to give me a few suggestions. One was to pop them whole into the mouth like a blueberry, and the other was to make jam. She also instructed me to remove the stem end and the fuzzy little flower end before using them. I have never made jam, and today was not the day that I cared to undertake a first attempt. I tried to pop one whole into my mouth, expecting a burst of sweet juiciness. WOW... was I in for a shock. These pretty, little glossy berries are not sweet, and really not all that juicy. What they are is very sour, and quite like a black currant when you amp up the tart factor by about 100%. It seemed I would need to look for other ways to use these berries.

I enquired of a friend whether it was possibly to make them into a tart. She assured me that it was possible, and even kindly provided a couple recipes (which sorry, to say, I didn't use this time). Armed with the new knowledge though, I did a quick google search to see if it was possible to use the berries in my favorite free-form, one crust, gallette-style tart. It is possible.... with the addition of MUCH sugar.

Now, to go back quickly to something that I should have paid attention to while I was buying the berries... removing the stem and flower end of the berry is an incredibly tedious task, and one which I am not eager to undertake again anytime soon.

Added to the quart of berries that I purchases, I added roughly 1/4 cup white sugar and about 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. I used a standard sweet pastry crust, and loaded the berries in and folded up the sides. I sprinkled organic cane sugar over the crust for a lovely crunchy caramelization. Into the oven at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. As it turns out, the seemingly non-juicy berries become very juicy as they cook, and my pie runneth over. Keep a pan for beneath the baking pan to catch the juices.

Overall, the tart was really delicious, although we did have a few berries that were perhaps, a little under-ripe. These proved to be quite entertaining, as the unexpected tartness would elicit the best pucker face from husband.


Come to think of it, maybe I should also have paid more heed when the woman at the counter, congratulated me on my courage to try new things. There may have been a not so subtle warning there.